On Dark Star, the immense gravity and absence of spiritual or holy qi make it a deathly forbidden zone for cultivators below the Great Saint realm.
Even Great Saints have their strength and speed suppressed to extreme lows on Dark Star.
Thus, Yan Wushen calculated that “three thousand steps” was a safe distance for negotiating with Emperor Chi.
The divine chains binding Emperor Chi’s feet had long been severed by the Five-Coloured Stone Sword.
However, the chains on his hands remained, stretching only a foot, greatly limiting his combat power. Without this, three thousand steps wouldn’t have been enough.
Emperor Chi’s true form was a green chi dragon, reaching the Great Saint realm after eight thousand years of cultivation.
Compared to the hell realm Great Saints in the Hunting Heaven Battle, he was a late bloomer. Without meeting Empress Thousand Bones, he’d never have broken through to the Baijia Realm.
Now, though he’d reached the Ten Thousand Deaths Realm and become a pivotal figure in the Wujian Pavilion, he was over ten thousand years old.
His lifespan was nearing its end.
Rather than dying of old age in a century, he’d rather die meaningfully, repaying the Empress’s mentorship.
The Hunting Heaven Battlefield might be a fitting place to fall.
In human form, Emperor Chi wielded the Five-Coloured Stone Sword, standing tall and robust, his scaly skin showing no trace of age.
After long contemplation, he shifted his gaze to Yan Wushen and Prajna in the distance.
“The Empress’s mission requires the Heavenly Mandate of Destiny and the Mysteries of Destiny, so I must help Prajna secure first place among the ten tribes. But with the Nether and Death Clans’ points, how can we surpass the Undead Blood and Yanluo Clans? Unless…”
Emperor Chi’s eyes subtly flicked toward Yan Wushen.
“Could Prajna be hinting that she and Yan Wushen are allied to help the Yanluo Clan take first?” Emperor Chi sensed Prajna had something to say but hesitated, leading to this guess.
Perhaps the Empress had a plan involving Yan Wushen, enabling her to obtain the Heavenly Mandate and Mysteries of Destiny through him.
…
Swish!
A transmission talisman cut through the darkness, landing in Yan Wushen’s hand.
He grabbed it, glanced at it, and froze, his eyes flickering with shock and doubt.
Prajna, unable to see the talisman’s contents, was curious. What could unsettle Yan Wushen so?
He quickly regained composure and addressed Emperor Chi, “The protective array on the Undead Blood Clan’s home star is broken. You can teleport there safely. Without the Nether, Death, Stone, Undead Blood, and Rakshasa Clans’ legions blockading, you can flee anywhere. Plus, you can absorb the six-coloured divine mist to restore your heavily depleted holy qi.”
“Nice words, kid. But I bet your Yanluo Clan’s forces are waiting there, ready to hunt us for points,” Emperor Chi said gruffly.
Yan Wushen gave a wry smile, “That was the plan, but something went wrong. The Yanluo Clan powerhouses sent to the Undead Blood Clan’s star are locked in a fierce battle with them, likely both sides crippled.”
Emperor Chi’s eyes were full of scepticism, “Most of the Undead Blood Clan’s Great Saints are here. How could they fight another battle on their home star? You’re just trying to lure us there, Yan Wushen. Fine, I’ll stay here a bit longer.”
Yan Wushen wasn’t rushed, “You’ve cultivated for over ten thousand years. Don’t you know there are peerless prodigies who can take on hordes in the same realm?”
“Hordes?” Emperor Chi scoffed.
At lower realms, some could indeed dominate many peers.
At the Great Saint level, taking on hordes was impossible! Every Great Saint, in youth, had that capability.
Yan Wushen said, “Zhang Ruochen of the Undead Blood Clan is such a figure. With him guarding their home star, he’s worth an army. A hundred Great Saints of his realm might not suppress him.”
“Is Zhang Ruochen that strong?” Emperor Chi asked.
An opportunity!
Prajna seized it, “When Zhang Ruochen rose to fame, Emperor Chi was already captured by the Temple of Destiny and imprisoned, so it’s normal you don’t know him. Born in the Kunlun Realm, on the Merit Battlefield, he wielded the Emperor’s Divine Ruler, facing the hell realm’s saint armies alone, sweeping all before him. He and Yan Wushen are this era’s greatest talents, dubbed once-in-an-eon prodigies. Not only can he dominate hordes at the Great Saint level, but as a god, he might take on ten peers.”
At “Kunlun Realm,” Emperor Chi’s pupils contracted, a spark of realisation igniting.
“How could a Kunlun Realm cultivator come to the hell realm?”
To confirm his suspicion, Emperor Chi asked.
Prajna glanced at Yan Wushen.
Yan Wushen said, “Because Zhang Ruochen has half hell realm blood. He’s Blood Absolute War God’s grandson.”
“Blood Absolute’s grandson… his father must be… I see!” Emperor Chi’s heart stirred, confirming what Prajna meant to convey.
His face showed no change.
