“Bang.”
The space collapsed, forming a massive hole. Yan Huangtu, already at the end of his strength, was struck by Zhang Ruochen and sent into the void space.
Wujiang hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not intervene.
Yan Huangtu’s expulsion from the battlefield might not be a bad thing for him.
After swallowing the Great Demon Shadow, Lan Ying’s expression changed drastically. Her child-like body swelled larger and larger, like a balloon being inflated.
“Not good, the soul power within the Great Demon Shadow is too strong, and it carries Yan Huangtu’s powerful mental will.”
Nine lights and eighteen colors flickered on Lan Ying’s body, barely suppressing the swelling. She transmitted a message to Empress Feng before fleeing into the Asura Sword.
Empress Feng was stunned, thinking to herself, “Lan Ying truly has no taboos. The Great Demon Shadow is so powerful, yet she dared to swallow it whole. Isn’t she afraid of bursting?”
It seemed Lan Ying would need time to refine the Great Demon Shadow and couldn’t act for now.
However, Lan Ying’s sneak attack had eliminated Yan Huangtu, doing a great favor for the Immortal Blood Clan.
Some time ago, Empress Feng had been pursued by Yan Huangtu and the Pink Skeleton. It was only by encountering Lan Ying that she escaped. Afterwards, she reached a secret agreement with Lan Ying, one condition being to jointly deal with the Yama Clan.
Empress Feng’s gaze fell on the Heavenly Wishful floating in mid-air. A smile appeared on her stunning face as she moved to retrieve it.
“Swish—”
The Heavenly Wishful turned into a streak of white light, breaking through the air and landing in Yan Wushen’s hands far away.
Yan Wushen’s figure stood tall and cold. Toying with the Heavenly Wishful, he said in a deep voice, “The Yama Clan’s supreme sacred artifact isn’t something you can take so easily. Xi, ranked thirteenth on the Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection List, do you dare to face Empress Feng alone?”
Xi, dressed in a black robe and holding a blackwood staff, stepped out from among hundreds of Yama Clan Great Saints, saying, “On my clan’s home star, I tamed two Nine-Life Blood Crows. I’ve long wanted to elevate my ranking on the Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection List through a battle.”
Two crows with blood-red feathers flew on either side of Xi, letting out eerie caws.
Their strange cries unsettled even Great Saints.
Those ranked in the top eighteen of the Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection List were extraordinary, having at least fused a fourth-grade Saint Intent, capable of fighting Thousand Questions Realm Great Saints across realms.
The two Nine-Life Blood Crows, tamed by Xi using the Great Witch Heavenly Path Soul Capture, were at the early stage of the Thousand Questions Realm. Together, the three could hold their own against mid or late-stage Thousand Questions Realm Great Saints.
Yan Wushen cautioned, “Beware of her Destiny Feather.”
“My Great Witch Heavenly Path counters the Destiny Feather.”
Xi stepped onto the two Nine-Life Blood Crows, as if riding two blood wheels, bursting with unparalleled speed.
While still a thousand miles from Empress Feng, his blackwood staff glowed with a dark light, unleashing a witch path secret technique to attack her.
Empress Feng’s injuries hadn’t fully healed, but she showed no fear of Xi.
She reached out, grasping the hilt of the blood-red Asura Sword, her face showing strain. Then, with both hands, she gripped the sword, barely managing to lift this supreme sacred artifact-level killing blade.
The battle between Empress Feng and Xi was about to erupt.
“With Empress Feng occupied by Xi, the Immortal Blood Clan is left with only Zhang Ruochen.”
Yan Wushen’s gaze shifted from their battlefield to Zhang Ruochen, ordering the Yama Clan Great Saints behind him, “Hurry and hunt the Heavenly Slaves. Collect as many points as possible.”
A Yama Clan Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint asked, “Why not surround Emperor Chi first? He’s worth thirty million points.”
Yan Wushen glared at him.
The Great Saint immediately fell silent, joining other Yama Clan cultivators in scattering swiftly in all directions.
Yan Wushen shook his head slightly, taking out a diamond-shaped lens to check the rankings.
Immortal Blood Clan: First, 89 million points.
Yama Clan: Second, 83 million points.
The Immortal Blood Clan’s points had dropped slightly because the sixty-three Nine-Step Saint Kings, who teleported away with 6,300 clan members, were nearly all caught by Bone Clan Great Saints, resulting in heavy losses.
Had Zhang Ruochen not killed a large number of Great Saint Heavenly Slaves earlier, the Immortal Blood Clan’s points would be even lower.
Of course, the Yama Clan’s points were also deducted for attacking Immortal Blood Clan cultivators.
Yan Wushen muttered, “Only a six-million-point gap. As long as we restrain Zhang Ruochen, even without killing Emperor Chi, the Yama Clan can close this gap by hunting other Heavenly Slaves.”
Surrounding Emperor Chi was too risky. Even if successful, the Yama Clan would lose many Great Saints.
