“Trying this trick again? If this is the extent of your power, then you, as a Time Controller, are quite a failure.”
Que didn’t even turn around, ignoring the time mark light points flying from behind.
“Crackle.”
The dense time mark light points dimmed as they neared him, then vanished, like lamps extinguishing, causing him no harm.
Only the “Absolute Self Time Mark,” condensed from Zhang Ruochen’s time rules, silently adhered to Que’s body.
Time marks exist everywhere in the universe, including within Que’s body.
A single special time mark landing on him was nearly imperceptible.
Other cultivators, unaware of the “Absolute Self Time Mark,” saw Que neutralise Zhang Ruochen’s time marks without any countermeasures, gasping in shock.
What level of powerhouse was he?
Was he truly just at the Hundred Shackles Realm?
Was the power of time so feeble?
To counter Zhang Ruochen, many Hell Realm cultivators had devised methods to suppress time power, though these required significant resources and meticulous preparation.
Que’s effortless nullification of time power defied their understanding.
Only a few cultivators immediately thought of the Path of Nothingness, their expressions growing even graver.
Empress Yu’s eyes showed deep helplessness as she sighed, “He’s the one you mentioned, isn’t he? It seems everyone was wrong, including the gods. Que, first on the Great Perfection Hundred Shackles Realm list, is a real, living person. He’s too powerful, impossibly so. Is there anyone in the Thousand Questions Realm who could match him?”
To her, Que wasn’t just invincible in his realm but could dominate across realms.
Even if Zhang Ruochen, an Eon-level genius, reached the Great Perfection Hundred Shackles Realm, he might not be Que’s match.
Zhang Ruochen said, “He may not be as powerful as you think. You’re only seeing the surface.”
Empress Yu glanced at him, “Just now, the three of us unleashed our strongest combined attack without pause. Even Lan Ying or Yan Wushen likely couldn’t withstand it. Yet he easily neutralised it, proving his strength far surpasses ours, Lan Ying’s, and Yan Wushen’s. None of the banquet attendees are on his level.”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head, “You think our combined attack could challenge Lan Ying or Yan Wushen because you understand their strength and know their level.”
“But you know nothing about Que.”
“No records detail Que’s information or achievements. That’s why he seems like an unfathomable abyss or an unclimbable mountain, invincible. Before even fighting, your heart is defeated, losing in mindset!”
“Standing at the edge of an abyss, looking down into white mist ten zhang below, you can’t see the bottom, and fear grips you. But if the weather clears and you see the abyss is only twenty zhang deep, with enough understanding, that fear diminishes.”
Empress Yu couldn’t grasp why Zhang Ruochen was so optimistic, “You think Que’s strength isn’t much greater than Lan Ying’s or Yan Huangtu’s? But the three of us—me, you, and Great Saint Yixuan—combined and prepared in advance, were easily defeated. And your time power was silently nullified. His methods are beyond comprehension.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “The mist hides the abyss, making its depth unclear. But the abyss knows its own limits. That’s why, facing pursuit from eight powerhouses, Que chose to flee rather than stay and defeat them all to boost his reputation.”
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen pointed to Que’s escape direction, where Lan Ying, Yan Huangtu, and others were in pursuit.
“Even if you’re right, Que’s strength is still above Lan Ying’s and Yan Huangtu’s, an unmatched powerhouse we can’t defeat. He deserves the top spot on the Great Perfection Hundred Shackles Realm list. With the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill, his strength will only grow.”
Empress Yu continued, “You’re jealous and afraid—afraid that even at the Great Perfection Hundred Shackles Realm, you won’t match him, and your title as an Eon-level genius will be taken.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he smiled nonchalantly, “One day, I’ll defeat him myself, showing you clearly that no enemy is invincible. What you can’t overcome is the fear in your own heart. Put other matters aside for now. Let’s head to the Undying Blood Clan’s home star.”
In the dark void, the Pill Attendant and Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest stood side by side.
Even with their status, Que’s appearance left them shocked, bewildered, and astonished. It took them a long time to recover.
