After intense clashes, the starry sky outside the Merit Central Station was desolate. Nearly ten asteroids, each hundreds of li wide, had been reduced to ash.
Initially, Zhang Ruochen was at a disadvantage, but gradually, he matched Jin Hui Great Saint blow for blow, holding his own.
With the Spacetime Codex, his time and space techniques flowed effortlessly, their power amplified.
“How are Zhang Ruochen’s time and space techniques so troublesome? I can’t even get close,” Jin Hui thought, his gaze heavy with frustration.
His power far exceeded Zhang Ruochen’s, and his halberd techniques, fueled by saint intent, were unparalleled. Yet, they were countered, their effectiveness diminished.
Failing to suppress Zhang Ruochen made Jin Hui increasingly anxious.
How could he save face?
“Roar!”
Jin Hui let out a long howl, billions of sacred path rules erupting from him.
Upon reaching Great Saint, anyone’s sacred path rules doubled and solidified.
Even with a modest foundation, an Immortal Great Saint’s rule count rivaled top Saint Kings.
Jin Hui, with over 40 million rules as a Saint King, gained 90 million upon becoming a Great Saint. After nearly a millennium, he had 150 million—over three times Zhang Ruochen’s.
However, most were minor path rules, over 80%, with fewer than 30 million from major and supreme paths, far inferior in quality to Zhang Ruochen’s.
A radiant holy light burst from Jin Hui, exuding a sharp, domineering aura, merging into his halberd.
It was his eighth-grade halberd saint intent, unleashed for his strongest move.
As he swung the halberd, his rules and those within ten thousand li surged like tides.
Before the technique fully manifested, the starry sky rippled, overwhelming Zhang Ruochen’s spatial domain.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he formed seals at top speed. Vortex-shaped time and space saint aspects appeared on his sides.
The spinning vortices released immense time and space forces, channeling into the Spacetime Codex.
Countless time and space fragments poured out, colliding and merging into an unimaginable force, as if piercing all spacetime.
Fusing time and space into spacetime force was Zhang Ruochen’s ultimate technique. Though not fully mastered, he could wield it.
Spacetime force was risky; a misstep could trap him in its currents.
Fortunately, his prolonged use of time and space techniques against Jin Hui gave him confidence to wield it.
“Boom.”
Spacetime force struck first, ignoring spatial barriers, clashing with Jin Hui’s strongest halberd technique.
The starry sky shattered, spawning a fierce spatial storm. Even the elusive River of Time faintly appeared.
Jin Hui’s domineering halberd technique collapsed instantly.
Under spacetime force, the shattered sky couldn’t heal, twisting into a massive black hole, threatening to devour all.
“Pfft.”
Jin Hui, struck by time force, spat blood, gravely injured.
Worse, the black hole’s pull trapped him, resisting all escape.
In that chaotic spacetime, destructive forces invaded his Immortal sacred body, cracking its surface, blood gushing out.
If this continued, his body would shatter before the black hole claimed him.
“No…”
Fear filled Jin Hui’s eyes. He never imagined facing such peril from a Saint King.
Zhang Ruochen paled, the spacetime force too potent, beyond his control. Perfect mastery was elusive, even for Great Saints, risking exile to unknown realms.
Seeing Jin Hui near consumption, Zhang Ruochen frowned, summoning the Hidden Mountain Demonic Mirror, expanding it to hundreds of li, blocking the black hole.
The pull vanished, and Jin Hui, relieved, retreated swiftly.
The mirror’s demonic qi formed towering mountains, suppressing the black hole.
Zhang Ruochen used the Spacetime Codex to restore the distorted spacetime.
Soon, the black hole vanished, and the sky calmed.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t care about Jin Hui’s fate, but killing him publicly would have dire consequences, making peace with Radiant Civilization impossible.
Retracting the mirror and codex, he gazed at the wounded Jin Hui. “If Radiant Civilization wants the Golden Sun Twin Kings released, send someone with a better attitude. I’m returning to the merit battlefield to fight the Inferno Realm. I hope no one stabs me in the back, or I won’t show mercy.”
His voice, though calm, reached every ear in the station, a warning to all.
With that, he flashed back to the Merit Central Station.
Jin Hui’s face twisted, alternating between pale and flushed. He never expected defeat by Zhang Ruochen.
A mid-Immortal Great Saint losing to a Saint King would become a laughingstock, soon spreading across both realms.
Zhang Ruochen’s fame would soar, surpassing his True Dragon Island victory.
“How? Zhang Ruochen defeated Jin Hui Great Saint?” the station’s cultivators gasped, stunned.
The outcome felt dreamlike, unreal.
