IMMORTALITY STARTS WITH A GUN

As Liu Xing contemplated, he suddenly noticed that the blue portal was outlined by a thin black thread almost as fine as a thin rope. Had he not taken the time to observe closely, he might not have noticed it. This black thread could potentially be Ji Dongyang, and Liu Xing needed to investigate before jumping into the portal.

"Ji Dongyang, do you think you can deceive me? I know you are still here," Liu Xing declared, pointing towards the portal. It was a bluff, but if Ji Dongyang truly was the black thread, Liu Xing wanted him to believe his disguise had been exposed. The portal continued swirling without reaction. Upon seeing this, Liu Xing summoned his gun and made it invisible, then activated the Lightning Palm technique and formed a lightning blade.

When there was still no response, he extended the blade and swung his ultra-long blade towards the portal. He knew from his knowledge of pocket dimensions that the portal itself could not be disrupted, so he wasn't concerned about destroying it and trapping Yan Yu and other cultivators inside. Typically, a portal would only close when its energy source depleted, usually found within the pocket dimension itself. As his blade almost touched the black thread, the black skeleton under the tree suddenly charged at him. Liu Xing's eyes widened in surprise. He had not expected Ji Dongyang to still be present!

"Smart bastard. I didn't expect you to realize I was still here," a voice echoed from the portal.

Liu Xing ignored the comment and activated the Lightning Cloak technique. Electricity coated his body just as the skeleton closed in from behind. He canceled his Lightning Palm, spun around, and deflected the black skeleton's hand with his gun. When the skeleton attempted to strike with its left hand, Liu Xing countered with a punch that exploded the skeleton's head into black powder. The black skeleton collapsed in front of him, darkness receding from its bones and transforming into black smoke that drifted upward.

Tilting his head, Liu Xing watched as the darkness gathered from the black skeleton and the black thread converging into a single spot and forming a black sphere. From this sphere sprouted legs, arms, and a head with glowing eye sockets. Four wings resembling dragonflies emerged from its back. It stood about a meter tall, and Liu Xing sensed its power was at least at the sixth stage of the Lock Opening realm.

"It seems your cultivation advances each time you absorb that black smoke," Liu Xing observed.

"Hmph!" Ji Dongyang snorted. "A worm like you would not understand the complexities of this shadow. Still, I must commend you for forcing me to transform into this form earlier than planned."

"You and I are both in the Lock Opening realm. I don't think you have the right to call me a worm," Liu Xing retorted. "However, since you are in the mood for conversation, why don't you enlighten me about this 'shadow'?"

"Hmph! As I said, a worm like you does not need to understand my shadow. In fact, I have changed my mind. You are not going anywhere. You will die at my hands!"

With that, Ji Dongyang flew towards the tree with black leaves in the center of the clearing and dove inside it, creating ripples as if the tree were a water surface. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the ground began to rumble, and the tree started shaking. Eventually, the tree uprooted itself. Some branches transformed into big and muscular hands, and its roots morphed into two long human legs. A face appeared in the bark with eye sockets ablaze with white fire.

Upon seeing this, Liu Xing licked his lips. Ji Dongyang had now possessed a tree, and its qi felt akin to that of a spirit beast. Ji Dongyang began to scream. The sound was so loud it stirred the wind, and the trees around the clearing swayed as if they were trembling.

"I admit my power is not as great as it once was, but I can still use this technique," the face in the bark sneered. "Let's see how you fare."

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Moments later, Liu Xing heard screeches, howls, stomps, and flaps all around the clearing. He saw a white tiger with yellow eyes and blue flames around its ankles, a familiar mantis with a red body, a butterfly with a human torso and a cow's head, a wolf-like creature with eyes like wriggling worms, a gigantic bat the size of a boulder, three giant catfish of gold, red, and black swimming in the air, and many more spirit beasts. Each beast stared at Liu Xing as if he was an elixir of immortality. His heart raced. Dozens of fifth stage spirit beasts circled him. It seemed Ji Dongyang possessed a technique to command spirit beasts! The good news was that he only seemed capable of summoning spirit beasts with cultivation lower than his own.

