Feng Yan had crossed the fifth layer of the Sea of Truth, while Xiang Chunan had crossed the sixth layer. Both had gained a significant amount of time to cultivate in the Truth Temple, so they planned to enter the temple and continue their secluded cultivation.
However, Zhang Ruochen had received news from Feng Yan that the Hell Realm was mobilizing its armies and was about to launch an attack on the Kunlun Realm. Once the Heavenly Sacrificial Altar was breached, a world-destroying war would erupt.
Because of this, Zhang Ruochen no longer had the mood to enter seclusion. He decided to first return to the Moon Goddess’ Dojo to check on the situation there, and then head to the Moon Goddess’ Mountain to meet with the Moon Goddess.
In fact, Zhang Ruochen even planned to personally meet with Chi Yao. The doubts and speculations in his heart needed to be confirmed with her.
After years of trials and growth, Zhang Ruochen was confident that even standing face-to-face with Chi Yao, her divine might would not crush him.
Zhang Ruochen left Kongling Island alone, using a spatial teleportation array to head toward the Moon Goddess’ Dojo in the Celestial City.
It had been over a year. Was Mu Lingxi still cultivating in the Truth Heavenly Domain?
How was Little Black doing, traveling with the True Mystery Taoist and the Emperor’s Sacred Jade? Had the other dojos of the Guanghan Realm been conquered?
Thinking of these things, Zhang Ruochen’s heart grew increasingly anxious.
It would take several teleportations to reach the Celestial City from Kongling Island.
“Whoosh—”
After the second teleportation, Zhang Ruochen was already far from Kongling Island and the Truth Temple, arriving in a vast wilderness.
Just as he was about to inject his saintly energy into the formation to activate the next teleportation, he suddenly sensed something was wrong.
“Not good, the spatial teleportation array has been tampered with.”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression changed drastically. He immediately used spatial displacement to move several miles away.
“Boom!”
The spatial teleportation array hidden beneath the ground exploded, releasing a devastating force.
In an instant, the ground within a several-mile radius centered on the teleportation array shattered and sank into the earth. Thunderfire and spatial cracks intertwined in the area, creating a scene of apocalyptic destruction.
Someone had set a trap beneath the teleportation array. As soon as Zhang Ruochen injected his saintly energy into it, it would trigger a lethal force.
In the Celestial Court, causing such terrifying destruction was no easy feat.
If Zhang Ruochen had been at the center of the explosion, even a well-prepared Nine-Step Saint King would have been doomed.
Despite using spatial displacement to escape several miles away, Zhang Ruochen was still struck by a residual shockwave. His body was sent flying, crashing into a small hill.
“Someone set this up in advance, trying to kill me.”
As this thought flashed through Zhang Ruochen’s mind, a powerful killing intent surged from the ground.
Wherever the killing intent passed, the ground froze, and the underground turned into an icy cavern.
“Whoosh—”
Before Zhang Ruochen could dodge or escape, a thick silver lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking him directly on the head.
The Text Armor and the Hundred Saints Blood Armor were activated one after the other, but they were useless. They couldn’t withstand the attack.
The Text Armor shattered, scattering into individual characters.
The Hundred Saints Blood Armor was pierced, leaving a hole. Part of the armor melted into metallic droplets under the lightning’s force.
The several-hundred-meter-tall hill vanished in an instant, sinking into the ground and turning into a deep valley, billowing with thick smoke.
Moments later, four figures descended from the sky, landing at the edge of the deep valley. Each of them wore masks and exuded a powerful killing intent.
They were the Four Killer Kings dispatched by the Heaven’s Execution organization, each a top-tier expert.
A black-clad scholar, holding a bamboo flute, walked over slowly.
“Greetings, Second Death Envoy.”
The Four Killer Kings bowed simultaneously to the black-clad scholar.
The Second Death Envoy asked, “Is Zhang Ruochen dead?”
“Zhang Ruochen’s vigilance is high. He avoided the lethal trap set beneath the spatial teleportation array. However, Lord Liancheng’s Law-Breaking Divine Thunder struck him directly,” one of the Killer Kings replied.
The Second Death Envoy nodded. “Lord Liancheng’s Law-Breaking Divine Thunder has been gathering power for half a year, waiting for this strike. Not to mention Zhang Ruochen, even Su Jing of the Guanghan Realm would have died instantly if struck.”
“We prepared thoroughly this time, setting up a certain-death scenario. Zhang Ruochen has no way out.”
The Second Death Envoy, still uneasy, said, “Zhang Ruochen is no ordinary figure. The higher-ups are very concerned about this assassination mission. It must succeed; failure is not an option. So, you should go down and investigate. It would be best if you could find Zhang Ruochen’s remains.”
A shorter, thinner Killer King said, “How could there be any remains left after Lord Liancheng’s Law-Breaking Divine Thunder? Even his bones would have turned to ash.”
The Second Death Envoy said, “Zhang Ruochen possesses some treasures that even the Law-Breaking Divine Thunder couldn’t destroy. Go and retrieve them.”
Just as the Four Killer Kings were about to jump into the deep valley, a terrifying saintly aura erupted from the bottom of the valley.
Zhang Ruochen, holding the *Temporal Scripture* in one hand and the Abyssal Ancient Sword in the other, flew out of the valley. With a single sword strike, he attacked one of the Killer Kings.
