Chapter 1279: Breaking Out of the Ice
The Kaiyuan Luding hovered in front of the iceberg, slowly rotating like a small mountain.
"Boom."
Qi Sheng, Demon Heaven Crown Prince, Devouring Demon Dragon, and the others continuously launched attacks. Whether sacred arts or sacred artifacts, they collided with the golden ancient characters, creating ripples upon ripples, unable to break through the characters, let alone touch the Kaiyuan Luding.
Behind the Kaiyuan Luding, Zhang Ruochen seized the opportunity, swallowed a Fengchun Pill, moved to the side of the iceberg, and pressed both palms against it.
Two clusters of Purifying Divine Flame surged from his palms, causing the iceberg to melt rapidly.
"Wait for me, I will definitely save you."
Through the ice layer, Zhang Ruochen locked eyes with Huang Yanchen—one outside, one inside. The distance between them was closing step by step. At that moment, time seemed to stand still.
"The little girl beside Huang Yanchen has formidable cultivation, and the silver kitchen knife in her hand is an indestructible killing weapon. Once she is released and joins forces with Zhang Ruochen, the situation could spiral out of control."
Demon Heaven Crown Prince showed a worried expression, controlling the Emperor-Slaying Demon Sword to strike with all his might, trying to break through the golden ancient characters.
Yinghuo said, "That cyan cauldron is somewhat strange. Even my spiritual power is suppressed when it gets close, as if it contains the power of sacrifice."
Qi Sheng could see that the cyan cauldron suspended in midair was extraordinary. Ordinary attacks could not shake it at all. His gaze turned cold as he said, "Lend me a hand. I want to use the fundamental power of the God-Slaying Cross Shield."
"Alright."
Yinghuo extended a crystalline jade finger and pointed forward. Her spiritual power surged outward wildly, and a rain of blood-red light scattered down.
The light rain touched the God-Slaying Cross Shield and actually sank into it. Moments later, the sound of flowing rivers and streams echoed from within the cross shield.
At the same time, Qi Sheng pressed both hands forward, sending out two pillars of sacred blood energy that poured into the God-Slaying Cross Shield.
"Whoosh—"
The fundamental power of the God-Slaying Cross Shield was activated, condensing into a dense blood cloud that filled the ice cavern and collided with the golden ancient characters flying out from the Kaiyuan Luding.
The entire space was split in two—one side churning with blood energy, the other radiant with golden light.
Both forces were extremely powerful. On the stone bridge, other sacred realm beings, including Demon Heaven Crown Prince and White Li Prince, also deployed defensive measures to avoid being injured by the residual waves of the God-Slaying Cross Shield.
Beside the Devouring Demon Dragon stood a sacred beast in human form. It was tall and muscular, with greed flashing in its eyes. "It can actually contend with the God-Slaying Cross Shield. Could that cyan cauldron also be a Divine Relic Ancient Artifact, just like the God-Slaying Cross Shield?"
Sacred artifacts were divided into four levels: Hundred-Pattern Sacred Artifact, Thousand-Pattern Sacred Artifact, Ten-Thousand-Pattern Sacred Artifact, and Supreme Sacred Artifact.
Divine Relic Ancient Artifacts were war tools once used by gods, imbued with divine power, and fell outside the four levels of sacred artifacts. When wielded by cultivators at the Saint realm, their unleashed power could even rival a Supreme Sacred Artifact.
It was worth noting that even top-tier sects like the Liangyi Sect did not possess a single Supreme Sacred Artifact.
The value of a Divine Relic Ancient Artifact might not match that of a Supreme Sacred Artifact, but it was not far off. In fact, some Divine Relic Ancient Artifacts were themselves Supreme Sacred Artifacts.
Who wouldn't be tempted by the sight of a Divine Relic Ancient Artifact?
Even the most powerful forces in the Kunlun Realm would covet it.
