Chapter 254
The soul-burning flames engulfed the Immortal Gu House as it charged forward like a rampaging rhino, heading straight for the black shadow.
Chains melted like snow under the blaze, and the black shadow's form was soon consumed by white fire. Souls that didn't originally belong to it were being purified and peeled away. In the heart of the blaze, flickers of soul energy revealed flashes—white vision, golden sand, icy blue crystals... and—pink dragon scales?
Zixu's eyes narrowed. "Wait... Did this bastard absorb Momonosuke's soul too?" he muttered in surprise. "Then why didn't he use his powers? Maybe it's just too damn weak. Or... maybe he thought being tainted with Momonosuke's aura would bring him bad luck?"
Half-joking thoughts aside, Zixu gritted his teeth. The flames weren't one-sided—they were burning his soul too.
But Zixu had once devoured part of the God of Death's soul. Compared to the black shadow, his spirit was thick, dense—far more durable.
The black shadow flailed wildly, its faceless visage contorted with pain. One by one, the trapped souls it had consumed began to break free, purified by the flames, returning to the outside world.
The Immortal Gu House collided violently with the shadow, pushing it upward into the sky. Zixu bore the brunt of the soul-burning pain alone. Hatsuizumi ocused all her will on steering the Gu House. Zixu could endure the fire—but the insects couldn't.
Ordinary bugs that made up the Gu House were dying in swarms. Zixu shielded the core insects, including Hatsuizumi, but even his protection had limits.
Still, the tide didn't stop. Insects replenished like rainfall. As one wave perished, another took its place. Hatsuizumi had long since burned through her physical energy. Karin, just barely recovered, forced herself into action. Her chakra was nearly gone, but this wasn't the time to rest.
"Zixu! Hatsuizumi! Bite me!" Karin gasped, barely able to stay upright.
They were in a tug-of-war with death itself. This might be their only shot to destroy the shadow.