444: pollute

As the Extinction Origin was revealed.

The entire location of the Extinction Origin had already transformed into an area filled with thick, black fog.

When Xiao Shi, Demigod Xing Kui, and Demigod Mu Wen arrived here.

Looking at the numerous black fogs ahead, they all gasped, their hairs standing on end in that instant.

A shiver, coming from their souls, as if etched into the cycle of reincarnation, directly erupted in their minds!

This was clearly the deterrence the Origin had on them!

It was an instinctive sense of crisis, as if they had encountered a natural predator.

And besides this sense of crisis.

At the same time, an even stronger craving furiously grew from their hearts.

This craving… likewise stemmed from their instincts!

It was like a hungry beast seeing delicious food.

If Xiao Shi could still suppress the craving in his heart when he first sensed the Extinction Origin, he now felt an uncontrollable fervor after arriving here and experiencing the Extinction Origin up close.

The three of them all took a deep breath.

Constantly suppressing the craving in their hearts.

To avoid losing their rationality.

"After we go in, we must stay close. If I were the Martial Emperor, there's a high probability he would use some methods to split the three of us, and then defeat us one by one."

Xiao Shi said in a deep voice.

Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen both nodded in agreement.

As long as the three of them maintained a state of continuous cooperation.

And were not separated from each other.

Then the Martial Emperor would certainly be unable to defeat them.

What they feared was that the Martial Emperor would use some means to divide them.

After they discussed and unified some tactical arrangements.

The three of them moved simultaneously.

And entered the area of the Extinction Origin together.

Buzz!

As he stepped in, Xiao Shi's vision blurred, and when everything became clear, he was already in a dim space.

Although the surroundings were vast, it was silent.

Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen were not by Xiao Shi's side.

"As expected!"

Xiao Shi's eyes flashed.

He was not surprised by this.

Before entering this area, they had already anticipated that they would likely be separated the moment they stepped into it.

Regarding this.

A vortex formed by converging starlight suddenly appeared at Xiao Shi's feet.

And from within the vortex, a pulling force emerged.

Xiao Shi did not resist this.

Allowing the pulling force from within the vortex to draw him into it.

Whoosh!

His figure flashed out of thin air.

The next second.

He directly appeared beside Demigod Xing Kui.

At the same time, Demigod Mu Wen also appeared.

This was the countermeasure they had thought of before entering this place.

Once they entered here and were separated, Demigod Xing Kui would immediately use his demigod-level treasure to gather them together.

To this end.

Demigod Xing Kui had specifically left starlight marks on them before entering this area.

With such starlight marks, even if they were some distance apart, Demigod Xing Kui could pull them together.

"After this, the Martial Emperor will surely have other means to divide us; we must not be careless."

Demigod Xing Kui said.

Xiao Shi and Demigod Mu Wen nodded.

They began to move forward towards the location of the Extinction Origin.

Due to the arrival of the Extinction Origin, this vast area was affected, and currently, they were only in the outer reaches of this area.

To plunder the Extinction Origin, they had to constantly approach its core.

After they had sped forward for a distance.

The previously empty area ahead suddenly twisted.

Shadows swiftly materialized, forming countless different martial artist figures, densely packed, numbering tens of thousands!

Without exception, they all lacked vitality, emitting death qi, and even their bodies were illusory, yet their ferocity was extremely strong.

As if these three Demigods were their mortal enemies in their eyes, after appearing, these martial artist shadows let out roars and charged directly towards Xiao Shi and the other two.

These martial artist shadows all possessed varying levels of cultivation; some were in the Martial Soul Realm, some were in the Martial Demon Realm, overwhelming them and instantly closing in.

"They are the dead martial artists from the Abyss Domain…"

Demigod Mu Wen sighed.

The Abyss Domain was the territory that the Extinction Origin had destroyed when it descended previously.

All the martial artists within its territory.

All died under the descent of the Extinction Origin, not a single one remaining.

And after these martial artists died, under the influence of the Extinction Origin, they transformed into shadows.

Now, every shadow carried a strong aura of extinction.

This caused the strength of these shadows to greatly increase beyond their original foundation.

A shadow that was originally only in the Martial Soul Realm.

Directly possessed combat power comparable to the Martial Demon Realm!

