The icy‑cold lake water, thick with the stench of blood, kept pouring into his nostrils.
The agony of his severed arm gnawed at his bones like a relentless parasite, tearing savagely at Lin Chen's nerves, every inch of flesh screaming in torment.
"Damn… it hurts like hell…"
He forced his eyes open in the murky lake water, his vision blurred, leaving nothing but endless darkness and bone‑chilling cold. His left arm was gone, blood still gushing from the ragged stump, dyeing the surrounding water a deep crimson. That arm, which had been with him for over a decade, was gone just like that!
"Fuck! That feathered bastard!"
Raging hatred, bitter resentment, and bone‑deep terror surged within Lin Chen. He had thought that after half a year of bitter cultivation, reaching the peak of Middle True Martial, he could roam the outer perimeter unchallenged. He had thought he'd stumbled upon a heaven‑sent opportunity to slay a gravely wounded Spirit Sea beast.
But what was the outcome?
He had vastly overestimated himself and underestimated the terrifying foundation of a Spirit Sea beast!
One strike! Just one strike!
He had been beaten half to death, and his arm had been torn clean off!
"Fucking hell… how could I be so stupid!"
Remorse, rage, and powerlessness tangled together, nearly burning his sanity to ashes.
Above the lake surface, a dark shadow suddenly plummeted!
Unable to restrain itself any longer, the ferocious bird folded its wings, its massive body crashing into the water like a black cannonball!
Splash!
The lake water churned violently. The tremendous impact jolted Lin Chen's body, reopening the wound on his severed arm, making the blood gush even more fiercely.
His pupils shrank as he stared fixedly at the rapidly approaching shadow. The bird was even more agile underwater than on land, its streamlined body cutting through the waves, blood‑red eyes locked onto him, its sharp beak glinting with cold light as it lunged straight for his skull!
The breath of death instantly enveloped him!
"Damn! So fast!"
Lin Chen's face paled, every hair on his body standing on end. Agony and blood loss had stiffened his limbs, making even the slightest movement excruciatingly difficult. He could only watch helplessly as the deadly beak drew closer.
The resistance of the water slowed his movements to a crawl. Summoning his last ounce of strength, he slashed sideways with his only remaining right arm, twisting his body with immense difficulty.
Pfft!
The bird's beak grazed his neck and slammed into the mud nearby, sending rocks and mud exploding outward. The murky water choked him, making him cough violently.
"Cough… cough…"
Suffocation and agony struck at the same time, black spots dancing before Lin Chen's eyes, his consciousness on the verge of collapsing entirely.
"Is this… how I, Lin Chen, am going to die?"
"The sect's great vengeance is still unfulfilled. After surviving for so long, I'll end up dying at the hands of a beast?"
"I won't accept it! I won't accept this!"
A fierce will to live erupted like a flame in his heart. Gritting his teeth until his gums bleed, he paddled frantically with his right arm, diving deeper toward the lake bottom.
He had to hide. He had to survive!
The water pressure grew heavier, his chest tight and suffocating, his lungs completely empty of air. Every struggle tore at his stump, sending spasms of agony through his entire body.
"Damn… hold on… I have to hold on…"
He roared inwardly, clinging to his ferocity, inching slowly toward the dark depths of the lake bottom.
Just as his consciousness was about to fade completely and his body sink into the lake‑bottom mud—
Buzz!
A faint yet unmistakable golden light suddenly erupted from deep within his dantian!
It was the system!
[Ding! Host detected in critical condition, severely wounded with severed arm. Ultimate life‑saving mechanism activated!]
[Ding! Emergency repair initiated!]
[Ding! Ancient spirit vein energy detected at lake bottom. Absorbing and converting!]
The cold system notifications echoed in his mind like heavenly music.
In the next instant, a warm, overwhelming force surged from his dantian, spreading throughout his body. The tearing agony at his severed arm was forcibly suppressed. The broken blood vessels and muscles, wrapped in the warm current, began to stop bleeding and heal at a visible rate. At the same time, incomparably pure energy flooded into his body from the lake‑bottom mud, surging along his meridians into his dantian!
