# Chapter 1200: Master Mu Qian
A blood-red electric light streaked through the void, causing this entire region to condense dense, fine electrical patterns. The vegetation between the mountains and rivers all turned into ashes of calamity.
Even with Zhang Ruochen's spiritual will, at this moment, he felt extremely oppressed, as if the sky were about to collapse.
His complexion turned deathly pale.
"Sizzle, sizzle."
Tens of thousands of electric lights converged together, condensing into a tall, thin old man at the position between Saint Chen Yi and Saint Chen Xi.
The old man's head was covered in white hair that hung down to his knees. His face was gaunt, his cheekbones protruding outward, and he wore a resplendent golden robe.
The golden robe was imprinted with dazzling sun marks. Upon closer inspection, those sun marks were actually rotating, each one like a world unto itself.
This person was none other than Master Mu Qian.
Saint Chen Yi and Saint Chen Xi bowed once more, speaking in unison, "We pay respects to Master."
Master Mu Qian appeared spirited and vigorous, holding a crystal glazed staff in his hand. His eagle-like eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen, he said, "Eight hundred years ago, the Buddha Emperor Relic of the Venerable Heaven Path should be in your possession. Am I right?"
Master Mu Qian's voice was quite calm, but every word struck Zhang Ruochen like a heavy hammer.
By the time he finished speaking, Zhang Ruochen had already retreated nineteen steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Master Mu Qian was a formidable spiritual power cultivator. To him, the most desired thing was naturally the Buddha Emperor Relic.
As long as he obtained the relic, his spiritual power intensity would increase by a significant margin.
At their level, every step increase in spiritual power brought earth-shattering changes, resulting in tremendous progress in strength.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was cold and deep, showing no fear, "That's right, the Buddha Emperor Relic is placed inside the space ring on my hand. However, with just a thought, I can destroy the ring. Do you want to bet? Which of us is faster?"
Master Mu Qian frowned slightly.
Although he was fully confident that he could kill Zhang Ruochen before he destroyed the space ring, he dared not gamble.
What if something went wrong?
Finding a second Buddha Emperor Relic was no easy task.
"Youngster, how about we make a deal?" Master Mu Qian said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Let's hear it first."
"Hand over the Buddha Emperor Relic and Her Highness the Princess to me, and I'll let you live. How about that?" Master Mu Qian said very forcefully.
Zhang Ruochen wasn't buying it, sneering, "Do you think I'm a fool? If I hand over the Buddha Emperor Relic and Princess Huangtian to you, where would my way out be?"
As he said this, Zhang Ruochen was secretly circulating his sacred qi, channeling it toward the talisman given to him by the Grand Supreme Elder, preparing to activate it.
The Grand Supreme Elder was the Tenth Emperor of that era. The talisman he gave was certainly no ordinary item, and might help Zhang Ruochen escape this predicament.
Saint Chen Yi shouted coldly, "How dare you! Master is a golden-robed elder of the Undying Divine Temple, Master Mu Qian. His words are naturally as good as gold. If he says he'll let you live, he certainly won't go back on his word."
The Undying Divine Temple was the highest power center of the Undying Blood Clan. In the name of the gods, it ruled over the ten major tribes and could even decide the successors of the tribal chieftains.
Of course, since a thousand years ago, when Blood Queen rose to power and imperial authority began to strengthen, the Undying Divine Temple's influence over the ten tribes had diminished significantly.
Still, the Undying Divine Temple remained extremely formidable. A golden-robed elder emerging from the temple held a very high status.
Suddenly, Master Mu Qian's gaze turned westward, and the corner of his mouth curled up, "Youngster, your refusal earlier has cost you your last chance."
Zhang Ruochen also sensed something and looked westward.
He saw Huang Yanchen stepping on a sacred sword, descending like a female sword immortal.
"You shouldn't have come," Zhang Ruochen sighed.
Earlier, when Master Mu Qian appeared, Zhang Ruochen had already sent a voice transmission to Huang Yanchen, telling her not to follow and to retreat immediately.
Yet, she had still followed.
Huang Yanchen's gaze turned to the opposite side, "Why would you think I would abandon you and flee?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled bitterly and said no more.
Saint Chen Xi laughed loudly, "So this is Zhang Ruochen's fiancée, Huang Yanchen, one of the nine realm sons of the human race. It seems today, Zhang Ruochen truly has no choice but to compromise."
With that, Saint Chen Xi extended her palm forward, and a swirling wind force surged from her palm, trapping Huang Yanchen within the wind.
Saint Chen Xi sneered, "Zhang Ruochen, won't you immediately deliver the Buddha Emperor Relic to Master's hands?"
Zhang Ruochen's eyes turned cold, "Are you threatening me? I advise you not to threaten me, or you'll die a miserable death."
Saint Chen Xi smiled disdainfully, "Do you believe that with a mere flick of my finger, I can crush your fiancée into a bloody mist?"
