In the Vast Sea Villa, the Saint realm disciples of the Xue Jue Family were filled with excitement, their eyes gleaming. For a powerhouse from their Xue Jue Family to serve as the leader of the Blood Heaven Tribe was an immense honour.
Even if that person was Zhang Ruochen.
To the ordinary Saint realm disciples of the Xue Jue Family, it mattered little whether Zhang Ruochen had once been a cultivator of the Heavenly Realm. They only cared that he was the divine son of the Xue Jue Family, one of their own.
First, two new gods had emerged. Then, the Blood War God was appointed as the Grand Clan Leader of the Blood Heaven Tribe. Now, Zhang Ruochen had defeated Great Saint Yi Xuan and was poised to become the leader for the Huntian Feast.
The Xue Jue Family was experiencing a string of joyous events, its prestige soaring.
Having long been dormant, the Xue Jue Family was finally on the path to renewed glory.
It took a long while for the aftershocks of Zhang Ruochen and Great Saint Yi Xuan’s battle to fully dissipate, thanks to the protection of divine runes. Though their fight was intense, it caused no damage to the Xue Jue Family’s grounds.
The surging energy within Great Saint Yi Xuan’s body quickly calmed. Though defeated, he was unharmed, having lost by only half a move.
“Zhang Ruochen, your strength truly exceeded my expectations. As per our agreement, I won’t contest the leadership position,” Great Saint Yi Xuan said, showing no anger or shame in his defeat.
He only felt a tinge of regret, bound by the agreement, unable to truly settle the score with Zhang Ruochen.
As one of the “Three Wonders of Blood Heaven,” Great Saint Yi Xuan possessed many extraordinary techniques and endless trump cards. His strength was far from fully revealed.
Unfortunately, having made the promise in front of so many witnesses, he couldn’t go back on his word.
Zhang Ruochen remained calm, saying, “I appreciate your concession.”
Truthfully, had he not cultivated the thirteenth palm of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm to a minor level of mastery, withstanding Great Saint Yi Xuan’s Universe-Freezing Palm would have been no easy feat.
The two saint techniques were perfectly counters to each other, with Zhang Ruochen gaining the upper hand due to his overwhelming masculine energy.
This was something Great Saint Yi Xuan hadn’t anticipated. Against others, even Hundred-Shackle realm Great Saints, few could wield such immense masculine energy.
Great Saint Yi Xuan returned to the Floating Island, a smile still on his face, appearing remarkably carefree.
All the cultivators present turned their gazes toward Zhang Ruochen.
With Great Saint Yi Xuan withdrawing from the contest, Zhang Ruochen was undoubtedly set to become the Blood Heaven Tribe’s leader without question.
Next, it was time to select the participants for the Huntian Feast. Weaker Great Saints and Saint Kings couldn’t help but feel nervous.
The Huntian Feast offered immense benefits, and everyone wanted to attend, but many were destined to miss out.
Only the nearly twenty elites chosen by the Xue Jue Family felt elated, their pressure significantly eased.
Just as some cultivators were about to congratulate Zhang Ruochen, Yuhuang, who had been the most indifferent to the leadership contest, suddenly stood.
At that moment, Yuhuang’s aura shifted dramatically. No longer ethereal and aloof, she exuded an icy coldness, an invisible chill spreading outward.
Sensing this chill, weaker cultivators shivered, feeling as if they’d fallen into an icy abyss.
“Zhang Ruochen, just because Yi Xuan isn’t competing doesn’t mean you can become the Blood Heaven Tribe’s leader. At the very least, you’ll have to get past me,” Yuhuang said in a cold voice.
Gu Chenzi also stood, saying impassively, “Beating Yi Xuan by a margin doesn’t mean you can defeat me. Suddenly, I feel like vying for the leadership again.”
Their words left many cultivators stunned, struggling to make sense of the situation.
Yuhuang had initially declared her lack of interest in the leadership, and Gu Chenzi had voluntarily stepped back, yielding the position to Great Saint Yi Xuan.
Now, both had changed their stance, intent on preventing Zhang Ruochen from becoming the Blood Heaven Tribe’s leader, catching many off guard.
Great Saint Yi Xuan’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he sipped his wine alone, seemingly having anticipated this and eager to watch the drama unfold.
None of the cultivators present were fools. They understood that anyone could be the leader, except Zhang Ruochen.
Yuhuang and Gu Chenzi’s opposition to him was blatant.
The reason was simple: Zhang Ruochen was an outsider, not a pure undead blood clan member, and had deep grudges with the undead blood clan from the Merit Battlefield.
There might also be deeper reasons.
