Hanhai Manor returned to tranquility. Apart from Zhang Ruochen and Emperor Yu, the other cultivators resumed their practice.
Emperor Yu’s gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen.
It was peculiar.
Like…
A she-wolf, starved for days, spotting delicious prey, baring her fangs, eyes gleaming, ready to pounce and devour him.
Zhang Ruochen grew wary, saying, “I need to continue refining my Saint Intent.”
He turned, but before he could ascend the steps of the Seven Star Emperor Palace, Emperor Yu blocked his path.
Surprisingly, her demeanor was gentle as she said, “Great Saint Ruochen, as the leader of our Blood Sky Tribe, don’t you hope we achieve the best ranking?”
“Of course.”
“What do you think of my combat strength?”
“Very strong, among all the Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm cultivators attending the banquet, you’d rank in the top thirty, perhaps higher.”
Emperor Yu stepped closer, shaking her head, “Not enough. I want to elevate my combat strength to another level, aiming for the top ten, or close to it, on the Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm list. In which direction should I improve?”
She was now within three steps of Zhang Ruochen, her fragrance overwhelming, yet not alluring, carrying an oppressive air.
Zhang Ruochen said, “What exactly did Uncle tell you? Stop looking at me like you want to eat me; it makes me think you have ulterior motives.”
A cold glint flashed in Emperor Yu’s eyes as she said, “Fine, I’ll be direct. I want to borrow your Purple Gold Gourd to help me fuse my Saint Intent. If I succeed, I’ll owe you a great favor. In the future, if you’re in trouble, just say the word, and even if it means killing in the Heavenly Realm, I won’t refuse.”
“So he told you the secret of the Purple Gold Gourd,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Emperor Yu pressed, “Do you agree or not? Give me a straight answer.”
“Of course, your favor is quite valuable. However, the Purple Gold Gourd is my greatest trump card, meant for the most formidable enemies at the Hunting Heaven Banquet. You must not reveal this secret,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Rest assured, your trump card is the Blood Sky Tribe’s trump card.”
She continued, “But think carefully. The Hunting Heaven Banquet has two parts: the banquet and the hunt. During the hunt, aside from divine pattern seals, all external aids are sealed, and you can only use your own power.”
Zhang Ruochen, hearing this strict rule for the first time, said, “So even weapons, talismans, arrays, and pills can’t be brought?”
“You can’t bring talismans, arrays, or pills, but you can carry materials for refining them. Talismans, arrays, and pills crafted on the Hunting Heaven Battlefield can be used.”
“As for weapons, the rules are stringent.”
“Each cultivator can only bring one weapon, and it must belong to you. In other words, even if a deity wants their Great Saint to carry a Supreme Saint Artifact into the battlefield, it must be bestowed, not borrowed.”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a smile, “Most deities have only one Supreme Saint Artifact. If they bestow it to a Great Saint, what would they use?”
Emperor Yu added, “Even if a deity could bestow a Supreme Saint Artifact, the Temple of Destiny has another rule: each of the ten clans of the Infernal Realm can only bring one Supreme Saint Artifact into the Hunting Heaven Battlefield.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “A complete Supreme Saint Artifact in a Great Saint’s hands can unleash devastating power, sweeping through all. If the Temple of Destiny didn’t regulate this, the Hunting Heaven Banquet would be a contest of Supreme Saint Artifacts, not strength.”
Saint Kings cannot unleash a Supreme Saint Artifact’s power; only Great Saints can.
In the Great Saint Realm, a Supreme Saint Artifact amplifies combat strength to a terrifying degree.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Who will wield the Supreme Saint Artifact for the Immortal Blood Clan? Blade Prison Emperor or Empress Wind?”
“It’s not decided yet, but it’s likely one of them,” Emperor Yu said.
Blade Prison Emperor was the Immortal Blood Clan’s strongest.
Empress Wind, the second strongest, also held the status of a divine maiden candidate, representing the interests of the lower three clans.
Whoever wielded the Supreme Saint Artifact would hold the greatest authority on the Hunting Heaven Battlefield.
Zhang Ruochen said, “It seems I must compete for the right to wield the Supreme Saint Artifact, and I must win it.”
Emperor Yu looked shocked, thinking Zhang Ruochen must be mad.
The right to wield the Supreme Saint Artifact was a matter even the gods of the Immortal Blood Clan and Immortal Temple would deliberate carefully, reserved for Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm powerhouses.
How could a Neverwither Realm Great Saint, no matter how strong, surpass Blade Prison Emperor or Empress Wind?