Standing at the center of the whirlwind, Huang Yanchen remained calm and composed, "You think you can kill me?"
"Boom!"
The Realm Son Seal flew out, releasing surging imperial aura, transforming into a golden cloud that shattered the wind force whirlwind.
Having reached the Saint realm, Huang Yanchen could unleash even greater power from the Realm Son Seal. Even though Saint Chen Xi's spiritual power had reached the fifty-second step, she still couldn't suppress her.
"It's said that the Realm Son Seals are the most powerful treasures refined by Empress Chi Yao, each possessing boundless might. Seeing it today, it truly is extraordinary."
Saint Chen Xi was somewhat shocked, clearly not expecting that a mere lower-realm Saint could break free from her restraint.
Master Mu Qian shouted deeply, "The Realm Son Seal in your hands, youngster, can't unleash its true power. It's better for me to take it back to the Undying Divine Temple as a hall-suppressing treasure."
"Such big talk! Do you think seizing a Realm Son Seal is an easy matter?"
Huang Yanchen snorted coldly, showing no fear of Master Mu Qian at all.
Master Mu Qian was naturally somewhat annoyed. Normally, even Saints of the Undying Blood Clan would bow to him in respect.
Yet today, two youngsters had appeared, showing him neither respect nor fear.
"Is it not an easy matter?"
Master Mu Qian smiled, raising his withered fingers, forming them into a claw shape.
He wanted to make these two youngsters wish they were dead but couldn't die.
Just then, an aged voice came from behind Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen, "Of course it's not an easy matter. At the very least, you have to get past me first."
"Who's there?"
Master Mu Qian was secretly startled.
Someone was hiding nearby, yet he hadn't detected them.
How could this happen?
Could the other party have evaded his spiritual perception?
A Confucian-robed old man with half white and half black hair walked out slowly with his hands behind his back. It was none other than the Painting Sect's Sect Master, Chu Siyuan.
Seeing Chu Siyuan emerge, Zhang Ruochen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, "So this old pedant who loves showing off has made it to Taizhou."
Chu Siyuan always had a strong sense of righteousness, believing Zhang Ruochen was on the wrong path and wanting to guide him back to the right one. This made Zhang Ruochen somewhat dissatisfied with him.
However, this old fellow's strength was unfathomable. He was definitely one of the top figures in Confucianism and might be able to hold off Master Mu Qian.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Huang Yanchen and found she wasn't surprised at all, as if she had known Chu Siyuan was nearby.
Sensing Zhang Ruochen's gaze, Huang Yanchen blinked and transmitted her voice, "When I took Saint Book Talented Woman's blood-sealed imperial decree to Cloud Center City, Sect Master Chu happened to be a guest at the state governor's mansion. So, Sect Master Chu also knew about the Black Market headquarters matter and had already arrived. When you sent me a message to leave, I immediately transmitted to him, informing him to come."
"I see." Zhang Ruochen nodded slightly.
Chu Siyuan had a deep prejudice against Zhang Ruochen and snorted coldly, "Then what do you think? If it weren't for the fact that you're also dealing with the Undying Blood Clan, I would have dealt with you first."
Back in Ming Emperor City, Zhang Ruochen had tricked Chu Siyuan badly, and Chu Siyuan still held a grudge against him.
Zhang Ruochen shrugged and smiled, "Senior, how about we deal with the enemy first before settling old scores? Deal?"
Chu Siyuan turned his gaze to Master Mu Qian opposite, a hint of disdain in his eyes, "Is this the level of a golden-robed elder from the Undying Divine Temple? What's the point of bickering with two youngsters? Do you dare to fight me?"
Master Mu Qian had already guessed Chu Siyuan's identity, a look of caution in his eyes as he sneered, "So it's the Painting Saint himself. Truly imposing."
Chu Siyuan said calmly, "Last night, I observed the stars and deduced that you had arrived in Taizhou. Originally, I only wanted to send a disciple to deal with you, but that disciple went to take care of Prince Xia of the Huangtian Tribe, so I had no choice but to take action myself."
Zhang Ruochen frowned deeply, feeling that Chu Siyuan was too showy.
If you want to fight, just fight. Why so much nonsense, and every word was self-praise and contempt for the opponent? What if he lost the magical duel later?
Where would he put his old face?
Master Mu Qian was even more furious, feeling that Chu Siyuan was too arrogant, looking down on him so much.
Chu Siyuan clearly didn't notice that everyone was already very dissatisfied with him, continuing smugly, "I really didn't want to take action myself, but there was no other way. To be honest, my disciples and grand-disciples are spread all over the world. Among them, at least three can fight you. Unfortunately, two of them aren't in Taizhou."
As he said this, Chu Siyuan even raised three fingers, gesturing at Master Mu Qian, looking very impressive.
(End of Chapter)