Chapter 1044: Face to Face
(Huang Yanchen knew Zhang Ruochen was the Sacred Ming Crown Prince from eight hundred years ago, which is why she called him "Chen-ge." There is no mistake in that. Zhang Ruochen calling her "Senior Sister" is also not wrong.)
...
Qin Yu did not give Zhang Ruochen a definite answer. He only said, "What’s the point of asking so many questions? You’re going to die anyway."
A Ninth-Step Half-Saint at the middle stage, dealing with a Fifth-Step Half-Saint cultivator, was like using a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken. It was already predetermined that the Blood God Sect’s Divine Son would fall beneath his spear.
"Chi chi."
Qin Yu dragged his long spear across the ground, and a large swath of flame surged from the spear’s tip, completely covering the surrounding space.
To end the battle quickly, Qin Yu prepared to strike with full force.
"Hua!"
His arms trembled slightly.
The pitch-black long spear instantly transformed into a furious dragon, drawing forth tens of thousands of flames, and stabbed toward Zhang Ruochen’s brow with the momentum of an avalanche.
Just as the spear tip was about to pierce through Zhang Ruochen’s skull, the originally swift spear suddenly became extremely slow.
In that instant, time itself came to a standstill.
"Eight Moments Life-Death Change."
Zhang Ruochen directly employed the strongest move of the Time Sword Art. A flash of sword light formed an arc of radiance, and in the next moment, Qin Yu’s head had already flown off.
Qin Yu had wanted to end the battle quickly, but Zhang Ruochen also wanted to finish it swiftly.
Qin Yu’s head fell to the ground with a thud. His eyes were still wide open, filled with shock, and his voice came out hoarse as he asked, "You... who exactly... are you..."
"Your head has been chopped off, and you still haven’t died completely?"
Zhang Ruochen pressed his palm forward through the air, sending a surge of Saint Qi crushing down, directly smashing Qin Yu’s head into pieces.
As for Qin Yu’s Half-Saint light, Zhang Ruochen naturally took it, tossing it into the Scroll World and handing it over to the Demon Ape.
The Abyssal Ancient Sword flew out, refining the hundred-pattern Saint-level spear. Dozens more inscription patterns were added to the sword’s body.
After burning Qin Yu’s corpse to ashes, Zhang Ruochen took down the talisman suspended in midair and held it in his palm.
Immediately, the seal was lifted, and the surrounding space reappeared.
"A mere talisman can lock down space. It’s worth studying."
Zhang Ruochen channeled a strand of Spiritual Power into the talisman, carefully examining the patterns inside.
This talisman was quite advanced, inscribed with numerous profound talisman patterns, undoubtedly the work of a Spiritual Power Saint.
"Using Five Elements inscription patterns to simulate a talisman similar to Space inscription patterns. Once activated, the talisman can communicate with Space Rules and isolate a section of space. Although it’s a bit complicated, it’s still quite practical." Zhang Ruochen chuckled.
Zhang Ruochen could also refine similar talismans, directly inscribing Space inscription patterns into them.
The refining method would be simpler, and the talisman’s effect would be even better.
Zhang Ruochen had no intention of refining such talismans. After all, he could directly release his Space Domain to isolate and lock down space. Why rely on a talisman?
Zhang Ruochen put away the talisman and muttered to himself, "We haven’t even reached the Azure Dragon Ruins Realm, and the killing has already begun. It seems my last warning to her didn’t have much effect."
Zhang Ruochen first found Huang Yanchen and Qing Mo, then sent a sound transmission to Sun Dadi and Zhao Shiqi.
Before long, the five of them, plus a cat, gathered together.
"I was just assassinated."
Zhang Ruochen directly recounted everything that had happened, telling them all about it.
"An assassin sent by the Saintess?" Zhao Shiqi’s expression shifted, a look of surprise appearing on his face. He clearly hadn’t expected the other side to act so quickly.
"Perhaps, perhaps not. But it’s definitely related to her," Zhang Ruochen said.
Sun Dadi let out a strange cry, startled and exclaiming, "The Saintess wants to kill you? I always thought she had a crush on you. Could it be... love turning to hate..."
As he said this, Sun Dadi glanced toward Huang Yanchen, as if asking if it had anything to do with her.
Zhao Shiqi appeared quite composed and asked, "Divine Son, what do you plan to do?"
"Kill her directly."
Huang Yanchen’s attitude was very decisive, and a bone-chilling cold aura surged from her. She had long found Shangguan Xianyan disagreeable and intended to take extreme measures by striking first.
Zhao Shiqi broke out in a cold sweat from fright and quickly dissuaded her, saying, "Without any evidence, killing a Saintess would subject us to punishment under the sect’s rules. Besides, Shangguan Xianyan is surrounded by experts and has good relations with the Cai Clan and the Shangguan family. Even if we succeed, we might not be able to escape."
