Returning to the vicinity of Yunwu Royal City, Zhang Ruochen didn’t encounter any cultivators from the Nether God Hall, which left him slightly surprised.
“The Heavenly Compass of Extremes was stolen, even an arm was severed, yet Venerable Hidden Heart hasn’t come for revenge?” Zhang Ruochen remained cautious.
Within King Mountain, the saint qi of heaven and earth grew denser, cliffs and steep walls sprouted fragrant saint herbs, saint springs flowed through the mountains, the soil turned vibrant with colours, radiant mist rose like an aurora.
The deeper he went, the more sacred the mountains became.
In the forest, a mass of black ghostly qi emerged, a rumbling sound echoed, then a dozens-of-zhang-tall skeleton charged out.
“Swish.”
The black skeleton transformed into a bone staff, landing in Zhang Ruochen’s hand.
Having refined the saint souls of Yuan Che and others, the Evil Spirit’s strength had increased significantly.
Communicating with the Evil Spirit, Zhang Ruochen learned that not long ago, a group of Nether God Hall cultivators had indeed come to King Mountain, but they were trapped by spatial and temporal arrays, attacked by True Wonder Little Taoist and the Evil Spirit, ultimately suffering heavy losses and retreating in defeat.
After escaping, the Nether God Hall cultivators vanished without a trace, their whereabouts unknown.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t believe that, after repeated setbacks, the Nether God Hall would simply swallow their pride and withdraw from Yunwu Commandery, they would surely retaliate, and when they did, it would be fiercer than ever.
Soldiers come, generals block; water comes, earth covers.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t dwell on it further, releasing his mental power, he gathered True Wonder Little Taoist, Evil Chengzi, Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit, Demon Ape, and nearly a hundred female saints beneath a palace-shaped refinery pavilion.
Then, he summoned the half-saints and saint-realm beings from the Qiankun Realm.
“Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
All the saints bowed simultaneously, saluting Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen stood straight as a spear, taking out the Sundial, placing it on the ground, “For the coming period, I’ll activate the Sundial and enter secluded cultivation.”
“Within a 200-zhang radius of the Sundial, the flow of time will change, one year of cultivation will equate to just one day outside.”
All the saints were thrilled—such an unbelievable treasure existed in the world?
But considering the crown prince’s identity, they soon accepted it.
Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit shouted, “Master Chen, do we… do we get to join you in this secluded cultivation?”
Zhang Ruochen smiled, “Of course, why else would I gather you here?”
“Fantastic! I’ll use this chance to break through to the Saint realm.”
“Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!”
“Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!”
…
From all sides of the Sundial, deafening cheers erupted.
Zhang Ruochen assigned several meticulous female saints to guard the paths into King Mountain, preventing Nether God Hall cultivators from attacking during the seclusion, then he took out two divine stones, placing them into the Sundial’s two recesses.
“Swish, swish.”
Divine power flowed from the stones, instantly, the Sundial emitted particles of light rain, floating in every corner within a 200-zhang radius.
Of course, ordinary cultivators couldn’t see this light rain.
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged beneath the Sundial, six saint souls manifesting simultaneously, each cultivating something different.
Three saint souls surrounded the Rule Emperor Weapon’s three directions, comprehending saintly rules.
One saint soul held Saint Monk Xumi’s long whisker, studying time and space rules.
Another saint soul researched saint techniques, such as Sword Nine, the twelfth palm of Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, the fourth level of Time Sword Technique “Cycle of Heaven’s Reincarnation,” and more.
The final saint soul guarded his true body, refining the crimson rules in his left leg.
The crimson rules in his left leg numbered 100,000, only by fully refining them could Zhang Ruochen wield the power of the Divine Left Leg at will, rather than being stuck as a cripple like now.
Possessing the Mysteries of Truth, Zhang Ruochen’s speed in comprehending saintly rules far surpassed other cultivators.
Moreover, cultivators who mastered the Mysteries of Truth could, even without the Truth Domain’s carvings, still glean truth rules from the world, thus, despite not training in the Truth Heavenly Domain, Zhang Ruochen’s Way of Truth continued to progress steadily.
Notably, after killing Wangxu on Moon Goddess Mountain, Zhang Ruochen had gained an additional two ten-thousandths of the Mysteries of Truth.
That meant his total Mysteries of Truth now reached twelve ten-thousandths.
Three months into seclusion, the total number of rules Zhang Ruochen had comprehended reached 450,000.
In his qi sea, the Tongtian River trembled faintly, a sign of an impending breakthrough to Sixth-Step Saint King.
…
The total number of saintly rules reached 460,000.
The Tongtian River’s tremors grew stronger, like a great river churning with towering waves.
By the fourth month of seclusion, the total saintly rules hit 470,000.
A booming sound echoed in Zhang Ruochen’s qi sea.
The Tongtian River ceased its violent shaking, gradually calming, but the flow of saintly rules within sped up several times over.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen’s realm had officially reached Sixth-Step Saint King.
“Not enough, keep going,” Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Time passed, minute by minute, second by second, in cultivation.
When the two divine stones on the Sundial’s platform were fully depleted, two years had passed.
In those two years of secluded cultivation, Zhang Ruochen’s realm had soared, the total number of saintly rules in his body reaching 630,000.
Of course, he was still far from Seventh-Step Saint King.
Generally, breaking through to Seventh-Step Saint King required around one million saintly rules.
