Chapter 405 - 387: 2nd Limit Break of Thunder Collapse Step
"What’s with all the commotion! It looks like you’re itching for a whipping!"
When the steward, Huyan Bo, saw Huyan Muyuan frown, he immediately opened the door and barked at the anxious servant running toward them.
Seeing the steward’s scolding expression, the servant at the door was so frightened he immediately knelt and kowtowed desperately, muttering, "Spare me, Head Steward, spare me. News came from outside. That Su Yu has returned to his mansion. He even just showed his face at the Su Mansion’s entrance!"
"What!"
In the inner hall, Huyan Muyuan, who had been sitting in the master’s seat, shot to his feet, his pupils constricting. He slammed his right palm down on the priceless yellow pearwood table beside him.
BOOM—
A violent torrent of energy poured from his palm. In an instant, the incredibly valuable yellow pearwood table was blasted into a cloud of splinters by the ferocious force, which rained down across the floor.
"What about Chen Fan and the others? Have Huyan Tuoba and Huyan Hai returned?" Huyan Muyuan’s voice was filled with rage.
"N-no... they haven’t... returned."
The servant’s voice was terrified as he stammered his reply.
The room fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Huyan Bo and the others didn’t dare say another word, standing stock-still to the side, quiet as quails.
After a long moment, Huyan Muyuan regained his composure and sat back down. He spoke coldly, "Go. Send someone to the vicinity of Qingxi Town and investigate."
"Yes, Patriarch."
The servant quickly turned and scrambled out, as if he had just been granted a royal pardon.
"Huyan Bo, I want you to personally make a trip to the Inner City. Take my letter and the century-old Fire Lingzhi from the treasury, and pay a visit to the Tiemu family’s patriarch."
"This old servant obeys."
Huyan Bo’s expression was grave as he spoke respectfully.
"Father, what about... what about Chen Fan..." Huyan Tong’s expression was grim. She was more concerned about Chen Fan’s whereabouts. If he was dead too, his Spiritual Energy would be completely gone.
"Follow me downstairs!"
Huyan Muyuan shot up, flicked his sleeves, and strode out the door.
Huyan Tong hurried after him, her expression turning even uglier.
...
「Su Mansion, the rear courtyard.」
After sending someone to inform his master of last night’s events, a plan had already formed in Su Yu’s mind.
’The next step is to launch a thunderous strike and utterly annihilate the Huyan Family before they have time to react!’
’However, to wipe out a major family like that, I need sufficient strength—not just my own, but all the forces I can mobilize as well!’
He had already asked his senior sister to handle the specific arrangements.
This included contacting the Lin Family, the Jiang Family, and the Xu Family, as well as gathering more evidence of the Huyan Family’s collusion with the Black Lotus Sect. Every task was crucial and could not be delayed. Fortunately, he had his senior sister and the others, plus the Flying Feather Guard under his command.
He was no longer a lone wolf; he could now rally significant power!
’First, I need to increase my own strength. This confrontation with the Huyan Family probably won’t be easy!’
Su Yu suppressed his thoughts and called up his panel to check his latest Martial Arts and Breaking Limit information.
[Martial Arts]: Green Wood Shadow Ape Fist (Skilled 456/2000)
[Martial Arts]: Demon Ape Demon-Vibrating Saber (Proficient 1020/2000)
[Martial Arts]: Vajra Fearless True Sound (Great Success 1900/2000)
[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist (Perfection)
[Martial Arts]: Bibo Fish Dragon Skill (First Layer) (Perfection)
[Martial Arts]: Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber (First Layer) (1st Breaking Limit) (Demon-subduing)
[Martial Arts]: Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step (1st Breaking Limit) (First Step: Startling Goose)
...
[Breakthrough Points]: 3 (Progress 38%)
’I have just over 3 Breakthrough Points. It’s time to break the limit of the Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step again!’
Su Yu had already decided on his next course for Breaking Limits. Both his fight with Huyan Tuoba and his pursuit of Chen Fan last night had exposed a current weakness: his speed was no longer enough!
