While secluded in the Seven-Star Imperial Palace, Zhang Ruochen spent considerable time studying the cultivation method for the fifth layer of *God-Demon Prison Suppression*, even consulting the *Heavenly Demon Prison Suppression Diagram* for insight.
However, as a Thousand-Question high-tier sacred technique, even Great Saints at the Thousand-Question Realm required years to master it.
Perhaps due to the vast gap in realms, despite the aid of the Heart of Truth, Zhang Ruochen found the fifth layer’s cultivation method profound and obscure, struggling to comprehend it fully, with many aspects remaining unclear.
He had once sought guidance from the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree, which explained that high-tier sacred techniques, when executed, not only unleashed the practitioner’s own power but also naturally drew upon the forces of heaven and earth.
Like a mortal swinging a palm and stirring a faint breeze.
That breeze was the power of heaven and earth.
The higher the grade of the sacred technique, the greater its harmony with heaven and earth, and the more cosmic power it could invoke.
Thus, without sufficient cultivation, it was difficult to grasp high-tier sacred techniques.
Theoretically, an Immortal Realm Great Saint couldn’t master a Hundred-Shackle high-tier sacred technique, just as a Hundred-Shackle Realm Great Saint couldn’t master a Thousand-Question high-tier sacred technique.
For Zhang Ruochen to perfect a Thousand-Question high-tier sacred technique at the Immortal Realm was nearly impossible.
Even the *Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm*, which he had practiced since childhood, had only integrated three Thousand-Question dragon souls and three Thousand-Question elephant souls, reaching a minor completion. To achieve full mastery, he needed to integrate two more of each and deepen his understanding of palm techniques.
With the aid of treasures like the Yandao Sacred Fruit and Divine Jade Nectar, Zhang Ruochen’s mind became clear and tranquil. Closing his eyes, he could sense the intricate patterns of rules around him.
The sacred path rules within his body became even clearer.
The imagery of the *Heavenly Demon Prison Suppression Diagram* automatically appeared in his mind.
The technique’s texts floated around the imagery, and previously obscure sections became clear, as if enlightenment had struck.
Some time later, the Great Senluo Emperor, seated across the Fate Stream, noticed a surge of chilling demonic energy emanating from Zhang Ruochen.
This energy gathered behind him, forming a pitch-black cloud that shifted into various forms—sometimes an ancient demonic mountain, sometimes a dark yin tree, sometimes an army of demonic shadows and ghosts.
“He’s using the Yandao Sacred Fruit and Divine Jade Nectar to cultivate a demonic high-tier sacred technique,” the Great Senluo Emperor muttered, eyes wide, teeth clenched. Had he not lost the contest, he could have used a Yandao Sacred Fruit to perfect his century-long practice of a death-based technique.
Empress Feng, nearby, stared and thought, “Such potent demonic energy, stirring the rules of heaven and earth. Is Zhang Ruochen cultivating a Hundred-Shackle high-tier sacred technique?”
Many Great Saints were using Yandao Sacred Fruits to cultivate high-tier techniques, but few matched the intensity of Zhang Ruochen’s energy fluctuations.
Mastering a Hundred-Shackle high-tier sacred technique at the Immortal Realm was extraordinary.
All Great Saints at the Hunting Heaven Feast were prodigies, yet seeing Zhang Ruochen on the verge of mastering a Hundred-Shackle high-tier sacred technique filled them with awe and inadequacy.
“This fluctuation…”
Yan Wushen, observing Zhang Ruochen seated cross-legged, furrowed his brow in thought.
*Boom!*
Suddenly, with Zhang Ruochen at the center, more demonic energy coalesced, manifesting from the void, turning the Fate Stream region into a sea of demonic energy, spreading further outward.
Behind him, strands of demonic energy intertwined and rose.
Amid the demonic energy, purple lightning dragons and snakes crackled, emitting thunderous roars.
The demonic energy and lightning wove together, forming a colossal God-Demon phantom, dual-natured—demonic on the front, divine on the back—like a towering statue overlooking the cultivators of the Fate Stream region.
“Thousand-Question high-tier sacred technique,” Yan Wushen murmured.
The cultivators felt the terrifying pressure of the God-Demon phantom, realizing Zhang Ruochen had mastered a Thousand-Question high-tier sacred technique.
