Chapter 1407: Determination

"That individual's energy level is low, yet their Daoist method leverages an immense amount."

Tu Xin swam along the coast, heading into the distance.

Previously, this cosmic evil god's combat power was even below that of an Immortal Saint.

This was because she had only just begun; there were too few capable fighters within her cellular universe organization, not even one fully developed at its peak.

But now, she masterfully leveraged a vast amount of matter through the "vortex," causing it to return and explode. The energy level within that world-destroying maelstrom struck fear into his heart!

Who wouldn't be terrified by that towering, colorful vortex, resembling a giant millstone?

Let alone him, once drawn into it, even Immortal Saints who wield the Heavenly Dao could be ground to death. How could he dare to confront her?

"Trying to flee?"

Medusa's expression turned frigid as she pursued him directly into the sea.

Unfortunately, while her previous speed of distorting laws far surpassed the running speed of martial arts practitioners, now, burdened by her power, she could not pursue quickly.

"Tu Xin, you agreed to a fair fight. Why are you fleeing?"

Medusa's voice echoed through the seawater, which was continuously sucked into the vortex, creating countless ripples. "In the first battle, the Chaos Head didn't flee. In the second, the Elemental Body fought truly. But in this third battle, you retreat without even fighting? As a leader, do you have any dignity left?"

Tu Xin was utterly speechless.

Was this truly a question of dignity?

You're wielding a world-ending bomb; who would dare to fight you?

Once drawn in, there's no escape. If you're so brave, put that thing down, and then we can have a proper, honorable fight!

Tu Xin couldn't help but retort, "You've twisted the rules, fighting by leveraging the might of the heavens. This isn't a fight against you; it's a battle against nature itself. Nature is unconquerable, so my departure is perfectly justifiable."

"Who said it's unconquerable?" Medusa scoffed, "Di Zun has already entered that Genesis... confronting the destructive storm within it. And you dare not?"

He went inside?

Tu Xin froze for a few seconds, utterly unable to comprehend that the other party possessed such audacity.

However, he did not fall for the provocation and continued his retreat.

"Fine then, since you insist on acting this way, you leave me no choice..." Medusa's expression darkened, and she immediately called upon the other realms and worlds to intervene and intercept him.

Instantly, the Natural Heavenly Dao faction and the Human Heavenly Dao faction chose to unite, intercepting Tu Xin from all directions within the Chaos Sea.

Tu Xin paused, dumbfounded. "You're not adhering to martial arts rules, and now you're calling for reinforcements?"

Medusa merely sneered. "You were the first to disregard the rules."

"Damn it!"

Tu Xin let out a frustrated grunt.

It was clear that the situation had become irrevocably entangled.

And the so-called rules of the arena, dictating a one-on-one contest between the two races, had now become utterly meaningless.

"In that case, I'll unleash my true trump card..." Tu Xin's expression turned grim. "Very well, if it has come to this, let's cast aside all pretense."

"You have another trump card?" Medusa scoffed.

"Heh heh heh..."

Tu Xin softly stated, "You will never comprehend the true power of 'Cicada Molting.' This is the foundational martial art of our civilization, guiding us towards a distant and magnificent future!"

Elsewhere, deep within the ocean.

A colossal tribe, numbering in the tens of millions, had taken root within the various arches of a ruined cosmic bridge.

"New clan members are being received."

"The Chaos Sea has begun to nurture microbial spores and plankton; we must begin guiding them."

Various voices echoed.

Were the old humans outside to witness this scene, they would be utterly astonished.

For these new life forms had evolved to such a terrifying degree and in such immense numbers that they had already begun secretly integrating newly appearing clan members from the Chaos Sea.

Meanwhile, in a cavern, a white, wriggling brain, resembling seaweed, stirred from its doze in a reclining chair, slowly opening its eyes. "Tu Xin... actually lost?"

They, too, were beings of the new era.

However, their physical size was a mere one percent of a normal light-year-sized being, typically ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 light-years.

These were the new descendants generated by the 'Cicada Molting' martial art, a new species born from one of Tu Xin's own molts.

This was a unique species, known as the "Brain-People," possessing only a brain and virtually no body.

Their combat power level was exceptionally low.

This body type, requiring minimal energy absorption, allowed their population to multiply a hundredfold.

What limited their species was not reproductive capacity—their fertility was comparable to ordinary humans. Instead, it was energy. Nurturing a single mature, light-year-sized member required an immense amount of energy.

As this was not yet their era, they had to meticulously gather energy.

"We are merely brains. While our intellect is no less than that of regular clan members, our combat capabilities are deficient... We can only reproduce and manage the clan from the rear."

"However, it must be acknowledged that Tu Xin is a formidable individual. He possesses great foresight, having perfectly formulated our race's ascension plan. After all, the emergence of a genius within a race is predicated on a vast population base. Hence, he utilized 'Cicada Molting' to alter his own species form and subsequently birth these brain-only beings..."

"With a population of ten million, several individuals whose intellect is on par with, or even superior to, Tu Xin's can now emerge..."

"Yet Tu Xin has surprisingly called upon us for aid..."

"How could those beings achieve such a feat?"

One by one, the Brain-People, their pulsating brains slowly inching forward, conveyed, "We still must go assist him. After all, we cannot allow Tu Xin to die; he is our king."

They looked at the tall, gigantic normal clan members beside them. "Are you ready?"

These clan members nodded. "We are ready. Our bodies exist for you... Even if we perish, it will be for the future of our race."

*With a rustle.*

Several brains pried open the skulls of these clan members and slowly crawled inside.

Not only did these colossal clan members possess a grim determination to die, but the brains themselves were also temporary, incompatible organisms, destined to perish swiftly within their new hosts.

But it mattered not...

Their very existence now served one purpose: to guide their race through its most arduous period.

"How utterly ridiculous. How dare they?"

"With our population of ten million, several talents have already emerged who are slightly inferior to, or even on par with, Tu Xin... Our future potential is boundless. When our population numbers in the hundreds of millions, or even tens of billions, monstrous talents far surpassing Tu Xin will appear, beyond their wildest imagination... Perhaps, for us, the Eleventh Order is merely another beginning—the Twelfth Order, the Thirteenth Order...?"

"Who knows? Ultimately, such advancements require the deduction of higher-dimensional beings with superior intellect, and that is what we are becoming... How dare these antiquated, old creatures stand against us?"

Despite their disdain for the old life forms, they remained fully prepared.

Tu Xin, along with them, had established the most meticulous defenses. Even when overwhelming their opponents, they harbored no complacency or arrogance.

Tu Xin's martial art, "Cicada Molting," carried severe side effects; with each metamorphosis, his brain would progressively shrink. Yet, he embraced a resolve to die. This great sage of their clan had no intention of living a long life.

And these deformed clan members, mutated by Tu Xin to propagate their kind and existing solely as brains, who among them did not harbor a similar resolve to die?

"Do not underestimate us, you fools! You are not the only ones who possess such resolve!"

"Our civilization, too, is composing its inaugural anthem."

*Splosh.*

Xu Zhi slowly drifted amidst the endless particles of chaos, experiencing the profound emptiness of everything.

Almost every second, his body shattered and perished countless times. It was only due to his "backdoor" that he could continuously maintain his energy supply and regeneration.

"I vaguely perceive the primordial image of the universe," Xu Zhi murmured.