Chapter 53: Life-and-Death Struggle

Could it be that today, I am truly going to die in this godforsaken place, swallowed by such a grotesque and inhuman entity?

That would be far too humiliating!

His chest felt as though it were being crushed, leaving him unable to breathe, and his thoughts were on the verge of complete collapse. Yet, right within the intertwining gaps of this chaos and despair, a faint glimmer of light suddenly emerged.

The instinct to survive sent a flash of lightning tearing through Chu Xing's chaotic mind.

"The Source-Devouring Bead is not the true master; it is merely a medium through which I communicate with the power of devouring!"

"The ultimate root lies not in the bead, but in the cultivation method I practice!"

Once this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.

Gathering the very last shred of his strength, Chu Xing forcibly reined in his consciousness, ignoring the agonizing, heart-wrenching pain, and plunged his entire willpower deep into his dantian.

"Myriad Transformation Convergence Art, stir for me!"

Driven by pure instinct, he took the initiative to circulate the technique deeply engraved within his soul!

Hum!

As the cultivation method began to run, the Source-Devouring Bead—previously suppressed to the extreme—trembled violently, as if obeying a master's command! An aura entirely distinct from before radiated outward from within the bead.

It was no longer passive defense, but an active counterattack!

Under the impact of this aura, the momentum of that tyrannical, blood-colored power was actually brought to an abrupt halt!

"It works!"

Joy surged in Chu Xing's heart. Like a drowning man grasping at his final straw, he drove the cultivation method with all his might, attempting to seize back control of his body.

However, following this brief standstill, an even more violent surge of power counterattacked, instantly shattering his newly organized, fragile resistance into disarray.

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of blood sprayed from Chu Xing's lips, and the spark of hope that had just been ignited was on the verge of being extinguished once more.

"Not enough... still not enough!"

Chu Xing's gaze instantly turned frantic and resolute.

Source-Devouring Liquid! He still had a final trump card!

"Detonate for me!"

With a single thought, within the chaotic space of his dantian, a precious drop of Source-Devouring Liquid exploded with a roar!

An incomparably pure and immense surge of origin energy erupted like a flash flood, instantly rushing into his nearly dried-up meridians! Bolstered by this energy, the circulation speed of his cultivation technique multiplied several times over.

The brilliance of the Source-Devouring Bead flared intensely, and the suppressed aura was instantly beaten back!

Two equally tyrannical forces of devouring engaged in the most primitive and brutal contest within Chu Xing's body! His meridians became their battlefield!

"Ah!"

He let out a painful roar, feeling as though his body was about to be violently torn apart by these two conflicting forces.

The power of the Blood Curse Spirit was violently unbridled. Although the energy provided by the Source-Devouring Liquid was immensely pure, it was still steadily beaten back, forced to endure in bitter defense.

His meridians vibrated as if on the verge of shattering, and his flesh was wracked with a searing pain from the violent tearing.

Chu Xing's eyes were bloodshot, resembling a raving madman.

"One drop is not enough, then detonate them all!"

He roared internally, without a moment of hesitation, simultaneously triggering the remaining seven drops of Source-Devouring Liquid within his dantian!

Boom!

If a single drop of Source-Devouring Liquid was a flash flood, the simultaneous eruption of seven drops was a towering, monstrous wave capable of swallowing everything in its path!

At this moment, the devouring power within Chu Xing's dantian was driven to an unprecedented peak! The aura that had already begun to wane for him suddenly climbed higher and higher, erupting like a volcano!

The Source-Devouring Bead ceased its simple trembling, transforming instead into a rapidly spinning black vortex, bursting forth with a terrifying suction force that caused even the Blood Curse Spirit to tremble with dread!

This power, unleashed by the simultaneous detonation of eight drops of Source-Devouring Liquid, raged wildly. Chu Xing's meridians instantly swelled to the point of bursting, throbbing with a dull ache. Had they not been thoroughly tempered previously amidst the medicinal mists, his physique would long ago have collapsed under this impact.

Even so, fine tears were ripped across his flesh, and fresh blood seeped through his skin, staining him into a bloody figure.

