Step by Step Ascend to Immortality
Chapter 26 - 27 The battle between avenues

Chapter 26: Chapter 27 The battle between avenues

After receiving the Four-Square Heavenly Origin Bean, Ma Qianjun's face lit up with a wide grin. He enthusiastically declared, "Rest assured, Master Pang, leave everything to me. I'll make sure this goes perfectly!"

With this powerful bean in his possession, Ma Qianjun felt confident that he could break through to the "Mountain-Splitting" stage, putting him on par with Foundation Establishment cultivators. It could even extend his lifespan by a decade, a crucial step in solidifying his hold over Yunzhong County for the Tianyi Gang. "Master Pang, your family's hunting eagles and hounds are excellent, but they might not be of much use in Luoxing Mountain."

Pang Tianshan paused, his brow furrowed. "And why is that?"

Ma Qianjun quickly responded, "Because Luoxing Mountain is unlike any other. Even the fiercest eagles and hounds are nothing more than rabbits in these wilds. The creatures that lurk here could easily obliterate even Golden Core cultivators or Three-Flower warriors, let alone a pack of hunting animals. If half of them make it back, we'd be lucky."

Pang Tianshan nodded slightly, understanding the gravity of Ma Qianjun's words. Ma continued, "Moreover, while hunting hounds are effective in open terrain, they won't do much good against Liu Suiyun. The man traversed Luoxing Mountain alone when he was just fourteen—this place is like his backyard."

"He must have some way of evading the hounds, otherwise, we would've caught those two by now!" Ma Qianjun suggested, "We should deploy not only hounds and eagles but also spread scouts across the area. Once we locate them, we can harass them continuously. But be warned, that scoundrel Liu Suiyun is a dual cultivator—he's not easy to deal with..."

Pang Tianshan had already devised a strategy. "You're right, Chief Ma. I was too careless, too focused on the little things and lost sight of the bigger picture. Jiao Long!"

He immediately issued orders, "Distribute the Red Blood Essence Dragon Pills and the Exterminating Immortal Arrows from our reserves, along with those few talismanic treasures. Don't hold anything back—give them everything we've got!"

Ma Qianjun was taken aback. The Red Blood Essence Dragon Pill, just by the name alone, hinted at its immense power. It was said that consuming just one could transform a martial artist, doubling their combat strength, and even providing an opportunity for further advancement. Unlike other forceful techniques, this pill had no harmful side effects.

These pills were typically reserved for high-level martial artists. The Tianyi Gang had only managed to secure two of them after years of effort, yet Pang Tianshan was now distributing potentially hundreds of these potent pills among his warriors.

As for the Exterminating Immortal Arrows, they were rare treasures. Originally designed by an elite sect from another realm to combat cultivators, they had been found to be less effective against higher-level cultivators, and thus were abandoned by the sect. However, for ordinary martial families, these arrows were highly valuable, capable of piercing through armor and shields with ease, posing a significant threat to Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators. Just a few skilled archers with strong bows could turn the tide of battle, making them a prized possession for families like the Pangs. The fact that Pang Tianshan was willing to use such precious resources showed how seriously he was taking this mission.

As for the talismanic treasures, they were powerful tools, created by Golden Core cultivators and capable of unleashing immense destructive power. Pang Tianshan was