Chapter 724: Layered Force

Chapter 724: Chapter 75: Layered Force

After realizing the benefits of the Snow Monarch Blade, Chen Chuan quickly understood that he could adjust his tactics accordingly.

Since his opponent’s Power couldn’t affect him, he could directly divert a portion of the Mutated Organization he was using for defense to his offense. And without the need to dissipate and adjust, the tempo of the fight could speed up.

As the thought crossed his mind, his combat instincts had already taken over, making the most logical move. He immediately took advantage of the fact that his Power was unimpeded to seize the initiative. He slid the Snow Monarch Blade against his opponent’s blade and flicked it sideways, attempting to parry the weapon away.

Fan Mo, however, was having a different experience. Although his weapon could also withstand the impact of Heart Force, it couldn’t completely neutralize the power. A small portion would still be transferred to him.

But he was the one on the offensive and had already prepared himself mentally, so he wasn’t slow to adjust. His rich combat experience allowed him to immediately react to Chen Chuan’s swift counterattack. He twisted his wrist, parried with his blade, and assumed a defensive stance.

As the Power entered his body, it was instantly dissipated by layers of his Mutated Organization.

The Power he inherited was called Screw Force, a Dharma Force that originated from the Old National Church. Its characteristic was the symbiosis of offense and defense, making them one and the same. Attack followed defense, and defense followed attack, in a continuous, responsive cycle.

Upon clashing with an enemy, dissipating their force simultaneously charged his own, allowing him to launch a swift counterattack. An ordinary Fighter might withstand a few moves against this steady rhythm, but over time, their inability to break through would wear down their spirit. They would only grow weaker until they were finally defeated.

However, he soon felt something was different. Just as he was about to counterattack, he felt a second wave of Power rapidly seeping toward him.

‘Dual Force?’

Fan Mo’s expression was subtle. As a top expert sent by the United Wei Heavy Control Sect, he had faced many enemies with different techniques and had seen this kind of Power variation before.

Dual Force could indeed achieve a breakthrough or cause a delay when used at a critical moment, buying time for the next move. But its essence was a matter of rhythm, relying on catching the enemy off guard.

‘But to use it so straightforwardly is just a foolish move.’

The Mutated Organization within his body adjusted again, absorbing this wave of power. He then prepared to attack in the opening that followed.

Because after using Dual Force, there was always a slight lag. This was an almost unavoidable consequence of executing a highly skilled Power technique.

However, what happened next caught him completely by surprise. It was as if Chen Chuan had only executed an ordinary strike. There was no lag whatsoever. His blade’s momentum was smooth and fluid as he slashed out again!

This forced him to abandon his planned attack and raise his blade to block once more. But after absorbing this wave of Power, he felt another one strike, and then another after that. For a moment, the Power rushed in like an endless tide.

Fan Mo was unable to launch a counterattack. The offensive-defensive cycle of his Power flow couldn’t be brought into play. All he could do was defend and dissipate the incoming Power. Faced with wave after wave of Power, he was forced back again and again.

This time, Chen Chuan was using the seamlessly linked Dual Force from the Single Stream Hall.

But Tarlu had relied on a Long Staff to link his attacks, which had its own unique properties.

He, on the other hand, was relying on infusing his Spiritual Power into his Power to create Heart Force, forcibly manifesting this technique.

This type of Power had a distinct characteristic: it didn’t aim for explosive bursts but maintained a continuous offensive pressure, denying the enemy the energy or respite to organize their own proper attacks.

‘I know my pure Sword Skill still can’t compare to a truly experienced Fighter,’ he thought, ‘but when it comes to variations in Power, I’m confident I can suppress most opponents.’

After being forced back repeatedly, Fan Mo tried several times but couldn’t break through Chen Chuan’s suppression. The opposing Power came too quickly and densely, leaving him no time to adjust his Mutated Organization.

Unless he risked injury to counterattack, he might be able to turn the tables.

But if a Power like Heart Force entered his body, the consequences would be unpredictable. He couldn’t make such a choice unless it was a last resort or all other options were exhausted.

However, if this continued, defeat was certain. So he made a swift decision and unhesitatingly entered a burst state.

He adjusted his breathing slightly. As he activated a Secret Technique, the power in his body abruptly surged, and his speed increased with it. At the same time, faint wisps of black gas seeped from the surface of his skin, clinging to him like a shroud of shadow. It made his face suddenly look savage and vicious, completely unlike his previous dignified appearance.

As the one on the offensive, Chen Chuan controlled the main rhythm of the battle. He had been carefully watching his opponent for any changes in order to maintain his suppression. The moment he sensed the abnormality in his opponent’s aura, he reacted without the slightest hesitation.

At almost the exact same moment Fan Mo erupted, he too activated the Furnace Breathing Method. Instantly, wisps of white mist drifted from his body. His speed and strength also skyrocketed, allowing him to continue suppressing Fan Mo.

