Parting with Ao Xinyan, Zhang Ruochen headed straight for Merit Star, while Xiao Hei took the Key to the World Gate to a safe location first.
It had been a while since he last visited Merit Star, and the place was still bustling.
As the Kunlun Realm’s merit battlefield intensified, droves of powerhouses from the Celestial Court’s various worlds and ancient civilizations poured in daily.
As an eternal great world, the Kunlun Realm held countless opportunities, drawing immense interest from both the Inferno and Celestial Courts, mobilizing their forces.
Zhang Ruochen, now at the peak of his fame, caused a massive stir upon arriving at Merit Star, becoming the focus of countless cultivators.
The events in the Yin-Yang Sea were too significant, involving too many participants to be concealed. Soon, they would spread across the myriad realms.
“What’s everyone staring at Zhang Ruochen for? Did he do something incredible again?” a puzzled cultivator asked.
“Your news is outdated. Not long ago, a series of major events unfolded in the Kunlun Realm’s Yin-Yang Sea, all tied to Zhang Ruochen,” another explained.
“The Inferno Realm sent a formidable army of Saint Kings, led by the Child of Darkness, the Nether Temple’s Seven Ultimate Killers, and the Bone Clan’s Three Emperors and Twelve Venerables, to seize the Key to the World Gate, vital to the Kunlun Realm’s World Spirit. Somehow, Thousand-Star Civilization, Beidou Civilization, Giant Spirit Civilization, Radiant Civilization, and Heavenly Dragon Realm got wind of it and sent their own powerhouses.”
“But in the end, the Inferno Realm lost thousands of Saint Kings, including the Child of Darkness and seven Bone Clan Venerables. Radiant Civilization’s Heavenly Son was killed, and the Golden Sun Twin Kings, along with over a thousand Radiant Saint Kings, were suppressed.”
Those unaware gasped in disbelief.
“The Child of Darkness, groomed by the Dark Temple with the alien dark power from the Abyss of Darkness, had top-tier strength below the Great Saint realm. Zhang Ruochen is strong, but how could he kill him?”
“The Golden Sun Twin Kings together could rival top-tier powerhouses below Great Saint. Who could suppress them? If Zhang Ruochen is that powerful, how was the Blood God Sect overrun before?”
Some shook their heads, refusing to believe it.
Advancing from the second to the first tier below Great Saint was no small feat. Zhang Ruochen had the potential, but it should’ve taken time.
Across the Celestial and Inferno Realms, top-tier powerhouses below Great Saint typically cultivated for centuries, not overnight.
“Don’t doubt it. The Child of Darkness did fall to Zhang Ruochen. He even broke the rules, taking a king-grade sacred pill to reach the Immortal Great Saint realm, only to be devoured by a monster Zhang Ruochen tamed—a complete defeat.”
“Radiant Civilization fell hard too. Their Heavenly Son was killed, and the Golden Sun Twin Kings sought revenge but were no match for Zhang Ruochen, suppressed effortlessly.”
“Zhang Ruochen has truly risen, unstoppable. He’s the Kunlun Realm’s war god, making the Inferno Realm suffer repeated losses since his return.”
Cultivators buzzed with discussion, some gazing at Zhang Ruochen with awe.
Strength commanded respect—an eternal rule.
Ignoring the chatter, Zhang Ruochen strode toward the Merit Exchange Hall, as if detached from the commotion.
Where he passed, cultivators parted, even those from the Celestial Court’s factions不敢挑衅.
“Let’s follow and see how many merit points he’ll exchange,” someone said.
A crowd trailed him into the hall.
Inside, Zhang Ruochen’s gaze fell on the Saint King Merit List to check recent changes.
The list had grown, but the top ten thousand rankings remained stable.
Last time, his merit points totaled 6.6 billion, ranking 3,342. Now, he’d only dropped twenty-some places.
He produced a spatial jade bottle, pouring out the collected sacred souls of Inferno Realm powerhouses.
As the souls emerged, his merit points surged.
When all were poured out, his points jumped from 6.6 billion to 11.4 billion, his rank soaring to 786, within the top thousand.
Though he’d only slain thousands of Inferno Realm cultivators, they were all Saint Kings, yielding an astonishing amount of merit points.
Entering the top thousand meant he could exchange for a superior Radiant Merit Armor.
With his current mastery of the Way of Space, he might not need it, but there was no reason to refuse.
He presented his thousand-times-sonic-speed Radiant Merit Armor for the Merit Temple to reclaim, then underwent a merit qi baptism.
For those in the top thousand, the baptism was highly effective. Even as a top-tier powerhouse below Great Saint, Zhang Ruochen benefited, his body and sacred soul’s minor flaws erased, becoming more resilient.
“What powerful immortal holy light! Zhang Ruochen’s using the merit qi baptism to immortalize his arms,” a cultivator exclaimed.
Under the hall’s watchful eyes, his arms glowed with radiant immortal light, a dragon and elephant emerging, exuding immense pressure.
Another cultivator gaped. “When Zhang Ruochen fought the Child of Darkness, his body wasn’t immortalized at all…”
If his strength reached the first tier below Great Saint without immortalization, how strong would he be with most of his body immortalized?
The baptism ended quickly. A silver-gleaming armor appeared, fitting Zhang Ruochen perfectly, as if tailored for him.
“A two-thousand-times-sonic-speed Radiant Merit Armor. Not bad, it might come in handy,” he thought.
After a brief inspection, he stored it.
The Fire God Armor offered greater combat and defensive boosts.