The Pill Attendant sighed, “Who’d have thought this millennium would see the Hell Realm produce so many prodigies, a golden generation for this Eon? Who is this Nothingness Controller?”
The Fuluo Black-Robed High Priest shook his head with a wry smile, “I don’t know! He didn’t appear at the banquet but showed up in the Hunting Heaven Battlefield. It’s very strange.”
The Pill Attendant was surprised, “He’s not one of the ten clans’ ten thousand banquet attendees?”
The High Priest nodded, “In the hundred Hunting Heaven Banquets, there’s never been such an exception. Since even I don’t know of his existence, it can only mean a Divine Lord-level figure stands behind him. His presence in the Hunting Heaven Battlefield must have special significance.”
The Pill Attendant said, “A cultivator who shouldn’t be in the Hunting Heaven Battlefield appeared miraculously, and no god has struck him down. So, he’s a rule-breaker?”
The High Priest said, “The Hunting Heaven Battle carries many meanings. The ten clans’ cultivators vie for their clan’s share of benefits. The three goddess candidates compete for the goddess position. Zhang Ruochen, Yan Wushen, Lan Ying, Yan Huangtu… each has a unique purpose in the battle. I’m very curious—what does Que represent?”
The Pill Attendant said, “Since the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill is in Que’s hands, this pill contest should end. Aren’t you going to stop them?”
The High Priest nodded, about to act, when he suddenly received a transmission. His face immediately showed respect as he listened attentively.
“Understood.”
After the transmission, the High Priest abandoned his plan to intervene, saying to the Pill Attendant, “I understand Que’s purpose in the Hunting Heaven Battlefield. The Divine Lord has issued an oracle: regarding Que, Zhang Ruochen, and Yan Wushen, we are not to interfere. They are outside the Hunting Heaven rules.”
The Hunting Heaven Battlefield was vast, shrouded in six-coloured star mist.
The Undying Blood Clan’s home star, thirty thousand li in diameter, appeared in the starry sky as a massive blood-red eyeball with ten continents and a crimson ocean, rotating from east to west while constantly moving.
The star housed 240 million Undying Blood Clan members, with cities and civilisations.
Empress Feng and Blade Hell Emperor, having failed to catch Que, returned to the home star and immediately contacted the leaders of the ten tribes, including Zhang Ruochen.
After discussions, they named the star’s ten continents after the ten tribes: Qingtian Continent, Huangtian Continent, Qitian Tribe, Motian Tribe, Xuetian Tribe…
Each tribe was responsible for one continent.
For instance, the Xuetian Continent, guarded by the Xuetian Tribe, housed thirty million Undying Blood Clan members. If ten clan members died to sky slave invasions, one point would be deducted from the Xuetian Tribe.
If the entire continent’s population was killed, the Xuetian Tribe’s total points would be halved, distributed among the other nine tribes.
Zhang Ruochen led the Xuetian Tribe’s ninety-eight Great Saints and two Saint Kings who hadn’t broken through to the Xuetian Continent, relaying the discussion’s details to them.
In the city lord’s mansion of Yun City, the largest city on the Xuetian Continent, all the Xuetian Tribe’s powerhouses gathered in the main hall.
Empress Yu’s expression was grim, “Assigning each tribe to a single continent fragments our strength, increasing competition and internal conflicts. If sky slaves attack, the other nine tribes might stand by. Blade Hell Emperor and Empress Feng made a grave mistake.”
Gu Chenzi said, “There’s no helping it. The ten tribes are inherently competitive.”
Great Saint Yixuan, indignant, said, “No helping it? Why should the Undying Blood Clan let Blade Hell Emperor and Empress Feng call the shots? With so many powerhouses in our Xuetian Tribe, can’t we seize control? I support Zhang Ruochen as the leader of the entire Undying Blood Clan!”
Gu Chenzi said, “Your support alone isn’t enough. Seizing power now would mean infighting. Even if we succeed, the Undying Blood Clan would be weakened, and internal conflicts would worsen. Wouldn’t that make us a laughingstock to the other nine clans?”
