Chapter 1380: Drawing Fire to Burn a God
The azure Purifying Divine Flame surged forward, burning so intensely that space twisted slightly, dispelling the chilling yin force around the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin.
"Whoosh—"
A mysterious power emanated from the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin, driving dozens of white bones from a Death Clan ancestor to arrange themselves in a star-like orbital pattern. This formed an invisible force that blocked the Purifying Divine Flame.
With Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation, channeling the Purifying Divine Flame could melt even some Thousand-Mark Sacred Artifacts, yet it could not overcome these dozens of bones. Clearly, those bones were extraordinary—likely Divine Bones.
"A doppelganger's power is still too weak."
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his arms, then pointed his right index finger at the sky. A powerful surge of Spiritual Power erupted, rushing out of the Qiankun Realm, drawing upon the Purifying Divine Flame in his Qi Sea.
The next moment, the clouds above Zhang Ruochen parted, and a waterfall of divine flame cascaded down from the heavens, surging endlessly toward the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin.
Seeing this, Bai Li Princess was quite alarmed and tried to dissuade him: "Sect Leader, isn't this too extreme? What if you anger her?"
"Sometimes, extreme measures are necessary," Zhang Ruochen said.
After roughly three hours of burning, a cold, biting energy surged out from the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin like a towering wave.
"Boom."
Zhang Ruochen and Bai Li Princess were sent flying dozens of miles backward like two leaves in the wind. That force was so overwhelming that they could not control their bodies.
After steadying himself, Zhang Ruochen stared back at the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin, his eyes narrowing sharply. A stunning woman, radiating brilliant moonlight, stepped gracefully out of the flames.
Her figure was tall and slender, her skin as if carved from celestial jade. A blood moon mark adorned her brow, and a cold power flowed from her, turning the surrounding ten thousand miles into a frozen plain.
The Purifying Divine Flame was consumed by wind and snow, dissipating entirely.
"Blood Moon Ghost King... no... you're the woman from the coffin..." Zhang Ruochen said.
The woman beneath the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was indeed the Blood Moon Ghost King, but the aura emanating from her was countless times more powerful than the Blood Moon Ghost King's.
Zhang Ruochen and Bai Li Princess both possessed strength to contend with True Saint late-stage cultivators, yet facing her, they felt immense pressure.
A powerful force pressed down on them, compelling them to kneel and bow.
Sweat beaded on Zhang Ruochen and Bai Li Princess as they struggled to hold firm, unwilling to kneel to any being.
With each step the Blood Moon Ghost King took, the pressure on Zhang Ruochen and Bai Li Princess doubled. She was not using force to suppress them but was crushing their will.
"Meow!"
Bai Li Princess's legs trembled, and with a cat-like cry, she transformed back into her original form—a shimmering little white cat.
In the end, the Blood Moon Ghost King stopped advancing, halting a hundred zhang from Zhang Ruochen and Bai Li Princess. Her voice was cold as she said, "Your wills are both firm, unyielding to others. At the very least, you have the potential to become Great Saints."
Zhang Ruochen breathed a slight sigh of relief. "If you had taken another step, we might not have held out."
"A Great Saint's heart, unyielding to others, does not mean it can be unyielding to gods. If I had taken another step, the pressure you faced would have been unbearable even for a Great Saint," the Blood Moon Ghost King said.
Zhang Ruochen was deeply shaken. "Are you a god?"
"One hundred thousand years ago, my divine power and life force were nearly exhausted, so I entered the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin to sleep. Only now have I recovered some."
After a pause, the Blood Moon Ghost King continued, "You are the first saint to dare use divine flame to burn a god."
A god, indeed.
Not just Zhang Ruochen—even a Great Saint would likely be terrified.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen felt his hands and feet turn cold. To say he was not afraid would be a lie. A female corpse lying in a coffin and a living god standing before him were two entirely different concepts.
Zhang Ruochen suppressed his negative emotions, maintained his composure, and bowed respectfully. "This junior had no intention of offending a deity, but..."
"You don't need to be so afraid. Using divine flame to burn a god shows you have a heart to defy the divine and the courage to do so. That is why I sent a divine thought to meet you," the Blood Moon Ghost King said.
The goddess's divine body still lay in the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin, absorbing the life force and sacred qi emitted by the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree. Clearly, only a divine thought had flown out, attaching itself to the Blood Moon Ghost King.
The Blood Moon Ghost King continued, "I already know why you wanted to speak with me. I agree to help you once when you need it. But you must also agree to one condition."
"What condition?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Blood Moon Ghost King said, "After this matter is resolved, come with me to the Heavenly Court Realm and help me with something."
Zhang Ruochen was momentarily stunned. "With my current cultivation, anything I can do, you could likely accomplish with a single thought. Why do you need my help?"