For a being from the Heavenly Realm to establish a foothold in the Infernal Realm without being ostracised was no easy task.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze swept over Yuhuang and Gu Chenzi, showing no trace of fear. He said calmly, “I had no interest in the leadership position initially. But since I’ve entered the contest, I’m determined to claim it. If you two have objections, there’s no need for complications. Let’s settle it with combat to decide the leader. How about that?”
Gu Chenzi gave a soft scoff. “You’ve got some guts. Let me test what other skills you have.”
“Gu Chenzi, you and Yi Xuan are evenly matched. Defeating him won’t be easy. Why not let me handle this?” Yuhuang said.
Gu Chenzi replied, “That’s not certain. Whether it was my fight with Yi Xuan or Zhang Ruochen’s with him, both were merely probing exchanges, not using our true techniques. Do you think a Hundred-Shackle realm Great Saint would lose to someone who just entered the Immortal realm?”
…
Zhang Ruochen shook his head lightly. “No need to argue. Why don’t you both come at me together?”
His words silenced the Vast Sea Villa, the atmosphere so still you could hear a pin drop.
The cultivators stared at Zhang Ruochen as if he were a monster.
Challenging Yuhuang and Gu Chenzi simultaneously was utterly audacious.
Such words were outright provocation, likely to enrage Yuhuang and Gu Chenzi, inviting trouble.
Even within the Blood Heaven Tribe, let alone the entire undead blood clan, few among their peers would dare claim to challenge both Yuhuang and Gu Chenzi at once.
“Zhang Ruochen is too arrogant, daring to challenge Yuhuang and Gu Chenzi together. Does he think he’s invincible?”
“If Great Saint Yi Xuan had gone all out, Zhang Ruochen wouldn’t have had a chance to be so brazen.”
“Provoking the ‘Three Wonders of Blood Heaven’ is utterly foolish.”
“Just wait, Zhang Ruochen will soon pay for his arrogance.”
…
Zhang Ruochen remained calm, showing no trace of hubris.
His proposal for Yuhuang and Gu Chenzi to face him together was calculated. His unique identity meant that in the Infernal Realm, everything he did would face scrutiny, rejection, and isolation.
To change this, he had to display overwhelming strength.
Ultimately, strength was the foundation for standing firm.
Since arriving in the Infernal Realm, Zhang Ruochen had many plans and tasks to accomplish, so he needed to establish himself first.
A single battle to cement his authority.
Henceforth, no one in the Infernal Realm would dare underestimate him. They would respect him as they did Yan Wushen.
Competing for the Blood Heaven Tribe’s leadership was not only the Blood Empress’s wish but also Zhang Ruochen’s own desire. He didn’t want to remain under her protection or let her be isolated because of him.
By becoming the Blood Heaven Tribe’s leader through sheer strength and defeating the powerhouses of other tribes at the Huntian Feast, who would dare say anything against him?
By then, whatever he wished to do would be far easier.
Zhang Ruochen’s initial purpose in entering the Infernal Realm was to rescue Chi Kongle and Chi Kunlun.
Now, he had broader ambitions.
He realised that Heavenly Realm cultivators’ understanding of the Infernal Realm was too narrow. Few knew what the Infernal Realm was truly like, including himself.
Only after entering the Infernal Realm did Zhang Ruochen discover it differed vastly from his imagination. It, too, had an ancient and splendid civilisation, with its share of human warmth and coldness.
Thus, Zhang Ruochen wished to explore the Infernal Realm thoroughly to unravel his questions.
“You defeated Yan Wushen, so you must have extraordinary qualities. No need for a joint challenge. Let me test you, the so-called genius of an eon.”
Yuhuang stepped off the Floating Island, shrinking the distance in a single step to stand before Zhang Ruochen.
Gu Chenzi remained on the Floating Island, not joining her. With his pride, he wouldn’t team up with Yuhuang against Zhang Ruochen.
Yuhuang’s eyes were cold, radiating a chilling killing intent.
It felt as though she wasn’t here to spar but to kill Zhang Ruochen.
“Cousin Ruochen, be careful. Yuhuang deeply despises Heavenly Realm cultivators. If she gets the chance, she won’t show mercy,” Xue Ningxiao’s voice sounded in Zhang Ruochen’s ear.
“Is that so?” Zhang Ruochen responded.
“Yuhuang is a pitiful figure. When she was young, her parents perished in the Merit Battlefield. Later, her only brother died saving her, killed by Heavenly Realm cultivators. Yuhuang’s relentless cultivation is driven by a desire for vengeance,” Xue Ningxiao explained.
She continued, “Her family was once a major divine lineage in the Blood Heaven Tribe, immensely powerful. But after their god was slain by a Heavenly Realm god in the starry sky, her family gradually declined.”