Even Sun Dadi, who was usually thick-skinned, now wore a serious expression and said, "Then what do we do? Staying with them will only make things more dangerous, won’t it?"
Clearly, Sun Dadi stood firmly on Zhang Ruochen’s side, considering the problem from Zhang Ruochen’s perspective.
Now, the path before Zhang Ruochen seemed to have only one option left.
That was to flee immediately.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze swept over everyone, and he smiled, saying, "Come on, let’s go meet that Saintess."
A Divine Son of an ancient sect, scared into fleeing by a Saintess, was hardly Zhang Ruochen’s style.
Even if he had to leave, Zhang Ruochen would first make it clear to Shangguan Xianyan that he had the ability to contend with her.
Zhao Shiqi’s face turned pale with fright. He hadn’t expected the Divine Son to make such a decision. Wasn’t he afraid of walking right into the tiger’s den?
Huang Yanchen, on the other hand, had a hint of a smile in her eyes and followed him first.
...
...
Within a courtyard of the Myriad Realms Tavern.
Shangguan Xianyan stood at the center of a nine-layered Saint light, a cold gleam in her eyes as she scolded, "Wei Longxing acted too presumptuously. Who allowed you to make a move against Gu Linfeng now?"
Wei Longxing sat on a stone stool, clad in a five-colored Saint armor, exuding a sharp aura like a war god. His expression unchanged, he smiled and said, "Gu Linfeng’s talent is too astonishing. If he gains an opportunity in the Azure Dragon Ruins Realm, he could immediately grow into a top-tier expert. By then, who would be his match? So, the sooner we eliminate him, the better."
Shangguan Xianyan thought it over carefully, gradually calming down. Her eyes flickered as she said, "Next time, don’t act without my permission."
Wei Longxing’s cultivation was profound, only a hair’s breadth away from the figures on the "Half-Saint External List," so he naturally didn’t take Shangguan Xianyan seriously.
However, he was somewhat wary of the old man standing behind Shangguan Xianyan.
That old man was a Saint-level giant of the Blood God Sect and the strongest trump card Shangguan Xianyan held in her hand.
The Blood God Sect’s leader had used a secret method, borrowing the residual power of the Blood God through a sacrificial ritual, to seal the old man’s cultivation, suppressing it to the limit of the Half-Saint realm.
That seal wasn’t just about sealing his cultivation; the process was quite complex and carried a certain degree of danger.
In short, as long as the old man didn’t unseal himself and release his Saint-level cultivation, he wouldn’t shatter the space of the Azure Dragon Ruins Realm.
Although the old man’s physique might not necessarily be stronger than Wei Longxing’s, and his cultivation was at the same level, his understanding of the Saint Path and his mastery of Sacred Arts far surpassed Wei Longxing’s. In a real fight, Wei Longxing would certainly not be his match.
Shangguan Xianyan asked, "Who did you send?"
"Qin Yu," Wei Longxing said.
Shangguan Xianyan nodded lightly and said, "With Qin Yu’s cultivation, killing Gu Linfeng should be an easy task."
In Shangguan Xianyan’s view, Gu Linfeng was just a wildly talented madman, lacking both strength and brains. Dealing with him wasn’t difficult.
Once Gu Linfeng died, the position of Blood God Sect’s leader would be hers for the taking.
After all, the Blood God Sect couldn’t possibly choose a third new Divine Son. There had never been such a precedent.
Time passed, but Qin Yu never returned.
"Could something have gone wrong?"
Shangguan Xianyan’s brows furrowed slightly.
"It shouldn’t be. With Qin Yu’s cultivation, dealing with a Gu Linfeng is more than enough," Wei Longxing said.
A voice came from outside the courtyard gate.
"A mere Qin Yu wants to take my life? Do you underestimate this Divine Son too much?"
As the last word fell, Gu Linfeng’s figure had already appeared in the courtyard.
Seeing Gu Linfeng, even Shangguan Xianyan and Wei Longxing found it hard to remain calm.
It was one thing that Qin Yu had failed to kill Gu Linfeng.
But why would Gu Linfeng dare to seek them out on his own? Did he already have a way to deal with them?
At this moment, Shangguan Xianyan felt she couldn’t see through Gu Linfeng. Everything he did defied common sense.
Zhang Ruochen exuded a sharp aura, completely different from his usual demeanor. His gaze locked onto Wei Longxing and Shangguan Xianyan as he said, "Speak. Who exactly wants me dead?"
Shangguan Xianyan remained silent, not speaking, wanting to first determine whether Gu Linfeng truly had hidden methods.
Wei Longxing was only surprised at first but quickly regained his composure. He stood up and said with a full voice, "I sent Qin Yu to kill you. What, are you unhappy about it?"
Plotting against a Divine Son was a grave crime.
Since Wei Longxing dared to admit it, it meant he was absolutely certain he could keep Gu Linfeng here forever.