Chapter 1181: Battle Results
The entrance of Moyou Valley was quite narrow, only about seven or eight meters wide, with two rows of peach trees planted on either side, extending deep into the valley.
Zhang Ruochen silently crept toward the valley entrance. Just as he approached the peach trees, he sensed something amiss and immediately retreated.
"Illusion formation," Zhang Ruochen thought with alarm.
If his spiritual power hadn't reached the saint level, he likely wouldn't have detected the fluctuation of the illusion formation's inscriptions. This showed that the person who set up the formation had spiritual power far surpassing his own.
The peach trees before him were not real peach trees.
Everything before him was likely an illusion.
Even with his spiritual power at the fiftieth rank, Zhang Ruochen still couldn't see through the illusions in the valley. A chill ran down his spine.
"Cough, cough."
Zhang Ruochen coughed, tasting sweetness in his throat as crimson blood flowed from his mouth.
Earlier, Diyuan Dharma King's sacred qi had invaded Zhang Ruochen's body, rampaging through his meridians and blood vessels, preventing his internal wounds from healing.
His injuries had worsened further.
"Forget it. I'll investigate the valley after I've recovered."
Zhang Ruochen's figure vanished into the air as he returned to the Hidden Dragon Hall.
---
Mo Ran Princess Consort entered Moyou Valley, passing through the peach grove and a stream, arriving outside a vermilion flying-eaved pavilion. She bowed slightly and said, "Master, your disciple arrived too late. Tongyi Saint had already been killed."
From within the pavilion came an extremely pleasant female voice: "Elder Yuangui encountered a major problem, which is why he asked for our help. We did our best. Not being able to save him is not a big deal."
After a pause, the woman's voice sounded again, asking, "Did you see who killed Tongyi Saint?"
Mo Ran Princess Consort hesitated for a moment before finally speaking: "At the place where Tongyi Saint was killed, your disciple detected a trace of familiar aura, somewhat similar to that of Zhang Ruochen, the Heir of Time and Space."
"Zhang Ruochen, the Heir of Time and Space? Why would it be him?"
The woman's voice in the pavilion turned somewhat strange.
Mo Ran Princess Consort said, "After returning to the Blood God Sect, your disciple carefully investigated this person's background. He seems to have a very deep connection with His Highness the Divine Son."
"How interesting."
A soft laugh came from the pavilion, carrying a profound meaning.
---
Returning to the Hidden Dragon Hall, Zhang Ruochen immediately examined his injuries. They were indeed extremely severe. His five viscera and six bowels were all tattered, and large sections of his meridians and blood vessels were broken.
Additionally, a domineering evil qi surged through his meridians and blood vessels, scattering his sacred qi wherever it passed.
That was Diyuan Dharma King's sacred power, quite difficult to dissolve.
"Fortunately, I've sanctified one hundred and forty-three apertures, greatly enhancing my physical body. Otherwise, I might not have been able to withstand that strike from Diyuan Dharma King."
Zhang Ruochen activated the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture*, mobilizing both the sacred qi in his qi sea and the yang energy in his embryonic core, circulating them along the meridian path of the fifth layer, Embryonic Core Pacifying Demon Heaven, to refine Diyuan Dharma King's sacred power.
To heal his injuries, he first had to dissolve that sacred power.
Diyuan Dharma King's cultivation had likely already reached the Heaven-Connecting Realm, so his sacred power was naturally extremely formidable. Only by enlisting a cultivator whose cultivation surpassed the Heaven-Connecting Realm could one hope to dissolve such power.
Of course, the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture* was no ordinary cultivation technique. Once cultivated to a certain level, it could refine all kinds of evil power in the world.
As expected, the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture* did not disappoint Zhang Ruochen. After just one major circulation cycle, he had dissolved a small portion of Diyuan Dharma King's sacred power.
After three major cycles, Zhang Ruochen completely refined Diyuan Dharma King's sacred power. Though his injuries were not fully healed, he felt much lighter, no longer suffering from that oppressive sensation, and the pain had eased.
With his powerful physical body and abundant sacred qi, he could now sustain his wounded state.
---
Blood Moon Ghost King was the first to return to the Hidden Dragon Hall, bringing good news: Diyuan Dharma King had been killed.
In the palm of Blood Moon Ghost King's hand rested a blood-red pill, shimmering and dazzling. Inside the pill, a small human figure could faintly be seen.
A soul pill.
A pill refined from Diyuan Dharma King's saint soul.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Swallowing a pill refined from the saint soul of a Heaven-Connecting Realm saint will elevate your cultivation to another level."
Blood Moon Ghost King remained indifferent, showing no expression as she put away the soul pill.
Zhang Ruochen continued, "Diyuan Dharma King's saint source is of little use to you. Hand it over to me."
"Don't forget, your cultivation hasn't surpassed mine yet. We are equals now, at least for the time being you have no right to command me. If you want the saint source, trade something for it," Blood Moon Ghost King said.
"Fine."
Zhang Ruochen took out the Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Vase. With a light gesture of his finger, a crimson saint heart flew out.
Blood Moon Ghost King's perception was extremely sharp. Sensing the saint soul within the heart, she swiftly moved, reaching out with five slender fingers.
A series of miserable screams came from the saint heart as the black-robed cultivator's saint soul was forcibly extracted.
