Chapter 396: Slaying the Phantom
Chapter 396: Slaying the Phantom
Chen Chuan's footsteps echoed clearly through the empty underground passageway, each step reverberating back with a steady and rhythmic pace.
As he approached Meng Huang, the second self above him also exhibited strong signs of phasing, intensifying as he drew closer.
Aunt Yu followed behind, her hands now adorned with sharp prosthetic claws. After a few steps, she seemed to sense something, lifting her wrist to reveal the edge of her bracelet turning dark, then touching her earring, which felt slightly warm.
She made a mental judgment, thinking to herself, "No more than five minutes..."
She glanced at the jade bracelet on Chen Chuan's hand and the accessory hanging from his waist. These items were likely issued by the Handling Bureau, slightly better than what she had, but still limited. They couldn't maintain their effect for more than seven minutes.
She solemnly reminded, "Executor Chen, be cautious of 'pollution'."
Chen Chuan glanced at his bracelet and nodded slightly.
According to the Handling Bureau's information, prolonged contact with these beings could lead to influence. Aside from mental intrusion, altered organs might also undergo uncontrollable changes, what Aunt Yu referred to as "pollution."
The jade bracelet and accessory were meant to prevent the altered organs from malfunctioning for a period, but if they lost their effect, one would have to rely on their essence blood to maintain control and suppression. As for the mental pressure, it could only be resisted by consuming the Resident Deity.
Only a third-level combatant could handle such beings, as ordinary fighters might not even get close without being affected.
Chen Chuan tapped his boundary token, attempting to contact the outside, but even with the enhanced signal, it seemed incredibly difficult. Information was slowly transmitted, and it would take at least several minutes to send a complete message.
However, he couldn't afford to wait. He didn't know Meng Huang's purpose for coming here, but it was highly likely to be related to his own existence and strength. He couldn't let Meng Huang succeed.
He stared at the massive body writhing on the door, then took a few more steps before shifting his weight and leaping forward. He lifted the long sword that had been resting nearby and, and as he swiftly approached, he slashed downward with tremendous force!
Such a massive body should not have allowed for any missed strikes, yet when the blade sliced through, the struck area dissipated like a puff of phantom smoke, leaving the sword feeling empty, as if it had caused no harm.
Chen Chuan landed lightly on his toes, and just then, a shadow flitted across the ground beneath Meng Huang. A limb that had been clinging to the ceiling reached out and swatted at him.
He leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding it, but the limb pursued him. He attempted to sever it with his sword, only to encounter the same scenario as before, as if he had cut through insubstantial smoke.
Despite this, he didn't want to be struck by it. He continued to retreat, and once he reached a certain distance, the limb retracted.
Chen Chuan looked up, realizing that the being's substantiality might be due to Meng Huang's release from the secret rite's restraints, allowing for such transformations, just as it could now pass through the ground.
According to the Handling Bureau's information, these beings were all unique. Those that had fallen into this world could usually be attacked and contacted by altered organ combatants, as long as they were sufficiently powerful.
Only a few special ones required a spiritual connection to be contacted, and while their strength might not necessarily surpass the former, dealing with them was far more troublesome and thorny.
The being before him seemed to fit this description.
If that was the case, then...
Chen Chuan closed his eyes, and his eyebrows began to twitch slightly. In that moment, a faintly reddish mark appeared on his forehead.
As he shut out ordinary senses and focused purely on spiritual perception, he felt as if an indescribably colossal entity had appeared before him. Its body seemed to fill the entire space, its shadow covering the ground and walls, not at a distance but right beside him, shifting and sliding.
Numerous tentacles, like tendrils drifting in space, surrounded him densely, with a few brushing past his cheeks.
Each time these tendrils neared or touched his body, the jade bracelet's color dimmed.
With his eyes closed, Chen Chuan slowly raised his sword, then spun and slashed with all his might. Within a three-meter radius around him, all the tendrils were severed, falling to the ground like strands of smoke and dissipating.
At that moment, he noticed something about the Snow Empress Blade in his hand.
When he had struck earlier, it seemed as if something had been drawn from that existence and absorbed into the blade.
He could sense that the entity within the Snow Empress Blade was now particularly excited, conveying a sense of urgent yearning to Chen Chuan.
