“What exactly is the opportunity within the Ghost Clan’s home star? Why has Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation surged so dramatically?” A six-horned deity, manifesting its divine form, asked.
The gods couldn’t deduce what had happened inside the Ghost Clan’s star, but they could clearly sense that Zhang Ruochen was no longer the same, his strength growing too rapidly.
Luo Yan, ruler of the Rakshasa Clan’s top divine kingdom, “Tianluo Divine Kingdom,” revealed his divine form and asked curiously, “Zhang Ruochen has condensed a second-grade saint will, fused from five saint paths, making him peerless in this era. Could he have already obtained the opportunity of the Divine Ancient Nest?”
The Ghost Clan’s gods fell silent, their divine realms turning deathly still.
The Ghost Lord’s gaze was cold, seething with rage.
The statue of Fulushen spoke, “He hasn’t yet obtained the opportunity, but he has passed the test, earning the qualification to do so.”
Even with the gods’ wisdom, this statement was hard to comprehend.
Passing the test yet still not receiving the opportunity?
Blood Slaughter War God, in high spirits, asked, “Divine Lord, what exactly is the opportunity of the Divine Ancient Nest? Zhang Ruochen has fused five saint paths into a second-grade saint will, yet he still can’t obtain it.”
The statue of Fulushen said, “This story begins thirty thousand years ago. Back then, Emperor Fengdu, in the Divine Ancient Nest, awakened two divine beasts that had slumbered for countless ages: the Burial Gold White Tiger and the Swastika Azure Dragon, both prehistoric divine species.”
“Emperor Fengdu intended to subdue them as mounts, but a powerful will from the depths of the Divine Ancient Nest stopped him. That will told Emperor Fengdu, ‘The tiger is the king of beasts; the dragon is the lord of spirits. Their roars and cries can overturn heaven and earth. If you take them as mounts, enslaving them, you will surely face their backlash in the future.’”
At this, the gods of the Infernal Realm chuckled.
What a joke. Who in the universe would dare threaten Emperor Fengdu, the Ghost Clan’s mightiest? Even the Lord of the Celestial Palace’s words might not sway him.
“The Emperor surely wouldn’t fear a dragon and a tiger,” a Ghost Clan deity said dismissively.
The statue of Fulushen paused, then said, “In fact, Emperor Fengdu did not take the Burial Gold White Tiger or Swastika Azure Dragon as mounts. I don’t know what agreement he reached with the will in the Divine Ancient Nest’s depths.”
“The result was that Emperor Fengdu brought the two beasts back to the Infernal Realm, entrusting them to me to find suitable young talents at the Hunt for Heaven Feast to serve as their guides, helping them integrate into this era. The opportunity within the Ghost Clan’s home star is the Burial Gold White Tiger.”
The gods were stunned, reeling in shock.
With Emperor Fengdu’s supreme power, he had to compromise with a will in the Divine Ancient Nest?
Most gods didn’t believe he feared anything. They assumed, as Fulushen said, that Emperor Fengdu had reached some undisclosed agreement with that will.
What shocked them more was why two young talents were needed to guide the divine beasts.
Wouldn’t Emperor Fengdu or Fulushen guiding them be better?
With the divine beasts’ cultivation and wisdom, was it hard to adapt to this era? Why need guides?
In Blood Slaughter War God’s divine realm, he, the Nether King, Blood Empress, Blood Radiance Divine Lord, and other Blood Sky Tribe deities gathered.
They congratulated Blood Slaughter War God and Blood Empress, for whether it was Zhang Ruochen’s second-grade saint will or his potential as the Burial Gold White Tiger’s guide, both were momentous joys.
Blood Slaughter War God waved a hand, “The Divine Lord said Zhang Ruochen only passed the test, not yet becoming the guide. In my view, since the Burial Gold White Tiger is a prehistoric divine species, it won’t easily choose its guide. It must have set conditions for Zhang Ruochen.”
Blood Empress asked, “What kind of place is the Divine Ancient Nest, that even Emperor Fengdu had to tread carefully?”
Blood Slaughter War God’s expression grew solemn, “You’ve all become gods, so in theory, no place in the universe is off-limits. Yet, there are forbidden places even gods mustn’t rashly enter.”
The gods listened intently, for some secrets were known only to titans like Blood Slaughter War God.
