Chapter 35: The Unexpected

The shark formed from sword energy, carrying a whirlwind-like aura, charged straight at the vulture’s head. The moment it touched the vulture’s head, the shark dissolved back into sword energy, slicing and tearing incessantly around the vulture’s head. This time, not only was the vulture’s head shredded, but even the surrounding space was affected by the sword energy. In the blink of an eye, a storm of sword energy erupted with the vulture’s head at its center, leaving it with no chance to escape.

Countless sword marks appeared upon the vulture’s head; flesh was torn apart, revealing gleaming white bone beneath. In the strongest moment of the storm, Ou Xiaolu struck a decisive blow at the vulture’s neck. No blood spurted forth; instead, the vulture’s head was severed and pulverized into dust by the roaring sword energy.

The arm that had tried to seize Ou Xiaolu halted, as if drained of all strength. But Ou Xiaolu did not cease his assault; he continued to strike at other parts of the Earth Pulse’s body with his sword.

Meanwhile, the battle between Senior Brother and Zhong Kui was nearing its end. Senior Brother cleaved open the Earth Pulse’s chest, plunging the three-pointed, double-edged blade into its heart. Yet, no blood flowed—only a pale golden, mercury-like liquid gushed from the wound.

Zhong Kui, for his part, was gleefully devouring fragments of the Earth Pulse’s soul. These soul shards were far more potent than those of humans, and lacked the desires that plagued human souls, making them the perfect nourishment for Zhong Kui.

As Zhong Kui extracted the final soul fragment, the Earth Pulse's body finally collapsed. All three—Senior Brother standing before it, Ou Xiaolu and Zhong Kui still atop its body—quickly moved out of the way as it toppled.

Once the Earth Pulse had fully fallen, Ou Xiaolu and his companions returned to its body. Ou Xiaolu relayed the news to the former Archbishop and the boy waiting outside.

Zhong Kui wandered about, searching for anything left behind by the Earth Pulse.

Senior Brother, meanwhile, was curiously examining the Earth Pulse’s weapons, which intrigued him more than anything.

As everyone’s attention scattered, the fallen Earth Pulse corpse suddenly moved. Its motion was no longer lumbering and powerful, but swift—its six arms lashed out like racing cars, launching an instant assault on Ou Xiaolu and his companions.

Senior Brother, at the forefront, bore the brunt. He was struck by the shield and slammed to the ground, while the hammer assigned to Ou Xiaolu’s side crashed heavily onto the slender canine trying to rescue Senior Brother. The battle axe swung down, severing Senior Brother’s head.

Senior Brother reacted quickly. Realizing he could not escape, he resolutely opened the eye in his brow, channeling all his energy into a beam of light that struck the reanimated Earth Pulse.

The blow knocked the Earth Pulse back, giving Ou Xiaolu and Zhong Kui a chance. Zhong Kui’s iron chain and steel claw seized the wound that Senior Brother had opened, aiming to drag out the Earth Pulse’s heart.

Ou Xiaolu, at the rear, seemed to realize something and tried to stop Zhong Kui, but it was too late. Zhong Kui moved swiftly, yanking the heart out of the Earth Pulse’s body.

At that instant, the Earth Pulse’s body exploded. The blast flung Ou Xiaolu and Zhong Kui far away. Senior Brother, having already lost his head, was spared further injury; his canine companion snatched the head, now devoid of its divine eye, and vanished into the void.

Amidst the Earth Pulse’s shattered remains, a red figure darted at incredible speed toward Zhong Kui. Compared to the Earth Pulse’s towering height, this figure was smaller—yet, at over three meters tall, still imposing by human standards.

He lacked three heads and six arms, and his muscles were not pronounced, but his attacks surpassed the Earth Pulse’s previous strength. He lunged at Zhong Kui, and the martial ghost barely managed to shield Zhong Kui before being sent flying with a single punch. The red figure then slammed Zhong Kui into the ground, driving his head deep into the earth.

Ou Xiaolu had already risen, drawing his longsword and charging at the red figure. His sword was ordinary, with no enhancements; even sharpened, it could only cut the surface of the red figure’s skin.

Ou Xiaolu’s action enraged the red figure, who released Zhong Kui and struck Ou Xiaolu with a fierce punch.

The red figure did not stop with that punch—he aimed a blow at another spot, where Ou Xiaolu had been standing moments before, shattering a wooden stake.

The second punch also missed Ou Xiaolu, who had used a substitution technique and then activated the Ink Seahorse’s high-speed movement, retreating seven or eight meters.

Ou Xiaolu then sprayed ink at the pursuing red figure and grabbed his cross, shouting, “Begin!”

As his words echoed, beams of white light descended from the heavens, transforming into countless arrows that pierced the red figure. The red figure tried to dodge, but the arrows seemed to chase him relentlessly, striking him no matter how he fled or accelerated.

Zhong Kui sensed the precarious situation. He tossed aside the iron chain gifted by Mad Caesar and produced his signature weapon—a peculiar brush. As soon as he drew it, his body began to turn ink-black, flowing toward the brush tip.

He was fighting with his very essence; after all, this was not the real Zhong Kui, but a ghost king clad in a painted form. Without the Zhong Kui from the painting, he would be nothing. Thus, he avoided using this technique whenever possible, but now, to survive, he had no choice.

As Zhong Kui’s brush moved forward, ink traced a net in the sky, forcibly ensnaring the red figure.

With everything complete, Zhong Kui shouted, “Hurry, I have only strength for this one strike!”

Ou Xiaolu did not hesitate. He raised his longsword and charged toward the red figure.