Amid the ruins, Lin Fan stood drenched in blood.
The terrifying hole through his chest had healed, leaving behind only a patch of tender new flesh—a reminder of the death-defying ordeal he had just endured.
Within him, a completely new power—Foundation Establishment True Essence—surged like a mighty river, coursing through every meridian with unprecedented speed and force. It brought an exhilarating sensation, as if he had been remade from the ground up!
Power!
A sense of strength dozens of times greater than during the Qi Refining Stage filled his entire body!
His five senses had become incredibly sharp. He could even clearly "see" the paths of dust motes in the air and "hear" Bulma's rapid heartbeat from inside the cockpit in the distance!
The range of his spiritual sense had expanded dramatically. With a mere thought, he could control his own energy on an entirely new level!
The Foundation Establishment Stage!
He had finally crossed that threshold!
But before he could take the time to savor this newfound strength, a bone-chilling, intensely focused killing intent locked onto him once more!
It was even sharper and more dangerous than before!
It was Mercenary Tao!
The look of astonishment on the world's greatest assassin's face lasted only a fleeting moment before it was swiftly replaced by an even more intense killing intent.
He didn't care what bizarre change had come over Lin Fan, or how different his aura had become. In his lexicon of killing, there were only two possibilities: the target was alive, or the target was dead.
The target was still alive—and had even grown stronger?
Then he would use even greater force and crush him completely!
"No matter what wicked trick you used..."
Mercenary Tao's voice was as cold as ice that had endured for ten thousand years. For the first time, he unleashed the aura he had kept tightly restrained, holding nothing back!
A terrifying aura soared into the sky, sweeping away all the rubble and dust around him and creating a domain all his own!
"In the face of absolute power, you're still..."
"An insect!"
He abruptly brought his hands together at his waist, and a tremendous amount of ki rapidly gathered there at an unprecedented rate!
The energy was so immense and violent that it distorted the surrounding air, producing a heart-stopping hum!
A blue energy sphere, far larger than any Ki Blast he had launched before and so dazzling it was impossible to look at, rapidly took shape between his palms!
This time, he wasn't going to use the concentrated Dodon Ray. He would unleash a Ki Blast with a wider range and greater destructive power, erasing Lin Fan and the entire area from the world!
"Die!"
With a roar, Mercenary Tao thrust forward the enormous Ki Blast he had gathered—powerful enough to level a small mountain!
Rumble—!!!
The blue sphere of destructive energy roared forward like a comet, tearing through the air with enough force to crush everything in its path as it hurtled straight toward Lin Fan!
Wherever it passed, the energy spilling from it tore deep trenches through the ground, while the metal walls on either side melted like wax!
Lin Fan had only just broken through and hadn't even had time to stabilize his cultivation before facing this devastating attack!
The shadow of death fell over him again, but this time, his heart held none of the despair and helplessness he had felt before!
The True Essence within his Foundation Establishment body circulated of its own accord, far faster than during the Qi Refining Stage!
His thoughts and reflexes had also accelerated dramatically!
Facing the world-destroying Ki Blast, a flash of brilliance passed through Lin Fan's eyes. Rather than retreat, he stepped forward!
His hands rapidly traced patterns before him as his surging Foundation Establishment True Essence burst forth like floodwaters from an opened gate. It was no longer the flimsy True Qi barrier he had formed during the Qi Refining Stage. Instead, it instantly gathered before him into a denser, sturdier barrier, shimmering with a faint blue-gold light—
"True Essence Barrier!"
Buzz!
A translucent energy barrier, formed from highly condensed Foundation Establishment True Essence, suddenly appeared!
Cryptic runes seemed to flow across its surface, radiating an aura of stability, resilience, and unceasing vitality!
This wasn't a ki defense from the Dragon Ball World, but a true protective spell used by a cultivator!
The next instant!
Mercenary Tao's full-power Ki Blast, powerful enough to level a small mountain, slammed into the True Essence Barrier Lin Fan had hastily erected!
BOOM—!!!!!!!
A world-shaking explosion swallowed everything in an instant!
Dazzling blue light mingled with blue-gold radiance, flashing wildly as a terrifying shock wave surged outward in every direction like a tsunami!
The abandoned pipes and the ruins of reinforced concrete were ripped apart, hurled away, and vaporized as easily as toys made of paper!
The large Engineering Robot Bulma was piloting was tossed away like a leaf in a gale and slammed into a distant wall. Bulma let out a terrified scream from inside the cockpit!
At the center of the explosion, light raged and turbulent currents of energy tore wildly at everything around them!
Lin Fan gritted his teeth as his body trembled violently. Another trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth!
The instant the True Essence Barrier made contact with the attack, cracks spread across its surface. The tremendous impact passed through it and slammed into his body, making it feel as though his internal organs had been knocked out of place!
His Foundation Establishment True Essence had undergone a qualitative change, but Mercenary Tao's full-power attack was simply too terrifying!
There was still an enormous gap between the power of their energies!
The barrier... wasn't going to hold!
A fierce glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes as he desperately drove the newly formed Foundation Establishment True Essence in his dantian, pouring it into the barrier without a thought for the consequences!
At the same time, he stomped the ground and used the force of the explosion to propel himself rapidly backward!
Crack... crack...
More and more fissures spread across the True Essence Barrier. At last, with a strained, mournful wail, it shattered!
But!
It had successfully absorbed the core, most violent force of the Ki Blast!
The remaining shock wave slammed into Lin Fan's crossed arms as he held them up before his chest!
Thud!
Lin Fan was blasted backward once more. Agonizing pain, like broken bones, shot through his arms, and his blood and qi churned violently. He looked utterly battered.
But he... had held on!
He hadn't been vaporized on the spot or blown to pieces!
He crashed heavily to the ground in the distance, rolling several times before he finally managed to stop. He spat out another mouthful of clotted blood.
The dust slowly settled.
Mercenary Tao stood where he was, staring at Lin Fan in the distance. Though he was battered and bleeding, Lin Fan was clearly still alive. For the first time, the assassin's perpetually impassive face showed utter disbelief—and a hint of wariness!
His full-power Ki Blast, powerful enough to destroy a small military base... had actually been blocked?!
That insect, whose aura had been pitifully weak just moments ago but had suddenly grown strange... had withstood it through some kind of energy defense he had never seen before?!
How was that possible?!
For the first time, Mercenary Tao felt a flicker of doubt about his supposedly infallible killing efficiency.
In the distance, Lin Fan struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He felt the Foundation Establishment True Essence still surging within him, though shaken, and looked at the astonished Mercenary Tao. Then he grinned, revealing a bloodstained smile that was both exhilarated and cold.
"The world's greatest assassin..."
"You're nothing special."
Foundation Establishment achieved; True Essence newly born.
The gap between them was still enormous, but... it seemed the roles of hunter and prey had...
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