Cultivators rushing from various worlds can only remain on their warships, blocked outside the starry gate, unable to reach the starry defence line. Only gods can traverse the starry gate to rush to the rescue in the great world of Tianchu Civilisation.
“This hell divine tide is far too terrifying. Heavenly Court has deployed more than one Heaven-level powerhouse.”
“I hope Tianchu Civilisation does not fall now. If it can hold out a bit longer…”
“Pity we cannot join the battlefield!”
“With our cultivation, rushing to Tianchu Civilisation now would only cause chaos. Better to wait until the situation stabilises somewhat before heading to the battlefield. The starry battlefield is destined to be a prolonged war. It tests foundation and resolve. There will be a time… for us to play our part… What has happened?”
Countless saint realm cultivators cry out in fear.
“Boom!”
Below the starry gate, space suddenly collapses on a vast scale, dozens of fissures appearing.
The fissures extend all the way to tens of thousands of miles away…
Over a hundred warships fail to retreat in time, drawn into spatial storms, torn apart by spatial forces. Cultivators on the warships fly upwards, but a powerful aura crushes them into masses of blood mist.
Screams rise and fall.
Strands of destiny divine qi rush out from the shattered space, condensing into a Gate of Destiny as grand and magnificent as the starry gate.
From the black divine hall suspended above the starry gate, the Master of the Temple of Truth steps out, striking a fist to shatter the Gate of Destiny. She drinks deeply, “Xu Fengjin, you finally could not sit still?”
The fragmented space below the starry gate turns into a chaos vortex, connecting to the void.
From the void comes an ancient, ethereal voice, “After Sumeru’s death, this seat has resided in the Void Great Tribulation Palace. Lately, stillness bred restlessness. I merely seek an opponent to contest with. Of course, to kill one as well!”
The Temple Master of Truth shows no fear, eyes wide open. “This is not the Mountain of Destiny. This is the Heavenly Court universe. Under the starry defence line’s suppression, your power must be greatly discounted.”
“No matter. Void is everywhere, and so is my power. The starry defence line cannot block me, naturally cannot suppress me either.”
“Boom!”
The chaos vortex explodes. Void power surges madly into the real universe, instantly destroying the ten-thousand-mile-high starry gate, then spreading towards the black divine hall where the Temple Master resides.
…
Whether the battles erupting on the starry battlefield or the fight at the starry gate’s position, both reach levels where Zhang Ruochen can only marvel, unable to intervene.
Even observing is impossible.
“Destroying Tianchu Civilisation would greatly strike the morale of Heavenly Court forces, deterring other ancient civilisations as well. The hell realm is truly going all out this time!”
Zhang Ruochen sighs inwardly, pitying the defenceless mortal commoners in the great world of Tianchu Civilisation, while worrying for Luo Ji’s situation. Yet in a war of this scale, with his current cultivation, he can change nothing. What he can do is far too little.
Nearby, Feng Qi receives a distress transmission talisman. His expression changes. “Large numbers of hell realm cultivators are heading to the sea domain forbidden zone where the Divine Chun Tree is. They intend to sever the world spirit root of Tianchu Civilisation.”
After exchanging with the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox, Feng Qi and she turn into two divine lights, immediately flying towards the sea domain.
Zhang Ruochen does not sense Luo Ji’s aura on the continent below. After thinking, he mounts the old yellow ox, pursuing in the direction Feng Qi and the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox flew.
In the current great world of Tianchu Civilisation, divine inscriptions and arrays abound, blocking gods’ mental probing and divine sense perception.
Finding someone is like searching for a needle in the ocean.
The Divine Chun Tree is the heavenly and earthly spirit root of Tianchu Civilisation, its importance obvious. Perhaps Luo Ji will rush there to aid.
Zhang Ruochen proceeds neither hurriedly nor slowly.
The reason is he does not know which force the hell realm cultivators attacking the Divine Chun Tree belong to.
If they are from the Blood Sky Tribe or Tianluo Divine Kingdom, with his Yellow Ox Taoist’s righteous hatred of evil, should he act? If he does, how to face Blood Absolute War God and Emperor Luo Yan?
The old yellow ox flies swiftly. Soon it leaves the continent, entering a vast azure sea domain.
…
After arriving in the great world of Tianchu Civilisation, Qing Xuan Ling God immediately sets up concealing arrays on a remote rocky islet.
Only with a personal hideout can one attack when advantageous, hide when retreating.
When Feng Qi and the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox flew overhead earlier, Qing Xuan Ling God was greatly startled. Feng Qi is a powerful upper god. With his mental strength, Qing Xuan is no match.
Confirming Feng Qi and the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox have left this sea domain, Qing Xuan Ling God secretly breathes relief. He comes to reefs by the island’s edge, a smug smile on his face. “After mental strength reached seventy-fourth order, it truly is different. The concealing arrays I set even upper gods cannot detect.”
“Eh! A lone false god.”
Qing Xuan Ling God’s eyes light with joy, chill flashing.
