Chapter 1251: Blue Sun
In the central area of Dragon Fire Island, below the volcano, sacred realm beings from various major powers had gathered.
Some of the exceptionally talented sacred realm beings had collected a wisp of Nuanling Dragon Fire and were using it to temper themselves, attempting to break through to a realm they had been unable to reach. Others stared intently at the volcano's mouth, watching the blue flames shooting into the sky, their tension at its peak.
Wan Huayu stood beside Xian Feizi, clad in a dazzling Fire Phoenix Sacred Armor that revealed her snow-white neck, abdomen, and legs, appearing both alluring and valiant. Having subdued a wisp of Nuanling Dragon Fire, she had successfully broken through to the Saint Realm, her cultivation greatly enhanced. Thirty-six layers of flame sacred light now enveloped her body.
In Wan Huayu's pupils, two brilliant flames flickered as she said, "Since ancient times, only young divine dragons, relying on their powerful physiques, have been able to collect mature Nuanling Dragon Fire. I wonder if any among Chi Wansui and the Devouring Demon Dragon will succeed?"
Sui Han replied, "It's very difficult! Look over there—even the Demon Heaven Crown Prince has achieved a saintly physical body, yet he dares not collect mature Nuanling Dragon Fire."
The Demon Heaven Crown Prince, having cultivated his body to sainthood, was undoubtedly one of the most outstanding figures of his generation. He had collected eleven wisps of Nuanling Dragon Fire, making his strength formidable, but he had not even attempted to collect the mature version. Partly, this was because he didn't want to take risks, but also because, after careful calculation, he knew the probability of success was extremely low. Thus, he chose not to take the gamble.
Although Sui Han was a Realm Son, his physical constitution was not top-tier. He was well aware of his strengths and weaknesses and likewise refrained from attempting to collect Nuanling Dragon Fire.
"So, if even one of them succeeds, it would be of extraordinary significance?" Wan Huayu said.
Sui Han nodded. "The offensive power of Nuanling Dragon Fire is terrifying. It can melt everything in the world, and only a Ten-Thousand Pattern Sacred Artifact can withstand it for a moment. If any being successfully collects a mature Nuanling Dragon Fire, all the sacred realm beings in Kunlun Realm would likely feel uneasy."
From another direction, Huang Yanchen, Qing Mo, and Xiao Hei gathered together, standing within a formation, hidden in the shadows.
Xiao Hei said, "Can Zhang Ruochen handle this alone? The Qi Tian Crown Prince, Devouring Demon Dragon, and Chi Wansui all wield great killing weapons. Without finding the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower, Zhang Ruochen won't be able to withstand them. And why did that Black Li Prince come to Yin-Yang Sea to join the chaos? How strong is he? Did he bring that world-shaking ancestral artifact of the Black Li Cat Clan?"
Xiao Hei felt increasingly anxious. The situation was growing more chaotic, completely different from what he had initially envisioned. Originally, he had planned to enter Yin-Yang Sea unnoticed, find his physical body, and take the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower. Now, more and more beings were flooding in, and no one knew what changes might occur.
Suddenly, Huang Yanchen looked up, fixing her gaze on a spot above the volcano. At that location, a faint spatial fluctuation occurred. With a "whoosh," a circular space gate opened, releasing a mass of blue flames that burst forth with blinding light.
The entire region of Dragon Fire Island turned blue. The flames in the sky resembled a blue sun.
"Roar!"
From within the blue sun came a thunderous dragon roar.
Only then did the assembled saints on the ground realize it was a five-zhang-long fire dragon. Its emitted light and heat were so intense that it seemed like a sun.
A sacred beast with golden pupils pointed at the sky and said, "Look! There's a figure beside the blue fire dragon."
"Is someone collecting mature Nuanling Dragon Fire? Who is it? The Qi Tian Crown Prince?"
The figure wore the Ten Saint Blood Armor, leading many beings to assume it was the Qi Tian Crown Prince, Qi Sheng. Indeed, Qi Sheng had come to Yin-Yang Sea wearing the Ten Saint Blood Armor, and even the Undying Blood Clan saints thought so.
"The Crown Prince is truly a world-shaking figure, daring to wrestle with mature Nuanling Dragon Fire. This saint is deeply impressed."
"Only our Qi Tian Tribe's Crown Prince possesses such heroic bearing. Look, the blue fire dragon is growing tamer. It will likely be subdued by the Crown Prince."
All the Blood Saints present were excited. If the Qi Tian Crown Prince could collect a mature Nuanling Dragon Fire, who among his peers could challenge him? The Qi Tian Crown Prince would surely become a being like the ancient divine dragons, dominating the world and forcing all beings into submission.
Some sacred realm beings from Zu Long Mountain, the Imperial Court, and the Nine Li Palace launched attacks to stop the figure in the sky from collecting the Nuanling Dragon Fire, but they were all blocked by the Undying Blood Clan saints.
A Blood Saint, covered in blood-red muscles, sneered, "Seeing the Crown Prince about to collect the Nuanling Dragon Fire, you're afraid, aren't you? Too bad—with us here, no one can stop him."
"Whoever dares to stop the Crown Prince from collecting the Nuanling Dragon Fire, this saint will be the first to kill them."