At the same time, their attacks all carried the power of extinction.

Although their numbers were large, for Xiao Shi and the three Demigods, they posed no threat.

Immediately, the figures of the three Demigods flashed simultaneously.

Booming sounds shook all directions.

These shadows continuously collapsed one by one.

However, even if these shadows' bodies shattered, they would not dissipate; they immediately reassembled and charged forward recklessly.

In the end, the number of these shadows was immeasurable!

Even though the three Demigods were powerful, facing such an astonishing number of shadows that they couldn't kill, their speed couldn't help but slow down.

"Ordinary attacks cannot kill these shadows; the power of rules is needed to suppress them!"

Demigod Xing Kui said.

Xiao Shi and Demigod Mu Wen immediately unleashed their rule power to suppress these shadows.

Suddenly, amidst a huge roar.

These shadows were all suppressed by the rules of the three Demigods, and soon all the shadows here were completely cleared out by them.

"The Extinction Origin here is like a powerful contamination. I think not only these dead martial artists have been contaminated, but there might also be even stronger contamination."

Demigod Mu Wen said gravely.

However, Xiao Shi shook his head.

"The strongest in the Abyss Domain was merely a Saint. Even if this Saint Lord was contaminated by the Extinction Origin after his death, it's impossible for him to suddenly become strong enough to contend with us."

"If the Martial Emperor intends to use the contamination brought by the Extinction Origin to deal with us… it would never be this simple!"

Demigod Xing Kui nodded thoughtfully.

He felt that what Xiao Shi said made a lot of sense.

"What are your thoughts?"

He looked at Xiao Shi and asked.

"In this world, the only one who can threaten us is the Martial Emperor."

"But this time, the Martial Emperor is using his own Extinction Origin as bait to draw us into the trap, so it's unlikely he would contaminate himself with the Extinction Origin to deal with us."

"Then the only ones the Martial Emperor can contaminate, and who would be capable of dealing with us after contamination, are ourselves!"

As Xiao Shi's words came out.

Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen were both startled at the same time.

"You mean…"

"The Martial Emperor wants to contaminate us through the Extinction Origin?"

Xiao Shi nodded solemnly.

"That's right!"

He knew very well.

With the status of the Extinction Origin, it would certainly be able to contaminate Demigods.

If the Martial Emperor really intended to use the contamination of the Extinction Origin to deal with them, then only by contaminating the three Demigods would it be effective.

Otherwise, no matter how the Extinction Origin contaminated.

It would be impossible to form an existence stronger than the three Demigods through contamination.

Xiao Shi's words made the expressions of Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen become solemn.

They immediately began to meticulously examine their own conditions.

However, they found no signs of contamination on their bodies.

Just as they were wondering.

Xiao Shi said.

"I think the Extinction Origin is not contaminating our bodies, but our… rules!"

Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen were shocked.

They quickly inspected their own rules.

Upon examination.

They indeed found that their rules had already suffered a small degree of contamination.

Although the overall degree of contamination was not great.

But if they hadn't noticed it… this contamination could very likely grow larger and larger!

"When were we contaminated!?"

Demigod Mu Wen was utterly shocked.

He had no awareness whatsoever.

"It was those shadows!"

Demigod Xing Kui had already reacted.

"After we suppressed those shadows with the power of rules, these shadows then contaminated our rules!"

As soon as his voice fell.

In the distance, even more shadows were charging towards them.

This time, the shadows that appeared were clearly greater in number than the previous ones.

And in terms of strength, they were also clearly more powerful!

Even the shadow formed by the deceased Saint Lord of the original Abyss Domain appeared as well, roaring and rapidly charging towards them.

Each one appeared ferocious and violent, as if they regarded the three Demigods as the culprits who caused their deaths, and their killing intent was exceptionally strong.

"If that's the case…"

"Then we cannot strike to suppress these shadows!"

Demigod Mu Wen said in a deep voice.

After all, once they killed these shadows, these shadows would transform into powerful contamination, thereby contaminating their rules.

Immediately.

They all chose not to attack and suppress anymore.

Instead, they formed a protective barrier outside their bodies, which caused all the shadows' attacks to be blocked by this barrier.

