Fantasy: I Become God by playing a game [Dungeons + LitRPG +Xinxia]

**Chapter 39: Life and Death Situation**

On the deserted street, the massive Shangfu Bird advanced swiftly, closing the distance between itself and Su Chen in just two powerful strides.

The towering creature loomed over him, its prey—chest-high by comparison—seeming insignificant.

A glint of feral excitement flickered in the Shangfu Bird's eyes as it lunged forward, its sharp beak striking like a deadly spear.

Boom!

The reinforced concrete beneath the bird shattered like brittle tofu, leaving a massive crater and sending debris flying in all directions.

Fortunately, Su Chen reacted in time, narrowly dodging the attack by launching himself into the air.

With the Shangfu Bird's beak momentarily lodged in the ground, Su Chen saw his chance.

Sword Technique: Water Dragon Roar!

Roar!

The sword in Su Chen's hand vibrated with a sharp, metallic hum as it cut through the air, aiming directly for the bird's neck.

But the Shangfu Bird, a spiritual beast in its prime and at the Foundation Establishment stage, was far more formidable than Su Chen had anticipated.

Instead of dodging, the creature chose to exchange injury for injury, using its other two heads to strike at Su Chen simultaneously.

Faced with this life-or-death choice, Su Chen relied on the instincts honed through countless dungeon battles.

Body Technique: Floating Cloud Steps!

Bang!

Su Chen stomped midair, generating ripples of energy that propelled him out of harm's way. He weaved between the two attacking heads, landing deftly on open ground a short distance away.

The Shangfu Bird turned its three heads in unison, momentarily startled by Su Chen's agility. Its sharp eyes gleamed with intrigue, as though wondering how someone at the Qi Gathering stage could manage to evade its grasp.

From the sidelines, Bai Ling watched with growing fascination.

Earlier at the noodle shop, her innate talent had allowed her to sense Su Chen's exceptional spiritual root potential. Combined with his mastery of martial arts, he had already piqued her interest.

"Interesting," Bai Ling murmured. "He's far more intriguing than I expected."

Her thoughts drifted to Su Chen's background. Orphaned at the age of eight, he had clawed his way to his current position through sheer grit and determination.

"If I were in his place, could I have achieved the same?"

The answer was a resounding no.

Bai Ling understood better than most how much her achievements relied on her family's resources and her inherent advantages. Su Chen, by contrast, seemed to rely only on luck and raw talent.

But what truly cemented her opinion was the authenticity of his cultivation.

The vile Five Spirit Blood Pill Technique artificially enhanced one's aptitude by refining spiritual roots from other geniuses, but those who used it lacked depth.

Su Chen's mastery of techniques and his calm composure in the face of mortal danger proved he wasn't one of them.

Meanwhile, Su Chen assessed his grim situation.

Both the Shangfu Bird and Bai Ling vastly outmatched him in power. Even with his abilities, his chances of surviving, let alone winning, were slim.

Worse, he realized that Bai Ling had trapped him in an unknown space. Escape wasn't an option.

But instead of despair, Su Chen's mind sharpened.

'I have one chance,' he thought, his eyes narrowing. 'One fleeting opportunity.'

Steeling himself, Su Chen raised his head, determination blazing in his gaze.

His sudden change in demeanor unsettled Bai Ling for a moment, though she quickly dismissed her unease.

'What a joke. He's just a Qi Gathering stage cultivator. No matter how talented he is, he can't threaten me.'

Confidence born from overwhelming power often led to arrogance—and arrogance always came with a price.

"Who are you?" Su Chen suddenly asked, his voice calm yet probing.

Caught off guard, Bai Ling hesitated. "I am Bai Ling, a patrol officer of the Kyushu Mountain and Sea Division."

"Do you and I have any grievances?"

"No."

"Understood."

Without warning, Su Chen retrieved ten dark-green puppets from his storage bag. Each was crafted from ancient Qingxuan wood, their auras radiating power equivalent to the seventh level of the Qi Gathering stage.

