Chapter 1561: Sword Slashing in All Directions
Outside the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field, the sound of breaking wind continuously rang out as one powerful figure after another arrived at this location.
Zhang Ruochen, ranked first on the Sacred Merit Ranking, was actually from the Guanghan Realm, which surprised many people.
After all, only strong realms possessed the most powerful inheritances and the most precious cultivation resources, capable of nurturing the most top-tier geniuses. For cultivators from weak realms to achieve anything on the Sacred Merit Ranking was undoubtedly as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Thus, almost all of the top ten thousand beings on the Sacred Merit Ranking were monopolized by the top thousand major worlds.
"I've long heard rumors that Zhang Ruochen managed to reach first place on the Sacred Merit Ranking purely by luck. Others say he cooperated with the Rakshasa Princess to obtain a large number of merit points."
"I know about that merit battle in the Shatuo Seven Realms. Zhang Ruochen stood out among a few weak realms, which doesn't count as real skill. Perhaps his true strength can't even break into the top ten thousand of the Sacred Merit Ranking."
"Today should reveal the truth. If Zhang Ruochen can seize the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field, then his strength will definitely not be weaker than the divine sons and divine daughters of those strong realms. Ranking within the top ten thousand of the Sacred Merit Ranking would be more than enough for him."
...
...
All the cultivators were discussing.
Each of them employed their own methods, gazing toward the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field, striving to see the battle within.
However, the divine light emitted by the osmanthus tree made the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field appear hazy and indistinct. Only the thunderous sounds of battle could be heard, and only streams of sacred light could be seen pouring out.
Su Jing stood dozens of miles away from the Mirror Fragrance Mountain Dao Field, a lump in his throat. His heart, tempered through countless trials, was now extremely tense.
The Moon God had once said, "Since I have returned, the Guanghan Realm must rise again and once more capture the world's attention."
The Moon God valued Zhang Ruochen so highly; perhaps in her eyes, Zhang Ruochen was the blade that would allow the Guanghan Realm to rise again. Today's battle was of utmost importance.
If successful, it would undoubtedly be a ray of dawn heralding the Guanghan Realm's rebirth.
If it failed, the Guanghan Realm would surely continue to sink into darkness, with little hope of rising again.
Looking back through history, those weak realms that rose and flourished required not only a powerful god but also the birth of a epoch-defining proud son of heaven, one who would lead the young cultivators of the entire world, advancing together and carving out a new sky.
Was Zhang Ruochen that epoch-defining proud son of heaven?
Within the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field, Zhang Ruochen, clad in the Hundred Saint Blood Armor, held the Abyssal Ancient Sword in one hand and the Yi Emperor Bone Staff in the other, like a world-slaying god of death, charging straight at Bai Ran.
To kill, one must first kill the strongest.
"Bang, bang."
Bai Ran mobilized Truth Rules, continuously unleashing sacred arts, trying to block Zhang Ruochen's advance.
But after blocking seven of Zhang Ruochen's strikes, all his protective treasures were exhausted. Instead, he was severely wounded, one of his arms severed and falling to the ground.
"If not for the suppression of equality for all beings, I would have used my Saint Aspect Manifestation and already suppressed and killed you," Bai Ran roared.
"Even without equality for all beings, if you used your Saint Aspect Manifestation, I would still slay you."
Zhang Ruochen strode forward. He did not use Time Sword Art, nor did he drink the Dragon Spirit Mad Bull Wine. Instead, he intended to use this battle to hone Sword Eight.
After all, he was still at the first level of Sword Eight. Only by continuously applying it in battle, comprehending the true essence of the sword path through practice, would his cultivation progress faster.
"Zhang Ruochen, don't be so arrogant. The Yun Realm has produced many strong individuals, hidden dragons and crouching tigers. You cannot take on everyone alone."
A dozen or so figures charged forward, each employing their own methods, launching a joint attack on Zhang Ruochen.
All were strong, each like a young Great Saint.
