Crack!
A bolt of lightning streaked across Jia Tianxia’s body. In his hand appeared a weapon over ten feet long, part spear, part awl.
The Hanging-Heaven Thunder-Drawing Needle!
This secondary-god-level supreme sacred artefact had not been used by Jia Tianxia for many years. Every time it appeared, a god fell.
Swish!
The Hanging-Heaven Thunder-Drawing Needle shot forth, dragging a long river of lightning. Its speed was like a shuttle of light; the rules of heaven and earth parted before it.
“What a powerful strike. This is Jia Tianxia’s true strength,” the Famous Sword God thought to himself.
The Nine-Headed Dragon God punched through the chest and abdomen of the corpse Taoist, dragging the Third Armour Blood Ancestor out from inside. He glanced back and felt a chill in his heart. “So fast! The speed this Hanging-Heaven Thunder-Drawing Needle has unleashed can already be called the ultimate velocity beneath the Immeasurable Realm.”
Although Chi Xingtian was a battle maniac, he knew full well this strike from Jia Tianxia was no trifling matter.
Even with his ability, he dared not meet it with his flesh alone.
Chi Xingtian swung the Blood War Divine Hall. It collided with the descending Hanging-Heaven Thunder-Drawing Needle. The tremendous impact caused space to collapse layer by layer.
He was forced back several dozen li before finally steadying himself.
“It seems the Blood Jue War God is about to employ the Profound Principles of the Fifth Sea divine path!” the Famous Sword God remarked.
“To deal with a mere Jia Ku Song, why would I need to use a divine path?”
Because he could not reveal his true identity, many techniques were unavailable. He could only fight with his physical body. Though Chi Xingtian felt greatly restricted, when it came to ruthless boasting and arrogant posturing, he had never lost to anyone.
Zhang Ruochen knew Chi Xingtian would be at a severe disadvantage without being able to use his battle weapon. With a sweep of his arm, seven Heavenly Demon stone-engraving tablets flew out.
The tablets were wrapped in dark demonic radiance. By the time they reached Chi Xingtian, they had grown to the size of seven stone mountains. The images and script upon them were profound, manifesting shadows of the Heavenly Demon—domineering and deep.
“Ha ha!”
Chi Xingtian laughed heartily. Blood qi surged beneath his feet, lifting the seven Heavenly Demon stone-engraving tablets as he soared into the sky.
The tablets ignited, transforming into seven blazing stars. They drew upon demonic power and assaulted Jia Tianxia.
Bang!
Bang!
…
Jia Tianxia struck like lightning. The Hanging-Heaven Thunder-Drawing Needle sent the seven tablets flying one after another. Suddenly, the Blood Jue War God’s huge face appeared before him. Startled, Jia Tianxia hurriedly released his divine-realm world.
The Blood Jue War God smashed through the divine-realm world. His arm chopped down onto Jia Tianxia’s body, sending him crashing from mid-air.
One chased, the other fled; their fierce battle never ceased.
In the sky, electric light danced and demonic qi churned. From time to time, the Blood Jue War God’s thunderous laughter rang out.
“Jia Tianxia is already going all out, yet he still cannot match the Blood Jue War God,” the Famous Sword God observed.
The Third Elder of Array Annihilation Palace said, “The Blood Jue War God has not even used profound principles or his divine path. A youngster who has cultivated for only a little over a hundred thousand years has already possesses such unfathomable depth. Are you not going to act?”
The Famous Sword God very much wanted to fight; his sword sang ceaselessly, but he restrained his battle intent. His gaze fixed upon the Goddess City. “Do not forget the reason we came to Xing Huan Tian.”
“But if we do not deal with the Blood Jue War God, he will remain a massive threat to the Heavenly Court armies,” the Third Elder replied.
The Famous Sword God’s eyes fell upon Zhang Ruochen. “Dealing with the Blood Jue War God is simple.”
Swish!
He did not draw his sword, yet a sword qi that pierced heaven and earth condensed of its own accord and slashed toward Zhang Ruochen inside the Yin Concealment Nine Arrays.
