Chapter 613 - 352: Spiritual Sense

This time, Chen Chuan had used the Furnace Breathing Method as a foundation and the Destructive Force that Chen Bitong had taught him to deliver that ferocious strike.

This type of Power could kill even large creatures in a single blow. And this time, it had been unleashed as Heart Force. That was why when the strike landed, No. 9 had been obliterated by the shockwave.

However, unleashing this Power with sufficient might required a full wind-up. While he could certainly use his Second Self to absorb damage and launch such an attack in a normal fight, it usually wouldn’t achieve this level of effect.

In the distance, Xiang Tiancheng watched, his heart pounding in alarm. ’If that incredible destructive power hit me, I’m not sure I could redirect it.’ But after another moment of thought, he relaxed slightly.

He had also surmised that this wasn’t a standard attack. In a real fight, as long as he didn’t give his opponent enough time to wind up, it couldn’t normally be used.

Logically, he should give such an enemy a wide berth. After all, he wasn’t here for a duel; he was here to make a pickup. Yet, as a Fighter, how could he pass up the chance to face a powerful opponent?

He raised both hands, brought two fingers together, and jabbed a spot on the back of his head. The tips of his fingers sank right in.

In that instant, his eyes shot wide. His heart hammered in his chest, blood surged through his veins, and every Mutated Organization in his body pulsed with frenzied activity.

It was a secret acupoint stimulation method passed down by the Resistance Front, a technique used to unlock the body’s potential and enhance combat strength.

He exhaled, loosened his limbs, and began walking deliberately toward Chen Chuan.

After dealing with No. 9, Chen Chuan set down the briefcase. He unfastened the cloak he was wearing, tossed it aside, and revealed the Execution Captain’s uniform underneath.

Xiang Tiancheng saw it and understanding dawned on him. ’An Execution Captain... no wonder.’

’But from what I know,’ he thought, ’Execution Captains usually have a squad with them. I don’t see anyone else. The situation in the city must be tense, stretching them thin. They’re probably scattered elsewhere.’

As these thoughts ran through his mind, he never broke stride, continuing his advance on Chen Chuan.

Chen Chuan watched the rhythm of his approach. Despite the lack of any large movements, he could tell the man’s strength and speed had increased significantly. At the same time, his Biological Domain had lost its earlier stability, now radiating a scorching heat like a blazing fire.

’He must have taken some kind of drug, or a latent power has been awakened.’

This wasn’t surprising. Many Fighters with deep reserves had a trick like this up their sleeves.

Furthermore, an increase in physical attributes meant his techniques would also be more effective. This wasn’t just a minor boost. If he could perfectly coordinate and control this new strength, he would be a completely different opponent.

Once within ten meters, Xiang Tiancheng’s figure blurred. He shot forward, slashing at Chen Chuan with a knife-hand.

Chen Chuan retreated half a step, raising a hand to parry. He lowered his center of gravity and saw his opponent’s other hand stabbing forward. He met it with his own, weaving past the man’s arm while aiming his fingertips straight for his face.

Xiang Tiancheng quickly jerked his head aside to dodge, swiftly moving to Chen Chuan’s other side.

Their arms had only brushed lightly, but the Power contained in each blow seeped into the other’s muscles and bones. The slightest inability to withstand it would cause one’s subsequent movements to falter or go awry, leading to a swift end at the hands of their opponent.

Xiang Tiancheng’s assault was now far sharper and swifter. Each attack was followed by another, a relentless and efficient chain of follow-up strikes.

With his enhanced physique, he struck faster and redirected Power with greater efficiency. With every clash, he would channel the rebounding Power from his opponent to other parts of his body, converting it into his own offensive force. This was why his movements would suddenly accelerate, creating a shifting, unpredictable tempo.

Behind it all lay an astonishing level of combat coordination and a masterful control of rhythm.

Through this continuous exchange, Chen Chuan had now more or less figured him out. This Power Technique—redirecting an opponent’s Power—was incredibly useful in both one-on-one duels and group battles.

Especially since it could disperse invading Power throughout the body instead of letting it detonate on impact. The primary requirements for such a skill were a formidable physique and exceptional judgment.

But ultimately, it was still just a bit too slow.

A glint flashed in Chen Chuan’s eyes as his speed abruptly increased. The moment Xiang Tiancheng noticed, he accelerated to match.

It wasn’t that Xiang Tiancheng couldn’t go faster, but he needed to keep his body at a pace he could properly coordinate. But now that Chen Chuan had picked up the pace, he was forced to follow suit.

As a result, the frequency of their Power collisions inevitably increased, and with each impact, a brutal surge of Power seeped into his body.

