Xue Tu sliced open his index finger, and a drop of bright red divine blood fell to the ground.
A divine spirit clone that looked exactly like him grew up from the ground.
The divine spirit clone stepped towards the Nine Cauldrons.
…
The Nine Cauldrons were located beneath an ancient building, and the position where Zhang Ruochen and the others stood was separated from the Nine Cauldrons by undulating terrain. These undulations were only a few hundred metres high, but to mortals, they were like a series of hills.
The mountains were vast and desolate, the soil was reddish, and various black, eerie trees grew there.
“Bang!”
Before climbing the first hill, the divine spirit clone exploded, the divine blood dissipated, and turned into tiny black particles.
Xue Tu suffered a backlash, and his index finger quickly turned black.
His face changed drastically, he immediately swung his knife to sever the finger, and retreated rapidly to Zhang Ruochen’s side, borrowing the origin divine light to block any witchcraft power that might surge towards him.
Witchcraft was formless and traceless, impossible to guard against, and even divine spirits feared it.
“Sizzle.”
The severed finger on the ground corrupted at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Then it turned as black as charcoal.
…
Meanwhile, a supreme realm great saint from the Yanluo tribe took out a silver bean.
The bean took root and sprouted, transforming into a three-zhang-tall silver-leaf iron tree. The trunk resembled a person, the roots like feet, and it crossed mountains and ridges towards the bronze cauldron at the farthest edge.
“Sizzle!”
Just as it climbed the first hill, the silver-leaf iron tree ignited like a lantern and burned to ashes.
…
They each used their methods to approach the Nine Cauldrons, but one strange incident after another occurred, like cold water splashing on their bodies, gradually cooling them down.
Looking again at the huge and dilapidated ancient building before them, everyone’s hearts were completely shrouded in terrifying shadows.
Xue Tu’s eyes darted around, and he said, “Senior brother, you are the origin emissary, and you have the Buddha ancestor’s relic for protection, why don’t you give it a try?”
Zhang Ruochen valued his life and would not do something so reckless.
Earlier, he had mobilised both truth and origin powers to observe, and discerned some clues. Whether it was Xue Tu’s clone’s destruction or the silver-leaf iron tree’s burning, there was a force invisible to the naked eye and mental power that impacted them.
It should be witchcraft power.
But where did the witchcraft power come from? How strong was it?
It was impossible to judge.
“This building, even divine spirits cannot approach, it is most likely the legendary Witch Hall.”
Zhang Ruochen was very rational, he sighed and said, “This place is not something our cultivation can touch, let’s go and handle the main matter first.”
After entering the Heavenly Gate, the fragrance of the Udumbara flower became even stronger.
Fortunately, the fragrance did not come from the Witch Hall, so there was no need to risk death to break in. Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao led the way in front, following the fragrance, planning to bypass the Witch Hall.
“Hm?”
Zhang Ruochen sensed something and abruptly stopped, looking towards the direction of the Heavenly Gate.
Chi Yao’s black-and-white eyes narrowed slightly, sword light flashed, and the five-coloured stone sword appeared in her hand.
“Senior brother, what’s wrong?” Xue Tu asked.
A light laugh sounded, the voice rolling like waves: “Such strong perception, worthy of the origin emissary, even with Master Qu You’s mental power concealing it, you still noticed.”
Below the Heavenly Gate.
“Splash,”
It was as if an invisible water curtain dispersed, and Wu Jiang’s figure appeared.
In addition, there were Jiang Qing, Mohe Yan, and Master Qu You.
Xue Tu’s admiration for Zhang Ruochen grew even more, as even with his true god divine soul, he had not sensed the danger, yet Zhang Ruochen could. If he achieved godhood in martial arts, he would surely dominate the universe.
Hearing the name “Master Qu You”, Yan Wushen’s eyes shrank, he stared at the figure that was like a ghost, formless and insubstantial, and transmitted a message to Zhang Ruochen, Chi Yao, Xue Tu, and Little Black: “Master Qu You is one of the twelve spirit gods of the Dark Temple, with extremely powerful mental power, not comparable to ordinary divine spirits. I did not expect her to come to the Abyss of Darkness, which shows that the Dark Temple has great ambitions this time.”
Yan Wushen’s tone was full of wariness.
Xue Tu said: “Twelve spirit gods? I have never heard of them.”
“The twelve spirit gods specialise in mental power, researching talismans, formations, beasts, artifacts, poisons, death, life… and so on, twelve categories, each with profound abilities, they are the hidden forces of the Dark Temple, unknown to outsiders. The Yan family of the Abyss of Darkness also learned of their secret by chance.” Yan Wushen said.
Xue Tu said: “Twelve spirit gods, are they trying to imitate the twelve divine palaces of the Temple of Destiny?”
“That is naturally far from comparable!” Yan Wushen said.
Xue Tu curled his lips and smiled contemptuously: “I will go and meet her, to see how strong she is.”
Wu Jiang, Jiang Qing, and Mohe Yan were all acquaintances of Xue Tu, and he roughly knew their combat power, so he felt no fear.
Zhang Ruochen said faintly: “This Master Qu You has extraordinary strength, she once trapped and suppressed five true gods of the Yanluo tribe with her own power. Among them was Qian Kong, who had reached the upper god realm.”
Xue Tu walked forward and raised his voice: “This god has recently broken through, my energy soaring to the clouds, my battle intent boiling, come at me all together… er…”
Just after speaking, he heard Zhang Ruochen’s transmission.
