Chapter 755: The Hunt
Chapter 755: The Hunt
The monster woman seemed to have learned from her previous lesson, as this time, her psychic power surged towards the tip of her staff with great intensity. At this moment, her formidable spirit seemed to forcibly alter the anomalous tissue within the staff, causing the radiance to far surpass that of before.
Chen Chuan remained in his stance, holding the blade horizontally, gazing upwards and waiting calmly. The next moment, the staff and blade clashed, their psychic powers melting and compressing against each other, and in an instant, they were both exhausted. Immediately after, their strengths collided.
A loud 'dang' reverberated, and a powerful force conducted through the blade, sending ripples of air in all directions with the two at its epicenter. The booming sound persisted, and Chen Chuan's figure sank slightly, his Second Self fading into the surrounding soil, causing even his feet to sink beneath the dirt.
After this strike, the monster woman seemed to have found her confidence, her face contorting into a ferocious smile. She raised her staff high and smashed it down once more.
Chen Chuan noticed that she wasn't changing the trajectory of her staff, and his eyes flashed. He maintained the same posture as before, seemingly ready to endure her attack. The staff descended with a thunderous rumble, and at the moment of contact, their psychic powers canceled each other out once more. Subsequently, their strengths clashed without hindrance.
This time, the monster woman unleashed her power without restraint, maximizing her advantage. Almost all her strength was concentrated in this strike, as if she intended to crush Chen Chuan with this blow.
However, this time, when the staff struck the blade, the force that had entered seemed to suddenly dissipate, as if it had hit not a solid object but something incredibly resilient.
Chen Chuan employed a flexible blade technique, drawing the force downward. For a moment, the staff seemed to stick to the blade, and with a twist, he spun the staff rapidly, wrapping it around several times before pulling it outward. The staff flew away with a whoosh, dragging the surrounding airflow with it.
The monster woman's grip was incredibly strong, and the staff didn't slip from her hand. But as a result, she was pulled forward by the force on the staff, taking two steps forward.
Chen Chuan was prepared for this. He held the long blade, which he had raised to one side, and as she approached, he spun, slashing towards her neck.
The monster woman had expended most of her strength and couldn't dodge or adjust in time. But at the critical moment, the muscles at the back of her neck moved strangely, collapsing inward, causing her entire neck to sink into her chest cavity. As a result, Chen Chuan's blade only slashed across her hard skull and cheek.
Since most of her psychic power was focused on the staff, there was only a thin layer protecting her neck, which Chen Chuan easily dissolved. He then sliced into her face and skull, making a small opening. But soon, he encountered the same situation as before. Just as he was about to penetrate her brain, he was blocked by a layer of resistance.
Chen Chuan realized this and didn't persist. Instead, he quickly withdrew his blade and, taking advantage of her inability to control her power fully, slashed at her neck several more times, even splitting open a large portion of her skull, exposing the brain beneath.
But as he did so, he noticed the brain seemed to be moving, as if it had its own consciousness, and was enveloped in a faint, dim light.
Chen Chuan's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed this scene. He quickly deduced that this was an active brain, distinct from the rest of her body yet existing independently, and thus protected by its psychic power. No wonder he had been unable to defeat her in one go.
If this was the case, then he'd have to change his strategy.
At this moment, the monster woman finally regained control of her staff. She grabbed the end of the staff, pulling it towards herself and swinging it horizontally towards Chen Chuan.
This strike was equally powerful, but Chen Chuan saw that she was unprepared. Angry and frustrated, she counterattacked, displaying some fighter's techniques but lacking the qualities of a true fighter.
Chen Chuan immediately seized on this weakness. He stepped back, sinking the tip of his blade downward, and concentrated his spirit onto the blade. The radiance above grew brighter than before, and as the staff swung horizontally towards him, he slashed upward diagonally!
This strike targeted the spot where they had repeatedly clashed before. As the blade connected, a scraping sound echoed, and the front end of the staff was instantly shaved off! The remaining half of the staff swished past him.
Since Chen Chuan was prepared, he calmly stepped forward, swinging the blade downward towards the exposed brain with a powerful chop!