"All of you, get back where you belong!"

Chu Xing roared, driving his cultivation technique to its absolute limit.

The blood-colored power that had been rampaging through his body finally seemed to encounter its nemesis; caught firmly by the black vortex, it could no longer advance so much as an inch!

The two sides finally reached a brief, hard-fought stalemate!

Yet Chu Xing knew this was still not enough! The energy of the Source-Devouring Liquid would eventually be exhausted, and once depleted, he would lose any possibility of a comeback!

He had to finish this quickly!

"Refine!"

A fierce glint flashed across Chu Xing's eyes.

He no longer relied purely on confrontation; instead, he operated his cultivation technique, beginning to slowly erode and refine that blood-colored power bit by bit!

This was an immensely delicate, yet perilously dangerous process.

Seemingly sensing this intent, the Blood Curse Spirit began a frantic counter-offensive, attempting to break free from its restraints. Yet the vortex formed by the Source-Devouring Bead was like an inescapable prison, trapping it relentlessly.

As the tide turned, the balance of advantage slowly and steadily began to tilt in Chu Xing's favor.

After an unknown passage of time, a small portion of the Blood Curse Spirit's power was finally refined.

It was afraid!

Within that tyrannical will, a wisp of terror surfaced for the very first time. Abandoning its erosion of Chu Xing's body, it shifted direction, attempting to flee outward from within him!

"You think you can just run after coming here? Too late!"

A cold sneer crossed Chu Xing's mind. How could he possibly let go of such a nourishing treasure delivered right to his doorstep!

Driving his cultivation technique to its extreme, the black vortex expanded abruptly. Like a giant, agape maw, it swallowed the retreating blood-colored power whole in a single gulp!

"Squeak!"

A silent screech, piercing to the absolute extreme, echoed within Chu Xing's mind.

Immediately afterward, everything returned to a state of calm.

The rampaging, agonizing pain receded like the tide. In its place, an unimaginably vast wave of pure energy fed backward from the Source-Devouring Bead, nourishing his riddled meridians.

With a profound sense of relief, Chu Xing could no longer support himself. He collapsed backward to sit heavily upon the ground, panting in great, ragged breaths.

His entire body was drenched in cold sweat, every single muscle protested in pain, and his spirit was exhausted to the utmost limit.

"I have... finally survived."

Chu Xing murmured softly, a smile of one who had cheated death blooming across his face.

He simply sat right where he was, operating his cultivation technique and quietly regulating his breath. That vast reservoir of energy circulated through his body, swiftly repairing his damaged meridians and replenishing his depleted vitality.

It was not until the time it takes for an incense stick to burn that he slowly opened his eyes, exhaling a long, stale breath tainted with the metallic scent of blood. The agonizing pain within his body had vanished, and his depleted vitality was once more overflowing.

With a single thought, he instantly perceived that his dantian felt heavy, entirely different from before.

He hurriedly cast his inner gaze toward his dantian.

There, within that chaotic space, a full fifteen drops of pitch-black, ink-like Source-Devouring Liquid were suspended quietly, radiating a heart-palpitating wave of energy.

Chu Xing was utterly dumbfounded.

His spiritual sense swept back and forth across those droplets: one drop, two drops... a full fifteen drops!

The eight drops of Source-Devouring Liquid he had expended in a desperate gamble not only had all returned, but their quantity had nearly doubled!

Chu Xing was stunned at first, but realization dawned upon him almost immediately: this was the immense energy condensed only after completely refining the Blood Curse Spirit!

A euphoria far more violent than anything he had previously experienced exploded from the deepest recesses of his heart, sweeping away every trace of exhaustion and lingering fear.

Just as he was immersed in this immense joy, his mind suffered a sudden, violent jolt.

The remaining remnant of the shattered Blood Curse Spirit had not truly dissipated; rather, under the ultimate refinement of the Source-Devouring Bead, it violently burst apart.

A will of absolute purity transformed into a scorching, blood-colored brand, slamming fiercely into the deepest depths of his soul and burning itself permanently therein!