The Hell Realm cultivators surrounding the Life-and-Death Platform were utterly stunned, their eyes nearly popping out in disbelief, as if they were hallucinating.
The War Emperor of the Moro Family, the leader of the Di Entropy Divine Kingdom, was pinned to the ground by an Immortal Realm human Great Saint, knocked unconscious with a gourd.
“It can’t be real. How could Moro War Emperor lose?”
“Who is he? Even Yan Wushen, at the Immortal Realm, would find it nearly impossible to defeat Moro War Emperor.”
A woman in colorful robes, wearing a golden silk mask, approached the platform, flanked by two groups of Saint Realm guards. She smiled, “What Yan Wushen couldn’t do, he might. Because he once defeated Yan Wushen in the same realm.”
Her skin gleamed like crystalline divine jade, her body wreathed in misty radiance, her graceful figure faintly visible. The mask, woven from golden threads, concealed her face below her eyes, with tassels dangling beneath, clinking softly.
Her noble aura made even peak Holy Kings feel inferior in her presence.
“Defeating Yan Wushen in the same realm? Impossible,” a Nether Clan Great Saint in a mysterious black robe scoffed, dismissing her claim.
Zhang Ruochen’s defeat of Yan Wushen on the Kunlun Realm’s Battlefield of Merits was widely known there, but Hell was vast, and many cultivators, secluded in long-term cultivation, were unaware of it—a perfectly normal occurrence.
Some had never even heard of Zhang Ruochen.
The colorful-robed woman said, “His name is Zhang Ruochen. Great Saint Hanxi, if you doubt me, send someone to investigate. You’ll have answers soon.”
Great Saint Hanxi waved a hand, dispatching a subordinate to gather information.
Soon, a dossier reached his hands, detailing Zhang Ruochen’s every deed.
“Hm?”
Hanxi’s eyes flashed with coldness as he read one entry, “So many of our clan’s prodigies died by his hand. Even the Son of Darkness was slain by him.”
Like Hanxi, many unaware of Zhang Ruochen’s identity began investigating. Upon reading the results, they were outraged, burning with fury, convinced he was Hell’s public enemy, deserving death.
“With his hands stained by the blood of countless Hell cultivators, he dares come to the Destiny Divine Domain?”
“Though Moro War Emperor was defeated, Hell is full of powerhouses. Surely a supreme Great Saint can slay him.”
…
Ignoring the Hell cultivators below, Zhang Ruochen reached out, pressing his palm on Moro War Emperor’s head, channeling mental power to probe his memories.
But as his mental power entered Moro War Emperor’s skull, it was crushed by a divine force.
A stronger mental counterattack forced Zhang Ruochen back dozens of steps, holy blood trickling from his mouth.
“A god’s power is protecting his memories and holy soul.”
Wiping the blood from his lips, Zhang Ruochen calmly pondered ways to make Moro War Emperor talk. After a moment, he murmured, “The Life-and-Death Platform is indeed a perfect place.”
Spotting Blood Butcher below, Zhang Ruochen pointed at him, saying, “Come up.”
“Senior Brother, the Life-and-Death Platform isn’t a place to enter lightly,” Blood Butcher shook his head vigorously, fearing a trap.
On the platform, life and death were beyond one’s control.
Blood Butcher, valuing his life, couldn’t afford to be careless.
Zhang Ruochen’s glare sharpened, “Are you sure you won’t come up?”
Intimidated by Zhang Ruochen’s stare, Blood Butcher’s heart raced. Licking his lips, he reluctantly trudged to the platform’s edge, refusing to step inside.
He said, “Senior Brother, is there something I can help with?”
“Strip off his armour and tie him up,” Zhang Ruochen pointed at the unconscious Moro War Emperor.
Blood Butcher swallowed hard, cautioning, “He’s Moro War Emperor, no ordinary figure. Tying him up will offend the entire Moro Family.”
“Why are you still standing out there? Do I need to drag you in myself?” Zhang Ruochen said coldly.
Genuinely afraid of Zhang Ruochen, Blood Butcher stiffly stepped onto the platform.
In that moment, he felt countless eyes upon him, his heart filled with bitterness and regret. “I was just passing by to watch the spectacle. How did I end up in the spotlight? Had I known, I wouldn’t have come. Acting recklessly with Zhang Ruochen will surely brand me as Hell’s public enemy too.”
Knowing Moro War Emperor’s reputation, Blood Butcher hesitated, “Do we really have to do this? A Great Saint isn’t so easily bound. If he wakes, even ten Saint-Binding Chains would snap effortlessly.”
Zhang Ruochen tossed him a white bone whip, saying, “Use this.”