Their shock intensified, instinctively deeming it impossible.
If Zhang Ruochen were this heaven-defying, what did that make prodigies like them, who became top Saint Kings or Great Saints within a millennium? Not prodigies, but mediocrities.
How could they accept such a reality?
“Zhang Ruochen must be hiding his cultivation. He’s likely already at the Hundred-Shackle Realm.”
“Exactly, that explains why both the Great Senluo Emperor and Xi lost to him. This man is cunning, hiding too much.”
“It’s said that mastering a Thousand-Question high-tier sacred technique allows one to clash head-on with a Thousand-Question Realm Great Saint. Does Zhang Ruochen now have the strength to face them?”
…
The discussions were endless. At this Hunting Heaven Feast, Zhang Ruochen continually reshaped their perceptions.
In the divine bone jade tower hovering above, even Thousand-Question Realm Great Saints couldn’t remain calm, exclaiming in astonishment. Some among them hadn’t mastered Thousand-Question high-tier sacred techniques.
Zhang Ruochen retracted the vast demonic energy into his body, and the God-Demon phantom vanished.
Yet his aura retained a domineering demonic quality, his long hair flowing without wind, his eyes carrying an eerie malevolence.
The power of his Immortal Blood Clan bloodline now overshadowed his human blood.
The power of his inner demon grew stronger.
Kunlun Realm cultivators watching the projection struggled to reconcile this Zhang Ruochen with the one they knew. The once refined scholar seemed to have fallen, becoming a peerless demon king embodying countless evil forces.
Many who steadfastly supported Zhang Ruochen fell silent.
They didn’t doubt him but believed Hell Realm gods had forcibly altered him—through coercion, refining his sacred soul, or implanting an evil will.
The Xuetian Tribe cultivators, however, were overjoyed, their confidence in Zhang Ruochen soaring.
With Zhang Ruochen and Emperor Yu leading, this year’s Hunting Heaven Feast could overturn their perennial last place. They revered strength and power, caring little about whether Zhang Ruochen had changed.
What did it matter if he’d fallen to the demonic path?
Good and evil, god and demon, resided in every living and undead being. Any manifestation was part of them.
There was no absolute good, nor pure evil.
One thought could make a god; another, a demon.
“My sacred path rules have indeed increased by 100 million, and my lifespan by 3,000 years. Truly a treasure only consumable once every millennium,” Zhang Ruochen marveled after careful inspection.
But what satisfied him most was the Yandao Sacred Fruit’s aid in cultivating high-tier sacred techniques.
Thus, he didn’t consume the remaining eight, saving them for when they were most needed. Increasing rules and lifespan wasn’t urgent now.
With over 1.6 billion sacred path rules, Zhang Ruochen surpassed many Hundred-Shackle Realm Great Saints.
“Hm? The first shackle has loosened so much. Could this also be the Yandao Sacred Fruit’s effect?”
He noticed the first shackle on his right arm had fully manifested and could be shaken without consuming a Divine Roaming Pill.
If the Yandao Sacred Fruit could aid in breaking shackles…
He had to reconsider his earlier plans.
Nothing was more critical than breaking through to the Hundred-Shackle Realm.
During his cultivation of *God-Demon Prison Suppression*, the feast’s contests had concluded.
Most cultivators had consumed all their banquet fare, including Yandao and Xuanji Sacred Fruits.
Xuanji Sacred Fruits enabled top Saint Kings to perfect one sacred path, reaching a million rules for that path.
This “perfection” referred to mastering a single sacred path, unlike the grand perfection Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen achieved at the Saint King Realm, with a billion total rules—a feat ten times harder.
Even perfecting a single path to a million rules was immensely difficult. Without treasures like the Xuanji Sacred Fruit, the Hell Realm would produce few such cultivators in a millennium.
Cultivators like Xue Chen, Luo Ji, and Prajna lingered at the Saint King Realm, waiting for Xuanji Sacred Fruits.
Perfecting their main sacred path before breaking through to Great Saint was crucial for forming higher-grade sacred wills.
Nearly all Saint Kings present were at the Near-Path Realm, having prepared treasures to condense an Immortal Sacred Body. With a Xuanji Sacred Fruit, they could immediately attempt the Great Saint breakthrough.
