“Divine Son Xia, your God-Slaying Cross Shield should also be a complete supreme sacred artifact. Why can’t it unleash such overwhelming power?” the Nine-Eyed Heavenly King asked, puzzled.
Xia Wenzin gently caressed the Cross Shield and shook his head, “Without reaching the Great Saint realm, mastering a complete supreme sacred artifact is incredibly difficult. I’ve only had the God-Slaying Cross Shield for a short time and still need to bond with it. Only by earning the artifact spirit’s recognition can I unleash its full might.”
The Nine-Eyed Heavenly King sighed, “Xue Tu really is lucky, refining the Inferno Purgatory Tower so early that even an Immortal Great Saint couldn’t stand against him.”
Xia Wenzin merely smiled faintly, offering no further comment.
At that moment, the Inferno Purgatory Tower hovered in midair, spewing clusters of purgatory fire like a rain of flames. They crashed to the ground with a thunderous “boom,” threatening to utterly devastate this hellish landscape.
Zhang Ruochen had intended to use spatial techniques to retreat with everyone into the sword tomb, but he found the space restricted, even slowing their flight.
“Against these clay chickens and tile dogs, one-tenth of my power would suffice. Yet you’ve managed to lose troops and generals—you’ve completely shamed the Undying Blood Clan!” Xue Tu scolded Xia Wenzin and the others while attacking Zhang Ruochen’s group.
The Nine-Eyed Heavenly King’s face darkened with fury. As a divine son, he had his pride and dignity—never had he been so berated.
If Xia Wenzin hadn’t held him back, he’d have confronted Xue Tu, refusing to let his honor be trampled.
“Who’s this punk, acting all high and mighty?” Xiang Chunan grumbled, itching to punch Xue Tu.
Zhang Ruochen, recalling the *Ten Clans of Hell’s Record of All Evils*, said gravely, “Blood Slaughter Divine Son is one of the top five strongest below Great Saint in the Undying Blood Clan. He once battled the Immortal Great Saint Chunyi in the starry void for two days and three nights, causing over a dozen stars to fall.”
“In the end, Chunyi retreated bloodied, and Xue Tu emerged victorious.”
“That battle shocked the Heavenly Realm’s upper echelons, earning him a danger rating of ten.”
Everyone gasped, their hearts sinking.
Defeating a Great Saint…
A Great Saint was an emperor among saints, with an immortal body and power to dominate all.
Facing Xue Tu was no different from facing a Great Saint.
How could they fight such a terrifying foe?
How could they not despair?
“No matter how strong, we fight.”
Zhang Ruochen glanced back, seeing Shi Qiankun racing toward the sword tomb. No matter what, they had to hold Xue Tu off a little longer to buy time for the retreat.
Besides, after breaking through to the Ninth Step Saint King realm, his strength had surged. He wanted to test this infamous blood clan titan, to see just how far his power reached.
Only by knowing both himself and his enemy could he find a way to win.
“I don’t care who he is—Grandpa Xiang isn’t afraid!” Xiang Chunan roared, his body’s apertures opening, releasing pillars of demonic energy that surged into the Metal Demon Crown.
As sworn brothers, he’d stand by Zhang Ruochen through life and death, unwavering.
Murong Yue said nothing, silently channeling demonic energy into the Blue Light Blunt Moon Slash, ready to strike.
“Wonderful, wonderful—let’s fight him to the end!” Zhenmiao Little Taoist gritted his teeth.
Bao Lie needed no words—his index fingers pressed together, holy energy surging through his meridians toward his brow, the Star God Eye primed to open.
Ji Fanxin radiated holy light, clearly preparing a powerful technique.
“If I don’t enter hell, who will? Amitabha,” Er Sikong chanted softly.
“Smack.”
Da Sikong slapped Er Sikong’s head, glaring, “What nonsense? If anyone’s going to hell, it’s that damn divine son punk.”
Seeing Zhang Ruochen and the others stand firm, Xue Tu sneered, “Since you’re all so eager to die, I’ll oblige.”
Before his words faded, the Inferno Purgatory Tower spun, unleashing rivers of flame that radiated scorching heat, crashing toward them.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze was resolute as he pushed the Blue Sky Pagoda to its limit, enlarging it to the size of a mountain to meet the Inferno Tower.
Though its true spirit was absent, the spirit consciousness was now fully cooperative, making its power formidable.
Simultaneously, Zhenmiao temporarily merged with the Purple-Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror as its spirit, maximizing its might.
Murong Yue unleashed the Blue Light Blunt Moon Slash, Xiang Chunan launched the Metal Demon Crown, Bao Lie activated the Star God Eye, Ji Fanxin summoned a heaven-shaking divine beam, and Da Sikong and Er Sikong together conjured a cosmic chessboard, exuding divine majesty.
This time, they all unleashed their strongest moves, determined to clash with Xue Tu.
“Boom.”
A cataclysmic force erupted, sinking the ground for hundreds of li and clearing the sky of clouds for thousands.
Even a sliver of this aftermath could kill a Saint King.
“Bang.”
Zhang Ruochen and his allies were hurled back like leaves in an autumn gale, overwhelmed by the impact.
On the other side, the Inferno Purgatory Tower halted its advance.
Xue Tu, atop the tower, shattered into a cloud of blood mist.
Seeing this, Xiang Chunan, sprawled in a pool of blood, staggered up, coughing blood and laughing, “Hahaha, what top five expert? What Great Saint slayer? Against Grandpa Xiang, you still turn to dust!”
