IQ?

[ WARNING ! ]

[ MENTAL DAMAGE PROSPECT ]

[ 33% ]

[ UNKNOWN VARIABLE 353 INTERFERENCE ]

[ 20% ]

[ SYSTEM ADVISES HOST RESCIND COMMAND ]

[ PROCEED? ]

Going against the system's advice, for the first time, he activated both skills simultaneously. Inside his mind realm, the majestic cube whirled and emitted a deep blue glow, the runes on its surface coming alive.

His mind was subjected to a violent tearing force, an onslaught that sent electric jolts coursing through every nerve in his body. 

A wave of excruciating pain engulfed him, consuming his psyche until only an overwhelming sense of agony remained. 

As the wave subsided and he resurfaced from the depths of torment, he found himself once again divided into two distinct minds. 

Unlike before, they were now in complete sync.

Instead of halving his mental faculties like earlier, the mix of both skills nearly doubled his concentration, aided by the increased focus of sage mode.

His eyes had taken on a darker blue hue, and swirled slowly.

A shiver rippled through the creature's thick, black fur as Zhihui's sharp gaze bore down upon it, like a predator sizing up its prey.

Sensing the imminent danger, the creature shook its head violently, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling.

Yet, despite its apprehension, it pressed forward, driven by an instinctive urge to face the perceived threat.

As Zhihui gazed ahead, despite the chilly indifference around him, a sense of surprise welled up inside.

At this moment, it was as if time had slowed down.

He could now see through the beast's movements completely, recognizing the previously inconspicuous scars on its thick black fur.

With a mighty roar that reverberated through the trees, the beast lunged forward, its every stride infused with an unwavering resolve.

 Its massive form vibrated in anticipation, and in a swift, diagonal motion, it unleashed a swipe of its claw, carving through the air with a threatening prowess.

Rooted in the ground, unmoving, Zhihui watched the gleaming claw descend towards him and thought

'Slow'

Then, without him ordering it, his body moved.

A deafening boom resounded out as mud scattered through the air. Four wide fractures remained on the ground where he once stood.

He gracefully manoeuvred beneath the beast's extended limb, and swiftly slashed at the scar on its inner torso, his blade found its mark, reopening the old wound.

GROOWWLLL

The beast wailed, its fur tarnished with a gaping gash and rivers of blood burst forth from the wound.

Fueled by rage, it slammed both claws down, creating two craters as Zhihui dodged, narrowly escaping being flattened.

Unfazed, the beast channeled its Qi, a swirling aura of brown energy. The surrounding mud obeyed its command, coalescing into six menacing earth spikes.

With a growl, it sent the spikes hurtling toward Zhihui. 

As he observed the metre-length earth spikes hurtling toward him, he chuckled inwardly.

He allocated one of his minds to concentrate on his eyes and another to coordinate his body's response.

In an instant, Zhihui danced around the oncoming earth spikes, his movements almost too quick for the eye to follow.

The spikes, though propelled with force, seemed sluggish in comparison to his newfound agility.

With each step, he nimbly evaded the spikes, moving with a preternatural grace that suggested he could foresee their trajectory.

Seeing his opponent effortlessly dodge its attack, the beast roared in frustration. It could sense the tide turning, and desperation fueled its next move.

The beast lunged forward with incredible speed, attempting to close the distance between them.

Zhihui remained composed, his eyes locked onto the charging beast. Just as it approached, he executed a swift sidestep, causing the beast to barrel past him.

his blade sank into the creature's flesh as it lunged past, reopening another old wound.

The beast staggered, momentarily disoriented by the unexpected manoeuvre. Zhihui, capitalising on the opening, continued his assault.

While he could only be considered a beginner in the art of swordplay, his current proficiency level became inconsequential.

The intricacies of skill were set aside, and every action was predetermined. 

In this heightened state, his basic horizontal and vertical sword slashes proved more than sufficient to land their mark. 

With a series of precise strikes, he targeted the scars on the creature's fur, exploiting its weaknesses.

The forest echoed with the clash of Zhihui's sword against the beast's formidable form. Each calculated move seemed to flow seamlessly. 

Despite its fur now stained crimson, the beast showed no signs of relenting.

Just as Zhihui prepared to deliver a fatal blow, the beast's Qi surged, forming an earth spike to block his slash.

Seizing this opportunity, the beast swiped its claw upward, connecting with the blade, causing it to shatter instantly.

'As expected, this sword is no good, It cuts but that's it, I'm still lacking'

*sigh*

Zhihui used the impact of the blow to create distance between himself and the enraged beast.

The creature's fur was now a mix of black and red as blood oozed from multiple cuts on its body. Despite its injuries, its eyes held a fierce intensity as Qi surged wildly around it.

With a burst of speed that Zhihui hadn't seen since the beginning of the fight, the beast charged towards him once more, conjuring twelve additional earth spikes as it dashed forward.

Zhihui stood unfazed, calmly observing the charging creature and the spikes hurtling towards him. With a solemn expression, he pointed his sword at the ground and closed his eyes.

In his mental realm, a majestic, rotating cube emerged, embellished with intricate runes that wove captivating patterns.

It radiated a soothing blue glow, casting an ethereal aura within his mindspace.

Near it, with deep black eyes that swirled in a whirlpool-like manner, stood a figure that resembled Zhihui, almost identical if not for the manic expression and sadistic smile plastered on its face.

"Hahaha, we're going to kill-"

"Shut up, I'm trying to concentrate."

'Empty...'

'Empty...'

Zhihui's form gradually lost its solidity, becoming diaphanous and tinged with an eerie gray hue. 

Qi, the vital energy coursing through his veins, surged around him with renewed intensity, manifesting as a swirling vortex of grey smoke that enveloped his ethereal form.

The soaring earth spikes pierced through Zhihui's translucent form, leaving twelve wide holes.

A loud boom reverberated through the area as the beast clawed through his figure, creating four diagonal fractures going from his head to his legs.

The beast let out a satisfied growl, but its expression of satisfaction quickly turned to confusion as Zhihui's figure dissolved into air, disappearing completely.

As the beast looked around in bewilderment, a shadow loomed above it. The beast didn't even get a chance to glance up before it felt a subtle pain, and its vision went blank.

All it could hear was the sound of its enemy's voice.

"Lonely Beggar Concealment Arts"

*THUD*

The colossal beast crumpled to the ground, the broken sword hilt lodged in its head, and a pool of blood spreading around it.

Simultaneously, Zhihui convulsed across the floor, his hands clutching at the source of his agony.

Muffled grunts escaped his lips, the pain was intense but somewhat tolerable compared to the ordeal he had endured at the mountain of filth.

'FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!'

His brain felt like an old computer overwhelmed by a massive upgrade – from 500MB to 500GB. Thoughts clashed like a tempest, each one a balancing act on the brink of overload.

The skill had worn off and now he was paying the price.

The repercussions of overexerting his limits were swift and severe, leaving him weakened and vulnerable.

As minutes passed, the pain slowly diminished, leaving him utterly drained both physically and mentally.

'Both at the same.. it's...too much'

 His thoughts moved sluggishly, and maintaining awareness required a considerable effort.

*ZZAP*

[ SKILL UNLOCKED ! ]

[ Cognisapience Absorption : {Soul Skill} ; {lvl:1} ]

After a brief pause, he slowly stood up and approached the lifeless body of the creature.

Whether he acted on instinct or emotion remained unclear to him, but an inner prompting guided him to touch the carcass. 

As soon as he did, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[ Cognisapience Detected ]

[ Absorb IQ? ]

[ Y/N ]