Sensing the icy killing intent emanating from Zhang Ruochen, Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and said in unison, “Fine, we’ll take your bet.”
Both were supremely confident in their own strength and had no fear of Zhang Ruochen.
At their words, Zhang Ruochen reined in his killing intent, a faint smile crossing his face. “Good, a wise choice. To ensure you honor the agreement, I want you to swear an oath in the name of the gods. Rest assured, I’ll do the same.”
With Truth Mysteries at stake, Zhang Ruochen couldn’t risk Zhou Yu or Mo Sheng pulling any tricks, so it was best to cover all bases.
Under the circumstances, Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng, however reluctant, had no choice but to comply with Zhang Ruochen’s terms.
In truth, they weren’t entirely at a disadvantage. Winning meant freedom, while losing meant voluntarily giving up their Truth Mysteries—a fair deal.
“Zhang Ruochen, are you sure about this bet? If you lose, you’ll have to let them go. What about the Moon God’s side?” Little Black transmitted secretly.
A bet inherently carried risks, and they needed to consider the worst outcome.
Zhang Ruochen transmitted back, “I said I’d let them go if they win, but I never specified when.”
“I see! Clever move. No matter the outcome, the Paradise Realm faction will pay a steep price,” Little Black realized, barely suppressing a laugh.
It didn’t take long for Zhang Ruochen, Zhou Yu, and Mo Sheng to swear divine oaths, incorporating the rules of the wager.
This bet would test only their physical bodies—no holy path rules, holy weapons, or holy techniques allowed—just pure physical prowess.
In truth, this wager put Zhang Ruochen at a significant disadvantage. His cultivation was two minor realms below Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng, both of which involved physical refinement.
The Heaven-Connecting and Path-Approaching realms drew the power of heaven and earth into the body, tempering it to partially immortalize certain parts.
Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng, no ordinary Path-Approaching cultivators, surely aimed to forge the strongest immortal saint bodies, meaning their physical forms were likely tempered to exceptional resilience.
Few in the same realm could match their physical strength.
Yet Zhang Ruochen insisted on this physical contest, treating it as a challenge to himself, using Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng to hone his body and prepare for the Heaven-Connecting realm.
“Which of you goes first?” Zhang Ruochen asked calmly.
A sharp glint flashed in Mo Sheng’s eyes. “I’ll go.”
Zhang Ruochen flipped his hand, revealing a Space Exquisite Orb, and absorbed Mo Sheng into it.
Then, Zhang Ruochen himself entered the orb.
“Zhang Ruochen, die!”
Mo Sheng roared, charging like a humanoid tyrannosaur.
His arms radiated an immortal aura, clearly immortalized, likely unmatched even by top-tier myriad-pattern holy weapons.
Zhang Ruochen remained calm, not dodging, and met him head-on.
“Courting death.”
Seeing Zhang Ruochen stand his ground, Mo Sheng sneered coldly.
“Bang.”
Their palms collided, sending violent ripples through space.
Neither used holy energy or holy path rules, relying solely on raw physical power.
In the outside world, such a clash could shatter a star.
“Hmm? He can actually match my immortalized arms,” Mo Sheng thought, slightly shaken.
He’d expected Zhang Ruochen to suffer broken bones and torn muscles, not emerge unscathed.
Zhang Ruochen’s mind stirred. “Immortalized arms are indeed formidable. If not for the immortal dragon and elephant souls fused into my arms, refined by the Life-Death Bronze Furnace, I might not have withstood it.”
While pondering, Zhang Ruochen launched an aggressive assault, each move ruthless and unrelenting.
He aimed to expose his own flaws through combat, allowing him to address them later.
“Boom.”
Zhang Ruochen’s body trembled, his surging blood energy roaring like a rushing river, shaking the surrounding space.
Wisps of chaotic energy swirled around him, and a five-colored halo burst from his body, as if birthing a new world.
Having cultivated his Five Elements Chaotic Body to its peak, his physique was like a vast starry cosmos, harboring immense power.
Mo Sheng’s eyes gleamed with ferocity. Behind him, a massive illusory Greedy Wolf faintly appeared, its savage aura overwhelming, as if struggling to materialize from the void.
“Kill!”
Mo Sheng howled, his true form seeming to morph into a ferocious Greedy Wolf.
“Bang.”
The two clashed fiercely, engaging in frenzied combat.
Mo Sheng was undeniably powerful. Demon path cultivators prioritized physical cultivation, and Mo Sheng was among the best, his body tougher than top-tier myriad-pattern holy weapons.
In moments, Zhang Ruochen and Mo Sheng had fought hundreds of rounds, evenly matched. Terrifying power erupted repeatedly, nearly shattering the Space Exquisite Orb.
