Purple Emperor retreated as the fight wore on. Celestial Venerable Dou Sheng suddenly beckoned, and the golden staff flew back to him. He swung it down, but this time Purple Emperor didn't take the blow head-on. Instead, he rushed in and punched the fingers gripping the staff, making it difficult for Celestial Venerable Dou Sheng to hold on. But Dou Sheng reacted quickly, too. Although he let go of the staff, he still kicked out, nearly shattering Purple Emperor's upper body.
Purple Emperor was kicked away. Celestial Venerable Dou Sheng reached back and caught the golden staff again. It was over.
He brought the staff down. This time, Purple Emperor had no way to escape.
Purple Emperor looked up, his white pupils fixed on Celestial Venerable Dou Sheng. He completely ignored the falling staff and simply stared at him.
Just as the golden staff was about to hit Purple Emperor, it stopped. Celestial Venerable Dou Sheng's body froze in place, and his expression changed dramatically as he met Purple Emperor's gaze. "What is this?"
"Attack!" Purple Emperor shouted. Blood streamed from wounds all over his body.
A Nine-Headed Bird appeared in the void, its massive body blotting out the sky. It raised all nine heads high and let out a piercing cry. Three of its heads fixed six pairs of eyes on Celestial Venerable Dou Sheng. "Die, Dou Sheng!"
Celestial Venerable Dou Sheng was struck with dread. The Nine-Headed Bird possessed the innate ability to curse its targets to death. Once it fixed its gaze on someone, that person's life was linked to its heads: if the heads were severed, the target died. This was the Nine-Headed Bird's most terrifying ability, and the reason Purple Emperor had sent it to attack from hiding.
Only the Nine-Headed Bird could deliver a