Though there was a significant threshold between Sixth and Seventh-Step Saint King, Zhang Ruochen was confident it wouldn’t hinder him, as long as he could find a few more divine stones, he could swiftly comprehend the Dao and reach Seventh-Step Saint King.
“Using Luo Xu’s identity, I could only buy two divine stones from the Martial Market Bank, the odds of purchasing more through other cultivators’ channels at the bank are slim, it seems I’ll need to find another way.”
Zhang Ruochen thought of Kong Lanyou from the Ming Hall, Murong Yefeng and Murong Yue from the black market, and Ling Feiyu from the Moon Worship Demonic Sect…
Ling Feiyu.
Had she returned to Kunlun Realm?
Was she now leading the Moon Worship Demonic Sect?
These individuals might be able to procure divine stones, and they were trustworthy.
Zhang Ruochen inscribed three communication light talismans and sent them out, but they barely left King Mountain before halting, intercepted by a strange force.
Being close, Zhang Ruochen sensed it with his mental strength.
Realising something was amiss, he shouted, “Prepare for battle.”
His voice jolted everyone still in cultivation awake.
Zhang Ruochen stowed the Sundial, then used a major spatial shift, appearing at King Mountain’s edge, gazing outward.
Two female saints guarding the mountain flew behind him, bowing, “Greetings, Your Highness, congratulations on advancing your cultivation.”
Zhang Ruochen stood with hands behind his back, exuding an extraordinary aura, “During my two days of secluded cultivation, has anyone trespassed on the mountain?”
Both female saints shook their heads.
Zhang Ruochen drew the Azure Sky Bow and White Sun Arrow, dragon and elephant souls emerging on his arms, the bow’s bone and string radiated light so piercing the two female saints couldn’t open their eyes.
“Twang.”
The White Sun Arrow shot forth like a white rainbow.
“Boom.”
About 200 li out, the arrow struck the void, unleashing a thunderous roar.
At the impact point, a 100-zhang-tall black sacrificial platform appeared, floating midair, adorned with array flags.
Seeing this, the two female saints gasped, dropping to one knee.
“Your Highness…”
Zhang Ruochen said, “It’s not your fault, the platform’s perimeter is shielded by a highly sophisticated concealment array, not just you—even a Ninth-Step Saint King might not notice anything.”
Dozens of saint-realm cultivators from the Nether God Hall stood on the platform.
At the forefront were three figures: Venerable Hidden Heart, Feng Chengdao, and a faceless man wielding a saint staff.
The three communication light talismans Zhang Ruochen had sent were intercepted by the faceless man using mental power.
The faceless man examined the talismans’ contents, chuckling from his gut, “Quite curious—a Saint King so desperate for divine stones?”
Feng Chengdao laughed, “A Saint King needing divine stones can only mean one thing, he must possess a treasure that requires divine stones to activate.”
Venerable Hidden Heart lacked the patience of the faceless man and Feng Chengdao, shouting directly at Zhang Ruochen, “Zhang Ruochen, you’re the heir of Saint Monk Xumi, the Moon Goddess’s envoy, yet you used despicable tactics at the Tongming River to steal my treasure, you’ve shamed the honour of two such great and holy figures! If you’ve even a shred of courage, step out of your spatial array, fight me honourably, settle this with life or death.”
“Fine.”
Zhang Ruochen flew out of King Mountain without hesitation, drawing the Chenyuan Ancient Sword, “Come on! Life or death, a man’s fight.”
Venerable Hidden Heart was momentarily stunned.
His earlier taunt was meant to humiliate Zhang Ruochen and goad him into coming out to die, but Zhang Ruochen’s swift agreement left Venerable Hidden Heart wary.
He transmitted to the faceless man, “Zhang Ruochen’s too young, too impulsive, Elder Wu, use the platform’s power now—crush him.”
The faceless man shook his head lightly, “Though Zhang Ruochen’s left the spatial array, one spatial shift could take him back, using the platform now, if we fail to crush him, we’ll only alert the snake.”
“Venerable, with your Ninth-Step Saint King realm, dealing with a mere Zhang Ruochen should be effortless, you’re not scared, are you?”
“How could I be?”
Venerable Hidden Heart straightened, unwilling to be underestimated by the faceless man, he unleashed a powerful saintly aura, charging off the platform towards Zhang Ruochen’s position.
“Brat, you’re courting death.”
…
Lately, a story’s been swirling in my mind, about Zhang Ruochen, Chi Yao, and Kong Lanyou from 800 years ago, when they were still youths.
This story spans roughly dozens of chapters, tentatively titled *Life and Death Tribulation*, of course, if readers have better name suggestions, feel free to offer them—I might adopt one.
Crown Prince Zhang Ruochen of Saint Brightness, one sword subdues the Central Region.
Princess Chi Yao, beauty that topples nations and cities.
Kong Lanyou, embodiment of the world’s grace.
Murong Yefeng, sworn to follow unto death.
…
Beyond them, new characters will join, such as:
The successor of the “Illusion Empress,” Zuoqiu Hongting, “Last night peach blossoms fell in the red pavilion, the person gone, fragrance lingers without form,” the Illusion Empress was one of Kunlun Realm’s three empresses 800 years ago, equal to the Blood Empress.
The successor of the Evil Emperor, Xia Han, the current Evil Emperor of Kunlun Realm, “One Burial Star Halberd, shattering the mortal realm’s splendour, with Chenyuan absent, none can rival.”
This is the tale of those youths, that year’s love, that tune of Lanyou, that pair of swallow pendants…
