CHAPTER 117: AGAINST THE BRAIN

Xu Tao didn’t waste another second.

As soon as he drew his sword, he rushed forward, swinging it like wind slipping through bamboo stalks.

"...!"

But just as he got close—something unbelievable happened.

SWOOSH!

The brain’s curvy, wrinkled folds began to squirm, extending outward like a whip! It lashed out, leaving sonic booms in its wake—forcing Xu Tao onto the defensive.

He quickly raised his sword to block, but the blow still sent him flying, even farther than where he started.

’Even the brain is a tentacle monster?! What the fuck is wrong with this Leviathan?!’ he grumbled inwardly, wiping the blood trickling from the corner of his lips.

Though he’d blocked the attack, the sonic boom—and some mysterious energy riding along with it—inflicted internal damage. Judging by his current injuries, he could only take two or three more hits before he kicked the bucket!

"For an organ, you pack quite the punch..." he chuckled, standing up. "Unfortunately, I just have to destroy you! No need to reserve my Qi anymore!"

As a Golden Core 1st Stage cultivator, his Qi was now over five times what it had been when he first arrived. That meant his instantaneous damage was massively boosted too. It didn’t even take a full second to choose a technique with high output and minimal risk.

Xu Tao returned his fan to his ring and tapped a finger against his forehead.

As he did, a mysterious formation appeared—like a golden crown tattooed onto his skin. Its ends curved upward like a circlet, with a bright red dot centered in the middle.

"Don’t you know what it means to be a Golden Core cultivator?" he grinned as the red dot ignited in golden flames.

The flames wrapped around his body, forming another robe layered over his clothes—a robe of golden fire that radiated holy light, as though purifying the darkness around him.

When the flames reached his sword, Xu Tao dashed forward—his speed multiplying severalfold!

"It means I can use Core Techniques without risk now!!!" he roared, slashing down in one mighty stroke. "Descent of the Great Sage: Golden Flames of War!"

HISS!

The brain-tentacle-monster couldn’t keep up with his speed!

Before it could even register what was happening, most of its appendages were already severed—their cut ends ablaze with golden fire. Even the digestive liquids that burst out evaporated instantly—completely neutralized.

"What’s wrong? Can’t keep up with my speed?!"

With every dash and every slash, more and more tentacles were cut down. At this rate, the monster would be a harmless dummy in seconds!

SCREEECH!

So it stopped holding back.

With a powerful screech, it unleashed all its remaining appendages in a chaotic web of sonic-speed attacks. They weren’t aimed—they simply tore through the air at random, forming a deadly zone Xu Tao couldn’t break through!

"GRR...!!!"

And worse—the screech doubled as an SOS.

The other tentacle monsters Xu Tao had left behind began rushing back toward him.

"Ah, unfair! Just ’cause you’re losing, you called for backup!" Xu Tao complained, a hint of panic in his voice.

The Golden Flames of War was a powerful but inefficient technique. At his current stage, he could barely maintain it for one or two minutes—not enough to deal with both the brain monster and the incoming reinforcements!

Xu Tao paused to think.

There had to be a way to deal with everything safely.

He analyzed the battlefield, every monster, every obstacle, every technique in his arsenal. After a moment that felt like eternity, he came to a single conclusion.

’My current stats, combined with Golden Flames of War, should barely be enough for "that" technique!’

The only logical path forward...

’I don’t need to fight them one at a time. I’ll just bury them all in one strike!’

Using Ground Shrink, he dodged the tentacles and positioned himself where all the monsters aligned in a straight line.

"Phew...!"

Xu Tao took in a deep breath, holding his sword forward.

His Qi surged wildly as his muscles bulged. Every ounce of strength was channeled into this one, singular blow. His eyes burned red, his soul flaring in agony.

"Kugh...!"

The technique was too strong for his current body to handle. In fact, based on his calculations, he was just barely at the minimum threshold to activate it. His organs felt like they were being crushed under a mountain of pressure!

His skin split, blood vessels burst—but still, he didn’t stop.

"All weight focused in one edge..." he began the mantra, and the energy around him roared louder in response.

RAAAGH!

The power surge finally alerted the brain monster to the danger. It screeched an order, commanding the other monsters to charge in and stop whatever Xu Tao was planning—

"...And all doubts cleared in one cut."

—but they were too late.

Xu Tao’s sword glowed with brilliance, like a miniature sun. The cavern walls, slick with digestive fluid, began to sizzle under the heat and pressure.

With calm precision, he drew a line through the air with his blade—like painting with a fine brush across the canvas of the world.

One Cut Clears the Heart!

Everything froze.

Then, space itself split down the middle. A blinding flash engulfed everything.

Like an artist blotting a canvas with white paint... all of it disappeared.

"..."

When the light faded, only Xu Tao was left standing.

But not for long.

"Blergh!"

The next instant, he vomited a bucket of blood. Blood streamed from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Even the veins running across his body had ruptured completely!

The backlash was so devastating, if even one monster had survived, it would’ve been over for him.

"I barely lived through that one..." he wheezed, voice ragged like a beggar’s.

With trembling fingers, he reached into his ring and pulled out a bottle—his reserve of Recovery Pills. He tried to pull the cork off by hand, but he lacked the strength.

He had to bite it open, and gingerly pluck out one pill before returning the rest.

After popping the brown pill into his mouth, he finally exhaled a breath of relief.

"With this... it should finally be over," he muttered.

RUMBLE!

"Fuck... No..."

Only for things to get worse.

The entire space began to crumble, cracking, twisting, and turning.

Just as he thought he was safe...

He jinxed it. Again.