…
Amid their heated debate, Zhang Ruochen finally spoke, “Enough arguing. Follow my orders. Empress Yu, contact the ten tribes’ array masters immediately to set up defensive, concealment, and offensive arrays in the star’s outer space. This was agreed with the ten tribe leaders, so there should be no resistance. As the Undying Blood Clan’s strongest array master, you’re in charge.”
“Gu Chenzi, thoroughly investigate the continent’s secret sites, find all sky slaves hiding there, and kill them without mercy.”
“Great Saint Yixuan, lead all the Xuetian Tribe’s Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saints to the starry battlefield to kill sky slaves and earn points for the tribe. How’s your injury?”
Great Saint Yixuan stood abruptly, his external wounds healed, brimming with vitality, “I’m an Undying Blood Clan Great Saint. Absorbing saint blood is more effective than any healing pill. As long as I don’t face Thousand Questions Realm sky slaves, I’ll slaughter them all.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded, continuing, “Xueqi, lead all the Xuetian Tribe’s spiritual power Great Saints to form an intelligence team. Track sky slaves and report to Great Saint Yixuan for elimination. Also, closely monitor the other nine clans’ movements and locate their home stars. Safety first.”
“Those who just broke through to the Great Saint Realm, stay on the Xuetian Continent until your realms stabilise before hunting sky slaves.”
…
Orders issued, everyone sprang into action.
They understood Zhang Ruochen’s strategy was defensive and steady, possibly earning fewer points but safer.
Zhang Ruochen activated the supreme inscriptions in his gourd, unleashing supreme power to subdue three Quasi-Emperor Grade Saint Will Pills, thirty-seven King Grade Saint Will Pills, and 458 top-tier Heaven Grade Saint Will Pills.
He then brought the Xuetian Tribe’s newly advanced Great Saints into the purple-gold gourd to cultivate.
With divine stones, the gourd’s time ratio reached one to nine.
Unfortunately, the Sundial couldn’t be brought into the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, or Zhang Ruochen could have gained a greater time advantage.
“According to Empress Feng, only Lan Ying and Yan Huangtu are still pursuing Que. With their interference, Que likely can’t consume and refine the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill soon, so I still have a chance. But first, I must break through to the Hundred Shackles Realm.”
Zhang Ruochen deduced that even if Que escaped Lan Ying and Yan Huangtu, he couldn’t consume the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill soon.
Firstly, Que’s strongest paths likely already had Saint Wills. To use the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill, he’d need to cultivate a new path recently.
Only by mastering a single path to an extremely high level would consuming the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill be meaningful.
Zhang Ruochen doubted Que could cultivate a single path to a third-grade Saint Will. His only concern was that Que had already condensed nine Saint Wills and, with the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill, could form a tenth.
A Great Saint with ten Saint Wills would surpass ancient limits, holding epoch-making significance.
Who knew if condensing a tenth Saint Will would grant special powers and trigger a transformation?
After all, cultivators who break limits are often favoured by the heavens.
Secondly, the Emperor Grade Saint Will Pill was equivalent to a Supreme Realm Great Saint. Even with its spiritual will refined, a Hundred Shackles Realm cultivator would face significant difficulty refining it.
Even if Zhang Ruochen obtained the pill, he wouldn’t dare consume it in the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, lest interruptions lead to dire consequences.
“I hope the Path-Deriving Saint Fruit can truly help break the shackles.”
Zhang Ruochen took out a Path-Deriving Saint Fruit, holding it with a distant gaze, filled with anticipation.
Since pills couldn’t be brought into the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, Zhang Ruochen had consumed a cauldron of Divine Roaming Pills—over a hundred—before entering.
Unable to digest their power quickly, he sealed and suppressed them in his blood and heart. Only when breaking shackles would he release some of the seal to unleash the power.
Besides Divine Roaming Pills, Zhang Ruochen consumed many secondary soul pills to boost spiritual power and king-grade healing pills, all sealed within him.
This was a loophole in the Hunting Heaven Battlefield’s rules!
Any cultivator with some wit would do the same.
Of course, not every cultivator had a physique as strong as Zhang Ruochen’s, capable of withstanding the impact of so many pills and their spirits.
