Chapter 1444: Holy Arrow Marquis
The nine-headed blue bird flew continuously for one hundred forty thousand miles, entering the middle section of the Giant Whale River Basin. Here, the river channel became wider, the current gentle, and steep, perilous mountains rose on both banks of the river.
Not long ago, a saint-level battle had erupted in this region. Some mountain bodies had been melted by holy flames, becoming incomplete, and even now the magma had not fully solidified.
The entire heaven and earth lay in ruin, like a wasteland.
The Rakshasa Princess sat cross-legged on the back of the nine-headed blue bird, took out a mask woven from cyan feathers, and put it on her face, concealing her breathtakingly beautiful, enchanting features, leaving only a pair of captivating phoenix eyes.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at her, a hint of confusion appearing in his expression, but he did not ask.
With her level of spiritual power attainment, even without a mask, few cultivators could see her true face clearly.
"Further ahead is the region where the Phoenix Nest is located. It is filled with all kinds of unknown dangers. Everyone should be careful," the Rakshasa Princess said softly.
The Ice Fire Phoenix was buried in the Phoenix Nest by that god from the Ancestral Spirit Realm. With a god's power, leaving behind any means could make a saint die without a burial place.
Otherwise, given the Rakshasa Princess's formidable strength, she would not have sought Zhang Ruochen's alliance.
Zhang Ruochen used his spiritual power to probe the surroundings and sensed a powerful flame force brewing deep within the earth, subtly different from the heaven and earth rules elsewhere.
The Phoenix Nest was very likely nearby.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's gaze locked onto the ground below. In a stretch of reddish-yellow mountain forest, he detected the fluctuations of two very powerful evil fiend auras.
"Whoosh!"
From one of the mountains, thousands of feet high, a violent storm surged, condensing countless wind blades that spun and flew, sweeping toward the nine-headed blue bird in the sky.
"How bold, daring to attack us."
The Rakshasa Princess's eyes darkened, and she let out a light snort.
The nine pairs of eyes on the nine-headed blue bird simultaneously blazed with flames. Then, with a flap of its wings, an even more powerful storm surged outward, shaking the mountains below as if they were about to collapse.
The nine-headed blue bird was no weakling; it was stronger than an average second-class marquis.
Behind a dozen-foot-tall rock in the reddish mountain, two Rakshasa women at the third-class marquis level stood. The storm just now was a wind-type sacred art they had unleashed using their spiritual power.
Seeing the nine-headed blue bird shatter the wind-type sacred art, the two immediately spread their wings and flew into the distance, trying to escape.
"Still trying to flee?"
Zhang Ruochen took out the Azure Sky Bow and the Daylight Arrow, drawing the bowstring. A force of wind and thunder coalesced around him.
"Twang."
The Daylight Arrow transformed into a streak of white light, flying toward one of the third-class marquis-level Rakshasa women.
Just as that Rakshasa woman was about to be shot, a golden holy arrow suddenly flew from another direction, colliding with the Daylight Arrow with a deafening crash.
Both the golden holy arrow and the Daylight Arrow veered off course, striking the ground and leaving two bottomless pits, sending dirt and rocks flying.
"An arrow dao expert."
Zhang Ruochen squinted his eyes, reached out a hand, and grasped the void, retrieving the Daylight Arrow.
"Whoosh!"
The golden holy arrow also flew out from the ground, landing in the hand of a Rakshasa marquis.
This Rakshasa marquis wore golden armor, stood three and a half meters tall, with broad shoulders and a thick build, and a long, horse-like face. He held a golden-backed dragon-bone bow nearly three meters long. Besides the arrow in his hand, nine other golden arrows were strapped to his back.
"Greetings, Holy Arrow Marquis."
The two third-class marquis-level Rakshasa women bowed respectfully to the man holding the golden-backed dragon-bone bow.
The Holy Arrow Marquis nodded slightly, then looked toward Zhang Ruochen, the Rakshasa Princess, and Qing Mo standing on the back of the nine-headed blue bird. With a cold, proud tone, he said, "The Phoenix Nest belongs to the Rakshasa Clan. Any living being daring to approach this place will be killed without mercy."
With that, the Holy Arrow Marquis shot another arrow. A thunderous boom echoed across the ground.
"Boom."
A golden arrow transformed into a flash of golden light, flying six hundred miles to pierce through a saint trying to sneak past.
That saint's body exploded into a cloud of blood mist.
Clearly, besides Zhang Ruochen and the others, other saints were hiding in the shadows, all seeking to seize the Phoenix Nest and the Merit Record Wall.
The Holy Arrow Marquis drew and shot arrows in rapid succession, killing seven saints who had approached within a thousand miles in an instant. Afterward, the cultivators trying to get near the Phoenix Nest retreated, pulling back beyond the thousand-mile mark.
The Rakshasa Princess stood up and said to Zhang Ruochen, "The Holy Arrow Marquis is one of the Rakshasa Clan's first-class marquises. His skill in the arrow dao is enough to earn him the title of Arrow Saint. The Golden-Backed Dragon-Bone Bow and the ten Annihilation Arrows he wields are extraordinary sacred artifacts, possessing the mysterious power to slay saints."
