Chapter 97: Defying Destiny

"Ugh!"

A mouthful of blood spurted out, dark red and mingled with fragments of his innards, merging into the blood-red mist enveloping him.

At this moment, Gu Wu Di profoundly understood what powerlessness truly meant.

The omnipresent oppressive force bore down from all directions, leaving no room to breathe. Under this overwhelming pressure, even moving a finger seemed impossible.

He knew he could delay no longer; he had to seize the moment. Hesitation would lead to fatigue, and eventually, he would falter. If time dragged on, death was certain.

"Roar!"

Gu Wu Di's eyes turned blood-red, veins crisscrossing, as he let out a beast-like growl.

The blood particles within him boiled, surging like a mighty river, unleashing his full potential with explosive force.

The Skyscreen Seed, symbiotic with him, exerted its power, using the surrounding blood mist to spread an expanse of crimson sky, sharing some of the burden.

Under the boost of these forces, he finally managed to lift his right leg, stepping onto the thirty-second layer.

"Boom!"

As his entire body entered the thirty-second layer, thunderclaps filled the air, light and electricity sparked, illuminating the space around him.

Terrifying celestial phenomena appeared within the chaotic fog, as if unveiling an ancient hidden history.

"Crack!"

A sharp sound resonated as Gu Wu Di's bones fractured, not just in one place but throughout his limbs and ribs.

He collapsed to the ground, his kneecaps slamming onto the stone steps, creating a gaping hole, bone fragments embedded in his flesh, agony unendurable.

His eyes widened, gazing at the final step tantalizingly close, his eyes filled with indignation.

Here, the height of the steps had diminished to about half that of ordinary stairs. Victory was within reach; just one small step, and he could conquer the thirty-third heaven.

However, everything has its limits. The thirtieth layer was actually the limit for Gu Wu Di's body. Utilizing his unyielding willpower, reaching the thirty-second layer was already a remarkable feat.

When pressure exceeded the limits of endurance, destruction followed. Hence, upon his ascent to the thirty-second layer, his body could no longer endure.

Falling down here, it was nearly impossible to rise again.

Gu Wu Di let out a low growl of dissatisfaction, trying to stand again, but failed. With his bones shattered, his body lost its support, becoming like mud, powerless.

The horrific pressure bore down, making it difficult for Gu Wu Di to breathe, as if the entire void was filled with the hardest metal, consuming his flesh and blood inch by inch.

Phrases like 'certain death,' 'inevitable fate,' and 'no place to be buried' flashed through Gu Wu Di's mind. He could feel his life force slipping away rapidly, his blood particles falling into oblivion, crushed into fragments.

"Is this where it ends? My invincible path, ending before it even begins?" His vision blurred, and inwardly, he gave a bitter smile.

In a daze, he seemed to see two thin figures standing at the edge of heaven and earth, turning around to look his way. They were his "Spirit" body and "Soul" body.

He had divided himself into three: spirit, energy, and soul, each located in separate great realms. Each had to become leaders of their era on their own, and only then could they merge again to achieve greatness. During this period, if any of the bodies perished, the remaining two would have no chance of attaining the Dao.

If Gu Wu Di fell, then Wang Heng and Gencun's paths would halt entirely, unable to advance.

"I have failed you all..." Gu Wu Di sighed.

The next moment, the scene before his eyes shifted. He saw a lone figure holding a great halberd, speaking confidently, "The notion of fate does not apply to me, for my destiny lies within these fists and this halberd." Then, he turned his back, leaving only a silhouette for Qing Yue and Pang Ren.

"Heng'er, you must live well." A woman's face suddenly flashed before him—a beautiful, gentle face gazing at him with deep affection, her eyes radiating maternal warmth.

Gu Wu Di knew this was his true immortal mother, whom he hadn't met since coming here.

The scene shifted again, and he saw an Immortal Vine rooted in chaos, swaying with the wind. A towering figure stood beside it, hands clasped behind his back. The figure turned to look at him with deep, timeless eyes that seemed to encompass past, present, and future—a gaze both unforgettable and profound.

"This is not your end."

"My young master, I await the day you prove your Dao and become king."

