Chapter 2118: Being Polluted Divine Aura

Du Qingxuan stepped forward. "Junior Du Qingxuan, I mean no offense..."

"This is not a place you should intrude upon. Since you've come, stay and keep me company!"

Not bothering with further words, the skeleton's finger pointed forward.

*Whoosh!*

In an instant, Zhang Xuan and Du Qingxuan felt as if heaven and earth were collapsing, their bodies on the verge of being crushed to dust.

"This is the power of a god..."

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. He had no time to explain or speak further. His Sword of Woven Robes vibrated, and he unleashed his most powerful sword art once more.

*Swish!*

An endless torrent of sword intent formed a net of barriers in the air.

As the skeleton's finger touched the net, it became entangled, and the downward pressing force could no longer advance.

"A decent sword art. Are you from the Sword God Heaven?"

The skeleton paused its attack, then shook its head. "No, that's not right. How could someone from the Sword God Heaven appear in a place like this? Besides, their sword moves are sharp and fierce, imbued with stubborn determination, born to protect, unyielding... entirely different from your lingering, emotional sword art. To comprehend such a powerful technique in a place so lacking in spiritual energy, you are like the last person who entered here! Your talent is not weak."

"However, that's all it is! This is my master's tomb, not a place for outsiders. Considering your respectable sword art and hard-earned cultivation, leave at once!"

The skeleton waved its hand.

"Senior, we came here to seek the Divine Energy that can help one break through to godhood. We hope you can grant our request!"

Seeing that the opponent had stopped attacking and was telling them to leave, Zhang Xuan sighed in relief and quickly bowed. If the City of Falling Emptiness truly held Divine Energy, it must be connected to this place.

"Do you wish to die?" the skeleton asked.

"No..." Zhang Xuan replied with a bitter smile.

"Scram!" the skeleton sneered.

"Senior..." Zhang Xuan's words were cut short as the skeleton waved its hand.

A colossal power surged forward like a tidal wave, as if the entire world were collapsing.

Zhang Xuan's face tightened. He flicked his fingers, unleashing numerous Pseudo-God realm weapons he had obtained from the Tongshendian, all at once.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Zhang Xuan's face flushed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground. Countless weapons, appearing severely damaged, clattered to the ground like rain.

His Heaven's Path True Qi circulated within him, allowing him to recover somewhat. Suppressing the intense pain throughout his body, Zhang Xuan stood up.

"I truly do not wish to offend you, Senior, but... we genuinely came here for the Divine Energy this time..."

"I think you're asking for death!" the skeleton snorted coldly.

Zhang Xuan immediately felt a mighty pressure descend from above, threatening to crush him to dust. Just as he was about to collapse, the pendant on his chest suddenly grew warm, and the pressure instantly lessened.

As if sensing the pendant's power, the overwhelming pressure vanished without a trace. Zhang Xuan was about to speak when he felt his body tighten, and then he saw the pendant on his chest fly straight towards the skeleton.

"Give it back..."

Gritting his teeth, Zhang Xuan tried to rush forward.

However, he felt as if he were trapped by something, unable to break free.

Holding the jade pendant, the skeleton glanced at it, then flicked its finger, sending it flying back to Zhang Xuan's chest.

His restrained body regained freedom, and Zhang Xuan gasped for breath.

"You seek Divine Energy that can help one advance to godhood?" The skeleton's previous aggressive demeanor was gone, replaced by a calm gaze.

"Yes, we hope Senior can grant our request!"

Seeing that the opponent hadn't seized his pendant, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly cupped his fists.

"I do not possess Divine Energy, but this can serve as a substitute!"

The skeleton paused, then grasped the air. Countless wisps of decaying energy converged, and in the blink of an eye, under immense power, they coalesced into a stream of black energy.

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He could clearly feel that the black energy before him was purer than typical decaying energy and bore some resemblance to the Divine Energy he had seen before, exuding an irresistible sense of oppression.

