Chapter 1199: Nine Rivers Dragon-Sealing Art
A river dozens of zhang wide flew up, twisting and tangling together, transforming into an ice crystal long spear that released biting cold energy.
The surging power shook the heavens and earth, causing them to tremble.
On the opposite bank of the river, the man in the blood robe sneered, "Daring to block this strike with a palm—truly seeking death."
The tip of the ice crystal long spear was incredibly sharp, as if it could pierce through everything in the world.
Zhang Ruochen's palm collided with the ice crystal long spear, and a booming sound immediately erupted.
A force like a collapsing mountain surged from the center of his palm, sending Zhang Ruochen staggering backward, retreating over ten miles away.
"Break for me."
Zhang Ruochen let out a loud roar. All one hundred and forty-four apertures in his body opened wide, emitting a vast aura like that of a primordial savage beast. He exerted force through his five fingers and pushed forward.
"Crack."
Cracks appeared at the tip of the ice crystal long spear and spread outward. In the end, it shattered completely, falling like a hailstorm from the sky.
Just moments ago, the man in the blood robe had already walked over to the side of the Yellow Heaven Imperial Daughter, taken out a brownish-red pill, and fed it to her.
After swallowing the pill, the Yellow Heaven Imperial Daughter sat cross-legged on the ground, and a red light cocoon formed around her body.
She was using the power of the pill to go all out in neutralizing the power of the Daylight Arrow.
The man in the blood robe looked toward Zhang Ruochen, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "A human who can cultivate his physical body to the Saint realm—that's quite rare."
In the Kunlun Realm, savage beasts and the Undying Blood Clan had innate advantages, their physical bodies being extremely powerful. Relatively speaking, it was easier for them to achieve a Saintly physical body than for humans.
Even so, achieving a Saintly physical body was an extremely difficult task even for savage beasts and the Undying Blood Clan.
For a human to reach a Saintly physical body was naturally a very astonishing thing.
Zhang Ruochen strode forward and said, "An Undying Blood Clan member who can cultivate their spiritual power to your level is also quite rare."
Through their earlier exchange, Zhang Ruochen had roughly guessed the spiritual power intensity of the man in the blood robe—it should be close to the fifty-second rank. Even a high-level Saint might not be his match.
"However, I can tell that you have only recently achieved a Saintly physical body. Your use of physical strength is still at a very superficial level."
The man in the blood robe had keen observational skills and believed he had seen through Zhang Ruochen. Then, he smiled slightly and said, "I am called Tianluo. Since we've met today, I'll test myself against you, a human with a Saintly physical body."
Spiritual power Saints possessed bizarre and unpredictable abilities. Moreover, Saint Tianluo was a spiritual power prodigy, his use of spiritual power reaching an exquisite level. Naturally, he would not fear a human who had just achieved a Saintly physical body.
Saint Tianluo controlled the staff in his hand, pressing it down forcefully, sinking a large portion of it into the ground.
Immediately, with his feet as the center, nine circular trenches appeared one after another.
Crimson blood seeped out from the soil, filling the trenches. The nine trenches looked like they had transformed into nine circular blood rivers.
The smallest blood river was only three zhang in diameter.
The largest blood river was a full thirty miles in diameter.
The nine circular blood rivers, one layer within another, gave rise to nine layers of blood-colored light walls that shot straight into the sky.
The spiritual power spell Saint Tianluo had cast was called the "Nine Rivers Dragon-Sealing Art." It possessed both formidable offensive power and exceptionally strong defensive capabilities.
Facing a martial artist with a Saintly physical body, Saint Tianluo did not dare to be careless in the slightest, because once the opponent got close to him, he would be as good as dead.
Zhang Ruochen was enveloped within the range of the Nine Rivers Dragon-Sealing Art. He felt that the rules of heaven and earth had become extremely chaotic, and the ground beneath his feet seemed to have turned into a swamp, making it impossible for him to take even a single step.
In such a situation, even if he used Space Displacement, he probably wouldn't be able to get close to Saint Tianluo.
Not far from this place, in a valley, two Undying Blood Clan cultivators dressed in blood robes identical to Saint Tianluo's gazed into the distance, as if they could see through the void.
One had a white five-pointed star imprinted on his brow;
The other had a black five-pointed star imprinted on his brow.
The Undying Blood Clan cultivator with the black five-pointed star on his brow was named Chen Yi. He was the senior disciple of Master Mu Qian.
Chen Yi appeared calm and composed, saying, "The Nine Rivers Dragon-Sealing Art is a secret technique recorded in the 'Ten Thousand Dharma Treasury.' Once trapped inside, even if he is the Heir of Time and Space, he will have to surrender."
"The Heavenly Dao is inherently complementary and mutually restrictive. Even the power of time and space cannot be invincible. There are always methods to restrain them," said the Undying Blood Clan cultivator with the white five-pointed star on her brow.
She was Master Mu Qian's second disciple, named Chen Xi.
Chen Yi said, "Now let's see how long Zhang Ruochen can hold out in the Nine Rivers Dragon-Sealing Art. I hope he's not too weak."
Chen Xi nodded. "Only the stronger he is, the greater the value of his blood."
Zhang Ruochen released his Space Domain, covering the area where the Nine Rivers Dragon-Sealing Art was located. Gradually, he was able to steady his footing and discern his bearings.
