“Swish!”
Crossing the spatial wormhole mirror, Zhang Ruochen instantly arrived two hundred thousand miles away, entering the deep space region.
He glanced back, and the White Jade Divine Tree, over ten thousand miles tall, had shrunk to the size of a millstone, its radiance still dazzling.
Before Zhang Ruochen could catch his breath, a spatial fluctuation appeared nearby, and another wormhole mirror materialized.
“They’re catching up this fast,” Zhang Ruochen said.
In the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, the only cultivator capable of opening a spatial wormhole mirror like him was obvious.
“Roar!”
With a long howl, Yan Wushen, towering at nine zhang and six chi, burst through the mirror, shouting, “Zhang Ruochen, don’t flee. Fight me!”
Ignoring him, Zhang Ruochen pointed a finger, opening another wormhole mirror and stepping through.
“Swish!”
Yan Wushen caught up again, calling out, “Your injuries are severe. Persisting like this will leave irreparable damage. Stay and fight me. I’ll give you a quarter-hour to heal.”
“A quarter-hour is too short. How about a day?” Zhang Ruochen retorted.
Yan Wushen let out a cold grunt.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t stop, continuing to cross space.
The initiative remained his, but agreeing to fight Yan Wushen would cede control to him.
Having consumed the White Cang Blood Soil, Zhang Ruochen was confident he could hold out until the Hunting Heaven Battle ended.
If he kept fleeing, even Yan Wushen, with comparable spatial mastery, couldn’t catch him.
“You want a fight? There’ll be plenty of chances later. Today, I only aim to secure first place for the ten clans, so I won’t indulge you.”
Leaving those words, Zhang Ruochen entered a wormhole mirror for the fourth time.
With little time left in the Hunting Heaven Battle, most cultivators had ceased fighting, awaiting the Ten Thousand Realms Divine Eye to teleport them back to Destiny Divine Mountain.
But Yan Wushen didn’t give up, pursuing relentlessly. “The Temple of Destiny forbids taking all clan members off their home star. Zhang Ruochen, you’ve broken the rules. Even if the Immortal Blood Clan leads in points, your ranking will be stripped.”
“The Immortal Blood Clan’s home star no longer exists. Why follow the rules?” Zhang Ruochen replied.
…
Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen, one fleeing, one chasing, traversed a million miles through six-coloured divine mist and trembling space.
Though Que and Lan Ying studied the Path of Space, their mastery wasn’t enough to open wormhole mirrors, leaving them unable to keep up with the two spatial masters.
Yan Wushen was always half a step behind, unable to intercept Zhang Ruochen.
If this continued, the Yanluo Clan would lose.
With no other choice, Yan Wushen used his final tactic. “One last chance: stay and fight. Our battle will decide the ranking between the Yanluo and Immortal Blood Clans. Otherwise, Que and Lan Ying will join the hunt. They won’t miss this chance to kill you.”
After a decade of cultivation on the Dark Star, refining the White Cang Blood Soil, and fusing a sixth Holy Intent, Zhang Ruochen had widened the gap in cultivation and combat strength with Yan Wushen.
If not so gravely injured, he wouldn’t mind fighting Yan Wushen to crush him completely.
But not now.
Silent, Zhang Ruochen kept fleeing.
Yan Wushen shook his head, no longer hesitating, and sent two communication talismans with their spatial coordinates to Que and Lan Ying.
With each wormhole crossing, he sent two more.
He believed the Emperor-Grade Holy Intent Pill’s allure would drive Que and Lan Ying to find a way to catch up.
Receiving the messages, Lan Ying and Que didn’t act immediately, knowing flight alone couldn’t match Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen.
Soon, they received seven talismans in succession.
Que raised a palm, conjuring a vast starry sky in it. The seven coordinates automatically appeared, forming an irregular line.
“Barring surprises, Zhang Ruochen will appear in this region next.”
Que pointed to an area.
Sure enough, Yan Wushen’s eighth talisman arrived, its coordinates close to Que’s prediction.
