Chapter 1059: Cooperation
After his cultivation improved, Zhang Ruochen's speed in refining divine blood also increased significantly.
Before long, Zhang Ruochen had refined twenty-one drops of divine blood. The Tantai acupoint in his right arm emitted a surge of heat, growing increasingly scorching until it finally transformed into a bright, luminous point.
The first acupoint in his arm had undergone sanctification.
Zhang Ruochen's physical strength had noticeably increased once again.
This was because his arms had been refined with saint-level dragon souls and elephant souls. Additionally, while cultivating the Seven Orifices Blood Shadow Palm, the blood vessels in his arms had clashed violently, already breaking through all the acupoints.
He only needed to refine divine blood to sanctify the acupoints, allowing his physical power to continuously rise.
"Indeed, sanctifying acupoints consumes more and more divine blood. Cultivating the body to sainthood is truly no easy task," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
At the very beginning, when Zhang Ruochen sanctified his first acupoint, it only consumed seven drops of divine blood.
Now, sanctifying the acupoints in his arms required over twenty drops of divine blood each. Moreover, that demand was still growing.
Zhang Ruochen continued refining divine blood, channeling the sacred power contained within it to the Tantai acupoint in his left hand. After refining twenty-three drops of divine blood in a row, he finally sanctified that acupoint.
Following that, Zhang Ruochen refined over a hundred drops of divine blood in succession, sanctifying four acupoints on both hands.
In this manner, Zhang Ruochen now had twenty acupoints in his body that had undergone sanctification.
He stretched out both arms, and twenty points of light emerged.
Around his arms, powerful waves of energy radiated outward, causing the air to crackle and pop.
Not only had his arm strength greatly increased, but Zhang Ruochen's cultivation realm had also broken through to the middle stage of the Sixth-Step Half-Saint.
"Twenty acupoints sanctified, with sixteen more to go before my hands and arms undergo a complete transformation. I wonder how many heavenly treasures and earthly rarities will be consumed in cultivating the physical body?"
At this point, Zhang Ruochen was only in the initial stage of physical cultivation, and he had already consumed several hundred drops of divine blood.
To achieve physical sainthood, he would likely need to pour in tens of thousands of drops of divine blood before success was possible.
No wonder, since ancient times, cultivators who focused solely on the physical body were extremely rare. Such consumption was unbearable even for an ancient sect.
Moreover, reaching physical sainthood was incredibly difficult.
"Zhang Ruochen, come out quickly. A beautiful woman wants to meet you." Xiao Hei's voice reached Zhang Ruochen's ears.
What was going on?
Zhang Ruochen stopped refining divine blood. A strange gleam flashed in his eyes as he immediately stepped out of the Scroll World and asked Xiao Hei what had happened.
Xiao Hei lay on the ground, too lazy to move, and simply pointed at Sun Dadi. "This emperor is just relaying the message. Ask him directly."
Sun Dadi looked at Zhang Ruochen and said, "That princess from the Wan Clan sent out a secret signal, wanting to meet you."
"How do you know?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"She used a secret communication method within the Blood God Sect, controlling the world's spiritual energy to form some strange patterns in the sky, thereby transmitting the message."
Then, Sun Dadi pointed toward the northwest sky. "Look, it's right there."
Zhang Ruochen followed Sun Dadi's direction and indeed saw, about a thousand zhang above the ground, the flow of world spiritual energy was unusually peculiar, forming the shapes of certain patterns.
"That Princess Wan does have some skills, knowing the internal communication methods of the Blood God Sect."
Zhang Ruochen naturally understood the Blood God Sect's communication patterns and quickly deciphered them, determining Wan Huayu's location.
Murong Yue was cautious and said, "Your Highness, I think it's best not to go. If that's a killing trap deliberately set by Wan Huayu, it would be very disadvantageous for us."
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "Given the current situation, our greatest enemy is the twelve barbarian beast tribes. Wan Huayu has no reason to attack me. I suspect that contacting me at this time has something to do with the soon-to-emerge Sacred Source Spirit Spring."
With the power Wan Huayu commanded, she couldn't possibly seize the Sacred Source Spirit Spring.
With the power Zhang Ruochen commanded, seizing the Sacred Source Spirit Spring was also extremely difficult.
If the two of them could join forces, there might be a sliver of hope to snatch the Sacred Source Spirit Spring from amidst the barbarian beast army.
"It wouldn't hurt to meet her. One more ally means one more chance of success." Zhang Ruochen had made his decision.
Huang Yanchen immediately stepped forward. "I'll go with you."
"It's better if I go with the boss. For matters like forming alliances and negotiating terms, we need an expert to hold the fort."
Sun Dadi patted his chest, stepped forward, and spun his iron staff, creating a series of staff shadows.
Then, the others also stepped forward, wanting to go with Zhang Ruochen.
"The barbarian beast tribes are very close to us and can easily detect human auras. The fewer people who go, the better."
Zhang Ruochen rested his chin on his hand, scanned the group, and ultimately chose Sun Dadi.