“There are five prehistoric civilization relics in the universe. Gods who haven’t survived a Yuanhui Tribulation must not venture there. The Divine Ancient Nest is one, preserved from prehistoric times, an extraordinarily perilous place.”
Prehistoric civilizations predate the Celestial Realms and Infernal Ten Clans, unrecorded in any history, with only traces found in their relics.
Some gods, exploring these relics, believed the universe underwent a great annihilation fifty thousand Yuanhui ago.
All prehistoric life perished.
Thus, traces from before fifty thousand Yuanhui are called prehistoric relics.
The so-called “Eternal Unextinguished Great Worlds” aren’t prehistoric civilizations but worlds that survived ten thousand Yuanhui without destruction, exceedingly rare.
“Ancient civilizations,” like Thousand Star Civilization or Tianchu Civilization, aren’t prehistoric either. They were once Eternal Unextinguished Great Worlds but suffered catastrophes like Kunlun Realm’s, leading to their destruction. Survivors hid in cosmic secret realms.
Thus, ancient civilizations vary in strength.
Their inheritance’s preservation, whether they’re critically weakened, or if their supreme powerhouses survived, determines this.
Hence, prehistoric relics surviving the great annihilation are exceptionally rare, all extraordinarily unique, places even gods dare not trespass.
At this moment, the Ghost Lord’s voice echoed in the Temple of Destiny, “Since Emperor Fengdu brought the Burial Gold White Tiger to the Infernal Realm, its guide must be chosen from the Ghost Clan.”
Blood Slaughter War God sneered, “The Ghost Clan hasn’t produced a Great Saint capable of passing the test in thirty thousand years. Should the Burial Gold White Tiger wait another thirty thousand years? Or three Yuanhui?”
“You…”
The Ghost Lord wanted to say Xi had a chance.
But seeing Xi crushed under Zhang Ruochen’s foot, he couldn’t speak.
Qinglu Divine King said, “Anyone can be the Burial Gold White Tiger’s guide, but not Zhang Ruochen. He has deep ties with Kunlun Realm, Guanghan Realm, and even Celestial Realm gods. His motives in the Infernal Realm are impure, and he’ll likely betray us.”
“I suggest letting Lanying, Yan Huangtu, Luo Shengtian, or Wujiang try. We must keep this great opportunity in the hands of Infernal Realm cultivators, not a Celestial Realm monk.”
“Lanying, the cosmic divine fetus, has a high chance of passing the Burial Gold White Tiger’s test.”
Though the gods didn’t know the exact level of the Burial Gold White Tiger and Swastika Azure Dragon, their ability to make Emperor Fengdu compromise marked them as extraordinary.
Moreover, controlling them meant controlling a bridge to the Divine Ancient Nest.
Any faction gaining the Divine Ancient Nest’s support would gain immense influence in the Infernal Realm.
A Nether Clan deity supported Qinglu Divine King, “Zhang Ruochen’s purpose in storming the Ghost Clan’s star was to save a Guanghan Realm heavenly slave, showing his lingering ties. If he gains the Divine Ancient Nest’s support, the consequences are unthinkable.”
“Let Wujiang be the guide. He faces no such risks. His saint will is just a step from second-grade.”
“Since Zhang Ruochen fused a second-grade saint will with the Burial Gold White Tiger’s power, Wujiang surely can too.”
“Divine Lord, I believe we should inform Wujiang and others of the Ghost Clan’s star’s secret, letting them compete fairly. Zhang Ruochen just got lucky, seizing the initiative. It doesn’t mean he’s the Burial Gold White Tiger’s only choice.”
Blood Slaughter War God roared, “You’re utterly shameless, pinning baseless crimes on a junior like Zhang Ruochen for the Burial Gold White Tiger and Divine Ancient Nest.”
The Ghost Lord snapped, “Blood Slaughter, you can’t change the fact that Zhang Ruochen went to the Ghost Clan’s star to save a Guanghan Realm slave, killing countless Ghost Clan souls and injuring many Great Saints. Isn’t that betraying the Infernal Realm?”
“That’s nonsense. Zhang Ruochen was invited by Xi for a deathmatch, then ambushed by multiple peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Saints from the Ghost and Bone Clans. He was always fighting back, struggling to survive. When did he betray the Infernal Realm?”
The Nether King laughed, “Pity the Ghost Clan was too weak. With so many powerhouses, their star was still destroyed, and the opportunity was taken. Who’s to blame? Poor weaklings.”
