Chapter 1475: Rule Imperial Artifact
Zhang Ruochen set up a large-scale space maze formation, trapping the saints from Blade Prison Realm and Purple Mansion Realm inside the formation. Then, following the sacred spring waterfall, he quietly infiltrated the interior of the Sacred Mountain.
From Han Qiu's palm, streaks of dark light radiated outward, enveloping the group. This way, even if the cultivators from Purple Mansion Realm and Blade Prison Realm possessed keen perception, it would be difficult for them to detect their aura.
The Madman carried the iron staff on his shoulder, following behind Zhang Ruochen, and asked, "Zhang Ruochen, how long can that formation you set up trap them?"
"Without their sacred artifacts, their offensive power has dropped significantly. Using the space maze formation, I can trap them for at least half an hour," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Half an hour... the time is still a bit tight," the Madman said.
Han Qiu's black hair, like willow catkins, hung all the way to the ground. She sneered, "If it were me, I would have killed them all to eliminate future trouble."
Hearing this, the Madman felt a chill down his spine. "Cultivators from the seven worlds, along with some big shots from the Heavenly Court, are watching through the battlefield projections. If we really killed them, it would be a massacre. Once we return to the Heavenly Court, we would face sanctions."
Han Qiu said coldly, "How many saints have Purple Mansion Realm and Blade Prison Realm killed? Are they few?"
"That's completely different! Although the Heavenly Court turns a blind eye to conflicts between the various worlds, there is still a bottom line. Cross that line, and the Heavenly Court will definitely intervene. Killing over a thousand saints who have given up resistance undoubtedly crosses the Heavenly Court's bottom line," the Madman said.
Han Qiu said, "If we don't kill them, they will definitely bring a large number of saints to kill us later."
A Le, who had been silent all along, finally spoke, his voice quite harsh, "Why keep arguing about this? In my view, whether we kill them or not, the outcome will be the same."
Finally, they stopped arguing and quickened their pace, heading deeper into the Sacred Mountain.
This great robbery at the Black Gold Sacred Mountain was naturally witnessed by the cultivators of the seven worlds. Countless cultivators were stunned speechless.
Over a thousand saints had been completely looted. Such a large-scale plunder was accomplished by just four saints, not some veteran Saint King or Great Saint.
"This is insane!"
This thought surfaced in the minds of all cultivators.
"The saints from Blade Prison Realm and Purple Mansion Realm didn't even resist. Are they all cowards? With such a mentality, how did they even cultivate to the Saint realm?"
"If those thousand-plus saints had united, they might not have been unable to destroy Zhang Ruochen and the Madman, those four."
"In this battle, Blade Prison Realm and Purple Mansion Realm have lost all face! How can they even show their faces back in their home worlds?"
...
Strangely enough, during this great robbery, very few cultivators cursed Zhang Ruochen and the others. Instead, most insults were directed at the saints of Blade Prison Realm and Purple Mansion Realm. They were seen not only as disgracing their own realms but also the Heavenly Court.
Even the cultivators from Purple Mansion Realm and Blade Prison Realm were gnashing their teeth in anger, feeling utterly humiliated.
Those figures at the Great Saint level, however, focused their attention on Han Qiu and A Le. These two saints from Kunlun Realm were abnormally powerful.
Moreover, with their eyesight, even without being on the battlefield, they could discern some subtle clues.
"I feel that woman cultivates the Path of Darkness. The saints from Blade Prison Realm and Purple Mansion Realm might have been influenced by dark power, causing them to give up resistance."
"With a human physique, can she withstand dark power without being devoured?"
"Whether she cultivates the Path of Darkness or not, she is definitely an extraordinary talent. Once the Saint Merit War ends, we must send people to contact her."
"If not for the Saint Merit War, who would have thought Kunlun Realm had so many top-tier geniuses? Give them another five hundred years, and who knows how much the overall strength of Kunlun Realm will grow."
...
...
As they advanced, Zhang Ruochen continuously collected the sacred spring into the Water Star Gourd.
No one knew how long they walked. The passage grew darker, and the air currents colder. Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen stopped, sensing powerful fluctuations of the Sacred Dao ahead.
He ceased collecting the sacred spring, hung the Water Star Gourd at his waist, drew the Abyssal Ancient Sword, and cautiously moved forward.
About a quarter of an hour later, they entered a fairly vast underground cavern.
The surrounding rock walls were harder than black iron, and the gravity in the space was far greater than outside. It felt as if the entire Black Gold Sacred Mountain was pressing down on them.
Even with their formidable cultivation, the four of them found it difficult to withstand the immense pressure. If they engaged in intense combat, their bodies would likely burst apart.
"Whoosh."
In the distance, strands of golden light surged out, like a golden river, winding through the cavern.
At the center of the golden light hovered a majestic palace, as if forged from gilded gold. It stood on thirty-six pillars as massive as mountains. On these pillars, the phantom images of thirty-six giant birds appeared, rising and falling, as if thirty-six sacred souls were sealed within the pillars.
The sacred spring flowed out from that divine palace.
The sacred spring Zhang Ruochen had collected could already refine hundreds of thousands of drops of Condensed True Sacred Dew, but clearly, it was still only a small portion. More sacred spring should be inside that palace.
