# Chapter 1546: The Way of Flowing Light
"Rumble."
Nine majestic dragon shadows pulled the war chariot, as two layers of dazzling sacred power light waves radiated outward from it. As the chariot rolled forward, the sacred might it unleashed grew increasingly powerful.
The ground beneath their feet shook, and Hun Wang, standing at the center of the purple formation diagram, found it difficult to keep his footing.
The purple robe covering Hun Wang's head was lifted, revealing a handsome face with distinct features, azure-green eyebrows, and eyes that emitted a phosphorescent glow. Yet from his mouth came a chuckling laugh: "The war chariot is quite impressive, but unfortunately your cultivation level is too low. You cannot yet unleash its true might. An attack at the level of Two-Layer Perfect Power cannot harm me."
"Yin."
"Jue."
"Nan."
"Kong."
Four strange characters were spat from Hun Wang's mouth.
Hun Wang's fingers gripped the White Bone Sacred Staff tightly, and his spiritual power surged outward like a storm, sweeping in all directions.
The purple formation diagram beneath his feet curled up like a piece of paper, making a "rustling" sound as it flipped over and pressed down toward the Golden Step Dragon Chariot. In an instant, the chariot's explosive speed was suppressed, and its body shook violently.
"This person's spiritual power has probably already reached the fifty-sixth rank."
Zhang Ruochen held the Buddha Emperor Relic, standing at the very front of the war chariot, his expression turning somewhat grim.
Under normal circumstances, a spiritual power cultivator at the fifty-sixth rank could unleash combat power comparable to a Three-Step Saint King or Four-Step Saint King. Such a person was absolutely terrifying—dealing with Zhang Ruochen and the others, who were Half-Step Saint Kings or Supreme Saints, would be as simple as moving a finger.
Zhang Ruochen couldn't understand who thought so highly of him as to send such a powerful figure to kill him.
However, Hun Wang clearly had to expend most of his spiritual power controlling the purple formation diagram, concealing heavenly secrets, and creating false impressions to prevent anyone from calculating that they were here to ambush Zhang Ruochen and his group.
Therefore, his attack power was greatly diminished.
Wen Shusheng, who knew quite well how formidable Hun Wang was, understood that this was a terrifying god of slaughter. His face pale, he said, "Given our strength, even if we join forces, we probably couldn't withstand even one of Hun Wang's fingers. We should first break out of the Purple Fiend Formation Diagram and leave this place to make new plans."
"You think a few little brats who haven't even reached the Saint King Realm can escape from my hands?" Hun Wang let out a sinister laugh.
The purple formation diagram pressed down from above like a sky-covering canopy, every formation pattern containing destructive power that made it hard to breathe.
Zhang Ruochen looked up, his vision completely filled by purple light, like a sky full of thunder and lightning descending upon them. Even Wen Shusheng, Ling Mi, and Su Qingling—proud children of heaven unmatched in ten thousand—showed despair in their eyes.
"Break for me!" Zhang Ruochen mobilized his spatial power, his finger tracing upward through the air. The space around his fingertip trembled violently, gradually tearing open a rift that collided with the descending purple formation diagram.
"Boom."
The next moment, the purple formation diagram above shattered into pieces, and the Golden Step Dragon Chariot burst out from the purple mist.
The formation diagram on the ground remained.
Hun Wang stood at the center of the formation, a strange expression flashing in his eyes. "So he escaped after all. As expected of the Heir of Time and Space—he has some skill."
The Golden Step Dragon Chariot hadn't traveled far when a rumbling sound came from beneath the earth. The rocky ground rose up, quickly forming two bamboo-shoot-shaped stone peaks that blocked the chariot's path ahead.
"There are more experts?"
The hearts of everyone in the Golden Step Dragon Chariot sank to the bottom.
Atop the two stone peaks stood two women in white robes, golden masks covering their faces. The sacred wave fluctuations emanating from them were extremely powerful—both were at the Saint King Realm.
Although he hadn't fought them yet, Zhang Ruochen could already sense danger. Either of them was no weaker than the Nine Nether Sword Saint, perhaps even stronger.
These two were naturally Tian Shu and Tian Miao, who followed Shang Zihong.
Women who could follow a young leader of the Merit Divine Temple were obviously not ordinary. They had to possess talent and physique comparable to Su Qingling and Ling Mi, with cross-realm combat being a basic requirement.
Wang Xu walked out from between the two stone peaks, letting out a mocking laugh: "Hun Wang, you've cultivated for so many years, yet you can't even take down a Half-Step Saint King? Even I feel embarrassed for you."
Wang Xu also wore a mask.
"I underestimated him. As the number one on the Sacred Merit Ranking, Zhang Ruochen does have real skill. He's not some random cat or dog you can just slaughter," Hun Wang said.
Wang Xu could tell that Hun Wang was mocking him too.
After all, he was only ranked seventh on the Sacred Merit Ranking.
Wang Xu sneered disdainfully, "The Sacred Merit Ranking is based on merit points, not strength. Those with higher merit points aren't necessarily stronger. There are plenty of experts who focus on cultivation, can't be bothered to compete for rankings, and rarely go to the battlefield to collect merit points."