Why would the gods choose him?
After discussing more details about the Hunting Heaven Banquet, Zhang Ruochen lent the Purple Gold Gourd to Emperor Yu.
Currently, Emperor Yu had cultivated two Saint Intents. Her primary Blood Sea Heavenly Path Saint Intent had reached the fourth grade.
Her other Saint Intent was only sixth grade.
With the Purple Gold Gourd, she had a high chance of fusing them into a third-grade Saint Intent. However, fusing Saint Intents was extremely difficult, or else she wouldn’t have failed to do so despite reaching the Great Perfection of the Hundred Shackle Realm.
The gourd only offered a bit more hope.
Success or failure depended on her.
“Since external aids, even Supreme Saint Artifacts, may not be usable in the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, I must make my own strength greater and prepare for both possibilities.”
“Enhancing mental strength is imperative. Otherwise, I can’t even match Emperor Yu’s mental strength, making it hard to resist her ‘Soul-Sacrifice Melody.’”
Previously, Zhang Ruochen could withstand it, but after Emperor Yu broke through to the Great Perfection of the Hundred Shackle Realm, her cultivation and mental strength surged. Her “Soul-Sacrifice Melody” even overwhelmed Shen Nansheng, a Thousand Questions Realm cultivator.
Zhang Ruochen wasn’t confident he could resist it unaffected.
At the Hunting Heaven Banquet, there would surely be Great Saints with stronger mental strength than Emperor Yu, like those from the Nether Clan, Death Clan, and Rakshasa Clan’s female cultivators, who possessed extraordinary mental strength talents.
He had to be cautious.
Moreover, stronger mental strength greatly aided in condensing Saint Intents.
Since Zhang Ruochen aimed to cultivate the “Yin-Yang Five Elements Saint Intent,” the higher his mental strength, the better, ideally surpassing all peers in his realm.
A clone of Zhang Ruochen entered the Qiankun Realm to consult the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree about cultivating mental strength beyond the sixty-first tier.
He finally understood that while consuming Saint Pills could enhance mental strength, its essence lay in a cultivator’s brain development, knowledge accumulation, and contemplation of the universe. It required reading countless books, traveling vast distances, and experiencing the trials of the mortal world.
Of course, there were shortcuts.
Consuming Saint Pills was one such shortcut.
Additionally, one could plunder other cultivators’ knowledge and insights, comprehend divine intent from deities, or undergo trials in illusory realms.
Zhang Ruochen said, “So, relying solely on pills is far from enough. I need vast knowledge and trials. Is it really so difficult to advance mental strength after the sixty-first tier?”
“For you, it’s not that hard,” the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree said.
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands, saying, “Please guide me, Senior.”
“You possess the Heart of the Divine Tree. One forms every Yuan Epoch, not only brimming with life energy but containing the knowledge of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree over 129,600 years. Fully absorbing its knowledge could support your mental strength to the seventieth tier,” the tree said.
Zhang Ruochen’s face lit up, “I see.”
The tree added, “However, my knowledge is still incomplete and can only help youinteractive: Hanhai Manor regained its calm, except for Zhang Ruochen and Emperor Yu, as the other cultivators resumed their practice.
Emperor Yu’s gaze locked onto Zhang Ruochen.
It was strange.
Like…
A she-wolf, starved for days, spotting delectable prey, baring her fangs, eyes gleaming, ready to pounce and devour him.
Zhang Ruochen grew cautious, saying, “I need to keep refining my Saint Intent.”
He turned, but before he could climb the steps of the Seven Star Emperor Palace, Emperor Yu blocked him.
Surprisingly, her tone was gentle, “Great Saint Ruochen, as the leader of our Blood Sky Tribe, don’t you want us to achieve the best ranking?”
“Of course.”
“What do you think of my combat strength?”
“Very strong. Among all the Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm cultivators at the banquet, you’d rank in the top thirty, maybe higher.”
Emperor Yu drew closer, shaking her head, “Not enough. I want to elevate my combat strength further, aiming for the top ten or near it on the Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm list. Where should I improve?”
She stepped within three paces of Zhang Ruochen, her fragrance enveloping him, yet it wasn’t alluring, carrying an oppressive force.
Zhang Ruochen said, “What exactly did Uncle tell you? Stop eyeing me like I’m prey; it makes me think you have ulterior motives.”