Zhang Ruochen had not deliberately trained in the arrow dao, but he could tell that the Holy Arrow Marquis's skill far surpassed his own.
"It's said that a first-class marquis can contend with a Saint King. Is that true?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Rakshasa Princess replied, "First-class marquises vary in strength, but even the weakest can exchange a few moves with a Saint King and have the power to survive. Some exceptionally powerful first-class marquises can even kill weaker Saint Kings."
Just then, Zhang Ruochen felt a sense of danger. He saw the Holy Arrow Marquis on the ground aiming a golden arrow at his brow.
"Boom."
The Holy Arrow Marquis grinned, released his fingers, and the golden arrow shot forth. The heaven and earth within hundreds of miles trembled violently.
Zhang Ruochen immediately took out the Abundance Monument Shield, pressing it forward with both hands. A surge of thunder-fire light erupted, colliding with the golden arrow.
The force contained in the golden arrow was immense, shaking Zhang Ruochen backward, causing him to fall from the back of the nine-headed blue bird.
"Boom."
The Holy Arrow Marquis immediately shot a second arrow, which turned into a golden streak flying toward Qing Mo.
Qing Mo quickly activated the protective talismans on her body. Layers of light shields and seal imprints emerged, tightly wrapping around her.
"Bang, bang."
A series of explosions rang out.
Twenty-three protective talismans on Qing Mo's body shattered in succession, finally neutralizing the golden arrow's power.
However, the impact force from the golden arrow still sent her flying toward the ground.
Failing to kill his enemies with two consecutive arrows clearly disappointed and angered the Holy Arrow Marquis. He rapidly drew his bow and shot five golden arrows in succession, all aimed at the Rakshasa Princess and the nine-headed blue bird.
The Rakshasa Princess and the nine-headed blue bird did not engage him head-on. Instead, they voluntarily flew down to the ground to regroup with Zhang Ruochen.
"Solidify."
The Rakshasa Princess pressed a jade hand forward, unleashing space power.
The space in front of her fingers froze, becoming solid, attempting to seal the five golden arrows.
"Crack, crack."
But after only a moment, the immense power within the five golden arrows shattered the frozen space and continued flying toward them.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes sharpened. He appeared beside the Rakshasa Princess, pressing both palms forward, also unleashing space power that merged with hers, finally sealing the five golden arrows.
"Damn it."
The Holy Arrow Marquis's expression shifted. He quickly formed hand seals, trying to retrieve the five golden arrows.
Zhang Ruochen took a step forward, channeling Purifying Divine Flame from his palms, beginning to refine the five golden arrows while preventing them from flying back.
A thousand miles away, many cultivators were hiding in the shadows, watching the battle.
The Nine Nether Sword Saint's long hair draped over his cheeks as he stood under a bare locust tree, gazing toward the Phoenix Nest. "He can already contend with the Holy Arrow Marquis. Zhang Ruochen's growth rate is terrifying. Xuanji took on a fine disciple—truly enviable."
The Nine Nether Sword Saint's three disciples, Wang Su, Yan Yulong, and Chen Fang, stood behind him, their expressions uneasy. Though bitter, they had to admit defeat.
Zhang Ruochen was indeed too strong for them to match.
The Nine Nether Sword Saint's senior disciple, Wang Su, a man in his thirties with a cold, sinister aura, said quietly, "No matter how strong Zhang Ruochen is, he has already defected to the Guanghan Realm. He's nothing but a traitor to the Kunlun Realm. Even if Xuanji Sword Saint isn't dead, he'd probably be furious enough to die."
"The Rakshasa Clan's large number of experts have blocked the path into the Phoenix Nest. We can't get in. Having Zhang Ruochen clear the way for us is a good thing," Yan Yulong said.
Chen Fang, carrying a broad greatsword, looked relatively young. "The Rakshasa Clan's four first-class marquises are all gathered at the Phoenix Nest, along with numerous second- and third-class marquises and countless lower-class marquises. Zhang Ruochen alone can't break through the Rakshasa Clan's blockade."
The Nine Nether Sword Saint's face showed a sharp expression. "Wait a little longer. A large number of Kunlun Realm experts are also on their way. The Rakshasa Clan won't find it easy to monopolize the Phoenix Nest."
As Zhang Ruochen was collecting the five golden arrows, a vast cloud of evil fiend mist surged from behind the Holy Arrow Marquis. Within it, over a thousand Rakshasa marquises could be faintly seen flying, letting out long howls.
The Rakshasa Princess's expression changed. "Retreat quickly."
Zhang Ruochen glanced at the dark red evil fiend mist. He felt no fear, but he knew that many experts from the Seven Realms of Shatuo must be gathered nearby, all holding back. Why should he be the one to take the lead?
It was better to first scout the number of Rakshasa Clan experts before finding a way to break into the Phoenix Nest.
So, Zhang Ruochen grabbed the five golden arrows, performed a Great Space Teleportation, and took Qing Mo out of the Phoenix Nest region.
Strangely, the Holy Arrow Marquis, having lost five Annihilation Arrows, did not give chase.
Retreating over two thousand miles, Zhang Ruochen sensed Mu Lingxi's aura. Besides her, Bu Ji and Su Qingling were also with her. The three soon appeared in Zhang Ruochen's field of vision.