Dozens of peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages, far surpassing other cultivators in strength, were the fastest, charging at the forefront, fiercely competing with one another.
“That Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill belongs to our Yama Clan. Anyone who wants to compete should first weigh their own worth,” Yan Huangtu declared, leading the charge. His voice boomed like thunder, resounding through the cosmos.
Beside him flew four other Yama Clan Great Sages at the peak of the Hundred Shackle Realm, each radiating a formidable aura.
To secure the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill, the Yama Clan had clearly made thorough preparations. With the strength of five peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages, they could sweep aside all opposition.
The other Yama Clan Great Sages at the peak of the Hundred Shackle Realm did not join them, instead pursuing the Quasi-Emperor Grade and King Grade Sacred Intent Pills.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
…
Lan Ying, Wujiang, and Luo Shengtian were also incredibly fast, each rushing toward a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill, just as Zhang Ruochen had initially predicted.
The Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest smiled and said, “The Yama Clan is truly a supreme clan. With a single statement, even someone as proud as Lan Ying has withdrawn from the competition. It seems the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill will surely be Yan Wushen’s.”
Pill Servant said, “Lan Ying, Yan Huangtu, Wujiang, and Luo Shengtian are all extraordinary talents. However, the paths they’ve mastered most deeply have already condensed Sacred Intent. Even if they seize the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill, it wouldn’t mean much.”
“As for other cultivators, not only is it impossible for them to subdue the pill spirit of the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill, but even if they did, they couldn’t condense a particularly powerful Sacred Intent with the pill alone.”
The Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest nodded, saying, “The Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill can only spark anticipation if it falls into the hands of Yan Wushen or Zhang Ruochen. For now, it seems this challenge will fall to Yan Wushen.”
Pill Servant understood that the “anticipation” and “challenge” referred to condensing a third-grade Sacred Intent for a single path, achieving what no one had done before.
Only Yan Wushen and Zhang Ruochen, with the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill, had a slim chance of success.
For other cultivators, obtaining the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill would be futile.
Pill Servant added, “The gods likely share this anticipation. However, condensing a third-grade Sacred Intent for a single path is too improbable. I believe the gods are more eager to see if any cultivator can use a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill to fuse a second-grade Sacred Intent. It’s been many years since a new second-grade Sacred Intent has emerged in the Hell Realm.”
The Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest said, “The ten Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pills refined by the Supreme One are truly exceptional. Only 300,000 years ago did a Supreme Alchemist from the Heavenly Palace produce a few. With their aid, perhaps one or two among Lan Ying, Yan Huangtu, Luo Shengtian, and Wujiang could successfully fuse a second-grade Sacred Intent.”
Pill Servant’s gaze turned toward the river of pill energy, saying, “I actually think Zhang Ruochen has a better chance of fusing a second-grade Sacred Intent. But… he’ll need to seize a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill first.”
“For him, that will be a tremendous challenge. The competition for the ten Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pills is the most intense and brutal, with many peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages already forming alliances,” the Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest said.
The appearance of the Sacred Intent Pills had piqued the interest of the Hell Realm’s gods, who were keenly intrigued by the outcome of the struggle.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Dozens of peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages transformed into beams of light, quickly overtaking the 100,000 top-tier Heaven Grade Sacred Intent Pills. However, they didn’t stop to collect them, instead pressing forward with full force.
Though top-tier Heaven Grade Sacred Intent Pills were invaluable, each worth more than a divine stone, they were of no use to these cultivators.
To delay for top-tier Heaven Grade Sacred Intent Pills and miss the chance to seize a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill would be a poor trade.
Whoosh.
Using Great Spatial Shift, Zhang Ruochen’s figure vanished and reappeared hundreds of li away with each move. In moments, he surpassed Yan Huangtu, Lan Ying, and the others, taking the lead.
Lan Ying sneered, “What’s the point of a Neverwither Realm Great Sage rushing so fast? Collecting more Heaven Grade Sacred Intent Pills to sell for divine stones is the practical move.”
The pill spirits of Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pills had combat power comparable to early Thousand-Ask Realm Great Sages.
Knowing this, despite Zhang Ruochen’s speed, the peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages didn’t see him as a threat.
Could a Neverwither Realm Great Sage single-handedly seize a Thousand-Ask Realm Sacred Intent Pill?
Matching Zhang Ruochen’s pace was Yan Wushen.