He examined his arms, now initially immortalized, sensing their enhanced power for palm or fist techniques.
Further refining the five elemental divine objects would elevate their strength.
Without lingering, he headed to the merit treasure exchange.
Having acquired top-tier five elemental divine objects, he could spend all 7.5 billion merit points on other treasures.
After careful selection, he exchanged for hundreds of rare treasures, ideal for nurturing powerhouses.
As he prepared to leave, a strange sensation of being targeted made him wary. Following it, he looked out.
“Great Saint,” he muttered, his eyes stung by dazzling holy light.
Though the figure was dozens of li away, their light and heat seemed to melt his body.
No ordinary Saint, Zhang Ruochen quickly countered the holy radiance. At his vision’s end stood a tall middle-aged man in golden armor, wielding a halberd, exuding a war god’s aura.
Merit Central Station was for Saints and Saint Kings; Great Saints rarely appeared, except as Celestial Palace-appointed patrolling angels.
“Such strong hostility. This one’s trouble,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
He’d dealt with patrolling angels’ avatars before, but this was his first encounter with one’s true body. Fear was inevitable.
A true Great Saint, an emperor among Saints, stood before him.
The man, with golden hair imbued with countless rules, seemed capable of slashing stars. He approached, stopping before Zhang Ruochen, his voice booming with authority. “Zhang Ruochen, how dare you defy the Celestial Palace’s rules, killing and suppressing allies? What’s your crime?”
The area was packed with cultivators, surrounding the exchange.
A familiar holy figure nearby sneered, “Radiant Heavenly Son went to the Yin-Yang Sea to thwart the Inferno Realm’s plot, a noble act. Yet Zhang Ruochen, for his treasure, killed him ruthlessly. If unpunished, it’ll chill our allies’ hearts.”
Another voice echoed, “Zhang Ruochen repeatedly breaks Celestial rules, trampling the Palace’s dignity. He must be apprehended.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes flashed coldly. These instigators were likely from Celestial factions he’d crossed.
The patrolling angel’s swift arrival at Merit Star to confront him was probably due to their tips.
As expected, this angel was from Radiant Civilization. The Heavenly Son’s death was a massive blow.
“Release Radiant Civilization’s cultivators and surrender, or I’ll act,” the man commanded, exuding authority.
Radiant Civilization had struggled to deal with Zhang Ruochen. His arrival at Merit Star, free from the Kunlun Realm’s constraints, was their chance.
Though facing a Great Saint, Zhang Ruochen wasn’t easily cowed. “Is this Radiant Civilization’s stance? Right and wrong aren’t yours to decide.”
A patrolling angel? He wouldn’t be intimidated.
“No matter your excuses, you can’t change the fact of killing the Radiant Heavenly Son, breaking the no-infighting rule, and suppressing thousands of Radiant cultivators, compounding your crimes,” said a figure stepping from the crowd.
Wearing tricolored armor and a jade crown, with deep eyes and an extraordinary aura, it was Xing Yuan, Shang Ziyang’s senior brother, a third-tier powerhouse below Great Saint, trained by the Merit Temple.
Xing Yuan glanced coldly at Zhang Ruochen, bowing to the man. “Great Saint Jin Hui, with your status, there’s no need to waste words. Apprehend him.”
“Brother Xing is right. Zhang Ruochen’s crimes are unforgivable. Even if you kill him, no one would object,” added Chen Hu, the previous Scarlet Angel of the Blood War Temple, nearly as strong as Xing Yuan.
Both temples despised Zhang Ruochen. This was their chance to strike.
Xing Yuan and Chen Hu harbored malice, hoping Jin Hui would kill him.
With the Moon God backing Zhang Ruochen, even taking him to the Celestial Palace might not yield punishment.
“Courting death?” Zhang Ruochen’s eyes blazed with killing intent.
When Shang Ziyang attacked Saint Ming City, these two contributed heavily, causing countless deaths.
If not for a patrolling angel’s intervention, Zhang Ruochen wouldn’t have let them leave Peacock Manor.
Now, they dared appear and incite Jin Hui against him—utterly despicable.
Xing Yuan, alarmed, said, “Zhang Ruochen’s gone mad, bloodthirsty. If unchecked, more allies will suffer. Great Saint Jin Hui, act.”
“Zhang Ruochen, you’re too brazen. Dare to kill before me? Think no one can handle you?” Jin Hui said.
Zhang Ruochen’s expression turned icy. “If I wanted them dead, no one could stop me. Don’t flaunt your Great Saint status. Want me to release the Golden Sun Twin Kings? Change your tone.”
Jin Hui’s face darkened. No Saint King had ever spoken to him like this.
He knew Zhang Ruochen was at the peak below Great Saint, but he had no right to act arrogantly before him.
Without entering the Great Saint realm, one couldn’t grasp the true essence of the sacred path.
The three tiers below Great Saint—matching, defeating, and killing early Immortal Great Saints—referred to the weakest Great Saints, with only thirty million rules in the Saint King realm, weak immortal bodies, and exhausted potential.
Jin Hui, though not top-tier, had cultivated over forty million rules as a Saint King. After nearly a millennium as a Great Saint, he’d reached the mid-Immortal stage, nearing late-stage, far surpassing new Immortal Great Saints.
Confident in his strength, he believed even Yan Wushen couldn’t match him below Great Saint.
“Zhang Ruochen, since you’re so insolent, don’t blame me for bullying the weak,” Jin Hui said, his eyes sharp, exuding vast Great Saint pressure.