A man and a vine spoke together, expressing their expectations, one being Gu Wu Di's father, the other, a deceased Chaos Immortal Vine.

"Mother, Father, Immortal Vine senior..." At that moment, feelings of sorrow, guilt, reluctance, and defiance surged in Gu Wu Di's heart. How could he fall here, having yet to make his supreme technique of dividing into three bodies truly shine, after withstanding the great calamity in the Yin-Yang Furnace?

In an instant, the drowsy Gu Wu Di startled awake. The Chaos Great Halberd, which he had long since put away, was now inexplicably in his grasp, vibrating softly and emitting sorrowful cries.

Feeling a stabbing pain in his palms, he understood that it was the Chaos Great Halberd acting autonomously, flying into his hand and sprouting spikes to wake its master.

"My destiny is not to end here! Rise!" Gu Wu Di roared, veins bulging on his arms and blood vessels writhing. Gripping the Chaos Great Halberd, he hammered it heavily on the ground, using it as a springboard. His arms pressed down with force.

During this process, explosive sounds erupted from his body—blood vessels bursting as his rapidly circulating blood found an exit, immediately spraying out and dyeing the vast steps red.

Finally, a miracle occurred. Using his arms and the Chaos Great Halberd as a springboard, Gu Wu Di dragged his mangled, powerless legs and leapt over, successfully ascending to the thirty-third level.

In an instant, the terrifying pressure vanished.

Gu Wu Di relaxed at once, collapsing onto the ground. Though the intense pain lingered, the immediate crisis had been averted.

This time, he had nearly met his end; kneeling on the ground, his consciousness blurred, he was a mere step away from death, with one foot already having crossed the threshold to the afterlife.

Thanks to the Chaos Great Halberd's timely intervention, his life was spared.

Suddenly, from the sky above the thirty-third heavens, mist churned, and faint heavenly sounds echoed as beams of immortal light descended, pure and sacred.

These beams fell precisely upon Gu Wu Di. Instantly, the sound of cracking erupted.

Under the influence of this celestial light, his broken bones reassembled at a speed visible to the naked eye, rapidly recovering to their original state. From the depths of his marrow came the sound of flowing, fresh blood being created and entering his veins.

In just a few breaths, Gu Wu Di's injuries were healed, and his depleted energy fully restored.

He even felt better than ever before, his physical body stronger now than before attempting to climb the heavenly platform.

He looked up at the sky, perceiving the radiant immortal light, and understood that this was the reward for surpassing the thirty-third heavenly steps.

What would the next trial be? And what would it test?

As he pondered this, the thick mist ahead suddenly parted, revealing a mysterious scene.

It was an ancient road, narrow enough for only a few people, flanked by surging waves and spray. However, this was no ordinary seawater. It was composed of swirling, multicolored liquid, appearing quite menacing.

"Proceed along this ancient road? Is the challenge hidden within the waves on either side? Could unknown creatures dwell within?"

After a brief rest, he resolutely stepped onto the ancient path ahead, knowing there was no way back, only forward.

As soon as he stepped on the path, the colorful liquid on both sides began to boil, emitting a terrifying howl.

"Howl!"

A frightful roar erupted as a stream of green liquid shot up, forming into an unidentifiable beast, lunging at Gu Wu Di with its gaping maw.

"Swoosh!"

The Chaos Great Halberd shone brightly, wielded by Gu Wu Di to smash the creature in one blow.

Yet, to his surprise, the green creature exploded on impact, showering him with countless droplets of green liquid.

These had an incredibly strong spirit, desperately burrowing into his body.

Unbeknownst to him, the green liquid successfully infiltrated his body, spreading turmoil within before Gu Wu Di could even process it. These tiny streams moved wildly, releasing some mysterious substance.

"Gulp!"

A sharp pain jolted through Gu Wu Di's back, as the muscles contorted and squirmed on their own as if something was desperately trying to burst out from within.

In the next instant, his flesh tore apart—a pair of enormous fleshy wings suddenly erupted, unfurling and fluttering autonomously, stirring a fierce gust.

Gu Wu Di was taken aback.

