Chapter 1710: The Seventh Layer Sea
Another five months passed. The Truth Rules within Zhang Ruochen's body had grown significantly, reaching over twenty-eight thousand strands.
Yet, no matter how he tried, he could not touch the second realm of the Houtu Small World. It felt as if a heavenly moat separated him from that realm, making it seem distant and unreachable.
Within the Small World, a vast and ethereal voice sounded: "Time is up."
"Has a year and three months passed so quickly?"
Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat dazed. Gradually, his focus returned.
After more than a year of secluded cultivation, he felt somewhat sluggish, as if an entire century had passed.
The greatest achievement from this year-plus of cultivation in the Truth Divine Temple was in the Way of Truth. However, the bottleneck in his Spiritual Power remained unbroken.
His Spiritual Power intensity was still at the peak of the fifty-sixth rank, with almost zero growth.
Some bottlenecks in the Sacred Way had been broken through, and his realm had improved. The Sacred Dao Rules in the Heavenly River of his Qi Sea had increased by a full eighty thousand strands, bringing the total to one hundred ninety thousand.
The number of Sword Dao Rules had reached over fifteen hundred strands.
The number of Time Rules and Space Rules had each reached over two hundred strands.
Zhang Ruochen had spent a great deal of energy cultivating these three paths, and his efforts were not in vain. In just over a year, he had adjusted the structure of the Sacred Dao Rules within his body to a slightly better state.
But it was still not enough.
At the Fourth Step Saint King realm, the optimal number of Time Rules and Space Rules should be over a thousand strands each.
"Relying solely on my own comprehension to cultivate the Way of Time and the Way of Space is too slow. Even in an excellent cultivation ground like the Truth Divine Temple, spending over a year only resulted in comprehending over two hundred rules. Too slow, too slow."
"If I were outside, it would probably take a hundred years of cultivation for the Way of Time and the Way of Space to achieve even minor success."
Zhang Ruochen now finally understood why the Rakshasa Princess had risked great danger to go to the Space Divine Temple to learn the Way of Space. The Space Divine Temple surely possessed treasures that aided cultivators in comprehending Space Rules, perhaps even Rule Sacred Artifacts and Rule Emperor Artifacts left by predecessors of the Way of Space.
A Rule Sacred Artifact or Rule Emperor Artifact represented the inheritance of a predecessor.
If he did not go to the Space Divine Temple to cultivate, his progress in the Way of Space would be extremely slow, and it would even drag down the speed of his realm advancement.
The leader of the Space Divine Temple, Gongzi Yan, was very close to the Heavenly Realm Faction. Even the Rakshasa Clan's princess could enter the Space Divine Temple to cultivate. This made Zhang Ruochen extremely worried. He felt that the Space Divine Temple had significant problems, and thus, he dared not easily go there to study.
As a result, to quickly improve the Way of Time and the Way of Space, Zhang Ruochen had only one path left.
Find the place where Xumi Saint Monk had entered Nirvana.
At Xumi Saint Monk's Nirvana site, there might be the inheritance left by the elder. Only by finding this inheritance could Zhang Ruochen's Way of Time and Way of Space improve rapidly, and his cultivation realm could also advance quickly.
The biggest constraint keeping Zhang Ruochen at the Fourth Step Saint King realm was the Way of Time and the Way of Space. These two eternal paths were too difficult to comprehend.
If he relied only on his own comprehension, it would probably take over a thousand years of cultivation for Zhang Ruochen to possibly reach the Great Saint realm.
"Generally speaking, one needs a total of three hundred thousand Sacred Dao Rules to possibly reach the Fifth Step Saint King realm. I am still far from the Fifth Step Saint King. However, my realm advancement speed is already very fast, surpassing the vast majority of cultivators."
After calming his mind, Zhang Ruochen summoned Shi Shenghua and the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
The Abyssal Ancient Sword had made great progress. Not only had it been upgraded to the Five-Shining Ten-Thousand Pattern Sacred Artifact level, but it had also comprehended over eight hundred Truth Rules.
"Zhang Ruochen, I think I can begin to condense a Sword Spirit Dao Body," said the Sword Spirit.
Zhang Ruochen showed a delighted expression. "Good news. Once we go out, we will do this immediately. Tell me what materials you need, and I will go buy them."
Whether eight hundred years ago or now, the Abyssal Ancient Sword was Zhang Ruochen's best friend.
Helping it condense a Sword Spirit Dao Body would allow the Sword Spirit to become a true living being, capable of independent thought and autonomous cultivation. Moreover, the sword's grade would greatly increase.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze shifted to Mo Yin. "How is it? How many Truth Rules have you cultivated?"
Mo Yin smiled seductively. "If I get serious, I will surely surprise you. Seven hundred and twenty-nine Truth Rules, not one more, not one less."
"Is that so? Did you really achieve that?" Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised.
Without further words, Mo Yin extended a jade hand, and a lightning orb appeared in her palm.
Then, she mobilized the Truth Rules and integrated them into her palm. The power fluctuation emitted by the lightning orb instantly increased by more than two times.
The lightning orb transformed into an electric arc, flying out and striking towards Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes narrowed sharply. He grabbed the hilt of the Abyssal Ancient Sword, swung it horizontally to block, and activated the Sword Dao Xuan Gang, forming a spherical Gang Qi shield three zhang in diameter.
"Boom."
The force unleashed by the lightning orb sent Zhang Ruochen flying backward for over ten li.
After stabilizing his form, Zhang Ruochen dispersed the Sword Dao Xuan Gang and smiled. "Unleashing a threefold attack power. It seems you really have cultivated seven hundred and twenty-nine Truth Rules."
Mo Yin raised her snow-white chin, quite proud. "Naturally."
