By single-handedly seizing two Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pills, Zhang Ruochen caused a massive stir, becoming the focal point of all cultivators’ attention.
“Snatching food from the tiger’s mouth! He even took Wujiang’s Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill!”
“Who would’ve thought Zhang Ruochen would be the biggest winner?”
“It’s not that Zhang Ruochen is so powerful; it’s mainly because that gourd of his is perfect for collecting pills, giving him an advantage others don’t have.”
…
So far, the only cultivators who had successfully seized Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pills were Lan Ying, Luo Shengtian, and Zhang Ruochen.
Lan Ying and Luo Shengtian, renowned figures in the Hell Realm, were expected to succeed. Yet, even they had only managed to secure one Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill each.
For Zhang Ruochen, a Neverwither Realm cultivator, to claim two was bound to provoke envy.
Even Yan Wushen, considered Zhang Ruochen’s equal, was still locked in a bitter struggle, unable to secure a single Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill.
Soon, the cultivators noticed that Zhang Ruochen wasn’t stopping. He set his sights on a new target, charging toward a Blood Violet pill spirit, leaping through space at incredible speed.
The main force clashing with the Blood Violet pill spirit was the stunningly beautiful Great Sage Yanhong.
“What’s he doing? After taking from Xi and Wujiang, he’s now targeting Great Sage Yanhong?”
Through the projection of the Ten Thousand Realms Divine Eye, cultivators watching the pill-seizing spectacle were stunned, thinking Zhang Ruochen audaciously bold.
Was it wise to make enemies everywhere like this?
Initially, everyone speculated how Zhang Ruochen would evade the wrath of Wujiang, Xi, and Great Sage Yanhong on the Hunting Sky Battlefield. No one expected him to take the initiative and strike first.
From ten thousand li away, Lan Ying glanced toward the Blood Violet pill spirit, scoffing, “Zhang Ruochen’s combat strength is far from the top. But his胆量? That’s undisputedly number one.”
Hong Futu, standing beside Lan Ying, muscles bulging and aura robust, said, “We’ve only seized one Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill. Why not compete for another? And teach this arrogant kid a lesson while we’re at it.”
Lan Ying waved dismissively, “That pink skeleton is one of the three goddess candidates, sharp as a tack. She won’t make the same mistakes as Xi or Wujiang. Zhang Ruochen won’t find it easy to succeed. Besides, what’s a mere Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill?”
Lan Ying turned, his divine-light-emitting eyes locking onto the five Yama Clan peak Hundred Shackle Realm powerhouses battling the God-Illuminating Lotus pill spirit. A glint of determination flashed in his eyes.
The Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill was his true target.
Great Sage Yanhong wielded a five-element King Grade Sacred Artifact, a purple cauldron.
From the cauldron surged hundreds of thousands of king-level inscriptions, forming a purple cloud spanning hundreds of li. The cloud churned, unleashing thirty-nine massive lightning bolts, thick as rivers, tightly binding the Blood Violet’s three branches, suppressing it firmly.
The other two peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages vying for the Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill dared not approach the purple cloud and retreated.
“It looks like Great Sage Yanhong will claim this Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill. We’ll have to settle for a few King Grade Sacred Intent Pills to make up for it.”
The two peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages sighed, transforming into streaks of light and speeding away.
“You’re wise to back off… hm, it’s him.”
Great Sage Yanhong’s fair face lost its smile. She unleashed even greater power to drive the purple cauldron, aiming to suppress the Blood Violet pill spirit quickly.
Zhang Ruochen, holding the purple-gold gourd, appeared behind her and said, “The top powerhouse of the Bone Clan, the leading figure among the three goddess candidates, and yet your weapon isn’t a Supreme Sacred Artifact?”
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen waved his hand, unleashing a spatial rift dozens of li long, slashing toward the space between Great Sage Yanhong and the Blood Violet pill spirit.
Sizzle.
The space was torn apart, instantly severing the connection between Great Sage Yanhong and the purple cauldron.
Rumble.
Without her control, the cauldron’s power weakened significantly. The Blood Violet pill spirit broke free, transforming into a blood-red streak, piercing through the thick purple mist and fleeing toward the Six-Colored Wuwei Forest.
“Zhang Ruochen!”
On the verge of success, only to be thwarted by Zhang Ruochen, Great Sage Yanhong couldn’t contain her fury, even with her strong composure. Her long hair floated like willow branches, growing longer and slicing through the air like blades.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t underestimate her, releasing his spatial domain and virtual time domain, ready to wield the powers of space and time at any moment.
“I’m curious, is the true body beneath your skin really pink?” Zhang Ruochen taunted, deliberately provoking her.
