In the blink of an eye, Zhang Ruochen, with Ling Feiyu and Ruan Ling in tow, soared out of the Moon-Worshipping Demon Sect, landing on the vast Copper Furnace Plain.
Opening the Qiankun Realm, Zhang Ruochen summoned the Evil Spirit, and the three descended onto its head.
Handing the Saint-Binding Rope to Ling Feiyu, Zhang Ruochen said, “Keep an eye on her. I’ll deal with Cang Long.”
Ling Feiyu took the rope, glancing at the rapidly approaching Cang Long and his group, a flicker of worry in her eyes. “Cang Long is formidable and tough to handle. Let’s return to Wuding Mountain. I can rally the sect’s forces to face him together.”
The Wuding Mountain they’d been in was merely an illusion, not the sect’s true headquarters.
“No need to worry. With Ruan Ling in our hands, we hold the advantage. Precisely because Cang Long is strong, I want to test myself against him,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Ling Feiyu gave him a deep look, then said, “Be careful.”
Zhang Ruochen flashed a confident smile, moving to meet Cang Long and his pursuers.
“Swoosh.”
Ling Feiyu raised the Heaven-Burying Sword, its tip at Ruan Ling’s brow.
If anything went wrong, she’d strike without hesitation.
Ruan Ling sneered, “Zhang Ruochen’s too arrogant. He’ll die by Cang Long’s hand. You’ll be left collecting his body, heartbroken watching the man you love perish, won’t you?”
“Zhang Ruochen won’t die. You’re the pathetic one, thinking you could control everything, only to be outsmarted. This is what happens when you underestimate him!” Ling Feiyu shot_VERTICAL_ back coldly.
Fortunately, Cang Long and Ruan Ling’s overconfidence, believing they could toy with Zhang Ruochen, hadn’t used her to threaten him, or things would’ve been trickier.
Ruan Ling fell silent, her eyes glinting with icy killing intent. This time, she’d failed spectacularly, gaining nothing while letting Zhang Ruochen take advantage.
Had she hesitated longer, she might’ve lost her purity to him.
Now, she could only hope Cang Long would crush Zhang Ruochen, leaving him to her for slow torment.
“Zhang Ruochen, dare to face me?” Cang Long roared.
Hovering in midair, Zhang Ruochen glanced casually at Cang Long and his group. “Why wouldn’t I? I came to Wuding Mountain for you. I wonder what You God’s expression will be when I kill you.”
Since returning to the Kunlun Realm, he’d faced You God Temple’s powerhouses, clearly sent by You God to target him.
It made sense. You God had only two sons—one slain by Zhang Ruochen’s hand, the other dead because of him. How could You God not hate him?
Earning a god’s enmity was no small feat.
“Enough talk. Your life ends now!” Cang Long bellowed, striking decisively.
At the peak of his rage, he unleashed his fury, yearning to tear Zhang Ruochen apart.
Black light swirled around Cang Long, converging on his fist as he struck at Zhang Ruochen.
“Roar.”
A deafening dragon’s cry echoed as a hundred-zhang-long black dragon burst from his fist.
Unafraid, Zhang Ruochen countered with a palm strike, summoning a Great Saint-level dragon soul to meet the black dragon.
“Boom.”
The black and azure dragons clashed, each reeling back.
Their first exchange ended in a stalemate.
“Kill!”
Cang Long moved with ghostly speed, closing in on Zhang Ruochen, his hand transforming into a dragon claw aimed at him.
This wasn’t an illusion but a true dragon claw, taken from an Immovable Realm black dragon.
Cang Long had spent immense effort fusing the claw and its soul into his arm, a trump card that let him easily crush ordinary Near-Path Realm experts.
As the claw struck, Zhang Ruochen didn’t dodge, clenching a fist and striking back.
Saint energy surged into his Fire God Gauntlets and Bracers, turning them crimson, flames roaring, forming a scarlet fire cloud.
“Bang.”
Zhang Ruochen shuddered, stumbling back three steps to dispel the claw’s terrifying force.
His physique was strong, rivaling Great Saints, but Cang Long’s Immovable black dragon claw was even mightier.
Without the Fire God Gauntlets and Bracers, that clash would’ve cost him.
Flashing back, Zhang Ruochen distanced himself, swiftly donning his Radiant Merit Armor.
“Think you’re the only one with Radiant Merit Armor?” Cang Long scoffed, equipping his own.
As a leader of You God Temple and the Ruiya Realm, he’d long ranked high on the Saint King Merit List, owning his armor far longer than Zhang Ruochen.
With the armor, Cang Long’s speed surged, moving like a streak of light, his black dragon claw aiming for Zhang Ruochen’s heart.
With his strength and the claw, he was confident he could rip out Zhang Ruochen’s heart, armor or not.
“Swoosh.”
