“Rumble.”
A dozens-of-zhang-high illusion array platform fell from the clouds, engulfed in flames, billowing thick black smoke.
Along with it, Huan Ji’s two disciples, Xiao Qianji and Yun Bing, plummeted downwards alongside the platform, crashing into the boundless lake below, sending up enormous waves.
Soon after, two pools of blood spread across the lake’s surface.
“The illusion array has been broken?”
“How could Lady Huan Ji, with her profound spiritual power and mastery of illusions, fail to hold the array platform, unable to even protect her own two disciples?”
“Lady Huan Ji… she hasn’t met with misfortune, has she?”
The kings of the Paradise Realm all felt a tremor in their hearts.
Huan Ji’s formidable strength placed her firmly among the top ten of the Paradise Realm kings in the Truth Heavenly Domain. Even the Saint Kings present would have to bow respectfully in her presence.
If even Huan Ji had been defeated, it was clear that whoever struck must be extraordinarily powerful.
This battle today was far more brutal than they had imagined.
It was nothing like what Shang Ziyan had initially claimed, that they could wipe out the Kunlun Realm cultivators without any casualties. Instead, one unexpected turn after another had led to devastating losses.
Countless divine sons and imperial heirs had fallen, a death rate higher than even the Merit Battlefield.
Above the island.
The Thousand-Star Maiden and the Crimson Desire Star Envoy stood atop a black-gold warship, facing the wind, one exuding heroic valour, the other radiating endless charm, forming two breathtakingly beautiful silhouettes.
The Thousand-Star Maiden sighed lightly, “What a pity, Huan Ji still managed to escape, leaving endless trouble in her wake!”
The Thousand-Star Maiden had been too confident, facing Huan Ji with her true appearance.
Unfortunately, Huan Ji’s strength far exceeded her expectations. Even when the Thousand-Star Maiden unleashed a talisman capable of slaying an Eight-Step Saint King, it only destroyed the illusion array platform, failing to kill Huan Ji.
Though Huan Ji didn’t recognise the Thousand-Star Maiden, there were those in the Paradise Realm who had seen her face.
Now that Huan Ji had escaped, it would undoubtedly bring immense trouble to the Thousand-Star Maiden.
The Crimson Desire Star Envoy gazed at the Thousand-Star Maiden standing ahead, still reeling with shock. This woman was roughly her age, yet her spiritual power had reached the fifty-eighth tier, and her mastery of illusions far surpassed her own.
Even her master, the Illusion Saint, might not be her match.
What astonished the Crimson Desire Star Envoy even more was that this woman seemed to possess an inexhaustible supply of treasures, each one so valuable that all her wealth combined couldn’t afford them.
Eight Void Illusion Pearls, an Illusion Death Talisman, and that final talisman she used, each likely worth over a hundred million saint stones.
And the black-gold warship beneath their feet was clearly no ordinary vessel either.
What was her background?
That Zhang Ruochen could enlist the aid of such an extraordinary woman, possibly with a deep and powerful backing, made the Crimson Desire Star Envoy reconsider him. At the very least, she couldn’t afford to offend him.
If she could forge a good relationship with Zhang Ruochen, it might serve as a fallback if the Kunlun Realm were ever destroyed.
Shang Ziyan couldn’t see the Thousand-Star Maiden or the Crimson Desire Star Envoy, but he did spot the hovering black-gold warship, his expression turning exceedingly grave.
The warship was inscribed with numerous Greater Saint inscriptions.
Moreover, it seemed alive, absorbing and releasing the saint qi of heaven and earth.
Such a warship was no trifling matter, capable of unleashing attacks on the Greater Saint level, though that was unlikely. Upon entering the Truth Heavenly Domain, all powers reaching the Greater Saint level would be sealed.
“Zhang Ruochen, this maiden has broken the illusion array for you, whether you can escape Shang Ziyan’s grasp now depends on your own skill!”
With that spiritual message sent, the Thousand-Star Maiden piloted the black-gold warship, bursting forth at a speed surpassing a Nine-Step Saint King, vanishing beyond the horizon.
Since Huan Ji had escaped, the Thousand-Star Maiden naturally had to hurry back to set up some arrangements and create an alibi. She had no desire to provoke the colossal force that was the Paradise Realm, lest it bring trouble to the Thousand-Star Civilization.
This sudden departure left all the cultivators puzzled, unable to guess who had broken the illusion array. How could they just leave like that?
The Crimson Desire Star Envoy transformed into a streak of red light, landing behind Zhang Ruochen. Her sensual red lips parted slightly, tempted to ask about the Thousand-Star Maiden’s identity. But she held back, this wasn’t the time for such questions.
With the illusion array shattered, the true Sumeru Dojo finally came into view.
It was indeed very close, just over twenty li away, where temples stood in rows and Buddhist pagodas towered high. A hundred-zhang-tall Buddha statue stood out prominently.
Even without monks chanting sutras, a calming Sanskrit chant emanated from the dojo.
“To the Sumeru Dojo.”
Zhang Ruochen and Luo Xu issued the command almost simultaneously.
At once, the Kunlun Realm cultivators charged towards the Sumeru Dojo.
If they could enter the dojo and activate the equality of all beings, they might stand a chance against the kings of the Paradise Realm.
The key was to find the supreme treasure left behind by Saint Monk Sumeru.