Xue Tu’s heart trembled.
What?
Trapped and suppressed five great true gods with her own power? Including Qian Kong?
Qian Kong was an upper god, renowned even in the world of gods.
Xue Tu remained calm, immediately retreated, and said: “Come at me all together, even if you all come together, you are no match for Lord Xia.”
Retreating to Little Black’s side, Xue Tu bumped it with his arm and whispered: “You have the trump card given by the Ice Emperor, you can deal with the dragon-shaped strange beast and phoenix strange beast, handling them will be a piece of cake.”
Little Black was also calm and said: “You have recently broken through, your energy soaring to the clouds, your battle intent boiling. You go!”
“No, no, Lord Xia is the son of the Ice Emperor, with noble status in the undead blood race, how can this god steal your limelight?” Xue Tu said humbly.
“You are the disciple of the God Venerable of Death, a primordial representative figure, and the Great Slaughter War God has even greater prestige.”
…
Jiang Qing and Mohe Yan’s faces both showed mocking smiles.
Wu Jiang was also smiling, but his smile was very sincere, and he said: “There is a secret that the Great Slaughter War God probably does not know yet. In fact, you have always been used by Zhang Ruochen, he and that Lord Xia are both cultivators from the Kunlun Realm.”
Xue Tu showed displeasure.
Saying he was being used, was that not questioning his intelligence?
He said: “Do you also want to say that the Prajna Goddess is also a cultivator from the Kunlun Realm?”
“Exactly so.” Wu Jiang said.
Xue Tu grinned and said: “And that the Nu Tian God Venerable is the Sumeru Holy Monk?”
Wu Jiang’s brows furrowed.
“Haha! Those are all rumours I spread.”
Xue Tu retracted his smile and said again: “My senior brother did indeed cultivate in the Kunlun Realm. But, he is the grandson of the Blood Absolute War God, the legitimate son of the Blood Empress, and a member of our undead blood race. Countless Heavenly Court experts have died at my senior brother’s hands, even true gods. And you, how many Heavenly Court experts have you killed? Are you worthy to be a divine spirit of the Hell Realm?”
“Lord Xia did indeed cultivate in the Kunlun Realm, but it is the son of the Ice Emperor, possessing the most noble bloodline of the undead blood race. By questioning it, are you questioning the Ice Emperor?”
“When you used your clone to massacre Yanluo tribe cultivators, I already saw that you were not a good thing, besides killing your own people, what else can you do? If you have the ability, like my senior brother, kill a true god from the Heavenly Court side? Go stir up the Heavenly Court’s Red Dust Conference, kill an entire generation of geniuses from the Paradise Realm? Do you have that courage?”
“You are speechless now, aren’t you? With this god’s wisdom, you still want to use a divisive ploy, Wu Jiang, you are too arrogant! You have angered this god, this god has long wanted to fight you, today you have come to my door… according to the rules, one-on-one! Dare you?”
Xue Tu finally found a way out, no need to face Master Qu You.
Challenging Wu Jiang one-on-one, he still felt no fear at all.
“Fool!”
Wu Jiang’s face flushed with anger, and the black metal box in his hand kept changing shape.
Little Black’s gaze fixed on that black metal box, his expression changed, and he hurriedly transmitted to Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao: “It is the Dark Domain Tianluo of the Dark Temple.”
Zhang Ruochen quietly moved towards Yan Ting.
Wu Jiang was exceptionally intelligent and eventually restrained his emotions, revealing two rows of snow-white teeth, and smiled: “In this era, heroes emerge in abundance. Before, I still thought you, Xue Tu, were a decent opponent, but now it seems that only Zhang Ruochen, Yan Wushen, and the Prajna Goddess are my true opponents.”
Zhang Ruochen had already reached Yan Ting’s side and said: “You consider me an opponent, but unfortunately, in my eyes, you are nothing.”
Wu Jiang was neither angry nor annoyed and said: “That is why I say you, Zhang Ruochen, think too highly of yourself, too arrogant, and are being used by others. Are you not curious why along the way, we have only followed you without immediately making a move?”
“You say that, and I am indeed a bit curious!” Zhang Ruochen said.
Wu Jiang said: “Because someone told us that only you can find the key to the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, following you is the safest. Look at the Heavenly Gate, Witch Hall, and Nine Cauldrons before us, did you not lead us here?”
“And the dragon-shaped strange beast and phoenix strange beast outside that attacked you, all died! That is all because of you, you are too crucial, there is a taboo power in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City protecting you. Anyone who attacks you must die.”
Xue Tu, Chi Yao, Yan Wushen… everyone’s gazes turned sharply towards Little Black.
Little Black said calmly: “The taboo he speaks of is this emperor.”
Zhang Ruochen did not believe Wu Jiang’s words at all and said: “Since you know attacking me will bring death, you still dare to oppose me?”
“Attacking you outside will indeed attract the taboo. But inside here…” Wu Jiang smiled, spread his hands, and said: “Inside here, everything is under my control.”
Zhang Ruochen asked the last question: “Who told you all this?”
Wu Jiang smiled and said: “Figure it out yourself! No, you have no chance, we have already found the place we sought, now you have lost your value.”
In his hand, that irregular black metal box was thrown out with a wave.
At the same time, Yan Ting threw out the “Seven Evils Formation Diagram”, Zhang Ruochen pressed a palm on her back, continuously transmitting the power from his body to her, then surging towards the formation diagram.
