68: Chapter 68 Triple Blow, the Accounts Are Settled

A dull boom, like an ancient bell being struck, echoed between the high tower and the altar.

Chen Fan's punch, which condensed his entire body's strength, landed squarely on the weakest node of a black chain.

The crimson words [Hidden Critical Hit x4] flashed before his eyes for an instant as the indestructible black chain exploded, shattering into several burning fragments of black flame that fell into the endless abyss below.

The phantom of the high tower shook violently, as if struck by an invisible mountain.

Atop the tower, Night Candle's face, which had always worn indifference and contempt, contorted for the first time.

He shuddered violently, a sweetness rising in his throat as a mouthful of blood sprayed uncontrollably, his figure becoming half-translucent.

Even more horrifying to him was that spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the right arm of the Dharma Image he projected here, with wisps of black gas leaking out from them.

"A mere ant dares to... sever my Dharma Image!"

Night Candle was first stunned, then laughed in extreme rage, his laughter filled with murderous intent and cruelty at being offended.

He no longer held anything back, his hands rapidly forming seals before his chest, each hand seal making the pressure in this space heavier.

"I want to see just how hard the bones of an ant like you are!"

Before his voice faded, the remaining six black chains suspended in the sky seemed to receive a final decree; they were no longer dead objects but came to life!

They writhed frantically in the air, their scales grinding with a tooth-aching hiss, transforming into six hideous Abyssal Pythons. Their crimson snake pupils locked onto the tiny figure on the ground, and they lunged down with a momentum capable of crushing mountains!

The wind howled, and shadows loomed.

Chen Fan's pupils constricted, and the hair all over his body stood on end under the extreme danger warning.

He had no time to think; relying on the instincts honed through thousands of life-and-death battles, he performed a desperate roll, narrowly dodging the frontal pounce of five giant pythons.

However, the tail of the sixth python was like a poisoned iron whip, tearing through the air with a sharp whistle and slamming hard into his left shoulder!

"Crack!"

A crisp, heart-wrenching sound of bone cracking rang out. Even a man with a will as tough as iron like Chen Fan could not help but let out a muffled groan.

Agony surged to his brain like a tide; his left arm instantly lost all sensation and hung limply.

He endured the pain that nearly made him faint, clenching his teeth as crimson blood seeped through the gaps.

The physical pain was nothing compared to the anxiety in his heart. He stared fixedly at his fist, screaming frantically in his mind: "Again... give it to me one more time! Give me those damn red words one more time!"

He knew that conventional attacks were completely ineffective against Night Candle's Dharma Image; only that kind of "critical hit" that could trigger a resonance with heaven and earth was his only way to break the deadlock!

At that moment, on the other side of the altar, the battle had also reached a fever pitch.

Su Shuang finally completed the final blood sacrifice.

The blood in her entire body seemed to ignite, and her black hair turned into a dazzling silver-white inch by inch within the piercing blood-light, dancing wildly in the wind.

Her figure grew taller in the blood mist, her slender fingers transformed into sharp beast claws, and nine fluffy fox tails unfurled behind her like magnificent and deadly wings.

Half-human, half-fox, she was eerie and powerful!

"Roar!"

She let out a non-human roar and kicked off from the edge of the altar, transforming into a silver lightning bolt that leaped toward the center of the altar. Her claws, capable of tearing through metal and stone, aimed straight for Wu Xiang's throat!

"You said you would burn away my Sky Fox Bloodline to eliminate future troubles!" Her voice was hoarse and sorrowful, each word sounding as if cast from blood and tears. "Then tell me, what are you now? A traitor who betrayed his tribe? Or an executioner who slaughtered his own kin?!"

Facing this world-shaking claw, data streams and dusty memory fragments clashed frantically in Wu Xiang's mind, and he instinctively raised his blade to parry.

Clang—!

Blade and claw collided violently, sending thousands of sparks flying.

The massive impact forced both of them back half a step.

"I..." Wu Xiang's lips moved, seemingly wanting to explain something. A trace of pain actually appeared on his eternally frozen face. "I did it... to save you..."

"I don't need your saving!"

Before he could finish, Su Shuang's attacks became even more violent.

She completely abandoned defense, trading life for life. Her other claw carved a tragic arc through the air, fiercely gouging Wu Xiang's cheek.

"Rip!"

Several bloodstains deep enough to see the bone appeared, and blood instantly stained half of Wu Xiang's face.

"I want them to live! Do you hear me! I want them all to live!" Blood-tears streamed from Su Shuang's eyes as her onslaught, like a violent storm, completely overwhelmed Wu Xiang.

Meanwhile, Night Candle's chain offensive did not stop.

The six giant pythons circled upward, regrouping in the sky to form a shrinking death cage. The space around the altar began to warp and seal; time was running out for Chen Fan.

Chen Fan leaned against a section of a broken stone tablet, gasping for air. The sharp pain in his left shoulder meant every breath aggravated his broken bones, and cold sweat had long since soaked his clothes.

He could feel his physical strength and spirit rapidly draining away.

Despair, like a cold tide, began to wash over his heart.

Just then, that familiar crimson flashed before his eyes again without warning!

[Critical Hit Judgment: Effective in 0.3 seconds]

It's here!

Chen Fan's heart constricted, but this time, he did not rush to strike as he had before.

A strong desire to survive pushed him into a state of unprecedented calm.