"So it really is a sacred mansion. Is this the hidden treasure of a Great Saint?" the Madman exclaimed, his eyes wide with fiery anticipation.
Faced with the hidden treasure of a Great Saint, no living being could remain calm.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fixed on the golden "rivers" flowing from the sacred mansion. He reached out and condensed a large hand seal.
But the moment the hand seal touched the golden "river," it shattered instantly, turning into strands of sacred qi that instead merged into the golden "river."
Seeing this, the Madman showed a hint of surprise.
The power of the golden "river" could tear apart the hand seal Zhang Ruochen had formed. If so, tearing apart their bodies would probably not be too difficult.
"Just as I thought."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Those golden rivers are woven from Sacred Dao rules. If I'm not mistaken, that sacred mansion is the Rule Sacred Artifact of the Black Gold Old Ancestor."
The term "Rule Sacred Artifact" was not unfamiliar to those present.
When a cultivator reached the Heaven-Connecting Realm, they could use their own Sacred Dao rules to condense a vessel.
This vessel was the prototype of a Rule Sacred Artifact.
As the cultivator's cultivation deepened, their Sacred Dao rules became more condensed and substantial. The prototype vessel within their sacred source would transform into a real "Rule Sacred Artifact."
Only a Saint King, with sufficient mastery over Sacred Dao rules, could condense a Rule Sacred Artifact.
In a sense, a Rule Sacred Artifact represented the most essential part of a Saint King's inheritance.
However, for the vast majority of Saint Kings, the moment they were killed, their Rule Sacred Artifact would shatter, leaving only a sacred source.
Refining a Saint King's sacred source was certainly a way to obtain their inheritance, but it was incomparable to a Rule Sacred Artifact.
This was because a cultivator who obtained a Saint King's Rule Sacred Artifact could more easily comprehend Sacred Dao rules, or even directly absorb the Sacred Dao rules within the artifact, transforming them into their own.
In other words, for cultivators below the Heaven-Connecting Realm, a Saint King's sacred source was most precious. But for figures at the Supreme Saint level, a Saint King's Rule Sacred Artifact was the true treasure.
"A gilded sacred mansion entirely condensed from Sacred Dao rules? How many Sacred Dao rules must it contain? And how terrifyingly powerful must the mansion's original owner have been?" Han Qiu said, somewhat astonished.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Therefore, the Black Gold Old Ancestor must have reached the Great Saint realm. The sacred mansion before us is a Rule Imperial Artifact."
The Rule Sacred Artifact of a One-Step Saint King was a "First-Rank Rule Sacred Artifact."
The Rule Sacred Artifact of a Two-Step Saint King was a "Second-Rank Rule Sacred Artifact."
...
The Rule Sacred Artifact of a Nine-Step Saint King was called a "Ninth-Rank Rule Sacred Artifact."
Only the Rule Sacred Artifact of a Great Saint could be called a "Rule Imperial Artifact."
Unless a Saint King actively left their inheritance to future generations, their Rule Sacred Artifact could be preserved. If a Saint King was killed, their Rule Sacred Artifact would definitely shatter and could not be left for an enemy.
Therefore, Rule Sacred Artifacts were extremely rare. In the auction houses of the Heavenly Court, whenever any Rule Sacred Artifact appeared, it would inevitably be fiercely contested.
It was worth noting that even a First-Rank Rule Sacred Artifact could help a Supreme Saint rapidly break through to the Saint King realm, saving decades or even centuries of cultivation time.
High-rank Rule Sacred Artifacts were almost priceless, with no one willing to put them up for auction.
As for Rule Imperial Artifacts, they were treasures among treasures. Whenever one appeared, it could cause two major worlds to go to war, and even Great Saint-level figures might get involved.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Those sacred springs are formed by the sacred mansion continuously absorbing the sacred qi of heaven and earth. By obtaining the sacred mansion, one can gain an endless supply of sacred spring, refining at least a thousand drops of Condensed True Sacred Dew every day."
"This is a Rule Imperial Artifact. Even if I have to risk my life, I'm taking it," the Madman said, licking his lips incessantly, eager to charge over.
However, beneath the sacred mansion, a large group of Saint realm experts had gathered.
A small half of the top experts from Purple Mansion Realm and Blade Prison Realm were assembled here.
There were thirty-four in total.
The weakest among them were at the Supreme Saint peak, with twelve reaching the Half-Saint King realm, like twelve war gods, guarding the four directions of the sacred mansion.
Such a formidable lineup could already be used to besiege a Saint King.
However, the outer perimeter of the sacred mansion seemed to be protected by a formation, making it difficult to approach. Even with the strength of East Stream Sword Venerable and Fang Yi, they could only advance slowly, each step requiring great effort.
"No wonder East Stream Sword Venerable and Fang Yi haven't shown themselves for the past ten-plus days. They've been after this sacred mansion."
"They are already very close to the sacred mansion. They should be able to claim it soon."
Zhang Ruochen activated the Hundred Saint Blood Armor, covering his entire body, and said in a low voice, "Madman, once Fang Yi and East Stream Sword Venerable completely break the formation around the sacred mansion, you and I will charge together, launching a frontal assault. Han Qiu, A Le, you know what to do, right?"