“Not good.”
The Nine-Eyed Heavenly King’s expression shifted abruptly, a shadow of dread settling over his heart.
Without hesitation, he unleashed an ancient mirror—a supreme sacred artifact—pouring all his strength into activating its supreme power.
“Crack.”
The Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, forged by Blood Drop and Abyss, radiated razor-sharp sword qi that effortlessly cleaved the Saint-Slaying Warship in two. The halves plummeted like twin steel mountains.
In an instant, countless Undying Blood Clan cultivators were shredded by the sword qi, their bodies and souls annihilated.
“Boom. Boom.”
Two thunderous crashes echoed as the warship fragments smashed into the ground, carving out massive craters and shaking the earth.
“Whoosh.”
The ancient mirror blazed with dazzling light, its countless inscriptions weaving a shimmering divine sea of supreme power, attempting to confine Blood Drop and Abyss.
But the Taiji Diagram spun forward, shattering the supreme power with irresistible force, bursting the divine sea apart.
Blood Drop’s tip struck the mirror’s center, sending it reeling backward.
“Snap.”
Visible cracks spiderwebbed across the mirror, worsening its damage.
Seizing the moment, the Nine-Eyed Heavenly King fled far enough to evade the Yin-Yang Liangyi Sword Formation’s reach.
As he moved to recall the mirror, Zhang Ruochen summoned spatial power, extending a hand.
A dozens-zhang-long palm imprint materialized above the mirror, its center swirling with a spatial vortex that seized the dimming artifact, subduing it with spatial force.
Though a supreme sacred artifact, the mirror was heavily damaged and lacked a spirit—suppressing it was no challenge.
Seeing his mirror taken, the Nine-Eyed Heavenly King’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. “Return my Hidden Mountain Demon Mirror!” he roared.
With the White Bone Sacred Mountain half-ruined, losing the mirror would be a crippling blow. How could he compete with the prodigies of the Undying Blood Clan or Hell Realm without it?
“Fine, take it back.”
Spiritual and holy energy from the world surged toward Zhang Ruochen, flooding into the Hidden Mountain Demon Mirror.
Its surface erupted with countless vivid inscriptions, unleashing a supreme power far surpassing its might in the Heavenly King’s hands.
“Damn it!”
The Nine-Eyed Heavenly King’s pupils shrank, his heart pounding with dread.
He felt his connection to the mirror sever—within moments, it had a new master.
“Retreat!”
Xia Wenzin sensed the danger, fully activating his Saint-Slaying Warship. Its hull shimmered with light points that expanded into a starry array of formation seals.
Countless lightning bolts erupted from the seals, flashing across the sky.
Anticipating Xia Wenzin’s interference, Zhang Ruochen recalled Abyss and Blood Drop. His left hand traced a circle, guiding the swords to block the warship’s assault, while his right hurled the Hidden Mountain Demon Mirror at the Nine-Eyed Heavenly King.
Simultaneously, the Blue Sky Pagoda soared toward Xue Tu.
Attacking three divine sons at once—his dominance was unparalleled.
The Inferno Tower, twice repelled and its power spent, couldn’t muster significant strength soon—making the Blue Sky Pagoda sufficient to handle Xue Tu.
“Damn it!”
The Nine-Eyed Heavenly King clenched his fists, seething with rage.
With no one to rely on, he reluctantly summoned the half-destroyed White Bone Sacred Mountain, its divine bones still intact, and propped it up.
The mirror’s aura was too menacing—he’d be gravely wounded, if not killed, without blocking it.
Meanwhile, Xia Wenzin’s face hardened as he deployed the God-Slaying Cross Shield.
He’d seen the Yin-Yang Sword Formation’s invincibility—even Saint-Slaying Warships couldn’t withstand its cuts, as the prior two proved.
“Boom.”
The Hidden Mountain Demon Mirror’s supreme power engulfed the White Bone Sacred Mountain.