However... it wasn't golden. Instead, it carried an extremely potent decaying force. Let alone using it to advance to godhood, even if he had Little Yellow Chicken's bathwater, he wouldn't be able to withstand it; he would likely be corroded instantly upon contact.

"The Divine Energy I seek is golden..." Zhang Xuan couldn't help but say.

This black energy definitely couldn't be used. If he were to consume it, let alone breaking through, it was uncertain if he would even survive.

"This substance was originally golden, but... here, it's different!" the skeleton stated.

"Different?"

"Divine Energy is indeed golden, but the spiritual energy in a place like this is murky. Over time, it becomes contaminated..." The skeleton shook its head.

To the people of the Master Teacher Continent, the spiritual energy of the Firmament was pure and abundant, but to gods, it was turbid and defiled. Pure Divine Energy, when left for too long, would also become contaminated, transforming into decaying energy, irreversible once it did.

Zhang Xuan's face turned ashen.

He had thought he could find pure Divine Energy. If it all looked like this, obtaining it would be useless!

Because it simply couldn't be used, much less to achieve a breakthrough!

"Senior, is there a way to make this gas turn golden again?" he asked, bowing.

He had to become a god. Otherwise, not only would he be unable to find Luo Ruoxi, but it was highly probable that Master Kong would strip him away, leading to his direct demise!

Since his life was at stake, he had no choice but to try his best.

The skeleton said, "There is a way, but it's not easily accomplished!"

"Please enlighten me, Senior!"

Hearing that there was a way, Zhang Xuan sighed in relief, his eyes brightening as he eagerly spoke.

"By employing a sacrificial method, with the power of souls, it can be purified! However... it requires many people, united in purpose, genuinely willing to participate. Even if just one person has a different intention, it could lead to failure!" the skeleton stated calmly.

"Please, Senior, bestow the method upon us..." Hearing that purification through sacrifice was possible, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly spoke.

"Hmm!"

The skeleton said no more, pointing its finger forward.

An idea immediately entered the minds of Zhang Xuan and Du Qingxuan.

"This..."

After reviewing the contents, Zhang Xuan's brows furrowed.

Just as the skeleton had said, this sacrificial ritual required many people to complete, and there was a high possibility of sacrifice!

"Purifying Divine Energy is essentially about becoming a god. In the God Realm, it's nothing significant, but here, it's defying the heavens and requires enduring the punishment of the Heavenly Dao... If you can achieve it, you may try. If not, I have no other solutions!"

The skeleton waved its hand, and the black gas from its fingertip immediately flew over.

With a gentle grasp, Zhang Xuan sealed it within a jade bottle.

"Alright, do not disturb me again. If you return, whether you are from the Sword God Heaven or the Free God Heaven, do not blame me for being impolite..."

Waving its hand, the skeleton swayed and sat down, seemingly unwilling to speak further.

"Thank you, Senior..."

Placing the jade bottle into his spatial folding ring, Zhang Xuan bowed respectfully.

Although the opponent had not given him golden Divine Energy, they had provided hope and a method.

As long as he followed the instructions, success was still possible.

"Should I go over and eat that skeleton?" Little Yellow Chicken suddenly chirped from within the spatial folding ring, just as Zhang Xuan and Du Qingxuan were about to leave.

"Stop spouting nonsense!" Zhang Xuan nearly fainted.

It wasn't that he didn't trust this fool, but the yellow chicken was still only at the peak of Immortal Lord, not even a Pseudo-God... yet it wanted to eat a god!

Was it dreaming?

Moreover, the skeleton held no malice; though it had injured him just now, it hadn't tried to kill him, and had even given him hope and a method.

"Fine, if I can't eat it..."

Saying no more, Little Yellow Chicken continued to peck at the top-grade Yuanli Pills with its rear end sticking up.

After pacifying Little Yellow Chicken, Zhang Xuan took a few steps back, then remembered something. He took off the pendant from his chest and clasped his fists again. "I have one more impertinent request, Senior... Do you know the origin of this pendant?"