Yan Wushen also used Great Spatial Shift, his speed no less than Zhang Ruochen’s. He laughed loudly, saying, “Zhang Ruochen, if you want to seize a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill, you should’ve brought Xia Yu. As long as you achieve your goal, using external help isn’t shameful.”
“What if I’m aiming for the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill?” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Yan Wushen’s pupils narrowed, unable to discern whether Zhang Ruochen was serious or bluffing.
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen waved his sleeve, releasing a wave of time seal marks that formed a tidal surge of light, rushing toward Yan Wushen.
Crack.
Yan Wushen extended a radiant golden finger, slicing open a spatial rift over ten li long, absorbing all the time seal marks and neutralizing them effortlessly.
Taking advantage of this, Zhang Ruochen surged ahead, catching up to the ten Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pills.
Seeing that he still didn’t stop, Yan Wushen thought to himself, “What’s this guy planning? Does he really have the strength to seize a Quasi-Emperor Grade, or even the Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill? Unless…”
Yan Wushen could only think of one possibility: the Undying Blood Clan’s Supreme Sacred Artifact was in Zhang Ruochen’s hands.
But that seemed nearly impossible.
No one knew Zhang Ruochen’s strength better than Yan Wushen. In his view, before breaking his first shackle, Zhang Ruochen was still significantly weaker than the Undying Blood Clan’s Blade Hell Emperor, Wind Empress, and others.
How could the Undying Blood Clan’s gods entrust their Supreme Sacred Artifact to him?
Even if Zhang Ruochen held the Supreme Sacred Artifact, he couldn’t possibly defeat a pill spirit at the peak of the Thousand-Ask Realm. To confront it head-on would likely result in instant defeat, tantamount to suicide.
Zhang Ruochen locked onto his first target.
It was a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill with a pill spirit in the form of a “Yin-Yang Mallow,” blooming with two flowers—one yin, one yang—like the sun and moon in the sky, strikingly beautiful.
“It should be perfect for helping me fuse the Yin-Yang Five Elements Sacred Intent,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a surge of extreme danger approached. Scorching heat waves seemed to melt his Neverwither sacred body.
It was one of the Yin-Yang Mallow’s flowers, pressing down on him from above.
The flower, like a divine sun, radiated heat similar to the stellar divine sword wielded by the Nether King, capable of melting anything and destroying a Neverwither sacred body.
The flames surging from the flower were Pure Extinction Divine Fire of the Emperor Flame level, flawless white.
Boom.
Caught off guard, Zhang Ruochen could only raise his arm, unleashing the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, the most forceful and yang-infused strike, clashing with the Yin-Yang Mallow’s flower.
A fierce collision ensued.
Immediately, a terrifying force, like a mountain overturning the sea, struck him from above, sending his body plummeting over a hundred li downward.
Zhang Ruochen’s blood-red robe was burned full of holes by the Pure Extinction Divine Fire, with strands of hair ignited and his right arm throbbing in agony. Fortunately, his demigod body was strong enough to avoid injury, though he looked utterly disheveled.
“So this is the power of a Thousand-Ask Realm Great Sage. I’m afraid I’d need to reach the Hundred Shackle Realm to face it head-on,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
Behind him, the Hell Realm cultivators burst into laughter.
“What’s the point of rushing so fast? Overestimating himself, daring to dream of seizing a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill,” Wujiang scoffed, his face full of mockery.
“Blocking a single strike from the pill spirit means Zhang Ruochen has some skill.”
Xi shook his head, saying, “A Thousand-Ask Realm pill spirit isn’t that easy to deal with. Zhang Ruochen overestimated his strength. But that Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill suits me.”
Including Xi, four peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages charged toward the Yin-Yang Mallow.
“I told you not to show off. Look at the embarrassment now,” Emperor Yu glanced toward the Yin-Yang Mallow, then rushed with Yi Xuan Great Sage toward another Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill.
The four peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages reached within a hundred li of the Yin-Yang Mallow, sensing the immense power fluctuations from the Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill. They all stopped, each drawing a King Grade Sacred Artifact.
Before they could act, Zhang Ruochen’s voice echoed from afar.
“Get out of the way.”
The four powerhouses looked toward the sound, seeing Zhang Ruochen standing in the void, aiming his purple-gold gourd at them—no, at the Yin-Yang Mallow.
“You tell us to move, and we should? What a joke,” a peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sage from the Asura Clan said coldly.
Another from the Corpse Clan suggested, “He’s just a Neverwither Realm clown. Why not take him out first, then compete for the Sacred Intent Pill?”
“He’s indeed in the way.”