"Throughout the entire Kunlun Realm, there are only so many Divine Relic Ancient Artifacts, each with a great reputation, held by the most powerful factions. This cyan cauldron that Zhang Ruochen brought out—I've never heard of it before, and there's no record in any book. Could he have found it in the Yin-Yang Sea?"
"Zhang Ruochen's treasures are far more than just a cyan cauldron. As long as we kill him, everything he has will belong to us," the Devouring Demon Dragon said coldly.
Then, the Devouring Demon Dragon joined forces with the last sacred beast of the Ancestral Dragon Mountain, Mang Shisi, to activate the primal wild ancient power within the Ancestral Dragon Scale and strike at the cyan cauldron.
Mang Shisi was the fourteenth-ranked expert of the Mangniu Clan. Before the Devouring Demon Dragon reached the Saint realm, Mang Shisi had always been its secret guardian.
Not long ago, Mang Shisi successfully broke through to the Thorough Earth realm, becoming a top-tier expert. With its current cultivation, returning to the Mangniu Clan would surely elevate its combat ranking.
The God-Slaying Cross Shield and the Ancestral Dragon Scale attacked simultaneously, sending golden ancient characters flying like thousands of stars falling.
"Boom."
The God-Slaying Cross Shield and the Ancestral Dragon Scale, one after the other, collided with the Kaiyuan Luding, causing it to shake violently and crash backward into the iceberg.
"Zhang Ruochen, if you survive this, there truly is no justice in heaven."
Even Yinghuo believed that Zhang Ruochen had no chance of survival.
Two Divine Relic Ancient Artifacts crushing down simultaneously—below the True Saint realm, any living being would be reduced to ashes. Even a True Saint might not be able to withstand it.
The iceberg completely melted. Zhang Ruochen grabbed Huang Yanchen with one hand and Qing Mo with the other, using Space Teleportation to appear hundreds of feet high in the air, dodging the impact of the two Divine Relic Ancient Artifacts.
"Whoosh—"
Zhang Ruochen's hair flew wildly, his eyes sharp as swords. With a thought, his sword intent surged out, controlling the Abyssal Ancient Sword to fly and strike at Qi Sheng on the stone bridge.
"Not good."
Qi Sheng was fully focused on controlling the God-Slaying Cross Shield. How could he have expected Zhang Ruochen to rescue Huang Yanchen and Qing Mo from the iceberg so quickly? Now, it was too late to withdraw the God-Slaying Cross Shield for defense.
"Six Methods of Heaven and Earth."
The six wings on Qi Sheng's back released six different forces, forming a massive vortex with wind, fire, thunder, and lightning intertwined within.
Six Methods of Heaven and Earth was one of Qi Sheng's strongest trump cards. As an offensive technique, it was comparable to six peak experts attacking simultaneously, allowing him to take on a group at the same cultivation level. As a defensive technique, even cultivators several realms above him would find it hard to break through.
The Abyssal Ancient Sword clashed with the six forces. The sword's radiance surged, its body trembled violently, and a piercing sword cry rang out.
With a bang, the Abyssal Ancient Sword broke through the Six Methods of Heaven and Earth and struck Qi Sheng's chest.
"What a formidable Zhang Ruochen."
Qi Sheng's expression turned extremely grim, but he did not panic. Instead, he activated the power of the Hundred Saint Blood Armor to block the Abyssal Ancient Sword again.
The ten saintly shadows surrounding the Hundred Saint Blood Armor shattered in an instant. Qi Sheng spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward.
Yinghuo's figure flickered, appearing behind Qi Sheng, helping him dissipate the residual force of the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
A chill ran through her heart. Zhang Ruochen was far too powerful. Qi Sheng had never lost in battles against his peers since childhood, yet he couldn't withstand a single sword strike from Zhang Ruochen. If this news spread back to the Undying Blood Clan, it would surely cause a sensation.
Yinghuo heard a scream and looked to her left.
What had happened now?