Standing among the puppets, Su Chen's tone grew icy. "We had no grievances before, but now… we do."

Bai Ling chuckled at his audacity. 'Puppets? That's the best he's got?'

But Su Chen wasn't relying on the puppets to win. They were merely a distraction.

The Shangfu Bird wasted no time, smashing through four puppets in a single attack. The remaining six swarmed the bird, clinging desperately to its heads to buy Su Chen a few precious seconds.

Seizing the opportunity, Su Chen bypassed the Shangfu Bird entirely and dashed toward Bai Ling.

Amused, Bai Ling made no move to defend herself. 'Does he really think he can harm me?'

Her smirk faded when she saw the silver-white dragon forming around Su Chen's blade.

Dragon Roar: Sky-Breaking Strike!

Roar!

A deafening roar shook the air as Su Chen's sword erupted with energy. The dragon's coiling power surged toward Bai Ling with overwhelming momentum.

Alarmed, Bai Ling summoned golden gauntlets etched with intricate runes.

The silver dragon collided with her gauntlets in a brilliant explosion of light. Su Chen's sword shattered under the impact, leaving its broken blade embedded in her arms—but it failed to pierce deeper.

As the dust settled, Bai Ling looked at Su Chen, who stood pale and gasping for breath.

"What a pity," she said, almost regretfully. "If our cultivation levels weren't so far apart, that attack might have actually hurt me."

She turned to leave, but Su Chen's quiet voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Who said… I only have one sword?"

Bai Ling's pupils shrank as a powerful sense of danger overwhelmed her.

---

- You consumed 3,000 experience points. Your cultivation level was raised to the seventh level of the Qi Gathering stage.

- Cultivation: Seventh level of Qi Gathering stage (7100/30,000).

- You have taken Qi Gathering Pills and recovered your spiritual power.

- You have taken blood-replenishing pills and healed your injuries.

---

Su Chen manipulated the game character on his phone remotely, draining resources to recover his strength and bolster his cultivation.

In just one second, his injuries vanished, his spiritual power surged, and his aura grew exponentially.

Magical Power: Purple Cloud Divine Fire!

A blazing purple blade condensed in Su Chen's left hand, its searing edge hurtling toward Bai Ling's throat.

Caught off guard, Bai Ling instinctively leaned back and struck Su Chen with a reflexive punch.

Poof!

Bai Ling staggered, covering her throat as blood dripped between her fingers.

Her heart raced as she glanced at the cracked Pisces jade pendant on her chest. If not for the protective artifact, Su Chen's strike might have succeeded.

In the distance, Su Chen lay among the ruins, battered but smiling wryly.

"One inch," he muttered. "If I'd had a better sword… maybe this would've ended differently."

Before Bai Ling could react further, the sky above cracked. A long golden staff smashed through the barrier, embedding itself in the ground beside her.

Emerging from the rift, Yu Tianqi's towering figure radiated overwhelming pressure.

Both Bai Ling and the Shangfu Bird immediately dropped to their knees.

"Bai Ling," Yu Tianqi said coldly, "I warned you to tread carefully. Your Mountain and Sea Division is far too overbearing."

He loomed over her, his tone devoid of warmth. "If you like breaking rules, then even as Old Man Bai's granddaughter, you won't escape punishment."

He pointed the staff at her.

"Stand up. This time… I'll be your opponent."

Bai Ling looked at Yu Tianqi, who had suddenly appeared, her heart heavy with bitterness.

'You reap what you sow.' She was indeed facing the consequences of her own actions.

'If only I had adhered to the Mountain and Sea Division's law enforcement rules—presuming innocence before proving guilt and asking questions first—things wouldn't have escalated to this point.'

Now, she was forced to confront a Golden Core cultivator while still at the Foundation Establishment stage—despite his injured foundation.

But did she truly have the ability to stand against him?

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