Zhang Ruochen gathered from this that the masked man across from him was also a strong figure on the Sacred Merit Ranking.
"They all wear masks when killing people. Their identities must be unusual. Perhaps they're worried that if the ambush fails, they might face punishment from the Heavenly Laws," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
"How about letting me test Zhang Ruochen's strength before we kill him?" Wang Xu chuckled.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The price for testing my strength is quite high."
"Oh? Then I'll just have to try."
Wang Xu's figure blurred.
By the time those words reached Zhang Ruochen's ears, a dark blade light had already reached his neck, moving at a terrifying speed.
"The Way of Flowing Light." Zhang Ruochen's heart tightened.
The Way of Flowing Light was one of the Seventy-Two Supreme Sacred Paths. Legend had it that when cultivated to its peak, a cultivator's speed could reach the speed of light, making it difficult even for time and space to suppress them. It was the strongest path of speed.
Few cultivators could comprehend the Way of Flowing Light, but once they did, at the same cultivation level, almost no opponent could withstand a single strike from them.
All martial arts in the world are invincible only through speed.
The Way of Flowing Light was the fastest.
Zhang Ruochen had remained vigilant, so he immediately executed a Space Displacement, shifting sideways to avoid Wang Xu's blade, and pointed his finger like a sword.
He didn't use the Abyssal Ancient Sword because, against an enemy like Wang Xu, using it would only slow down his sword speed.
If his sword speed were even a fraction slower, he would likely die under Wang Xu's blade.
"Swish, swish."
After seven exchanges in rapid succession.
Finally, Zhang Ruochen struck first, his finger landing on the blade. With a "bang," the blade vibrated, and Wang Xu was knocked backward.
The entire exchange lasted only half a breath. Even cultivators like Su Qingling could only see a few shadows. Mu Lingxi, who had inherited the Ice Phoenix legacy and possessed extraordinary eyesight, could barely follow their movements. If she had to defend against such attacks, her speed would fall far short.
Watching this exchange left them all feeling disheartened.
After all, they were among the most top-tier geniuses of the Guanghan Realm, each proud and arrogant. But after calculating privately, they realized that if they had to face that masked man, a single strike would kill them.
"Zhang Ruochen can exchange several moves with such a terrifying figure and even drive him back. No wonder he's the pride of the Guanghan Realm. Such a person appears once in ten thousand years in the Guanghan Realm!"
"That masked man must be ranked very high on the Sacred Merit Ranking. Who could he be?"
"On the Sacred Merit Ranking, there are no more than ten people with speed like his, and he uses a blade—it's easy to guess!" Wen Shusheng's eyes lit up; he had already figured it out.
Zhang Ruochen and Wang Xu stood in their original positions again, as if they had never moved.
Wang Xu flexed his sword-wielding arm and laughed, "You didn't disappoint me. You do have the strength to contend with me. But that was just a probing exchange."
"I look forward to seeing you use your full power. I wonder what level you can reach?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Ever since cultivating the Five Elements Chaos Body and the Divine Fate, Zhang Ruochen could easily sweep any opponent at the same cultivation level. Even Qiu Yu, who was called the strongest at the same level in the Kunlun Realm, couldn't withstand three of Zhang Ruochen's strikes.
But Wang Xu was the first person at the same level who made Zhang Ruochen feel the need to be cautious.
Although the Rakshasa Princess was also very strong, her cultivation level was higher than Zhang Ruochen's at the time, and she hadn't intended to kill him. So when Zhang Ruochen fought her, he didn't feel much pressure—only that her strength was unfathomable.
The universe was vast, and the Heavenly Court Realm encompassed over eight thousand worlds. Those who could rise to the forefront were all children of fortune, naturally not weak.
Wang Xu laughed, "I've watched every battle scene of yours in the Ancestral Spirit Realm. I even copied them down and studied them repeatedly. I could say I know your fighting style and trump cards very well. But you know nothing about me."
Wang Xu wasn't arrogant; in fact, he took Zhang Ruochen very seriously as an opponent. He continued, "When you were in the Ancestral Spirit Realm, your cultivation was still at the Supreme Saint level. You must have only recently broken through to Half-Step Saint King. I, on the other hand, reached the Half-Step Saint King Realm three years ago. So the number of sacred rules in your body is far less than mine, and you can't execute Mid-rank Sacred Arts. That's my second advantage!"
Zhang Ruochen's competitive spirit surged like never before. He gave a cold, sharp smile, "What does it matter even if you have all these advantages?"
"You don't understand. The fact that I'm discussing advantages means you already have the strength to contend with me. That's quite an achievement!" Wang Xu said very seriously.
From afar, Hun Wang grew impatient. "Why talk so much to a dead man?"
Wang Xu shot Hun Wang a contemptuous glance. "You don't understand either. This is about respecting your opponent. After all, meeting an opponent of equal strength is truly exhilarating. By the way, Zhang Ruochen, how do you want to die?"