There was no doubt that these wings were a product of the green liquid; he finally realized that the colorful liquid was in fact blood from various formidable races mixed together.

The green blood that merged into his body belonged to an ancient supreme race known for their incredible speed, manifesting this pair of wings.

With this rare and powerful blood now coursing through him, Gu Wu Di naturally inherited this extraordinary talent.

Absorbing such bloodline power and inheriting its talents isn't something easily accomplished—virtually impossible, in fact—yet it was realized on this ancient mottled path.

With a mere thought, the wings at Gu Wu Di's back gave a mighty flap—suddenly thunder and lightning boomed, dust and sand flew wildly. Despite their recent emergence, Gu Wu Di felt as if he had been born with this gift, manipulating them as naturally as his own limbs.

Possessing such wings, his speed far surpassed his former limits, leaving other beings in the dust. In this field, he might even be a worthy contender against the likes of Kun Peng, progeny of celestial birds.

Initially, Gu Wu Di was curious, testing these new wings to comprehend the extent of his newfound gift.

However, as time went by, a cold sternness settled over his features.

A gift of speed rivaling the Kun Peng race's legacy—these wings held immense allure for anyone destined to be invincible. They could be a significant advantage in future confrontations if retained.

Nevertheless, Gu Wu Di never forgot that in the myriad of transformations of fortune, only what truly suited oneself was best. Forcefully embedding someone else's bloodline and legacy into one's being might yield temporary gains but also lock away limitless potential.

What doesn't belong will eventually become a shackle.

Thus, he swung his massive halberd and severed the wings from his back.

"Bang!"

The wings hit the ground, blood gushing from the wound like a fountain, in vivid green. Yet from the pooling blood, an even stronger pair of wings began to evolve.

But Gu Wu Di mercilessly swung his halberd again, cutting down the evolved wings once more.

Relentlessly, Gu Wu Di severed the foreign growth five times, only ceasing when the green liquid within him was entirely depleted, halting the regeneration of his fleshy wings.

Upon excising the anomaly from his body, Gu Wu Di felt a wave of clarity surging through him, and his cultivation reached its apogee in the Root Establishment realm.

His expression turned complex, realizing that attaining such mastery hinted that the Dao Beginning realm was within reach, leaving him scant time to ponder his future.

Free from the burden of the wings, Gu Wu Di pressed onwards deeper into the ancient path.

Barely had he taken a few steps when a stream of silver liquid launched itself at him, transforming into a creature that lunged forward, executing the same method as the previous green liquid.

Despite his vigilance, Gu Wu Di couldn't prevent the silver liquid from invading his body.

This time, a new ability emerged—an eye opened in the center of his brow, silver in color, granting him insight into illusions, the power to shatter voids, and even some abilities akin to the legendary Double Pupil lineage, boasting immense potential.

Properly developed, this could easily become a formidable skill, capable of turning the tide in crucial moments.

However, Gu Wu Di resolutely chose to discard it; no matter how powerful or heaven-defying it was, it was not his own, being an external bloodline, unworthy of keeping.

"Slash!"

Blood splattered in silver streams.

Gu Wu Di brutally gouged out the silver eye, maintaining his composure amid the profuse bleeding.

Time and again, the eye regenerated, only to be excised repeatedly.

Having rid himself of the silver liquid's entanglement, Gu Wu Di continued his journey.

Soon, other hues of ancient blood descended upon him with increasing frequency, at times even confronting invasions of five different fluids simultaneously.

These bloods bestowed an array of bizarre talents, each unique.

From three heads and six arms to a thousand eyes, golden hearts encompassing golden blood...

Each extraordinary genetic gift hailed from once illustrious races along the annals of history, some now extinct, others still flourishing brightly in the world.

Gu Wu Di observed each talent in passing, sensing their formidable attributes while tirelessly wielding his mighty halberd to cleave away these alien elements.

Even though these were foreign additions, not innate to his being, they were tied to his flesh, perceivable as parts of his own body.

As the foreign blood dissipated, his own essence was drained concurrently.

Before long, a wave of weakness seemed to seep into Gu Wu Di from all sides, leaving him with the unnerving sensation of his body being utterly drained.