Chapter 1334: Touching the Bottom Line
Ten consecutive days passed. Canglan Martial Saint, using the Divine Wood's energy, broke through to the Heavenly Passage Realm in one go. As time went on, her cultivation base gradually stabilized.
"Stepping from Thorough Earth into Heavenly Passage truly feels like ascending to heaven in a single step. It's like walking out of a muddy swamp—the whole person becomes light and free."
Canglan Martial Saint's phoenix-like eyes opened, twin flames burning within her pupils. Waves of fire rules radiated outward, as if about to turn this entire region into a sea of flames.
Her control over power was exquisite. The flames only spread three zhang before being immediately withdrawn.
"Zhang Ruochen is still cultivating."
Canglan Martial Saint could see that Zhang Ruochen's cultivation had also grown tremendously, nearing the late stage of Upper Realm Saint.
Remember, ten days ago, he was only at the early stage of Upper Realm Saint.
Such a cultivation speed was truly astonishing.
"Hua—"
A Space-Time Divine Martial Mark appeared on Zhang Ruochen's brow, slowly rotating as if transforming into a spatial gate.
"Bang bang." Guo Guo and the Demon Ape flew out from the Space-Time Divine Martial Mark, landing on the ground like two rubber balls, rolling away while howling.
Then, Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes and awakened, saying, "Go ahead, scream your lungs out. It's best if you wake up all the Devouring Spirit Insects."
Guo Guo and the Demon Ape stared at the clusters of blue flames on the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree's trunk far away, immediately covering their mouths. They didn't even dare to breathe deeply, their eyes darting around nervously.
Before coming out, Zhang Ruochen had explained the situation here, so the two beasts knew full well how dangerous the Devouring Spirit Insects were.
Zhang Ruochen kicked Guo Guo's furry rear and said, "Don't be a coward. Go help me move the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree's trunk over. I'll consider it your atonement."
Guo Guo knelt on the ground, shaking its head vigorously, showing a pitiful expression, tears streaming from its eyes.
"Aren't you two supposed to be tough? The formation outside the medicine garden couldn't even stop you. Moving the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree should be a piece of cake, right?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The Demon Ape also knelt, kowtowing repeatedly, saying, "Master, I truly know I was wrong. I won't dare again. Please spare our lives—don't send us to die."
Guo Guo also prostrated itself, bowing to Zhang Ruochen.
Canglan Martial Saint stood to the side, frowning. Where did these two clowns suddenly come from? How did Zhang Ruochen conjure them up?
"It seems Zhang Ruochen carries an independent space on him. No wonder he's the Heir of Time and Space—he has many secrets," Canglan Martial Saint thought to herself.
Zhang Ruochen was only scaring Guo Guo and the Demon Ape; he didn't actually intend to send them to their deaths.
His main purpose in bringing them out was to have them harvest the sacred medicine from the medicine garden on Wuyuan Island. The dangerous environment formed by the Great Saint's remnant formation was their punishment, and harvesting the sacred medicine would compensate for the losses in the Divine Soil Medicine Garden.
As for the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree...
Zhang Ruochen looked up at the massive trunk in the distance and said, "With our current cultivation, it's best not to take risks. We can retrieve it later when we're stronger."
The two beasts nodded vigorously and said in unison, "The Sect Leader is wise."
The two humans and two beasts left this place and returned to the cyan palace complex.
Just as they stepped out of the formation barrier, Liu Li Female Saint immediately approached, looking very anxious. "Martial Saint, Young Master Zhang, why did you come out only now?"
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What happened?"
"Yesterday, Qing Mo received a Message Light Talisman, learning that Yanchen Commandery Princess and the Zhenyu Ancient Clan's cultivators were being pursued by a large group of Undying Blood Clan members. We waited a long time, but you didn't come out, so she had to take the Golden Bat Giant Serpent and go to rescue them first," Liu Li Female Saint said.
The special environment of Xianji Mountain prevented Message Light Talismans from flying out, but outside talismans could fly in.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes turned cold, a strong sense of worry rising within him. "Where is the Message Light Talisman?"
Liu Li Female Saint quickly took out the talisman and handed it to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen scanned its contents as fast as possible. The sender was indeed Huang Yanchen. The last location mentioned in the message was the Wanyue Ridge area.
Canglan Martial Saint clearly knew Huang Yanchen's importance to Zhang Ruochen and feared he might act impulsively. She said, "A full day and night have passed. Rushing to rescue now is definitely too late. The Undying Blood Clan's real goal in surrounding Huang Yanchen isn't to kill her but to capture her and use her against you. Once you show up, you'll fall right into their trap."
Liu Li Female Saint was also worried about Zhang Ruochen. "In the Northern Domain, the Undying Blood Clan's power is immense, with countless experts. No matter how strong you are alone, it's like an egg striking a stone. You must stay calm."
"Calm my ass! Anyone who dares touch Yanchen Commandery Princess is an enemy of the entire Ming Sect. Master, let's charge in and blast them to ashes!" The Demon Ape's eyes turned bloodshot as it roared.