After prolonged combat, both bore numerous wounds, their clothes soaked in blood.
“Pfft.”
Mo Sheng’s Greedy Wolf claws raked across Zhang Ruochen’s chest, leaving gruesome gashes as blood gushed.
Without armor in a physical contest, they fought unshielded.
Zhang Ruochen seemed unfazed, his right hand forming a dragon claw that pierced Mo Sheng’s chest.
“You…” Mo Sheng coughed blood, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t retract his hand, saying coldly, “Mo Sheng, you’ve lost. Hand over the Truth Mysteries.”
Mo Sheng spat another mouthful of blood, his eyes brimming with resentment.
Though loath to admit it, he had indeed lost, his heart gripped in Zhang Ruochen’s hand.
Bound by the divine oath and the principle of honoring a bet, Mo Sheng, however unwilling, had to comply.
Zhang Ruochen sensed a peculiar energy transferring into his body.
“Nine ten-thousandths of Truth Mysteries—worthy of Black Demon Realm’s leader,” Zhang Ruochen said, smiling with satisfaction.
This brought his total Truth Mysteries to twenty-nine ten-thousandths.
Acquiring Truth Mysteries was extraordinarily difficult. Below Great Saint, few could obtain more than ten ten-thousandths from the Sea of Truth, even among the Truth Temple’s ten true disciples.
Mo Sheng’s nine ten-thousandths, one more than Shang Zigu’s, was remarkable.
Of course, Mo Sheng’s cultivation far surpassed Shang Zigu’s. Had Shang Zigu lived to cross the Sea of Truth again, he might have exceeded ten ten-thousandths.
Having smoothly obtained the Truth Mysteries, Zhang Ruochen withdrew his hand from Mo Sheng’s chest, lifted him, and flew out of the Space Exquisite Orb, resealing him on the Blood God Altar.
Activating the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture*, the divine sun in his divine light sea spun rapidly, releasing streams of refined energy that merged into his body.
Before starting the next wager, Zhang Ruochen needed to restore himself to peak condition.
…
Heavenly Court, atop Moon God Mountain.
The Moon God stood outside Guanghan Divine Palace, calmly gazing at several divine silhouettes hovering beyond the mountain.
“Moon God, have Zhang Ruochen release Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng immediately, or don’t blame us for being impolite,” one divine silhouette said domineeringly.
“Not only must Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng be freed, but Zhang Ruochen must be severely punished, and the Blood God Sect should cease to exist,” another icy voice declared, equally overbearing.
“Zhang Ruochen repeatedly violates heavenly laws, acting recklessly and killing leaders of many worlds. By law, he should be executed,” a low voice added.
The Moon God’s gaze lightly swept over the six divine silhouettes in the sky, her voice cool. “You know the full story better than anyone, so spare me the theatrics. Want to save Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng without paying a price? Do you think I’m that easy to bully?”
“Moon God, what do you want?” Black Heart Demon Lord asked gravely.
Mo Sheng was his direct disciple, exceptionally talented, with strong potential to become a god, vital to Black Demon Realm. No harm could come to him.
The Moon God’s tone remained indifferent. “Top-tier Five Elements divine materials of all five attributes, one hundred thousand divine stones, and I want a better heavenly domain for Guanghan Realm.”
The Five Elements divine materials were for Zhang Ruochen.
The one hundred thousand divine stones were for herself.
Guanghan Realm needed a better cultivation environment, requiring a higher-tier heavenly domain in the Heavenly Court.
“Moon God, you’re really asking for the moon. We can’t agree to those terms,” said a divine silhouette with eight pairs of snowy wings, coldly.
This was a titan of the Light Temple, Zhou Yu’s master, here for his disciple.
Five Elements divine materials, though rare and fiercely contested by Saint Kings and even Great Saints, weren’t much to gods.
But one hundred thousand divine stones was an immense resource.
Divine stones were only birthed in ancient great worlds, and even gods rarely amassed many.
Moreover, Guanghan Realm seeking a higher-tier heavenly domain was unacceptable to Paradise Realm, who had spent ten thousand years relegating Guanghan Realm to the barren Shatuo Heavenly Domain.
The Moon God’s eyes turned sharp. “If we can’t reach an agreement, Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng can stay in the Blood God Sect indefinitely. Two Saint Kings don’t seem worth that price, do they?”
“Moon God, are you trying to spark another divine war?” a Paradise Realm titan said.
The Moon God’s gaze shifted to the Paradise Realm titan, her voice cold. “A divine war? If you want to fight, I’m happy to oblige.”
As she spoke, an abyssal divine might erupted from her, shaking the space around Moon God Mountain, creating massive black rifts.
Sensing this vast divine might, the six divine silhouettes tensed, especially Yan God, who had clashed with the Moon God before, now profoundly shaken.
