Chapter 1709: Six Times the Power
"I don't have any Saint Kings, but I do have some Saint King Saint Sources," Zhang Ruochen said.
Mo Yin replied, "That'll do for now!"
Zhang Ruochen didn't take out the Saint Sources. "I have other important uses for those Saint King Saint Sources, so I can't give them to you. In the Truth Divine Temple, focus on comprehending the Way of Truth. Otherwise, if you encounter a true expert later, you won't be able to contend with them."
Mo Yin showed a disdainful expression. "Is the Way of Truth really that important? I am a Devouring Saint Flower. At the same cultivation level, I fear no opponent."
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "You're at the Five-Step Saint King level, right? I'm at the Four-Step Saint King level. If you can withstand one punch from me, I'll take back what I said and give you ten Saint King Saint Sources."
"One punch?"
"That's right, one punch."
"Without using the power of time and space?"
"Of course not."
Mo Yin flashed a bright smile with her pearly white teeth. "Master, I know you're powerful, but you're underestimating me. I've absorbed the flesh and Saint Souls of hundreds of geniuses from the Yin-Yang Realm, Black Demon Realm, and Ten Thousand Evil Realm. Not only has my cultivation greatly increased, but I've also gained some special abilities. Although I'm at the Five-Step Saint King level, in a real fight, I could defeat even a Six-Step Saint King, or even challenge a Seven-Step Saint King."
"Since you're so confident, let me show you the power of the Way of Truth."
"Ghosts and Gods Crossing Over."
He struck with the eighteenth form of the Luo Water Fist Art. As the fist technique was unleashed, two massive shadows, one bright and one dark, appeared, like a god and a ghost walking side by side, their momentum astonishing.
Mo Yin stood her ground, unafraid, and laughed. "Master's fist technique is indeed strong, but with this one punch, you can't defeat me."
"Is that so?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Immediately, over six thousand Truth Rules merged into the fist technique. Zhang Ruochen's aura surged continuously, and the divine and ghostly shadows floating on either side of him grew taller and more solid.
Mo Yin's pretty face changed color. She raised her jade-like arms, which transformed into tens of thousands of vines. On the vines, thick thunder and fire flowed, emitting a powerful demonic aura, like a black cloud covering the sky, attacking Zhang Ruochen.
"Boom."
The two forces collided.
The vines Mo Yin had unleashed were all torn apart. Zhang Ruochen's iron fists struck her heavily, sending her flying backward.
At the last moment, Zhang Ruochen withdrew eighty percent of his power, so Mo Yin wasn't too seriously injured.
Mo Yin knelt on one knee, clutching her chest, her face pained. "Cough... how is this possible... Master, how did your power suddenly increase fivefold? I couldn't resist at all."
Zhang Ruochen said, "This is the power of the Way of Truth! Sometimes, your enemy might be weaker than you in cultivation realm and battle prowess, but if they can mobilize Truth Rules, they can crush you."
Mo Yin asked, "Can Truth Rules be directly absorbed and plundered?"
"Probably not."
Zhang Ruochen had Mo Yin take root in the cave heaven and try to absorb the nutrients from those flowers, but it failed. She couldn't absorb the Truth Rules at all.
"I'll have to comprehend it myself! Even the Abyssal Ancient Sword has already comprehended nearly a hundred Truth Rules and can mobilize them to unleash double the power."
Then, Zhang Ruochen added, "I should be cultivating in the Truth Divine Temple for about another year. If you can comprehend seven hundred and twenty-nine Truth Rules within this year, I'll give you a big gift."
Only by comprehending seven hundred and twenty-nine Truth Rules could a Saint King realm cultivator unleash triple the power when using Sacred Arts. Of course, this step was extremely difficult, and most geniuses from all realms couldn't achieve it.
After this defeat, Mo Yin was indeed motivated to work hard, so she asked, "What big gift?"
"A Seven-Shining Ten-Thousand-Pattern Sacred Artifact! Whether you can get it depends on how hard you work."
Zhang Ruochen withdrew Mo Yin back into his body, left the cave heaven, and arrived at the square on the second level of the Truth Divine Temple.
The ones guarding the second level of the Truth Divine Temple were still Feng Xi and another Divine Inheritor Disciple. They were quite surprised to see Zhang Ruochen come out.
Feng Xi asked, "Feng Yan said you crossed the fourth sea region, so you should have gained a lot of cultivation time. Why didn't you continue cultivating in the cave heaven? Are you facing some confusion? Every month, Great Saints from the Truth Divine Temple hold lectures explaining the Way of Truth. If you need, I can introduce you to attend."
Zhang Ruochen cupped his hands and bowed to Feng Xi. "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister Feng. However, I've already fully comprehended the two levels of the Flower Sea Cave Heaven and plan to go to the third level of the Divine Temple."
"You've fully comprehended both levels?"
Feng Xi couldn't stay calm and showed a shocked expression.
The other Divine Inheritor Disciple, Yan Shiju, was even more dumbfounded, looking at Zhang Ruochen like he was a monster. He asked, "How many Truth Rules have you cultivated?"
"Six thousand five hundred and sixty-one," Zhang Ruochen said.
There was no way to hide this, because to enter the third level of the Truth Divine Temple, he had to pass an inspection. Without fully comprehending the two levels of the Flower Sea Cave Heaven, he couldn't go to the third level.