The Killer King, a Five-Step Saint King, was undoubtedly powerful.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t block Zhang Ruochen’s sword. His heart was pierced by the Abyssal Ancient Sword, turning into fragments of flesh and blood.
The Killer King didn’t die immediately. Enduring the excruciating pain of his shattered heart, his eyes beneath the mask turned ferocious. He formed claw-like hands and attacked Zhang Ruochen’s heart.
“Sizzle—”
From Zhang Ruochen’s back, the Sacred Saint Flower emerged, transforming into sharp vine-like threads that pierced the Killer King’s body.
The Killer King’s entire body convulsed, and he let out a blood-curdling scream.
The Second Death Envoy and the other three Killer Kings, seeing this, immediately retreated at their fastest speed, putting a great distance between themselves and Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen withdrew the Abyssal Ancient Sword, and the Five-Step Saint King Killer King collapsed to the ground, becoming nourishment for the Sacred Saint Flower.
“Extract his saint soul and preserve it. I have other uses for it.”
After instructing the Sacred Saint Flower, Zhang Ruochen looked up and noticed that the sky above had turned blood-red, stretching to the horizon, as if it had become an independent blood-colored world.
“Law-Breaking Divine Thunder, the Blood Prison of No Life. It seems you are assassins from the Heaven’s Execution organization. My head must be worth a lot, right?”
If Zhang Ruochen hadn’t used the *Temporal Scripture* in time, he would have truly been killed by the Law-Breaking Divine Thunder.
The Law-Breaking Divine Thunder was a one-time attack method. The user could spend days, or even months, gathering power and then release it all at once to kill an opponent stronger than themselves.
This was a secret technique of the Heaven’s Execution organization!
The Second Death Envoy said coldly, “Zhang Ruochen, your head is indeed worth a lot. So much so that even some Great Saints are tempted to kill you for the hefty bounty.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “I’m curious. How did you find the location of this teleportation array? And who set up the lethal trap beneath it? That trap incorporated spatial power. It’s definitely not simple.”
The Second Death Envoy looked at Zhang Ruochen as if he were already dead. “Naturally, it was a master of spatial cultivation who calculated the coordinates of this spatial teleportation array. The lethal trap was set up by that master himself.”
“In the Truth Heavenly Domain, there are only a handful of spatial cultivators capable of calculating spatial coordinates. The master you speak of must be Gongzi Yan, the leader of the Space Temple, right?” Zhang Ruochen said.
The Second Death Envoy was about to say something but then heard a silencing order, so he quickly shut his mouth.
While Zhang Ruochen and the Second Death Envoy were talking, the three Killer Kings silently moved to three different positions. Each of them released a powerful surge of saintly energy, injecting it into the ground.
“Whoosh—”
Pieces of saint jade flew out from the ground, forming a large array that enveloped Zhang Ruochen.
“Spatial Confinement Array.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed slightly. Then, he said loudly, “Gongzi Yan, you’re quite bold. You dare to collaborate with the Heaven’s Execution organization to kill someone in the Truth Heavenly Domain. Aren’t you afraid of being exposed and punished by the Truth Temple?”
From the blood-red sky, Gongzi Yan’s voice rang out. “Zhang Ruochen, you changed your appearance and caused a massacre at the Divine Sky Platform, yet you avoided punishment from the Truth Temple. Naturally, I have my ways to avoid the Truth Temple’s rules. Besides, do you think you can escape today? Once you’re dead, who will know I was involved?”
As expected, the Celestial Court faction had already guessed that he was the mysterious spatial cultivator.
Who else was hiding in the shadows besides Gongzi Yan? Had Shang Zihang arrived?
It was clear that the Celestial Court faction had prepared thoroughly this time, setting up a net from which there was no escape. They were determined to eliminate Zhang Ruochen. It was likely that this was also related to the impending upheaval in the Kunlun Realm.
The Celestial Court faction wanted to eliminate Zhang Ruochen before the upheaval in the Kunlun Realm, preventing him from returning and becoming an obstacle.
Not knowing how many experts were hiding in the shadows, Zhang Ruochen felt a strong sense of unease. He didn’t dare to stay here for long. Gripping the Abyssal Ancient Sword, he charged toward one of the Killer Kings, planning to break through the encirclement.
“You won’t escape.”
The Second Death Envoy blew into his bamboo flute, and sound waves mixed with spiritual power spread out.
Instantly, a “whooshing” sound filled the air as countless black dots flew in from the horizon, surrounding Zhang Ruochen.
These were thousands of birds, each the size of a pigeon egg, covered in fine scales with sharp, sword-like beaks.
These birds were called Death God Hummingbirds.
Each Death God Hummingbird flew at an astonishing speed, like flying swords, creating piercing whistling sounds as they moved.
Even the Sacred Saint Flower couldn’t withstand the onslaught of the Death God Hummingbirds. Its vines were constantly being gnawed at, and within a dozen breaths, it retreated back into Zhang Ruochen’s body.
Zhang Ruochen used the Sword Dao Profound Aura to form a spherical protective barrier, but it couldn’t hold. The Death God Hummingbirds could devour the Sword Dao Profound Aura, causing the barrier to grow thinner and thinner.
Meanwhile, the sword aura Zhang Ruochen released only managed to kill a few dozen Death God Hummingbirds.
