Chapter 33: The Price of Power: A Single Strike

As the last arrow fell, the monster’s body gradually recovered. It swiftly writhed, its massive maw rotating as it lunged to devour Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan continued to run, circling widely before returning to the stairs leading to the upper level. With a powerful leap, he reached the landing at the top of the stairs.

Though the monster lacked true intelligence, its instincts as a former library spirit guided it. It knew its remaining duty.

Extending numerous tentacles, it lunged towards Zhang Luan.

“You can come up later, big guy.”

The Azure Righteous Sword shot forth. Spatial ripples and the Flames of the Stars surged with astonishing power, utterly shattering the stairs leading to the upper level.

“That won’t work. My sister set it up so that you can’t reach the topmost level without killing this creature first.”

Avanyin assumed Zhang Luan intended to stall the monster and then escape to the next floor. However, Avanyin had long anticipated such a move, placing restrictions when she established the magical formations. Unless the creature was annihilated, ascending to the next level was impossible.

“Go up? No, no, no. It’s not that I can’t defeat this guy; why would I run? I just need a little time.”

With that, to Avanyin’s astonishment, he pulled out a short dagger and plunged it into his own abdomen.

*Pch!* Blood flowed profusely. His health bar instantly plummeted by three-fifths. This very dagger had been used by the Demon Annihilation Church’s assassins to try and kill him before, and now, unexpectedly, it was aiding him.

After all, with his strength, a mere knife stab to the abdomen wouldn’t cause excessive damage. However, this cursed dagger was different.

Its former owner had already been killed by Zhang Luan’s arrow, so the persistent death curse had vanished. In its place was an explosive burst of curse power. Combined with the dagger’s excellent material, his health bar had dropped so dramatically. He now stood at only 40% health, having reached a near-death state.

“Are you insane?”

A look of bewilderment crossed Avanyin’s face. She couldn’t comprehend why Zhang Luan would treat himself this way. Though the curse embedded in the dagger wasn’t fatal, it would plunge one into intense agony. She extended her hand, a cluster of green light manifesting in her palm, and said earnestly,

“Let me heal you. It must be very painful.”

“Don’t move.”

Zhang Luan quickly waved his hand, stopping her. It was no laughing matter; he had finally entered this state. If he were healed, wouldn’t he have to stab himself again?

Zhang Luan stood tall, a playful smile gracing his lips as he watched the monster below, its tentacles stretched incredibly long, attempting to climb upwards.

“To think my first time using the Chaos Circlet would be on you. Isn’t this a bit of a waste?”

Despite his words, he showed no hesitation whatsoever. He retrieved the Chaos Circlet, which he wore around his neck beneath his clothes.

Avanyin, observing the Chaos Circlet, wore a puzzled expression. She sensed a dangerous aura emanating from the small object, as if it could effortlessly obliterate her.

This was utterly illogical. Though she was merely an ancient tower spirit, her sister had spared no effort in reinforcing her body and power. Few things could harm her, let alone kill her, with her current strength.

*This man, he truly is mysterious.*

Zhang Luan was oblivious to her thoughts. In his other hand, he held the Coin of Choice, which he had long prepared. Why had he entered a near-death state? Was it not precisely to trigger the Coin of Choice’s effect?

Downing a high-grade mana potion, he replenished his slightly depleted mana bar to its overflowing state. All preparations were complete; he lacked nothing.

The monster’s tentacles had already gripped the shattered staircase. With a fierce leap, its enormous, chrysanthemum-like maw, ringed with suppressed power, gaped wide, as if it intended to devour the entire ceiling in a single gulp.

Zhang Luan took a deep breath. The effects of both the Chaos Circlet and the Coin of Choice activated simultaneously. Waves of energy surged from his body. The 1300% all-attribute bonus and 100% critical hit rate were instantly applied to him.

The Bow of Termination was drawn into a full moon shape. On the Azure Righteous Sword, the [Fading Cloud Sword] skill triggered; a 1% chance was meaningless in the hands of his EX-rank luck.

The monster reached the top of the stairs. Perhaps its primal instincts sensed danger, as all its tentacles shielded its core. Its blood-red maw was about to swallow Zhang Luan whole.

In this moment of extreme peril, Zhang Luan’s face broke into a supremely confident smile.

“What should I call this move? [Chaos Fading Cloud Choice Sword]? A good name, haha!”

Without hesitation, he unleashed his sword-arrow. He had no fear of missing his mark. For ten years in his previous life, to compensate for his weakness, all he had done was aim and shoot. Missing the bullseye? Impossible.

One strike to kill, no mercy!

Just as he had anticipated, under his most powerful strike, the monster froze in place. Its bizarre, tentacled, viscous body gradually melted, transforming into a puddle of liquid.

A dark purple orb was cleanly pierced through by the Azure Righteous Sword—that was its core.

However, the Azure Righteous Sword was in poor condition. Its once sturdy blade was riddled with cracks, as if it could shatter into fragments at any moment. This was, after all, the second time he had used Fading Cloud Sword with it, and the effect of drastically reducing weapon durability was no joke. Yet, Zhang Luan had no regrets. Out with the old, in with the new, he believed he would always find something better. It was just a little unfortunate; if there were any further dangers above, he would be forced to fight with a spare iron sword.

Avanyin, standing nearby, gazed at Zhang Luan with confusion. She had never imagined the monster’s life would end in such a manner. She had expected an arduous battle, yet this man had killed the monster with a single strike?!

Noticing Avanyin’s gaze, Zhang Luan turned around with a flourish, carrying the Azure Righteous Sword still impaled in the core.

“Well, aren’t you captivated by my heroic figure? Feel free to say so; I won’t get conceited, hahahaha!”

Avanyin continued to look at him expressionlessly, her gaze shifting to his abdomen. The self-inflicted wound there was already scabbing over. She extended her hand, and the green light cluster reappeared in her palm.

“Can I heal you now?”

Reminded by Avanyin, Zhang Luan suddenly realized his abdomen still throbbed with pain.

“Come on, now that you mention it, it really does hurt a bit.”

As he spoke, Zhang Luan suddenly felt a wave of weakness. He knew the Chaos Circlet’s duration had ended, and his lifespan had been reduced by fifty years.

“Your life force has diminished significantly. Was that the cost of your last attack?”

Avanyin noticed Zhang Luan’s change. As an ancient tower spirit, she was extremely sensitive to life force. She clearly felt the fifty years vanish from Zhang Luan’s lifespan.

“Yes, but it’s fine. There are plenty of things in this world that can increase lifespan.”

“You seem to already have a goal?”

“Yes, many of them, haha.”

Zhang Luan laughed heartily. In his eyes, as long as lifespan wasn’t exhausted, it was a source of energy that could be fully utilized, and he knew quite a few ways to replenish it.