Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 3: Ma Qianjun

Yunzhong County was a small, rugged place where the harsh landscape bred tough and ruthless characters. Ma Qianjun was one of these figures—a man who, by the age of seventeen, had already carved out a reputation in the underworld, wielding dual blades to great effect.

At nineteen, when the Lincang Duanlang Sect violated the unspoken rules and invaded Yunzhong County with the backing of three Immortal Masters, no one dared to oppose them. The county was gripped by fear. Yet, in this stormy time, Ma Qianjun, with a few loyal brothers, founded the Tianyi Gang. Without hesitation, they stormed the Yunzhong branch of the Duanlang Sect, slaughtering seventeen men in one night, and Ma Qianjun emerged with sixteen wounds, having gone through three sharp blades. His bravery earned him widespread respect throughout Yunzhong County.

By twenty-three, the Tianyi Gang was embroiled in a fierce turf war with the Anyun Gang. Forty of Anyun's best blade-wielders ambushed Ma Qianjun, but he fought them off alone with his twin swords, killing all forty and crushing the Anyun Gang in the process. The battle left him with thirty-eight wounds, and to this day, the surviving members of the Anyun Gang speak of it with trembling fear.

At twenty-seven, he annihilated the Black Wind Bandits, suffering forty-one injuries. At thirty-two, he led a raid on Falling Eagle Ravine, killing sixty-seven skilled fighters. By thirty-five...

All these feats turned Ma Qianjun into a living legend in Yunzhong County, but after the age of thirty-five, he became even more fearsome.

At thirty-eight, Ma Qianjun led eighty of his men to wipe out the Huaying Sect, killing all forty-six members of the sect with only six injuries to himself. By forty-one, he never traveled without at least twenty blade-wielders, and when the Shen family of Yunzhong sent six assassins to kill him, they were all dead before they even laid eyes on him.

At forty-two, Ma Qianjun forged a connection with an Immortal Master. He immediately turned on two of his sworn brothers, who had been secretly colluding with outside factions, and had them hacked to pieces on the spot by forty of his men. It took over a hundred and fifty strikes to reduce the two to bloody pulp, and Ma Qianjun didn't even lift a blade himself. Afterward, he knelt on the ground, crying, "Big brother, second brother, it's all my fault. I'll take care of your wives and children from now on."

Not long after, the wife of his eldest sworn brother was killed at her doorstep by remnants of the Huaying Sect because of a few careless words. The two sons of his second sworn brother tried to avenge their father by going to Lincang Duanlang Sect, only to be mysteriously cut down by the sect's men along the way. After this, Ma Qianjun, now in his forties, became increasingly respectful toward the elders who had founded the Tianyi Gang with him, urging them to retire and hand over their positions to younger members.

His foresight proved wise; those who refused to retire ended up falling victim to the remnants of the Duanlang Sect, the Tianyi Gang, and the Black Wind Bandits. After this storm passed, Ma Qianjun held absolute authority within the Tianyi Gang but was careful not to create a dictatorship—he allowed the elders to speak their minds, but everyone knew the consequences of speaking out of turn.

By this time, however, the Tianyi Gang had lost its former momentum. They managed to hold onto most of Hequ County, but new rivals constantly emerged within their territory, often catching them off guard. Yet, Ma Qianjun was content with this. As long as he could pass his legacy down, everything would be fine.

Today, he had brought thirty of his men to Spring Fragrance Tower for a drink. They took over both floors of the establishment, and the sight filled Ma Qianjun with satisfaction. In Hequ County, Ma Qianjun was a prominent figure, especially given his humble beginnings. To rise to such a position was no small feat.

As he pondered whether to visit the widow of his second sworn brother tonight—a woman who had been left alone with a fifteen-year-old daughter after her husband's death—he felt a surge of emotion. But he knew such matters had to be handled discreetly. Without twenty or thirty of his men around him, he wouldn't feel at ease.

"Ah... this is troublesome!" Ma Qianjun muttered, thinking he should consult with his trusted advisor. Suddenly, a voice called out, "Where's Ma Qianjun?"

It had been years since anyone dared to speak to him that way. Who would be so bold as to challenge him? Without hesitation, Ma Qianjun barked, "Cut them down!"