"Every being in heaven and earth has their own value. Your value is greater than you imagine," the Blood Moon Ghost King said.
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment. "Alright, I agree."
A saint and a god exchanging one favor—no matter how harsh that favor might be, Zhang Ruochen considered it a good deal.
The Blood Moon Ghost King said, "You had better think carefully. Once you agree, it is like swearing an oath to a god. There is no turning back."
Zhang Ruochen realized that the task this goddess wanted him to do might not be as simple as he thought, so he asked, "What exactly is it?"
"I cannot tell you now. Once you reach the Heavenly Court Realm, you will understand," the Blood Moon Ghost King said. "I do not like to force others. You can choose not to agree."
Zhang Ruochen said solemnly, "I agree. But let me make it clear: I represent only myself, not the entire Qiankun Realm."
"I will remember that."
The Blood Moon Ghost King turned and walked toward the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin.
Zhang Ruochen called out, "Wait. Are you the legendary Moon God?"
"No god bestows their own title. In the end, whatever others call a god, that is what they are." With that, a wisp of divine light flew out from the Blood Moon Ghost King's ghostly body and surged into the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin.
In an instant, the overwhelming divine might vanished.
Bai Li Princess transformed back into human form, bowed respectfully to the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin, and then said to Zhang Ruochen, "She must be the legendary Moon God from the Guanghan Realm."
"Yes."
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
If she were not the Moon God, she would have directly denied it, rather than giving such an ambiguous answer.
Zhang Ruochen walked up to the Blood Moon Ghost King and asked, "Earlier, the Moon God used your ghostly body. Did she tell you what your relationship with her is?"
"One thought," the Blood Moon Ghost King said.
Zhang Ruochen gasped. "One thought gave birth to you? If she had a hundred million thoughts, could she create a hundred million beings as strong as you?"
"It is not that simple. The more thoughts, the greater the burden, which actually hinders cultivation. A god's thoughts, once independent, always have special reasons and purposes," the Blood Moon Ghost King said coldly.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What was her purpose in making you independent?"
"To take her out of the Underworld."
The Blood Moon Ghost King explained further, "In the Underworld, there is no life force. Unable to absorb it, she would fall into eternal sleep until her divine power was exhausted and she died. Even in sleep, her divine power leaks away, albeit slowly."
Clearly, the Moon God had told the Blood Moon Ghost King some things, allowing her to understand her mission.
Of course, that mission was no longer important.
Zhang Ruochen's doppelganger withdrew from the Qiankun Realm and merged with his main body, focusing entirely on cultivation to break through to the Thorough Ground Realm as soon as possible.
Over the past year, the Buddha Emperor Relic had continuously released Buddhist qi and Spiritual Power, merging into Zhang Ruochen's body, accelerating his cultivation speed tenfold compared to others at the same realm.
For this reason, even though he spent his days drinking and playing, his cultivation speed remained no slower than those Realm Sons, reaching the peak of the Mysterious Yellow Realm.
"Knock, knock."
A knock sounded.
Then, Qin Yutong's voice came from outside the door, soft and gentle: "Your Highness, the Twelfth Prince has arrived at Phoenix Dance Palace and prepared a grand banquet. He sent me to escort you there."
Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face. He thought to himself, "The Twelfth Imperial Uncle did not come to pay respects to me but summoned me to see him. Trying to establish dominance right away—he clearly does not want to give up his power."
Whoever went to see the other first would appear inferior.
By personally coming to Saint Ming City, Mingjiang Wang had already shown himself to be beneath Zhang Ruochen. Now, at Phoenix Dance Palace, he wanted to regain the upper hand.
"Alright, I will go with you to see the Twelfth Imperial Uncle," Zhang Ruochen said.
The direct members of the royal family were already few, so they should unite against external threats rather than continue internal strife.
As the younger generation, Zhang Ruochen decided to take a step back and save face for Mingjiang Wang.
If Mingjiang Wang did not appreciate it or tried to move against Zhang Ruochen, then Zhang Ruochen would show no mercy.
Respect was mutual.
Qin Yutong breathed a slight sigh of relief. Before coming, she had truly feared that both sides would be too stubborn and refuse to yield, making negotiation impossible.
Within Phoenix Dance Palace, there was a hall built at the center of a spiritual lake. It was brightly lit, with beautiful maidens dancing gracefully and the melodious sounds of zithers and flutes drifting out.
Under Qin Yutong's guidance, Zhang Ruochen entered the lake-center hall and finally met Ming Emperor's twelfth brother, Mingjiang Wang.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Bai Su Granny stepped forward and bowed to Zhang Ruochen.
"Greetings, Crown Prince."
The cultivators below the Saint Realm in the hall all knelt to Zhang Ruochen, showing great respect.
However, Mingjiang Wang and the Saint-level figures who followed him remained seated, showing no intention of rising to pay their respects.
...
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