A mid-Immortal Great Saint with saint intent and a king-grade weapon, defeated by a Saint King?
Chen Hu’s face paled. “How? Is a spacetime heir truly invincible?”
Xing Yuan’s expression darkened. With such strength, could even Archangel Michael suppress him?
“Boom.”
Zhang Ruochen landed like a deity.
Everyone in the station stepped back, most eyes filled with awe.
Xing Yuan and Chen Hu panicked, wishing to vanish, having incited Jin Hui against him.
Yet, Zhang Ruochen ignored them, deeming them beneath notice.
This relieved and infuriated them—such disdain for their status and strength.
Ji Kongyuan approached, grave. “Divine Envoy, defeating Jin Hui won’t make Radiant Civilization relent. Ensure the Golden Sun Twin Kings’ safety.”
“Why?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Ji Kongyuan explained, “Radiant Civilization once had twin gods mastering profound mysteries, living multiple eras. They buried themselves in a hidden place, leaving only their Golden Crow Ancient Cauldron.”
“Their treasures are coveted, but only their bloodline descendants with the cauldron can open their burial ground.”
“Their lineage nearly vanished, until the Golden Sun Twin Kings emerged with potent bloodlines, recognized by the cauldron, making them vital to Radiant Civilization.”
Zhang Ruochen understood. Killing the Twin Kings and keeping the cauldron would enrage Radiant Civilization.
“This battle may push Radiant Civilization to negotiate with the Moon God, sparing you trouble,” Ji Kongyuan added.
Zhang Ruochen nodded. He disliked burdening the Moon God, but her involvement would simplify matters.
However, killing a civilization’s Heavenly Son publicly wasn’t easily resolved.
After a brief chat with Ji Kongyuan, Zhang Ruochen left via the spatial teleportation array, returning to the Kunlun Realm.
Jin Hui stood in the starry sky, watching him leave, powerless to stop him.
His injuries were severe; without his near-millennium Great Saint cultivation, his Immortal body might have shattered.
—
Kunlun Realm, Eastern Domain, Heavenly Demon Ridge.
Zhang Ruochen returned to his homeland.
Thanks to the Luoshui River, the ridge buzzed with opportunity seekers.
Without pause, he sped to Cloud Martial County’s King Mountain.
“Who dares trespass? Eat my fist!” a gruff voice roared.
A fat, pig-like rabbit emerged, standing upright, swinging its forelegs like fists.
Zhang Ruochen, calm, flicked a palm.
Rules and qi formed a hundred-zhang hand, striking with immense force.
“Bang.”
The rabbit, defenseless, was slapped into a stone mountain, embedded deeply.
Zhang Ruochen’s control was precise, sparing the mountain; otherwise, even an asteroid would’ve shattered.
“Cough, Dust Lord, just a joke. Did you have to hit so hard?” the rabbit whined, extricating itself.
It was the gluttonous Devouring Sky Rabbit, notorious for stealing sacred medicines, including a leaf from the Seven-Star Divine Lingzhi.
The thought made Zhang Ruochen fume. That divine herb, priceless, had restored half the Moon God’s power with one leaf.
“Disrespecting His Highness deserves it,” Demon Ape said, bowing. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded. Both had reached the Rule Small Heaven realm, their physiques strong enough to rival Rule Great Heaven or even Path’s Domain experts, thanks to the divine herb.
“What happened while I was away?” he asked.
“Dust Lord, soon after you left, people targeted this place. Good thing I was here, or King Mountain would’ve been in trouble,” the rabbit boasted.
Demon Ape rolled its eyes. “Your Highness, ignore its nonsense. Some did eye King Mountain, but Fairy Luo of the Luoshui River eliminated them, deterring others.”
Zhang Ruochen’s heart stirred. The fairy was surely Luo Ji, Fairy Tianchu.
Since parting at Peacock Manor, he hadn’t seen her. Returning to Heavenly Demon Ridge, he should visit her at Luoshui.
With Luoshui’s divine inheritance and the Nine-Star Heavenly River, she likely remained there.
“Your Highness, Master awaits,” Demon Ape said.
Its master was Xiao Hei.
Thanks to Xiao Hei’s tutelage in *Great Demonic Ten Heavens*, Demon Ape had risen.
Zhang Ruochen nodded. “Lead the way.”
The Rabbit and Ape guided him.
Per his orders, Xiao Hei had hidden the Key to the World Gate at King Mountain.
Among the awakened sacred lands he’d visited, none matched King Mountain’s mystery and divine aura—perfect for concealing the key.
Sometimes, he wondered if it was an awakening divine land.
