Chapter 1054: The Legendary Luo Xu
Zhang Ruochen's injuries and strength had recovered somewhat. He propped up his weary body and walked out of the cabin.
He stood at the bow, gazing in all directions.
He saw that the wide ancient river had been struck by a surge of cold energy, completely frozen solid. The river surface was likely harder than iron.
Red snowflakes drifted down from the sky, and the entire world had turned into a frozen wasteland.
An army of one hundred thousand Undying Blood Clan soldiers had assembled, their momentum vast and overwhelming. War banners blotted out the sky, and countless figures stirred, sealing off both the sky and the earth completely.
Not even a single person, let alone a fly, could hope to escape.
Zhang Ruochen crossed his arms over his chest, looked up, and smiled. "To capture just me, you've mobilized such a huge force. Isn't the Undying Blood Clan overestimating me?"
Capturing a Half-Saint by deploying one hundred thousand troops and several Blood Kings was indeed a waste of resources. No normal person would do such a thing.
"Zhang Ruochen, you've consecutively slain two Saints of the Demon Sect, which proves you have some skill. That has drawn my attention. But if that's all you've got, then today you will surely fall, with no chance to escape again."
Standing a hundred zhang above the ground was a man clad in blood-red armor. On his back were two pairs of blood-colored wings, each dozens of meters long, like four crimson clouds.
He was burly, over four meters tall, wielding a bronze battle-axe. His gaze was arrogant, like a war god, radiating a surging and awe-inspiring Sacred Might.
"Are you subordinates of the Azure Heaven Blood Emperor?" Zhang Ruochen found a spot at the bow and sat down for a moment.
"No, I am a king under the command of the Qi Heaven Blood Emperor, titled 'Zhiyu King.' I believe you've heard of my name," Zhiyu King said with considerable pride.
Zhang Ruochen thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head. "Never heard of it."
All along, Zhang Ruochen had only interacted with the Undying Blood Clan of the Azure Heaven Tribe and wasn't very familiar with the strong figures of other tribes.
The commotion caused by the Undying Blood Clan mobilizing one hundred thousand troops naturally alarmed many old monsters of the evil path, who rushed over to investigate the clan's movements.
Unlike Zhang Ruochen, the evil-path Saints hiding in the distance were shocked upon hearing the name "Zhiyu King."
Yao Ji stood far away, staring at Zhang Ruochen on the green wooden boat, and chuckled. "Does this little brat Zhang Ruochen really not know who Zhiyu King is, or is he deliberately trying to anger him?"
She knew that Zhiyu King was a ruthless killer. On the Northern Domain battlefield, when clashing with the imperial army, he had once killed a rather formidable War Saint.
Being able to kill a Saint meant Zhiyu King's strength was absolutely terrifying.
After the Undying Blood Clan fled Manji Island, they landed in the Northern Domain and began conquering territories, raising and slaughtering humans there. Countless sects and families had been destroyed.
Half of the Northern Domain was engulfed in war.
At the same time, the fearsome reputations of some Undying Blood Clan Blood Saints spread across the Kunlun Realm. Zhiyu King was one of them.
In the Northern Domain, Zhiyu King had annihilated a Saint-level clan and dozens of large and small sects for the Qi Heaven Tribe, occupying nine commanderies and raising billions of humans.
Yao Ji hadn't expected such a fierce demon to come to the Central Domain's Tiantai Prefecture.
"At death's door and still unaware."
Yao Ji shook her head, not believing Zhang Ruochen had any hope of escape.
Five hundred li away, Kong Hongbi, Ghost Valley Saint General, and a Saint from the Bright Hall gathered together, gazing toward Zhiyu King's location.
Ghost Valley Saint General's expression was grim, and fear lingered in his heart. "Zhiyu King's cultivation far surpasses Yao Ji and Mr. Nie. It's unbelievable that he's personally capturing Zhang Ruochen."
That Bright Hall Saint said, "It might not just be Zhiyu King. I sense several powerful auras within the Undying Blood Clan's one hundred thousand troops, likely also Blood King-level existences. Today, Zhang Ruochen is doomed. Young Hall Master, we should leave quickly to avoid any mishaps."
Kong Hongbi shook his head. "Wait a little longer. I'm very curious whether the Sky-Soaring Sword is on Zhang Ruochen. If the Undying Blood Clan takes it, they'll have all six Sacred Swords, enough to open the Nether Prison and release the Underworld King."
"The Underworld King's emergence would be a great calamity for humanity," Ghost Valley Saint General said.
Kong Hongbi smiled. "If our Bright Hall can seize the Sky-Soaring Sword from the Undying Blood Clan, our prestige will soar. With that sword, wouldn't we be able to command the world?"
That Bright Hall Saint's eyes flashed with a gleam of interest, and he nodded. "Then let's wait a little longer."
Above the frozen river, red snowflakes fell like feathers.
Zhiyu King stared at Zhang Ruochen, not angered, and merely laughed. "Never mind. Since you're already a dead man, there's no need to say more."