Ignoring what it was for the moment, Chen Chuan was content that it could help eliminate this being. He brandished his sword again, severing another large cluster of tendrils, and with determined steps, he advanced towards Meng Huang's location, cutting through obstacles like a hot knife through butter.
Aunt Yu rushed forward to assist, and like Chen Chuan, she initially struggled to attack Meng Huang's physical body. However, despite lacking Chen Chuan's unique spiritual senses, Aunt Yu could achieve the same result by expending her divine essence and enhancing her spiritual perception.
This method, however, was not sustainable for long, so she proceeded with caution. She avoided the vague, amorphous entities surrounding them whenever possible, and when avoidance was not an option, she either slapped them away or severed them with her prosthetic armor. While this approach was not the most efficient in terms of offensive capability, it did alleviate some of the pressure on Chen Chuan.
The two of them moved forward, with Chen Chuan in the lead. Meng Huang, sensing the threat, retreated behind a thick limb that lashed out horizontally.
Aunt Yu leaped forward, forming a circle with her arms, and pushed outward, creating a loud bang as she firmly blocked the limb, providing Chen Chuan with the space to advance.
Chen Chuan seized the opportunity, darting forward in a flash. Another limb struck from above, barely grazing his back.
In an instant, Chen Chuan's sword slashed through the air, covering a distance of over ten meters, and landed on Meng Huang's massive back, creating a deep and lengthy gash. Black mist and fine particles escaped from the wound.
Meng Huang, or perhaps the entity within, convulsed violently.
It seemed that Meng Huang was initially focused on breaking through the door blocking its path, or perhaps it believed it could withstand greater damage. The attack on the two individuals was casual, but Chen Chuan's strike appeared to have inflicted severe harm, pushing it to its limits.
Meng Huang's body suddenly developed bulges that burst open, releasing more limbs that flailed wildly before lashing out at the pair.
Aunt Yu, sensing the danger, nimbly retreated, using her agile footwork to evade the attacking limbs. She managed to slap away two limbs approaching from the sides, but the impact sent a numbing sensation through her arms, and her bracelet darkened significantly, alarming her.
She glanced at Chen Chuan, but the view was obstructed by the flailing limbs.
Chen Chuan kept his eyes on the limbs above, ready to dodge as they descended. He sidestepped one limb that nearly touched him, then leaped sideways to avoid another horizontal strike. Landing gracefully, he lunged forward, weaving through the gaps between the limbs.
Simultaneously, he swung his long sword several times, leaving deep cuts on the limbs. Black smoke billowed from the wounds, and the ground was littered with severed tendrils.
Just then, another limb silently coiled towards him, but his sword flashed, severing it. Without hesitation, he moved away from his previous position, which was now being pounded by several limbs, creating a large crater.
He navigated through the maze of limbs, dodging and occasionally slashing to clear a path. He maintained constant movement, not solely relying on evasion, but also observing the situation calmly.
The number of limbs had increased, and they were more powerful than before, but their speed had decreased.
According to the data, Meng Huang's symbiotic body, influenced by the entity within, might possess unimaginable strength. However, as long as it remains in the physical world, there are boundaries it cannot surpass, some of which are determined by the limitations of the host body."
If the entity were originally an ordinary person, without any special assistance, its abilities would be limited to those of a third-level combatant, the maximum potential of a physical being.
Unless the entity disregarded the host body entirely, its existence would be at risk if the physical body were destroyed.
Of course, even among third-level combatants, the disparity in strength could be immense, especially with Meng Huang's current size of six to seven meters. The force he could exert would be formidable.
However, Chen Chuan had his second self, capable of enduring a certain amount of damage, and he possessed a speed advantage. As long as the attack patterns remained within his understanding, he had a chance to eliminate and defeat Meng Huang.
Just then, a faint sound emanated from the boundary token, indicating that the message he had sent earlier had finally been delivered. He hoped that the Handling Bureau would arrive soon, but he didn't rely solely on this possibility, considering Meng Huang's bold move today might have been backed by some preparation.
As for the current situation...
He glanced at his bracelet, which was now mostly black, and at the limbs and tendrils that filled the space around them. He tightened his grip on his sword, his skin suddenly growing hot, and wisps of white smoke rose from his body.
He wasn't entirely helpless in this situation.
...
(End of Chapter)
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