Bai Ran revealed a delighted expression. He took out a jade bottle, swallowed a mouthful of Life Sacred Liquid, and the severed arm grew back.
"Zhang Ruochen, look behind you. Those cultivators from your Guanghan Realm are being besieged by seventeen Yun Realm heavenly prodigies. They will soon become corpses. No matter how strong you are, can you protect them?"
As Bai Ran spoke these words, he communicated with the two Yun Realm cultivators standing behind him, preparing to jointly activate the Mirror Image Sacred Sword, striving to unleash the two-radiance perfect power.
As long as Zhang Ruochen was distracted to rescue those Guanghan Realm cultivators, they would unleash a thunderous strike, leaving Zhang Ruochen with no place to die.
The two Yun Realm cultivators behind Bai Ran were both in stealth, formless and invisible, their auras even faint and elusive.
However, to Bai Ran's disappointment, Zhang Ruochen showed no intention of going to rescue them. Instead, he released a large expanse of Purifying Divine Flame, enveloping the dozen or so Yun Realm strongmen besieging him.
"Wind, Rain, Thunder, Lightning."
"Star, Moon, Rosy Cloud, Light."
Zhang Ruochen muttered incantations under his breath, his feet treading a marvelous footwork, his form like a ghost. As his war sword swung, most of the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field became filled with thunder and lightning, with fierce winds howling.
At this moment, he was in the midst of battle, comprehending the "Sword Eight Record" left behind by Sword Emperor Xue Hongchen.
Xue Hongchen's Sword Eight was summarized into eight characters: "Wind, Rain, Thunder, Lightning, Star, Moon, Rosy Cloud, Light." It was like a general outline of the sword path. By comprehending even a trace of its surface, as the sword moves were executed, it could cause heaven and earth to change color.
A Yun Realm strongman grabbed a ten-thousand-pattern sacred artifact-level great cauldron, descending from the sky as if holding a great mountain, smashing it down at Zhang Ruochen.
"Rosy Cloud Surging to the Sky."
The Abyssal Ancient Sword flew directly from Zhang Ruochen's hand, striking the great cauldron. With a bang, the immense force sent the cauldron flying backward.
That Yun Realm strongman was struck by the sharp rosy cloud sword energy, and a series of "bang, bang" sounds of shattering echoed from his body. One protective talisman after another turned to powder.
That Yun Realm strongman was so frightened he nearly lost his soul.
"How can he be this strong?"
Just as this thought emerged in his mind, Zhang Ruochen had already appeared behind him, gripping the Abyssal Ancient Sword and slashing downward fiercely.
Instantly, lightning flashed and thunder roared, wind rising from all directions.
"Pfft."
A large amount of blood spilled from midair.
At the same time, pieces of broken flesh and bloody chunks fell downward.
Having cleaved that Yun Realm strongman with one sword strike, Zhang Ruochen immediately attacked another. His speed was astonishingly fast. Even while besieged by over a dozen experts, he remained completely at ease, holding the initiative.
"Star and Moon Appear Together."
"Wind Like a Dragon, Rain Like a Blade."
...
Zhang Ruochen continuously experimented with the artistic conception of Sword Eight, becoming more and more fluid. Every move and stance had the power to manipulate the weather of heaven and earth, and he could even borrow the power of heaven and earth, making his sword technique even more fierce and ferocious.
After just a few breaths of exchange, he had already slain three more Yun Realm proud sons of heaven.
Yet the cultivators besieging him had not even touched the corner of his robe.
This truly frightened the Yun Realm strongmen, who finally realized the gap between them and Zhang Ruochen. They were not fools and understood clearly that continuing to fight like this would result in them being slaughtered to the last.
Bai Ran never expected Zhang Ruochen to be this powerful.
When his gaze turned to another battlefield, he was even more shocked.
A total of seventeen Yun Realm strongmen had gone to besiege five Kunlun Realm cultivators, yet five had already fallen, all pierced through the Qi Sea by a single sword strike and killed.
The one striking was a woman clad in a purple electric robe. The sword in her hand seemed even more terrifying than Zhang Ruochen's.
