Reincarnation of the Celestial Bastard

Chapter 48: Into the Abyss

With the shadow step technique freshly imprinted in his mind, Li Tian soared through the sky, his destination clear. The rogue cultivators were just the beginning—he knew that much. The system had been steadily guiding him toward something far bigger. This next journey, however, would take him to a place he had only heard rumors of: the Abyssal Canyon, a treacherous place where cultivators were said to either meet their doom or rise beyond their limits.

As he descended toward the edge of the canyon, the air thickened with a palpable sense of danger. The vast chasm stretched out before him, jagged rocks protruding like the teeth of a giant beast. Somewhere deep inside, powerful cultivators lurked, each one hungry for power and willing to destroy anyone in their path.

The system chimed in.

[Mission Update: Enter the Abyssal Canyon and face the cultivators within. Objective: Defeat two elite enemies.]

Li Tian's lips curled into a smile. This was exactly what he needed—a true challenge to push him further. Without hesitation, he activated the shadow step technique, vanishing into the darkness of the canyon.

The deeper he ventured, the more intense the aura of danger became. It wasn't long before he sensed the first enemy—an elite cultivator standing atop a jagged rock formation, watching him with cold, calculating eyes. This man was a master of wind techniques, the sharp gusts of air around him cutting like blades.

"You must be the one they call Li Tian," the wind cultivator said, his voice echoing through the canyon. "I've heard of your strength, but this is where your journey ends."

Without waiting for a response, the cultivator unleashed a storm of wind blades, each one aimed directly at Li Tian. But with a flicker of shadow step, Li Tian vanished, reappearing behind the man, his fist glowing with raw power.

"Too slow," Li Tian muttered as he struck the wind cultivator with a devastating blow to the back. The impact sent him hurtling through the air, slamming into the canyon wall.

The wind cultivator staggered to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth. His eyes narrowed in fury as he gathered his qi for one final attack, but Li Tian was already in motion. With the precision of a predator, he delivered a swift roundhouse kick to the man's head, knocking him unconscious.

[Mission Progress: One elite enemy defeated.]

Li Tian didn't waste any time. He knew the second enemy wouldn't be far. As he moved deeper into the canyon, the air grew colder, the energy more sinister. The next opponent was no ordinary cultivator—he was a shadow assassin, known for his deadly stealth and lethal strikes.

Li Tian's senses tingled as the assassin appeared out of thin air, twin daggers glinting in the darkness. The assassin moved with incredible speed, striking at Li Tian's vital points with precision. But Li Tian was faster. He dodged each attack with ease, his body moving like a blur as he used the shadow step technique to stay one step ahead.

"Impressive," the assassin hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "But you won't be able to avoid me forever."

Li Tian's eyes gleamed with confidence. "I don't need forever."

With a burst of energy, he launched forward, engaging the assassin in a furious exchange of blows. The air crackled with power as their techniques clashed, each strike more powerful than the last. The assassin's daggers sliced through the air, but Li Tian's movements were fluid, his strikes precise.

Finally, with a powerful burst of qi, Li Tian disarmed the assassin, sending his daggers flying into the darkness. In the same motion, he struck the assassin with a crushing palm strike to the chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

[Mission Complete: All elite enemies defeated. Reward: Abyssal Force Technique unlocked.]

Li Tian felt the surge of power as the knowledge of the Abyssal Force Technique filled his mind. This new technique would allow him to harness the power of the abyss itself, amplifying his strikes with dark energy. It was a technique meant for destruction, and Li Tian knew it would serve him well in future battles.

As the canyon fell silent, Li Tian stood alone, his mind focused on the challenges yet to come. He had only scratched the surface of his potential, and the enemies he faced now were merely stepping stones on his path to true power.