The battle turns against su dao

The Battle Turns Against Su Dao

The battlefield was in chaos. The night sky was shrouded in dark clouds, and the air smelled of blood and burning wood. The once-grand Liang family estate was now a war zone, its walls cracked, and the ground stained red.

Su Dao stood in the center, his black robes fluttering in the wind, his sword gleaming with fresh blood. He had already slain two of the five disciples, but he was beginning to feel the strain. His opponents were not ordinary cultivators—they were elite disciples of the Begha Sect, supported by two powerful Core Formation elders.

Elder Yun Cheng, a tall man with silver hair, stepped forward. His sword radiated a sharp, icy aura, his eyes filled with battle intent. Su Dao gritted his teeth and charged at him, his sword slashing through the air like a lightning bolt.

Clang!

Yun Cheng blocked the attack with ease, his blade colliding with Su Dao's in a shower of sparks. The ground beneath them cracked from the force.

Just as Su Dao prepared to counter, another figure appeared between them—Elder Bai Jian. He struck a large bronze bell with his palm, and a deep, echoing hum filled the air.

Buzz!

A golden light expanded from the bell, forming a glowing barrier around Su Dao. His movements slowed as an invisible force pressed down on him, locking his limbs in place.

"Now!" Bai Jian shouted. "Channel your energy into the bell and trap him!"

The remaining disciples immediately obeyed, forming a circle around Su Dao. They poured their Qi into the bell, making the barrier stronger. Su Dao clenched his jaw, feeling his body grow heavier.

"Mei Ling!" Bai Jian commanded. "Go assist Elder Yun Cheng first, then come help us!"

Mei Ling hesitated for a moment. Her eyes flickered with emotion as she looked at Su Dao, trapped within the golden barrier. But after a deep breath, she nodded and turned to join the battle.

Su Dao's expression remained cold, but deep in his mind, a storm raged.

"I can't let them trap me. If they succeed, I will lose everything."

With a sharp glint in his eyes, he took a deep breath and prepared to break free, even if it meant burning all his strength.

Su Dao stood trapped inside the glowing golden barrier, his limbs growing heavier with every second. The disciples poured their energy into the bell, making it stronger, while the elders stood firm, waiting for the moment he would be completely sealed.

He clenched his fists, his breathing ragged. He had one chance—one final, desperate move. But the cost would be immense.

"If I use all my Qi to explode the bell, I can break free… but my cultivation will be completely destroyed. I'll have to start from scratch."

His heart pounded. It was a cruel choice—lose everything or die here. But Su Dao had never feared sacrifice.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, gathering every last drop of Qi into his core. His body trembled as the energy surged wildly inside him, threatening to tear him apart. The golden barrier tightened, sensing his struggle.

"No turning back."

With a roar, Su Dao unleashed all his Qi in a single, devastating explosion.

The Explosion That Shook the Heavens

BOOM!

A blinding light swallowed the battlefield. A violent shockwave ripped through the air, shattering the bell and tearing through the ground like an earthquake. The force sent Su Dao flying like a broken kite, his body thrown a thousand kilometers away.

The elders were caught in the blast, their robes burning as they tumbled across the battlefield. The disciples screamed—most were torn apart instantly. Only two survived.

Mei Ling coughed, her vision blurry. A golden barrier shimmered around her—the protective shield given by her father had saved her. She gasped as she saw the devastation. The once-proud Liang estate was now a ruined wasteland.

And Su Dao was gone.

A Broken Body, A Weakened Soul

Far away, in a dense, shadowy forest, Su Dao's body crashed into the ground, shattering trees and rocks as he tumbled down a steep slope.

Cough… cough…

He spat blood, his vision spinning. His entire body felt like it had been torn apart. He could barely lift a finger. His Qi was completely gone—he wasn't even at the level of a normal human anymore.

"I might die here."

The thought entered his mind like a whisper, but he refused to accept it. He gritted his teeth and dragged himself forward, inch by inch, until he found a small cave hidden between jagged rocks.

He collapsed inside, his breathing shallow. He had to recover. Even if it was just a tiny bit of Qi—just enough to move.

Su Dao forced himself into a meditative position. He closed his eyes and tried to cultivate, but the moment he gathered even a thread of Qi—

ARGH!

A pain worse than death struck him. It felt like something was devouring him from the inside, gnawing at his bones, ripping through his organs. His body convulsed, blood pouring from his mouth, nose, and eyes. The cave echoed with his strangled cries.

For ten minutes, he endured hell itself.

Then, darkness took him.

A Fragile Recovery

Seven hours later, his eyes slowly opened. His breathing was weak, but the unbearable pain had faded slightly.

"Finally… I feel better."

He sat up, his muscles trembling. The cave was eerily silent, the only sound his own shallow breaths.

Outside, the night stretched endlessly. The forest was dark, alive with unseen dangers. Su Dao hesitated.

"Going outside now would be foolish. I'm too weak. But… this cave…"

A terrible thought crossed his mind. What if a spiritual beast lived here? What if it returned?

A cold sweat broke out on his back.

Rustle.

A faint sound echoed from deep within the cave. His heart stopped.

He didn't think—he ran.

His broken body screamed in protest, but he pushed forward, stumbling over roots and rocks. He ran like a hunted animal, like death itself was snapping at his heels.

The Predator in the Dark

After what felt like an eternity, he finally stopped, gasping for breath. His hands trembled as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

Then—

A low growl.

Su Dao's eyes widened.

A massive tiger-like beast stood at the entrance of the cave he had just escaped. Its golden eyes gleamed in the darkness, its sleek fur rippling with strength. The beast exuded power—it was a 5th-level spiritual beast.

Su Dao's blood ran cold.

"If I had stayed just a little longer… I would have died."

But the danger wasn't over. The tiger sniffed the air, its sharp eyes narrowing. It could still smell him.

"Damn it… it knows I was there!"

The beast licked its fangs, amused. It had already eaten, but the scent of human flesh was tempting. Slowly, it turned, scanning the forest.

Su Dao crouched behind a fallen log, his heart hammering.

"I have no Qi. No strength. If it finds me… I'm dead."

The tiger took a step forward, sniffing the ground. Its golden eyes flickered with hunger.

And Su Dao knew—

He was being hunted.