If he were still facing experts at the Ape Tendon or Tiger Tendon level, his speed would definitely still be superior.
But now, the enemies he frequently faced were already at the Jiao Tendon level, or even Profound Bone Realm experts. And even among special cases, there were divinely favored people like Chen Fan.
After reviewing last night’s battle, he had also figured out the change in Chen Fan. He had clearly become one of the divinely favored!
Thinking about Zhen’Er’s talent gave Su Yu a deeper understanding of these divinely favored people. Such geniuses absolutely surpassed any he had ever seen before. Their talents and trump cards could even exceed some Traits gained from Breaking Limits!
Take Chen Fan’s final performance last night for example. He was merely at the ordinary Muscle Forging stage, yet he had actually managed to surpass Su Yu’s own speed. It was simply incredible.
’This also proves that my current Broken Limits aren’t invincible!’
’If breaking the limit once isn’t enough, then I’ll do it twice! If twice isn’t enough, I’ll do it three times! I don’t care if you’re divinely favored or not. With enough Broken Limits, I’ll still crush you!’
A flash of decisiveness crossed Su Yu’s eyes. Without hesitation, he pressed the "+" sign next to Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step.
[Breaking the limit of Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step twice. Consuming 2 Breakthrough Points.]
[...]
[Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step limit break successful. You have obtained the Trait: Second Step: Thunder Rush!]
In the next instant, a profound and mysterious understanding flooded Su Yu’s mind.
Guided by his Divine Sense, his consciousness soared infinitely, plunging into a mystical, immemorial illusion. Scenes of cultivation across vast eons flashed rapidly before his eyes:
The first scene: an ancient forest at night amidst a torrential downpour. Thunder crackled like a web, and fierce winds snapped trees. Su Yu’s figure was like a phantom bolt of lightning, darting between the giant trees of the dense woods. With every step he took, an arc of electricity would flash from the sole of his foot, drawing down violent bolts of lightning from the sky. The lightning coursed savagely through the meridians in his legs, tempering his mortal bones and Great Tendons until they faintly gleamed with a thunderous light.
The second scene: a great canyon of raging gales, where howling winds sent loose rocks flying. Su Yu ran against the wind, braving the immense pressure amidst the storm of stones. The Great Tendons in his legs constantly snapped taut under the extreme resistance. With each stride, the charge-up time for First Step: Startling Goose was infinitely compressed by the tempering of the wind’s resistance. Wherever his foot landed, bluestone and boulders shattered, leaving behind a trail of scorched-black footprints as if plowed by thunder and fire.
The third scene: an ancient Thunder Pool, where Thunderstruck Wood stood tall and ten thousand bolts of lightning struck down. Su Yu stood barefoot in a sea of Thunder Slime and electricity as lightning rained from the sky, all of it merging into the meridians of his legs. Suddenly, he moved. Under the extreme compression of the Thunder Power, the charge-up time for First Step: Startling Goose approached zero!
He took one step, and thunder boomed. He took a second, and lightning exploded in the void. His entire being became like a furious bolt of celestial thunder tearing through the darkness, crossing hundreds of yards in an instant!
As the illusory scenes completely faded, Su Yu’s body and mind returned to their proper place. He slowly opened his eyes, and ink-like characters coalesced before him:
[Trait]: Second Step: Thunder Rush (2nd Breaking Limit)
First Step: Startling Goose, Second Step: Thunder Rush! Uses Thunder Power to temper and strengthen the legs, compressing the charge-up time of First Step: Startling Goose and enhancing its ability. The specific enhancement effect depends on the amount of Thunder Power within the body.
’Hm? Is this about utilizing Thunder Power?’
A flash of understanding crossed Su Yu’s eyes. It seemed his own authority over thunder had influenced this Cultivation Technique.
’I wonder just how fast I’ll be after tempering my legs with Thunder Power!’
Full of anticipation, Su Yu looked inward with his Divine Sense. At this moment, above the space of his Dantian, in addition to the blood-red ball of Evil Qi, there was now a wisp of Thunder Power. It looked like a tiny cotton ball, yet it emanated an astonishing aura.