“Crack.”
The mountain groaned, its saint bones shattering into dust.
This blow all but destroyed it—repairing it would cost as much as forging a new one.
The Nine-Eyed Heavenly King’s heart bled, his fury driving him to the brink of madness, yearning to tear Zhang Ruochen apart.
His own weapon, turned against him by Zhang Ruochen—utterly infuriating.
His sole consolation was the mountain absorbing the supreme power, sparing him for now.
He darted toward Xia Wenzin’s warship—alone, he’d be doomed.
The warship’s might, bolstered by the Cross Shield, clashed fiercely with Blood Drop and Abyss, holding its own briefly.
“Whoosh.”
With the Nine-Eyed Heavenly King commanding the warship, thousands of Blood Clan cultivators channeled their holy energy. From the ship’s peak, 180 light pillars shot forth, linking into a battle array.
At its core, a giant axe formed, slashing down with ferocity.
Three more arrays followed, conjuring three additional massive weapons, each radiating immense power.
“Break.”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze was icy as he clasped his hands, forming a sword path seal. Blood Drop and Abyss spun faster, amplifying the Yin-Yang Formation’s might.
The world split into yin and yang, two contrasting hues.
Four sword qi burst from the formation.
Like white rainbows piercing the sun, they effortlessly shattered the warship’s four giant weapons.
“Swish.”
On the ground, ten thousand Blood Clan cultivators formed a square array, unleashing ten thousand beams of holy light—each a saint artifact—streaking like meteors toward Zhang Ruochen.
Ten thousand artifacts, erupting in unison, could sink a continent, extinguishing all life.
Zhang Ruochen remained composed, waving his sleeve to recall Abyss and Blood Drop. They spun before him, emitting a resonant sword hum.
The onslaught of ten thousand artifacts bore down with overwhelming force, yet upon reaching the Yin-Yang Formation, they were swept inside.
The formation churned like a world-ending millstone, twisting yin and yang, grinding all within.
“Bang! Bang! Bang…”
Every artifact shattered, reduced to scraps of metal.
“Good heavens, is Zhang Ruochen possessed by a true god? Ten thousand artifacts, all destroyed?”
“My Flame-Splitting Blade… gone just like that?”
…
“Roar.”
Bao Lie bellowed, his body swelling into his true form, charging into the array that had unleashed the artifacts.
With their weapons destroyed, the Blood Clan cultivators fell into chaos, half slaughtered by Bao Lie in moments.
Elsewhere, Ji Fanxin struck, flicking a finger to ripple the air. Thousands of petals drifted down, their fragrance cloaking another ten-thousand-strong array.
The petals, beautiful as carved ice, hid lethal intent—each a harbinger of death.
In a blink, many petals turned blood-red, exuding an eerie allure.
Unnoticed, Luo Yi joined the fray, aiding Xiang Chunan and Murong Yue against the Blood Clan army.
His timing was impeccable—slaying a Saint King sneaking up on Xiang Chunan and shielding Murong Yue from a Ninth-Step Saint King’s assault.
“Good brother, thanks!”
Xiang Chunan shot Luo Yi a grateful look.
Meanwhile, Shi Qiankun summoned the Sword Tomb Palace, joining Xiang Chunan and the others to assault a Blood Clan array.
More than a mere palace, it was a potent saint artifact. Powered by Shi Qiankun and the clan, it morphed into a dozens-li-wide golden pyramid.
Zhang Ruochen’s fierce counterattack had tipped the scales. As the sword tomb’s guardians, the clan couldn’t stand idle—they too would fight.
“Suppress and Kill.”
Shi Qiankun launched the palace while scattering hundreds of Blood-Suppressing Talismans.
The Blood Clan’s array was formidable, but under the talismans and palace, it crumbled.
The fiercest battle remained Zhang Ruochen’s.
His Yin-Yang Formation forced the last warship into constant retreat.
Without the Cross Shield, it would’ve been shattered long ago.
