Chapter 2122: Small Yellow Chicken Is Killed

A sharp crack echoed.

Kong shi’s power intensified, and the space he had been maintaining could no longer hold. With a muffled crack, dark fissures appeared. Zhao Ya and the others simultaneously coughed up blood and were sent flying backward. All of them were injured.

Kong shi was already peerless among those of his rank. Now, he had broken through the limitations of a pseudo-god, reaching the absolute peak that this world could tolerate. They were simply no match for him.

“Your current strength is insufficient for purification. Hand it over to me!”

Having knocked Zhao Ya and the others away, effectively bypassing their obstruction, Kong shi raised his hand and reached for the altar.

Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back. The sound of his lecture continued unabated, while his Wutong Robe Sword danced, releasing its sword intent. Immediately, a massive fishing net materialized in the sky, forming a colossal barrier that blocked Kong shi’s hand.

“Before my breakthrough, this move might have given me pause. But now... do you truly believe you can stop me?” Kong shi sneered coldly, his palm instantly turning golden as he continued to press down.

Crack!

Fissures appeared in the sword net. Though the sword net was as intricate as a double-silk web, woven with countless knots, this move, surpassing even the Heaven’s Path Sword Art, could render one invincible in the pseudo-god realm, and even ordinary gods might struggle to contend with it. Yet, his opponent was Kong shi! This exceptional being, who, like Zhang Xuan, also commanded the Heaven’s Path! Now, having broken through the divine shackles, how could such an attack be truly blocked?

Rip!

The sword net was ripped open, creating a massive tear. Zhang Xuan’s face paled, and he was sent flying hundreds of meters backward before finally steadying himself, a mouthful of fresh blood gushing from his lips. In a single move, he was gravely injured!

Despite his severe injuries, the sound of his lecture remained unbroken. Below, the hundred thousand True Immortals continued to listen intently, completely oblivious to his state.

“Come to me…” Knowing that the divine energy was the crux, and that acquiring it would be akin to removing the fuel from beneath the pot, severing Zhang Xuan’s path to power and leaving him at Kong shi’s mercy, Kong shi ceased his direct assault. Instead, he simply reached out and grabbed.

Whoosh!

The black aura from the altar instantly converged in his palm.

“No…” Wuchen and Du Qingyuan’s faces simultaneously blanched as they struck in unison.

Bang! Bang!

With hardly any discernible moves, a mere glance from Kong shi sent two powerful forces assailing them. Both were thrown into the air, simultaneously spurting blood. Though their strength also belonged to the pseudo-god realm, they were far inferior to Zhao Ya and the others. There was no way they could withstand Kong shi.

“Haha, this is in my hands once more! How will you achieve your breakthrough now? If you cannot, then obediently surrender what you have, and I might spare your life…” With the divine energy secured, completely severing his opponent’s path, Kong shi let out a hearty laugh, his gaze returning to Zhang Xuan, filled with utter indifference. If the other party couldn't become a god, he would never be Kong shi's equal. Disposing of him would then become exceedingly simple.

“Even if I cannot achieve a breakthrough, do you truly believe I cannot defeat you?” Zhang Xuan showed no sign of nervousness; instead, he simply raised an eyebrow. Simultaneously, a book abruptly materialized, descending straight from the sky, plummeting fiercely towards Kong shi.

“The Tome of Heaven’s Path? You truly possess it! Did you honestly believe I hadn’t prepared for this…?” Seeing the book grow larger and larger in the air, Kong shi paused for a moment before letting out a cold sneer, sharply raising his other palm. A peculiar power surged from within him, making it seem as though his entire being had vanished from space, from the world itself, leaving not the slightest trace of his aura. Unable to detect any power, the Tome of Heaven’s Path in the air immediately halted, having lost its target.

“He possesses an Ethereal Constitution, and now he’s employing a secret technique to transcend the Heaven’s Path’s control... The Tome of Heaven’s Path is indeed powerful, but it’s useless if it cannot strike its target.” Zhang Xuan immediately understood. It wasn’t that the Tome of Heaven’s Path was ineffective, but rather that Kong shi inherently possessed an Ethereal Constitution. Furthermore, he had taken precautions, completely concealing his aura beyond the Heaven’s Path’s reach… If even the Heaven’s Path itself couldn’t monitor him, how could the Tome attack? Thus, while the Tome of Heaven’s Path appeared irresistible, in truth, by exploiting its weaknesses, one could defend against it and render it entirely useless.

“However... do you truly believe you can evade my attacks simply by doing that? Even knowing you might possess something similar, I still used it... because I undoubtedly have my own trump card!” With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan remained unperturbed. As he spoke, the flames above the altar suddenly surged, and a sword gleam, along with a figure, abruptly appeared.

A clone! Zhang Xuan’s clone had been concealed within the altar’s flames, waiting for the opportune moment to launch a surprise attack while Kong shi was preoccupied with the Tome of Heaven’s Path.

Thud!

As Kong shi was evading the crushing force of the Tome of Heaven’s Path, he never anticipated the clone’s sudden appearance. A moment of carelessness saw him stabbed in the palm, and blood immediately welled forth. However, the long sword only managed to pierce his palm, unable to penetrate even a fraction further. A deity’s physical body was simply too formidable. Even with the clone wielding a pseudo-god level long sword, imbued with divine sword intent, it merely pricked the skin, akin to a needle poke, failing to inflict any significant damage.