Was this still the Guanghan Realm that had been so easily bullied before?
"World Hidden Insect, Strange Hidden Insect, join me in activating the Mirror Image Sacred Sword. Strike now, first kill Zhang Ruochen."
Bai Ran no longer waited for the right moment. Together with the two strongmen hidden behind him, they simultaneously poured sacred power into the Mirror Image Sacred Sword. As the inscriptions on the sword blade continuously emerged, the first ring of sacred power light mist appeared.
"Swoosh—"
When a full twenty thousand inscriptions within the sword blade were activated, the second ring of sacred power light mist emerged.
The two-radiance perfect power filled the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field, and that power even surged out of the field, spreading hundreds of miles away. Every saint-level cultivator who had come to watch was moved.
"Even a two-radiance ten-thousand-pattern sacred artifact has been used. This struggle battle is truly intense."
"This shows that Zhang Ruochen's strength is still considerable, forcing Bai Ran to such an extent."
The two-radiance perfect power was generally a power that only Saint Kings could activate.
Moreover, an ordinary one-step Saint King could not control such power.
Even among the heavenly prodigies on the Sacred Merit Ranking, few could independently unleash the two-radiance perfect power; they needed to join forces with other cultivators.
Using the two-radiance perfect power against beings below the Saint King level was a complete crushing.
Just as Zhang Ruochen pierced through the heart of an insect clan cultivator with his sword, he sensed the immense sacred might coming from behind. His eyes slanted in that direction.
"You're not running? Do you think that activating the two-radiance perfect power can kill me?"
Zhang Ruochen took out the purple divine stone, held it in his hand, and continuously infused sacred energy into it. Gradually, the purple divine stone grew larger and larger, transforming into a majestic divine mountain.
It should be known that the purple divine stone was refined from a purple star beside a black hole. According to Ling Xiu, it was even part of the body of a Stone Clan deity, naturally giving it an extremely mysterious aura.
"Zhang Ruochen, your time of death has come."
Bai Ran used all his strength to control the Mirror Image Sacred Sword, dragging out a sword energy like a long river, slashing it toward Zhang Ruochen.
But just as he swung his sword, a massive purple divine mountain pressed down from above, its power simply irresistible.
"No..."
Bai Ran shouted loudly.
The World Hidden Insect and Strange Hidden Insect behind Bai Ran were also terrified. They immediately broke their stealth, transforming into two light-dot-sized flying insects, trying to escape.
"Rumble."
The purple divine mountain crushed down, not only suppressing the Mirror Image Sacred Sword but also driving Bai Ran deep into the ground, his physical body turning into bloody mud. Even his sacred soul was crushed into fragments by the mysterious power contained within the purple divine mountain.
The two hidden insects did not escape. They were suppressed by the purple divine mountain, their sacred light growing dimmer and dimmer, until they finally turned into two needle-tip-sized insect corpses.
With a single strike, three saint-level strongmen were killed.
The remaining Yun Realm cultivators had no intention of continuing to fight. They were all terrified, retreating backward one after another.
However, they did not choose to flee. Their gazes all fixed on the depths of the osmanthus forest, as if expecting something.
"Boom."
A golden wave of sacred energy surged from the depths of the osmanthus forest, shaking Zhang Ruochen so much that he staggered back several steps.
"There's actually a Saint King-level expert inside the Mirror Fragrance Cliff Dao Field."
A strange expression flashed in Zhang Ruochen's eyes. Although somewhat surprised, he showed no fear.
After all, with "Equality for All Beings" activated, even a Saint King's realm was suppressed to the Half-Step Saint King level. They only held advantages in combat experience, sacred path insights, sacred art application, and Truth Rules.
If it came to a real fight, even against the most powerful Saint King, Zhang Ruochen might not necessarily lose.
...
(Barring any surprises, there should be another chapter today. Well, Xiaoyu also wants to see how long this state can last, and hopes everyone can support him, giving him more motivation.)
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