Although these shadows had significantly increased in strength under the contamination of the Extinction Origin, compared to the three Demigods, they were still far inferior and insufficient to harm them.

They were completely unable to break through the barrier outside their bodies.

However, Xiao Shi quickly frowned as he discovered.

Even if they didn't suppress these shadows, under the shadows' attacks, his rules would still be contaminated.

In fact, the contamination he suffered was even greater than the contamination they received after suppressing the shadows!

Xiao Shi's heart sank, and he immediately unleashed his full speed.

Using speed to evade the shadows' attacks.

Causing all of the shadows' attacks to miss.

Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen, upon realizing that the shadows' attacks would exacerbate their contamination, also adopted the same approach.

However, they soon discovered… even if the shadows' attacks couldn't hit them.

Their rules would still be contaminated!

It seemed that as long as these shadows were alive, they would be contaminated.

"Damn it!!"

Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen's expressions all became solemn.

"No, we must suppress these shadows!"

Xiao Shi said in a deep voice.

Although suppressing these shadows would lead to a certain degree of contamination, if they didn't suppress them, as long as these shadows were alive, they would continuously contaminate them.

And the contamination from living shadows was even more severe than the contamination after their death!

This forced them to kill these shadows.

Currently, contamination by the Extinction Origin was destined to be unavoidable.

The three of them, Xiao Shi, could only choose to suppress the shadows.

A huge booming sound.

Immediately surged forth.

Upon realizing that killing the shadows resulted in the least contamination, the three of them all killed at their fastest speed.

Without any hesitation.

After all, the faster they killed these shadows, the less contamination they would suffer.

Naturally, no one would deliberately hold back their strength.

They all suppressed them at their fastest speed!

For a time.

With the three Demigods unleashing their full power.

Even though these shadows were numerous and significantly stronger than before, under the attacks of the three Demigods, they were quickly cleared out, not a single one remaining.

However, although they successfully killed all these shadows.

Their expressions were not good.

When they had killed the first wave of shadows previously, although they were contaminated, the degree of contamination at that time was very slight.

So much so that if Xiao Shi hadn't discovered it, Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen would not have noticed that their own rules had been contaminated.

However, this time, after they killed these shadows.

The contamination they suffered was far more severe than before.

It had already subtly posed a threat to them.

They now had to eliminate this contamination, otherwise there would be extremely serious consequences!

However, when they began to eliminate the contamination.

The contamination brought by the Extinction Origin, like ink, directly dissolved and spread.

Flowing in a larger range within their rules.

Forcing them to concentrate all their mental energy to eliminate it.

Xiao Shi felt that these contaminations were like living wills, constantly dodging, forcing them to expend more energy to eliminate them.

This made him frown.

He vaguely sensed something was amiss.

Although this contamination was somewhat troublesome to eliminate.

It was not enough to pose a significant threat to the three Demigods.

The Martial Emperor using this method to deal with them… seemed a bit out of place.

After all, this contamination could at most cause them some trouble.

It was clearly impossible to kill them with it.

Xiao Shi even felt now that this contamination was more like a way to stall for time!

This made a guess suddenly form in his mind.

He felt that the contamination of the Extinction Origin was not the Martial Emperor's primary means of dealing with them, but rather a way to delay, allowing the Martial Emperor to implement another, more important plan!

"We must clear this contamination as quickly as possible!"

Xiao Shi's eyes narrowed.

He simply stopped clearing it in the conventional way.

He raised his hand and pointed upwards.

Immediately, an dark-golden scorching sun formed in the sky.

It was the scorching sun of the Scorching Sun Era.

Using the purification ability of the Scorching Sun Era's scorching sun to purify the extinction contamination within the rules.

Buzz!

Under the illumination of the scorching sun.

These contaminations immediately disappeared at a visible speed.

Even if these contaminations constantly dodged.

They could not escape the illumination of the scorching sun.

In an instant.

All the extinction contamination within Xiao Shi's rules vanished under the purification of the scorching sun.

Xiao Shi intended to continue using the scorching sun to help Demigod Xing Kui and Demigod Mu Wen purify the contamination.

However, just as he was about to act.

"Ah!!"

A shrill scream suddenly rang out beside him.

This made Xiao Shi's heart sink.

A bad premonition arose in his heart!