44: Chapter 44 My life, I'll take it myself.

A chilling killing intent shot out from behind the iron scale mask, seeming capable of freezing a person's soul.

On one side of the scale, the "bronze heart," hailed as the cornerstone of rebirth, emitted a soft and alluring glow. On the other side, a shocking pile of black chips was stacked—"Rank Reset," "Equipment Downgrade," "Deepening Soul Cracks." Every single term was like a death warrant, pressing down until the very air stagnated.

"Taking the heart is possible, but you bear the cost yourself." The voice of the Scale, the incarnation of the Tower Spirit, was devoid of emotion, as cold and merciless as the rules themselves.

Chen Fan's gaze shifted away from the stack of punishments, finally settling on the expressionless mask of the Iron Scale. A cold sneer, utterly mocking, curled on his lips: "What I choose to detonate has never been up to a thing like you!"

Before his words faded, he fiercely thrust out his hand, and with a ripping sound, tore open the lapel of his chest garment!

A hideous crack suddenly appeared over his heart. This was not a wound to the flesh, but a laceration originating from the depths of his soul.

However, what surged out from the crack was not blood, but a violent, magma-like crimson light!

[critical hit system Actively Resonating!]

Almost at the same moment, the dormant spark deep within the secret chamber trembled violently like an awakened giant beast. A visible pulse spread outwards, its frequency perfectly synchronized with Chen Fan's heartbeat!

"Buzzz—"

A piercing alarm blared throughout the entire space. The system's cold electronic voice exploded in Chen Fan's mind: [Warning! Illegal energy link detected! Initiating forced decoupling procedure!]

The base of the Iron Scale suddenly lit up with blinding white light. Countless rune chains materialized out of thin air, like an inescapable net, surging madly toward Chen Fan, attempting to sever the mysterious connection between him and the spark!

"Scram!"

Chen Fan roared. Instead of retreating, he advanced!

He didn't attack the energy chains. Instead, he clenched his right fist, his arm muscles bulging, his joints emitting heavy groans under immense strain, and smashed his fist fiercely into the bluestone floor beneath his feet!

[Charged Critical Hit! x 3!]

The triple power stacked up. The violent energy did not erupt directly but was channeled entirely into the ground using a technique that defied comprehension!

"Rumble!"

The entire bottom floor of the Thousand Layered Pagoda shook violently. Centered on Chen Fan's impact point, web-like cracks spread wildly. The solid ground shattered inch by inch, just like ice struck by a giant hammer!

This terrifying tremor conducted precisely along the earth's veins, instantly shattering the pedestal of the Iron Scale!

Crack!

As the scale, the rule execution terminal, its base instantly crumbled, and the entire body tilted over with a crash!

It was at this moment that a system notification, one that no one could have predicted, sounded in Chen Fan's consciousness.

[Rule Critical Hit Triggered Successfully!]

[System Judgment: Detected 'Severe Earthquake' causing physical damage to the rule execution terminal 'Iron Scale'. Judging current environment as 'Force Majeure Natural Disaster'.]

[Judgment Result: Challenger Chen Fan is in a 'Passive Evasion' state. Violating behavior is not established!]

The pupils beneath the Iron Scale mask contracted sharply. It let out an incredulous roar: "Impossible! You... you exploited the underlying logic of the rules!"

It wanted to sever Chen Fan's link, but Chen Fan used the 'earthquake' generated by attacking the ground to make the system itself judge the execution terminal as 'accidentally damaged,' thereby bypassing the violation penalty!

This wasn't brute force; this was the ultimate blasphemy against the rules!

"Now, the path should clear."

Chen Fan didn't even glance at it. Holding the unconscious Su Shuang in his arms, he walked straight toward the secret chamber door that had just lost its guardian.

"Don't even think about it!" The Iron Scale roared, reforming its shape. Countless chains sealed the path once more.

Just then, a faint yet clear voice sounded in Chen Fan's consciousness—it was the soul whisper from Su Shuang: "Three steps left, there is an annihilation formation beneath the ground... turn right, the light on the wall is an illusion; touching it means death..."

Chen Fan's steps did not pause in the slightest. His body traced bizarre arcs in the narrow passage, shifting left then right, each step narrowly avoiding those fatal mechanisms.

His movements seemed arbitrary, yet he always stepped into the absolute blind spots determined by the system. Those traps capable of instantly killing top players were like nothing before him.