Another Blood Saint stepped forward, activating a Thousand-Mark Sacred Artifact and releasing its Thousand Ripple Annihilation Force to intimidate the assembled saints.
The figure in the sky collecting the Nuanling Dragon Fire was, of course, not the Qi Tian Crown Prince, but Zhang Ruochen. However, the destructive energy emitted by the Nuanling Dragon Fire was so intense that the saints below could barely make out Zhang Ruochen's silhouette, let alone identify him. It was understandable that they mistook him—when the saints had retreated from underground, only the Qi Tian Crown Prince, Devouring Demon Dragon, Black Li Prince, and Chi Wansui had remained below. Who else could the figure in the Ten Saint Blood Armor be but the Qi Tian Crown Prince?
Only a few sacred beasts from Zu Long Mountain knew Zhang Ruochen was also on Dragon Fire Island, but before they could confirm the figure's identity, they were driven back by the Undying Blood Clan's strong ones.
Above Dragon Fire Island, tens of thousands of sacred dao rules emerged from Zhang Ruochen's brow, wrapping around the blue fire dragon, making it increasingly docile and reducing its range of activity. If he were given a little more time, collecting the Nuanling Dragon Fire into his body would not be difficult.
Below, within the Undying Blood Clan's camp, the Demon Heaven Crown Prince had subdued the Nuanling Dragon Fire within himself. His sacred qi had become purer, and his strength had increased slightly. He stood up, his eyes sharp as he stared at Zhang Ruochen battling the blue fire dragon, and said, "That's not Qi Sheng. It's Zhang Ruochen."
The Undying Blood Clan saints behind the Demon Heaven Crown Prince were all stunned.
"Zhang Ruochen? How is that possible?"
The Demon Heaven Crown Prince ignored their astonished gazes. He drew the Emperor-Slaying Demon Sword, gripping the hilt with both hands as a mass of demonic clouds, covering an area of hundreds of zhang, surged from within him.
"Whoosh!"
The Emperor-Slaying Demon Sword released a terrifying destructive energy, flying out from the demonic clouds as a pillar of light aimed at Zhang Ruochen in midair.
At that moment, a divine seal as large as a city flew out, colliding with the Emperor-Slaying Demon Sword with a thunderous roar, sending the sword flying back.
The divine seal hovered below Zhang Ruochen and the blue fire dragon, emitting a massive golden qi cloud that exerted tremendous pressure on the saints below.
Sui Han exclaimed, "The Realm Son Seal! Which Realm Son is helping Zhang Ruochen?"
Huang Yanchen and Qing Mo stood within the formation, not stepping out, so no one saw them. Combining their strength, they activated a single cyan light thread within the Realm Son Seal. The power of that thread surged out, transforming into a cyan heavenly river hundreds of li long, releasing a majestic imperial aura. It was a strand of Empress Chi Yao's hair, possessing the power to annihilate saints.
"No need to guess—it's Huang Yanchen. Among the nine Realm Sons, who else would oppose so many sacred realm beings for Zhang Ruochen?" Xian Feizi said calmly.
"She's striking a rock with an egg. Even with the Realm Son Seal, she can't protect Zhang Ruochen alone. She'll only drag herself down," Sui Han said with a soft sigh, then released his spiritual power to probe the surroundings, trying to locate Huang Yanchen.
A military saint from the Imperial Court asked, "Should we capture Zhang Ruochen?"
Wan Huayu bit her lip lightly, thought carefully, and said, "Forget it. After all, Zhang Ruochen is a human cultivator. In this situation, capturing him would only make the Undying Blood Clan and the savage beasts laugh."
In the end, the Imperial Court saints did not act against Zhang Ruochen, nor did anyone dare to help him. Anyone who helped Zhang Ruochen would face impeachment by Imperial Court officials upon returning to the First Central Empire, potentially leading to execution and even the extermination of their entire clan.
"Since it's Zhang Ruochen, what are we waiting for? Let's kill him together."
The sacred beasts of Zu Long Mountain and the Undying Blood Clan saints all launched attacks. Not daring to approach the Nuanling Dragon Fire or throw their sacred artifacts, they instead used sacred arts.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Dozens of sacred arts rained down on the Realm Son Seal, sending it flying in an instant, exposing Zhang Ruochen and the blue fire dragon.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to be reduced to ashes by the dozens of sacred arts, a talisman appeared between his two fingers. He pressed it downward with elegant grace.
"Five Calamities Saint-Suppressing Talisman."
Lightning runes surfaced on the talisman, crackling with electricity. Each rune transformed into a massive bolt of lightning as it surged outward. Soon, the entire sky was filled with lightning, the sound growing louder and louder.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
In the next moment, tens of thousands of lightning bolts descended like a waterfall, striking Dragon Fire Island. In an instant, the dozens of sacred arts were all shattered.
Seeing the dense rain of lightning, the saints below were horrified. They had never expected Zhang Ruochen to possess such a terrifying trump card. Now, who had the energy to deal with Zhang Ruochen? Everyone was using defensive measures to withstand the Five Calamities Saint-Suppressing Talisman's attack.
Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Ruochen mobilized his sacred dao rules, guiding the blue fire dragon slowly toward his brow, aiming to subdue the Nuanling Dragon Fire before the talisman's power faded. Only then could he seize the initiative.