"Whoosh—"
To his left, a three-zhang-tall blood-armored giant rose from the blood river, wielding a broadsword and slashing diagonally at Zhang Ruochen's neck.
Zhang Ruochen sidestepped slightly, dodging the attack.
"Boom."
The broadsword struck the ground, creating a massive sword crater.
The sword wind scraped against Zhang Ruochen's face, bringing a stinging sensation.
"What a powerful spiritual power spell. It's not an illusion—it's really a blood-armored giant comparable to a lower-level Saint." Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised.
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Abyssal Ancient Sword, swept it horizontally, and directly cut the blood-armored giant in two.
Immediately, the blood-armored giant's body exploded, turning into two clouds of blood mist.
Zhang Ruochen waved his finger, creating a Space Rift that tore open a layer of the blood-colored light wall, charging toward the center of the nine layers of blood rivers.
Powerful beings continuously emerged from the blood river, blocking Zhang Ruochen's advance.
Blood-armored giants comparable to Saints, blood-red skeletons hundreds of meters tall, four-winged flying serpents... The closer he got to the central area, the more powerful the beings emerging from the blood river became.
By the time Zhang Ruochen broke into the eighth blood river, sweat had already formed on Saint Tianluo's forehead, and he was feeling considerable pressure.
"The Heir of Time and Space's methods are indeed extraordinary. Can't even the Nine Rivers Dragon-Sealing Art suppress him?"
Suddenly, Saint Tianluo sensed a huge crisis, and the blood in his body nearly stopped flowing.
Zhang Ruochen, who had been outside the eighth blood river, actually used the technique of merging man and sword, turning into a sword light that pierced through two layers of blood-colored light walls in succession, appearing right in front of Saint Tianluo.
"That's... Sword Six."
Saint Tianluo's heart pounded violently. He grabbed his staff with both hands and roared, "Merge."
The nine circular blood rivers rapidly contracted, gathering above the staff to form a shield, which he thrust forward.
The tip of the Abyssal Ancient Sword struck the center of the blood-colored shield, sinking into it as if it were about to pierce through and strike Saint Tianluo's brow.
Saint Tianluo gritted his teeth, staring ahead at the pitch-black sword tip drawing closer, his legs beginning to tremble slightly.
"What a formidable Heir of Time and Space."
Chen Yi and Chen Xi sensed Saint Tianluo's crisis. They knew the Heir of Time and Space was too powerful, and Saint Tianluo might not be able to hold out.
So, the two of them harnessed the power of wind and fire respectively, rushing at top speed toward the battlefield.
Zhang Ruochen naturally sensed that more Saint-level experts were approaching. He thought to himself, "I can't keep stalemating with Saint Tianluo. If those two Undying Blood Clan Saints arrive, it will be very disadvantageous for me."
Just as Saint Tianluo was about to be overwhelmed, Zhang Ruochen withdrew some of his power.
Feeling the pressure suddenly ease, Saint Tianluo thought Zhang Ruochen had exhausted his strength and decided to seize the opportunity to counterattack.
"The Heir of Time and Space is nothing special. Die!"
Saint Tianluo's blood robe fluttered as his spiritual power surged outward, all of it pouring into the shield imprint. He pressed forward violently.
Zhang Ruochen retreated backward, his eyes narrowing into slits, his gaze as sharp as a sword.
"Child Sword."
The Abyssal Ancient Sword traced a beautiful arc, merging with the Time Imprint, causing time around them to pause slightly.
In that instant, the Abyssal Ancient Sword passed through the side of the shield imprint, and with a *chi* sound, pierced through Saint Tianluo's heart.
A muffled groan escaped Saint Tianluo's lips. His eyes widened, filled with disbelief. He lowered his head to look at his chest. "How... how is this possible... what sword technique is this..."
For a spiritual power cultivator, the heart was more important than the head.
Once the Saintly Heart was broken, most of the spiritual power painstakingly cultivated would be wasted.
Chen Yi and Chen Xi, who were rushing over at top speed, paused slightly. Then, they let out furious roars and each unleashed a spell, attacking Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen glanced back out of the corner of his eye.
"Whoosh—"
A flash of sword light, and he struck out dozens of times in succession.
Saint Tianluo's body was like a piece of tofu being chopped up, turning into dozens of pieces of dismembered corpse.
And so, a powerful spiritual power Saint fell.
Immediately after, Zhang Ruochen reached out a hand, penetrating the blood cocoon, grabbing the Yellow Heaven Imperial Daughter who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, and using her as a shield. He roared, "Stop right there!"
Chen Yi and Chen Xi had no choice but to withdraw their spiritual power and control the spells they had already cast, afraid of harming the Yellow Heaven Imperial Daughter.
Chen Yi and Chen Xi's spiritual power intensity was even higher than Saint Tianluo's, putting considerable pressure on Zhang Ruochen. He had no choice but to capture the Yellow Heaven Imperial Daughter and use her as a hostage, making the two Undying Blood Clan Saints cautious.
Chen Yi sneered, "Zhang Ruochen, do you think capturing Her Highness the Imperial Daughter will save your life? You're too naive!"
"Meaning you have a way to kill me before I kill the Yellow Heaven Imperial Daughter?" Zhang Ruochen said with a smile.
"Our strength hasn't reached that level. But with Master's spiritual power intensity, in his presence, you won't even be able to move a finger."
Chen Yi and Chen Xi retreated to the left and right, then bowed to the empty void, saying, "We welcome Master."