Few cultivators earned Zhang Ruochen’s respect, but Que was one of them.
At this moment, the two walked side by side across the vast white stone plaza outside the Demon Hall. Other cultivators, such as Yan Huangtu, Yan Zhexian, Prajna, Xuan Qingying, and Xuan Zehai, tactfully stayed behind.
This was a conversation between two of the most outstanding representatives of the new generation.
Que said, “After breaking through to the Thousand Questions Realm, I reached the late stage in a single day. With my mental state and prior accumulation, I could have directly entered the peak of the Thousand Questions Realm, glimpsing the Life-Death Realm. But your image appeared in my mind, and I stopped there.”
“Still hung up on the Emperor-Grade Saint Will Pill?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Que replied, “Somewhat, but it’s not the main reason.”
The Emperor-Grade Saint Will Pill aids in cultivating a single type of saint will, but Que had already cultivated nine types, needing only to fuse them into a perfect second-grade saint will. What he required was a Quasi-Emperor-Grade Saint Will Pill.
With an Emperor-Grade Saint Will Pill, he could attempt to break the rules of heaven and earth to fuse a tenth saint will.
However, the chances of success were slim.
Thus, while losing the pill affected his mental state, the impact wasn’t significant.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I understand. You want to fight and defeat me.”
“Before coming to the Hundred Clans’ Royal City, I did have that intention, and I wanted to defeat you in the same realm,” Que said.
“And now?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Que’s face showed no expression. He paused, gazing at the vast sky above, and said, “I now know I’m far behind you in the same realm, so there’s no need to humiliate myself.”
Suddenly, he added, “At the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, you, Yan Wushen, Lan Ying, and Yan Huangtu caused me to lose the Emperor-Grade Saint Will Pill, but you also gave me immense pressure, tempering my mental state.”
“I overcame that pressure, stabilized my mind, and before breaking through to the Thousand Questions Realm, I fused a perfect second-grade saint will.”
A trace of surprise flashed in Zhang Ruochen’s eyes.
Clearly, Que at the Hunting Heaven Battlefield, like Bai Qing’er now, was striving to become a Yuan epoch genius, constantly refining himself.
Que said, “With a perfect second-grade saint will, even without breaking through to the Thousand Questions Realm, I could kill Emperor Chi with one sword. And that’s an unbound Emperor Chi.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “With your swordsmanship, the Way of Nothingness, and a second-grade saint will, you should have such power.”
“Are you willing to take my sword?” Que asked.
Zhang Ruochen, fearless, said, “Just one sword?”
“One sword is enough to determine victory. But if you can’t withstand it, it might also decide life and death,” Que said.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “After this sword, can our grievances be wiped clean?”
“Regardless of the outcome, all grievances will be erased,” Que said.
“Agreed.”
A perfect second-grade saint will was rare, and Zhang Ruochen was eager to test it.
“Swish.”
“Swish.”
They turned back, transforming into two streaks of light, rushing into the Demon Hall.
With a bang, the hall’s doors closed.
All the cultivators knew they were about to duel, their curiosity burning, eager to watch. But Que’s secret of achieving a perfect second-grade saint will couldn’t be exposed, so they were kept outside.
Yan Zhexian frowned, saying, “It won’t be another life-or-death duel like with Yan Wushen, will it?”
“What? Worried about Zhang Ruochen?” Yan Huangtu teased.
Having learned from Yan Yu that Zhang Ruochen saved him and Yan Zhexian, Yan Huangtu’s fondness for him grew.
Yan Zhexian huffed, “I just think the Hell Realm’s top prodigies shouldn’t fall in internal conflicts.”
“Don’t worry. Que has broken through to the Thousand Questions Realm. With his pride, how could he propose a life-or-death duel with Zhang Ruochen?” Yan Huangtu said.
Yan Zhexian asked, “Fifth Uncle, who do you think will win?”
Yan Huangtu’s eyes turned thoughtful, “Before seeing Zhang Ruochen fight the Death God Hall, I’d have bet on Que. But now, it’s hard to say. The Zhang Ruochen we see today is a bit monstrous. No cultivator in the Hundred Shackles Realm has ever been this strong. Perhaps, as Grandfather said, Zhang Ruochen might surpass all past Yuan epoch geniuses, reaching a level even they would admire.”
