Chapter 32: Cosmic Divine Wood Map
"Back then, Xumi Saint Monk sealed me within this painting, commanding me to sincerely repent and cut away the evil roots within me. He said that one day, when I encountered the next martial artist bearing the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark, I must help him cultivate the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture' and become an unparalleled powerhouse between heaven and earth."
That voice spoke again: "Tell me, if you don't release me, how can I teach you to cultivate the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture'? And if I don't teach you the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture,' how can you become an unparalleled powerhouse?"
"You were sealed in the painting by Xumi Saint Monk?" Zhang Ruochen felt that the cat's words were somewhat unreliable.
If Xumi Saint Monk had sealed it in the painting, there must have been a very significant reason—it couldn't have been just for a minor mistake.
Xumi Saint Monk had also awakened the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark, and the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture' was written by him. During the Middle Ages, Xumi Saint Monk was a renowned saint, with records of him in history.
That voice sighed: "Besides Xumi Saint Monk, who else in this world could wield the power of space sealing? To open up a world within a scroll painting, only he could do it. Of course, once your cultivation becomes strong enough, you too could casually create a world space."
"You say you can teach me to cultivate the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture'? Doesn't that mean you can also use the power of space and time?" Zhang Ruochen said.
That voice said: "Although my cultivation is unparalleled, capable of ascending to heaven and descending to earth, and all-powerful, I have not awakened the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark, so naturally I cannot use the power of space and time. However, I once followed closely by Xumi Saint Monk's side. Through constant exposure, I have gained a deep understanding of time and space. Teaching you would certainly be more than sufficient."
"Finally, I can open the second page of the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture'!"
Zhang Ruochen picked up the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture,' held it in his hands, and flipped to the second page. On it were written silver characters.
"Space Inscription Runes!"
The second page of the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture' recorded a total of eight types of space inscription runes, all of which were basic space inscription runes, representing the eight foundational structures for constructing space.
The eight types of space inscription runes were: Point-Type Inscription Rune, Line-Type Inscription Rune, Vertical-Type Inscription Rune, Horizontal-Type Inscription Rune, Height-Type Inscription Rune, Plane-Type Inscription Rune, Expansion-Type Inscription Rune, and Contraction-Type Inscription Rune.
Abbreviated as: Point, Line, Vertical, Horizontal, Height, Plane, Expansion, Contraction.
From within the painting came a voice: "The second page of the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture' only records the eight most basic space inscription runes. Once you successfully cultivate these eight basic space inscription runes, you will essentially be able to independently open up a small space. Of course, even so, you still cannot use space power to attack enemies. You must learn more advanced space inscription runes, such as Seal-Type Inscription Rune, Collapse-Type Inscription Rune, Fracture-Type Inscription Rune, Teleportation Inscription Rune... and so on."
"For you, the priority is still to first inscribe these eight basic inscription runes."
Zhang Ruochen asked: "Why does the second page of the 'Space-Time Secret Scripture' only record eight types of space inscription runes, with no mention of time inscription runes?"
"Haha! Time flows eternally; no one can create time, so naturally there is no such thing as 'time inscription runes.' However, martial artists who possess the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark can cultivate time imprints, mobilize the power of time, and perform time spiritual arts."
"If your spiritual power is strong enough and the time imprints you master are powerful enough, a single finger pointed out could cut off decades of an enemy's lifespan, or even cause time to stop, accelerate, or slow down within an independent space... and so on. The power of time is unpredictable."
"No matter how high your cultivation is, in the face of the power of time, you are utterly defenseless."
"Of course, with your current spiritual power, you have not yet reached the requirements for cultivating time imprints. You can only first cultivate the eight most basic space inscription runes."
Zhang Ruochen said: "Is the requirement for spiritual power really that high to cultivate space inscription runes and time imprints?"
The voice in the painting laughed: "First release me from the painting, and then I'll tell you!"
Zhang Ruochen hesitated slightly, uncertain whether releasing it would bring fortune or disaster.
"Don't hesitate. Although my cultivation is vast and boundless, unparalleled in the world, I have no interest in a young lad like you. Release me! I will surely tell you more secrets of time and space, allowing you to better utilize the power of the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark."
Fortune or disaster, it could not be avoided.
If Xumi Saint Monk truly considered it a threat, he would have eliminated it long ago, not merely sealed it in the painting.
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment, then said: "How can I release you from the painting?"
"You only need to drip a drop of blood onto the scroll, and you will become the master of the scroll. Then, inject your true qi into the scroll, and naturally the seal will open, releasing me." That voice said with some excitement.
With a scratch of his fingernail, a blood wound split open on the tip of Zhang Ruochen's right index finger.