He held his breath, forcibly suppressing the pain in his body, and sank his entire mind into himself to feel the critical hit energy about to burst forth.

It was a marvelous sensation.

The flow and convergence of that energy had its own unique rhythm and cadence.

This feeling was so familiar that it instantly pulled his thoughts back to his previous life.

When he was moving bricks on a construction site, to save effort, he would always subconsciously count his steps, adjust his breathing, and at the perfect moment when his center of gravity, arm strength, and stride rhythm aligned, he would swing the bricks onto the cart.

That point was the most efficient point of exertion.

And wasn't the critical hit before him the same?

[Critical Hit Judgment: Effective in 0.3 seconds]... This wasn't a simple notification; it was a countdown!

A countdown for him to find the optimal "point of exertion"!

A bold thought exploded in his mind: If I can complete the power accumulation to the limit in the last tenth of a second before the countdown ends, and then strike in harmony with the rhythm of this bursting energy... what would the result be?

Now!

Chen Fan suddenly surged forward, his figure like a leopard that had been waiting for its moment, charging toward Wu Xiang, who was struggling with Su Shuang!

His severely injured left fist, using a seemingly ordinary straight punch move, made a feint and smashed directly toward Wu Xiang's face.

Wu Xiang, a veteran of many battles, instinctively turned sideways to parry with his blade.

But it was a feint!

Chen Fan's true killing move was his undamaged right fist!

As his left fist swung out, his right fist had already been quietly pulled back to his waist. His muscles tightened layer by layer, his bones groaned under the strain, and the energy in his body compressed frantically at an unprecedented speed!

Triple Power Accumulation!

The red countdown before his eyes was changing rapidly!

[Critical Hit Judgment: 0.2 seconds]

The muscles in his right arm knotted and veins bulged, as if magma were flowing beneath his skin!

[Critical Hit Judgment: 0.1 seconds]

Power accumulation complete! This is the moment!

At the very instant the countdown was about to hit zero, Chen Fan's right fist shot out like a cannonball, carrying a determination to tear through everything!

This punch perfectly caught the node of the critical hit energy burst, perfectly utilized the opening from Wu Xiang parrying the left fist, and perfectly resonated with the altar environment that was vibrating incessantly from the battle!

[Explicit Critical Hit x5]!

[Hidden Critical Hit x3]!

[Environmental Resonance Critical Hit x2]!

Triple critical hit effects stacked together in an unprecedented manner, like three erupting volcanoes!

Boom—!!!

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

The sturdy protective formation composed of data streams in front of Wu Xiang could not offer even a moment's resistance against Chen Fan's fist; it shattered into a sky full of light specks like glass struck by a heavy hammer!

The fist drove straight in, landing solidly on his chest.

Visibly, Wu Xiang's chest caved in at a terrifying angle.

The shocked expression on his face froze as he was sent flying dozens of meters like a broken kite, crashing into a distant ruined stone statue with a massive boom!

The entire field fell silent.

Whether it was Night Candle on the tower or Su Shuang in the heat of battle, both stopped their movements and looked at this scene in disbelief.

The sky, as if due to the power of this punch, began to rain blood.

Chen Fan slowly withdrew his fist, standing amidst the raining blood and flying snow.

Treading on the rubble, he walked step by step toward where Wu Xiang had fallen, his voice cold and devoid of emotion as it echoed throughout the altar:

"You say obedience is the only way to new life?"

"But I've come this far, and it was never by being submissive—"

"It was by settling the damn account with every single punch!"

Atop the tower, Night Candle's pupils constricted to the limit.

He finally realized the situation had spiraled completely out of control.

This "ant" in his eyes had grown to a point where he could actually threaten him!

"Madmen! You're all madmen!"

A glint of ruthlessness and determination flashed in his eyes as he slammed his hands downward and roared: "Since I can't have it, then we'll destroy it all together! Fate Calamity Thunder—Fall!"

In the sky, the six black chains merged instantly, transforming into a massive black lightning ball containing the aura of destruction. It aimed at the center of the altar, intending to completely wipe it out along with Su Shuang!

At this critical juncture, the inconspicuous Jade Spirit, which had been lying on Chen Fan's shoulder, suddenly let out a clear cry and transformed into a streak of light that soared into the sky. It expanded with a bang above Su Shuang's head, forming a translucent light shield that forcibly blocked that world-destroying lightning!

"Jade Spirit!"

Chen Fan's eyes were bloodshot as he let out a roar.

Without a moment's hesitation, he stepped heavily onto the broken tablet beside him. Using the massive rebound force, he spun into the air like a top and delivered a devastating whirlwind kick, carrying endless fury, straight into Night Candle's phantom on the tower!

This kick seemed to pierce through the void!

"Ah—!"

A shrill scream pierced the sky.

Night Candle's right arm, covered in cracks, snapped under the blow and completely dissipated into a sky of data streams.

His Dharma Image phantom shook violently as well, flickering in and out as it screamed and fell from the tower top.

In the final moment before he completely vanished, his scream, filled with malice and terror, echoed between heaven and earth:

"You... what you have awakened is not Jade... but Calamity!"

As his voice fell, the spatial lock he had forcibly established completely collapsed.

Without any restraints, the bottomless crack in the center of the altar was completely torn open.

A vast green light, seemingly piercing through heaven and earth, soared into the sky from beneath the abyss.