When facing a peak Hundred Shackle Realm powerhouse, disrupting their mental state and causing them to falter could significantly reduce their combat strength.
“If you have the skill, you’ll find out. But I’m afraid it might give you a fright,” Great Sage Yanhong replied.
Her exquisite face, like carved divine jade, sparkled with spiritual light in her eyes. Though her true form was a skeleton, her appearance could still enchant cultivators across the world.
As their battle loomed, both Great Sage Yanhong and Zhang Ruochen sensed that the two peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages who had left earlier had returned, bypassing them to chase the Blood Violet pill spirit.
“Hmph! Once I seize the Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill and condense a third-grade Sacred Intent, I’ll deal with you slowly.”
Great Sage Yanhong transformed into a pink streak, landing atop the purple cauldron and driving it to pursue the Blood Violet pill spirit.
The Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill was crucial to her; she couldn’t afford to lose it.
Zhang Ruochen mobilized spatial rules, preparing to use Great Spatial Shift, when suddenly a brilliant arrow beam tore through the dark cosmos, flying toward him.
“Great Senluo Emperor!”
Sensing the aura of a divine wooden arrow, Zhang Ruochen guessed his attacker. With a whoosh, he vanished from his spot, reappearing a hundred li away, dodging the arrow.
Eight thousand li away, Great Senluo Emperor stood in the void, holding the Icewood Divine Bow, sneering, “With me here, you won’t claim another Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Don’t the Upper Three Clans support Prajna? Helping Great Sage Yanhong like this, aren’t you afraid of criticism?”
“Do I need to explain myself to you?”
Great Senluo Emperor drew the Icewood Divine Bow again, placing another divine wooden arrow on the frost-condensed string, the arrow gleaming transparently. “Ten Thousand Arrows Unleashed.”
Thwack!
The string snapped.
The divine wooden arrow shot out at over five thousand times the speed of sound, splitting in midair from one to two, then four, then eight… until it became a rain of arrows heading for Zhang Ruochen.
The speed was so fast that, despite the eight-thousand-li distance, it reached him instantly.
Zhang Ruochen’s hands traced circles, his fingertips flowing with dense spatial rules, twisting the space before him by 180 degrees.
The arrow rain reversed direction, flying back toward its source.
“Instead of wasting time attacking me, you’d be better off collecting more Sacred Intent Pills.”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head, uninterested in fighting Great Senluo Emperor. He left the area, leaping through space three times to catch up with Great Sage Yanhong.
“There’s still me!”
A hundred-zhang-wide axe shadow slashed down from above, carrying a fierce gust of wind.
The force locked onto Zhang Ruochen, forcing him to freeze the space above, forming a spatial shield to block the axe shadow.
Boom!
The axe shadow clashed with the spatial shield, creating ripples of energy.
Crack!
With a shattering sound, the spatial shield broke under a blood-colored war axe. As the axe neared Zhang Ruochen, he swung the purple-gold gourd, striking the axe’s edge.
A piercing metallic clash echoed through the vast space.
Zhang Ruochen’s body plummeted downward, unfurling ten golden wings to stabilize himself. Looking up, he saw a thousand-zhang-tall Rakshasa war soul standing in the starry sky, gazing down at him.
Below the war soul, on a cloud of evil Rakshasa energy, stood a four-meter-tall, imposing figure.
It was Mo Luo War Emperor, the strongest from the Di Entropy Divine Kingdom, one of the Rakshasa Clan’s seven divine kingdoms.
Mo Luo War Emperor, wielding a millstone-sized blood axe, glared ferociously and said, “Zhang Ruochen, we meet again!”
Great Sage Yanhong, realizing it was Mo Luo War Emperor attacking Zhang Ruochen, showed a hint of surprise, then smirked and continued chasing the Blood Violet pill spirit without lingering.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Great Sage Yanhong’s departing figure, frowning in frustration. “Am I that detestable? To think that you, from the Lower Three Clans, and Great Senluo Emperor, from the Upper Three Clans, would both help Great Sage Yanhong against me? If she seizes that Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill and advances her cultivation, causing Wind Empress and Prajna to lose the goddess candidacy, you’ll be to blame.”
Mo Luo War Emperor, harboring deep hatred for Zhang Ruochen, said, “Don’t you know how detestable you are? Today, I’ll fight you again to wash away the shame of the Life-Death Platform.”
Zhang Ruochen had no interest in fighting Mo Luo War Emperor and looked toward the Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest. “High Priest, the Hunting Sky Battle has begun. Attacking a Hell Realm cultivator deducts five thousand points, right?”
