The God-Devouring Insects in the bronze coffin, having absorbed the venom from the divine corpse and been nurtured by Zhang Ruochen for years, have undergone transformation and evolution, becoming the second generation of God-Devouring Insects.
Initially, Haike paid no heed, dismissing the bites from the God-Devouring Insects as insignificant.
However, as time passed, green venomous patterns appeared on his body. Despite being a corpse and closer to an undead, he still felt the terror of the venom.
His body grew numb, his reaction speed slowed, and his strength drastically declined.
One could imagine that if a living being in the Realm of Ten Thousand Deaths were bitten, they would likely be poisoned to death on the spot.
Haike finally sensed the danger, feeling the threat of death.
“I never expected Zhang Ruochen to have cultivated such a large swarm of God-Devouring Insects infused with divine poison. I miscalculated. I can’t keep fighting, I must leave immediately.”
With this thought, Haike retracted the over ninety trillion Saint Path Rules that had formed his Domain, pulling them back into his body. Gripping the Calamity Battle Axe with both hands, he struck the ground fiercely.
“Boom!”
The space trembled.
Thick, powerful lightning shuttles surged from the Calamity Battle Axe, blasting away the surrounding God-Devouring Insects.
Even the Seven-Star Emperor Palace, the size of a fist in the distance, was struck by the shockwave, crashing into the thick ice wall.
Standing at the palace gate, Zhang Ruochen’s body swayed. He thought to himself, “As expected of a divine corpse. Even with divine poison in his system, he can still unleash such a powerful strike.”
However, Zhang Ruochen knew Haike was at his limit and likely preparing to flee.
“Zhang Ruochen, you’re impressive. Next time we meet, I’ll bring a treasure to counter your God-Devouring Insects and take your head.”
Haike transformed into a beam of divine light, rapidly fleeing into the distance.
“You think there’ll be a next time?”
Zhang Ruochen’s voice came from behind. Yet, to Haike’s shock, the Seven-Star Emperor Palace appeared ahead, now as large as a true palace, with Zhang Ruochen standing at the centre of its gate.
Zhang Ruochen assumed a bow stance, raising the Sinking Abyss Ancient Sword with both hands, the sword poised like an arrow on a bowstring.
“Twang!”
The sound of a bowstring rang out.
Zhang Ruochen and the Sinking Abyss Ancient Sword merged into one, becoming a rapidly flying shuttle of light, trailing a dozens-of-metres-long tail, crashing towards Haike.
Haike gritted his teeth, his axe-wielding arm spinning like a windmill, divine energy surging out in vast waves.
He swung the axe.
“Boom!”
The Sinking Abyss Ancient Sword broke through Haike’s protective Domain, striking his chest. The entire blade pierced through, its tip emerging from his back.
Haike’s axe struck Zhang Ruochen, causing the Fire God Armour to spark wildly.
Zhang Ruochen was sent flying diagonally, crashing through a series of ruined buildings, carving a deep trench in the seabed.
The Calamity Battle Axe didn’t breach the Fire God Armour, but the impact still felt like it shattered Zhang Ruochen’s bones, cracking his organs and causing blood to trickle from his mouth.
If Haike had struck with that axe at full strength, Zhang Ruochen wasn’t sure his demi-god physique could have withstood it.
This strike from Zhang Ruochen, infused with the Heavenly Sword Soul, dealt unprecedented damage to Haike’s Saint Soul. With his Saint Soul wounded, mobilizing divine energy to muster sufficient strength became immensely difficult.
To defeat an undead or a Deathkin like Haike, one had to attack their soul to kill them completely.
The cultivators of the Azure Deer Temple had been following Zhang Ruochen from a distance, now hiding in a corner, standing on a massive ancient diagram that concealed their auras.
“It seems true. Zhang Ruochen can actually injure Haike severely. The news of defeating Nan Sheng is no longer so unbelievable,” Bai Fang said.
Bai Fang, a Supreme Saint of the Supreme Realm from the Azure Deer Temple, hadn’t joined the other Supreme Saints to explore the depths of the Origin Temple. Instead, he stayed behind to protect Lan Ying and safeguard the temple’s interests around the temple’s periphery.
A Thousand Questions Realm Supreme Saint scoffed, “Zhang Ruochen only managed to counter Haike because of the God-Devouring Insects he cultivated.”
“But Zhang Ruochen is the master of those insects,” Bai Fang replied, glancing at Lan Ying. “Let’s go. Zhang Ruochen has risen to prominence. Even Haike suffered a great loss. If we act, we likely won’t gain the upper hand.”
Though Bai Fang was at the Supreme Realm, his Saint Path Rules numbered only over twenty trillion, making his combat strength one or two levels below Haike’s in the Realm of Ten Thousand Deaths.
“Zhang Ruochen was hit by Haike’s axe. Even if he’s not dead, he must be gravely injured. Isn’t now the perfect time to strike?” Lan Ying said.
He was obsessed with Zhang Ruochen, this epoch-level genius, longing to devour him.
Then, Lan Ying’s gaze shifted to the faltering Haike, smiling. “Why not devour both?”
Bai Fang was alarmed and quickly intervened. “The Azure Deer Temple has always maintained that we should never provoke the Hell Realm’s powerhouses, focusing on low-key, stable growth. Killing Zhang Ruochen is to fully align with the Heaven God Xiu Chen. But Haike is a disciple of that great figure from the Boundless Divine Sea and the Deathkin’s future top secular powerhouse to succeed Yuan Qianmo. We absolutely cannot touch him.”
“Zhang Ruochen can touch him, so why can’t I?” Lan Ying retorted.