“Yuhuang is filled with hatred, wishing to kill every Heavenly Realm cultivator to end the war.”
Zhang Ruochen’s heart stirred. Heavenly and Infernal Realm cultivators were mutually hostile, each seeking the other’s destruction. What was the root of this conflict?
Why did two different starry domains wage such a protracted war?
Why must it be a fight to the death?
What sparked it all?
Zhang Ruochen could fully understand Yuhuang’s perspective, as he had once felt the same, wanting to eradicate all Infernal Realm cultivators.
To Heavenly Realm cultivators, the Infernal Realm was utterly evil, bent on destruction, and they had to resist to survive.
Similarly, to Infernal Realm cultivators, the Heavenly Realm was a massive threat. Failing to act and allowing the Heavenly Realm to grow stronger could lead to their own destruction.
Over countless years, the animosity had grown nearly irreconcilable.
Once hatred took root, letting go became incredibly difficult.
Zhang Ruochen couldn’t help but think of the Ruined Realms attacked by the Kunlun Realm. To their beings, Kunlun Realm cultivators were likely as evil as those of the Infernal Realm.
Often, the lines between good and evil, right and wrong, were no longer clear.
“Since stepping onto the Merit Battlefield, I’ve killed countless Infernal Realm cultivators. Their loved ones must hate me to the core,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
Yet he hadn’t done anything wrong. Everything was to protect his homeland.
Zhang Ruochen never believed his actions inherently represented justice, but at the very least, he had a clear conscience.
“Please, enlighten me,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Yuhuang didn’t respond. Her body shook, revealing eight massive silver wings that frantically absorbed heaven and earth’s saintly energy.
As she flapped her wings, a fierce wind rose, enveloping Zhang Ruochen. Within the gusts were countless invisible wind blades, each razor-sharp, capable of cutting through anything.
Zhang Ruochen immediately employed spatial techniques, condensing a True Spatial Domain to block the wind blades.
However, the wind grew fiercer, gathering the wind path rules of heaven and earth, forming a terrifying storm that seemed poised to sweep the world.
*Crack.*
Large swathes of space shattered, dense black cracks spreading like a spider’s web.
Anyone could see Yuhuang was holding nothing back, attacking with full force, as if aiming to cripple or kill Zhang Ruochen in one strike.
Simultaneously, Yuhuang’s hands rapidly formed seals, releasing a cyan flame that merged into the storm.
As the saying goes, wind fuels fire.
The moment it combined with the storm, the cyan flame surged, forming a heaven-scorching blaze.
“Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Flame.”
Seeing the cyan flame, many cultivators showed fear.
The Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Flame was too infamous for anyone to disregard.
This flame wasn’t naturally occurring but forged through a secret method.
To create it, one had to venture to an extreme yin land, collecting various yin-evil forces and melding them together.
The process involved immense pain and great risk, with the slightest misstep potentially fatal.
Thus, though many knew the method to forge the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Flame, few dared attempt it, and even fewer succeeded.
“Yuhuang was so quiet these past hundred years because she was forging the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Flame. To reach such a level, how much effort did she pour into it?”
Many cultivators were deeply shaken.
They understood that Yuhuang’s relentless pursuit of strength was driven by a desire to revive her family and avenge her loved ones.
Sometimes, the power of hatred was terrifying, driving one to madness.
“Zhang Ruochen’s in trouble!”
Many cultivators shared this thought.
Yuhuang’s combination of wind and fire was nearly invincible. For Zhang Ruochen, victory seemed unlikely, and even escaping unscathed was questionable.
When the “Three Wonders of Blood Heaven” got serious, who could stand against them?
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen was fully engulfed by the fiery storm, as if trapped in a massive furnace, his body and soul under intense refinement.
The invisible wind blades were so sharp they cut through the True Spatial Domain, allowing the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Flame to seep in.
Unlike ordinary flames, the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Flame wasn’t scorching but chillingly cold, capable of freezing everything.
Most critically, it targeted the saint soul directly. Once it latched on, it clung like a parasite, nearly impossible to dispel.
Zhang Ruochen showed no panic. With a lift of his hand, Emperor-level Purifying Divine Fire surged from his body.
Originally pure white, his Purifying Divine Fire now carried a faint golden hue.
With his increased cultivation and fusion with heavenly rules during his tribulation, the Purifying Divine Fire had undergone a profound transformation, becoming fundamentally stronger.
Zhang Ruochen mobilised his wood and fire path rules, fully unleashing his Great Saint power to push the Purifying Divine Fire to its limit.
Fire against fire, Zhang Ruochen was eager to see whether Yuhuang’s Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Flame or his Purifying Divine Fire would prevail.