Then, Blood Moon Ghost King clasped her hands together, summoning two streams of ghost fire, and quickly refined the saint soul into a sacred pill.
Blood Moon Ghost King pinched the pill between two jade-like fingers and said, "Such a powerful saint soul, on par with Diyuan Dharma King's."
"The saint soul of a spiritual power saint is naturally formidable. Given a physical body, it could devour the original owner's soul and seize the body for rebirth," Zhang Ruochen said.
With Zhang Ruochen's current spiritual power, even if his physical body were destroyed, as long as his saint soul and saint heart remained, he could live another life. Of course, that would mean his martial path was ruined, and he could only become a spiritual power saint from then on.
Blood Moon Ghost King took out a saint source and tossed it to Zhang Ruochen. Then she entered the Scroll World to refine the two soul pills and advance her cultivation.
---
Not long after, Elder Yuanzhou, Shangguan Xianyan, Huang Yanchen, Ji Shui, and Zhao Shiqi returned to the Hidden Dragon Hall one after another.
Zhao Shiqi reported to Zhang Ruochen, "In last night's battle, we eliminated another twenty-one half-saints from the list. So far, we've wiped out more than half of the Undying Blood Clan's forces. Additionally, Fairy Huang made a move and killed a saint-level giant of the Undying Blood Clan."
"Well done. This is your reward."
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand, sending the saint heart flying toward Zhao Shiqi.
Zhao Shiqi caught the saint heart with both hands, trembling with excitement. He immediately knelt and kowtowed to Zhang Ruochen, saying, "Thank you for the generous reward, Your Highness the Divine Son. This old man will serve you with utmost loyalty until death."
Zhao Shiqi's spiritual power had already reached the peak of the forty-ninth rank, just one step away from becoming a spiritual power saint. By refining the saint heart, he was absolutely confident he could become a spiritual power saint.
The gap between a saint and a half-saint, in terms of status, identity, and personal strength, was like heaven and earth.
How could Zhao Shiqi not be excited?
Elder Yuanzhou seemed preoccupied, lost in thought. Only when he noticed the saint heart in Zhao Shiqi's hand did a sharp gleam appear in his eyes.
"That's Tongyi Saint's saint heart," Elder Yuanzhou said.
Zhang Ruochen was unfamiliar with the Blood God Sect's high-ranking members and had never heard the name Tongyi Saint. He asked, "Who is Tongyi Saint?"
"He is a spiritual power saint from Elder Yuangui's clan, considered a grandson-level descendant by seniority," Elder Yuanzhou said.
Elder Yuangui was not only a sacred elder of the Blood God Sect but had also founded his own saint clan, one of the forces attached to the Blood God Sect.
Zhang Ruochen nodded and asked, "The person you encountered, was it Elder Yuangui?"
"Sigh!"
Elder Yuanzhou let out a sigh, his emotions complicated.
Elder Yuanzhou and Elder Yuangui were fellow disciples with centuries of friendship. Now they had become mortal enemies. For him, this was indeed a difficult hurdle to overcome.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What was the result?"
Elder Yuanzhou sighed again and said, "I severely wounded him but failed to kill him."
"Failed to kill him, or couldn't bring yourself to do it?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"What difference does it make to ask now?" Elder Yuanzhou was unwilling to discuss it further. "Rest assured, I will personally capture him and bring him back to the Blood God Sect."
This matter was of great importance. Letting someone of Elder Yuangui's level escape would have severe consequences, potentially dealing a devastating blow to Zhang Ruochen and the Blood God Sect.
Zhang Ruochen stared at Elder Yuanzhou for a long moment but ultimately didn't press further. He said, "Qing Mo was pursued by a sacred elder from the Elder Pavilion and hasn't returned yet. Will your token be effective?"
"I'll go personally and bring her back."
Feeling guilty for letting a major enemy escape due to a moment of mercy, Elder Yuanzhou wanted to make amends.
"Wait."
Zhang Ruochen thought of something else and asked, "Elder Yuanzhou, do you know of a place called Moyou Valley in the Juegu Snow Mountains?"
"Moyou Valley!"
Elder Yuanzhou's aged eyes widened. "How do you know of that place? It's a forbidden area. You'd better curb your curiosity and never set foot inside."
"What kind of place is it?"
Zhang Ruochen grew even more curious. Why would even someone like Elder Yuanzhou be so wary of Moyou Valley?
"That is where the Sect Leader's wife resides. Anyone who trespasses will meet certain death," Elder Yuanzhou said.
"The Sect Leader's wife?" Zhang Ruochen was surprised.
The Sect Leader's wife was naturally the previous holy maiden of the Blood God Sect.
To become a holy maiden meant she was a person of exceptional talent, from the same era as the Blood God Sect Leader and the Four Dharma Kings.
Even the Four Dharma Kings had reached the Heaven-Connecting Realm. The Sect Leader's wife's cultivation might be even more terrifying.
Elder Yuanzhou added, "Back then, the Sect Leader's wife's physique and talent surpassed even the Sect Leader's. She had the opportunity to become the Sect Leader, but for reasons unknown, she voluntarily yielded the position and retreated to Moyou Valley, never setting foot outside again."
"Retreating to Moyou Valley doesn't mean she stopped interfering in the Blood God Sect's affairs," Zhang Ruochen said thoughtfully.
That Sect Leader's wife might be the truly formidable figure.