Of course, the talent displayed by Zhang Ruochen did make the Saints of the Black Market feel alarmed, and they were very worried that once Zhang Ruochen grew up, another Sword Saint would emerge from the Eastern Domain.
It was because of this reason that the Black Market was determined to get rid of Zhang Ruochen. At the same time, it also wanted to take this opportunity to revitalise itself and regain its lost face and majesty.
Second Senior Brother Zhu Hongtao glanced towards Zhang Ruochen and smiled heatedly, saying, “Junior Brother, your face is so big that you actually lured even the Nine Spectres Sword Saint to the Eastern Domain Sacred City, even Second Senior Brother I can’t compare to you.”
Third Senior Brother Wan Ke, however, shook his head and analysed, “I’m afraid it won’t be that simple, the true purpose of the black market is probably to use this matter to undermine the relationship between the Sacred Courtyard and the Eastern Domain Sacred King’s Mansion. Think about it, Master Teacher has high hopes for Junior Brother, if Junior Brother was killed by the Black Market’s people in the Chen Family, then, with Master Teacher’s temperament, wouldn’t he not hold a grudge against the Chen Family? Once the Sacred Academy and the Eastern Region Sacred King’s House break, in the future, the Black Market will be able to cope with it more comfortably in the Eastern Region.”
Zhang Ruochen frowned and said, “Since the Black Market dared to come to the Eastern Domain Sacred City, it must have made a complete layout in advance. Even the fact that Master Teacher left the Sacred Courtyard and went out on an errand was most likely long within their plans.”
The Xuan Gui Sword Saint had indeed left the Eastern Domain Sacred City half a month ago, only explaining that he had an important matter that he had to attend to, and that he would definitely rush back before Zhang Ruochen’s wedding.
At that time, Zhu Hongtao and Wan Ke didn’t think that there was anything wrong with it, and it wasn’t until Zhang Ruochen said it just now that they realised that it was likely that it was really the Black Market that was laying the groundwork.
Since the Black Market could lay out a layout to lure the Xuan Gui Sword Saint away in advance, naturally, they could also lay out a layout to hold the other powerhouses in the Eastern Domain Sacred City at bay.
Even, they might have laid out a layout within the Chen Clan, otherwise, it was impossible for the Chen Clan to be so slow in opening the City Protector Formation.
Wan Ke patted Zhang Ruochen’s shoulder and said, “Don’t worry! The Eastern Domain Sacred City is still the Chen Family’s territory after all, and it has been in operation for an unknown number of generations, which is more than enough to deal with all crises and changes. Even if the Nine Spectres Sword Saint were to come in person, it would be impossible to shake the Chen Family.”
The arrival of the Nine Spectres Sword Saint had indeed subdued many people.
The names of the three great Sword Saints could be described as thunderous, not something that could be compared to the mere Ghost Saint and Hammer Saint.
However, Chen Wentian did not change his face in the face of the Nine Sephirotic Sword Saint and let out a long laugh, “Sword Saint, you’re joking, right? In the Eastern Domain Sacred City, I’m afraid it’s not an easy task for your old man to take away someone from our Sacred King’s Mansion.”
The Nine Spectres Sword Saint said, “What? You don’t believe me?”
Chen Wutian was tit-for-tat and full of Rui Qi as he said, “Of course I don’t believe it. I would like to advise senior one more time, this is the Eastern Domain Sacred King’s Mansion, not the Nine Spectres City, so leave quickly, or else, you may not be able to walk away.”
Above the dome of the sky, a laughing voice resounded, “Shang Jiuyue, it seems that you have truly grown old, and even the youngsters do not place you in their eyes.”
Chen Wutian’s face, once again, became serious for a few moments as he raised his head and glanced upwards.
Only to see that inside the clouds, there was a huge black city suspended.
The laughter just now was coming from the black city pool.
Other than Chen Wutian, no one else, but no one else could see the black city pool, and hearing the laughter just now, they could only secretly guess that there were still experts from the black market who had not shown up.