Yan Huangtu felt a touch of melancholy. His innate imperial divine bone should have made him invincible in an era, yet he was overshadowed by one prodigy after another, leaving him disheartened.
…
Inside the hall.
Que summoned his rule-grade imperial weapon, the Shadow Pill Sword, slowly raising it. Over fifty billion holy path rules surged from his body, filling the entire hall.
Zhang Ruochen tried a mental attack but found his sixty-eighth-tier mental strength couldn’t approach Que.
It was either shattered by sword intent or erased by nothingness.
Zhang Ruochen understood that Que, at this moment, was flawless, like standing within an eggshell, invulnerable. His sixty-eighth-tier mental strength could only harm Que if a flaw appeared, or if Zhang Ruochen mastered advanced mental techniques.
With the same sixty-ninth-tier mental strength, Granny Haitang was far stronger than others at that level due to her superior mental techniques and mastery of ancient methods.
“Swish.”
The Sunken Abyss Ancient Sword appeared in Zhang Ruochen’s hand.
A flicker of surprise crossed Que’s eyes. He hadn’t expected Zhang Ruochen to use a sword to meet his ultimate strike. Based on his knowledge, Zhang Ruochen relied on palm techniques, leg techniques, and various supreme holy weapons.
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes, sensing carefully, and said, “Such powerful sword intent. You’ve likely cultivated a Heavenly Sword Soul, haven’t you? I’ve also created a sword technique, currently just one move, fusing swordsmanship, time, and space.”
Que’s sword intent surged dramatically, suppressing Zhang Ruochen’s like a candle in the wind, on the verge of extinguishing.
In sword intent and swordsmanship, Zhang Ruochen was clearly outmatched.
“You’d better use your true skills, or you won’t withstand this sword and will die,” Que’s voice echoed from all directions, as if thousands of him were speaking.
Zhang Ruochen entered a profound state of self-realization, holding Sunken Abyss silently.
Que spoke no more, silently chanting, “Saint will merges with swordsmanship, none under heaven.”
In the Demon Hall, everything dissolved like flowing sand, vanishing into a square void space.
Only Zhang Ruochen and Que remained, suspended in the void.
Que’s sword struck like lightning, his body gradually fading, finally merging completely with nothingness.
Man and sword became one with the void.
How could such swordsmanship be blocked?
This single sword would make even Supreme Realm great saints wary, hesitant to counter it.
Zhang Ruochen sensed immense danger, death approaching rapidly. At this critical moment, a spark of inspiration flashed in his mind.
His sword traced a circle beneath his feet.
The 670 million Burial Gold rule divine patterns, inherited from the Burial Gold White Tiger, naturally surged forth, seamlessly merging with swordsmanship rules, time rules, space rules, and the Yin-Yang Five Elements saint will.
Previously, Zhang Ruochen could only control 100 million Burial Gold rule divine patterns. Only after reaching the sixty-eighth tier of mental strength could he fully wield them.
“Thank you for helping me create my second sword.”
The circle Zhang Ruochen drew turned golden, radiating a layer of golden divine light, shielding him at its center. Time marks and space rules flowed on the golden light, with a Yin-Yang Taiji mark rotating beneath his feet.
When Que’s sword touched the golden light, it emerged from nothingness.
In that instant, Zhang Ruochen struck first despite acting later, thrusting his sword. The golden divine light, time marks, space rules, and Yin-Yang Taiji mark all vanished, merging into this strike.
The tips of their swords clashed.
A mountain-moving force traveled through Sunken Abyss, sending Zhang Ruochen flying backward.
Que’s upper body emerged from nothingness, saying, “It’s not that simple.”
The Shadow Pill Sword, clashing with Sunken Abyss, split into nine streams of holy path rules, forming nine swords, all thrusting at Zhang Ruochen.
At such close range and speed, even Bai Qing’er couldn’t dodge. Of course, she wouldn’t need to.
As the nine swords neared Zhang Ruochen, dazzling truth light suddenly erupted in the silent, void hall, and the sword’s sound surged.
…
The crowd waited anxiously outside.
Suddenly, the hall doors opened, and Zhang Ruochen stepped out, his face pale, his steps unsteady, as if struggling to walk.
“It ended so quickly?” Yan Zhexian muttered, unsure if she was speaking to herself or Zhang Ruochen.
