“Chen Jing, what did you find?” Da Zun sensed something.
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden frowned slightly, then smiled. “I knew Zhang Ruochen was still in the Yin-Yang Sea. That fearless guy—interesting. What’s he up to?”
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen was concealed in the seawater, approaching the warship where the Slaughter Spirit Emperor stood.
This was extremely dangerous.
In the entire Bone Clan of the Hell Realm, only three had achieved the title of “Emperor Before Great Saint,” and the Slaughter Spirit Emperor was one. Such a figure would be treated cautiously even by Heavenly Palace’s Heavenly Kings.
Though Zhang Ruochen was strong, he was still far from a Heavenly King’s level.
Moreover, the Slaughter Spirit Emperor was surrounded by countless Hell Realm elites. If Zhang Ruochen was discovered approaching alone, he’d be reduced to ashes instantly.
His actions baffled the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden. Facing the Hell Realm’s army alone wasn’t bravery—it was recklessness.
Hearing her account, Fairy Linglong frowned. “Ancestral Dragon Mountain’s dragons are trapped in the Exquisite Dimensional Orb in the Slaughter Spirit Emperor’s hand. That’s likely Zhang Ruochen’s target.”
Though she’d never met Zhang Ruochen, his audacity and willingness to risk his life for the dragons earned her a trace of admiration.
The Radiant Emperor scoffed. “Zhang Ruochen’s overestimating himself, thinking he can save the dragons from the Slaughter Spirit Emperor. He’ll likely be killed before even touching the orb. Foolish.”
Da Zun’s eyes narrowed. “Zhang Ruochen’s too reckless this time. The Slaughter Spirit Emperor is the strongest of the Bone Clan’s Three Emperors, overwhelmingly powerful. He has no chance.”
“What are you planning, Zhang Ruochen?” The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden’s thoughts churned, her gaze fixed on the figure in the water.
She refused to believe he was seeking death, but she couldn’t fathom his intentions.
At a certain moment, Zhang Ruochen paused.
Simultaneously, an invisible spatial force transmitted through the water, reaching the illusion-shrouded region.
*Buzz.*
The previously flawless illusion flickered faintly.
“Not good—Zhang Ruochen triggered my illusion!” The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden’s eyes sharpened on the grand warship.
She had personally set up the illusion, using a secret illusion treasure to ensure perfection.
Yet, Zhang Ruochen had somehow detected it.
“Could it be…” A thought struck her, realizing his goal. She gritted her teeth, angrier than when he’d forced her to write a marriage contract.
*Boom.*
Powerful auras erupted from the Hell Realm’s seven warships.
The faint ripple was imperceptible to ordinary Saint Kings but couldn’t escape the notice of the Nether and Bone Clans’ top powerhouses.
Instantly, the Hell Realm’s elites shifted their attention to the illusion-shrouded sea, including the Slaughter Spirit Emperor.
Zhang Ruochen was now extremely close to the Slaughter Spirit Emperor’s warship, just a few hundred zhang away.
“Now’s the time.”
Seizing the moment, Zhang Ruochen acted without hesitation.
A surge of spatial force burst from him, instantly reaching the Exquisite Dimensional Orb in the Slaughter Spirit Emperor’s hand.
“Hm?”
The Slaughter Spirit Emperor sensed it, moving to grasp the orb.
But he was a step too slow—the orb vanished.
Simultaneously, Zhang Ruochen deliberately created a subtle disturbance, directing it toward the illusion-shrouded sea.
He then merged fully with the water, retreating at top speed.
“Courting death!”
The Slaughter Spirit Emperor roared, slamming a palm toward the illusion-shrouded sea.
Vast dark energy gathered in his bone palm, forming a massive dark handprint that shattered space in its path.
At the same time, a Nether Clan powerhouse struck, unleashing a terrifying tri-colored thunderbolt of black, white, and gold, blasting the illusion-shrouded sea.
“Come out!”
Clad in black dragon-scale armor, wielding a halberd, standing three zhang tall with a burly frame and sinister face, this figure had glossy black dragon horns inscribed with strange patterns, faintly exuding thunderous aura.
He was Xuan Ming Wu Shang, leader of the Nether Hall’s Seven Absolute Killing Gods, from the Nether Dragon Clan, infamous in both Heavenly and Hell Realms.
Among the Nether Clan’s myriad tribes, the Nether Dragon Clan was a top-tier group, small in number but immensely powerful, producing top powerhouses every generation, enduringly prosperous.
*Boom.*
The tri-colored thunder exploded, unleashing apocalyptic might, instantly shattering the illusion. Space cracked densely, and the sea roiled with towering waves.
Without the illusion’s cover, five colossal warships appeared, bobbing in the waves.
The Slaughter Spirit Emperor’s dark handprint, like an ancient demonic mountain, pressed toward the warships.
