Seeing Mu Lingxi and Saint King Yin Su about to clash, the demonic path cultivators gathered together, restraining their demonic energy.
Strands of golden sunlight pierced through the dark clouds, streaming down from beyond the heavens like Buddhist light, swiftly dispersing the dark clouds over the Blood God Sect.
All the demonic path cultivators fell silent, the atmosphere heavy with oppression. Facing Zhang Ruochen, they could no longer muster the will to resist, left only with despair.
Zhang Ruochen stepped on the heavenly river, approaching Yingzhu Peak step by step, then appeared on the wide plaza outside Guiyuan Divine Palace.
“We pay respects to the Leader.”
Led by Sun Dadi, Elder Yuan Xing, Hai Lingyin, Heavenly Mechanism Fawang, and Jie Wuji, the five Saint Kings, all the saints of the Blood God Sect bowed to Zhang Ruochen.
The disciples below the Saint Realm knelt in reverence.
Zhang Ruochen smiled, saying, “All rise.”
“Thank you, Leader.”
The saints of the Blood God Sect straightened, and the non-saint disciples stood.
At this moment, everyone in the Blood God Sect turned their gaze to Zhang Ruochen, their eyes burning with awe and excitement.
At their moment of near despair, Zhang Ruochen had returned on the heavenly river, intimidating the demons. To them, he was a god descended, turning the tide and restoring hope.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze swept over everyone on the plaza, declaring loudly, “Though the Blood God Sect faces a great calamity, with all of you here, it will surely reclaim its former glory.”
With a wave of his hand, Zhang Ruochen released Hai Ming Fawang and the other three, saying, “Elder Yuan Xing, how should traitors to the Blood God Sect be dealt with?”
Elder Yuan Xing glanced at the four, his eyes flashing with terrifying killing intent, his voice low, “Reporting to the Leader, traitors are to be killed without mercy.”
Hearing this, Hai Ming Fawang and the others were terrified, pleading, “Leader, spare us, give us another chance.”
“You dared to betray the sect; you should have known the consequences. Wrong choices demand a price,” Zhang Ruochen said coldly.
He never showed mercy to traitors.
“Leader…”
Hai Ming Fawang and the others tried to speak, but their chance was gone.
Zhang Ruochen casually struck out with a palm, and the bodies of the four exploded, turning into four clouds of blood mist, leaving only their Saint Sources intact.
In Xingluo City, he had spared them to execute them before all the Blood God Sect disciples, showing that anyone who dared betray the sect, no matter who, faced only death.
Seeing this, the traitors led by the Palace Lord of Shangzi Heavenly Palace turned deathly pale, some collapsing in fear, fainting.
If even Hai Ming Fawang and the others were dead, what hope did they have?
“Swish.”
Zhang Ruochen turned sharply, looking at the traitors who had surrendered to the Black Demon Realm, his eyes glinting with chilling light.
He not only despised their betrayal but loathed their role in helping the Black Demon Realm slaughter Blood God Sect disciples. They could not be forgiven.
“Spare…”
Before the Palace Lord of Shangzi Heavenly Palace could finish, an invisible spatial fluctuation spread, tearing his body apart.
The other traitors followed, unable to resist.
With a wave, Zhang Ruochen collected over a dozen Saint Sources.
The Blood God Sect currently had just over 280 Half-Saints, largely due to the Kunlun Realm’s revival.
After some thought, Zhang Ruochen took out over 260 Saint Sources, including those from the slain traitors, distributing them to the 280-plus Half-Saints.
Through successive battles, Zhang Ruochen had amassed many Saint Sources, even those of Nine-Step Saint Kings.
Unfortunately, the sect had too few Half-Saints, or he could have cultivated many more saints.
Receiving the Saint Sources, the Half-Saint disciples were thrilled, saying, “Thank you, Leader, for your reward.”
“You’ve earned it,” Zhang Ruochen smiled.
Traitors faced punishment; those loyal to the Blood God Sect deserved rewards.
Once these 280-plus Half-Saints broke through to become saints, the sect’s strength would surge, preventing it from languishing due to this calamity.
His gaze shifted to Mu Lingxi and Saint King Yin Su.
In the brief time he dealt with the traitors, both Mu Lingxi and Saint King Yin Su’s auras had reached their peak.
Behind Saint King Yin Su, dark clouds surged, yin energy spreading, covering hundreds of miles. A thousand-zhang-long ferocious bird perched in the clouds, its body burning with black-brown flames, not hot but bone-chillingly cold.
“Caw.”
The black bird let out a piercing cry, invisible soundwaves spreading in all directions.
Zhang Ruochen deployed his spatial domain, enveloping Yingzhu Peak, shielding the Blood God Sect from the impact.
The demonic path cultivators were less fortunate.
“Ah.”
Weaker demonic cultivators screamed in agony, falling from the sky.
The black bird’s cry was terrifying, soul-seizing, attacking the Saint Soul directly, beyond most people’s ability to resist.
“What is that bird? How is it so terrifying?” He Yuan asked, shocked.
