The Ox Pit Prison Realm was barren, stretching endlessly, resembling a land of utter desolation.
Yet this desolate place brimmed with boundless danger.
As Zhang Ruochen and the green-furred creature journeyed onward, they faced over a dozen attacks. The assailants were all Saint King realm beings—some human, some vicious hounds, some ghost kings…
However, their realms were not high; the strongest among them was merely a Four-Step Saint King, incapable of harming Zhang Ruochen.
The doubts in Zhang Ruochen’s mind grew stronger. He asked, “Why are so many powerful beings gathered in the Ox Pit Prison Realm? How do they advance their cultivation? It can’t be as simple as breathing in the spiritual qi of heaven and earth and comprehending its rules, can it?”
“My lord is wise—indeed, it’s not that simple,” the green-furred creature replied in a low voice. “The Ox Pit Prison Realm produces stone herbs capable of boosting cultivation. Each stone herb is a treasure; consuming one can greatly enhance one’s cultivation.”
“Oh!” Zhang Ruochen’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “What are stone herbs? Where do they grow? Why haven’t we encountered a single one along the way?”
The green-furred creature explained, “Stone herbs grow along the Heavenly Chart Canyon. We haven’t reached it yet, so naturally, we haven’t seen any.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded. “Where is the Heavenly Chart Canyon?”
“The Heavenly Chart Canyon is a rift valley stretching ten thousand li, located at the centre of the Ox Pit Prison Realm.”
Pausing, the creature added, “The canyon grows longer and wider each year, as if it’s trying to split the Ox Pit Prison Realm in two.”
“However, the area of the canyon richest in stone herbs has been claimed by the Nebula Leopard. No being dares encroach there—approaching means death without mercy. Other beings can only try their luck on the canyon’s outskirts. If fortune favours them, they might find one or two stone herbs.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed. “Since the Heavenly Chart Canyon is teeming with stone herbs, countless beings must vie for them. The Nebula Leopard’s cultivation is only at the Five-Step Saint King realm—how does it hold its ground?”
“My lord may not know, but in the Ox Pit Prison Realm, any being whose cultivation exceeds the Five-Step Saint King realm is forcibly expelled to the next prison level by the realm spirit.”
“Though there are indeed some Five-Step Saint King realm powerhouses in the Ox Pit Prison Realm and other levels, none can match the Nebula Leopard. Even united, they wouldn’t necessarily prevail.”
The green-furred creature spoke with awe. “The Nebula Leopard’s combat strength likely rivals that of a Six-Step, or even Seven-Step Saint King.”
After travelling several thousand more li, the green-furred creature suddenly halted, gazing at the horizon with deep trepidation.
From the ground at the horizon, a layer of crimson light rose, dyeing the sky a fiery red, as if flames blazed in the air.
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes, sensing carefully, and let out a soft exclamation.
“The light surging from the ground contains some mysterious power, stirring the rules of heaven and earth into greater activity.” He circulated his cultivation technique, immediately feeling the rules of heaven and earth rushing toward him, converging into his qi sea.
“That’s the Descent Light, emanating from the bottom of the Heavenly Chart Canyon. It’s the nourishment and illumination of the Descent Light that allows the canyon and its surrounding regions to produce stone herbs.”
The green-furred creature’s eyes gleamed, its excitement palpable.
It then pointed to a red mountain beneath the Descent Light. “That’s where the Nebula Leopard resides—the Nebula Fiery Mountain.”
Zhang Ruochen stepped forward.
Each stride spanned dozens of li.
Fearing the Nebula Leopard, the green-furred creature didn’t follow. Watching Zhang Ruochen’s figure recede, it thought, “This man’s cultivation is formidable, but he’s too arrogant. The Nebula Leopard isn’t to be trifled with. I’d better flee farther, lest the Nebula Leopard kills him, detects my scent, and wipes me out too.”
Soon, Zhang Ruochen reached the edge of the Heavenly Chart Canyon, less than a hundred li from the Nebula Fiery Mountain.
Five zhang away, a stone herb with three leaves stood, resembling a ruby. Flames danced on its leaves, radiating intense heat.
Yet within it pulsed a potent life force.
Zhang Ruochen plucked the stone herb from a distance, holding it in his hand to examine it. Then, using the Pure Extinguishing Divine Fire, he refined it into a walnut-sized droplet of medicinal liquid.
After swallowing it, his cultivation remained unchanged, though his physical body and spiritual power noticeably grew by a sliver.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head lightly, mildly disappointed. “These stone herbs are immensely valuable to low-realm Saint Kings. But at my current level, even consuming more would yield little benefit.”
“Roar!”
A deafening howl erupted from the crimson mountain behind him, sending rolling waves of air.
“How dare you steal stone herbs near the Nebula Fiery Mountain? Who gave you the nerve?”
The thunderous roar echoed through the heavens and earth.
A brilliant, multicoloured nebula burst from the Fiery Mountain, descending above Zhang Ruochen’s head, unleashing a formidable holy might.
“It’s indeed the Nebula Leopard.” Zhang Ruochen’s heart leapt with joy.
The Nebula Leopard, a descendant of a divine beast, was exceedingly rare. The one dwelling in the Fiery Mountain was likely Senior Brother Bao Lie.