For these reasons, Yan Wushen remained unmoved despite knowing Yuan Fei Great Saint was leading Dead Clan cultivators to hunt Emperor Chi. Even if Yuan Fei killed Emperor Chi, it would benefit the Yama Clan greatly.
Of course, Yan Wushen didn’t believe Yuan Fei could kill Emperor Chi.
Emperor Chi could only die by his hand.
“Secure an absolute victory in the Hunting Heaven Battle first, then deal with Emperor Chi.”
Yan Wushen had to admit that in past Hunting Heaven Battles, the Yama Clan had never been pushed to such a desperate state. Undoubtedly, this generation of Immortal Blood Clan cultivators, led by Zhang Ruochen, was exceptionally strong.
He longed to face Zhang Ruochen in a fair and open battle on the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, to settle the score decisively, even to the death.
But now, he couldn’t do so. He needed to ensure the Yama Clan’s victory in the Hunting Heaven Battle first. Against a formidable challenger like Zhang Ruochen, he had to use every means necessary.
In the face of the clan’s interests, personal feelings had to be set aside.
…
Zhang Ruochen had no interest in fighting Wujiang, knowing that hunting Great Saint Heavenly Slaves was the priority.
But Wujiang pursued relentlessly, constantly activating the Myriad Curses Heavenly Pearl to curse him.
Wujiang said, “Zhang Ruochen, it’s futile. These Great Saint Heavenly Slaves are destined to be divided among the Nether, Stone, Bone, and Yama Clans. The Immortal Blood Clan’s points being surpassed by the Yama Clan is only a matter of time.”
“Once Yuan Fei Great Saint and the Dead Clan cultivators kill the Immortal Blood Clan members hiding in the Jade Tree, your clan’s points will not only be overtaken by the Yama Clan but also by the Rakshasa, Nether, and Dead Clans, falling back to square one. All your efforts will be for nothing.”
“Falling from the clouds to the dust, that must sting, right? But you can’t change anything!”
“Why struggle so hard? Why not stay and fight me honorably?”
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen, who had been fleeing, stopped and stared coldly, saying, “Fine, as you wish.”
Wujiang’s curse attacks were relentless, catching Zhang Ruochen off guard. Earlier, unwilling to engage, he had suffered minor setbacks.
Since he couldn’t shake Wujiang, Zhang Ruochen changed tactics, deciding to end it quickly.
“Brother Wujiang, Wushen is here to back you up.”
Yan Wushen crossed space, appearing three hundred miles behind Zhang Ruochen, smiling but showing no intent to act.
However, his spatial domain spread out, covering a vast area, clearly aiming to prevent Zhang Ruochen from escaping and trap him in the battlefield.
But wasn’t this also trapping Wujiang?
“Thank you, Brother Wushen.”
Wujiang, wary of space and time’s unpredictability, emitted strands of dark light, forming a three-zhang-diameter black hole, into which his body vanished.
Zhang Ruochen turned, glancing at Yan Wushen, saying, “You’re teaming up with him?”
Yan Wushen shook his head, “I promised Brother Wujiang a chance to settle his score with you. I won’t act until you’ve decided the victor.”
“I trust your word, Yan Wushen.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded, ignoring him further. His figure flickered, vanishing from the spot. When he reappeared, he was within a thousand zhang of the black hole, releasing his True Spatial Domain.
“Space Freeze.”
Within a thousand zhang, space solidified.
Only the space near the black hole, influenced by dark forces, shattered a large portion of the frozen space instantly.
“Purple Star Gourd.”
“Immovable Bright King Saint Aspect.”
“God-Demon Prison.”
“Truth Realm Form.”
Zhang Ruochen held the purple-gold gourd, channeling supreme power to form a crimson light beam that shot towards the black hole.
Where the beam passed, the void burned.
The Immovable Bright King Saint Aspect and God-Demon Prison merged, forming a colossal figure, creating a handprint the size of a cloud, pressing down from above.
In the Truth Realm Form, star-like light clusters each emitted a beam, forming a torrent of starlight that joined the crimson beam, striking the black hole.
Yan Wushen’s eyes narrowed, realizing Zhang Ruochen aimed to end the fight with one strike, eliminating Wujiang in the shortest time.
“To control these powerful techniques, Zhang Ruochen must be exerting all his strength, fully focused. If I attack from behind now, he’d have no defense and would collapse instantly.”
Yan Wushen hesitated. He had resolved to use any means to defeat Zhang Ruochen for the Yama Clan’s victory.
But now…
The opportunity was right before him, yet he felt reluctant to act.
“I trust your word, Yan Wushen.” If another cultivator had said this, Yan Wushen might not have cared. But coming from Zhang Ruochen, it impacted his mindset significantly.
“Zhang Ruochen must have said that deliberately to sway me. If I sneak attack now, even if I defeat or kill him, I’ll feel guilty. In the Thousand Questions and Myriad Deaths One Life Realms, it would create a massive mental block.”
