Lu Chen raised Root Severer in his right hand.
The sword tip pressed against the hole in the Third Councilor's chest.
The core—the core that had become the Core Sword after shattering—had originally been there. Now, that spot was empty.
The core had turned into a sword and was locked by Lu Chen's left hand. There was no longer anything in the Third Councilor's chest cavity that could block this strike.
Root Severer pierced in.
The Combat-Form Sword Tip's penetrating power doubled, punching through the Third Councilor's chest cavity.
The golden-purple blade passed through his chest, through his spine, and nailed him to the cave wall.
The Third Councilor lowered his head to look at the two swords piercing him.
His sword was lodged in Lu Chen's left lung, locked by the bones of his left hand. Lu Chen's sword was embedded in his spine, pinning him to the stone wall.
The two faced each other, less than a foot apart.
"You think piercing my spine can kill me?" The Third Councilor's voice leaked from his throat, the hiss of escaping air growing louder. "The core has already become a sword. The body is merely a vessel. Break the vessel, and the core remains."
Lu Chen did not answer. He released his left hand from the Core Sword. Deep grooves carved by the Core Sword remained on the finger bones of all five fingers, golden marrow seeping from them. He pressed his left hand against the Third Councilor's forehead.
Palm Thunder.
Not a strike.
Not a push.
He detonated every thunder rune in his palm directly into the Third Councilor's skull.
Lightning at 98% Dragon Thunder fusion erupted from his palm, pouring into the Third Councilor's crown, into his skull, into his brain.
His black eyes turned golden-red amid the