Their banquet fare included treasures to aid in condensing the Immortal Sacred Body and resisting the Path-Melting Tribulation.
Thus, Saint Kings broke through to Great Saint almost constantly.
These Near-Path Realm Saint Kings had already overcome countless obstacles, standing just one step from Great Saint. Though some failed, they were less than ten percent.
In a single feast, the Hell Realm birthed thousands of Great Saints.
Heavenly Court cultivators on merit battlefields saw their morale plummet—some envious, some disheartened, some quietly despairing.
Especially those from weaker realms, who felt deeply shaken and unbalanced. Why did the Hell Realm have such abundant top-tier resources? Didn’t the Heavenly Court?
The four dominant worlds and the Heavenly Palace surely had them. Why weren’t they shared?
Were they consumed by pampered divine sons and daughters or hoarded by gods?
They didn’t know that most attendees of the Hunting Heaven Feast were divine sons, daughters, grandchildren, or those with powerful backgrounds. For ordinary Hell Realm cultivators, reaching Great Saint within a millennium was near impossible.
The strong grew stronger.
The Hell Realm’s goal of broadcasting the projection across realms was achieved.
Zhang Ruochen released the Saint-Devouring Flower, its tendrils reaching into the Fate Stream to absorb its water.
The stream’s water couldn’t be consumed limitlessly; a weak constitution would quickly reach saturation.
As Zhang Ruochen finished his banquet fare, the Saint-Devouring Flower reached saturation.
“Master, with the Fate Stream’s water, I should produce stronger Dharma Body Fruits. Once I form a Dharma Body, I could hold my own against someone like Xi.”
The Saint-Devouring Flower spoke cautiously, knowing Xi hadn’t used his full strength in their encounters.
The Dharma Body Fruit was its fourth fruit.
Once formed, the flower would rival a Hundred-Shackle Realm Great Perfection cultivator.
Having absorbed many powerhouses and treasures while following Zhang Ruochen, its Dharma Body would be extraordinary, giving it confidence to challenge Xi.
“How long until your Dharma Body Fruit matures?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“During your seclusion, I absorbed much divine blood from god corpses, and my Dharma Body is very close to maturity. If I could absorb two Yandao Sacred Fruits, it should…” the flower began.
Zhang Ruochen cut it off, “Don’t even think about it.”
To nurture the Saint-Devouring Flower, he had spent resources enough to train twenty Great Saints, valuing its lack of realm barriers, rapid breakthroughs, and vast potential.
But Yandao Sacred Fruits were his core interest, never to be given.
“I can give you divine stones to hasten your Dharma Body’s formation,” he said.
If the flower formed its Dharma Body, Zhang Ruochen would effectively command four Hundred-Shackle Realm Great Perfection powerhouses, greatly aiding his bid for first place at the Hunting Heaven Feast.
From the towering divine temple atop the Destiny Sacred Mountain, a thousands-of-zhang-tall figure in a black robe emerged, ancient and frail. Though massive, it seemed tiny compared to the temple.
“Greetings, High Priest of Fortune and Prosperity.”
At the Fate Stream banquet, all cultivators sat upright, clasping their fists in unison.
The feast had ended; the Hunting Heaven Battlefield was about to open.
The Destiny Temple’s twelve palaces—Life, Death, Calamity, Fortune, Joy, Anger, Auspice, Omen, Past, Future, Void, and Reality—each governed distinct powers and duties.
The Hunting Heaven Feast was organized by the Fortune and Prosperity Divine Palace, playing the central role.
The High Priest of Fortune and Prosperity, chosen by the Fortune and Prosperity Divine Venerable, oversaw all matters below the divine level.
The High Priest’s voice boomed, “Release the heavenly slaves, open the hunting ground.”
The space below the Destiny Temple shuddered, spatial gates appearing, connecting to various locations.
From these gates emerged prisoners with sealed cultivation, bound by sacred chain shackles, all above Half-Saint level, many at Great Saint.
There were humans, angels, and elves.
Dragons and rocs.
Plant-based lifeforms and stone clan cultivators.
Monks and Daoists.
…
More and more prisoners poured from the spatial gates.
