Chapter 953: One Strike, Instant Kill

A strike infused with the vast power of Tai Xu and the righteous aura of Hao Ran erupted without warning, catching everyone off guard.

For Shou Ye, this was nothing short of a fierce release after being suppressed to his limits.

From the moment he first caught the scent of ghost beasts at the gates of the city lord's mansion in Tian Sang City, to Xu Xiaoshou's unexpected appearance, where Shou Ye let Xin Gu Gu slip away...

From the surprise in the city lord's mansion backyard, amidst that sea of flowers, where Shou Ye sensed the ghost beast's power, to Xu Xiaoshou's sudden emergence, tricking Shou Ye with clever words and convincing him that Xu Xiaoshou was the great hero who had slain the ghost beast...

From the emergence of the Bai Ku Yan Mang, which Shou Ye detected immediately, leading to his accidental encounter with Xu Xiaoshou, where he developed a desire to recruit him and even offered the ownership of the famed sword Yan Mang...

From the Li Jian Grasslands in Bai Ku, where Shou Ye experienced the terrifying mental and physical damage inflicted by Xu Xiaoshou transformed into the Sheng Nu Wu Xiu, who rejected his olive branch...

From the moment Bai Ku's small world shattered, when Shou Ye once again grasped Xu Xiaoshou's true form and was just about to capture him, only for Xu Xiaoshou to escape through skills like Disappearance and Instant Teleport, thanks to his rapid growth...

Too many surprises!

Too many coincidences!

After all this, Shou Ye had lost count of how many times he had been toyed with by Xu Xiaoshou.

He understood their positions were opposed, and he might never truly bring that genius Xu Xiaoshou under his wing.

So, right now!

When Xu Xiaoshou tried once more to disguise himself as someone else and dared to deceive Rao Jianxian and the over a hundred law enforcers present, Shou Ye could no longer hold back.

“Once, there were so many opportunities right in front of me, and I failed to seize them... This last time, even if it means my death, I will not let Xu Xiaoshou escape!”

That was Shou Ye's only thought at that moment.

In the instant he unleashed the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou,” Shou Ye could see the confusion on the faces of the over a hundred law enforcers behind him, the hesitation in Wang Da Chui, and the uncertainty in Rao Jianxian...

But as someone who had been through it all, Shou Ye knew better than anyone that no matter how flawless Xu Xiaoshou's disguise was, he feared forceful intervention.

Essentially, Xu Xiaoshou was just a Zong Shi level fighter.

He had plenty of strange and bizarre tricks, but he dreaded straightforward brutes!

Shou Ye had played the role of the thinker so many times...

This time, he was willing to be the sword in Rao Jianxian's hand!

If he failed, it would be for attacking the Yi Bu leader, and he would deserve death.

If he succeeded, Rao Jianxian wouldn't have to hesitate over whether the person before them was truly a Zhen Ren, and Shou Ye could finally fulfill his wish by capturing Xu Xiaoshou.

Perhaps Xu Xiaoshou was just buying time...

Perhaps Rao Jianxian was waiting for a bigger fish to take the bait...

But Shou Ye feared the unexpected!

Xu Xiaoshou had too many unpredictable elements; he was afraid that if the boy kept talking, Rao Jianxian might lose sight of his original intentions and actually believe his lies!

So, what harm was there in forcing a move, even if it disrupted Rao Jianxian's possible plans?

“The taste of being deceived, I've endured it for you all so many times—you don't need to experience it yourselves...”

In that moment when the Dark Realm swept the field, sealing everyone's six senses, the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” descended from the sky, bearing down directly on Xu Xiaoshou's position.

Shou Ye's sudden attack not only startled the seniors among the law enforcers like Rao Yao Yao and Wang Da Chui but also left Xu Xiaoshou's scalp tingling with fear.

“Brute!”

“This damned brute!”

Xu Xiaoshou was on the verge of cursing out loud.

Shou Ye was clearly a good person; he had cooperated so many times before, always acting as the “wise one.” Why was he being more impulsive than Wang Da Chui this time, not giving him even a moment's chance and striking outright?

The “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” came crashing down without mercy...

Xu Xiaoshou knew he had no time left to think.

His disguise as Yi was just a fleeting idea, a desperate attempt to stall for time with no real hope.

Achieving this level of doubt and entanglement among everyone was already a huge surprise.

Xu Xiaoshou had long prepared a second plan—for when his disguise as Yi failed and he was attacked by the brute.

That descending “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” was laden with the majestic power of Tai Xu.

Though he didn't understand how Shou Ye, at the Zhan Dao level, could wield Tai Xu power, there was no time to ponder it now.

Xu Xiaoshou could sense the aura of “vastness,” “justice,” and “exorcism” within it. He realized this Tai Xu power was nothing like Yi's mysterious Hun Ming Ghost Qi.

This was pure Hao Ran Zheng Qi—a straightforward attack, the most direct form of output!