The Ghost Lord’s eyes chilled, sneering, “Argue all you want. Gloat now, but no matter how talented Zhang Ruochen is, if he sides with slaves and betrays the Infernal Realm, the All-Realms Divine Eye won’t let him leave the Hunt for Heaven alive. Let’s see how you laugh then.”
Blood Slaughter War God, Nether King, and Blood Empress fell silent.
They had full confidence in Zhang Ruochen’s strength and talent but none in his actions and thoughts.
Raised in the human world, would he truly be loyal to the Infernal Realm?
…
“Release them.”
Meeting Zhang Ruochen’s sword-sharp gaze, Dang, standing on the ghost city’s walls, felt piercing pain, as if struck by tangible blades.
“How… how could Zhang Ruochen defeat Seventh Brother?” Dang’s heart sank, his former confidence and pride trampled by Zhang Ruochen.
With no other choice, he could only negotiate.
Xi was the Ghost Clan’s top powerhouse. If even he fell, who could stop Zhang Ruochen?
They could only hope to quell his anger quickly.
“We can’t hand over Barbarian Sword Great Saint.”
Yan Hong stopped Dang, her pink bone hand gripping Barbarian Sword Great Saint’s shoulder, staring at Zhang Ruochen below, “Zhang Ruochen, I know you and Barbarian Sword share a deep bond. You won’t watch him die. If you want him to live, do something for me first.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed, sharp as knives, “Don’t you see Xi under my foot? Killing him would be like slaughtering a pig or dog.”
Yan Hong chuckled, “Do you really think you can act recklessly in the Hunt for Heaven? Xi is the Ghost Clan’s most outstanding Great Saint in a millennium, with a high chance of becoming a god. Killing a future Infernal Realm god for a slave? Even if the gods tolerate you, the All-Realms Divine Eye will kill you.”
“You can kill me, but I can’t kill you?” Zhang Ruochen sneered.
Yan Hong nodded, “Exactly. You’re no different from those pitiful slaves, our prey.”
“If you truly want to save Barbarian Sword Great Saint, capture all the upper three clans’ Great Saints outside the Ghost Clan’s star and bring them to me for an exchange.”
“This is your only chance.”
Zhang Ruochen glanced at the starry sky, faintly sensing Prajna, Great Senluo Emperor, and others’ auras.
“I intended to spare Xi, but you’ve successfully enraged me,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Hong’s heart jolted, a terrifying thought emerging, about to stop him…
“Boom!”
Zhang Ruochen activated ten million divine patterns in his left leg, stomping heavily, shattering Xi’s ghost body into a dark cloud of ghost mist.
The heavens shook, and all cultivators were stunned by Zhang Ruochen’s actions.
He… he dared to kill Xi?
With his Undying Chaos Ghost Emperor body, Xi wasn’t easily killed. Billions of ghost mist strands rapidly converged, reforming his ghost body.
“Zhang Ruochen, if you kill me, the Infernal Realm will have no place for you. Even Blood Slaughter War God can’t protect you… you… ah…”
Zhang Ruochen used spatial power to seize Xi again, forming a Purifying Divine Fire handprint, shattering his ghost body once more.
Xi wasn’t truly immortal. Each time his ghost body was destroyed, he weakened significantly, and reforming took longer.
“Saint Devouring Flower, consume him. Use his ghost qi to ripen the Dao Fruit faster.”
Countless Saint Devouring Flower vines surged from Zhang Ruochen’s back, spreading into the ghost mist, frantically absorbing Xi’s power.
The Ghost Clan Great Saints in the city were horrified. Zhang Ruochen was fearless, capable of anything.
“Zhang Ruochen, do you know what you’re doing? Believe me, I’ll kill Barbarian Sword Great Saint now,” Yan Hong said.
“If you dare, when I enter the ghost city, I’ll dismantle your bones one by one and feed them to Huang Tian.”
Leaving the Saint Devouring Flower, Zhang Ruochen soared with ten golden wings, manifesting a thousand-mile-tall Immovable Wisdom King saintly image, stomping heavily toward the ghost city.
“Boom.”
The city’s array inscriptions formed a bowl-shaped light shield, blocking the strike.
But many inscriptions snapped, countless buildings collapsed, and all souls wailed in fear. Even Great Saint-level powerhouses trembled.
If Zhang Ruochen breached the defences, the consequences would be unimaginable.