“This… this is the quasi-Supreme Saint Artifact once wielded by Bone Youhuang…”
Holding the bone whip reverently, Blood Butcher was overwhelmed. Zhang Ruochen was richer than a god, casually producing treasures.
But so wealthy, yet so ruthless.
With all those treasures, he still forced him to sell his fiefs and even threatened to sell his holy blood and body.
Muttering to himself, Blood Butcher didn’t pause, stripping off Moro War Emperor’s black armour, leaving him a stark-naked, burly figure, broad-shouldered and bare.
The sight… was rather jarring.
Holding the black armour, Blood Butcher inspected it, realizing it was a Monarch Saint Artifact, deepening his sense of unfairness.
Both Great Saints, both divine sons—why was Zhang Ruochen clad in Supreme Saint Artifacts, Moro War Emperor in Monarch Saint Artifacts, while he, Blood Butcher, had nothing? No decent saint artifact, no fiefs, no personal freedom.
“The most miserable Great Saint? That’s me.”
Glancing at the naked Moro War Emperor sprawled on the platform, Blood Butcher shook his head, “No, there’s someone more miserable. At least I still have basic dignity.”
Upon waking, Moro War Emperor, realizing he wasn’t dead, sighed in relief.
Defeat on the Life-and-Death Platform meant certain death.
But soon, a feeling worse than death overwhelmed him. He was still on the platform, stripped bare, stared at by countless eyes.
A figure of Moro War Emperor’s status, who valued his reputation dearly, felt rage as if it could burn all of Hell at this humiliation.
“Zhang Ruochen, I swear eternal enmity!”
Moro War Emperor strained with both arms, holy light bursting forth, attempting to snap the bone whip binding him.
But as he exerted force, the whip glowed with countless Supreme Inscriptions, unleashing Supreme Power that countered his strength, dispersing it entirely.
Zhang Ruochen sat on a radiant golden holy chair at the platform’s centre, holding the bone whip, saying, “A quasi-Supreme Saint Artifact—you can’t break it. Save your strength.”
The whip, forged from a divine dragon’s spine, was an ancient artifact that had survived seven Monarch Heavenly Tribulations, bearing numerous Supreme Inscriptions.
Thus, it could be called a Seven-Yuan Monarch Saint Artifact or a quasi-Supreme Saint Artifact.
It was once the weapon of Bone Youhuang, the Bone Clan’s strongest below Great Saint.
Unconvinced, Moro War Emperor kept struggling, but Zhang Ruochen repeatedly flung him about, leaving him half-dead each time.
“Kill me!” Moro War Emperor roared.
He felt he had no face to keep living.
Zhang Ruochen mocked, “Can’t handle this already? I heard you have the potential to become a god, a great figure in the Moro Family and Di Entropy Divine Kingdom. Now it seems your so-called divine potential is a complete joke.”
Moro War Emperor’s face twisted, “Stop humiliating me.”
Zhang Ruochen continued calmly, “A god’s heart is unyielding. You’ve faced this little shame and already seek death. What kind of divine heart is that?”
These words struck Moro War Emperor like a thunderbolt, leaving him dazed.
Gradually, he calmed, saying, “You’re right. A divine heart must endure all trials. What’s this humiliation? As long as I live, one day I’ll crush you beneath my feet.”
“Since you don’t want to die, tell me now—where did you get this jade bracelet?” Holding the spatial jade bracelet, Zhang Ruochen approached Moro War Emperor, his gaze cold.
Moro War Emperor laughed, “Haha! Want to know? Release me and kneel in supplication. That’s your only way.”
Zhang Ruochen punched Moro War Emperor’s face, leaving it bloodied.
“Useless. Even if you kill me, I won’t speak. You should know how strong a Great Saint’s will is,” Moro War Emperor laughed defiantly, unyielding.
Standing, Zhang Ruochen tossed the Qixing Battle Axe to Blood Butcher, saying, “Know what to do?”
Blood Butcher blinked, confused, “What?”
“A Great Saint’s body is a treasure. Dismantle Moro War Emperor piece by piece to sell. Start with his Great Saint blood, then his legs and feet, his heart… A Great Saint’s regeneration and self-healing are strong, so be precise—don’t kill him outright. His heart, hands, and feet can be sold at least ten times. Right?” Zhang Ruochen remained calm throughout.
To Moro War Emperor, these words were like a lightning strike, nearly scattering his soul in terror.
He wished for immediate death.
“No, I can’t seek death so easily. I must live resiliently. I have divine potential and must have a divine heart, unyielding through all trials…” Moro War Emperor chanted inwardly.
Blood Butcher’s arm, holding the Qixing Battle Axe, trembled. He’d heard similar words before.
“Why must I do something that’ll offend the Moro Family to death? Can’t you do it yourself?”
Blood Butcher was frustrated, regretting coming to watch the spectacle.