But at the same time, it was an energy attack... and Xu Xiaoshou focused only on its weaknesses.

“Disappearance!”

The Dark Realm enveloped everyone, sealing the six senses of all the law enforcers on the cliff.

Apart from Shou Ye, who could see Xu Xiaoshou's position, even Rao Yao Yao couldn't detect the anomalies within the realm due to Shou Ye's unexpected strike.

This was exactly the opportunity Xu Xiaoshou spotted.

After disappearing, he used “One Step to Heaven” to shift his position, not to evade Shou Ye's full-force attack, but to charge straight toward the descending “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou”!

The dazzling white brilliance, upon sudden approach, nearly blinded Xu Xiaoshou.

Yet, in his Disappearance state, he could see it, while it couldn't touch him; he could pass through any physical or energy form.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't allow the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” to pass through him and strike the Lei Xi Er and Ye Xiao Tian below.

That blow might not kill Ye Xiao Tian, but it would certainly provoke him to act, potentially triggering a full-scale war on Gu Yin Cliff.

So, he had to handle it quickly himself and end the fight.

“Da Ku Duo Yi!”

Without any hesitation, Xu Xiaoshou manifested his Awakening Skill “Zhuan Hua,” forming a ferocious red Taotie beast head behind him that could devour any energy.

However...

In his Disappearance state, the Taotie beast head consumed a tremendous amount of his own Ling Yuan, yet, like the Disappearance itself, which erased all traces in the world, it couldn't automatically attack the overhead “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou.”

“Partial Disappearance!”

Xu Xiaoshou had anticipated this; he altered it to manifest just a tiny patch of skin on his finger.

This was less than a fraction of a fingernail's size, barely noticeable, and wouldn't reveal that after disappearing, he had gained the ability Xu Shao Xu once displayed—devouring.

But with that small patch of skin appearing, it linked his Disappearance state to the real world.

The Taotie beast head's dangling tongue twitched, as if detecting an ultimate delicacy, and lunged forward fiercely.

“Gulp.”

It swallowed a full third of the dazzling white giant light hand in one bite!

Xu Xiaoshou felt a surge of immense, pure energy flooding into his Qi Sea, instantly overflowing and filling every meridian and cell in his body.

He involuntarily straightened his back, his eyes rolled back, and he nearly lost all consciousness from the sheer ecstasy, letting out an involuntary, embarrassing groan.

“Ahh...”

In the dark world, only Shou Ye, as the realm's master, could see and hear it.

But then, he saw the little girl Yi suddenly vanish from under the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou,” which was exactly like one of Xu Xiaoshou's abilities.

In the next instant, a strange flesh-colored spot appeared beneath the hand.

The moment it did, the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” was torn apart from the middle, as if bitten by some ancient beast, and the remaining Tai Xu power spiraled out of control, nearly backfiring on Shou Ye.

And it didn't stop there!

As the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” was inexplicably shattered, a masculine groan echoed through the void, its intense pleasure making Shou Ye's entire body go numb.

What was happening?

In that moment, Shou Ye even thought of the Sheng Nu Storyteller.

Back in Bai Ku, when he first used Hao Ran Zheng Qi against the Storyteller, a big reason was that he couldn't stand the effeminate voice.

Now, with the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” appearing again, accompanied by this terrifying groan...

Was this some inevitable side effect?

No!

He was getting sidetracked!

What ability had the opponent used to break his “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” so easily?

This didn't seem like Xu Xiaoshou's style at all...

“Rejected, Passive Value +1.”

“Suspected, Passive Value +1.”

Damn it!

Damn it all!

Snapping back from that groan, Xu Xiaoshou nearly wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.

What he hated even more was that “Da Ku Duo Yi” had never consumed such vast, pure Tai Xu power before, so he hadn't anticipated the terrifying aftermath and failed to hold back in time.

With the “Hu Xi Zhi Fa” training... well, conditioning, Xu Xiaoshou's endurance was already beyond ordinary.

But right after that peak of ecstasy, as his senses returned, he was horrified to “perceive” that the Taotie beast head, after its meal and a satisfied burp, wanted to devour even more!

And clearly, he couldn't stop it.

“No, don't...”

In his mind, Xu Xiaoshou desperately didn't want it to devour again.

That first swallow had already converted energy that nearly burst his Qi Sea, risking self-destruction.

If it swallowed more, he might explode on Gu Yin Cliff before Shou Ye could even act.

But his mental command to stop was futile; by the time Xu Xiaoshou reacted and tried to mentally deactivate the dreadful Awakening Skill...

“Da Ku Duo Yi” had already gulped down two more bites!

“Gulp.”

“Gulp.”

No accidents occurred.

The “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou,” already disintegrating from energy loss, transformed into pure feedback and returned to Xu Xiaoshou's body.

“Hu Xi Zhi Fa, exhale!”

“Exhale for me!!!”