The Iron Scale watched, its eyes splitting with rage. It finally understood something, its voice distorted by extreme anger: "You are relying on that woman's prediction? A person who is unconscious... you are using external help! This is unfair!"

Chen Fan suddenly turned back, grinning widely. His stark white teeth looked particularly eerie in the dim light: "Fairness? In this tower, my critical hits are the only fairness!"

The moment his words fell, he stopped dodging. His right foot, carrying the force of an overwhelming storm, slammed into the bronze door of the secret chamber!

"Boom!"

The door burst open. The light of the spark, accumulated in the secret chamber for thousands of years, surged upward like a crimson pillar piercing heaven and earth!

In the center of the secret chamber, the crystal-clear bronze heart was suspended quietly above the core of the spark, emitting a soul-stirring life aura.

That was it!

But just as his fingertips were about to touch the bronze heart, a blood-red warning box suddenly popped up in the void, carrying unquestionable authority.

[Highest Privilege Warning: Target item is bound to Guardian Bloodline. Non-designated bloodline holders may not touch it! Forcible contact will result in soul annihilation!]

"Hahahaha..." The Iron Scale's sinister laughter sounded behind him, carrying a sense of vengeful pleasure. "Did you see, Chen Fan? Even if you can shatter my scale, even if you can evade all the traps, the iron wall of the rules is ultimately something you cannot surpass! This is the rule of bloodline, the foundation of this tower!"

Chen Fan's movement paused mid-air. He looked back at the gloating Iron Scale, but there was no panic on his face.

Slowly, carefully, he set Su Shuang down, letting her lean against the wall.

Then, he picked up Su Shuang's slender finger, which had been cut during the fight and was still oozing blood.

He raised his head, meeting the Iron Scale's disbelieving gaze, and asked word by word: "Then—can I use her blood?"

Under the Iron Scale's horrified watch, Chen Fan held Su Shuang's finger and resolutely pressed it toward the bronze heart suspended within the spark!

"Sizzle—"

The moment that drop of fresh blood from Su Shuang, containing the Heavenly Fox bloodline, contacted the bronze heart, the light in the entire secret chamber paused!

Immediately after, an unprecedented drastic change occurred!

The critical hit system in Chen Fan's chest and the power of Su Shuang's bloodline actually produced a marvelous chemical reaction catalyzed by the bronze heart!

[Synergistic Critical Hit Triggered!]

[Heavenly Fox Bloodline Resonance Activated!]

The two completely different forces instantly merged. The system's cold electronic voice entered a chaotic state resembling a 'stutter' for the first time.

[Warning! Detecting dual bloodline fusion... System logic conflict... Priority judgment in progress...]

[Judgment Chaos! Permissions Temporarily Elevated!]

Now was the time!

A sharp light burst from Chen Fan's eyes. Taking advantage of the moment the system fell into chaos, he snatched the bronze heart out of the spark!

The instant he succeeded, the massive spark, having lost its core, suddenly collapsed inward. Its light rapidly contracted, eventually turning into an ancient bronze coin engraved with crimson patterns with a soft "ding," landing steadily in his palm.

"Crack... snap..."

Not far away, the mask on the Iron Scale's face completely cracked, pieces peeling away to reveal a phantom and distorted face.

The Tower Spirit's voice became broken and intermittent, filled with unprecedented terror: "You... you actually... rewrote the fundamental rule of 'untouchable'..."

Before its voice faded, a terrifying energy aftershock spread from Chen Fan's palm. The Iron Scale was instantly blasted away, its broken body turning into dust mid-air, and the scale symbolizing the rules also shattered completely.

Chen Fan ignored the dissipation of the Tower Spirit. His first action was to squat down and gently feed the warm bronze heart into Su Shuang's mouth.

The heart dissolved upon entry, transforming into a warm torrent of life that instantly flowed through every part of Su Shuang's body.

Her pale complexion turned rosy at a visible rate, and her previously weak breath gradually became steady and strong. Most importantly, those fluffy fox ears that had disappeared during the battle reappeared playfully from beneath her hair.

She was saved.

Chen Fan let out a long breath and slowly stood up.

Holding the scorching crimson-patterned coin in one hand, he looked up toward the deep, seemingly endless top of the tower. His voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the empty base of the tower.

"I have the pass, and I have the heart—"

His gaze instantly sharpened like a blade.

"Next, it's your turn to be afraid."

The crimson-patterned coin in his palm seemed to understand his declaration, emitting a low hum. Within that hum was a trace of longing, a trace of calling, as if guiding him toward the direction of the next tower.