Chapter 576: Endgame

The means Yuan Chaoliang used to suppress the monks of Enryaku-ji was the heart taken from the body of a Heaven-Man martial monk. And the foundation that condensed Susanoo was also this heart.

It stood to reason that Susanoo's vital point was also this heart.

Although Li Miao had not seen the process of Yuan Chaoliang condensing Susanoo, he had seen the scene where he took the heart from the Heaven-Man martial monk's body. A little association was enough to speculate that the heart must have something to do with Susanoo.

Coupled with the fact that Li Miao had pierced his head when they met, one option was ruled out. Combined with some probes during the fight just now, it was enough for him to conclude—Susanoo's vital point was in the heart.

Therefore, he used a ruse.

Susanoo was strong enough to suppress Li Miao in brute force, but in terms of fighting experience and moves, he was derived from the monks of Enryaku-ji, coupled with Jianzhen's interference and his dull-witted mind, he fell into the trap Li Miao had set using himself as bait.

*Sss—*

Fresh blood pumped out along the blade of the Kusanagi Sword and then dripped down.

Li Miao's distraction dissipated.

Susanoo was finally able to pull out the Kusanagi Sword; he fell from mid-air, knelt on one knee on the ground, reached out to cover his chest, and even probed his fingers into the wound, trying to block it.

It was ineffective.

A massive amount of fresh blood continued to gush out of the wound, accumulating into a pool at his feet within a few breaths, even causing the pitch-black sand to float.

*Swish. *

The illusion dissipated.

The bright moon was in the sky, and corpses were strewn across the field.

Susanoo turned his gaze; he had returned to the ruins of the Fundamental Hall. This ruin had been torn even finer by his and Li Miao's fight, and it was almost impossible to find building fragments larger than a fist.

And not far in front of him, Li Miao covered his mouth and coughed, fresh blood gushing out from between his fingers and falling to the ground with a *splash*.

He was also at the end of his rope.

No matter what, Susanoo had pierced his chest; even the heart pulse simulated by protective true energy had pumped countless fragments and broken flesh into his lungs the moment it was shattered, making his already unhealed injuries worse.

"Cough, cough, cough."

He coughed a few times, tore open the clothes on his chest, and reached directly into the hole in his chest to grope. After a few sticky sounds, he let out a long breath, took out his hand, and threw a handful of broken flesh onto the ground.

"Comfortable."

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said with a smile.

"You were quite fierce; you are the first one to make me set an ambush to kill since I started walking the Jianghu, and you can be proud of yourself."

"Relax, dizziness is normal."

Susanoo showed a look of anger.

He wanted to rush toward Li Miao again, but as the fresh blood beneath him accumulated more and more, that strange feeling became increasingly severe. In his vision, Li Miao's figure began to blur, disperse, and overlap, and the evil thoughts and anger in his heart that could not be calmed rose and fell, making him want to vomit.

"Ugh—"

He really opened his mouth and vomited.

He vomited half a crystal-clear, scarlet heart onto the ground.

*Clang. *

The half-heart touched the ground, making a crisp sound, and then melted into the accumulated blood, disappearing without a trace.

But strangely, after Susanoo vomited that half-heart, the Demon Buddha phantom behind him also suddenly changed—the mottled golden body shattered and withered, revealing the blue-black skin beneath it like Susanoo's, and the bizarre lotus platform beneath him screamed and withered and dissipated piece by piece.

Susanoo was stunned.

He could feel that although his realm, true energy, and strength had weakened in all aspects, something that had been in his body all along, secretly imposing shackles on him, had disappeared along with that half-heart.

"Oh, second phase." ===== CHAPTER 577 =====