Just as the Immortal Kings were preparing to leave, Ao Sheng's body suddenly began to tremble. A powerful energy erupted from within him, and with a burst of force, he broke free of the Immortal Binding Rope.
At the sight, the Immortal Kings hurriedly scattered and surrounded Ao Sheng.
A mass of black mist shrouded Ao Sheng's body. It seemed to come from the abyss, radiating the stench of decay and death.
His features twisted, his eyes went vacant, and black breath poured from his mouth as if he were enduring endless agony.
"What's happening?" Immortal King Wuzhong cried out. He could sense that Ao Sheng's aura had become extraordinarily violent and evil.
The other Immortal Kings looked on in alarm. They had never seen Ao Sheng like this, nor had they ever encountered anything so bizarre.
A thread of unease stirred in their hearts. They sensed that something was terribly wrong.
Ao Sheng's body kept swelling, and the black mist thickened, as if it were about to devour the entire space. His aura grew more and more violent, as though some evil force were awakening within him.
"Oh no. Ao Sheng may have fallen into darkness! He's become one of the Dark Beings."
The Immortal Kings' hearts tightened. They knew Ao Sheng was undergoing a strange transformation, evolving toward darkness.
"Fellow Daoists, we must stop Ao Sheng. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."
They readied their countermeasures one after another, bringing out their treasures and preparing to join forces against Ao Sheng.
But Ao Sheng's aura was simply too powerful. It was enough to make even them feel a hint of fear. They had to work together to suppress him now, or the consequences would be unimaginable.
Roar!
Ao Sheng unleashed a thunderous howl like an ancient fiend. Black mist poured from his body, engulfing the space for thousands of miles in an instant. A mighty force burst from within him, driving the Immortal Kings back again and again.
Under the shroud of black mist, Ao Sheng's body continued to swell. In the blink of an eye, he had become a ten-thousand-zhang-tall demonic shadow, his face hideous and terrifying, his aura brimming with boundless evil. He opened his gaping maw and lunged at the Immortal Kings.
Ao Sheng opened his gaping maw, strands of black blood dripping from the corners of his mouth as a foul stench filled the air.
His eyes turned crimson, as if he had lost his reason, leaving only boundless bloodlust. He suddenly sprang forward, his colossal body hurtling toward the Immortal Kings at a speed that left them stunned.
Seeing this, the Immortal Kings unleashed their abilities, sending all manner of divine arts and secret techniques into the fray as they battled Ao Sheng.
Immortal King Wuzhong summoned the phantom of a colossal bell. Its sonorous chimes rang out, meant to disrupt Ao Sheng with waves of sound. But the chimes echoed without stopping his fierce assault.
A plain, ancient command token appeared in Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation's hand. Mysterious patterns of the six paths swirled across its surface, emanating a powerful force of suction.
He tried to bind Ao Sheng, but Ao Sheng was too powerful. For the moment, the token's pull could not fully restrain him.
Immortal King Sanqing formed a hand seal. Clear light shimmered around him, transforming into a colossal statue of the Three Pure Ones. The statue held a staff and unleashed powerful attacks without pause.
But the black mist and aura of death emanating from Ao Sheng were simply too powerful, leaving even the statue of the Three Pure Ones looking dim.
The other Immortal Kings also unleashed their signature techniques, joining the battle against Ao Sheng.
Yet Ao Sheng had become a demon, and his strength had surged. For a time, he forced the Immortal Kings into a bitter struggle. They could only barely withstand his attacks, unable to truly subdue him.
"Ao Sheng has fallen completely into darkness!"
Immortal King Tongtian was sent flying more than a thousand meters by a terrifying blow from the darkened Ao Sheng. His robes were in tatters, and drops of bright Immortal King blood fell into the void.
By now, darkness had completely consumed Ao Sheng's mind. His eyes turned crimson, like twin balls of flame, revealing boundless madness and bloodlust.
His expression twisted into something hideous and terrifying, like a savage beast that made the heart shudder.
Ao Sheng swung his enormous hands, each blow carrying the stench of destruction.
The space itself seemed to tremble wherever the wind of his palms passed, striking terror into all who saw it. His attacks were savage and swift, as if he meant to tear the whole world apart.
Even while battling dozens of Immortal Kings, Ao Sheng's power remained overwhelming. Each attack made the Immortal Kings' hearts lurch, as if they would be swallowed by his dark aura the very next moment.
The Immortal Kings were utterly horrified, fear and shock written across their faces.
They had never seen such powerful darkness, nor fought an enemy so formidable. Ao Sheng's strength plunged them into despair, as if nothing could stop his savage assault.
They knew full well that if they could not join forces to subdue Ao Sheng, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Ao Sheng had become a demon, and his dark aura was steadily consuming the entire world. If they let him continue unchecked, all the heavens would be plunged into endless darkness.
They no longer hesitated. One after another, they brought out their most powerful treasures and divine arts, launching a fierce attack on Ao Sheng. Their strikes converged into a tremendous force, attempting to bring him down.
Boom!
After a deafening explosion, the left half of Ao Sheng's body was blown to ashes. Black blood streamed across the ground like a brook, filling the air with a revolting stench.
Yet, astonishingly, Ao Sheng did not fall. Instead, he burst into a wild laugh, his voice brimming with madness and cruelty.
His body began to writhe and mend at astonishing speed, as if something inside him were rapidly repairing it.
The black blood that had spilled across the ground gradually vanished, replaced by an even more powerful aura of darkness.
His eyes grew even redder, as if they were about to spew fire. No one dared meet his gaze.
In a short time, the left half of Ao Sheng's body had completely recovered, without a trace of the damage that had once destroyed it.
He threw back his head and roared, his voice full of scorn and contempt, as if mocking the Immortal Kings for their weakness and incompetence.
The Immortal Kings stared in stunned disbelief at Ao Sheng's ability to recover. They had never seen anything so bizarre. Looking at his arrogant, unrestrained figure, they knew they could no longer hold back.
Ao Sheng struck Immortal King Wuzhong's bell with a palm, sending it flying. Its chimes abruptly ceased, and cracks spread across its surface as though it might shatter at any moment.
A flash of grief crossed Immortal King Wuzhong's eyes. It was his life-bound treasure, which had accompanied him for many years, and now it had nearly been smashed to pieces.
The command token of Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation chipped during its clash with Ao Sheng. The runes across its surface had dimmed, and little of its divine power remained.
Ao Sheng had destroyed two of Immortal King Sanqing's three bodies. Only his present body remained, struggling to hold on.
A flash of resolve crossed Immortal King Sanqing's eyes. He knew this was his last chance and that he had to give it everything.
The other Immortal Kings were in the same state, either dead or injured. Ao Sheng's strength was simply too great. They had already given everything they had, yet they still could not subdue him.
Before you continue