# Chapter 1346: Beauty Fades, Jade Perishes
"Open Heavenly Eye."
A vertical eye emitting white light opened on Zhang Ruochen's forehead, observing the surroundings and peering into the illusion.
In his line of sight, everything around was hazy and indistinct. He still could not see Zhu Qingyi or Yinghuo, only faintly sensing their presence.
"Your spiritual power is still far inferior to mine. Even if you use your Heavenly Eye, it won't be of much use." Yinghuo's laughter echoed through the void, as if coming from the highest heavens, making it impossible to pinpoint her location.
As the Divine Maiden of the Undying Divine Temple, Yinghuo had risen above countless proud daughters of heaven, possessing strength and methods matching her status—uncanny, unpredictable, and impossible to guard against.
"Zhang Ruochen, today is your day of death."
Zhu Qingyi's voice rang out, filled with intense hatred.
The next moment, sword cries emerged from sixteen directions—both above and below—all attacking Zhang Ruochen simultaneously. Trapped within the illusion, Zhang Ruochen could not determine which direction held the real attack.
Yet Zhang Ruochen did not panic. While studying the illusion, he simultaneously executed the Time Sword Art, forming a special domain ten zhang in diameter.
That special domain was the fusion of a time domain and a sword domain. Within it, the flow of time slowed to an extreme degree.
"Shua, shua."
In an instant, Zhang Ruochen executed sixteen different sword techniques, as if splitting into sixteen clones, countering attacks from all sixteen directions and capturing Zhu Qingyi's true body.
This time, Zhang Ruochen pursued her, launching an active attack to prevent Zhu Qingyi from vanishing back into the illusion.
"What sword art is this? Why has the flow of time slowed down?"
Zhu Qingyi was greatly astonished, retreating while defending, leaving behind a series of graceful afterimages in midair.
"Noon Sword."
Zhang Ruochen merged with the Abyssal Ancient Sword, shining like the blazing sun at noon, radiating blinding brilliance.
Zhu Qingyi could not keep her eyes open. The moment her eyelids drooped slightly, the Abyssal Ancient Sword had already pierced through her collarbone, forcing her to retreat continuously.
"Such a fast sword strike—it actually incorporates the power of time..."
Zhu Qingyi extended a hand, grabbing the blade of the Abyssal Ancient Sword while rapidly retreating backward. Sacred blood flowed continuously from the wound at her collarbone.
The hatred between them ran deep—it was a fight to the death. If Zhang Ruochen could not kill her today, the consequences would be endless trouble.
Just as Zhu Qingyi was about to die beneath Zhang Ruochen's sword, Yinghuo intervened again. Within the illusion, a giant formed from Profound Yin Gang Wind appeared beside Zhang Ruochen, striking down with a palm.
Though Zhang Ruochen knew it might be an illusion, he had to withdraw his sword to defend.
What if it wasn't an illusion?
When life and death hung in the balance, Zhang Ruochen could not afford to gamble.
Zhang Ruochen swung his sword in a slash, and the giant instantly dissipated, turning into wisps of gentle breeze.
"It really was an illusion."
When Zhang Ruochen looked forward again, there was no trace of Zhu Qingyi—only a patch of crimson bloodstains on the ground.
"Do you really think I can't break your illusion?"
Zhang Ruochen snorted coldly, raising his right foot and stomping it onto the ground. Immediately, dozens of clusters of Purifying Divine Flame flew out from his body, rushing in all directions, floating in the void like divine lamps.
Purifying Divine Flame could incinerate everything in the world, so naturally, it could also illuminate illusions.
"Chi, chi."
The illusion gradually dissipated, revealing the true battlefield before Zhang Ruochen's eyes.
Yinghuo and Zhu Qingyi stood side by side, not far from Zhang Ruochen. Yinghuo's face was slightly pale—breaking the illusion had caused some damage to her spiritual power.
The wound at Zhu Qingyi's collarbone slowly healed. Staring at the flames floating in midair, she showed a look of fear: "Purifying Divine Flame... the legendary Purifying Divine Flame... you can actually control this kind of flame..."
Not long ago, in Zhu Qingyi's eyes, Zhang Ruochen had been just a minor character, someone she could beat until he had no strength to fight back. How much time had passed since then? To her, Zhang Ruochen had already become a formidable enemy difficult to overcome.
Zhang Ruochen controlled the Purifying Divine Flame suspended in midair, condensing it into a wave of fire that surged toward Yinghuo and Zhu Qingyi.
No one dared to touch Purifying Divine Flame directly, and they were no exception. Zhu Qingyi struck out with her sacred sword, activating the inscriptions within the sword's body, drawing forth the Thousand Ripple Annihilation Force in an attempt to disperse the Purifying Divine Flame.
Unfortunately, that sacred sword was melted by the Purifying Divine Flame, turning into droplets of molten iron.
"How is this possible? Even a Thousand-Mark Sacred Artifact can't withstand it?"
Zhu Qingyi's expression turned extremely ugly. She thought to herself, With this kind of flame and the Time Sword Art, even if Zhang Ruochen encounters a True Saint, he probably has the ability to defend himself.
Yinghuo waved her sleeve, sending the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror flying out.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror was shaped like a token. Flying through the air, it grew larger and larger until it transformed into a shield over ten meters long, blocking in front of the two women and charging back toward Zhang Ruochen.
It was not only for defense but also for attack.
Even the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror was burned red-hot within the Purifying Divine Flame. On its surface, countless beast silhouettes were stimulated into visibility.
"Chen Ge, watch your back."
In the distance, Huang Yanchen shouted sharply.
Mie Fengxue Sheng concealed his aura, silently sneaking up behind Zhang Ruochen. Just as Zhang Ruochen was focusing all his strength on dealing with Yinghuo and Zhu Qingyi, he struck out with a fist seal at the sacred art level.
