In the vast, empty darkness of the universe, a dazzling mass of lightning burst forth. From a single point, it instantly spread across tens of thousands of li, brimming with destructive power.
Space cracked like paper, riddled with countless fissures.
The rumbling never ceased.
If a god-level powerhouse were nearby and looked closely, they would discover that the lightning resembled vines, sprouting leaves.
The leaves were as sharp as blades, and the vines were myriad and intricate.
“Boom!”
The lightning vines burst forth again, covering an area ten times larger, transforming into a brilliant sea of electricity.
The intensity of the light surpassed that of a star.
Above the electric sea, a faintly visible divine shadow with flowing long hair appeared, beautiful and moving, like a goddess descending from the ninth heaven. Yet it also released a terrifying murderous aura, inspiring fear.
The Hell Realm saints in the nearby starry sky panicked, turning into streams of light as they fled rapidly in all directions.
“Such powerful divine power fluctuations. It is a true god.”
“Surely a divine battle has erupted? The aftermath of a divine battle alone could reduce us to particles, leaving no corpse.”
“Flee quickly. The farther we escape, the better.”
…
The lightning vines in the universe, like rivers of thunder and streams of electricity, crisscrossed and rapidly fled in a certain direction.
At the very centre of the vines, a graceful and alluring woman moved forward. Her long skirt, adorned with crystalline gems over snow-white skin, accentuated her curvaceous figure. Her long hair flowed like willow branches. She resembled a humanoid dragon serpent, advancing in a bizarre swimming motion.
Indeed.
It was swimming, not flying.
Space was like an ocean, time like waves. She swam freely within it.
Rules of time and space obeyed her command. Her speed was terrifying. With each sway of her slender waist, she advanced hundreds of thousands of li, crossing a sea of stars.
However, the Third Armour Blood Ancestor pursuing her was slightly faster.
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor manifested a divine body thousands of zhang tall, with six blood-red wings on his back like six bloody clouds. Divine qi surged vigorously. He continually stepped out with divine steps.
Space folded and contracted beneath his feet.
His stepping speed was extreme, his legs like wheels of wind and fire.
Upon discovering that he had passed through the wormhole and arrived outside the starry sky defence line, the Third Armour Blood Ancestor had initially intended to retreat immediately. However, the God-Refining Flower had already been severely injured by him. She was just ahead. It would not take much time to capture her.
If he retreated now, would not all his previous efforts be in vain?
He was truly unwilling.
“This star region is patrolled by the Fallen Star Temple. The Fallen Star Temple has few god-realm powerhouses who can threaten me. I should be able to capture her before a great god from the Hell Realm arrives.”
In the battle at Star Huan Heaven, the Third Armour Blood Ancestor had suffered severe vital losses, nearly refined to death by the evil divine corpse.
Originally, with his peak upper god cultivation, he had over seventy percent confidence in surviving the Yuan Hui tribulation.
But now, he had not even half a percent.
After surviving her divine tribulation, the Food Saint Flower had evolved into the God-Refining Flower. Though a ferocious plant, she was also an extraordinary divine medicine.
It was precisely for this reason that the Third Armour Blood Ancestor pursued her relentlessly upon discovering her.
By swallowing this divine medicine, not only could he heal his injuries, but he also had a chance to break into the Tai Zhen realm and become a great god.
Great god!
The goal pursued by countless gods. Once stepping into that level, one’s status in the heavens and earth would be utterly transformed.
It was precisely for this reason that the Third Armour Blood Ancestor, despite knowing his current situation was extremely dangerous, continued the tight pursuit.
“You cannot escape!”
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor raised a supreme sacred artefact-level blood blade overhead. Bloody light illuminated the starry sky, like a blood-red lantern lit in the darkness.
“Whoosh!”
With one slash, blade qi fell like a heavenly river.
The divine patterns and array inscriptions arranged by Hell Realm gods in this starry sky shattered one after another. Space seemed split in two.
The sea formed by interwoven lightning vines was cleaved open by the blade. The blade light extended all the way behind Moyin.
Countless vines shattered, turning into withered branches and defeated leaves.
Moyin’s enchantingly beautiful face turned back. It was deathly pale. From the earlier clashes, she had already sustained serious injuries. Her pair of phoenix eyes was filled with coldness.
She swung her slender jade hand, shattering space and rushing into the dark void world.
At the same time, space fragments condensed before her, forming an invisible shield that collided with the extending blade light.
“Bang!”
The space shield shattered.
The blade light tore through dense rule divine patterns, leaving a deep bloody gash on Moyin’s body.
Blade qi entered her body, pain reaching her very soul.
Moyin could not help but emit a muffled groan from her mouth, filled with anger and ruthlessness.
Unfortunately, she had only recently survived her divine tribulation and was merely at the lower god realm. Against a deeply cultivated god like the Third Armour Blood Ancestor, she had no power to fight back.
“See where else you can flee!”
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor laughed sinisterly, hovering at the edge of the shattered space. He swung a Five Elements lightning whip, flicking his arm.
“Crack!”
“Crack!”
…
One whip like a thousand-li fire dragon, one whip like a long river of weak water, one whip evolving into ten thousand blades and swords, one whip manifesting a towering sacred mountain, one whip displaying a seven-coloured treasure tree.
He struck five whips!
The power of the five elements fused with lightning, shattering all of Moyin’s defences.
Not only was her physical body beaten bloody and mangled, but even her divine soul scattered greatly. Her consciousness became extremely weak. Her delicate body floated in the void space, on the verge of death.
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor used the Five Elements lightning whip to reel her in, sneering repeatedly. “The injuries on this god’s body were caused by Zhang Ruochen. Cause and effect cycle. Today, you are destined to become divine medicine in my belly.”