Guo Guo clearly knew this was the perfect chance to redeem itself. It pounded its chest and said, "Sect Leader, make the call. We'll follow you through fire and water. We must rescue the Sect Leader's wife no matter what."
"Let's go!"
Zhang Ruochen put away the Message Light Talisman, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. Someone always wanted to test his limits. This time, he would have to turn the world upside down.
Canglan Martial Saint chased after him, trying to stop him. "Zhang Ruochen, listen to me for once. Don't be impulsive. Huang Yanchen is the heir of the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Manor and one of the Nine Realm Sons. The imperial court won't sit idly by."
"Ao!"
A deafening dragon roar rang out. A black Demonic Dragon over twenty li long appeared, rising from the ground into the sky, exuding terrifying demonic fiendish aura.
Zhang Ruochen stood atop the black Demonic Dragon's head like a world-covering Demon God, vanishing into the clouds.
Six Female Saints rushed out, standing beside Canglan Martial Saint, all showing shocked expressions.
"Isn't that the Devouring Demon Dragon from the Ancestor Dragon Mountain? How did it become Zhang Ruochen's mount?"
"Does Kunlun Realm have two Devouring Demon Dragons?"
...
Liu Li Female Saint was deeply concerned for Zhang Ruochen's safety. "Martial Saint..."
Canglan Martial Saint's eyes sharpened. "It must be Situ Fengcheng. Knowing that Zhang Ruochen captured Zhu Qingyi, he sent people to seize Huang Yanchen to counter Zhang Ruochen. The final showdown will be between the two of them."
"You six, immediately go to the Ministry of War camp and report this to the Heavenly Kings there. Have them restrain the Undying Blood Clan's Saint King-level figures and prevent them from crossing Zhilin Pass."
Liu Li Female Saint asked, "And you, Martial Saint?"
"Since Situ Fengcheng is likely behind this, I'll join the fun too."
A pair of phoenix wings grew from Canglan Female Saint's back, and a crimson sea of flames surrounded her.
The next moment, a phoenix cry rang out, and the crimson sea of flames shot into the sky, heading toward Wanyue Ridge.
Wanyue Ridge was located at the edge of Hongchuan Prefecture, adjacent to Qianyu Prefecture, about two hundred thousand li from Xianji Mountain—neither too far nor too close.
Zhang Ruochen stood atop the Demonic Dragon's head, fury burning within him. "Yanchen holds many Town Blood Talismans. She won't be caught easily. You have to hold on—wait for me to arrive..."
That day, the cultivators of Hongchuan Prefecture were shocked. On the same day, they saw a Demonic Dragon and a Fire Phoenix flying overhead. The mere aura from the dragon and phoenix suppressed them, forcing them to kneel until the creatures had passed.
Only then did they stand up and sigh, "The great era is becoming more terrifying. True dragons and true phoenixes have emerged. Is Kunlun Realm returning to the Middle Ages?"
When Zhang Ruochen reached the Wanyue Ridge area, it was already deep night.
Under the moonlight, the land was utterly devastated, filled with smoke. Chaotic sacred power permeated the air. Mountains had been melted into magma by flames, and other areas had been torn apart by immense force, forming deep valleys.
A world-shaking battle had taken place here. In one valley, Zhang Ruochen found the corpses of Zhenyu Ancient Clan cultivators, their blood drained, turned into dried husks.
"One Thought Reaches God, Ten Thousand Miles Tracking."
Zhang Ruochen spread his hands, releasing his spiritual power to its limit, extending it thirty thousand li away. Finally, he detected the auras of Qing Mo and Huang Yanchen.
Using Great Space Teleportation, he moved two hundred li in a single thought. Then he used it again, wanting to reach them as fast as possible.
"Ao—"
Guo Guo transformed into the Devouring Demon Dragon, and the Demon Ape became a thirteen-hundred-zhang-tall Giant Spirit Demon Ape, following close behind Zhang Ruochen, roaring as if even angrier than him.
...
...
At the edge of Wanyue Ridge, a thousand-li radius was completely shrouded in blood energy. The soil turned into blood-soaked earth, and the air was thick with the stench of blood.
A large group of Undying Blood Clan experts gathered, surrounding a battered ancient city.
A Blood Saint with a lightning mark on his brow spoke coldly, "Damn it! That bitch Huang Yanchen has some kind of talisman specifically designed to counter us, causing heavy losses."
This man was from the Yellow Heaven Tribe, a peak Heavenly Passage Realm cultivator known as Red Lightning Blood Saint.
Four Swords Blood Saint's eyes were dark. "Now do you see why I was wiped out when I first tried to capture her? That talisman is our clan's bane. The Deputy Commander has given a death order—we must capture Huang Yanchen and destroy all those talismans."
"That talisman must have been made by the Zhenyu Ancient Clan. We must use all our strength to destroy them, rescue Lord Underworld King, take over the Central Domain, and become masters of all humanity," another Blood Saint said.
Four Swords Blood Saint snorted. "To rescue Lord Underworld King, we need Zhang Ruochen's Sky-Soaring Sword. To force Zhang Ruochen's hand, we must first capture Huang Yanchen. Launch the fifth assault immediately. They're on their last legs. This time, we must take them down. Smash the city and attack!"