"What is this…"
Lin Chen's clouded eyes suddenly flared with light, his consciousness snapping awake!
[Ding! Absorbing ancient spirit vein energy. Cultivation skyrocketing!]
[Ding! Peak Middle True Martial → Late True Martial!]
Robust true essence surged within him, and his weakened body instantly filled with strength!
But he knew full well that even after breaking through to Late True Martial, he was still at a complete disadvantage against this Spirit Sea beast—gravely wounded as it was. The physical strength and vitality of a Spirit Sea beast were not something a True Martial cultivator could easily overcome!
Behind him, the bird's beak struck again, carrying murderous intent!
Lin Chen's gaze turned icy and sharp. Without hesitation, he exerted all his strength with his remaining right arm, twisting his body eerily underwater, pushing Traceless Snow Tread to its limit beneath the waves!
Pfft!
The bird's beak struck empty once more, slamming into the lake‑bottom rocks, sending shards flying.
It twisted its head around, blood‑red eyes filled with shock and rage. Its wings beat violently, churning up a violent undercurrent that swept toward Lin Chen.
Knocked off balance by the current, Lin Chen gritted his teeth and steadied himself. Channeling all his Late True Martial true essence into his right arm, he ignited the power of the Savage Bull Bloodline, condensing the intent of Mountain‑Splitting Fist to its peak.
Instead of confronting it head‑on, he used the water currents to his advantage, his figure flickering and darting, evading and searching for the bird's weaknesses.
The bird's left wing was already severely injured. Though fast underwater, its movements were restricted. Every lunge tore at its wound, driving it into a greater frenzy.
"Fuck! I'll fight you to the death!"
Seizing an opening, Lin Chen used the bird's lunge momentum to close in abruptly. Veins bulged on his right arm as he slammed a fist into the bird's wounded left wing!
Boom!
Fist energy tore into the wound, and the bird let out a shrill, agonizing cry, its massive body trembling violently.
But its counterattack came instantly. Its right wing swept out like a steel whip, slamming hard into Lin Chen's chest!
"Pfft—"
Lin Chen was sent flying, coughing up a mouthful of blood, crashing into the lake‑bottom rocks. Agony exploded in his chest, as if several ribs had snapped.
"Damn!"
Clenching his teeth against the pain, he struggled to his feet, no trace of retreat in his eyes—only the ferocity of someone fighting to the death.
He knew retreat meant death. Only by risking everything could he find a sliver of life!
He charged again, not dodging or blocking, allowing the bird's claws to tear into his shoulder, blood streaming down. Yet using this close‑range opportunity, he punched again and again, hammering wildly at the bird's wound!
Crack! Crack!
Every punch landed on flesh, the sound of shattering bones echoing repeatedly.
The bird's cries grew weaker, its vitality fading rapidly, its blood‑red eyes dimming.
By now, Lin Chen was covered in wounds. The stump of his arm had reopened, his chest and shoulder crisscrossed with gashes, his aura withered to the extreme, sustained only by sheer willpower.
Finally, as Lin Chen's final punch landed with every ounce of his remaining strength, the bird's massive body froze. Its wings hung limply, life extinguished, sinking slowly toward the lake bottom.
Floating in the water, Lin Chen could no longer hold on, his body beginning to sink slowly as well.
He gasped for breath, every inhalation tearing at his wounds, agony searing through him. Yet in his eyes, there was no joy—only icy calm and the relief of having survived by a hair's breadth.
"Damn… finally… alive…"
This was no easy victory. It was a brutal, hard‑won triumph, bought with his life.
Dragging his broken body, he paddled laboriously toward the surface with his only remaining arm.
Sunlight pierced the lake water, falling on his pale, scarred yet resolute face.
The pain of losing an arm, the danger of a life‑or‑death battle—these were etched into his soul.
From this day onward, he would never again be arrogant or reckless.
The gap in strength was an uncrossable chasm. Only by steady steps and risking his life could he hope to bridge it.