Mo Luo War Emperor halted his raised axe, uneasy about being expelled from the Hunting Sky Battlefield.
The Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest said lightly, “Maliciously attacking allied cultivators deducts five thousand points. Right now, you’re competing for Sacred Intent Pills, so fighting is permitted and not against the rules.”
“The High Priest speaks wisely.”
Mo Luo War Emperor bared his white teeth in a cold smile, swinging his axe down again.
From their earlier clash, Zhang Ruochen had noticed that Mo Luo War Emperor’s combat strength had increased several times since the Life-Death Platform, likely due to breaking his final shackle and reaching the peak of the Hundred Shackle Realm.
This wasn’t surprising. At the Star Ocean World auction, Mo Luo War Emperor had spent an astronomical 11,000 divine stones to buy a cauldron of Divine Roaming Pills.
With their power, it was entirely possible for him to break through.
Mo Luo War Emperor’s bone wings had grown from eight to ten.
Even his axe was no longer the two-element King Grade Sacred Artifact, the Qi Xin War Axe, but a four-element King Grade Sacred Artifact, an ancient divine relic imbued with potent divine power.
Zhang Ruochen avoided direct confrontation, using Great Spatial Shift to leap through space, chasing the Blood Violet pill spirit.
“Where do you think you’re going, Zhang Ruochen? Today, I’ll have my revenge.”
Mo Luo War Emperor spread his ten wings, his speed nearly matching Zhang Ruochen’s Great Spatial Shift. In moments, he reached the vicinity of the Blood Violet pill spirit.
“Cloud-Splitting Sky.”
The blood-colored war axe swung down with the force to cleave heaven and earth.
“Why are these two fighting here?”
“Such immense power. Mo Luo War Emperor has broken through to the peak of the Hundred Shackle Realm.”
The two peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages suppressing the Blood Violet pill spirit quickly retreated, unwilling to risk clashing with Mo Luo War Emperor’s axe.
Even before breaking his ninety-ninth shackle, Mo Luo War Emperor had fought a Thousand-Ask Realm Great Sage to a draw. Now, with his breakthrough and surging power, only Luo Shengtian among the Rakshasa Clan could likely surpass him.
Ordinary peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages had to avoid his edge.
Boom.
Mo Luo War Emperor’s axe grazed the Blood Violet pill spirit, wounding its dao body. Thousands of shimmering petal-like light fragments burst from the wound.
The sheer force of the strike was unimaginable.
“He’s become this strong. Mo Luo War Emperor is a fierce one who learns from shame. If I’d known, I should’ve dug out his Great Sage heart on the Life-Death Platform to sell. That way, he wouldn’t have recovered to his peak so easily, let alone broken through to the peak realm before the Hunting Sky Feast.”
Zhang Ruochen felt a twinge of regret. However, with a powerhouse like Mo Luo War Emperor stirring the chaos, if used well, it could greatly aid his efforts to seize the Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill.
With this in mind, Zhang Ruochen flapped his ten golden wings, flying toward Great Sage Yanhong.
“Dodging like a coward? What skill is that? Last time, I was careless, and you defeated me. Now, at the peak of the Hundred Shackle Realm, I can suppress you with one hand.”
Mo Luo War Emperor summoned his thousand-zhang-tall Rakshasa war soul again, his gaze tracking Zhang Ruochen’s flight path.
“You haven’t learned your lesson and still underestimate me. If you truly fight me with one hand, you’ll only be suppressed and forced to kneel again,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Recalling the humiliation of being forced to kneel on the Life-Death Platform, Mo Luo War Emperor’s eyes blazed red with rage. Roaring, he swung his axe horizontally.
The strike targeted not only Zhang Ruochen but also locked onto Great Sage Yanhong.
Great Sage Yanhong frowned, forced to maneuver the purple cauldron to defend herself.
Whoosh.
Zhang Ruochen stepped back, sinking into rippling spatial waves.
He reappeared above the Blood Violet pill spirit, pulling out the purple-gold gourd and activating its spatial inscriptions.
“Watch out for Zhang Ruochen.”
“Attack together. We can’t let him take the Quasi-Emperor Grade Sacred Intent Pill.”
The two observing peak Hundred Shackle Realm Great Sages noticed Zhang Ruochen’s move. One unleashed a King Grade Sacred Artifact sword, while the other spewed corpse qi, forming thousands of black-armored corpse kings to surround Zhang Ruochen.
But they were too late. The gourd’s spatial inscriptions were fully activated.
The incoming King Grade Sacred Artifact sword and the dense swarm of black-armored corpse kings were caught in the spatial array.