Zhang Ruochen had long been mentally prepared. He was not intimidated by the Famous Sword God’s divine might or incomparable sword qi. Like a pine on a cliff, he stood unshaken atop the city wall.
The Yin Concealment Nine Arrays operated according to nine different laws. The Sundial erupted with time-mark light points vast as an ocean.
Yet even though he gave his all, the sword qi still cut through the arrays as though slicing paper, penetrating deep into the Goddess City. Every street had arrays, but none could stop it.
Countless buildings collapsed. Countless cultivators were torn to pieces by the sword qi. Screams, frantic footsteps, and the sound of structures falling spread from near to far, all the way to the inner city wall.
In the vast district between Goddess Yi City and the First Goddess City, a sword-path more than ten zhang wide appeared.
On both sides lay only ruins and broken limbs.
The Yin Concealment Nine Arrays became a crippled formation. The array spirit A Ji collapsed at Zhang Ruochen’s feet, gravely wounded.
Even Yu Longxian bore seven shocking sword-qi gashes, yet she seemed oblivious to the pain. Still gripping the Wujin War Heaven Pillar, she stood beside Zhang Ruochen.
The Heavenly Court gods who had been trapped within the arrays finally broke free. They rapidly reformed their bodies and fled at top speed.
Protected by the Buddha’s relic, Zhang Ruochen shone with golden light. Ignoring the escaping gods, he looked back at the dead along the sword-path and listened to the cries of grief. A long howl burst from his throat. Teeth clenched, he poured everything into propping up the already ruined Yin Concealment Nine Arrays.
His gaze locked with the Famous Sword God’s, showing not the slightest trace of fear despite the absolute disparity in cultivation.
The Famous Sword God stepped forward. The Mingjun Sword hovered several metres above his head. “Your persistence is meaningless. You cannot protect this city, nor can you stop my sword. ‘Beneath the Immeasurable Realm, whoever comes dies!’ Such words sound acceptable from Blood Jue speaks them, but coming from you, they are merely laughable—like a clown dancing on stage.”
Light flashed in the Famous Sword God’s pupils.
That light was sharper than any peerless sword qi. It crushed the Yin Concealment Nine Arrays with overwhelming force and blasted Yu Longxian away.
The time-mark light points merely slowed it for an instant before being annihilated.
Swish!
Among the seven soul swords, Fear Sword flew out first.
Facing an opponent like the Famous Sword God, how could Zhang Ruochen not feel fear?
Yet something more important than fear occupied his heart.
Fear transformed into sword intent that charged courageously forward. It merged with the soul sword and became a meteor streaking across the vast starry sky, breaking through the destructive light that burst from the Famous Sword God’s eyes.
A strange look appeared in the Famous Sword God’s eyes. He had never imagined that such a frail body could erupt with such power.
Zhang Ruochen leapt from the top of the city wall and charged straight at the Famous Sword God, sword qi blazing like a rainbow.
The Butian-realm gods and false-god generals of the Heavenly Court had long retreated far away, not daring to involve themselves in this terrifying duel.
Now, watching Zhang Ruochen’s heroic bearing as he charged without looking back, every one of them was deeply moved.
“Is this the spiritual will of a Yuanhui-level genius?”
“Facing the Famous Sword God, I do not even have the courage to raise my weapon, yet he is completely unaffected by the divine might and mental pressure, actually daring to attack.”
“He has simply been blinded by rage! When a person loses reason, what is there he will not do? Zhang Ruochen will not even get close before the sword qi around the Famous Sword God tears him to pieces.”
A false-god general cried out in shock, “This… everyone, look quickly… who said Zhang Ruochen cannot approach the Famous Sword God?”
All the gods stared.
The distance between Zhang Ruochen and the Famous Sword God was now less than a hundred zhang.
Although the Famous Sword God could influence the surrounding heaven and earth, altering its rules so that countless strands of sword qi filled the space—any living being that drew near would be attacked by the sword qi of heaven and earth—when those strands struck Zhang Ruochen, they all bounced away, unable to pierce the Buddha’s Sanskrit characters protecting him.