A sharp glint flashed in Emperor Yu’s eyes, “Fine, I’ll be blunt. I want to borrow your Purple Gold Gourd to fuse my Saint Intent. If I succeed, I’ll owe you a huge favor. In the future, if you’re in trouble, just say the word, and even if it means killing in the Heavenly Realm, I won’t hesitate.”
“So he revealed the secret of the Purple Gold Gourd,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Emperor Yu pressed, “Do you agree or not? Give me a straight answer.”
“Of course. Your favor is valuable. But the Purple Gold Gourd is my greatest trump card, meant for the toughest enemies at the Hunting Heaven Banquet. You must keep this secret,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Rest assured, your trump card is the Blood Sky Tribe’s trump card.”
She added, “But think carefully. The Hunting Heaven Banquet has two parts: the banquet and the hunt. During the hunt, aside from divine pattern seals, all external aids are sealed, and you can only use your own power.”
Zhang Ruochen, hearing this strict rule for the first time, said, “So weapons, talismans, arrays, and pills can’t be brought?”
“You can’t bring talismans, arrays, or pills, but you can carry materials to craft them on the Hunting Heaven Battlefield.”
“As for weapons, the rules are strict.”
“Each cultivator can bring one weapon, and it must truly belong to you. Even if a deity wants their Great Saint to carry a Supreme Saint Artifact, it must be bestowed, not borrowed.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled, shaking his head, “Most deities have only one Supreme Saint Artifact. If they bestow it, what would they use?”
Emperor Yu continued, “Even if a deity could bestow a Supreme Saint Artifact, the Temple of Destiny has another rule: each of the Infernal Realm’s ten clans can bring only one Supreme Saint Artifact into the Hunting Heaven Battlefield.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “A Supreme Saint Artifact in a Great Saint’s hands can unleash devastating power, sweeping everything. Without the Temple of Destiny’s control, the banquet would be a contest of artifacts, not strength.”
Saint Kings can’t unleash a Supreme Saint Artifact’s power; only Great Saints can.
In the Great Saint Realm, a Supreme Saint Artifact boosts combat strength to a terrifying degree.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Who will wield the Supreme Saint Artifact for the Immortal Blood Clan? Blade Prison Emperor or Empress Wind?”
“It’s undecided, but likely one of them,” Emperor Yu said.
Blade Prison Emperor was the clan’s strongest.
Empress Wind, the second strongest, also a divine maiden candidate, represented the lower three clans’ interests.
Whoever held the Supreme Saint Artifact would have the greatest authority on the battlefield.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I must compete for the right to wield it, and I must win.”
Emperor Yu looked shocked, thinking him mad.
The right to wield the Supreme Saint Artifact was a matter even the clan’s gods would deliberate carefully, reserved for Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm powerhouses.
How could a Neverwither Realm Great Saint, however strong, surpass Blade Prison Emperor or Empress Wind?
Why would the gods choose him?
After discussing more banquet details, Zhang Ruochen lent her the Purple Gold Gourd.
Emperor Yu had cultivated two Saint Intents: her primary Blood Sea Heavenly Path at fourth grade, the other at sixth grade.
With the gourd, she had a good chance of fusing them into a third-grade Saint Intent. But fusing was tough, or she’d have succeeded by now.
The gourd only offered a sliver of hope.
Success or failure was up to her.
“Since external aids, even Supreme Saint Artifacts, may not be usable, I must strengthen my own power and prepare for both scenarios.”
“Boosting mental strength is crucial. Without it, I can’t match Emperor Yu’s mental strength or resist her ‘Soul-Sacrifice Melody.’”
Before, he could withstand it, but her breakthrough to Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm boosted her cultivation and mental strength, overwhelming even Shen Nansheng, a Thousand Questions Realm cultivator, with her melody.
Zhang Ruochen wasn’t sure he could resist it unaffected.
At the banquet, there’d be Great Saints with stronger mental strength, like those from the Nether, Death, and Rakshasa Clans, with exceptional mental talents.
He had to be cautious.
Stronger mental strength also aided Saint Intent condensation.
Since Zhang Ruochen aimed for the “Yin-Yang Five Elements Saint Intent,” higher mental strength was vital, ideally surpassing all peers.
A clone entered the Qiankun Realm to consult the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree about advancing mental strength past the sixty-first tier.
He learned that while Saint Pills helped, mental strength’s essence was brain development, knowledge accumulation, and universal contemplation, requiring vast reading, travel, and mortal trials.
There were shortcuts.
Saint Pills were one.
Others included plundering knowledge and insights, comprehending divine intent, or illusory realm trials.