The middle-aged man with the large mouth said gravely, “That’s the Nine Nether Yin Sparrow, a fearsome bird once equal to the phoenix clan. Rumoured to originate from the underworld, formed from vast yin-sha energy, it symbolises death.”
“The Nine Nether Yin Sparrow clan once lived in the Kunlun Realm but later migrated to the Black Demon Realm. Yin Su possesses its bloodline, fully activated, nearly as strong as a true Nine Nether Yin Sparrow.”
“Moreover, Yin Su cultivates the Heavenly Demon Nine Nether Diagram, perfectly matching her bloodline. In a same-realm fight, even a true Nine Nether Yin Sparrow might not be her match.”
Hearing this, He Yuan and the demonic cultivators were stunned, not expecting Saint King Yin Su to possess such a fearsome bloodline.
“It seems Saint King Yin Su might have a chance to survive. Sigh,” He Yuan sighed, eyes full of envy.
But this opportunity wasn’t his.
He lacked Yin Su’s courage to challenge Zhang Ruochen, thus missing such a chance.
Saint King Yin Su stared coldly at Mu Lingxi, saying, “I’ll show you the Nine Nether Yin Sparrow is stronger than the phoenix. Our clan is the true overlord of birds.”
“Is that so? I’d like to see it,” Mu Lingxi said with a faint smile.
Behind her, divine light bloomed, the ice phoenix growing more solid, exuding vast majesty that subdued all birds.
Snowflakes fell, transforming into birds circling the ice phoenix, forming a stunning vision of a hundred birds paying homage, breathtakingly beautiful.
Seeing Mu Lingxi’s calm demeanour, Saint King Yin Su sneered, “You’ll soon know the gap between us.”
She formed hand seals, and the bird in the dark clouds opened its mouth, spitting out a stream of Nine Nether Yin Fire, sweeping towards Mu Lingxi.
The fire could burn the Saint Soul and damage a cultivator’s foundation, highly venomous. Once it touched the body, anyone would be in great trouble.
Mu Lingxi showed no panic, casually waving her hand. The ice phoenix flapped its wings, creating a terrifying gale.
“Boom.”
The Nine Nether Yin Fire was torn apart by the gale, scattering into countless sparks in all directions.
“Rumble.”
Though small, the sparks blasted massive craters into the ground upon impact.
In an instant, tens of thousands of craters, varying from a few zhang to a hundred zhang, appeared, as if struck by countless meteorites.
The demonic cultivators retreated, fearing involvement.
Zhang Ruochen hadn’t yet killed them; dying from the battle’s fallout would be too unjust.
“Junior Brother, that Black Demon Realm woman is at the peak of the Dao Domain Realm. Will Sister-in-law be alright fighting her?” Bao Lie asked quietly.
Zhang Ruochen smiled, “No need to worry. Yin Su’s cultivation is indeed higher than Lingxi’s, but her strength may not surpass Lingxi’s.”
“Even if Lingxi can’t win, with me here, she won’t be harmed.”
Bao Lie shook his head, “I don’t know what Sister-in-law is thinking. Just wiping out these demons would be simpler. Why make it so complicated?”
In his view, none of these demonic cultivators were worth considering; he’d slap them all dead.
“No matter. Think of it as letting Lingxi stretch her muscles,” Zhang Ruochen said.
As long as it was something Mu Lingxi wanted, and it was safe, Zhang Ruochen would support it.
In the field, Saint King Yin Su continued her assault, sending over a hundred streams of Nine Nether Yin Fire, like dancing spirit snakes, attacking from tricky angles, impossible to fully defend.
Mu Lingxi remained calm, waving her hand leisurely. Vast icy power surged, converging on her, forming a transparent ice-snow shield.
At this moment, Mu Lingxi was like an ice-snow goddess, commanding all the icy power in the world.
The Blood God Sect, covered in ice and snow, provided boundless icy power, making it her absolute domain.
“Bang.”
The streams of Nine Nether Yin Fire struck the ice-snow shield but couldn’t damage it.
In moments, Saint King Yin Su had launched hundreds of fierce attacks on Mu Lingxi. Against other Dao Domain Realm cultivators, she’d have killed them many times over.
Yet, no matter how fierce her attacks, she couldn’t break Mu Lingxi’s ice-snow shield.
The Black Demon Realm’s large-mouthed middle-aged man frowned. Though Yin Su seemed to hold the initiative, she couldn’t breach Mu Lingxi’s defence, a worrying sign.
“Can you only defend?” Yin Su’s face grew uglier with each failed attack.
Mu Lingxi’s defence was too strong, giving her no opening, leaving her strength unused.
“I just wanted to see how strong you are. It seems the Nine Nether Yin Sparrow’s abilities are underwhelming, quite disappointing,” Mu Lingxi said, shaking her head.
Anger flashed in Yin Su’s eyes. She shouted, “Arrogant! Underestimating the Nine Nether Yin Sparrow comes at a price.”
Her long hair fluttered, and robust Saint Energy surged from her, merging with nearly 20 million Saint Path Rules, forming a powerful Dao Domain. The rules and powers within hundreds of miles were drawn in, converging on her.
Centred on Yin Su, vast yin-sha energy spread rapidly, as if turning the hundreds of miles into yin soil.
