As the Moon God’s silhouette vanished, Zhang Ruochen fell into silence. The situation was growing increasingly complex and would be troublesome to handle.
The arrival of six Patrol Envoys was not something he could easily deal with, especially the one from the Infernal Court, who would likely probe relentlessly, seeking to unearth the Blood God Sect’s secrets.
If those secrets were exposed, it could spell disaster for all of Kunlun Realm.
For now, Zhang Ruochen hadn’t devised a counterstrategy, so he set aside his thoughts to focus on another matter.
Since the Moon God had reached an agreement with the Paradise Realm faction, Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng would have to be released eventually. Before that, he needed to secure the Truth Mysteries from Zhou Yu.
After sealing Zhou Yu’s holy energy, Zhang Ruochen took out the Space Exquisite Orb and entered it with Zhou Yu.
Zhou Yu’s eyes gleamed with ferocity as he growled, “Zhang Ruochen, if you want my Truth Mysteries, let’s see if you’ve got what it takes.”
Mo Sheng’s defeat at Zhang Ruochen’s hands had put considerable pressure on Zhou Yu, but he was supremely confident in his physical body. With the divine oath already sworn, he couldn’t back out now and had to fight with all he had.
If he could escape the Blood God Sect on his own, he’d salvage some pride and have plenty of chances to settle the score later.
With this in mind, Zhou Yu attacked without holding back. As his blood energy surged, radiant holy light burst from the acupoints across his body.
Bathed in holy light, Zhou Yu’s physique appeared flawless, almost perfect, with his arms, legs, and chest radiating a potent immortal aura.
“Light Divine Fist!”
Zhou Yu roared, his immortalized fist hurtling toward Zhang Ruochen.
Before the fist arrived, an invisible wave of force reached Zhang Ruochen first.
The Light Divine Fist, a high-tier holy technique of the Light Temple, unleashed terrifying power through Zhou Yu’s formidable physique, even without holy energy or holy path rules. A single punch could shatter a holy mountain.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t dare underestimate it, immediately employing the Luoshui Fist Technique to meet the attack.
Around him, a faint celestial river materialized.
Zhang Ruochen could tell Zhou Yu’s physique was stronger and more domineering than Mo Sheng’s. A single misstep could lead to a crushing defeat.
“Bang.”
At a distance of several zhang, their fists halted, an invisible clash of force erupting between them.
As the Time-Space Controller, Zhang Ruochen had integrated time and space into his physique, each punch subtly warping spacetime.
As the Light Controller, Zhou Yu’s light power permeated his marrow, piercing through even distorted spacetime.
Both wielded Eternal Paths, possessing unimaginable power, making it hard to determine who was superior.
Relying on their formidable physiques, Zhang Ruochen and Zhou Yu pushed their speed to the limit, unleashing their physical strength to its fullest.
“Bang, bang, bang.”
Their relentless clashes caused cracks to appear in the Space Exquisite Orb’s internal space, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Their speed was so blinding, and their collisions so radiant, that their movements were nearly impossible to follow.
“Swish.”
After hundreds of rounds with no clear victor, Zhang Ruochen and Zhou Yu tacitly paused, pulling back.
Zhang Ruochen was quietly startled. Zhou Yu’s strength exceeded his expectations. Despite going all out, he hadn’t gained the slightest advantage.
Zhou Yu, too, was surprised. At the Path-Approaching realm, with his physique tempered by heaven and earth and his arms, legs, and chest immortalized, he still couldn’t overpower Zhang Ruochen.
If Zhang Ruochen reached his realm and partially immortalized his body, wouldn’t his physical strength far surpass Zhou Yu’s?
Zhou Yu’s expression grew grave. Activating his body-refining secret technique, even denser holy light burst from his acupoints, fully unleashing his Light Physique’s potential.
The holy light solidified, forming armor that cloaked Zhou Yu, lending him an awe-inspiring majesty, like a deity descended.
Seeing this, Zhang Ruochen didn’t hesitate. With a shudder, chaotic energy and five-colored brilliance surged from his body, mingling with torrents of blood energy that soared skyward.
In moments, with chaotic energy as the foundation, vibrant, multicolored heavenly layers rapidly formed above Zhang Ruochen’s head.