Third Senior Brother Wan Ke’s face sank as he said, ”Oh no! It seems that apart from the Nine Spectres Sword Saint, perhaps the Black Market’s Hall Master of the One Piece Hall has also arrived, right in the shadows.”
“How can we see that?”Zhang Ruochen asked.
“Within the Evil Dao’s powerhouses, there are only a few people who dare to call out the Nine Spectres Sword Saint’s name, it’s not hard to guess.”Third Senior Brother Wan Ke said.
Still wearing a faint smile, the Nine Spectres Sword Saint stared at Chen Wutian on the opposite side of the table and said, “You are the first person who dares to threaten old me, not bad, really not bad, just based on this amount of guts, it’s enough to qualify for the title of a young hero.”
In front of the Nine Spectres Sword Saint, even Chen Wentian’s age could only be considered a young man.
Chen Wentian’s body stood straight and proudly said, “Sword Saint, the one who holds the initiative right now is the junior. Do you believe that the late generation can, right now, execute the Ghost Saint first?”
“Swish!”
The Square Heavenly Painted Halberd was almost about to pierce into the Ghost Saint’s chest, and the light on the tip of the halberd became even brighter, reflecting the Ghost Saint’s face in a very pale colour.
The Nine Spectres Sword Saint laughed, “There are people in your hands, and there are people in our Black Market’s hands as well.”
As soon as the Nine Spectres Sword Saint’s words fell, two silhouettes, appeared in the darkness.
It was a green and a white two old men, they were suspended in the void, their hands clasping their necks tightly, their feet struggling unceasingly, and whimpering sounds coming out of their mouths, as if there was an invisible rope around their necks that was hanging them up.
However, as long as anyone with eyes could see, there was nothing at all on the necks of the two old men.
Thus, the scene before them appeared incomparably bizarre.
The two old men, one green and one white, were none other than the two Vein Masters of the Chen Clan, Chen Xi Silkworm and Chen Tian Kun.
Zhang Ruochen stared in the direction of Chen Xi Silkworm and Chen Tian Kun and said, “What a brilliant illusion technique, to think that even Half-Saints are being tricked.”
Even Zhu Hongtao, the fearless Second Senior Brother, revealed a few scornful looks at this moment as he stared around and cautiously said, “It should be the Illusion Saint who has arrived! The strength of this demoness, is quite terrifying, as if she is a ghost, nowhere and cannot be defended against, how can we be careful.”
Both the Black Market and the Chen Family had hostages in their hands, and at once, there was a stalemate, and they began to confront each other.
Bu Qianfan stepped out and stood at the centre of the battlefield, saying, “Since all of you, seniors, are not going to make a move for the time being, then the latecomer will first settle the grudge with Zhang Ruochen.”
Bu Qianfan’s figure and facial features gradually changed, and in the end, he completely transformed into Di Yi’s appearance.
With his hands behind his back, Emperor Yi stared at Zhang Ruochen in the distance, waved his hand and smiled, “Bring it up! This piece of bride price should actually have been delivered a long time ago.”
Two Liuli Knights rode their savage beasts, and from the back of Emperor Yi, they walked out.
Between the two savage beasts, they dragged a six-foot tall iron cage, which rubbed against the ground, emitting a particle of sparks.
In the iron cage, a cloaked woman was locked up. The wrists of her two hands were pierced through by steel nails and nailed to the top of the iron bars. Drops of blood, flowing down her arms, dyed her sleeves and robes red.
Although, that one woman, had fainted. Zhang Ruochen, however, still recognised at a glance that it was his mother, Concubine Lin.
A vein rose on Zhang Ruochen’s forehead, his eyes red as he rushed forwards and said sternly, “Emperor Yi, you’re looking for death!”
Emperor Yi’s arm raised and made a gesture.
“Pfft!”
The eyes of the two glazed knights were icy cold as they lifted their dragon bone spears and immediately, from the left and right sides, stabbed forward, respectively into Concubine Lin’s left and right shoulders.
Concubine Lin immediately woke up in pain, and a miserable scream escaped her mouth.