In the dark clouds, the Nine Nether Yin Sparrow grew larger, rising from the yin soil, its body enveloped in viscous heavenly demonic energy.
“Heavenly Demon Nine Nether, Fallen God Soul Extinction.”
Saint King Yin Su let out a cold shout.
The Nine Nether Yin Sparrow flew from the yin soil behind her, appearing below Mu Lingxi.
Dark rays bloomed, instantly forming a strange, deep space, enveloping Mu Lingxi and her ice phoenix.
That strange space seemed like the Nine Nether Yin Underworld, the final resting place of all spirits.
The Nine Nether Yin Sparrow raised its head, opened its mouth, and released a terrifying suction force.
In an instant, Mu Lingxi and her ice phoenix were swallowed.
Seeing this, Saint King Yin Su’s face lit up with a radiant smile. No matter how strong Mu Lingxi’s defence, it couldn’t withstand her “Nine Nether Fallen God.”
The Nine Nether Yin Sparrow’s body contained true Nine Nether Yin Soil, burning with Nine Nether Yin Fire. Any being swallowed would suffer torment and die.
In ancient times, the Nine Nether Yin Sparrow clan’s powerhouses had swallowed and refined gods.
Thus, Nine Nether Fallen God was no mere boast.
“Junior Brother, Sister-in-law is in danger,” Bao Lie’s face changed, ready to intervene.
Zhang Ruochen stopped him, shaking his head, “Wait. Lingxi isn’t that weak.”
As the Moon Goddess’s disciple, with half the Ice-Fire Phoenix’s inheritance from the Ancestral Spirit Realm, Zhang Ruochen had great confidence in her.
“Leader Zhang, the victor is…” Yin Su began, but her face suddenly changed.
“Boom.”
The Nine Nether Yin Sparrow’s massive body exploded, countless ice crystals bursting from within.
The ice phoenix reappeared, unharmed.
“Is this your strongest move? It’s only polite to return the favour. Take my strike,” Mu Lingxi said indifferently.
She quickly formed seals, and dense Extreme Yin Nether Ice power gathered on one of the ice phoenix’s wings.
The wing, like a sharp heavenly blade, swung fiercely, slashing towards Yin Su from afar.
A peerless edge shot out, drawing in the world’s icy power, forming countless smaller edges filling the sky, as if to sweep the heavens.
“Rumble.”
As the sharp edge struck, the mountain range below split, cleaved in two.
Without Zhang Ruochen’s spatial domain protecting Yingzhu Peak, it too would have been affected.
At that moment, Yin Su’s eyes narrowed, sensing a deadly threat.
Without hesitation, she activated her demonic technique, summoning another Nine Nether Yin Sparrow from the yin soil behind her.
Biting her tongue, she spat out a mouthful of essence blood, merging it with the sparrow.
The sparrow became lifelike, as if it had a soul, letting out a terrifying screech that shattered the split mountain range below.
“Block it.”
Yin Su roared.
A deep black vortex appeared before the sparrow, capable of grinding anything to dust.
Anyone could sense the vortex’s terror. Even a Nine-Step Saint King, if sucked in, would struggle to escape, facing ruthless destruction.
“Retreat.”
All the demonic cultivators, horrified, retreated rapidly.
Both the ice phoenix’s peerless edge and the sparrow’s black vortex posed lethal threats.
If caught in their collision, few would survive.
As expected, this strike would likely decide the victor between Mu Lingxi and Yin Su.
Under the cultivators’ gazes, the edges formed of Extreme Yin Nether Ice power collided with the black vortex.
The vortex spun fiercely, crushing the incoming edges.
But the icy edges were too numerous. No matter how powerful the vortex, it couldn’t handle them all.
“Pfft.”
The vortex was finally split by the strongest peerless edge, then the sparrow’s body was cleaved in two.
The peerless edge continued, striking Yin Su’s saintly body.
“Bang.”
Yin Su spat blood, flying backwards, crashing heavily into Yingzhu Peak’s steep cliff.
Only then did the peerless edge dissipate into nothingness.
Mu Lingxi, her robes fluttering, smiled faintly, saying in a melodious voice, “It seems I overestimated the Nine Nether Yin Sparrow’s bloodline. After migrating to the Black Demon Realm, their bloodline has degraded, no longer worthy to rival the phoenix clan.”
With that, she recalled the ice phoenix, lightly stepped, and appeared atop Yingzhu Peak.
Mu Lingxi gave Zhang Ruochen a playful smile, saying, “Leader, I didn’t disappoint. Any rewards?”
Zhang Ruochen reached out, wrapping an arm around her slender waist, laughing, “How about making you the Leader’s wife?”
“Deal. No takebacks,” Mu Lingxi giggled.
Bao Lie gave a thumbs-up, saying, “Sister-in-law, impressive! One strike to win, worthy of Junior Brother’s choice.”
“Leader’s wife is mighty.”
Sun Dadi shouted.
“Leader’s wife is mighty.”
The Blood God Sect echoed in unison.
A blush spread across Mu Lingxi’s face, a hint of shyness, but her eyes sparkled with joy, her lips curving slightly upward.