She saw a silver kitchen knife strike Mang Shisi's chest, piercing through, severely wounding this Thorough Earth realm sacred beast. A large pool of crimson sacred blood spilled onto the stone bridge.
In truth, Qing Mo had aimed the silver kitchen knife at the Devouring Demon Dragon, but Mang Shisi had taken the fatal blow at the cost of severe injury, saving the Devouring Demon Dragon.
Speaking of which, the Ancestral Dragon Mountain had suffered greatly. Of the twelve sacred beasts that entered the Yin-Yang Sea, only the Devouring Demon Dragon and Mang Shisi remained alive. More than half of the others had died at Zhang Ruochen's hands.
Having suffered such a heavy loss, it was no wonder the Devouring Demon Dragon gnashed its teeth in hatred every time it saw Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen sent Huang Yanchen into the Water Star Gourd to recover, then held the Kaiyuan Luding with both hands. The golden ancient characters surged out again, floating in the void.
Among the thousands of golden ancient characters, a massive phantom of the Bright King condensed, radiating sacred light. The phantom extended a hand as huge as a mountain, pressing down toward the saints on the stone bridge.
Demon Heaven Crown Prince, holding the Emperor-Slaying Demon Sword, looked up and muttered to himself, "What kind of war tool is that? It seems even more powerful than the God-Slaying Cross Shield."
"I'll hold off that cyan cauldron. You all use your strongest techniques to attack Zhang Ruochen."
Yinghuo threw out a token that shot into the sky, meeting the Kaiyuan Luding head-on.
That token was called the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror, one of the most mysterious ancient artifacts of the Undying Divine Temple. It contained ten thousand beasts sealed within, including not only ordinary barbarian beasts but also powerful sacred beasts.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror grew larger and larger, eventually transforming into a ninety-nine-foot-tall metal stele. Hundreds of beast patterns appeared on its surface, and ear-splitting roars echoed from within.
Hundreds of beast phantoms emerged, blocking the golden handprint descending from above.
"As expected of the Undying Divine Maiden, truly formidable," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Yinghuo's smile was extremely gentle, her eyes blinking with enchanting charm. "Zhang Ruochen, even at your peak, you might not be a match for me. Now that you're so badly injured, how many moves can you withstand from me?"
On the other side, Qi Sheng, the Devouring Demon Dragon, and Demon Heaven Crown Prince were all gathering power, preparing to deliver a thunderous strike to Zhang Ruochen, annihilating his divine form.
"I can't just wait to die."
Zhang Ruochen's mind stirred. Instead of retreating, he advanced, using Space Teleportation to appear near the stone bridge, then charged at Yinghuo.
Knowing that Zhang Ruochen could manipulate time, Yinghuo dared not let him get close. She used a ghostly movement technique and immediately retreated.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Zhang Ruochen knew Yinghuo was a major threat and wanted to eliminate her quickly.
Both of them moved at incredible speed, constantly shifting positions, leaving dozens of afterimages on the stone bridge. It must be said that Yinghuo was indeed formidable. As a spiritual power cultivator, she could still tangle with Zhang Ruochen within a range of dozens of feet.
Zhang Ruochen used every trick he had but still couldn't take her down.
Qi Sheng and Demon Heaven Crown Prince also joined the battle, blocking Zhang Ruochen's attacks, worried that Yinghuo might actually be killed by him. Today, Zhang Ruochen was too ferocious, having slain no fewer than ten sacred realm beings, each of them a formidable figure.
If the results of this battle were reported back to the First Central Empire, it would surely cause a sensation. Zhang Ruochen's standing among the human saints would become even more significant.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was clashing with the three Undying Blood Clan experts, Qing Mo's eyes fixed on a cage not far away, showing a surprised expression.
"That's... flames..."
Inside the cage, a palm-sized, charred black bird was emitting tiny sparks of flame, like a piece of charcoal glowing with embers.
(Chapter End)