Zhenmiao beamed with joy, hardly believing his eyes, “We actually killed Xue Tu! After this battle, won’t this poor Taoist be renowned across the realms?”
Zhang Ruochen wiped blood from his lips but didn’t share their glee. His face paled, his heart sinking, “Run.”
“Run? Why run?”
“Yeah, we should press the advantage—show the Undying Blood Clan who rules Kunlun Realm!”
Ji Fanxin gazed at the hovering Inferno Tower, her expression unprecedentedly grave, “We only destroyed a clone of Xue Tu. When his true body arrives, we won’t even be able to flee.”
“What… a clone…?”
“No way!”
Xiang Chunan and Zhenmiao gasped, instinctively stepping back.
With no one controlling the Inferno Tower, the spatial restrictions lifted—now was their best chance to escape.
“Swish.”
Using spatial teleportation, Zhang Ruochen whisked everyone into the sword tomb at top speed.
“Boom.”
At that moment, a colossal wave of bloodthirsty energy descended, materializing above the Inferno Tower.
Xue Tu’s figure reappeared, his aura nearly ten times stronger than before, like a blood-red sun blazing in the sky, illuminating the land for thousands of li.
Yet his face was thunderously dark.
A mere group of ants had destroyed one of his clones—where was his dignity?
That clone, forged from vast blood energy, held one-tenth of his peak power.
With the Inferno Tower, who below Great Saint could rival him?
“Flee all you want—see where you can hide. Seal the clan’s exits—not a single fly escapes. I’ll drain their blood one by one,” Xue Tu growled.
The Inferno Tower’s surface shimmered with countless tadpole-like inscriptions, blood energy soaring skyward as supreme power surged, nearly solidifying space itself.
Driven by his true body, the tower’s might was on another level.
“Even Xue Tu can take a hit—heh,” the Nine-Eyed Heavenly King chuckled.
Xue Tu piloted the Inferno Tower, charging into the sword tomb.
Within, only sword path rules reigned, suppressing all non-sword cultivators.
Yet Xue Tu remained overwhelmingly dominant, seemingly unfazed by the tomb’s constraints.
Even heavily suppressed, he could still crush Zhang Ruochen and his group.
Seven divine seat planets suddenly flew out, forming a powerful array to suppress Xue Tu.
He didn’t even glance at it, casually striking with a palm.
“Boom.”
The array shattered instantly, the planets scattering.
Bao Lie moved at blinding speed, thrusting with a golden war spear.
Seven-Yao perfection erupted, golden light converging into an unstoppable point.
“Clang.”
Xue Tu flicked a finger, deflecting the spear.
Then, he struck with a palm, landing squarely on Bao Lie’s chest.
“Pfft.”
Bao Lie spat blood, flung back like a broken kite.
Fine cracks spiderwebbed across his body, blood seeping out, nearly shattering him.
One palm had nearly killed him.
Both at Near-Path realm, the power gap was immense.
As Xue Tu prepared a follow-up strike, Zhang Ruochen intervened, launching the Blue Sky Pagoda.
While it held Xue Tu at bay, Zhang Ruochen rescued Bao Lie, feeding him copious Spring of Life.
“You think you can challenge me? You don’t know death,” Xue Tu sneered, repelling the pagoda.
Seeing Bao Lie’s grievous wounds, everyone’s hearts sank, unsure how to oppose Xue Tu.
They’d barely destroyed a clone at great cost—against his true body, they had no chance to fight back.
Zhang Ruochen clenched his fists, yearning for power. If he could reach Domain or Near-Path realm, why fear Xue Tu?
He lacked neither resources nor potential—only time.
Given a century, he’d fear no one below Great Saint.
Xue Tu seemed in no rush to kill them, savoring their fear as he drove them deeper into the sword tomb.
The black plain was strewn with swords—some intact, others broken, countless in variety.
The deeper they went, the stronger the sword path rules grew, increasingly suppressing non-sword cultivators.
Except for Zhang Ruochen, Bao Lie, Ji Fanxin, and the others felt immense pressure, their strength waning.
Xue Tu, however, remained unstoppable, his complete supreme artifact mitigating the tomb’s effects.
In a hidden corner of the sword tomb, Luo Yi emerged, frowning at the rampant Xue Tu.
“I finally found something, and these Undying Blood Clan idiots barge in—damn it.”
Luo Yi’s face darkened, irked by their interference.
Releasing powerful mental energy, a giant appeared behind him, wielding a massive heavy sword.
The giant wasn’t alive but a corpse, buried in the tomb for untold years, its body uncorrupted and still brimming with power.
“Releasing Pluto won’t be so easy—go,” Luo Yi sneered, directing the giant with his mind.
“Boom.”
The giant leapt forth, swinging its colossal sword down on Xue Tu from above.
“Hmph.”
Xue Tu snorted, pointing a finger.
A blood beam shot out, tearing space and striking the giant’s sword.
“Roar.”
The giant bellowed like a beast, slashing relentlessly, fearless in death.
Though dead, as a sword cultivator in the sword tomb, it held a significant edge.
Zhang Ruochen glanced toward the giant’s origin, a glint of realization in his eyes.
The next moment, he snapped back, leading Bao Lie and the others at top speed toward a snow-covered ancient mountain in the distance.
With Xue Tu distracted by the giant, they could escape—any delay might be too late.
