The narrow Boat of Truth withstood the violent waves, advancing slowly. After an entire day, it finally carried Zhang Ruochen to the checkpoint of the tenth sea domain.
This was the final hurdle. Passing it would allow him to ascend the Mountain of Truth, becoming a legend unmatched in history.
The light curtain erupted with dazzling golden holy light, swiftly weaving into a golden-armoured Saint General, a hundred zhang tall, as if forged from divine metal. Its holy might surpassed that of an ordinary Great Saint.
Standing on the Boat of Truth, Zhang Ruochen looked up at the Saint General. Even with his strength, he felt immense pressure. This gatekeeper’s power far exceeded that of the ninth sea domain’s by more than a slight margin.
The golden-armoured Saint General radiated authority, its cold gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen. “I am your final opponent. Defeat me, and you can ascend the Mountain of Truth.”
As it spoke, countless Truth Rules surged from the surrounding sea domain, gathering behind the Saint General to form a vast starry sky, shimmering with golden light, breathtakingly magnificent.
“As expected, the Truth Form of this gatekeeper is a tier higher, with even stronger suppression of external forces,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
In his view, even cultivators with Truth Forms, if not at the “Star Sea Boundless” level, would be mercilessly crushed here, no matter their strength.
This made sense. If the challenge weren’t so formidable, how could only thirteen Great Saints have crossed the tenth sea domain since the Celestial Court’s founding?
As Zhang Ruochen pondered, the gatekeeper acted. Its golden hand expanded infinitely, descending from the sky, enveloping him completely.
Before the hand even struck, the seawater boiled, and terrifying undercurrents surged, relentlessly battering the Boat of Truth.
Zhang Ruochen dared not be careless, releasing his spiritual power fully to carefully control the Boat of Truth, stabilizing it.
Simultaneously, he mobilized millions of powerful rules within him, striking upward with a lightning-fast fist.
“Rumble.”
Golden waves churned, dozens of water pillars encasing a massive fist mark, soaring to meet the gatekeeper’s hand.
This fist mark held unbreakable force, transforming from utmost softness to utmost hardness, as if it could shatter the heavens.
“Crack.”
The fist mark collided with the golden hand, the two immense forces clashing like stars colliding.
The impact sent waves thousands of zhang high across the sea, shaking the entire domain.
However, suppressed by special rules, these violent forces quickly dissipated.
“A full tenfold attack power. Even ordinary holy techniques can unleash might comparable to ancient paths. With the Truth Form, even ancient paths are suppressed. No wonder no Saint King has crossed the tenth sea domain in so long,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
To defeat the gatekeeper of the tenth sea domain, a Saint King needed every aspect at its peak: a Truth Form of “Star Sea Boundless” or even “Cosmos Infinite,” powerful attack methods, and preferably mastery of other ancient paths.
“Boom.”
The golden sea exploded, countless heaven-and-earth rules forming ferocious beasts that lunged at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed, immediately releasing his Spatial True Domain to counter the gatekeeper’s Truth Form.
Then, his sword soul emerged, wielding a holy sword formed from Sword Path rules, meeting the charging beasts.
Through the merit-washing of his sword marrow, Zhang Ruochen had elevated his sword soul to the Earth Sword Soul level. As his Sword Path advanced, the sword soul grew stronger.
After reaching perfection in the Sword Path, the sword soul underwent a qualitative transformation, its attack power terrifying.
“Even the ‘Star Sea Boundless’ Truth Form can’t suppress Zhang Ruochen. Could he have condensed a One Origin Spatial True Domain?” Archangel Michael’s heart sank.
To counter a gatekeeper’s Truth Form in the Sea of Truth with another ancient path, the tier had to be higher.
Yet, Michael found it hard to believe Zhang Ruochen could condense the legendary One Origin Spatial True Domain.
Even in the Space Temple, such a domain was rarely achieved in an eon.
But the evidence was undeniable, forcing Michael to believe.
Without a One Origin Spatial True Domain, Zhang Ruochen would likely have been defeated by the gatekeeper, not standing so composed.
Indeed, Zhang Ruochen had condensed a One Origin Spatial True Domain. Without it, how could he have the confidence to challenge the tenth sea domain?
One Origin referred to chaos, and Zhang Ruochen’s ability to condense this domain was tied to his Five Elements Chaos Body.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t yet condensed a Time River, or the crossing would have been easier.
At a certain level, the Path of Time could condense a true Time River, aligning with the mystical Time River, enabling better use of time’s power.