Fortunately, radiant saint light rose from the warships, blocking the strike.
“Thousand Star, North Star, Witch God, Radiant Civilizations, and Heavenly Dragon Realm—such胆量, hiding under my nose. You think you can take a share? You’re courting death,” Xuan Ming Wu Shang sneered.
As the leader of the Seven Absolute Killing Gods, he didn’t take the four ancient civilizations and Heavenly Dragon Realm seriously.
The Radiant Emperor stood at the warship’s bow, defiant. “Xuan Ming Wu Shang, you’re too arrogant! Others may fear your Seven Absolute Killing Gods, but this Emperor doesn’t.”
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden’s face darkened. She hadn’t expected Zhang Ruochen to use them, redirecting trouble with such cunning… no, shamelessness.
“Big Brother, this… this Radiant Emperor is annoying. Let’s kill him first,” Si Bu Xiu said, eyes glinting with killing intent.
At his words, the other Killing Gods locked onto the Radiant Emperor, their murderous intent undisguised.
They acted without restraint—there was no one they wouldn’t dare kill.
Feeling their terrifying killing intent, the Radiant Emperor’s heart clenched, his body chilling, unable to move.
In the hidden spatial channel, Zhang Ruochen’s gaze fell on the five revealed warships, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn’t expected familiar faces among the other faction.
“What’s Yu Chenjing doing here? Are they also after the Key to the World Gate?” Zhang Ruochen wondered.
The Key’s reappearance was supposed to be secret, but it seemed widely known now.
“Leader, your misdirection was brilliant. Pitting these two sides against each other makes things easier for us,” Ao Xinyan praised with a smile.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. “They won’t fight easily. They haven’t entered True Dragon Island or gained anything. Fighting to the death now is pointless.”
“Besides, with the day-night transition approaching, both sides want to breach True Dragon Island’s array quickly. Missing this window means waiting another half-month.”
Though he’d rescued Ancestral Dragon Mountain’s dragons, he didn’t believe it would stop the Hell Realm’s assault.
With so many powerhouses, the Hell Realm showed an unyielding resolve to conquer True Dragon Island.
Zhang Ruochen worried they held other trump cards.
“Regardless, these factions’ involvement is better than us facing the Hell Realm alone,” Ao Xinyan said softly.
…
“Don’t harm His Highness!”
With a roar, two figures shot from the Radiant Civilization’s warship, appearing beside the Radiant Emperor.
Identical in appearance, both handsome and valiant, clad in golden armor, they radiated powerful blood energy, forming terrifying phenomena.
Like the Radiant Emperor, they bore golden sun marks on their foreheads, though less radiant.
With their arrival, the Radiant Emperor relaxed, a faint smile appearing as he sneered at the Seven Absolute Killing Gods.
“Think you can kill me? Is my Radiant Civilization unmanned?” he taunted.
As the Killing Gods bristled, the Son of Darkness’s low voice cut through. “The day-night transition is here. Don’t delay breaking the array.”
“Hand over the Exquisite Dimensional Orb,” Si Bu Xiu bellowed.
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden and others looked baffled, clueless about his demand.
Ye Ming Wuyou sensed a familiar aura. “It wasn’t them. Zhang Ruochen took the orb.”
“Zhang Ruochen? He dares show himself?” Si Bu Xiu said, surprised.
Ye Ming Wuyou explained, “Only Zhang Ruochen could seize the orb so stealthily, creating a distraction here to divert us.”
Snatching the orb from a top Lin Dao Realm powerhouse instantly was no small feat, making Zhang Ruochen the prime suspect.
“That Zhang Ruochen has some guts. Come out!” Si Bu Xiu’s gaze swept the surroundings, searching for him.
Xue Se Lian Yi’s eyes locked on the Heavenly Dragon Realm’s warship, chilling. “No Ancestral Dragon Mountain dragons? Then we’ll use Heavenly Dragon Realm’s instead!”
Their warship held Saint Kings with potent bloodlines, ideal for sacrifice.
*Roar.*
A deafening dragon cry echoed.
The dense black fog parted, and a hundred-mile-long golden dragon dove from the sky, landing on the Heavenly Dragon Realm’s warship.
As the golden light faded, it transformed into a strikingly handsome young man with long golden hair, golden pupils, and divine-metal-like dragon horns. Dragon energy swirled around him, forming miniature golden dragons.
“Xue Se Lian Yi, try sacrificing my realm’s dragons,” he said, his piercing gaze fixed on her.
Simultaneously, terrifying auras rose from the Thousand Star, North Star, and Witch God Civilization warships, confronting the Hell Realm.
Clearly, the four ancient civilizations and Heavenly Dragon Realm came prepared, with no shortage of top-tier powerhouses.