That false god wears Taoist robes, appearing in his fifties, riding an old yellow ox below.
The old yellow ox is quite extraordinary, cultivation at peak Semi-Divine.
“A peak Semi-Divine yellow ox with boundless potential, yet willingly serving as mount for a false god.”
Qing Xuan Ling God shows disdain, resolving inwardly to slay the robed false god, then capture the old yellow ox alive as his own mount.
“It is heading this way. Delivering itself! In that case, this god will not hold back!”
The unlucky Taoist riding the old yellow ox is now only five hundred miles from the islet.
Qing Xuan Ling God extends his right index finger, inscribing blood-red curse patterns.
With a palm strike, the blood-red curse patterns cross five hundred miles, imprinting on the unlucky Taoist.
“Struck by this god’s curse, you are dead!”
Qing Xuan Ling God stares fixedly at the unlucky Taoist, awaiting his scream and fall from the old yellow ox.
Suddenly he senses something wrong. The blood curse patterns on the unlucky Taoist vanish! Looking down, he finds them on himself.
His body ignites, crackling like firewood, pain piercing heart and bone.
“Daring to ambush this poor Taoist, you are dead!”
Zhang Ruochen takes out a talisman paper, finger tracing a seal upon it, flinging it out.
The paper falls, turning to divine thunder.
A booming explosion flattens the entire islet.
Zhang Ruochen had long detected Qing Xuan Ling God, deliberately feigning false god to approach. Without exposing identity, killing Qing Xuan Ling God is no easy feat.
Only close enough offers opportunity.
Zhang Ruochen harbours deep hatred for the Dark Divine Hall, long wishing to kill Qing Xuan Ling God swiftly. Previously, identity constrained him.
Pity Qing Xuan Ling God too cautious, acting before Zhang Ruochen neared!
The islet not only had concealing arrays but defensive ones. When the talisman pressed down, defences held momentarily. In that moment, Qing Xuan Ling God escaped.
“Such a cunning Taoist, daring to scheme against this god.”
Qing Xuan Ling God sees the opponent’s power, fleeing rapidly over the sea, daring not linger.
Zhang Ruochen abandons the old yellow ox, pursuing. He roars, “Where to! Behold this poor Taoist’s supreme talisman arts!”
Zhang Ruochen’s speed far exceeds Qing Xuan Ling God’s. Moments later, within a hundred miles behind, he continuously hurls thunder talismans, striking Qing Xuan Ling God until smoke rises from him.
Over years in seclusion, Zhang Ruochen delved deeply into Taoist classics, attaining high mastery in talisman arts.
Of course, the main reason is his mental strength far surpassing Qing Xuan Ling God’s.
Qing Xuan Ling God, one of the Twelve Spirit Gods of the Dark Divine Hall, deep background, rampant in hell realm where all give face. Never expecting, upon arriving in Tianchu Civilisation, to be schemed by an unknown cunning Taoist, talismans striking until divine soul nearly scatters.
Forced helpless, he uses forbidden art, burning lifespan. Speed surges madly.
Soon, in the sea ahead, Qing Xuan Ling God senses hell realm divine auras, hastily transmitting for aid, “This seat is Qing Xuan Ling God of the Dark Divine Hall. Which god is ahead? Reveal yourself. Together, slay the Taoist behind!”
Hidden in water, Xue Tu’s heart stirs. Encountering a lone god in Tianchu Civilisation is rare.
Even if unable to kill the Taoist, saving Qing Xuan Ling God can extort hefty divine stones.
No loss in this deal!
Xue Tu bursts from water, roaring, “This Great Slaughter War God Prince is here!”
“Scram!”
A drinking voice rings in Xue Tu’s mind.
Xue Tu’s expression changes. Slowly, he sinks back into water.
Only after Qing Xuan Ling God and Zhang Ruochen fly past overhead does Xue Tu resurface, exhaling long. “To encounter even this? Fortunately, senior brother treats me as true junior brother, or he surely would have killed me too to silence.”
He hesitates to pursue, ultimately abandoning the idea, fleeing opposite direction.
“Boom!”
Zhang Ruochen takes a talisman drawn with great god blood, suppressing and slaying Qing Xuan Ling God.
Qing Xuan Ling God’s blood dyes hundreds of miles of sea red. All escaping mental thoughts burned by talisman fire. Only half a glassy divine heart remains preserved.
Zhang Ruochen stores this half divine heart, glancing back. He murmurs, “This fellow’s guts too great, daring to invade Tianchu Civilisation.”
Strong divine force fluctuations come from ahead.
Only now does Zhang Ruochen notice. At the sea-sky horizon, divine lights and radiance abound. A divine tree piercing clouds faintly visible in the divine light.
It is the heavenly and earthly spirit root of Tianchu Civilisation, the Divine Chun Tree.
“No wonder Qing Xuan Ling God fled this way!”
Zhang Ruochen abandons thoughts of returning for Niu Jianqiang and Xue Tu. Concealing aura, vanishing invisibly, he quietly heads towards the Divine Chun Tree.