Xiang Tiancheng gradually found it strenuous to redirect all this Power. Before he could channel one wave away, the next would immediately force its way in. The untransformed Power began to accumulate in his body.

But he couldn’t stop now. Chen Chuan had initiated the acceleration, and he was being dragged along. If he slowed down even for an instant, his opponent would unleash another one of those devastating blows.

The memory of what happened to No. 9 was burned into his mind. In his current state, he had absolutely no confidence he could survive such an attack. His only choice was to keep up.

After just a short while, his body began to turn red and grow hot, as if he were being steamed alive. He had absorbed too much Power, and his body was beginning to buckle under the strain.

If he didn’t find a way to change the situation, his body would eventually be torn apart by the accumulated Power. But any attempt to change tactics now would mean being killed by one of Chen Chuan’s punches.

At this critical moment, Chen Chuan suddenly seemed to sense something. He raised one hand and, with a sharp SNAP, caught a throwing knife that had been hurled at him. His other hand, however, remained locked in combat with Xiang Tiancheng’s fist.

By now, Xiang Tiancheng’s face had started to turn purple. Seeing the knife distract Chen Chuan gave him an opening. The instant his fist collided with Chen Chuan’s arm, he channeled all his strength to his feet. With a BOOM, he vented all the redirected Power into the ground and leaped backward.

At the same time, his elbow shattered with a sickening CRACK. Blood sprayed from the wound like a water jet. It wasn’t just his elbow; flesh burst open in more than a dozen places all over his body. This was the only way to expel the portion of Power he had ultimately been unable to vent.

The moment he landed, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He turned and fled into the distance. To stay and fight when he knew he was outmatched would be insane.

Chen Chuan watched him retreat but didn’t give chase. He simply stood his ground. It wasn’t because of the accomplice who provided cover; he had something far more important to attend to.

Just as his opponent was defeated and began to retreat, his spirit soared once again.

This time, he felt himself leap directly over the Boundary Point. His spirit seemed to travel to an indescribable place—a vast expanse that could contain everything, yet was filled with infinite possibilities. But behind it all, he sensed countless entities lurking, ready to devour him at any moment.

He emptied his mind, adjusted his breathing, and calmly circulated the Spiritual Reflection Method, keeping his spirit suspended in that state.

He could feel clearly that with his body’s current capacity, this was his limit. He couldn’t go any higher unless his physical attributes improved further. So, following his intuition, he allowed his Spiritual Reflection to settle and left an imprint in this place.

After doing so, he closed his eyes and focused his mind, probing into that space. He then tried to draw a sliver of its power down into himself.

A moment later, a faint glimmer of light manifested around his palm. He raised his hand, looked at it for a moment, and then clenched his fist.

To guide Spiritual Sense into reality is to be reborn.

Spiritual Sense!

He had already been hovering on the verge of this breakthrough, just a hair’s breadth away. Xiang Tiancheng’s appearance—a worthy opponent—had pushed his spirit to new heights, finally allowing him to take that last, successful step.

He tried to get a feel for it. This new power required focused concentration to be brought out to its full potential. It felt as if his spirit was constantly bearing a heavy weight that he had to support at all times; a moment’s lapse in concentration and it might dissipate.

Of course, this could also be because he had just mastered it and wasn’t yet familiar with it. He would need time to adapt.

But one thing was certain: wielding such power required the support of a formidable body and immense Spiritual Power. Had his condition been even slightly worse, he might not have succeeded.

For now, he was relying on the convergence with his Second Self to forcibly elevate his spirit, so his spirit still needed further refinement. But having reached this stage, he was now capable of competing for the Pure Essence that was soon to come.

Moreover, with this new strength, he felt he could now perceive the spiritual message Chen Bitong had left for him. Now wasn’t the time, however. He could look into it after he got back.

He lowered his hand, letting the light dissipate, and glanced in the direction Xiang Tiancheng had fled. ’I don’t know where that man came from, but he was definitely strong.’

’He didn’t seem like a corporate type, nor a mercenary.’

A thought turned in his mind, and a vague suspicion began to form.

In any case, the Defense Department had only ordered him to retrieve the sub-entity. Now that he had intercepted it, the rest wasn’t his concern.

He walked over to the briefcase, picked it up, and opened it for inspection. Inside, he found a sealed metal box.

He had come into contact with the sub-entity twice before. The moment his Spiritual Power touched the box, he immediately felt a familiar, immense Domain, confirming it was inside.

He glanced around. This wasn’t the place to deal with it. They were outside the city, and the Domain monitoring of the Defense Department and the civil administration might not reach this far.

So, he draped the cloak back over his shoulders, pulled the Snow Monarch Blade from the ground, and headed back toward the tunnel he’d come from.

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