Suddenly, an intense sense of mortal crisis assaulted him, making the Third Armour Blood Ancestor’s hair stand on end.
Before he could raise his divine realm world defence, bell sounds rang in his mind, loud as divine thunder.
“Bang bang!”
Twelve Soul-Devouring Bells struck the Third Armour Blood Ancestor consecutively, instantly causing his thousand-zhang divine body to splatter with flesh and blood.
The impact on the physical body was secondary. Most terrifying was that the Soul-Devouring Bells severely wounded his divine soul, scattering much of it from his body and drawing it into the bells.
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor was all too familiar with the owner of the Soul-Devouring Bells. He immediately knew who was ambushing him.
“Zhang Ruochen!”
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor roared in towering rage. As he uttered this shout, rule divine patterns erupted from his body, evolving into a divine realm world shrouded in boundless bloody qi.
He looked around but found no trace of Zhang Ruochen.
Suddenly, sensing something, he lowered his head to gaze into the void world within the shattered space.
There, Zhang Ruochen had somehow used extraordinary means to sever his Five Elements lightning whip. He held Moyin’s soft, limp delicate body in his arms.
The twelve Soul-Devouring Bells flew back, orbiting his body.
Supreme inscription patterns converged into a cyan great bell, protecting Zhang Ruochen within.
Under Zhang Ruochen’s spiritual power control, strands of Moyin’s scattered divine soul flew back, entering her brow. A pair of bright, soul-captivating eyes opened, staring at Zhang Ruochen’s cold yet handsome face. She revealed a joyful smile.
Quite weakly, she called out, “Master!”
Zhang Ruochen nodded gently, holding her as he transformed into a cyan light. He flew out of the void world, appearing opposite the Third Armour Blood Ancestor. “Seeing me, you surprisingly do not flee. You have great courage.”
Bloody qi surged skyward from the Third Armour Blood Ancestor. He said gravely, “In Star Huan Heaven, you only prevailed by borrowing Tianlao’s power. Tianlao will not lend you divine power at all times. As a peak upper god, how could I fear a mere youngster like you?”
“Third Armour Blood Ancestor, you are too arrogant!”
Shuo Qianhai stepped out from the void, causing it to tremble. With a wave of his hand, he struck with a white bone divine pillar.
This pillar was refined from a bone of an Immeasurable realm ancient god, containing the might of Immeasurable.
“Shuo Qianhai, you dare strike at this god?”
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor’s long hair flew wildly. He slashed with his blade, clashing with the white bone divine pillar.
“Boom!”
Divine powers collided violently, forming a cloud of divine qi.
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor flew back a thousand li, divine blood flowing from his mouth. Cracks appeared on his divine robe. In disbelief, he looked at Shuo Qianhai. “How is this possible?”
Shuo Qianhai was somewhat stunned. This peak upper god Third Armour Blood Ancestor was too weak, actually repelled by his single move.
Just this?
Could this old fellow be using a ploy to lure the enemy?
Shuo Qianhai dared not act rashly.
Zhang Ruochen’s spiritual power was strong. He saw clearly. “The Third Armour Blood Ancestor suffered severe injuries in Star Huan Heaven and no longer possesses peak upper god combat strength. Just now, the Soul-Devouring Bells wounded his divine soul again, further damaging his power.”
“Now, he is a tiger without teeth or claws. This is the perfect opportunity to kill him.”
Shuo Qianhai suddenly understood, overjoyed. Excellent. If he could slay a Heavenly Court peak upper god today, it would be a great merit.
The Fallen Star Temple, Asura Temple, and Temple of Destiny would surely bestow rewards.
“Having come to the territory of my Fallen Star Temple, where else do you think you can flee?”
Shuo Qianhai held the white bone divine pillar and pursued.
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor clearly realised he no longer possessed his peak power. He immediately fled, planning to escape through the previous wormhole back to the cosmic starry sky where the Heavenly Court was located.
Zhang Ruochen did not pursue. Smiling, he watched the scene and uttered, “Nether Light Curse!”
The Myriad Curse Heavenly Bead floated above his head. Spiritual power condensed the curse into a nether light. From a million li away, it trapped the fleeing Third Armour Blood Ancestor.
Moyin lay in Zhang Ruochen’s arms, her beautiful eyes rippling as she watched his calm composure, yet able to decide victory from a thousand li away.
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor turned back and saw Shuo Qianhai pursuing ever closer. He immediately activated a secret method, burning divine blood within his body. Gripping the blade with both hands, he slashed out.
“Bang!”
The nether light was torn apart. The Third Armour Blood Ancestor successfully escaped the trap, drawing ever closer to the wormhole.
“Zhang Ruochen, I shall spare you for today. But sooner or later, you will die by this god’s hand.”
The Third Armour Blood Ancestor rushed toward the wormhole at even greater speed.
Zhang Ruochen remained very calm. In the starry sky, he shouted, “Little Black!”
“He cannot escape!”
“Behold this emperor’s latest refined Nine Heavens Ten Earths God-Slaying Demon-Exterminating Great Array. Third Armour brat, die for me.”
The so-called Nine Heavens Ten Earths Gods-Slaying Demons-Exterminating Great Array was in fact the Three Huan Twenty-Eight Constellations Great Array. However, Little Black always named things in an domineering direction. Sometimes, it truly intimidated people.
Array inscription patterns shuttled through the void, forming a massive array disc with a diameter of a hundred thousand li.
A expanse of starry sky manifested within the array disc, enveloping the Third Armour Blood Ancestor who was about to escape.
A enormous cat face condensed from vast divine qi emerged, overlooking the thousand-zhang divine body of the Third Armour Blood Ancestor.
In terms of size comparison, it was like a ferocious tomcat gazing at a mouse.