In the blink of an eye, seven vast heavenly layers materialized overhead, seeming almost tangible.
Above them, two additional layers faintly existed, too ethereal to fully manifest.
“One move to decide the victor.”
A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Ruochen’s eyes as he reached out, his hand like five primordial divine mountains pressing toward Zhou Yu.
The seven vast heavenly layers descended, merging with his palm.
“Boom.”
Fist met palm, and the holy light armor on Zhou Yu shattered instantly. He was pinned beneath the seven heavenly layers, utterly immobile.
“Buzz.”
The Space Exquisite Orb trembled violently, its internal space destabilizing, on the verge of collapse.
Such a clash could likely destroy a star.
“Zhou Yu, you’ve lost. Hand over the Truth Mysteries,” Zhang Ruochen said calmly.
Zhou Yu stared at Zhang Ruochen, his heart filled with unwillingness but helpless.
He hadn’t expected Zhang Ruochen’s physique to manifest such a terrifying phenomenon, overwhelming him completely.
Such power might already rival an ordinary immortal saint body.
Bound by the divine oath, Zhou Yu had no choice but to relinquish his Truth Mysteries.
“Impressive, Zhou Yu, possessing ten ten-thousandths of Truth Mysteries.”
Receiving Zhou Yu’s Truth Mysteries, Zhang Ruochen was pleasantly surprised.
Now, he held thirty-nine ten-thousandths of Truth Mysteries, greatly benefiting his future cultivation.
With thirty-nine ten-thousandths, he could unleash even greater power from the Fire God Armor.
Unlike ordinary armor, the Fire God Armor, aside from Fire God and Wutong Qiuyu, required Mysteries to activate.
“Mastering one percent of Truth Mysteries makes one a Truth Envoy, capable of challenging gods, but it’s too difficult,” Zhang Ruochen sighed, shaking his head.
He was keenly interested in becoming a Truth Envoy, but the challenge was immense. Where could he find the remaining sixty-one ten-thousandths?
Typically, becoming a Truth Envoy required seizing others’ Truth Mysteries, but that was no easy task.
Those who possessed Truth Mysteries were no ordinary cultivators, often backed by powerful forces, not easily dealt with.
Dismissing these thoughts, Zhang Ruochen took Zhou Yu out of the Space Exquisite Orb and resealed him on the Blood God Altar.
After a moment’s thought, he released his spiritual power, infiltrating the Blood God Altar.
“Xue Lingxian, six Patrol Envoys will soon arrive to investigate the Blood God Altar. I have some methods, but they may not suffice. Do you have a solution?”
To ensure nothing went wrong, Zhang Ruochen had to consult Xue Lingxian.
But after a long wait, Xue Lingxian gave no response, his holy thought seemingly in deep slumber.
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly. Xue Lingxian’s silence left him at a loss.
It seemed Xue Lingxian couldn’t be relied upon, and he’d have to devise a foolproof plan himself.
…
At the edge of the Yin Burial Mountain Range, in Anning Town.
Yan Wushen had just raised his wine cup when a strange glint flickered in his eyes. “Someone’s got their eye on me. Interesting.”
“Who? The Four Heavenly Kings?” Chi Kunlun asked curiously.
After spending time together, Chi Kunlun knew Yan Wushen dragged him around to evade the Heavenly Palace’s Four Heavenly Kings.
As the saying goes, two fists can’t block four hands. Yan Wushen was unmatched, but the Four Heavenly Kings were no pushovers, and no one had withstood their combined assault.
Yan Wushen downed his wine and shook his head. “Not them, but some formidable figures. I’m quite curious to play with them.”
As long as it wasn’t the Four Heavenly Kings, Yan Wushen had little to fear. He wanted to see what these people were after by seeking him out.
Setting down his cup, Yan Wushen didn’t bother with Prajna and left the tavern with Chi Kunlun.
Prajna cast her gaze toward the town’s southeast, a few glints of intrigue in her eyes, before her figure vanished from the street.
Thousands of miles from Anning Town, atop a mountain peak, Yan Wushen and Chi Kunlun appeared out of thin air.
