As the final arrow fell, the monster’s body began to regenerate. It writhed at blinding speed, rotating its massive maw to devour Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan sprinted in wide circles, looping back to the staircase leading upward. With a powerful leap, he landed at the upper landing.

Though mindless, the creature—once the library’s guardian spirit—retained its primal duty.

Tentacles lashed out toward Zhang Luan.

“Stay down there for now, big guy.”

The Azure Righteous Sword shot forth. Spatial ripples and Starfire erupted, shattering the staircase to the upper floor.

“No. My sister set a rule: unless this thing dies, we can’t reach the top level.”

Aruola thought Zhang Luan planned to stall the monster and flee upward. But Afan Yin had anticipated this, binding the magic with strict limits.

Kill it, or stay trapped.

“Flee? No, no. I *can* win. I just needed time.”

Before Aruola’s stunned gaze, he pulled a dagger and plunged it into his own abdomen.

*Squelch.* Blood gushed. His HP bar plummeted by three-fifths. This cursed blade—once used by Mighty Roar Cathedral assassins—now served him perfectly.

Ordinary steel couldn’t wound him deeply. But this dagger’s explosive curse, freed from its dead master’s lingering death-mark, drained his vitality.

His HP now hovered at 40%. Critical condition achieved.

“You’re *insane*?”

Bewilderment flickered in Aruola’s eyes. The dagger’s curse wasn’t lethal, but agony radiated from its wound. Green light gathered in her palm. “Let me heal you. It must hurt terribly.”

“Don’t.”

Zhang Luan waved her off. Joke’s over—he’d worked too hard to reach this state. Healing would force another stab.

He straightened, smirking at the monster below. Its tentacles strained upward over the ruined stairs.

“Never thought my first use of the Chaos Wheel would be on *you*. Kind of a waste, huh?”

No hesitation. He drew the Chaos Wheel from beneath his shirt.

Aruola frowned. Danger radiated from the trinket—a power that could erase her effortlessly. Absurd. Her sister had fortified her spirit-body against nearly all threats.

*This man… truly mysterious.*

Zhang Luan ignored her thoughts. He placed the Choice Coin in his other hand. Why induce near-death?

To trigger the Coin’s effect.

He chugged a High MP Potion, refilling his mana to bursting. All set.

The monster heaved itself onto the landing. Instinct screamed danger. Tentacles coiled around its core. Its tooth-ringed maw gaped wide enough to swallow the ceiling.

Zhang Luan inhaled sharply. The Chaos Wheel and Choice Coin activated. Energy surged through him—1300% stat boost, 100% crit rate.

The Ends Bow drew to full moon. The Azure Righteous Sword ignited with Remnant Cloud Sword’s power. That 1% proc chance? Meaningless with his maxed-out Luck stat.

The beast lunged. Zhang Luan’s grin turned razor-sharp.

“What to call this move? *Chaos Remnant Cloud Choice Sword*? Perfect~ Haha!”

He fired. No doubt. No miss. Ten years of relentless practice—aiming, shooting—had burned precision into his bones.

Off-target?

Impossible.

One strike. One kill.

Just as planned. The monster froze. Its grotesque form melted into sludge. Only a dark violet orb remained—pierced clean through by the Azure Righteous Sword. Its core.

The sword itself was ruined. Cracks spiderwebbed across its blade, ready to shatter. Remnant Cloud Sword’s durability drain was no joke. Zhang Luan didn’t regret it. Out with the old, in with the new. Better blades awaited.

Pity, though. If dangers lurked above, he’d have to rely on his backup iron sword.

Aruola stared, baffled. She’d expected a grueling battle. Yet this man ended it in a single blow?

Catching her gaze, Zhang Luan spun dramatically, yanking the sword from the core.

“Mesmerized by my brilliance? Go on, admit it—I won’t get cocky. Hahaha!”

Aruola remained expressionless. Her eyes dropped to his abdomen. The self-inflicted wound had scabbed over. Green light glowed in her palm again.

“May I heal you now?”

Her words snapped him back to the throbbing pain.

“Yeah… actually, it stings.”

As she channeled healing energy, weakness crashed over him. The Chaos Wheel’s time limit expired. Fifty years of his lifespan—gone.

“Your life force… it just vanished. Was that the cost?”

Aruola sensed it instantly. As a tower spirit, she felt lifespans like breaths.

“Yep. But whatever. Plenty of ways to replenish it.”

“You already have targets in mind?”

“Several. Heh.”

Zhang Luan laughed lightly. Lifespan was just fuel—as long as it didn’t run dry. And he knew *exactly* where to find more.