A flicker of disdain passed through Shang Ziyan’s eyes as he waved his arm, sending a large group of Paradise Realm Saint Kings to pursue the Kunlun Realm cultivators.
The bloodbath erupted once more.
Yet those Paradise Realm Saint Kings were intercepted by a horde of undead, struggling to cope, forced to watch helplessly as the Kunlun Realm cultivators drew ever closer to the Sumeru Dojo.
“In the Heavenly Realm, there are few cultivators who can refine the Path of Darkness to your level.”
Shang Ziyan dragged his crimson saint sword through the air, slashing upwards, sending a cascading wave of sword qi tearing through the void towards Han Qiu, who stood within the black sphere.
Sensing the danger, Han Qiu marshalled her dark power with all her might.
Two black pillars of qi shot out, entwining with each other, growing stronger, clashing against the wave of sword qi.
But the moment they met, the two black pillars were ripped apart by the sword qi, even the black sphere surrounding Han Qiu was split asunder.
“So strong?”
Han Qiu’s eyes sharpened, intending to use her dark escape technique, only to find herself locked in place by the opponent’s power, her body unable to move.
“Rumble.”
From the Purple-Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror in Zhen Miao the Little Taoist’s hands, a beam of purple light shot skyward, shattering Shang Ziyan’s sword qi.
Han Qiu felt lingering fear, retreating backwards and vanishing into the centre of the black sphere, concealing herself. Shang Ziyan was not someone she could face right now.
As the dark power faded, the undead all collapsed to the ground.
The kings of the Paradise Realm finally freed their hands, unleashing saint weapons one after another, attacking the Kunlun Realm cultivators from a distance. However, Luo Xu wielded the *Ten Thousand Lights Painting*, joining forces with several other Kunlun Realm Saint Kings to hold it up, blocking the first wave of assaults.
Shang Ziyan’s gaze darkened, as if he’d made a momentous decision, saying coldly, “Strike.”
He took the lead, unleashing the Five-Coloured Merit Stele, which descended above Zhen Miao the Little Taoist’s head, pressing down with tremendous force.
Shang Ziyan had discerned that Zhen Miao the Little Taoist was the strongest on Zhang Ruochen’s side, wielding a supreme saint weapon, practically invincible below the Greater Saint level.
But if he could suppress Zhen Miao, dealing with Zhang Ruochen and the Kunlun Realm cultivators would become much easier.
“Rumble.”
Zhen Miao the Little Taoist raised the Purple-Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror, summoning its supreme power, yet he could only barely hold off the Five-Coloured Merit Stele. He cursed inwardly, “What a formidable youngster, a realm below this poor Taoist, yet still able to suppress me.”
What shocked Zhen Miao even more was yet to come.
From within Shang Ziyan, standing atop the Five-Coloured Merit Stele, a second “Shang Ziyan” emerged, wielding the crimson saint sword, slashing downward at Zhang Ruochen below.
This wasn’t a clone technique.
The power fluctuations emanating from both Shang Ziyans showed no sign of diminishment. Both were equally formidable, an utterly astonishing feat.
Everyone present was stunned.
Zhang Ruochen drew a sharp breath, he had seen such a technique before.
Back then, Emperor Yi, the young master of the Black Market’s First-Rank Hall, had cultivated the *Heavenly Demon Stone Carving*’s “Demonic Extreme Innate Diagram.” One of its secret arts involved finding a being with equal talent and refining them into a shadow.
Thus, the shadow possessed the same combat strength as the original.
Clearly, the technique Shang Ziyan cultivated was of a mystical level comparable to the *Heavenly Demon Stone Carving*. He had likely refined another being into his body, creating a duplicate of himself with equal power.
This strike from Shang Ziyan came swiftly, locking onto Zhang Ruochen.
With Zhang Ruochen’s current cultivation, he was naturally no match for Shang Ziyan, but he had already prepared a countermeasure, remaining calm and composed.
“Rise.”
Zhang Ruochen raised both hands, and the purple divine mountain lifted into the air.
Simultaneously, the Yi Emperor Bone Staff transformed into a massive black skeleton, spewing a cloud of inky-black evil qi from its mouth, which surged into the purple divine mountain. The evil spirit’s strength now rivalled a Nine-Step Saint King, bolstered by the endless energy from the Buddha Emperor’s relic.
Together with Zhang Ruochen, they activated the purple divine mountain. Its surface underwent a dramatic transformation, dense purple patterns emerging, releasing thick purple mist.
“Bang.”
The purple divine mountain clashed with the crimson saint sword, sending a powerful shockwave rippling outwards, shaking the entire island. Instantly, towering waves surged in the lake, the potent saintly force reverberating down to the lakebed.
Shang Ziyan was forced back, retreating several li, his gaze fixed solemnly on the purple divine mountain hovering above Zhang Ruochen’s head.
As if realising something, a blazing glint flashed in Shang Ziyan’s eyes, “It’s that, it must be that, Zhang Ruochen has actually obtained this treasure that could drive even Greater Saints mad, what incredible fortune.”
“Rumble.”
A tremendous noise echoed from the direction of the Sumeru Dojo.
More than a dozen Kunlun Realm cultivators who had reached the dojo’s perimeter were flung backwards. Two saints among them perished instantly, their souls scattering and bodies bursting into blood mist. The others sustained severe injuries.
Shang Ziyan had indeed set a trap at the true Sumeru Dojo, his meticulousness truly impeccable.