Zhang Ruochen took out the Endless Blade of the deceased Heavenly God from his Space Ring and tossed it to Mo Yin. "This is a Seven-Shining Ten-Thousand Pattern Sacred Artifact level war blade. Its blade spirit has already cultivated a Dao Body. If you can subdue the blade spirit's Dao Body, I will give this blade to you."
Mo Yin caught the Endless Blade and began toying with it, smiling wickedly. "Master, with this blade, I'm afraid you might not be my match anymore."
Zhang Ruochen smiled nonchalantly, retracted Mo Yin into his body, and walked out of the Houtu Small World.
The gray-robed old man was sitting cross-legged on the ground. He gave Zhang Ruochen a deep look, as if he had seen through the Truth Rules within Zhang Ruochen's body, and showed an expression of admiration. "Young man, with your current level of attainment in the Way of Truth, you should go cross the Sea of Truth. You will surely be able to reach a farther sea region."
"I was thinking the same."
Zhang Ruochen bowed to the gray-robed old man, then left the third layer of the Truth Divine Temple.
Arriving at the second layer of the Truth Divine Temple, Zhang Ruochen saw Feng Xi and Yan Shiju again, feeling somewhat puzzled.
As Divine Transmission Disciples, guarding the Truth Divine Temple should just be a task. It shouldn't take over a year, as that would be too much of a hindrance to cultivation.
In truth, Zhang Ruochen did not know that Feng Xi and Yan Shiju were also quite frustrated.
The two of them were originally only required to guard the Truth Divine Temple for three months before they could leave. However, because of Zhang Ruochen's variable, their master ordered that they could only leave after Zhang Ruochen finished his seclusion.
Thus, Feng Xi and Yan Shiju had stayed in the Truth Divine Temple for over a year.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen descend from the third floor of the temple, Feng Xi's eyes lit up. "I figured it was about time for you to come out. How many Truth Rules did you cultivate?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "The two realms of the Houtu Small World are too difficult to comprehend. Spending a year, I only managed to fully comprehend the first realm."
Hearing this, the Truth Divine Temple disciples behind Feng Xi and Yan Shiju all felt an urge to strangle Zhang Ruochen.
A year to fully comprehend the first realm of the Houtu Small World, and he still wasn't satisfied?
Even figures at the level of the Ten Great Divine Transmission Disciples had taken over ten years to comprehend the first realm of the Houtu Small World.
After a long pause, Feng Xi calmed her shock. "You can go cross the Sea of Truth. If you cross the fifth layer sea, you can gain another sixteen months of cultivation time. If you cross the sixth layer sea, you can gain another thirty-two months."
Clearly, Feng Xi believed Zhang Ruochen had a chance to cross the sixth layer sea.
After all, a being at the Fourth Step Saint King realm who had fully comprehended the first realm of the Houtu Small World was extremely rare. He might even create a miracle.
"I was thinking the same."
Zhang Ruochen left the Truth Divine Temple and headed straight for the Sea of Truth.
Yan Shiju glanced at Feng Xi. "Zhang Ruochen has come out of seclusion, so we can leave the Truth Divine Temple too. Want to go to the Sea of Truth and take a look?"
Unable to suppress her curiosity, Feng Xi nodded.
Zhang Ruochen arrived at the Sea of Truth discreetly, boarded a Truth Boat, and broke through the first four layers of the sea like a splitting bamboo, reaching the fifth layer sea.
A year ago, Zhang Ruochen had only managed to sail eight li into the fifth layer sea before losing control of the Truth Boat and falling into the sea.
But now, with the great effect of the Truth Rules, Zhang Ruochen sailed through the fifth layer sea not only at great speed but also quite steadily.
Zhang Ruochen easily reached the checkpoint of the fifth layer sea and saw the gatekeeper.
"Hengduan Tianlu."
Zhang Ruochen struck out with a move from the Luo Water Fist Art. The water in the sea immediately rose up, condensing into a water dragon that slammed into the gatekeeper, shattering its body into pieces.
With just one move, he passed the checkpoint.
Zhang Ruochen passed through the light curtain and arrived at the sixth layer sea.
...
...
Half an hour later, Zhang Ruochen reached the checkpoint of the sixth layer sea and began battling the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper of the sixth checkpoint was clearly much stronger than the one at the fifth. Zhang Ruochen had to strike out seventeen fist techniques before finally defeating it.
As Zhang Ruochen entered the seventh layer sea, cultivators on the shore of the Sea of Truth finally noticed him.
"Someone has entered the seventh layer sea."
"Who is that? Those who can enter the seventh layer sea are all extraordinary talents renowned across the myriad realms."
"It should be a leader from some powerful realm, but why does this person look somewhat unfamiliar?"
"Unfamiliar? Not likely! You don't even recognize him? That's Zhang Ruochen! He caused a bloodbath when he first arrived in the Truth Heaven Domain. The cultivators from the Yin-Yang Realm, Dark Demon Realm, and Ten Thousand Evil Realm were almost all killed by him. This is a truly terrifying ruthless character!"
"After lying low for over a year, Zhang Ruochen has appeared again."
"Zhang Ruochen? Impossible! Wasn't it said that he had just broken through to the Saint King realm? How could he have crossed to the seventh layer sea?"
...
...
The shore of the Sea of Truth erupted in chaos.
Especially after Zhang Ruochen's identity was confirmed, countless cultivators were stunned into silence, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Feng Xi muttered to herself, "He didn't even seem to use his full strength against the gatekeeper of the sixth layer sea. It seems I underestimated him. Zhang Ruochen's crossing of the Sea of Truth this time will likely shake the entire Truth Heaven Domain again. I wonder what chain reaction it will cause."