“Bao Lie…”
Zhang Ruochen caught sight of the figure within the multicoloured nebula and froze. The name on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back.
Standing in the nebula was a young man in his twenties, sporting a pair of vibrant, seven-coloured leopard ears. His eyebrows were thick, and he wore red battle armour, wielding a spear as thick as a bowl’s rim. His eyes shone like stars.
It wasn’t Senior Brother Bao Lie.
Yet this young man bore a resemblance to Bao Lie’s human form.
Could he be Bao Lie’s descendant?
Bao Xinghun wasted no words, thrusting his spear. A crimson light shuttle shot from the tip, surging toward Zhang Ruochen on the ground. Thick as a river, it shook the heavens and earth.
In the distance, the green-furred creature sensed the powerful holy path fluctuations from the Heavenly Chart Canyon and shuddered. “I warned him not to provoke the Nebula Leopard—why wouldn’t he listen? He’s done for—that human is done for!”
Suspecting this youth might be Bao Lie’s descendant, Zhang Ruochen had no desire to harm him.
He stood still, merely conjuring rings of holy light to block Bao Xinghun’s crimson light shuttle, keeping it at bay.
Bao Xinghun’s eyes sharpened, disbelief flashing across his face.
“My full-strength strike was effortlessly neutralised. Could his cultivation exceed the Five-Step Saint King realm?”
The thought had barely crossed Bao Xinghun’s mind when he found himself suddenly before the human cultivator, his body immobilised.
“How is this possible?”
Flames ignited on Bao Xinghun’s arms as he struggled to break free from Zhang Ruochen’s suppression.
But the surrounding space seemed to solidify, making even moving a finger a Herculean task.
Zhang Ruochen studied him closely, nodding slightly. “You cultivate the *Nerve Refining Scripture*. It seems you truly are Senior Brother Bao Lie’s descendant.”
“You know of the *Nerve Refining Scripture*?” Bao Xinghun asked, astonished.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. “The *Nerve Refining Scripture* is one of the Saint Ming Central Empire’s top-tier techniques. How could I not know it?”
“Nonsense! The *Nerve Refining Scripture* is my father’s technique. What does it have to do with some rubbish Saint Ming Central Empire?” Bao Xinghun retorted.
Zhang Ruochen frowned. “Where is your father?”
“Who are you? Why should I tell you?” Bao Xinghun snapped.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t take offence; instead, joy welled within him. This at least suggested Senior Brother Bao Lie might still be alive.
“Who am I? By seniority, you should call me Martial Uncle,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Martial Uncle? I could be your Martial Ancestor!”
Bao Xinghun snorted, his gaze turning icy. “I see now—you’re after the Stone Orchis Golden Orchid in my father’s possession, aren’t you? It’s useless. Your cultivation may be strong, but before my father, you’re nothing.”
Zhang Ruochen replied, “If you’re so confident in your father’s strength, then take me to him.”
Bao Xinghun sneered silently, showing no intention of leading the way.
“What’s this? No faith in your father?” Zhang Ruochen pressed.
Bao Xinghun pondered for a moment before saying, “Fine. Since you’re seeking death, I’ll take you.”
Bao Xinghun led the way, with Zhang Ruochen following, heading toward the eleventh level of the Nether Dungeon, the “Stone Pressure Prison Realm.”
According to Bao Xinghun, his father had gone to the fifteenth level, the “Torture Penalty Prison Realm,” to cultivate and seek a breakthrough. To reach the fifteenth level, they had to pass through the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth levels.
“The fifteenth level again? Why does everyone go there to cultivate in seclusion?”
Zhang Ruochen was puzzled. The Nether King was imprisoned in the fifteenth level—could it really be a cultivation sanctuary?
Upon arriving at the Torture Penalty Prison Realm, Zhang Ruochen was dumbstruck.
Beneath his feet lay a dazzling expanse of multicoloured crystals—spiritual crystals and holy stones—covering the entire ground in staggering, uncountable numbers.
Bao Xinghun, visiting the fifteenth level for the first time, was equally stunned by the sight.
In the distance, a crimson flame lake sprawled across hundreds of li.
The closer one drew to the lake, the more active the rules of heaven and earth became, like coiled dragons weaving through space and time.
Zhang Ruochen approached the lake’s edge, closing his eyes. His speed of comprehending holy path rules surged by more than threefold.
As he walked toward the lake’s centre, the temperature soared, yet his comprehension speed accelerated further.
Four times, five times…
It continued to climb.
“Rumble.”
Suddenly, a leopard claw hundreds of metres long erupted from the lake’s depths, shimmering with flowing light, striking toward Zhang Ruochen.
At the lake’s edge, Bao Xinghun’s face lit up with joy. “Father!”
The leopard claw was but a phantom.
Yet its power was overwhelming, dimming the flames in the lake. On the ground, spiritual crystals and holy stones shattered into dust.
Zhang Ruochen formed palm seals with both hands, unleashing the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm. Infusing it with truth rules, he erupted with sevenfold attack power.
“Dragon-Elephant Ascend to Heaven.”
Countless dragon and elephant phantoms surged forth, clashing with the leopard claw.