When Zhang Ruochen fought Moro War Emperor, he’d secretly hoped Moro War Emperor would kill this demon.
Alas…
Blood Butcher said, “Senior Brother, are… are you serious?”
“Do I look like I’m joking? If you can’t do it, lie down there, and I’ll sell you both,” Zhang Ruochen said sternly.
“How could I hesitate? I, Blood Butcher, kill without mercy—how could I be soft-hearted?”
Gripping the Qixing Battle Axe, Blood Butcher approached Moro War Emperor.
Moro War Emperor wasn’t afraid of death, but now, save for his eyes, every muscle and inch of skin trembled.
The cultivators around the platform were dumbfounded, never expecting Zhang Ruochen and Blood Butcher to dare go this far.
Some Saint and Holy King Realm cultivators, however, were tempted.
If they could obtain Moro War Emperor’s Great Saint blood, bones, heart, or lungs, it would greatly aid their cultivation and comprehension of the Great Saint Realm.
“Zhang Ruochen, you audacious fiend, daring to humiliate our Moro Family’s War Emperor. Come out and face death!”
Five Moro Family Great Saints arrived: one Hundred-Shackle Realm and four Immortal Realm, all under a thousand years old, clearly Hunting Heaven Feast attendees.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Moro War Emperor lured me to the Life-and-Death Platform to kill me. Can’t I fight back? If you want to save him, step onto the platform and fight me. Shouting from below—what skill is that?”
Moro Tiansu, the only Hundred-Shackle Realm Great Saint among the five, having broken seven shackles, said coldly, “You defeated Moro War Emperor. Just kill him. Why humiliate him?”
“You urge me to kill him—perhaps because his death would let you become the Moro Family’s next War Emperor?” Zhang Ruochen retorted.
Moro Tiansu was rendered speechless, fuming but unsure how to respond.
Another Immortal Realm Moro Family Great Saint said, “Humiliating Moro War Emperor is humiliating our entire Moro Family. From now on, we’re sworn enemies.”
“Are Moro Family Great Saints only good for shouting? If you’re skilled, fight me on the Life-and-Death Platform,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Fight then. Think I’m scared?”
Another Immortal Realm Moro Family Great Saint, enraged to the point of fuming, gripped a holy spear, ready to charge onto the platform.
Moro Tiansu quickly restrained him, transmitting, “Zhang Ruochen is no ordinary foe. Even War Emperor lost to him. Are you rushing to die?”
Zhang Ruochen continued, “If even the Moro Family’s Great Saints are cowards, their lesser members must be even worse. If you fear death, come at me together—I’ll take you all on.”
The spear-wielding Immortal Realm Great Saint could bear it no longer, feeling Zhang Ruochen deserved death. Roaring, “Even if I die, I won’t let outsiders think our Moro Family’s Great Saints fear death,” he broke free of Moro Tiansu’s grasp and charged onto the platform.
His Great Saint might swept the heavens, his holy spear transforming into a silver dragon, lunging at Zhang Ruochen.
“Kneel.”
Zhang Ruochen stood unmoving, unleashing his Truth World Form, Spatial Domain, and Virtual Time Domain, the combined power of three Eternal Paths pressing down.
Instantly, the Immortal Realm Great Saint halted, his bones crackling, frozen in place, legs trembling uncontrollably.
He gritted his teeth, refusing to kneel.
“A Great Saint’s will and power are indeed remarkable.”
Zhang Ruochen flicked a finger, sending a time imprint that struck the Great Saint’s chest.
In an instant, the Great Saint lost a century of lifespan, his body weakening, unable to resist the triple Eternal Path suppression. His knees buckled, crashing heavily to the ground.
“Zhang Ruochen… you… you deserve death…”
The Immortal Realm Great Saint roared in frustration, eyes brimming with humiliation.
As he knelt, his body unleashed torrents of lightning, turning the Life-and-Death Platform into a lightning-charged space.
Below, the other four Moro Family Great Saints were livid, charging onto the platform in a frenzy, shouting, “Attack together! Suppress Zhang Ruochen for the Moro Family’s glory!”
“Kill!”
“Crush Zhang Ruochen, slaughter Blood Butcher!”
…
Blood Butcher, about to draw blood from Moro War Emperor, felt utterly aggrieved, thinking, “Your enemy is clearly Zhang Ruochen. Why slaughter me? I’m just being forced.”
Zhang Ruochen’s actions—defeating Moro War Emperor and provoking the five Moro Family Great Saints—were not only to force answers about Mu Lingxi’s whereabouts but also to crush the Moro Family, establishing his dominance in Hell and intimidating other hostile factions.
To show them that crossing Zhang Ruochen would be a fate worse than death.
Otherwise, endless enemies seeking revenge would be a constant headache.