A drop of crimson blood fell from the fingertip, landing with a "drip" sound onto the scroll.
The blood was absorbed by the scroll.
"Whoosh!"
A faint layer of blood light enveloped the scroll, lifting it from the ground and into Zhang Ruochen's hand.
To think that the scroll weighed eight hundred jin. With just a thought, it flew up and into his hand.
This was utterly incredible!
"This scroll is definitely an extraordinary treasure, far beyond what True Martial Treasures can compare."
After becoming the master of the scroll, Zhang Ruochen could clearly sense that every line within the scroll was an inscription rune—not only space inscription runes, but also ice-system inscription runes, force-system inscription runes, earth-system inscription runes, fire-system inscription runes... encompassing a myriad, densely packed inscription runes beyond count.
Xumi Saint Monk was truly one of the greatest saints of the Middle Ages. Even this scroll he painted surpassed ordinary understanding.
With a thought from Zhang Ruochen, the scroll immediately transformed into a white light, flew into the Divine Martial Mark between his eyebrows, and entered his qi pool.
The scroll hovered in the center of the qi pool, slowly rotating, emitting a faint white light.
"Whoosh!"
With another thought from Zhang Ruochen, the scroll flew out of the qi pool and returned to his hand.
The voice within the scroll sounded: "This scroll is called the 'Cosmic Divine Wood Map.' The paper of the scroll was forged from a leaf of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree. Xumi Saint Monk spent ten years and expended immense spiritual power to complete this painting."
"Young lad, can you release me now?"
"Of course!"
Although Zhang Ruochen said this, he remained wary of that cat in his heart, not fully trusting it.
Zhang Ruochen injected true qi into the scroll.
The scroll emitted a white radiance, trembling slightly.
"Whoosh—"
A black light flew out from the scroll, landing on the ground, forming a black giant cat over one meter tall.
That cat was as large as a fat pig, extremely plump and bloated, covered in soft black fur, with golden eyes larger than Zhang Ruochen's fists.
Zhang Ruochen had seen cats before, but never one so fat and large.
"Haha! I am finally out! One hundred thousand years, one hundred thousand years!" That black fat cat's mouth emitted human speech, sounding very strange.
Suddenly, the black fat cat bared its sharp teeth, its round eyes flashing with a fierce light. It charged at Zhang Ruochen, roaring: "Ant! I am the Emperor Who Slays Heaven and Destroys Earth! With just one claw, I can crush you! Haha!"
It rushed in front of Zhang Ruochen, extending a sharp claw toward his neck.
Despite its seemingly fat and bloated body, its speed was extremely fast, like a black shadow.
Zhang Ruochen had been on guard against it. When its claw swung over,
Zhang Ruochen struck out with a palm, hitting the black giant cat's face. The black giant cat let out a miserable howl, its tongue even flinging out of its mouth.
The black giant cat flew backward, crashing with a "bang" against the inner space wall of the Time-Space Crystal, falling to the ground like a dead pig.
Zhang Ruochen looked at his palm, then at the giant cat on the ground, frowning slightly: "Is your title really the Emperor Who Slays Heaven and Destroys Earth?"
The black giant cat pounded the ground with its claws, gnashing its teeth: "Young lad, you dare doubt my strength? If my cultivation weren't sealed within the scroll, taking your life would be as easy as... hey, what are you doing... help... I was just joking... I am so pure-hearted, how could I possibly kill? What do you want... don't mess around..."
Zhang Ruochen grabbed the black giant cat by the tail, dragged it to the center, stepped on its round belly, and raised the Flash Soul Sword.
Injecting true qi into the Flash Soul Sword, the three force-system inscription runes within the sword blade were activated. The Flash Soul Sword's weight immediately reached three hundred fifty-three jin.
"Fat cat, do you think I'll still believe your words?"
Zhang Ruochen gripped the sword with both hands and stabbed downward fiercely.
The black giant cat's body erupted with a terrifying force. It flipped over, escaping from under Zhang Ruochen's foot, and retreated to a corner.
Its tail stood upright, its body emitting a faint black light: "Young lad, you must stay calm. Don't act impulsively. I was just testing your cultivation earlier. How could I really try to kill you? Besides, with my unparalleled cultivation, if I truly wanted to kill you, would you have a chance to fight back?"
"Oh, really?"
Zhang Ruochen, holding the Flash Soul Sword, walked step by step toward the black giant cat and swung the sword.
"Damn it, do you really think I'm afraid of you? If we truly fight, I might not be weaker than you."
The black giant cat extended a sharp claw and actually caught the Flash Soul Sword, letting out a deafening roar: "Meow!"