The two Gates of Destiny illuminated ten thousand li, turning the seawater silver.
The oppressive force of destiny affected not only Zhang Ruochen but also Shang Ziju, who was closest to him.
Shang Ziju sensed danger.
Thus, when the Yuguang Soul Extinction Talisman was only hundreds of metres from Zhang Ruochen, Shang Ziju decisively used his Flowing Light Speed to retreat, avoiding the talisman’s destructive power that could kill both Zhang Ruochen and himself.
Had Shang Ziju fought to mutual destruction without retreating, Zhang Ruochen might truly have been doomed.
But Shang Ziju’s retreat gave Zhang Ruochen a sliver of hope.
As Shang Ziju fled, the power of the Great Dao Heavenly Desolation Seal weakened rapidly. Zhang Ruochen’s body surged with countless stars, forming a chaotic star sea, countering the Gates of Destiny with the Path of Truth.
Simultaneously, twelve golden wings sprouted from his back, and he shot skyward as a golden beam, forming a sword gesture. The Chenyuan Ancient Sword flew ahead.
“Clang!”
A piercing sword cry echoed through the heavens.
The Chenyuan Ancient Sword spun rapidly, striking the palm of the Great Dao Heavenly Desolation Seal. Combined with three supreme saint artifacts, it pierced through, dissolving the seal into strands of cloud.
But there was no time for Zhang Ruochen to escape.
“Boom!”
Triggered by Nansheng, the Yuguang Soul Extinction Talisman shattered prematurely, unleashing a staggering destructive force. Black death qi spread from the talisman, radiating across the sea.
Countless volumes of seawater evaporated instantly.
The outer sea surged into hundred-zhang water walls, turning pitch black, like thick, foul ink.
Many cultivators saw that when the Yuguang Soul Extinction Talisman exploded, Zhang Ruochen was within a hundred metres and couldn’t dodge into a supreme saint artifact’s inner space in time.
Shang Ziju had retreated five hundred li, yet the talisman’s power still struck him, shredding his saint robe into tatters.
His body felt as if hit by a heavy fist, flying a thousand li before stabilising.
Fortunately, Shang Ziju’s physical defence was formidable, nearly indestructible, and he was uninjured.
But his soul suffered, his mind throbbing with pain.
Looking back, Shang Ziju saw the sea turned murky, bubbling with death qi, extinguishing all life.
“Under such an attack, even Zhang Ruochen, no matter how strong, must be utterly annihilated.”
Shang Ziju exhaled in relief, his heart lightening. Standing on the death-qi-filled sea, he felt the world brimming with vitality, his thoughts relaxed and carefree.
The mental burden vanished.
The number of saint path rules in his body slowly grew.
“Haha! It’s finally over. I’m the one who killed Zhang Ruochen,” Nansheng said gleefully, stroking the white beard on his cheek, brimming with satisfaction.
Some rejoiced, others grieved.
Xiang Chunan clenched his fists, eyes wide like bronze bells, heart aching but unsure what to say, finally letting out a hoarse roar.
Qing Sixue patted his shoulder, sighing.
Among the Tianlong Realm cultivators, Ao Yi lamented, “A fleeting bloom, a moment of brilliance.”
Knowing Zhang Ruochen was Shu Qianchi, Ao Xukong held respect for him, saying bitterly, “If Zhang Ruochen had broken through to the Wushang realm, how strong would he be? How many would he astonish?”
The earlier battle had pushed Zhang Ruochen to his limits, revealing to more cultivators that he lacked a Wushang law body and was still in the Wan Si Yi Sheng realm.
“No such possibility remains,” Ao Yi said.
Fairy Linglong bit her lip, her rippling eyes fixed on the densest death qi, silently hoping, saying, “Killed by both the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm, is there truly no place for him in this world?”
Ao Yi said meaningfully, “Perhaps he chose not to align with either the Heavenly Court or Hell Realm. Had he chosen one, he wouldn’t face the world as his enemy. Regardless, it was his chosen path. To provoke five powerhouses to unite against him, even in death, he has shaken an era.”
On the ancient ship where the Temple of Fate cultivators gathered, Prajna and Xuetu showed disbelief, feeling it couldn’t be true.
“No… could there be a twist?” Xuetu muttered, unsure if he hoped for or feared a change.
Prajna formed palm seals, striking outward, sending a fierce gust to disperse the sea’s death qi. She refused to believe it was real, that Zhang Ruochen could fall to a mere Nansheng.
As the death qi cleared, everyone’s vision sharpened.
A flickering flame appeared on the sea.
“That’s…”
Nansheng’s smile froze, his eyes locked on the flame.
The flame sped towards him.
“Trouble!”
Nansheng’s face changed, shock overwhelming him. How could Zhang Ruochen survive the Yuguang Soul Extinction Talisman?
With no time to think, he slapped two talismans on his legs, fleeing swiftly.
The flame grew brighter, revealing Zhang Ruochen in his Fire God Armour.
The Yuguang Soul Extinction Talisman was indeed powerful, nearly reducing Zhang Ruochen’s body to blood and pulp within the Fire God Armour at the moment of explosion.
But, having fused the Heart of Truth and White Cang Blood Soil, his body’s vitality was not so easily extinguished.