With sufficient mastery, one could enter the true Time River through their own, traversing time and space.
Saint Monk Xumi had reached such a realm, visiting future points in time, becoming the legendary Future Buddha.
Using the Spatial True Domain to resist the Truth Form’s suppression, Zhang Ruochen fought with full force, employing his Sword Path, Path of Space, and Path of Time to their fullest.
In moments, he had clashed with the gatekeeper for over a thousand rounds. Though not at a disadvantage, he gained no upper hand, and the battle stalemated.
At one point, vast amounts of Five Elements Chaos Qi surged from Zhang Ruochen, forming a half-real, half-illusory chaos world behind him.
On a whim, he infused all his Truth Mysteries and Truth Rules into this chaos world.
This caused the chaos world to undergo a wondrous transformation, becoming more ethereal and mysterious, as if evolving into a boundless universe.
“This method seems viable. Perhaps I can use the phenomenon of my Five Elements Chaos Body to create my own Truth Form,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
However, he knew that while the idea was promising, realizing it would be difficult, requiring much time to explore its mysteries.
For now, it was a preliminary attempt, but the phenomenon of his Five Elements Chaos Body already bore some traits of a Truth Form.
Zhang Ruochen could clearly feel the gatekeeper’s Truth Form’s suppression weakening significantly.
In this state, his Spatial True Domain began to gain the upper hand.
“I can’t maintain this state for long, and it may not go so smoothly next time. I must end this quickly,” Zhang Ruochen’s eyes flashed with sharp resolve.
His left hand gathered time’s power, his right hand space’s power. As his hands met, the two forces collided violently.
Under his precise control, time and space merged in a wondrous way.
A silver streak pierced the sky, breaking through the gatekeeper’s powerful holy technique, striking its golden body.
“Boom.”
The gatekeeper’s body was immensely resilient, withstanding the attack.
Zhang Ruochen was shaken by the recoil, spitting blood, yet his fighting spirit soared. He roared, “Strike again.”
“Boom.”
Another silver streak struck.
“Again.”
…
“Strike.”
With each blow, Zhang Ruochen was forced to spit blood by the gatekeeper’s recoil. But the gatekeeper fared no better, fully suppressed, its body cracking.
On the seventy-first strike, Zhang Ruochen’s power was nearly depleted, his chaos world tattered. Finally, he tore the gatekeeper’s body in two.
“Crack.”
His chaos world collapsed and shattered.
Forcing the Path of Truth to merge with his Five Elements Chaos Body phenomenon, Zhang Ruochen couldn’t control it, suffering backlash. Cracks covered his body, like porcelain about to break.
Unfazed, Zhang Ruochen smiled. He had succeeded, defeating the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper’s massive body dissolved, turning back into golden holy light, merging into the light curtain.
A gentle force entered Zhang Ruochen’s body, flowing into his 144 acupoints, circulating through his meridians and holy veins.
“Since the Celestial Court’s founding, the first Saint King to cross ten sea domains, with exceptional talent, is rewarded with one ten-thousandth of the Mysteries of Truth,” a faint, ethereal voice echoed in his mind.
Zhang Ruochen was slightly surprised. He had thought crossing the Sea of Truth would yield no more Mysteries of Truth, yet now he received one ten-thousandth.
Previously, crossing the first six sea domains had only earned him one ten-thousandth in total.
Now, Zhang Ruochen possessed forty-nine ten-thousandths of the Mysteries of Truth. Doubling that would make him a Truth Emissary.
However, obtaining more Mysteries of Truth would be difficult, perhaps requiring him to seize them from others.
For now, he set the thought aside. The additional one ten-thousandth was exactly what he needed, greatly aiding his comprehension of the Holy Path and condensation of a Truth Form.
Glancing at the golden light curtain, Zhang Ruochen didn’t hesitate, steering the Boat of Truth through.
At this moment, the cultivators on the shore of the Sea of Truth were dumbfounded.
“Zhang Ruochen crossed the tenth sea domain. We’ve witnessed a legend.”
“Without a Truth Form, he crossed ten sea domains. How strong is he?”
“According to the Temple of Truth’s ancient divine oracle, a Saint King crossing the tenth sea domain earns a reward envied by gods. What could it be?”
…
No one could remain calm, hardly believing their eyes.
“He’s a monster, condensing a One Origin Spatial True Domain. I’m thoroughly convinced,” Qie Huairou said, shaking her head.
Few earned her admiration, but Zhang Ruochen was now among them.
Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden smiled. “Yan Wushen is called the Hell Realm’s greatest genius of this eon, invincible in his realm. If Zhang Ruochen can defeat him, who in this eon is more outstanding? If he can’t do it, who can? Besides…”
She wanted to say that with his vast Mysteries of Truth, crossing the Sea of Truth was easier. But that couldn’t be said aloud.
“How could he succeed?” Archangel Michael’s heart sank to its lowest.
Compared to Zhang Ruochen, what were his achievements?
Dongfang Qingyu’s expression grew complex, unable to speak. Nie Xiangzi had predicted everything.
Even Nie Xiangzi was unsettled. Thinking Zhang Ruochen could succeed and seeing it were entirely different.
The so-called ten divine disciples were the Temple of Truth’s prodigies groomed to challenge the tenth sea domain in each era.
Yet, they failed, while a non-divine disciple succeeded, a mockery and spur to them.
“The heir of Saint Monk Xumi, acknowledged by the Divine Tree of Heaven, cannot be judged by normal standards. Zhang Ruochen, has your path as a powerhouse begun today?” Fairy Hundred Flowers said.
Before, Zhang Ruochen could be called a genius or prodigy.
But from today, that no longer sufficed.
Having crossed the tenth sea domain, he could be called a powerhouse.
Xiang Chunan laughed loudly. “Big Brother is mighty, truly my big brother. Who can compare?”
“If Big Brother joined the Temple of Truth, many gods would vie to take him as a disciple,” Feng Yan said with a smile.
“Boom.”
From the Temple of Truth, several divine lights shot out, forming hazy divine figures standing in the sky, gazing toward the Mountain of Truth.
One figure stood on seven-coloured divine clouds, surrounded by radiant light, exuding cold, vast divine might. It was none other than Empress Chi Yao.
She hadn’t cultivated the Path of Truth before. With no divine war between the Celestial Court and Hell Realm, she took the chance to visit the Temple of Truth.
The Temple imposed few restrictions on gods. Any god from the Celestial Court’s worlds could come to meditate.
With a god’s comprehension, mastering the Path of Truth was far easier than for Saint Realm cultivators.
“Crossing the tenth sea domain is no small feat. But obtaining the Temple’s reward isn’t so simple,” Empress Chi Yao murmured.
As a god, she knew things most Saint Realm cultivators didn’t.
“Swish.”
A towering divine figure appeared a hundred zhang from Empress Chi Yao, its body like an ancient demonic mountain, with bull horns and thick, ink-like demonic aura that could crush worlds.
The demon god said, “Empress Chi Yao, feeling regret? Such a peerless talent, yet you drove him from Kunlun Realm to become Moon God’s emissary. I’ve heard rumours that your relationship with him is quite special, even that you bore…”
Empress Chi Yao’s gaze turned icy, exuding strands of killing intent. “Black Heart Demon Lord, are you trying to provoke me to kill you?”
Black Heart Demon Lord had betrayed Kunlun Realm, becoming a lackey of the Heaven Realm. Even the felling of the Divine Tree of Heaven was faintly tied to him, making him more hateful than the Heaven Realm’s gods.
Given the chance, Empress Chi Yao would do everything to slay him.
Unfazed by her threat, Black Heart Demon Lord sneered, “Kill me? You can’t. Kunlun Realm teeters on the brink. How long can you remain arrogant?”
“Zhang Ruochen’s a clever lad, leaving Kunlun Realm early to join Broad Cold Realm under Moon God’s protection, avoiding the slow death of other Kunlun cultivators. A wise bird chooses its tree, and I rather admire him.”
“Admire? Seems the Black Demon Realm hasn’t suffered enough at Zhang Ruochen’s hands. Want the Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription? You’re delusional,” Empress Chi Yao said coldly.
Though Black Heart Demon Lord survived one eon tribulation, he hadn’t mastered Mysteries. Obtaining the Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription could change that, allowing him to survive two or three eon tribulations, growing stronger and harder to deal with.
Black Heart Demon Lord snorted heavily, saying no more, his gaze shifting to the Mountain of Truth, a terrifying killing intent flashing in his eyes.
At Moon God Mountain, Zhang Ruochen had shamed him and repeatedly thwarted the Black Demon Realm’s plans. He was utterly detestable.
Given the chance, Black Heart Demon Lord wouldn’t mind lowering himself to personally eliminate Zhang Ruochen.
As for admiration…
Unless Zhang Ruochen joined him, that was another matter.
…