Zhang Ruochen said, “So pills alone aren’t enough. I need vast knowledge and trials. Is advancing past the sixty-first tier really so hard?”
“For you, it’s not,” the tree said.
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands, “Please guide me, Senior.”
“You hold the Heart of the Divine Tree. One forms every Yuan Epoch, brimming with life energy and 129,600 years of my knowledge. Absorbing it fully could push your mental strength to the seventieth tier,” the tree said.
Zhang Ruochen’s face lit up, “I see.”
The tree added, “My knowledge is incomplete, helping only partly. You must still read and travel.”
Zhang Ruochen asked curiously, “What was your mental strength level back then, Senior?”
The tree paused, branches rustling, “Quite high, but high mental strength doesn’t mean strong combat power. Each mental strength cultivator uses it differently.”
“Some kill brutally, some heal, some predict past and future.”
“Zhang Ruochen, when your mental strength can’t advance further, remember: it’s not just for fighting. It has broader, wondrous uses. Try everything.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Zhang Ruochen said.
The tree said, “With your current mental strength, pills can still help, but first, refine your 12,302 mental strength thoughts.”
“You mean my pill-cultivated thoughts aren’t strong enough, so further pills are ineffective?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“You could say that.”
The tree added, “When your 12,302 thoughts alone reach the sixty-first tier’s peak, you can resume taking pills.”
Leaving the Qiankun Realm, Zhang Ruochen muttered, “How do I refine mental strength thoughts?”
“Out.”
He summoned all his mental strength thoughts: some studied texts in the Seven Star Emperor Palace, some learned arrays with Zhou Zhen, some studied talismans with Lianxi, some contemplated the “Heavenly Demon Stone Carvings”…
Not only did he need to amass knowledge, but his thoughts had to grow stronger.
As for the Heart of the Divine Tree, he felt it wasn’t needed yet, not until he reached the sixty-second tier.
He then summoned Xue Tu, asking about Shentu Yunkong and Hong’s situations, then gave him the Star Sea World’s Purple Gold Token to buy star cores and sub-divine soul pills.
After arrangements, Zhang Ruochen pondered further.
“Without a Supreme Saint Artifact, my current strength struggles against Emperor Yu. How can I face powerhouses like Blade Prison Emperor, Wujiang, or Lanying?”
“I need a trump card tied to my own strength.”
He first thought of the Flame God Leg and Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm.
If he cultivated the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm to the Thousand Questions high-tier Saint Art level, combined with Saint Intent and Truth Rules, its power could likely overwhelm even Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm Great Saints.
“To reach that level, I’d need to fuse five Thousand Questions Realm Great Saint dragon and elephant souls. I haven’t broken any shackles yet; can my demi-god body withstand it?”
After much thought, Zhang Ruochen steeled himself, deciding to use the Sun-Moon Divine Dragon Spring to refine his three Hundred Shackle Realm dragon and elephant souls.
The spring was precious, and he had little, but refining those souls to the Thousand Questions Realm level would make the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm a quasi-high-tier Thousand Questions Saint Art, capable of overpowering most Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm Great Saints.
For success, he opened the bronze coffin, collecting abundant divine soul mist to nurture the souls.
Simultaneously, he risked unlocking the third seal on the Flame God Leg set by Moon God. Instantly, the divine rules in his left leg surged from one million to ten million.
Each rule, crimson like burning flame threads, caused searing pain, making Zhang Ruochen clench his teeth.
His leg grew so heavy he couldn’t move, the burning nearly causing him to faint.
The Flame God Leg was his best bet for a rapid combat boost, so no matter the pain, he had to endure.
“The Flame God Leg is fused with my leg, so it shouldn’t count as an external aid,” he thought.
Time slipped by as Zhang Ruochen immersed himself in secluded cultivation.
The Hunting Heaven Banquet drew nearer, and Hanye City bustled with new young Great Saints rising spectacularly and new Great Perfection Hundred Shackle Realm powerhouses emerging, shaking the realm.
Geniuses gathered, heroes vied.
No.
They weren’t just geniuses; they were Great Saints, each a hegemon with immense authority, deciding countless fates.
Yet they were young, exceptional, dazzling this era.
Amid the fervor, beauties, feasts, and fame outside, Zhang Ruochen in Hanhai Manor ignored it all, cultivating silently.
Despite provocations and insults, he remained unmoved, steadfast as stone.
Within the Sun Dial’s range, over thirty years passed.
The Hunting Heaven Banquet was now imminent.