And so, the situation immediately reverted to how it was before.

Now, the tunnel filled with the sound of weapons clashing, one strike after another, incredibly fast and seemingly packed together. The impacts sent endless echoes reverberating around, expanding and surging outward along the tunnel, making it tremble. Countless grains of sand and small stones rustled down from the ceiling and walls, bouncing ceaselessly on the ground.

The fight between them was completely unlike the explosive collisions typical of Third Limit Fighters. This was because most of the power they unleashed was being dissipated by their weapons or their own bodies.

But the one bearing the brunt of the pressure was Fan Mo. He retreated step by step, each footfall leaving a crater of crushed stone of roughly the same size, with fine debris bursting and scattering from the edges.

After just a few breaths, he had been pushed from the front of the long tunnel all the way to the back, leaving a long, straight trail of destruction on the ground.

He didn’t dare to suddenly retreat or dodge. While he was blocking his opponent’s blade momentum, he was also absorbing and neutralizing a portion of the force. If he dared to suddenly back away, the pent-up power, no longer suppressed, would crash down on him like a tidal wave, very likely killing him on the spot.

Just then, he realized he was about to be backed into the end of the tunnel. The two were currently locked in a delicate balance. The slightest external disturbance would be fatal for him.

The moment his back hit the tunnel wall, that slight obstruction could shatter the equilibrium, leading to his immediate defeat—unless he could erupt with even greater power and speed.

Realizing this, he didn’t just wait for death. He decisively pushed his Mutated Organization to its limits, forcefully erupting once more at the cost of damaging his Life Force and potential.

In an instant, blood rushed to his face. The muscles of his upper body abruptly swelled by a full size, and he used both hands to heave his blade up against Chen Chuan’s.

The collision was immensely powerful. A ring of dissipating energy waves even erupted from the point of impact between the two blades.

Chen Chuan could feel a wisp of his opponent’s Heart Force seep into his body. This was the first time since the fight began that his opponent’s power had managed to invade past the Snow Monarch Blade.

But even so, because the Snow Monarch Blade’s tolerance was high enough, it had still blocked the vast majority. This wisp of Heart Force wasn’t very strong and had almost no effect on him. A slight guidance from his Mutated Organization was all it took to dissipate the power.

This exchange did, however, allow him to discern the characteristic of his opponent’s Heart Force. It was a highly destructive Shocking Force that could directly penetrate a person’s muscles and bones. If one couldn’t withstand it, or was exposed to it for a long time, he had a feeling it could very well shatter a person’s entire skeleton.

But that would require a direct confrontation, or for the vast majority of the Power to take effect. The effect of the residual force was negligible, not even enough to outpace his self-healing.

Fan Mo’s eruption had successfully halted his backward retreat, but he hadn’t been able to launch a counterattack. He immediately knew something was wrong—he wasn’t putting enough pressure on his opponent. So, while still in his burst state, he made another move. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he suddenly unleashed a Spiritual Shock at Chen Chuan.

In a spiritual clash, regardless of the outcome, the initiator always had the first move. As long as Chen Chuan hesitated for even a moment, his fluid Power would no longer be able to circulate perfectly.

Then, he would find an opening, a chance to counterattack.

At that moment, a sharp glint also erupted in Chen Chuan’s eyes—a sign that he was dealing with the Spiritual Shock.

Although he often used his Spiritual Power to intimidate enemies, he rarely used it to attack a Fighter directly. This was because Fighters with Spiritual Power were usually very careful with their defenses, making their Heart Jade difficult to shake at once. Moreover, he preferred to use his enemies to hone his own Fighting Skills.

Of course, there was another reason: some Fighters carried protective items. For example, the three fighters from the United Wei Heavy Control Sect he had encountered before had them. This time, he had also deliberately worn the Jade Pig Dragon that Mr. Zhuan had given him. This item also provided excellent spiritual protection.

Therefore, when this wave of Spiritual Power arrived, most of it was blocked by the item. The small amount that crashed against his Heart Jade didn’t shake it in the slightest. He couldn’t even be bothered to use the Hollow Seal spiritual technique, lest it interfere with his Power circulation. After all, before his spirit was perfected, direct offense and defense were the most efficient methods for him.

When Fan Mo saw that his Spiritual Power assault had no effect, his soaring aura instantly waned. It was as if he had been knocked back to his original state. His feet, which had been planted firmly, were forced to retreat backward once more.

And this time, the craters left by each step were deeper and wider than before, which meant his resistance to the opposing Power had decreased.

His heart sank. He knew this was the aftereffect of his eruption.

He was now only about ten meters from the end of the tunnel. Seeing that the outcome would be decided if this continued, he had to use another Secret Technique to avoid defeat. Suddenly, his chest swelled, his mouth opened wide, and as his entire Mutated Organization began to tremble, he let out a thunderous shout at Chen Chuan!