"Attack!" shouted Ji Dongyang, and the spirit beasts rushed toward him.

The red mantis was the first to reach him. With the Lightning Cloak still active, Liu Xing aimed at its eyes and pulled the trigger twice. The first shot exploded its eye, the second its head. Blood and gore showered him, and the stripes on his gun glowed. Before he could wipe the blood from his face, a tiger pounced at him from the side. Moving like lightning, he slid under the tiger and fired bullets infused with beast core qi. When the bullets hit the tiger's belly, it exploded, leaving nothing but blood and entrails. He stopped sliding and jumped onto a tree branch. The spirit beasts rushed at him in a mad frenzy, but looking at his invisible gun, a ferocious smile formed on Liu Xing's lips.

Every time he killed a spirit beast, his gun absorbed the beast core and infused it into the bullets. Normally, Liu Xing would absorb the energy to cultivate, but now he didn't have time. Instead, he needed to use the bullets to kill more spirit beasts. He had never tested how strong the bullets infused with beast cores were, but judging by the remains of the tiger, Liu Xing felt confident each bullet could kill a spirit beast in a single shot. Suddenly, being surrounded by spirit beasts didn't seem so terrifying.

"Alright, everyone. Let's dance!"

He flared his Lightning Cloak, creating a lightning blade, and leaped into the horde of spirit beasts.

The massacre began.

***

Lei Kun had been a farmer from humble origins. Born in a small village, he had spent his childhood helping his father on their farm. He envisioned a simple yet perfect life: marrying a simple but lovely girl, working diligently and enjoying the fruits of his labor with each harvest, and eventually passing away peacefully from old age or illness. Instead, a cultivator arrived in his village, proclaimed Lei Kun his disciple, and abducted him to join a small sect situated in the northern part of the Dark Forest continent.

Within this sect, Lei Kun suffered greatly. He endured robbery, beatings, insults, and was even forced to grovel and kiss the feet of his enemies. In this sect, Lei Kun had learned the cruelty of the cultivation world, but he soon adapted and flourished.

His former dreams became ridiculous. Ashamed of them, he shed his old identity and embraced a new one. He was no longer Lei Kun, but a mighty cultivator, Ji Dongyang! Unlike Lei Kun's pathetic life, Ji Dongyang's story was grandiose, the story of the birth of a future world ruler! Although he had to split his soul and needed to start cultivating from scratch again, he was determined to impose his will on the world and ensure his enemies met their end. Although these years were hard, once he found a great vessel, he would rise like a phoenix rises from the ashes!

Despite his unwavering belief in his eventual comeback, standing behind a mad horde of spirit beasts and witnessing his army obliterated caused a slight doubt in Ji Dongyang's heart. That bastard Liu Xing was stronger than he looked. He was only a fifth-stage Lock Opening realm cultivator, yet his power surpassed his cultivation. With that lightning enhancement technique, he moved as fast as real lightning. Every time he can see Liu Xing, a spirit beast would explode, split in two, or lose its head. Even with his spirit beast eyes, Ji Dongyang strained to follow Liu Xing's movements.

Ji Dongyang considered transforming into a cloud and attacking. It seemed his cloud form was a bad match for Liu Xing, but he rejected the idea. Even in that form, Liu Xing could still hurt him, and as a cloud, his attack options were limited. Possessing this spirit beast was the best strategy.

Liu Xing appeared under a spirit beast that resembled a giant golden catfish. He kicked the catfish into the air, raised his left arm, and fired an invisible bolt, causing the spirit beast to explode. Without pausing, he moved behind a giant butterfly and slashed at it with his lightning blade, splitting it in two. A giant worm tried to attack from below. Liu Xing pointed his left hand and shot an electric bolt at the worm. The worm shrieked as its body stiffened. Liu Xing then leaped into the sky and unleashed a barrage of invisible bolts that quickly killed it.

At this point, Ji Dongyang wondered if he was biting off more than he could chew, but he pushed that thought away. There was no way he would lose to this kid!