“To have managed to wound me, your plan was indeed well-conceived. However... do you truly believe such a trivial injury would affect a true deity?” With a forceful push, he swatted the clone away. Kong shi then turned, his presence still radiating an inviolable majesty. His opponent had been planning for so long, keeping the clone concealed, so Kong shi knew there had to be a deeper scheme. However, all schemes become futile in the face of absolute power. “Even if I were to stand still and let you attack, could you truly pierce me and inflict a wound? Before a deity, a pseudo-god is barely stronger than an ant!”

“This injury is indeed insignificant to a deity... but the divine energy you hold in your hand might beg to differ,” Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.

Kong shi froze, then quickly lowered his head. He saw the black aura, still clutched in his palm, now directly over the wound. Countless streams of pure decay energy were ceaselessly spreading into his body. The initially small wound immediately began to fester, revealing a gruesome sight.

“You…” Startled, he recoiled, his hand shaking as the black aura slipped from his grasp, falling back onto the altar. Yet, countless tendrils of black energy still branched off, relentlessly burrowing into his body. This black decay energy was divine energy condensed by the skeletons. Let alone pseudo-gods, even true deities would find it impossible to expel if they encountered it! He was powerless! It was important to note that even Zhang Xuan’s Heaven’s Path True Qi had been utterly ineffective against it!

“Damn it…” Kong shi felt the power within his entire body draining away as if a dam had burst, leaving him both anxious and furious. Ordinary decay energy would have had little impact on a deity of his caliber, but these black auras were truly terrifying; even he found them almost unbearable. Casting aside all caution, he lunged at Zhang Xuan. Despite his injuries, his power was still unquestionable. This time, he unleashed his full might, and the very heavens and earth seemed to be ripped asunder.

Whoosh!

Just as his palm strike was about to engulf Zhang Xuan, a small yellow chicken abruptly appeared, its beak opening wide. In a single gulp, Kong shi was swallowed whole.

Thump, thump, thump! Its belly continuously heaved, as if large lumps were surging within.

“Hold on…” Seeing that the little yellow chicken had indeed swallowed Kong shi, Zhang Xuan urged. This creature had once even swallowed the Black-backed Tortoise, so its devouring capabilities were formidable. However... it was currently only at the peak of the Immortal Monarch realm, while Kong shi was a true deity. Even though injured, the disparity between them was still immense! He could only hope it would hold on a while longer, allowing him to continue his lecture, so that the hundred thousand True Immortals could truly achieve perfect unity of purpose!

The divine energy provided by the skeleton, mixed with the decay energy, had been largely absorbed by Kong shi. Its color was no longer as profoundly dark as before, now a murky yellow. Although not entirely purified, it was significantly cleaner. Previously, the altar’s flames needed to turn golden-yellow to completely cleanse it. Now, it seemed, even a vibrant yellow would suffice. Thus... the required time had been drastically reduced! But it still required some time.

Heaven’s Path Enlightenment continued without pause, the special power of his words reverberating through the air. The little yellow chicken’s enlarged body swayed unceasingly, its belly bulging alternately on one side then the other. It was clear Kong shi was attempting to break free from within. Back then, the pseudo-god realm Black-backed Tortoise had been rendered on its last breath and incapable of resistance after being swallowed just once. Yet, Kong shi had been inside its belly for this long and could still move, even attempting to break out... His power was truly terrifying!

“Hurry…” Knowing that the little yellow chicken would certainly be unable to digest Kong shi, Zhang Xuan anxiously gazed at the flames on the altar and the divine energy. As the lecture continued and progressed, the flames gradually transformed into a brilliant yellow. The divine energy, under their intense heat, also seemed to undergo a metamorphosis. Black energy ceaselessly flowed outward, and the murky yellow progressively lightened to pale yellow, then a faint yellow…

“Soon…” Witnessing the color transformation, Zhang Xuan knew the divine energy before him was about to be completely purified, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

As he continued his lecture, striving to complete it in the shortest possible time, the space before him suddenly trembled violently.

Whoosh!

A sword gleam suddenly burst forth, and in the next instant, the little yellow chicken’s belly was split in two. Kong shi, looking disheveled, abruptly appeared before everyone. The moment he emerged, Kong shi sharply spun around. The long sword in his palm instantly transformed into a blur of sword shadows, swiftly hacking at the yellow chicken’s body.

Rip! Rip!

Sword gleams crisscrossed, and the little yellow chicken’s head was severed. Its body was dismembered into dozens of pieces, left suspended in the air.

Whoosh!

Still not sated, Kong shi’s palm violently spewed a torrent of flames, incinerating the little yellow chicken’s scattered remains, instantly reducing them to ash.

“No…” His body swayed, then stiffened, and Zhang Xuan nearly plummeted from the sky.

The little yellow chicken… was dead! Killed by Kong shi!

This little yellow chicken had been with him since the Master Teacher Continent. Originally a mere gourd, it was gluttonous and somewhat unreliable. Yet, over their long time together, a deep bond had formed between the man and the beast. Ordinarily, it would hide in his dantian, refusing to emerge, and he would indulge its petty tantrums… He never could have imagined… it would be hacked to pieces and burned to ash by Kong shi! Under such circumstances, its demise was utterly certain. Forget a mere chicken; even his clone might not have survived that.

“I’m going to kill you…”