Sun Dadi was naturally very excited and let out a loud laugh. "Only a top expert like me is worthy of accompanying the boss to the meeting. Rest assured, everyone, I will safely bring him back."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze swept across the interior of the concealment formation, but he didn't see Han Qiu's figure.
She was still absorbing the Sacred Source spiritual energy and hadn't returned.
Zhang Ruochen didn't ask further. He led Sun Dadi out of the concealment formation and quickly headed toward Wan Huayu's location.
The Wan Clan's troops were stationed in a relatively distant area, over five hundred li from the great earth fissure, quite well-hidden.
The area was protected by three layers of concealment formations.
Zhang Ruochen only noticed the traces of the formations when he got close.
A silvery, bell-like laugh came from within the concealment formation.
"Your Highness the Divine Son, we have been waiting for you."
Wan Huayu, clad in a Fire Phoenix Battle Armor, looked exceptionally heroic. She personally walked out of the formation to welcome Zhang Ruochen inside.
Inside the formation, several tents had been set up, gathering several hundred cultivators.
Most of them had reached the Half-Saint realm, with only a few being Fish-Dragon realm cultivators.
At the center of the formation was a sand table three meters in diameter, marked with the great earth fissure, Yingsha City, and the features of the surrounding terrain.
Around the sand table stood over a dozen cultivators, men and women, old and young. Each one exuded an extremely powerful aura, clearly top-tier experts.
Zhang Ruochen's arrival drew everyone's attention.
A middle-aged man looked at Zhang Ruochen with a scrutinizing gaze. "Princess, is this the honored guest you've been waiting for?"
"That's right."
A smile appeared on Wan Huayu's face. "Let me introduce everyone. This is the Divine Son of the Blood God Sect, Gu Linfeng."
"Princess, there's no need for introductions. Gu Linfeng has already made a name for himself in Yingsha City. Who doesn't know him?" the middle-aged man said.
Wan Huayu looked at the middle-aged man, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes, but she didn't say much. She immediately introduced the identities of everyone present to Zhang Ruochen.
It turned out they were from the Feng Clan of the Southern Domain, the Mysterious Sword Sect of the Central Domain, and the Black Market First Class Hall of the Northern Domain.
Having fought their way out of Yingsha City through the siege of thousands of barbarian beasts, it was clear that their strength was formidable.
Wan Huayu had gone to great lengths to invite them all.
The middle-aged man was called Feng Wanli, one of the leaders of the Feng Clan from the Southern Domain, with extremely profound cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen looked at Feng Wanli and smiled. "It seems you all don't exactly welcome me."
Feng Wanli said, "We've gathered here to plan how to seize the Sacred Source Spirit Spring. With your strength, you can certainly be of some help. But you're not qualified to be part of the decision-making circle. When the time comes, just follow our orders. If we get the Sacred Source Spirit Spring, you'll get your share."
Zhang Ruochen kept a smile on his face, appearing very calm.
Sun Dadi sneered. "If our Divine Son isn't qualified to be in the decision-making circle, then you're definitely even less qualified."
Feng Wanli glanced at Sun Dadi and recognized him.
In Yingsha City, Sun Dadi had used an iron staff to force two Ninth-Step Half-Saint peak experts to their knees, making a name for himself in a single battle.
Feng Wanli frowned slightly. "Your strength isn't bad, but you're too few in number to make much of a difference in the battle. Once the fighting breaks out, you can hold off a beast king to buy us time to seize the Sacred Source Spirit Spring."
"If that's your attitude, then there's no need for cooperation."
Zhang Ruochen turned and prepared to leave.
A purple-robed old man stepped out, blocking Zhang Ruochen's path. He cupped his hands slightly and smiled. "Your Highness the Divine Son, don't be hasty. You are the Princess's honored guest, so you will certainly be part of the decision-making circle."
Wan Huayu's gaze turned cold as she glared at Feng Wanli. "Senior Feng, please show some respect to Young Master Gu. If it weren't for Young Master Gu leading his experts to clear the way two days ago, we might still be trapped in Yingsha City."
A murmur of surprise rippled through the tent.
Everyone's eyes grew intense, fixed on Zhang Ruochen.
The first cultivator to break through the barbarian beast tribes was Gu Linfeng?
During the breakout battle, Han Qiu had mobilized the rules of darkness, enveloping the entire battle formation. Therefore, few knew that it was the Blood God Sect's Divine Son who led the experts to be the first to break out of Yingsha City.
"So it was him."
"It's said that the Blood God Sect's Holy Maiden has already taken control of most of the Blood God Sect's cultivators. How does Gu Linfeng still have so much power?"
"Just that red-haired monkey with the iron staff has combat power no less than Feng Wanli's. Gu Linfeng probably has other experts under his command."
"With Gu Linfeng's strength, even going head-to-head with the Blood God Sect's Holy Maiden might not end in defeat."
...
Everyone showed expressions of awe, forced to reassess the strength of this Blood God Sect Divine Son.
Even Feng Wanli fell silent and stepped aside.
If it was indeed Gu Linfeng who had led everyone out of Yingsha City two days ago, then the power he commanded was unfathomably deep, and he must have hidden dragons and crouching tigers by his side, making Feng Wanli feel a sense of caution.