This was a strike he had unleashed with full power, infinitely mighty. Even if it couldn't kill Zhang Ruochen, it would at least render him combat-ineffective.
"Killing the Heir of Time and Space—that's enough to make my name and reputation. Haha!" Mie Fengxue Sheng laughed loudly.
Zhang Ruochen had long sensed Mie Fengxue Sheng's aura but pretended not to notice, deliberately luring him into the trap.
Seeing Mie Fengxue Sheng make his move, the corner of Zhang Ruochen's mouth curled slightly. Behind him, strands of cyan flame light wove together, condensing into a mass of Purifying Divine Flame.
"Bang."
The fist Mie Fengxue Sheng threw collided with the Purifying Divine Flame, causing the flame to explode into sparks that shot toward him.
Every spark that flew past left a finger-sized hole in Mie Fengxue Sheng's body.
In an instant, Mie Fengxue Sheng's sacred body became riddled with holes, like a sieve.
"Ah..."
Before Mie Fengxue Sheng's laughter had even died down, agonizing screams erupted from his mouth.
The space trembled slightly, and Zhang Ruochen appeared diagonally above Mie Fengxue Sheng, a cold intent in his eyes. He struck out with the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, slamming it down onto the top of Mie Fengxue Sheng's head.
His battle with Zhu Qingyi and Yinghuo was for the survival of their races—a fight that had to be fought, a life-and-death struggle that could not be avoided. But Mie Fengxue Sheng was different. He had slaughtered Huang Yanchen's entire clan, and Zhang Ruochen bore him a hatred as vast as the ocean.
"Crack."
Mie Fengxue Sheng's skull and spine were shattered by Zhang Ruochen's palm strike. He collapsed face-down onto the ground, trembling and convulsing, yet he did not die.
The roots of the Devouring Saint Flower spread over, piercing through Mie Fengxue Sheng's skin, taking root inside his body, and beginning to absorb.
Gradually, Mie Fengxue Sheng's body stopped moving, becoming increasingly withered and shriveled, losing all signs of life.
Zhang Ruochen looked across the battlefield. The human side had gained the upper hand across the board. Princess Baili was using the Buddha Emperor Relic to suppress Bi Fang. Canglan Wu Sheng had forced Yinghuo and the Death Knight General into retreat, both severely wounded, barely able to flee while defending.
"Hua—"
Zhang Ruochen executed the Great Space Teleportation, catching up to Zhu Qingyi and standing before her. "You won't escape today."
Zhu Qingyi stopped. "If you have the ability, don't use Purifying Divine Flame or the power of time and space. Fight me fair and square."
"Should I tie my hands behind my back while fighting you?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Purifying Divine Flame and the power of time and space were Zhang Ruochen's unique trump cards, part of his own strength. He could find no reason not to use them.
Zhu Qingyi had witnessed the power of the Time Sword Art and Purifying Divine Flame. If Zhang Ruochen truly used all his trump cards and went all out, she wouldn't even have a twenty percent chance of victory.
"Bang."
Instead of attacking, Zhu Qingyi retreated directly. Her body dissolved into over thirty streams of black light mist, flying in over thirty different directions.
"I already told you, you won't escape today. Why won't you believe me?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head slightly. Sacred Qi within his body operated at full speed. He extended both hands forward, releasing all his sacred Qi and spiritual power, causing space to undergo tremendous distortion.
Those fleeing streams of black light mist all changed direction, instead flying back toward Zhang Ruochen.
Then, Zhang Ruochen took out a Saint-level Blood-Suppressing Talisman and pressed it forward. The talisman exploded.
The white light formed by the exploding Blood-Suppressing Talisman enveloped the over thirty streams of black light mist, forming chains. Within the white chains, Zhu Qingyi's body recondensed and fell to the ground, completely powerless to resist.
Zhang Ruochen raised the Abyssal Ancient Sword, pointing it at Zhu Qingyi's brow. "Everything must come to an end."
In the distance, Situ Fengcheng, who was engaged in fierce combat with Qingxiao, sensed that Zhu Qingyi was about to fall. He roared, "Zhang Ruochen, how dare you—"
"Puchi."
The Abyssal Ancient Sword thrust forward, piercing through Zhu Qingyi's brow, shattering her Qi Sea and sacred soul. Her beauty faded, her jade perished completely.
"Senior Brother..."
Zhu Qingyi's final sacred thought allowed her to utter these three words—like a farewell, or perhaps there was something more she wanted to say. But alas, everything fell into silence.
Zhang Ruochen raised the Abyssal Ancient Sword again, his face showing not a single ripple.
This was all for the survival of their races—kill or be killed. There was no right or wrong. Since they stood on opposite sides, only one could live while the other died.
If he did not want to die, he had to kill the other.
"Boom."
Qingxiao's fist seal struck Situ Fengcheng's chest, sending him flying backward dozens of li, spitting blood, and crashing into the ground. The battle armor on his body was covered in cracks.
"You were distracted while fighting me?"
Qingxiao looked at Situ Fengcheng emerging from the rubble, showing no joy. Instead, his expression was somewhat complicated.
Because he knew that the punch he had just landed had severely wounded Situ Fengcheng. Today, it would be very difficult for Situ Fengcheng to leave alive. Finding another opponent like him in the future would not be easy.
A rare opponent, yet he had only defeated him when he was distracted. What was there to celebrate about such a victory?
Blood continuously flowed from Situ Fengcheng's body. Every step he took left a bloody footprint. He walked all the way to Zhu Qingyi's corpse before stopping, extending a blood-soaked hand to gently stroke her face.
"It was Senior Brother who failed to protect you. This is all Senior Brother's fault."
(Chapter End)