This was already within the Yin Burial Mountain Range, shrouded in sinister energy. Even under the blazing sun, a chilling cold persisted, capable of freezing the souls of weaker cultivators.
“Caw.”
A flock of crows flew overhead, their shrill cries piercing.
They seemed like the restless spirits of the battlefield’s fallen, their eerie calls haunting the Yin Burial Mountain Range, sending chills down spines.
Yan Wushen glanced into the depths of the range, a trace of gravity in his eyes. The place was steeped in strangeness, faintly threatening even to him. Unless necessary, he wouldn’t venture deeper.
“Swish.”
Three streaks of light flew from the horizon, landing on a peak hundreds of miles away, forming three figures who gazed at Yan Wushen from afar.
“Two peculiar Undying Blood Clan members and a strange physical cultivator. Interesting.”
Yan Wushen, deeply familiar with the Undying Blood Clan, could tell at a glance these two were different, though he couldn’t pinpoint how.
The three were none other than Blood Demon, Yan Liren, and Qiu Yichi, sent by the Blood Empress to rescue Chi Kunlun.
Qiu Yichi’s gaze settled on Chi Kunlun, scrutinizing him to confirm he was unharmed, then quietly sighed in relief.
If anything happened to Chi Kunlun, she’d have no way to answer to the Blood Empress.
Being stared at by Qiu Yichi, Chi Kunlun’s heart stirred. He’d felt Prajna was here for him, and now these three seemed to be as well. But why? He had no recollection of any connection to them.
His gaze shifted to the leader, Blood Demon, and his mind jolted. This figure exuded immense pressure, like facing an ocean of blood with towering waves crashing toward him.
Without his resilient will, he might have collapsed.
Yan Wushen, too, studied Blood Demon, asking loudly, “Who are you? I’ve never heard of a figure like you in the Undying Blood Clan.”
Yan Wushen knew the clan’s powerhouses well, with the five strongest, including Xue Tu, being the most renowned.
Blood Demon wasn’t among them, yet he felt stronger than any of the five.
Such a powerhouse, if born in the Infernal Court, couldn’t be unknown.
This left one possibility: Blood Demon wasn’t born in the Infernal Court’s Undying Blood Clan.
Blood Demon, observing Yan Wushen, grew increasingly eager, his body radiating intense battle intent.
“The Blood Empress didn’t lie. Yan Wushen is indeed a worthy opponent,” Blood Demon thought, rubbing his hands in excitement.
Strong cultivators craved worthy adversaries, and for a battle maniac like Blood Demon, this was especially true.
Without opponents, life felt unbearably lonely.
Amid his excitement, Blood Demon said in a deep voice, “I am Blood Demon.”
Yan Wushen’s heart stirred. With such a bold title and formidable strength, it could only be the figure from a thousand years ago.
With this realization, Yan Wushen smiled. “So, you’re the prodigy who cultivated all nine Heavenly Demon Stone Carvings simultaneously. They said you died, but rumors can’t be trusted.”
“Sometimes, even seeing isn’t believing, let alone hearing,” Blood Demon said lightly.
Yan Wushen nodded. “Well said. So, why have you sought me out?”
“I’ve been dormant for a millennium. Now re-emerging, I heard the Infernal Court’s top powerhouse below Great Saint is in Kunlun Realm. My heart itches to spar with you,” Blood Demon said, his eyes gleaming.
His focus was solely on Yan Wushen, everything else set aside for now.
Yan Wushen laughed heartily. “Excellent! I’m eager to see what kind of strength a cultivator of all nine Heavenly Demon Stone Carvings possesses. Apart from the Four Heavenly Kings, you’re the only one who sparks my battle intent.”
“Very good,” Blood Demon said.
Their gazes locked, an invisible clash of auras rippling through space.
Where their eyes met, space distorted, countless heavenly rules materialized chaotically, forming a faint vortex that voraciously devoured the world’s energy.
The sinister energy in the area surged wildly, the black earth splitting open. Buried bones rose, drawn into the terrifying vortex.
“Boom.”
Unable to withstand the immense force, the vortex exploded, annihilating everything caught within, including their locked gazes.
The shockwave cracked the ground, forming a hundreds-of-miles-long chasm filled with countless bones, a chilling sight.