The Eight-Dragon Umbrella appeared, over 120,000 inscriptions glowing, releasing waves of perfected power.
“Clang.”
The umbrella blocked the claw, thwarting Cang Long.
Eight golden dragons, lifelike and solid, flew from the umbrella, slamming into Cang Long.
Though uninjured, Cang Long staggered back under their force.
“Break!”
Cang Long roared, a silver saint blade appearing, slashing at the umbrella.
“Boom.”
The eight dragons shattered, unable to withstand the blade’s edge.
The blade’s momentum carried on, striking the umbrella’s surface.
One slash dimmed the umbrella’s golden light, its inscriptions retracting, a faint white mark appearing.
“A king-grade weapon.”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression shifted, retracting the umbrella.
Though near king-grade, the umbrella was fundamentally inferior, unable to endure a king-grade weapon’s assault. A few more strikes could damage it.
Compared to Bi Yunhai’s king-grade weapon, Cang Long’s was stronger, with nearly 300,000 king-grade inscriptions, its edge razor-sharp, cutting through anything.
“Zhang Ruochen, the Youyue Blade was granted by my master to deal with you. Let’s see how many strikes you can take,” Cang Long said, eyes chilling.
Raising the Youyue Blade, Cang Long channeled nearly 50 million saint path rules and saint energy into it.
Simultaneously, 30% of the heaven and earth rules within a 4,500-mile radius were drawn, converging on the blade.
Mobilizing such rules showed Cang Long’s immense power, close to Immovable Great Saint-level combat strength.
With his black dragon claw, he could even trade blows with Immovable Great Saints.
Seeing this, Ling Feiyu’s eyes filled with worry, itching to aid Zhang Ruochen.
Ruan Ling sneered, “Angering Cang Long seals Zhang Ruochen’s fate. He won’t last long. Release me now, and you both might live. Otherwise, you’ll be a tragic pair in the underworld.”
Ling Feiyu’s gaze turned icy, her sword hand trembling, the Heaven-Burying Sword’s tip piercing Ruan Ling’s brow, drawing a bead of red blood.
Feeling Ling Feiyu’s killing intent, Ruan Ling fell silent, wary of a fatal strike.
Giant Dragon Spirit Master, Nine-Headed Dragon Prince, Zi Feng Saint King, and five You God Temple powerhouses stood by, eager to rescue Ruan Ling.
But they feared Ling Feiyu’s lethal response and were wary of the Evil Spirit.
The Evil Spirit’s vast divine might posed a tangible threat.
“Swoosh.”
As Cang Long slashed, Zhang Ruochen used spatial shift, instantly evading, avoiding a direct clash.
“Can you keep dodging?”
Cang Long sneered, redirecting his blade’s arc toward Zhang Ruochen.
Unable to evade, Zhang Ruochen summoned the Secret Tome of Time and Space, forming a multi-layered spatial barrier around himself.
“Crack.”
The barrier couldn’t withstand the blade, several layers shattering instantly.
Unfazed, Zhang Ruochen pointed, opening a massive spatial rift that swallowed the blade’s energy.
Using the Secret Tome enhanced his spatial techniques’ speed and power.
With his other hand, he summoned the Azure Sky Pagoda, spinning it to release waves of azure light.
As Cang Long struck again, Zhang Ruochen launched the pagoda.
“Boom.”
The pagoda trembled, its supreme power shattering the blade’s energy.
Eyeing the pagoda, Cang Long sneered, “A spiritless supreme saint artifact dares challenge my Youyue Blade? Foolish.”
He slashed over a dozen times in succession.
“Bang.”
The pagoda couldn’t withstand the onslaught, its light dimming as it flew back.
Cang Long was too strong, his complete king-grade weapon a threat even Immovable Great Saints wouldn’t underestimate.
“Swoosh.”
Zhang Ruochen’s ethereal sword soul emerged, wielding the Shen Yuan Ancient Sword, slashing at Cang Long.
Countless time marks filled the air, enveloping Cang Long.
“Lunar Elegy.”
The sword soul struck, weaving time marks into a time sword technique, aiming for Cang Long’s neck.
“Hmph.”
Cang Long snorted, millions of saint path rules forming a robust Dao Domain.
As enemies, he’d studied Zhang Ruochen’s abilities, knowing the time sword technique’s unpredictability, always guarding against it.
Though they’d never fought, Cang Long had mentally rehearsed battling Zhang Ruochen, especially countering the time sword.
He was confident he could block it.
“Crack.”
The black saint light shattered, followed by his Dao Domain.
“Pfft.”
Despite Cang Long’s quick reaction, a gash opened on his neck, blood gushing.
A fraction slower, and he’d have been decapitated.
“How is this possible?”
Cang Long retreated swiftly, eyes wide with disbelief.