Instead, the soul swords hovering above Zhang Ruochen flew out one after another, attacking the Famous Sword God and tearing open a path. Every soul sword that entered within ten zhang of him automatically flew forth.
Finally, the fully charged Sword of Love erupted with blinding radiance. It materialised fully and fell into Zhang Ruochen’s hand.
Swish!
The sword light was so dazzling that the distant false-god generals could not open their eyes.
Boom!
Zhang Ruochen’s sword pierced through the Famous Sword God’s final defence, entering within ten zhang. Each inch the sword tip advanced felt like piercing a mirror, producing crisp cracking sounds.
It was both very fast and very slow.
From beginning to end, the Famous Sword God stood motionless, not even lifting a finger. Yet at this moment, genuine admiration finally appeared in his eyes. “This sword is truly the most brilliant sword since time immemorial!”
The Famous Sword God was not exaggerating.
In his view, a sword from a powerhouse was not necessarily brilliant—it was often merely the result of overwhelming strength, while the sword itself remained ordinary. A truly brilliant sword must be one that could cross realms and slay an opponent far stronger than oneself.
For Zhang Ruochen’s sword to reach him was far beyond merely crossing realms.
“It seems you have obtained Sword Ancestor’s inheritance! The method of cultivating soul swords has been lost for countless ages. Now I shall take everything you possess and let swordsmanship shine once more,” the Famous Sword God declared.
The Sword of Love in Zhang Ruochen’s hand had already reached the centre of the Famous Sword God’s brow.
The Famous Sword God blinked. Light blazed in his pupils.
Before Zhang Ruochen’s eyes appeared two divine swords hanging in the cosmos, longer than galactic rivers, wider than divine seas, slashing down toward him.
Bang!
He could not withstand it.
Zhang Ruochen was hurled backward. His body struck the city wall with tremendous force, creating a deep crater.
Falling from the crater, Zhang Ruochen knelt on one knee. The injuries inside his body erupted completely. He vomited large mouthfuls of blood; an unknown number of bones were broken.
The Buddha’s relic could protect his body, but it could not negate all the attacking force.
The Famous Sword God appeared before Zhang Ruochen—handsome and heroic, looking down upon him. “I take back what I said earlier. You do indeed have the capital to be arrogant. That sword just now could have injured a Taixu great god. But before me, you are still far from enough.”
Zhang Ruochen slowly stood. His body would not straighten; head bowed, blood flowed from his mouth as he spoke. “It… is not… over yet… To say that now is a little… premature!”
The Famous Sword God showed an expression of interest. “You have already fought far beyond my expectations. I am certain the great figures watching from the starry sky have also gained new respect for you. If you have any more techniques, use them now!”
The Nine-Headed Dragon God strode over. “Famous Sword God, why is dealing with a mere junior whose martial cultivation has been completely destroyed taking so long? You are not afraid to kill him because of Tian Lao, are you? If you do not dare, I will.”
The Nine-Headed Dragon God knew full well how many treasures Zhang Ruochen possessed and was unwilling to miss this chance. If the Famous Sword God seized them first, he would get nothing.
“Boy, this god shall now send you on your way. To die by my hand is already glory enough for you!”
The Nine-Headed Dragon God pressed a palm through the air. Countless billions of rule divine patterns surged with the palm print. Space arched inward; a dragon roar shook heaven and earth.
Suddenly, the sky changed dramatically. The temperature across all of Xing Huan Tian plummeted.
Outside the Goddess City, the earth split. Some parts sank, others rose into the sky. From cracks thousands of li long surged grey death qi.
The Famous Sword God was the first to sense danger. Like a streak of light, he shot into the clouds.
But the Nine-Headed Dragon God was a step too slow. A pillar of flame burst from the ground and struck him. His body shuddered violently. He lost control of his palm print and rules, and was sent flying sideways.
As the flame pillar erupted, the surrounding space continuously shattered, turning into primal chaos.
Zhang Ruochen stood atop the flame pillar, holding the character “Ming” token. He swept his gaze across the gods and looked down upon the Heavenly Court armies like ants on the ground.
“Now it truly begins! Beneath the Immeasurable Realm… whoever comes… dies!”