But Yan Wushen sensed a faint killing intent from Emperor Chi.
Who was it aimed at?
Yan Wushen’s guard went up, quietly preparing.
“A Kunlun Realm cultivator willingly serving the hell realm? Such a traitor deserves death.”
Feigning hatred for Zhang Ruochen, Emperor Chi waved, “All Great Saint slaves, we teleport to the Undead Blood Clan’s star now. There, I can’t control others—flee as you will. But Wujian Pavilion and heavenly slaves, dare you join me to kill Zhang Ruochen first?”
“As Emperor Chi commands.”
Nearly half of the seven hundred-plus slaves responded, their voices thick with killing intent.
They loathed Zhang Ruochen for aligning with the hell realm.
Moreover, they knew surviving the Hunting Heaven Battlefield was unlikely. Staying with Emperor Chi offered the best chance.
Whoosh—
The first batch of over three hundred Great Saint slaves teleported away.
Then, Emperor Chi and the remaining three hundred-plus entered the array.
As he stepped in, Emperor Chi spun, gripping his sword with both hands, slashing at Yan Wushen from afar.
Five-coloured sword light surged, locking onto him.
No one expected Emperor Chi’s sudden attack. Another cultivator would’ve been instantly slain. But Yan Wushen was ready, pressing his temples as the Naihe Bridge burst from his brow.
Boom!
The five-coloured sword light was blocked by the stone bridge.
Blood seeped from Yan Wushen’s brow as he flew hundreds of metres, carving a long trench in the ground, his body covered in cuts. Prajna was blasted away by the shockwave, her protective Nether River shattering into droplets.
“Insolent slaves, you court death!”
Roars echoed from above as Wujiang and Great Saint Yuanfei led the upper three tribes’ Great Saints, riding the Scroll of Truth and Illusion, rushing to Dark Star No. 7.
But the teleportation array’s light faded, and all Great Saint slaves had departed.
Yan Wushen climbed up, wiping blood from his forehead, glancing at Prajna. Wujiang was already supporting her, his palm on her back, healing her, murmuring, “You took too great a risk.”
Prajna pushed Wujiang away, wiping blood from her lips, resolute, “This injury won’t kill me!”
Wujiang wasn’t annoyed. If Prajna weren’t so independent and strong, he’d lose interest, finding her unappealing.
Countless beauties exist, but few aren’t delicate.
Yan Wushen approached, “Strange. Initially, I sensed no killing intent from Emperor Chi. But after mentioning Zhang Ruochen’s origins, he seemed to change his mind, wanting to kill me. What’s going on?”
Prajna knew why.
Initially, Emperor Chi likely thought the Empress chose Yan Wushen, so he spared them.
Learning Zhang Ruochen was the Empress’s choice, his killing intent surged, aiming to eliminate Yan Wushen to aid Zhang Ruochen.
But Yan Wushen’s vigilance was too high, surviving the strike.
Prajna said, “Emperor Chi is from Wujian Pavilion, whose master hails from the Kunlun Realm. Learning Zhang Ruochen is a Kunlun traitor, his emotions turned extreme. Besides, hell realm cultivators and slaves are mortal enemies. How could Emperor Chi not harbour killing intent? He just hid it well, focused on escaping.”
Yuanfei and Wujiang nodded slightly.
Yan Wushen shook his head, unconvinced, sensing a deeper truth he’d overlooked.
Prajna cut in, “Let’s teleport to the Undead Blood Clan’s star. Delay longer, and the Yanluo and Bone Clans will claim all the slaves’ points!”
The upper three tribes’ cultivators teleported away.
Yan Wushen stood alone on Dark Star No. 7, clutching the transmission talisman. It read, “Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation soared, Yan Zhexian was expelled from the battlefield, Great Saint Yanhong fell, Yan Huangtu is gravely wounded. The situation is dire.”
“The situation differs from my initial plan. Where did I miscalculate? Cough!” Yan Wushen coughed golden blood.
Blocking a Ten Thousand Deaths Realm Great Saint’s strike was no small feat, leaving him significantly injured.
Hundreds of Yanluo Clan Great Saints, receiving Yan Wushen’s message, arrived at Dark Star No. 7 under Xi’s lead, standing at the teleportation array’s edge.
“Greetings, Lord Wushen.”
After Yan Wushen’s solo raid on the Shura Clan’s home star, earning fearsome renown, the Yanluo Clan’s Great Saints held him in high respect.
After brief recovery, Yan Wushen’s injuries stabilised. With commanding presence, he declared, “Yan Huangtu, Yan Zhexian, and the Eight Sons of Life and Death have fallen to Zhang Ruochen. Now, we bear the duty to seize first place among the ten tribes for the Yanluo Clan. The supreme clan’s glory must not falter in our generation.”
“Fight! Fight! Fight! For the supreme clan’s glory, for the Yanluo Clan’s supremacy!”
The Yanluo Clan’s Great Saints, brimming with battle spirit, followed Yan Wushen into the teleportation array.