As for the talisman’s soul attack, it was blocked by his sword soul’s power.
Below the divine realm, some might defeat Zhang Ruochen, but killing him was far from easy.
Unless the Yuguang Soul Extinction Talisman exploded directly on him, it might have succeeded.
While everyone thought Zhang Ruochen had died, he used the brief moment to reform his body, his injuries nearly healed.
More joyfully, his saint path rules surged, rapidly approaching the extreme limit of two Yuanhui.
The opportunity for a breakthrough had arrived.
“Where are you going? Die!”
Zhang Ruochen’s speed was unmatched below the divine realm. He caught Nansheng, striking with a fist.
Purging Divine Fire surged with the fist’s force.
Unable to use mental techniques in time, Nansheng turned, striking with both palms, forming a mountain-sized Wheel Seal.
“Bang!”
Zhang Ruochen shattered the Wheel Seal, his fist striking Nansheng’s chest.
Nansheng’s body split into pieces, blood splashing across a hundred-zhang sea.
“Refine!”
From Zhang Ruochen’s Fire God Armour, divine fire surged, covering the sea, refining Nansheng’s blood, remains, and mental power to kill him completely.
“Swish!”
Nansheng’s mental power endured, drawing countless talismans from a gourd-shaped vessel to protect his scattered blood and remains.
Six sword lights broke through, forming six sword techniques, attacking Zhang Ruochen.
Lan Ying’s laughter rang out, saying, “Zhang Ruochen, let me slay you!”
Zhang Ruochen countered each sword technique. Lan Ying appeared beside him, wielding the strongest Asura Sword, slashing horizontally.
Yuan stood above Zhang Ruochen, atop a ghost cloud formed by countless evil spirits, her delicate hands carving Qitian Ghost Patterns.
Created by the Ghost Lord, Qitian Ghost Patterns could commune with heaven and earth, command myriad ghosts, and steal heavenly might.
Countless Qitian Ghost Patterns and the hundred-li ghost cloud pressed down together.
Zhang Ruochen unleashed the Cangshan Demon Mirror, Wujin Battle Heaven Pillar, Diamond Moon Wheel, and Chenyuan Ancient Sword, repelling Lan Ying, then soared skyward to meet the ghost cloud.
“Fight!”
Behind him, the Immovable Bright King Saint Form condensed, forming a towering figure.
The saint form struck, shattering the ghost cloud and breaking the Qitian Ghost Patterns.
Yuan’s eyes narrowed, black eagle wings sprouting as she fled skyward. She dared not fight Zhang Ruochen in close combat like Shang Ziju or Lan Ying, having seen Nansheng’s body shattered by a single punch.
“Zhang Ruochen, let’s keep fighting!” Lan Ying laughed, wielding six swords, pursuing Zhang Ruochen.
On the sea, drops of blood and fragments of flesh, guided by mental power, reformed into Nansheng.
Pale and weak, his eyes still fearful, he muttered, “How terrifying is Zhang Ruochen? Even the Yuguang Soul Extinction Talisman couldn’t kill him. I can’t fight anymore!”
This battle left Nansheng with a deep psychological shadow, as if Zhang Ruochen was invincible, an insurmountable peak.
As Nansheng prepared to retreat…
“Swoosh!”
A thousand-metre-long giant sword descended from the sky, shattering his body again.
It was the Chenyuan Ancient Sword.
A “buzzing” sound followed as countless God-Devouring Insects surged along the sword, consuming Nansheng’s blood and remains. His soul’s screams echoed across the sea.
In the Arbiter Venerable’s divine realm, a figure from the Tiannan Life-Death Ruins, Liu Daren, darkened. His right hand’s two fingers moved, mental power surging towards the sea below.
“Bang!”
Blood Absolute War God swung his halberd, severing Liu Daren’s mental power.
“Liu Daren, it’s best for deities not to interfere in the War of the Ten Realms. When my grandson was in mortal danger, did I intervene?” Blood Absolute War God said coldly.
“You…”
Unable to retort, Liu Daren glared angrily.
Blood Absolute War God’s face was cold as frost, meeting his gaze fearlessly, undaunted by his Tiannan Life-Death Ruins heritage.
“Oh? That little goddess has acted!” a deity from the Death God Temple said in surprise.
In the sea below, a stunningly beautiful figure streaked across the sky, landing in the blood-red sea.
It was the Goddess of Fate, Prajna.
Hovering a few zhang above the sea, the Gate of True Self floated behind her, casting threads of light like silk, enveloping Nansheng’s remains.
In the Light of Fate, Nansheng’s body reformed.
This time, Nansheng was utterly weakened, his eyes devoid of sharpness.
He bowed to Prajna, saying, “Thank you, Your Highness, for saving me. Nansheng will remember this kindness.”
“Leave the battlefield and heal,” Prajna said, waving her sleeve, sending Nansheng back to the Death Clan’s camp with a gust of wind.
Holding the Staff of Fate, she raised her fair face, gazing at Zhang Ruochen, locked in combat with Lan Ying and Yuan. She glanced at Shang Ziju and Yin Yuanchen, who were rushing over, then stepped onto a winding Nether River, soaring towards Zhang Ruochen in the sky.