“In such a short time, her divine power has recovered even more.”
The Moon God, a formidable ancient god once renowned in the Heavenly Court, had been gravely wounded in the war between Kunlun Realm and the Infernal Court ten thousand years ago, nearly perishing. It took ten thousand years to heal, but her divine power had been nearly depleted.
With the Seven-Star Divine Lingzhi’s moon leaf, she regained some power, enough to defeat Yan God and Second-Class Blood Ancestor.
Now, with more power restored, none could gauge her true strength.
As the six divine silhouettes pondered, an ancient cauldron appeared in the Moon God’s hand, inscribed with intricate, esoteric characters, exuding unfathomable power.
“Hiss.”
Seeing the cauldron, Yan God couldn’t help but gasp.
Instinctively, he recalled the last divine war, where this cauldron’s power had nearly refined him.
The other five divine silhouettes’ eyes locked onto the cauldron, recognizing its terrifying might.
By summoning it, the Moon God signaled her readiness for another divine war.
Black Heart Demon Lord frowned. “Moon God, your terms are excessive and unfair. Negotiations should be equitable.”
“Indeed, we can pay a price, but not as you’ve demanded,” the Light Temple titan said.
The Moon God gazed at the spinning cauldron. “What price can you offer?”
The divine silhouettes communicated mentally.
With one hundred thousand divine stones and heavenly domain migration at stake, even gods had to tread carefully. None dared agree lightly, lest they bear the cost themselves—a loss even gods would choke on.
After deliberation, the Paradise Realm titan said, “We can provide the five Five Elements divine materials, but only sixty thousand divine stones—one thousand from each of us. As for Guanghan Realm’s migration to a better heavenly domain, that must be reported to the Heavenly Palace for their decision.”
“It seems you don’t care about Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng’s lives. No need to continue this talk.” The Moon God turned to return to Guanghan Divine Palace.
Seeing this, the Light Temple titan quickly said, “Moon God, wait.”
The Paradise Realm gods’ faces darkened. The Moon God was too unyielding, barely willing to compromise. Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng, with divine potential, were non-negotiable.
More crucially, it was a matter of face.
If Paradise Realm couldn’t protect two prodigies with divine potential, they’d be mocked, and young cultivators might lose faith in them. Who would follow Paradise Realm then?
Ultimately, they agreed to provide five top-tier Five Elements divine materials, sixty thousand divine stones, and allow Guanghan Realm to move to the Ziluo Heavenly Domain.
However, they required the Moon God to agree to let Patrol Envoys enter the Blood God Sect to investigate, per the Heavenly Palace’s directive.
The Heavenly Palace’s heavenly laws had to be enforced, and even the Moon God couldn’t obstruct them.
Inside the Blood God Sect, Zhang Ruochen finished healing, sealed Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng’s five senses, and took out the Divine Envoy Staff.
The Moon God’s silhouette appeared. “Zhang Ruochen, soon a Patrol Envoy from Guanghan Realm will arrive at the Blood God Sect with five top-tier Five Elements divine materials and twenty divine stones—the ransom from Paradise Realm’s gods.”
“Mo Sheng and Zhou Yu are only worth twenty divine stones? Are Paradise Realm’s gods that stingy?” Zhang Ruochen was incredulous.
The Moon God said, “That’s all we could get. But Guanghan Realm can now move to the Heavenly Court’s Ziluo Heavenly Domain, a better cultivation environment—thanks to you.”
“Getting Paradise Realm to concede this much with just two Saint Kings is no small feat,” Zhang Ruochen said, though inwardly puzzled. Could Paradise Realm’s gods really only muster twenty divine stones?
And the Moon God, asking for just twenty?
As they were gods, Zhang Ruochen didn’t press, figuring twenty divine stones were better than none.
With the Five Elements divine materials, he could soon forge his Five Elements Chaotic Immortal Saint Body.
The Moon God added, “One thing I must warn you about: Xue Lingxian’s appearance has drawn the Heavenly Palace’s attention, and the Infernal Court is using it to demand answers. Soon, six envoys will descend on the Blood God Sect, representing the Heavenly Palace, Guanghan Realm, Kunlun Realm, Paradise Realm, Black Demon Realm, and the Infernal Court.”
“These Patrol Envoys are extraordinary. Guanghan Realm sends the Annihilation Emperor, Kunlun Realm sends Emperor Wen. The other four are also renowned figures. So, don’t act recklessly or think you can beat their avatars like last time. Think carefully about how to handle this.”
Zhang Ruochen’s heart shook. The situation was indeed complex, with not just the Heavenly Palace but the Infernal Court intervening.
After a moment’s thought, he said, “Thank you for the warning, Moon God. I know how to proceed.”