His thirty men instantly sprang to their feet, drawing their blades. But the next moment, a smile appeared on Ma Qianjun's face. "Ah, it's Lord Liu. Please, come in! My apologies, these old eyes are failing me!"

Lord Liu entered with a squad of fully armed warriors, bows drawn. He wasted no time in ordering Ma Qianjun, "Master Ma, a friend from Tianji requests your assistance with a small matter."

It was through this Lord Liu that Ma Qianjun had connected with the Immortal Master, so he was especially cordial. "Anything for you, Lord Liu. Just say the word, and I'll handle it—even if it means facing danger."

"These friends are from the Pang family of Tianji," Lord Liu introduced.

At the mention of the Pang family of Tianji, Ma Qianjun straightened up. He had spent years building the Tianyi Gang into Yunzhong County's Ma family, hoping to one day elevate it into a prestigious cultivation family like the Pang family, who were rumored to have two or three Foundation Establishment cultivators and might even produce a Golden Core cultivator. But he quickly reminded himself that the Pang family had been severely weakened in recent years.

Even so, the Pang family was still beyond the reach of a small gang like the Tianyi Gang, especially since they still had Foundation Establishment cultivators who could crush the Tianyi Gang as easily as strolling through their own backyard.

"A woman has escaped from our Pang family, and we would like Master Ma's help in finding her," said the envoy from the Pang family, unrolling a silk painting that depicted a strikingly beautiful woman. The likeness was vivid, and if Liu Suiyun were present, he would have instantly recognized her as Gu Yinghua. "This is the wretch! Her name is Gu Yinghua. Our Lord Pang has brought sixteen portraits of her. We must find her!"

Ma Qianjun couldn't help but think it was a bit excessive to bring such a large force just to catch one woman. He could tell that Pang Jiaolong, the envoy, was a man of great potential, likely in the late stages of Qi Refinement, with a good chance of reaching Foundation Establishment. But why would the Pang family send such a talented individual after a runaway maid?

Ma Qianjun didn't concern himself with whether Pang Jiaolong had been cuckolded or if there was more to the story. All he knew was that if he handled this matter well, he could earn a significant favor from both Lord Liu and the Pang family. Unfortunately, the Pang family had fallen on hard times, but if they were still at their peak, perhaps Ma Qianjun's ambitions could have been fully realized. Nevertheless, this was an easy task and a chance to gain a valuable connection.

"Leave it to us, Tianyi Gang. I guarantee this wretch won't leave Linjiang County!" Ma Qianjun promised Pang Jiaolong and Lord Liu with great confidence. "We have hundreds of good men at our disposal."

"Thank you, Master Ma," Pang Jiaolong replied courteously. "We'll cover all expenses and manpower needed. But be cautious—this wretch has some tricks up her sleeve and is accompanied by a Bone Refinement-level dog."

At the mention of a Bone Refinement-level warrior, Ma Qianjun's expression changed slightly. "Bone Refinement?"

Although the Tianyi Gang had many skilled fighters, with over twenty at the Tiger Wrestling level, only five had reached Bone Refinement. Ma Qianjun himself had gone through countless trials, even sending his two sworn brothers to their graves, to barely reach the Dragon Origin level. But his potential had reached its limit, and he had given up hope of advancing to the Mountain Shaking level, focusing instead on turning the Tianyi Gang into the Ma family of Yunzhong. Despite years of effort, he had only managed to cultivate one Qi Refinement disciple.

"Yes, this dog reached Bone Refinement by luck and then betrayed our Pang family," Pang Jiaolong explained, introducing his men. "But don't worry, Master Ma. I've brought four Dragon Wrestling-level fighters, six Bone Refinement-level experts, and one Dragon Origin-level master. We also have five Qi Refinement cultivators..."

"That's more than enough!" Ma Qianjun slammed the table with determination. "That wretch doesn't stand a chance."

The Pang family of Tianji was still the Pang family—just a small detachment of their forces could wipe out half of the Tianyi Gang. Pang Jiaolong continued, "I appreciate your efforts, Master Ma. This is just the first wave; our family head will also be joining the hunt soon."

There was a hint of threat in his words, implying that the entire Pang family would be involved. Ma Qianjun knew he couldn't afford to offend them, so

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