“Predicting Zhang Ruochen’s next jump isn’t enough. The universe is vast, and this ‘small’ region you’ve pinpointed could span thousands of miles. Even if we arrive early, we might be too far to stop him from crossing again,” Lan Ying said.
Que replied, “Thousands of miles? That’s close enough. We just need to prevent Zhang Ruochen from opening another wormhole mirror, even for a moment. Yan Wushen, catching up from behind, can then trap him.”
No longer waiting, Lan Ying and Que entered a spatial teleportation array, restored by Great Sage Yan Hong and guarded by Bone Clan Great Sages.
“Swish—”
In the boundless, silent void, a wormhole mirror appeared.
Zhang Ruochen, pale-faced, burst out, his injuries worsening again.
He knew that with Que and Lan Ying’s talent and intellect, given the coordinates, they could catch up. Like when Que, despite unmatched speed, couldn’t shake Yan Huangtu and Lan Ying.
Powerhouses at their level were no ordinary foes.
Yan Wushen was too close, leaving Zhang Ruochen little time to think, forcing him to keep opening wormhole mirrors. The farther he fled, the lower their chances of catching him.
“Swish!”
As Zhang Ruochen opened another wormhole mirror, a blood-red light struck it, making the mirror ripple unstably.
Forcing entry would collapse it, highly dangerous.
Zhang Ruochen traced the light’s source. A thousand miles away, Lan Ying and Que stood together, channeling power into the Asura Sword, its light hitting the wormhole mirror.
Back on the Yanluo Clan’s home star, they were mortal enemies, bearing deep grudges.
Yet for shared interests, they now cooperated.
In that instant, Yan Wushen caught up, shattering the wormhole mirror with a fist from behind. He then unleashed a True Spatial Domain, enveloping Zhang Ruochen to prevent further spatial escapes.
Facing Yan Wushen ten zhang away, Zhang Ruochen didn’t flee.
Que and Lan Ying flew from other directions, crossing a thousand miles in moments, reaching the edge of Yan Wushen’s True Spatial Domain, sealing Zhang Ruochen’s retreat.
Three powerful Saint Path auras pinned Zhang Ruochen in the centre.
Yan Wushen said, “This isn’t the outcome I wanted. You chose this.”
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Yan Wushen, Que, and Lan Ying, his gaze calm. “I must admit, each of you is formidable.”
Que said, “Zhang Ruochen, after relentless battles, you’re exhausted and wounded, far from your peak. In your prime, the three of us couldn’t trap you.”
Lan Ying added, “That’s why someone like him must be eliminated.”
Que said, “Return the Emperor-Grade Holy Intent Pill, and I’ll leave immediately.”
Compared to before, Que lowered his demand, wanting only the Emperor-Grade Holy Intent Pill.
He didn’t want to get too involved in the Immortal Blood and Yanluo Clans’ conflict, as it would make an enemy of one. Why invite trouble? The pill was rightfully his.
Lan Ying’s eyes gleamed cunningly. “What a coincidence, I want the Emperor-Grade Holy Intent Pill too. Zhang Ruochen, give it to me, and I’ll leave.”
Lan Ying craved to devour Zhang Ruochen, but her greed wouldn’t let the pill slip away.
If Zhang Ruochen gave it to Que, seizing it would be nearly impossible.
Once Que had the pill, he might truly exit the battlefield, but Lan Ying wouldn’t. Devouring Zhang Ruochen and his Saint Path was her ultimate goal.
“This is tricky. There’s only one Emperor-Grade Holy Intent Pill. Who should I give it to?”
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen produced a transparent, four-metre cubic spatial box, holding it. The box, formed from frozen space, contained a brass cauldron.
The cauldron was wrapped in black gaseous patterns, so heavy it slightly warped nearby space, even absorbing light.
Que and Lan Ying’s gazes locked onto the cauldron.
“This cauldron… intriguing…”
The Hell Realm had countless treasures and weapons, but they didn’t recognize the Six Directions Heavenly Venerable Cauldron. Instinct told them it was extraordinary, far beyond King-Grade holy artefacts.
Using it to hold the Emperor-Grade Holy Intent Pill seemed fitting.
“The pill is inside this cauldron.”