A loud bang reverberated as the radiance on the blade slashed through the brain, and sparks flew in all directions. The radiance instantly diminished significantly. Without waiting for her to recover, Chen Chuan shifted his breathing, and the radiance on his blade intensified once more as he slashed downward again. This time, only a thin layer of radiance remained.
At this point, if the monster woman could have turned to block, she might have prevented Chen Chuan from delivering a third strike. He had even prepared his next move.
Unexpectedly, the monster woman showed signs of fear, let out a strange cry, and chose to flee without hesitation.
This caught him off guard, but upon further thought, it made sense. After all, this body, in every aspect, did not appear to be that of a fighter, lacking the unwavering determination typical of a fighter.
Furthermore, the brain, which was currently in control, would naturally prioritize self-preservation when exposed and under direct threat, rather than stubbornly fighting to the bitter end.
However, this decision was the worst choice, as retreating without preparation in the midst of battle was the worst strategy, especially when speed was not an advantage. It was essentially handing oneself over to the opponent.
He saw his opponent's back turned towards him and wasted no time, swiftly delivering a slash to her back. As spiritual power gathered, he swung the blade again, slicing through the muscles and tendons in her leg bend, causing her to stumble.
With lightning speed, he struck again, severing her unprotected calf. The monster woman lost her support on one side, causing her body to topple, followed by a series of rolls on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
She tried to rise, but before she could move further, a figure flashed in the distance, and a swift blade of light tore through the dusty air, slicing through her already damaged lower jaw. Her head, along with the brain, flew high into the sky.
It landed with a loud crack on the distant ground, while the massive body lost all vitality and fell limply nearby.
Chen Chuan, holding his blade, approached the spot where half of the head lay. As he looked down, he noticed the brain desperately contracting, and he could sense a feeling of terror emanating from it.
It seemed to be trying to convey something, as he felt his second self undergoing a complete spiritual invasion, likely a mental intrusion.
Remaining calm, he slowly raised his blade. But at that moment, the brain suddenly bounced up from within the skull cavity, as if attempting to invade him. However, it had barely jumped when he stomped it back down, and the spiritual power beneath his feet gradually dissolved under the pressure of his faintly glowing foot.
He gripped the hilt with both hands, positioning the tip of the blade directly downward, and with a powerful thrust, he pierced the brain, eliciting a piercing shriek that could pierce eardrums. The brain struggled fiercely, but he remained unmoved, firmly holding the hilt. He then twisted the blade half a circle.
After a while, the brain stopped moving entirely, and strands of light emerged from the Snow Queen Saber, enveloping the brain. It seemed as if something was being absorbed, and a sense of satisfaction was conveyed.
Moments later, the brain appeared to have lost all moisture, becoming incredibly dry. As he lifted the blade, a cracking sound echoed as the brain shattered into pieces, scattering across the ground.
He turned to glance at the distant ground, where the last body also shared the same fate, becoming incredibly brittle. A gust of air stirred up the debris, and before long, the wind carried it away, leaving behind only a charred shadow on the ground.
However, he noticed that the upper jawbone remained, the sole remnant. He bent down, picked it up, and prepared to take it back with him.
As a member of the Pure Sect, he always brought back a piece of the existence he had slain or expelled as proof of his actions, even if it was just a remnant of ashes. Presenting these items served as evidence of his duty fulfillment.
He faintly heard a sound of annoyance from the jawbone, likely emanating from the existence he had just defeated.
By destroying the opponent's vessel, he might have earned their resentment, but he was unbothered. As a member of the Pure Sect, he would have many future encounters with such existences, and even hunting them was not out of the question. He had nothing to fear.
Walking a few steps, he picked up the scabbard from the ground, sheathed the Snow Queen Saber, and circled the area, deliberately damaging several critical nodes to prevent any potential ritual revival.
Once he confirmed there was no chance of recovery, he returned to search for Manager Wen's remains.
The entire camp appeared to have sustained minimal damage, with most items intact. After a thorough search, he quickly located the tent belonging to the Skinner.
There were only a few tents belonging to powerful fighters, and outside this particular tent hung several disassembled and reassembled wing-like skeletons, making it easily identifiable.
Stepping inside, he soon found the box containing Manager Wen's remains.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