Ignoring Bai Fang, whom he deemed overly cautious and limited by fear, Lan Ying believed such timidity confined Bai Fang to the Supreme Realm, perhaps only achieving pseudo-godhood with a divine source in the future.
As a peerless genius, how could he heed such a mediocre person’s words?
Following a mediocre person’s advice would only make him mediocre.
Mediocrity stems not from inherent ordinariness but from failing to dare extraordinary deeds, walk extraordinary paths, or embrace extraordinary changes.
Lan Ying summoned six battle swords, ready to act, when suddenly, dazzling divine light erupted from Haike, forming vast divine clouds. Countless Saint Path Rules enveloped his body.
Lightning wove through the clouds.
Haike’s deafening roars echoed.
Bai Fang’s eyes narrowed. “Haike is condensing the Supreme Law Body, about to break through.”
“Breaking through with just over ninety trillion Saint Path Rules? He’s ruined. Zhang Ruochen has forced Haike to ruin himself,” Lan Ying sneered, his tone mocking.
Bai Fang recalled condensing his own Supreme Law Body with just over ten trillion Saint Path Rules, feeling as if a knife had pierced his heart.
With Haike’s cultivation, once he broke through, his Saint Path Rules would surely exceed one hundred trillion. Though still in the Supreme Realm, such a level was called a “demi-god.”
After a while, Bai Fang recovered and said, “Let’s go. Haike is well-prepared, having taken an Emperor-Grade Saint Pill to aid in condensing the Supreme Law Body. His breakthrough is certain.”
Haike’s aura grew stronger, sweeping towards the hiding place of the Azure Deer Temple cultivators.
Lower-level Supreme Saints, feeling the terrifying aura and faint divine might, turned pale, sensing Haike was no longer a Supreme Saint but a god.
“After Haike breaks through, if he finds us spying, with his ferocity, he might kill us all.”
“Zhang Ruochen may have already escaped. If we don’t flee now, we might lose our chance.”
The Azure Deer Temple cultivators spoke urgently, their gazes turning to Lan Ying.
Reluctantly, Lan Ying said, “Fine, let’s go. Haike after his breakthrough is indeed beyond what we can provoke.”
As Lan Ying noted, Haike’s breakthrough at this moment was tantamount to self-destruction.
For cultivators aiming to become epoch-level figures, accumulating one hundred trillion Saint Path Rules at the peak of the Realm of Ten Thousand Deaths is a necessary threshold.
Breaking through without crossing this threshold meant forfeiting the chance to join the ranks of top secular powerhouses.
This wasn’t just about reputation; the impact was profound.
As the top powerhouse of the Death Temple and the Deathkin, Yuan Qianmo wielded influence and cultivation resources far exceeding those of the Deathkin’s second strongest by tenfold.
Because, in the secular world below the Divine Realm, the Deathkin spared no expense to cultivate a peerless powerhouse to protect and expand their interests.
Yuan Qianmo was the face of the Deathkin.
With such resources, Yuan Qianmo could reach the pinnacle below the Divine Realm, becoming a formidable god upon breakthrough.
But Haike, having lost the chance to be the Deathkin’s new face, even if he broke through to the Divine Realm soon, would need tens of thousands of years to match Yuan Qianmo’s strength upon entering godhood.
Accumulation below the Divine Realm could greatly shorten cultivation time in the Divine Realm.
Thus, many top prodigies, unless urgently needing power, chose to accumulate longer below the Divine Realm.
Haike was forced into this breakthrough.
Though Zhang Ruochen was gravely injured, he sat amidst the ruins, cursing Haike with the Heavenly Pearl of Ten Thousand Curses, preventing his escape. The God-Devouring Insects swarmed relentlessly. Without breaking through, Haike might have died at Zhang Ruochen’s hands today.
Haike’s breakthrough neared its end.
The Saint Path Rules around him exceeded one hundred trillion and doubled in thickness, each rule’s power increasing nearly tenfold.
God-Devouring Insects approaching were instantly repelled by his aura.
Knowing he could no longer stop Haike, Zhang Ruochen ceased cursing, his expression grave.
Slowly standing, his injuries had mostly healed.
He didn’t flee, as the Heart of Truth had been exposed. Even with a slim chance, he had to silence Haike. “You two have watched long enough. Aren’t you going to show yourselves?”
No response came.
Zhang Ruochen continued, “Kill Haike, and all his treasures are yours. I won’t take a single one.”
Seven-Handed Elder poked his head from the ground. “Is that true?”
“Am I, Zhang Ruochen, someone who lacks treasures?” Zhang Ruochen replied.
A bright spatial array suddenly appeared, rotating in the water.
Master Night Wanderer stood at its centre. “Haike’s divine body is mine, his Saint Source is mine, and I think the Calamity Battle Axe should be mine too. If you don’t agree to these conditions, there’s no deal.”
“Is that one condition?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Surprisingly, Seven-Handed Elder agreed readily. “Those three are yours, but the rest of his treasures are mine.”
…
To clarify, Master Night Wanderer wasn’t subdued by Zhang Ruochen, whose cultivation was far from sufficient. It was Seven-Handed Elder, using the Heavenly Pearl of Ten Thousand Curses in a sneak attack, who restrained Master Night Wanderer.
Both Master Night Wanderer and Seven-Handed Elder were masters of mental power. During the Destiny Domain, Seven-Handed Elder even clashed with Bai Qing’er, evading her Origin Divine Eyes. Had Zhang Ruochen not coincidentally trapped him in the Purple-Gold Gourd, he would have escaped.
