Phaseless Demon Monk couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
How?
How had everything gone so wrong?
Victory had been within his grasp, and yet, in an instant, everything had crumbled.
Not only had his life-bound treasure been destroyed, but he had also suffered a devastating backlash.
His body ached. His cultivation was in turmoil.
If he didn't find proper treatment, his entire cultivation base could be permanently crippled.
But the worst part?
It had all happened without Luo Chuan lifting a finger.
Inside Origin Mall, Yao Ziyan and the customers were still stunned.
They had witnessed an attack so terrifying that it should have reduced everything in its path to dust—
And yet, the doorframe of Origin Mall hadn't even been scratched.
It was absurd.
But then again…
Considering who their boss was, maybe it wasn't so surprising.
---
At the entrance, Luo Chuan finally stirred.
He had remained a bystander this whole time, silently observing.
Why?
Because he had wanted to test the security system that the system had installed in Origin Mall.
Now, he had his answer.
"Yeah… This security system is pretty solid."
Produced by the system—naturally, it was a masterpiece.
Still, he had been fully prepared to act if needed.
If the security system hadn't stopped the golden bowl, he would have.
At this moment, Luo Chuan's calm voice echoed behind Phaseless Demon Monk.
"That's enough."
---
The voice was soft, yet it felt like thunder in Phaseless Demon Monk's ears.
His body stiffened.
He had forgotten about Luo Chuan.
But now—
Now, he finally realized the truth.
The owner of this terrifying shop could not possibly be an ordinary man.
His heart pounded, and cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
What kind of place had he stepped into?!
A storm of thoughts raged within him, but ultimately, he made a decision.
His eyes flashed with a fierce resolve.
Without hesitation, Phaseless Demon Monk raised his right hand, forming a blade with his fingers—
And sliced straight through his left shoulder.
---
Shhk!
An arm fell to the ground.
Scarlet blood gushed out, dyeing the dirt red.
The dark red robes of the demon monk soaked up the blood, making them look even more ominous.
This man isn't just ruthless to others—he's ruthless to himself.
It was clear that he had one last trump card, and he had no hesitation in using it.
"Boss, be careful!" Yao Ziyan's urgent voice rang out.
"That's the Blood Curse of the Demon Buddha!"
Luo Chuan raised an eyebrow.
A blood curse?
Didn't sound like anything pleasant.
And self-mutilation as a requirement?
"Damn, that's brutal."
As the blood flowed, Phaseless Demon Monk's aura surged.
It climbed higher—
And higher—
Until it surpassed his original peak.
---
The space around him trembled.
His cultivation, previously crippled, had been forcefully restored—
Even enhanced.
In mere seconds, his power had risen to the third tier of Eminence.
A price had been paid, but the results were undeniable.
Luo Chuan remained unfazed, watching it all with his usual calm detachment.
"Huh. Pretty decent technique."
"Wonder what the side effects are?"
If a single arm could bring him back this much power, there was no way it came without a severe backlash.
Compared to something like Origin Mall's spicy snacks, this so-called "Blood Curse" seemed kind of lame.
Phaseless Demon Monk, however, was done thinking.
He had no time to linger.
He needed to escape.
Now.
The moment Luo Chuan raised his hand, a terrifying sense of death seized Phaseless Demon Monk's soul.
His muscles tightened.
His instincts screamed at him—
"RUN!"
With his remaining arm, he reached into the void, tearing a rift into the fabric of space.
From within the crack, an endless abyss stared back.
A swirling chaos of spatial turbulence, capable of tearing weaker beings apart.
But to Phaseless Demon Monk—
> "Anything is better than staying here!"
Just as he prepared to throw himself inside—
---
Snap.
A soft sound.
Clear.
Unassuming.
But the moment Luo Chuan's fingers clicked together—
Phaseless Demon Monk froze.
Horrified, he looked down—
And saw his own body beginning to fade.
Piece by piece.
Like dust being blown away by the wind.
His limbs, his robes, his very existence—
Vanishing.
> "W-What…?!"
Panic surged in his eyes.
His voice trembled.
He struggled to resist—
But it was useless.
It was as if reality itself had decided he no longer belonged here.
And then—
In the blink of an eye—
He was gone.
-----
Read advance-d chapters: pat reon/Siuteo