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes bulged with effort as he stopped closing his pores and fully unleashed it, forcefully expelling the excess power.

At Wang Zuo LV.1 level, “Hu Xi Zhi Fa” was usually suppressed by Xu Xiaoshou, kept in a semi-closed state.

Otherwise, every breath would drain the surrounding heaven and earth spiritual energy.

And if he didn't contract his pores, spiritual energy would envelop him like a cocoon with every step.

Now, unrestrained, the basic passive skill “Hu Xi Zhi Fa” fully activated.

In an instant, the last two massive bursts of refined spiritual energy from “Da Ku Duo Yi” were vented from his body.

“Whoosh.”

Xu Xiaoshou finally relaxed, feeling a thick layer of blood scabs form on his skin.

This was from the earlier terrifying energy influx causing surface cracks and bleeding, which “Sheng Sheng Bu Xi,” “Zhuan Hua,” and other Wang Zuo passive skills had rapidly healed.

Hmm, the recovery was faster than expected...

And here I am, fighting while farting spiritual energy all over—probably the only one in the world doing that...

Xu Xiaoshou thought with lingering fear as his body landed exactly where he had planned.

The pure Tai Xu energy, now converted to spiritual energy, burst forth, forming dense mist in the void and even condensing into fine spiritual liquid droplets in an instant.

Those droplets fell.

Shou Ye was stunned, suddenly feeling something wet on his cheek.

He snapped to his senses!

Though he didn't know how the opponent had neutralized the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou,” these phenomena were clearly warning him...

The enemy was right beside him!

He whipped around.

In that instant, Shou Ye saw the little girl Yi smirking behind him, and his pupils shrank.

Yes, Xu Xiaoshou's speed was so incredible that after dealing with the “Zhu Tian Zhi Shou” in a flash, he had appeared directly behind the unguarded Shou Ye, who still thought his strike would deal massive damage.

“Senior, I have to say sorry in advance.

“But you struck first this time, so you can't blame me—I still want to live...”

Xu Xiaoshou said, shifting his body to the left and raising his right foot.

Shou Ye spun around abruptly, staring in horror at the little girl Yi, his hairs standing on end.

Because the voice that emerged this time was no longer the cute loli tone, but the one he knew all too well—Xu Xiaoshou's voice.

This forced his thoughts to halt for a split second...

You really are Xu Xiaoshou!

Realizing this, Shou Ye's body tensed involuntarily.

It was the natural reaction to a potential deadly threat—Xu Xiaoshou had raised his foot!

“Xu Xiaoshou, with the Wang Zuo body!

“Even if I'm at Zhan Dao level, without a Sheng Ti and only Ling Yuan for protection, taking his close-range strike would leave me severely injured!”

Thoughts raced through Shou Ye's mind.

Then, he directly mobilized the realm's power, trying to merge his form into the Great Dao.

“Too late...”

Xu Xiaoshou sighed deeply.

Shou Ye, under full attack, never expected to be closed in on, and all his hasty reactions had to happen right under Xu Xiaoshou's nose...

How could Xu Xiaoshou let him succeed?

No Ling Yuan fluctuations...

No external enhancements...

No unnecessary motions that would waste time and give the enemy a chance to react...

Just one kick!

A single whip kick!

After leaning his body, Xu Xiaoshou's fully charged kick lashed out just before Shou Ye could vanish into the Heavenly Dao, striking the space in front of him.

He had deliberately held back to avoid snapping Shou Ye's slender waist.

Even so...

“Boom!”

The void shattered in a shockwave, fragmenting inch by inch.

The collapse was so rapid that the broken space extended from Gu Yin Cliff's edge straight into the sea of clouds below.

Shou Ye had miscalculated.

He thought that even if Xu Xiaoshou had a Wang Zuo body, he could withstand the initial damage and use that brief moment to escape into the Great Dao.

But Xu Xiaoshou wasn't just a Wang Zuo body!

He had Wang Zuo-level “Reinforcement,” “Countershock,” “Toughness,” “Sharpness”... and so on.

These passive skills had been unremarkable in Tian Sang Ling Gong, in Bai Ku, or in Dong Tian Wang City due to his need to hide his identity.

But now!

With no need to conceal anything from Shou Ye, Xu Xiaoshou unleashed it fully...

This was dozens, even hundreds of times beyond the strongest combat power Shou Ye remembered from that young junior!

“Boom, boom, boom...”

The rumbling of shattering space faded into the distance.

As Shou Ye's afterimage dissipated, the Gu Yin Cliff's sea of clouds sensed the intruder, flashing with brilliant light.

Then, Shou Ye's battered, bloodied body, unable to resist at all, had its abilities sealed by the forbidden array and plummeted straight down, vanishing from sight.

One strike, instant kill!

In the blink of an eye, Shou Ye attacked, got scared, and disappeared.

Only then did the Dark Realm, which had sealed everyone's six senses, begin to shatter dramatically—the entire sequence lasting mere seconds.