Fresh blood gushed out from her left and right shoulders like a stream of blood.
“Zhang Ruochen, if you take another step forward, your mother consort, will immediately die in front of you.”The emperor smiled.
That seemingly sunny smile gave off an exceptionally hideous feeling.
Zhang Ruochen stopped in his tracks, his fists clenched, his entire body trembling as he said, “What has it got to do with my mother consort? Why are you involving her in this.”
Huang Yichen immediately chased after her and stood beside Zhang Ruochen.
She was also incomparably sad and resentful when she saw Princess Lin inside the iron cage, and said in a cold voice, “When martial artists fight each other, they don’t hurt their family members. You Black Market Saints have too little bottom line in what you do, don’t you?”
The defences of Zhang Ruochen’s Half-Saint Mansion were already very strong, and with the Fifth Senior Sister in attendance, who could break through it except for a Saint’s strike?
Emperor Yi smiled and said, “This matter has nothing to do with the Saints, the reason why I invited Auntie is actually just to figure out a question. I am curious, in Zhang Ruochen’s heart, is his maternal consort or his fiancée more important?”
“This is a question that many people seem to be unable to answer. However, I know that Zhang Ruochen is quite intelligent, he will definitely be able to give me an accurate answer.”
“Zhang Ruochen, I will now give you two choices.”
“The first choice, you hand over your fiancée to me and let her marry me, and I will release your mother consort.”
“The second choice, you can go ahead and consummate your marriage with your fiancée, but, before that, you must first organise a funeral for your mother consort.”
“This question, it’s really hard eh! Zhang Ruochen, if I give you one incense stick of time, you should have enough, right?”
Second Senior Brother Zhu Hongtao and Third Senior Brother Wan Ke rushed up and stood on Zhang Ruochen’s left and right sides.
Di Yi glanced at Zhu Hongtao and Wan Ke and immediately said, “Two seniors, you must not think that you can save people, the speed of killing is always much faster than saving people. In case Zhang Ruochen’s mother consort dies here because of your risky behaviour, I’m afraid he will hate you all for the rest of his life.”
Zhu Hongtao wanted to rush up and blow Emperor Yi’s head off, however, he ultimately held back and didn’t act on his impulse.
Wan Ke looked at Zhang Ruochen with great concern and said, “Senior Brother, don’t believe his words, even if you hand over Miss Smokey Dust to him, he won’t be able to spare your mother consort. Their target is you, and the person they really want to kill is also you.”
Huang Yichen was well aware of the difficulty in Zhang Ruochen’s heart and said, “I’ll go! When Emperor Yi releases Concubine Lin, I will kill myself and won’t let him be humiliated. It’s worth it to exchange my life for the life of Concubine Lin.”
Huang Yichen’s eyes were absolute as she took a step forward. However, she had only taken one step when Zhang Ruochen grabbed her wrist and dragged her back.
“You go back and leave it to me.”
Zhang Ruochen raised his head, gradually regaining his composure, however, his eyes still contained a thick murderous aura as he said, “Emperor Yi, do you think that you’ve already grasped the absolute initiative?”
Emperor Yi spread his hands and smiled, saying, “Isn’t it still obvious?”
“Swish!”
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen’s figure, disappeared in place.
None of the saints present could see his figure either, and only felt the space fluctuate.
Just as Zhang Ruochen disappeared, the other Zhang Ruochen, at the same time, appeared above the iron cage that imprisoned Concubine Lin, and executed the Time Sword Technique, striking two swords quickly.
“Pfft!”
The heads of the two glazed knights flew out almost simultaneously.
“Spatial Shift, Sword of Time. Has the Time Successor come out again?”
The pair of pale eyes of the Sword Saint of the Nine Pale Moon became sharp, emitting a gaze that transformed into a monstrous sword aura.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen’s secret of controlling time and space was finally exposed to the world.
In the future, he would inevitably have to face endless killings. However, he had no regrets because, this was his only choice.
Only by using the power of space and time could he kill the two glazed knights and save his mother before the Black Market’s Saint reacted.