“A bit quick,” Zhang Ruochen said with a smile, hurrying away with Er Sikong and the others.
Que emerged soon after, equally pale and unsteady, gazing at Zhang Ruochen’s departing figure. He asked, “What’s the name of that sword?”
“Burial Flower.”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Your saint will is called ‘None Under Heaven’?”
“Correct.”
Que thought for a moment, saying, “If you plan to use the Emperor-Grade Saint Will Pill to pursue an unprecedented third-grade saint will, choose swordsmanship.”
Zhang Ruochen didn’t respond, disappearing at the plaza’s edge, led by a maid to a serene courtyard. Blood apricot holy trees with red leaves filled the yard, their blood qi flowing like dragons around the trunks.
In his room, Zhang Ruochen’s Fire God Armor dissipated, revealing a semi-transparent body. He sighed softly, “As expected of a perfect second-grade saint will and the Way of Nothingness. Even armor couldn’t block it.”
He took out two divine stones, restoring his depleted holy qi while refining the nothingness invading his body.
…
Que still stood outside the Demon Hall, motionless.
“Who won?” Prajna approached, asking.
“Pfft.”
Que spat blood, nearly collapsing. The Shadow Pill Sword flew out, and he gripped its hilt tightly to steady himself, smiling bitterly, “In the end, he won.”
Zhang Ruochen took his nine swords and still walked away.
Que could only manage to reach the hall’s door before he could go no further.
The outcome was clear.
In their final clash, Que’s sword technique shifted, splitting into ten, with nine striking Zhang Ruochen.
But Zhang Ruochen’s sword also changed, merging with the Way of Truth, erupting with thirty times the attack power, shattering the Shadow Pill Sword’s main blade and piercing Que’s body.
As it pierced, time, space, swordsmanship, and the mysterious Burial Gold force exploded within him.
Despite his “None Under Heaven” saint will and near-complete nothingness, Que was severely injured.
Que didn’t know Zhang Ruochen’s victory was a fluke.
The sudden fusion of the Way of Truth and swordsmanship wasn’t under Zhang Ruochen’s control. It was as if the two, stimulated by something, merged automatically.
Like the 670 million Burial Gold rule divine patterns, which Zhang Ruochen had never combined with swordsmanship before, yet they fused naturally.
Sitting under the Sundial, Zhang Ruochen spent half a month expelling the nothingness from his body, restoring its solidity.
During this time, he understood why the Way of Truth and Burial Gold rule divine patterns merged with his swordsmanship.
It was likely tied to his “all rivers to the sea, encompassing all” philosophy.
The sword follows the heart; whatever the heart envisions, the swordsmanship becomes.
The Nether King taught him that swordsmanship must be pure.
Yet Saint Monk Xumi fused swordsmanship with time, creating “Time Swordsmanship.”
Que’s master fused swordsmanship with nothingness, creating “Nothingness Swordsmanship.”
Why couldn’t Zhang Ruochen fuse swordsmanship with Burial Gold rule divine patterns to create “Burial Gold Swordsmanship”? Or with the Way of Truth to create “Truth Swordsmanship”?
Or even fuse all his cultivated holy paths into swordsmanship, creating an unprecedented “Ten Thousand Paths Swordsmanship”?
But to cultivate a third-grade swordsmanship saint will, he couldn’t be distracted now. He needed to immerse himself fully in swordsmanship, becoming a pure sword cultivator.
The more he thought, the more confused he became.
Never had he longed so much for a supreme swordsmanship teacher to guide him on the right path.
Relying solely on himself, he risked straying onto a wrong path.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen thought of something and took out the stone sword-shaped *Wordless Sword Manual* and the five volumes Granny Haitang lent him.
These five volumes, left by five swordsmanship prodigies from Kunlun Realm’s ancient times, were kept in the Sword Pavilion, inaccessible to ordinary cultivators.
Picking up the first volume, Zhang Ruochen saw familiar, ancient text on the cover and was startled: “*Biluo Notes*!”
In Kunlun Realm, only one person dared call themselves “Biluo.”
Biluo Zi, on par with Dragon Lord and Saint Monk Xumi.
“Swish.”
The four characters on the cover suddenly transformed into four dao-robed figures, each performing an exquisitely profound sword technique. When Zhang Ruochen blinked, the figures vanished, returning to four ancient characters.