Finally, Yan Wushen gave a wry smile and refrained from acting.
Wujiang was formidable, using his sixty-sixth-order mental strength to cast Myriad Eyes Illusion, summoning the Nether God Ancestor’s divine shadow, releasing the Netherworld Kingdom, and activating the Myriad Curses Heavenly Pearl, unleashing thirteen curses in succession.
“Boom!”
Both unleashed their techniques, clashing fiercely.
After about three breaths, the Nether God Ancestor was shattered again, and the three-zhang black hole was broken by the flame beam and starlight torrent.
“Pfft!”
Wujiang spat blood, flying backward.
Remarkably, while the Nether God Ancestor and black hole were destroyed, the Netherworld Kingdom he conjured only sustained minor damage. This defense allowed Wujiang, struck by supreme power, to merely spit a mouthful of saint blood.
Another cultivator would have been reduced to ashes.
Zhang Ruochen, hit by curse attacks, suffered injuries to his mental strength, body, and saint soul, but none were severe.
His current body seemed highly resistant to curses.
“Swish—”
Before Wujiang could stabilize, Zhang Ruochen rushed out from the void, swinging the purple-gold gourd down at his head.
With a bang, blood gushed from Wujiang’s head.
Then, Zhang Ruochen struck a palm at Wujiang’s chest.
…
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Ruochen attacked twelve times. Wujiang’s skull was shattered, his chest collapsed, and his legs reduced to bloody pulp.
Each move aimed to kill Wujiang.
Over a hundred Nether Clan Great Saints caught up, witnessing this scene, their hearts pounding with fear.
Was Zhang Ruochen too bold, daring to kill Wujiang?
Did he know Wujiang’s identity? Did he know who Wujiang’s master was?
“Stop.”
“Form the array, attack Zhang Ruochen with curses together.”
The 132 Nether Clan Great Saints present each formed a strange seal with their hands, chanting curses.
Threads of curse power wove between them, growing stronger.
The starry sky within a thousand miles was shrouded in an aura of death.
Yan Wushen, watching from the side, felt his heart stop beating, his body turning cold, all warmth vanishing instantly and continuing to drop.
“Heart-Stopping Curse.”
Yan Wushen’s expression shifted slightly. Golden Buddhist light burst from his body, expelling the curse power. He quickly used spatial shift to retreat far away.
A curse cast by over a hundred Nether Clan Great Saints, layered and amplified, could easily kill a Thousand Questions Realm Great Saint.
Zhang Ruochen’s heart stopped, and his palm, aimed at Wujiang, slowed for a moment.
In that moment, Wujiang, beaten to the point of helplessness, exploded into a cloud of black mist.
“Swish.”
At the center of the 132 Nether Clan Great Saints, the black mist reappeared, forming Wujiang’s body, still bloodied and deformed, with countless broken bones.
Fortunately, his mental strength, far surpassing Zhang Ruochen’s, protected his saint soul.
Otherwise, enduring twelve heavy strikes from Zhang Ruochen would have destroyed his saint soul, even if his body survived.
“Good, the Heart-Stopping Curse. I’ll control it to curse Zhang Ruochen to death.”
Wujiang knew his strength was significantly inferior to Zhang Ruochen’s and gave up fighting alone. Though his body was incapacitated, his mental strength could still activate the Myriad Curses Heavenly Pearl, which floated above his head.
He chanted curses.
The curse power from Wujiang and the 132 Nether Clan Great Saints converged on the Myriad Curses Heavenly Pearl.
“Zhang Ruochen, this Heart-Stopping Curse was meant for Emperor Chi, but it’s being used on you first. Over a hundred Nether Clan Great Saints sending you off, your death will be glorious!”
As Wujiang’s voice rang out, the starry sky darkened, brewing a terrifying killing intent.
Yan Wushen retreated another thousand miles, clearly wary of the Heart-Stopping Curse, feeling concern for Zhang Ruochen for the first time. “With the Myriad Curses Heavenly Pearl’s enhancement, the Heart-Stopping Curse can threaten a Myriad Deaths One Life Realm Great Saint’s life. Zhang Ruochen surely can’t withstand it. Will he really die by Wujiang’s hand?”
Though Yan Wushen saw Zhang Ruochen as his sole rival of this generation and didn’t want him to die by another’s hand, he had no reason to save him now.
So, he stood by, watching to see if Zhang Ruochen could break the curse and survive.
…
The Hunting Heaven Battle has been dragging on a bit, and I aim to wrap it up in five or six chapters.
Some readers have mentioned “ending in two chapters,” haha. What I meant was that after two chapters, the final battle would begin.
Others have asked about the plot development after the Hunting Heaven Battle. You should be able to pick up on some of the foreshadowing already laid out. However, I’ve also planned some things that will absolutely surprise you, which I’ll reveal gradually!