Zhiyu King raised his battle-axe, and a domineering power surged forth, causing the blood energy in the sky to spin violently.
From the massive blood-energy vortex, bolts of lightning shot out, connecting to the bronze battle-axe.
"Wait a moment. Are you so sure the Sky-Soaring Sword is on me?" Zhang Ruochen called out.
Hearing this, Zhiyu King restrained some of his power, not bringing the axe down. His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Zhang Ruochen remained calm and composed, showing no fear. "Why would I carry the Sky-Soaring Sword on me? I've already hidden it in a secret place. If you kill me, no one will ever find it. Without the Sky-Soaring Sword, how can you rescue the Underworld King?"
Zhiyu King fell silent, staring at Zhang Ruochen for a long time before laughing again. "Zhang Ruochen, you're still too young. Do you think that will save your life? Let me tell you, as long as I drain your blood and refine your Sacred Soul, I'll naturally obtain your memories. Finding the Sky-Soaring Sword won't be difficult."
Zhiyu King put away his axe, descended from the sky, and landed above the green wooden boat. He extended a blood claw to seize Zhang Ruochen.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to fall into Zhiyu King's grasp, a man in a blue scholar's robe stepped out of the cabin and threw a punch.
"Boom."
Nine rings of energy ripples surged outward from his fist, accompanied by the sound of rushing water and waves crashing against rocks.
Two explosive sounds rang out in succession.
Zhiyu King's blood armor and Sacred Body shattered simultaneously, exploding into a cloud of blood mist.
"Clatter."
The bronze battle-axe and pieces of armor fell from midair, landing on the frozen river surface.
The axe was so heavy that it crashed down with a thunderous roar, cracking the hard ice into a dense web of fissures.
As for Zhiyu King, not even a single bone remained.
His form and spirit had been utterly annihilated.
In Luo Xu's hand was a fist-sized crystal, emitting a dazzling blood-red light.
It was Zhiyu King's Sacred Source.
With just one punch, he had blasted the fearsome Zhiyu King into blood powder.
Such terrifying power left all the Undying Blood Clan present stunned and unable to believe it.
In the distance, the old monsters of the evil path were also deeply shaken, and a wave of gasps spread through the air.
Was there someone in the world with such terrifying combat power?
Ghost Valley Saint General's eyes bulged, his heart unable to calm. "Who is that? One punch crushed an Undying Blood Clan Saint into dust?"
Kong Hongbi's face was pale, his heart pounding violently.
The man in the blue scholar's robe beside Zhang Ruochen was utterly terrifying, as if his fist could shatter anything in the world.
That Bright Hall Saint's expression was grave, and he let out a long breath. "He is Luo Xu."
"Luo Xu? So it's him."
Kong Hongbi and Ghost Valley Saint General both held their breath, staring at the man in the blue scholar's robe.
They had heard Luo Xu's name many times before. This man was undoubtedly a legend of the Kunlun Realm, revered and admired by countless people.
"Since Luo Xu has appeared, even if the Undying Blood Clan brings another one hundred thousand troops, it won't be enough. Zhang Ruochen is incredibly lucky."
Even the proud Kong Hongbi had to acknowledge Luo Xu's strength.
"Not necessarily."
That Bright Hall Saint shook his head slightly. "I can sense a terrifying aura within the Undying Blood Clan's army, likely someone on the same level as Luo Xu."
"Whoosh!"
At that moment, a silver light descended from beyond the sky, piercing through layers of blood mist, and condensed into a silver mirror a hundred zhang in diameter, hanging above the green wooden boat.
Beneath the silver mirror floated an ancient palace.
A massive black turtle carried the palace on its back, exuding a primal, awe-inspiring aura.
An Undying Blood Clan member with three pairs of silver wings on his back stood atop the palace, his silver eyes fixed on the boat below. He called out, "Under the command of the Qi Heaven Blood Emperor, Tai Ge King pays respects to Lord Luo."
Tai Ge King's appearance caused a far greater commotion than Zhiyu King's.
The evil-path old monsters who had been watching from a distance immediately fled without hesitation, not daring to stay any longer.
Only a few who were confident in their own strength remained, but they retreated a thousand li away, ready to flee at any moment.
Tai Ge King was more than ten times stronger than Zhiyu King, a core figure under the Qi Heaven Blood Emperor.
Zhang Ruochen stared at the three pairs of silver wings on Tai Ge King's back, feeling a sense of shock.
Normally, ordinary Undying Blood Clan members only grew one pair of blood-colored fleshy wings.
Those who could grow silver wings must possess an extraordinary constitution, even more powerful than a human Sacred Body.
Moreover, the higher an Undying Blood Clan cultivator's cultivation, the more pairs of wings they grew.
Zhiyu King had only two pairs of blood wings.
Tai Ge King had three pairs of silver wings on his back, which was astonishing, indicating that both his constitution and cultivation were extremely formidable.
Perhaps only Luo Xu could remain calm and composed, smiling. "Tai Ge King, since you know I'm here, you should have fled immediately. Why did you come to deliver yourself to death?"