Zhang Ruochen waved, sending the spatial box towards Lan Ying.
Seeing it fly over, Lan Ying’s eyes flashed with surprise. The pill, so easily obtained?
He quickly realized Zhang Ruochen was diverting trouble, pitting him against Que.
Whether the pill was truly inside, Lan Ying’s greed wouldn’t let him pass it up. The cauldron alone felt immensely valuable.
Que knew the cauldron might not contain the pill, but its surface radiated the pill’s aura, making him reluctant to let Lan Ying take it.
“Clang!”
The Shadow Elixir Sword slashed the spatial box.
With a thud, the box sealing the cauldron shattered, exposing it fully, releasing an even richer pill fragrance.
Had Que and Lan Ying savoured it, they’d have noticed the fragrance, though potent, differed from the Emperor-Grade Holy Intent Pill. But, vying for the cauldron, they had no time to ponder.
“Thud, thud.”
Que flew towards it, remotely wielding the Shadow Elixir Sword to block Lan Ying.
Having devoured the Great Demon Shadow, Lan Ying’s cultivation had risen. With Que injured, the balance shifted, and Que couldn’t repel her quickly.
Meanwhile, Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen’s battle was brutal.
Initially, Zhang Ruochen unleashed a drop of Dark Space-Time Matter, detonating it to escape.
But Yan Wushen, as if fearless of death, charged through the explosion’s forbidden zone. Protected by his golden body and Heavenly Wishful Jade, he endured the chaotic forces of darkness, space, and time.
Zhang Ruochen’s escape failed, but Yan Wushen paid dearly.
The Dark Space-Time Matter’s destructive power was immense. Despite precautions, Yan Wushen’s body was riddled with bloody holes from spatial tears.
The unseen damage from darkness and time was invisible to the eye.
“Boom.”
The Seven-Star Ghost Lotus clashed with the Heavenly Wishful Jade, one bright, one dark, their forces crashing like waves onto Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen.
Yan Wushen’s already fragile golden body shattered with a “snap.”
Spitting blood, Zhang Ruochen flew back like a broken kite, crashing into a cosmic rock, shattering it.
“Come again!”
“Yanluo Hell.”
“Boom!”
At Yan Wushen’s feet, a vast Yanluo Hell scene unfolded, cycling through creation, life’s birth, and starry annihilation, repeating endlessly.
“River of Time.”
Standing in the Truth Realm Form, Zhang Ruochen struck with both hands.
“Swish.”
A river of time imprints, like a soaring dragon, crashed into Yanluo Hell, striking Yan Wushen.
Simultaneously, a bone hand from Yanluo Hell hit Zhang Ruochen’s chest, exploding it. Except for his heart, his organs turned to blood mush.
Both were flung back.
Hit by the River of Time, Yan Wushen lost thousands of years of lifespan, his body weakening, white hairs sprouting.
Raising his arms, he roared, “I can still fight!”
Battling Zhang Ruochen always ignited Yan Wushen’s ferocity.
Burning his Great Sage blood, his weakened body regained strength. The shattered Yanluo Hell reemerged beneath his feet.
Zhang Ruochen’s chaotic Holy Intent, coupled with rampant killing intent, assaulted his body. A millionfold yang energy surged to his brain, eroding his reason, driving him toward madness.
Lying in the void, near death, Zhang Ruochen began burning his Great Sage blood, slowly rising, his hair swaying in divine flames.
Blood and flesh fragments in the void flew back to his chest.
“All Forms to Nothing.”
“Spatial Sword Dance.”
“Boom.”
In their next clash, Zhang Ruochen’s spatial swords severed Yan Wushen’s legs.
Yan Wushen’s All Forms to Nothing struck Zhang Ruochen’s left side. Though he avoided his heart, his left arm was torn off from the collarbone, ripping away a chunk of flesh.
The newly healed neck wound reopened, forming a red bloodline.
The old injury resurfaced, as if his head and body might separate again.
This brutal battle moved all watching through the Ten Thousand Realms Divine Eye.
It was no mere fight but a clash of two clans’ fates, honour, and interests, and a test of will between Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen, the era’s greatest cultivators.