"Come with me for verification."
Still somewhat skeptical, Feng Xi led Zhang Ruochen to the Truth Treasure Mirror for testing.
Zhang Ruochen walked in front of the Truth Treasure Mirror and mobilized the Truth Rules within him. Immediately, lines and patterns appeared on the mirror's surface.
In the distance, many disciples of the Truth Divine Temple stood still, gasping in shock.
Feng Xi was silent for a moment before speaking. "Do you know that many leaders of major worlds don't have such a high level of attainment in the Way of Truth as you? Those who have fully comprehended the two levels of the Flower Sea Cave Heaven are all renowned figures, and most of them have been cultivating in the Truth Heaven Domain for over ten years. In fact, your achievement has already surpassed many Divine Inheritor Disciples."
Zhang Ruochen had some understanding of this. For example, the leaders of the Yin-Yang Realm, "Yan King" and "Lian Empress," had fully comprehended the two levels of the Flower Sea Cave Heaven and could unleash five times the attack power in battle. Wang Xu, who had crossed the fourth sea region at the Half-Saint King level, had only fully comprehended the first level of the Flower Sea Cave Heaven.
Feng Xi said no more. "You can now go to the third level of the Truth Divine Temple to cultivate. I'm really looking forward to seeing how much more you can surprise me."
"Farewell."
Zhang Ruochen, dressed in white robes with great poise, walked straight toward the third level of the Truth Divine Temple.
Yan Shiju sent a voice transmission to Feng Xi. "Zhang Ruochen must have obtained the Truth Esoterica. How enviable."
Feng Xi shot him a glance. "You'd better not have any other ideas. Zhang Ruochen is a very special figure. The Daoist and Buddhist sects are both watching him, and behind him is a great deity like the Moon God. This person has many connections, and you can't afford to provoke him."
Yan Shiju smiled. "The master has already issued a ban. How would I dare to have any ideas?"
...
...
Very few cultivators could reach the third level of the Truth Divine Temple, so it was quite desolate.
Guarding the third level was a gray-robed old man who looked seventy or eighty years old, with a face full of wrinkles and a decrepit appearance.
Zhang Ruochen couldn't sense any fluctuation of Saint Qi from him, but that only made him more terrifying. So, upon seeing him, Zhang Ruochen immediately bowed respectfully.
The gray-robed old man carefully examined Zhang Ruochen and nodded with a smile. "Not bad, not bad. To be able to reach the third level of the Truth Divine Temple at such a young age is truly rare. If you were a disciple of the Truth Divine Temple, I would definitely take you as my apprentice."
"Your situation has been conveyed to me by that girl Feng Xi. Since you're her friend, I can share some small knowledge with you that might be helpful."
Zhang Ruochen was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you, Senior."
After listening to some explanations from the gray-robed old man, Zhang Ruochen arrived outside a metal door, pushed it open, and walked in.
The third level of the Truth Divine Temple contained eight hundred and eighty-eight small worlds.
Zhang Ruochen entered one of these small worlds, where a vast, boundless expanse of reddish-yellow earth stretched before him. Soil, sand, and stones were mixed together, giving off a lifeless, dead atmosphere.
There was no wind, no sound.
This small world was eerily quiet. Zhang Ruochen could even hear the sound of his own blood flowing through his veins.
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Abyssal Ancient Sword and Mo Yin. "The Way of Truth is within the soil. That's what the senior said earlier. Go and comprehend it carefully."
The earth in this small world was vast, with different landforms in many places—some forming towering peaks, others deep canyons, some turning into deserts, and others becoming plains of massive rocks.
Zhang Ruochen spent three days traveling to every corner of the small world before lighting a Rainbow Incense Stick and beginning to comprehend and cultivate in a desert.
He still split his six Saint Souls, using half to comprehend the Sword Dao, the Way of Time, and the Way of Space.
Time flew by, and soon half a year had passed.
The desert beneath Zhang Ruochen turned into a whirlpool, spinning faster and faster. The sand rose like walls, encasing him in the center.
This state lasted for an entire month.
One day, Zhang Ruochen softly murmured, "Earth is not earth; it is empty, devoid of anything."
"Whoosh."
In an instant, the vast expanse of yellow sand disappeared.
Even the desert below vanished, turning into a yellowish-brown cloud of gas.
The earth was gone. Above and below were nothing but sky.
"Is this the first level of the Thick Earth Small World?"
Zhang Ruochen mobilized his Spiritual Power to calculate and found that he had already been cultivating for seven months. He was startled, thinking, *The third level of the Truth Divine Temple is indeed much harder than the second.*
However, the Truth Rules within him had now reached nineteen thousand six hundred and eighty-three—a terrifying improvement.
"Boom."
He threw a punch, unleashing six times the power.
Zhang Ruochen was in a great mood. "I probably have about five more months of cultivation time. I'll try to improve the Way of Truth a bit more. I wonder if I can fully comprehend the second level of the Thick Earth Small World?"
Fully comprehending the second level of the Thick Earth Small World would allow him to unleash seven times the attack power. According to Feng Xi, in the entire Truth Heaven Domain, excluding the Divine Inheritor Disciples of the Truth Divine Temple, the number of cultivators who had reached that level could be counted on one hand.
...
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