Faced with this bizarre situation, the Heavenly Court faction powerhouses retreated, wary of attacking recklessly.
They turned to Zhang Ruochen, hovering above the pit, their hearts sinking.
“Is Zhang Ruochen truly unkillable? A Nine-Step Saint King’s saint source detonation at point-blank range didn’t end him.”
“Saint Ming City is completely sealed—no one can enter or leave. The tide has truly turned.”
“Not necessarily. Don’t underestimate the Heavenly Court faction. They surely have powerful trump cards. Zhang Ruochen may not prevail.”
“The city’s dangerous. If the seal breaks, even outside could be trouble.”
…
Outside, shocked monks retreated, distancing themselves from the city.
A Nine-Step Saint King’s power could affect thousands of miles, and no one wanted collateral damage.
Above the pit, Zhang Ruochen stood midair, dense Emperor Purple Qi swirling around him, the imperial canopy reforming, more solid than before.
The *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture* circulated, drawing heaven and earth saintly energy to replenish his reserves.
In his divine light qi sea, the divine sun formed by the Seven-Star Divine Ling’s sun leaf spun rapidly, releasing pure essence to his limbs, healing his wounds.
Though bloodied and seemingly gravely injured, his injuries were rapidly mending from within, surpassing even Life Spring’s effects.
Had his wounds not been so severe, he’d have recovered instantly.
“Forcing a Nine-Step Saint King to detonate their saint source, Feng Gudao—you’re ruthless,” Zhang Ruochen said, eyeing him calmly.
Feng Gudao’s eyes narrowed, voice grim, “A pity his death was wasted. Your life is tenacious, Zhang Ruochen.”
“If it weren’t, it would’ve been taken countless times. I had no grudge with you, no desire to provoke any of you. Yet you all seek my life, slaughtering countless innocents.”
“Now it’s your turn to pay. I’ll use your blood to honor Saint Ming’s fallen.”
His words dripped with killing intent.
Before they could respond, Zhang Ruochen acted, casually extending a hand.
The city’s heaven and earth forces coalesced into a hundred-zhang giant hand, grasping at a Heavenly Court Nine-Step Saint King.
The Saint King’s eyes sharpened, summoning a Seven-Shine Thousand-Inscription Sacred Artifact—a bronze ancient bell. Its vibrations unleashed terrifying shockwaves, aiming to shatter the giant hand.
But before it reached, the bell froze, its power sealed.
Seeing this, the Saint King’s scalp tingled, attempting to flee.
Like the bell, he was immobilized, unable to move.
Terror filled his eyes as the giant hand seized him without resistance.
In an instant, he and his artifact were before Zhang Ruochen.
“Moyin, your nourishment,” Zhang Ruochen said, suppressing the artifact and summoning Moyin.
Moyin emerged from his spine, chuckling, “Thank you, Master.”
She relished such prime sustenance.
“Saint Devourer Flower… no, please!” the Saint King cried, despair in his eyes.
Moyin showed no mercy, her roots piercing his body.
“Ah!”
A piercing scream echoed, audible even outside the city.
As he was drained, his agonized cries made outside monks’ scalps crawl, their hearts trembling.
A Nine-Step Saint King, pinnacle of Saint Kings, reduced to a Saint Devourer Flower’s fodder—a tragic fate.
In moments, Moyin consumed his essence, her saint path rules growing significantly.
“Master, devour them all, and I’ll break through to Heaven-Connecting Realm,” Moyin said excitedly.
As a Saint Devourer Flower, her potential was immense. At Heaven-Connecting Realm, she’d rival Near-Path Realm powerhouses.
Zhang Ruochen scanned the scattered Heavenly Court powerhouses, saying coldly, “Rest assured, they’ll all be your nourishment.”
He extended his hand again, forming another giant hand to seize another Nine-Step Saint King.
The Saint King resisted but was easily captured.
“I don’t want to be food! Zhang Ruochen, spare me—I’ll serve you!” he begged, terrified by the previous Saint King’s fate.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes were icy, “No need.”
These powerhouses bore the blood of Saint Ming’s people. He’d spare none.
“Ah!”
Another chilling scream rang out, more harrowing than the last.
As this Saint King was nearly consumed, Zhang Ruochen targeted the next.
It was clear he intended to suppress and feed each Heavenly Court powerhouse to Moyin, one by one.
The remaining powerhouses grew increasingly terrified.
Even Nine-Step Saint Kings’ resolve would crumble.
“Zhang Ruochen, you’ll die horribly!” a doomed Saint King cursed before death.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze remained cold and steady, unshaken. Mercy was wasted on enemies.
The slaughter of half Saint Ming City’s people by these powerhouses fueled his icy resolve and boundless killing intent.
The Heavenly Court faction wouldn’t sit idly.
Unable to break out, they’d try to suppress or kill Zhang Ruochen.
“Die, Zhang Ruochen!”
A Heaven-Connecting Realm Nine-Step Saint King, face twisted, hurled a cracked ancient talisman at him.
“Boom.”
The talisman shattered, unleashing a terrifying black thunderstorm.
Its destructive aura nearly tore space apart, rivaling the earlier self-destruction.
Simultaneously, a Dao Domain Realm Nine-Step Saint King deployed a tattered array flag, targeting Zhang Ruochen.
The flag released a razor-sharp sword qi, slicing toward him at unimaginable speed.
Both talisman and flag, ancient relics from Kunlun Realm, were damaged and single-use but immensely powerful.
To survive, they used their most precious treasures.
“Snap.”
“Snap.”
Zhang Ruochen snapped his fingers twice.
Two massive spatial rifts appeared, swallowing the thunderstorm and sword qi.
He extended both hands, seizing the two powerhouses and tossing them to Moyin.
In moments, six Nine-Step Saint Kings had been suppressed, becoming Moyin’s nourishment.
Even Feng Gudao, Zi Linglong, Chi Sheng, and Gu Tianyin felt their hearts quake, scalps tingling, fear creeping in.
Outside, most spectators were terrified, disbelieving their eyes.
Few among them were Nine-Step Saint Kings; many hadn’t reached Saint King Realm.
Nine-Step Saint Kings were lofty figures.
Yet now, they were powerless against Zhang Ruochen, awaiting death in despair.
These scenes would haunt many for life, etched indelibly.
“Terrifying Zhang Ruochen—he’s defying the heavens.”
“What will Shang Ziyan think when he learns of this?”
“Who’d have thought it’d end like this? This is the cost of underestimating Zhang Ruochen.”
“If all the city’s powerhouses fall, it’ll shake the realms. Many gods will be furious.”
“Will Zhang Ruochen really kill them all?”
…
As the tide turned, few spectators remained calm.
Those with grudges against Feng Gudao and others relished the prospect of their demise.
Those aligned with the Heavenly Court sent urgent message talismans to summon Shang Ziyan.
On Kongle Mountain, Rakshasa Princess Luo Ji smiled, watching the city.
Before her floated numerous intercepted message talismans.
“If Shang Ziyan returns now, it’ll ruin the fun. The more Heavenly Court powerhouses die in their infighting, the better,” she murmured.
As a Hell Realm monk, she wanted Heavenly Court weakened. Their internal strife benefited Hell Realm.