Xue Tu fared little better—the Blue Sky Pagoda’s relentless barrage kept him from wielding the Inferno Tower effectively, leaving him on the defensive.
Never in his cultivation journey had he faced such humiliation.
“It ends now!”
After the intense clashes, Zhang Ruochen closed in on the warship. Seizing the moment, he unleashed a spatial scroll.
“Boom.”
Space collapsed, shattering the warship’s outer arrays.
The Yin-Yang Formation struck, slicing the warship apart with ease.
In an instant, the red-clad woman, wielding Blood Drop, burst from the formation, charging Xia Wenzin.
“Zhou Tian Sword Technique.”
Simultaneously, Zhang Ruochen gripped Abyss, appearing before the Nine-Eyed Heavenly King in a flash of sword light.
“I… can’t die like…”
Unwillingness filled the Heavenly King’s eyes, but before he finished, his head fell.
He couldn’t escape his fate.
“Bang.”
Two more slashes turned his body and head into twin clouds of blood mist.
No matter his vitality, he was utterly dead.
Blood Drop locked onto Xia Wenzin, unleashing a blood-red slash.
Even fleeing, Xia Wenzin moved with grace until escape proved impossible. He unfurled his bamboo scroll, sending countless characters to shield him.
But his saint art couldn’t withstand Blood Drop, shattering instantly.
As the sword light neared, Xia Wenzin tapped his chest. Thirty-three divine runes erupted from his heart.
Still not enough.
“Pfft.”
The runes snapped, and a gruesome wound tore across his chest, blood gushing.
The runes had absorbed most of Blood Drop’s force—otherwise, that strike might’ve killed him.
“Swish.”
Xia Wenzin retreated swiftly, recalling the Cross Shield.
The red-clad woman slashed again.
“Boom.”
The Cross Shield unleashed a tidal wave of blood energy, struggling to negate Blood Drop’s power.
“Xia Wenzin’s strength is remarkable.”
Zhang Ruochen sent Abyss flying as a black streak toward the woman.
Moments later, Blood Drop and Abyss recombined, reforming the Yin-Yang Formation and Taiji Diagram.
Even with the Cross Shield, Xia Wenzin was flung back.
New wounds marred his chest—one piercing through—inflicting unimaginable damage.
A typical Near-Path cultivator would’ve died.
Fleeing to the Blood Clan army, Xia Wenzin faced the crushing formation, shouting, “Blood Clan cultivators, strike with me!”
He gripped the Cross Shield, bowing to the heavens and earth.
Behind him, three ten-thousand-strong arrays merged their power, forming a ten-thousand-zhang-high cross shield imprint with the Cross Shield as its core.
“Rumble.”
The Taiji Diagram hammered the imprint, eroding its strength.
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes, his potent sword intent spreading, faintly merging with the sword tomb.
“Buzz.”
Countless swords within trembled, as if summoned.
Ten thousand blades rose from the tomb’s depths, swirling around him into a sword torrent.
More joined with each passing moment.
“Is this… Ten Thousand Swords Paying Homage?”
The Blood Clan cultivators gaped, breathless before the awe-inspiring sight.
Zhang Ruochen stood as an unrivaled sword god, lord of the sword tomb, commanding all blades.
“Swish.”
His eyes snapped open, releasing piercing sword intent.
The sword torrent surged forth at his will.
“Boom.”
The towering cross shield shattered into countless light specks.
Facing the oncoming sword light, Xia Wenzin drove the Cross Shield into the ground. The swords struck, forcing him and the shield back a thousand li, carving a mile-long trench.
Yet he seized the chance to escape the tomb.
The three arrays aiding him—thirty thousand warriors—weren’t so fortunate, engulfed and reduced to blood mist by the torrent, their screams echoing.
“Hiss.”
Witnessing this, everyone gasped, the Blood Clan’s morale crumbling as retreat took root in their hearts.