Xi’s eyes locked onto the purple-gold gourd in Zhang Ruochen’s hands. Suddenly, he sensed subtle spatial fluctuations, his expression changed, and he retreated like lightning.
Whoosh—
From the gourd’s mouth, Zhang Ruochen activated 36 million spatial inscriptions, instantly forming a circular spatial array spanning hundreds of li.
“Not good!”
“A spatial array?”
The other three peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages realized the danger and erupted with maximum speed, trying to escape the array’s range.
Boom.
The space within hundreds of li collapsed and contracted in an instant, forming a powerful suction force converging toward the gourd’s mouth.
The Yin-Yang Mallow, the pill spirit of the Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill, bore the brunt, its massive form rapidly shrinking and being drawn into the gourd.
Additionally, over a dozen King Grade Sacred Intent Pills within the array’s range were sucked in.
Even after escaping the array, Xi was still pulled back hundreds of meters by the gourd’s suction, his body entirely out of his control.
Once stabilized, Xi felt his scalp tingle. He glanced at the gourd in Zhang Ruochen’s hands from afar and fled without lingering.
“What a terrifying gourd. It’s not a Supreme Sacred Artifact, yet it’s more fearsome than some. This must be Zhang Ruochen’s greatest trump card.”
The feeling of weightlessness, completely beyond his control, left Xi deeply unsettled.
The other three peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages narrowly escaped the array’s range. Like Xi, they retreated immediately after stabilizing, not daring to stay close to Zhang Ruochen.
Fortunately, the Yin-Yang Mallow’s massive form had blocked most of the gourd’s suction, or they might not have escaped.
“Damn it! What kind of gourd is that? Its suction is too strong, completely irresistible.”
“It’s likely a top-tier King Grade Sacred Artifact with spatial attributes. We’d better be cautious of Zhang Ruochen in the future, lest we capsize in the gutter.”
“Don’t be too nervous. From what I saw, the gourd’s suction is strongest within 300 li, and it takes time to activate. It’s not a huge threat. If we launch long-range attacks or prevent him from activating the gourd, he’ll be a sitting duck.”
Zhang Ruochen had only activated the spatial array at the gourd’s mouth, not unleashing the destructive power of the Golden Sun or the star core within, so no supreme power was released, and the suction was limited.
“This gourd… it’s intriguing…”
From a distance, Wind Empress, witnessing the scene, showed a hint of surprise in her eyes.
Seizing a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill so effortlessly made many cultivators wary, strategizing how to counter the gourd.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t pause, rushing toward another Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill.
That pill’s spirit was also a flower, shaped like a hand with four fingers clenched and the index finger extended, radiating vibrant crimson light.
It was called the “Immortal Finger.”
The cultivator clashing with the Immortal Finger was Wujiang of the Nether Clan.
The shockwaves from Wujiang’s battle with the Immortal Finger formed layers of energy waves, spreading thousands of li.
Besides Wujiang, no one else was present.
No cultivator dared to compete with him.
With Wujiang’s formidable cultivation, subduing a Thousand-Ask Realm pill spirit was no easy task. The man and the flower fought fiercely, causing the surrounding space to tremble violently.
When Zhang Ruochen approached within 500 li, Wujiang noticed him.
The commotion from Zhang Ruochen’s use of the purple-gold gourd to seize a Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill had been significant, so Wujiang didn’t underestimate him.
“This Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill is mine. You’d better not interfere,” Wujiang transmitted with a threatening tone.
Zhang Ruochen, unfazed, replied coldly, “You’ve spent so long and still haven’t subdued the pill spirit. I’d say you’re not up to it. Step aside and let me handle it.”
Saying he wasn’t up to it?
Subduing a pill spirit was no simple feat.
Not only could the pill spirit not be destroyed, but the pill itself couldn’t be damaged.
It was harder than defeating, or even killing, an early Thousand-Ask Realm Great Sage.
“You dare speak to me like that? You’ve got some guts. Who gave you such courage?”
Wujiang felt Zhang Ruochen was deliberately provoking him. His eyes chilled, and in a brief pause from fighting the Immortal Finger, he clasped his hands before his chest. Behind him, a dark radiance bloomed, forming a hundred hand shadows arranged in a circle.
Whoosh—
The hundred black hand shadows each unleashed a palm strike, transforming into a hundred handprints that attacked Zhang Ruochen from afar.
Each handprint grew larger.
In the end, they became like a hundred five-fingered sacred mountains, radiating bone-chilling cold, completely enveloping Zhang Ruochen.
