# Chapter 1742: Blood and Tears
The group of angel clan cultivators fled in all directions under the pursuit of the three-legged corpse-eating insects, but the three-legged corpse-eating insects clung to them like stubborn maggots, burrowing into their bodies and devouring them wildly.
On the lake surface, spine-chilling screams echoed.
When the screams in midair disappeared, all the angel clan cultivators had been completely devoured by the three-legged corpse-eating insects.
"Whoosh."
From Zhang Ruochen's body, dozens of spiritual power avatars flew out, collecting all the sacred artifacts and storage vessels left behind by those angel clan cultivators.
They were all good items that could be sold for a considerable amount of sacred stones.
The divine demon mouse laughed loudly, saying, "Impressive, Black Lord and Dust Lord! You suppressed and killed sixteen Heavenly Realm experts without any effort at all. With such methods and such strength, I am truly awed beyond measure... Dust Lord, what are you..."
A spiritual power avatar retrieved the six severed body parts that had fallen into the lake and sent them before Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen placed his finger on the intact head and examined it: "The Qi Sea wasn't destroyed, the sacred soul has been preserved, and the life force hasn't been cut off. There might still be hope."
These six severed body parts belonged to a Kunlun Realm cultivator who had been killed by that Six-Step Saint King angel earlier.
However, this fellow was quite remarkable. Under the sword technique attack of a Six-Step Saint King, he had managed to avoid his Qi Sea and preserve the sacred soul within it.
Only by doing so did he have a chance to survive.
Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power, piecing the six severed body parts together, then took out the green lotus seed.
The lotus seed was greener than jade, radiating a dazzling green light.
Within the green light was contained a vast life force, enveloping the six severed body parts.
After a moment, the severed parts connected into one body. The life force within grew stronger and stronger, blood began to flow, and his eyes opened as he walked out from the green light.
This was a domain king of the imperial court whose cultivation had reached the Half-Saint King realm. Although his body had been severed, his sacred soul had remained clear-headed throughout. He had thought he would soon exhaust his life force and die, but he never expected Zhang Ruochen to save him.
At the Heavenly Net Dojo, this imperial domain king had once ostracized Zhang Ruochen, saying he was a traitor to the Kunlun Realm and unqualified to enter the Kunlun Realm's dojo. At this moment, his heart was filled with unspeakable shame.
How could a traitor to the Kunlun Realm possibly save him?
Zhang Ruochen's magnanimity made him feel extremely small.
"Thank you."
He bowed deeply to Zhang Ruochen, his heart no longer holding contempt or hostility, but instead filled with great admiration.
From now on, if anyone dared to call Zhang Ruochen a traitor to the Kunlun Realm, he would be the first to rush up and beat that person senseless.
Zhang Ruochen stared intently at the green lotus seed, a puzzled expression in his eyes.
Just now, when he had activated the power of the green lotus seed, Zhang Ruochen had vaguely felt a subtle tremor coming from the bottom of the lake.
That tremor had disappeared in an instant.
"Was it an illusion?"
Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power to probe the lake bottom, but found nothing at all.
"Whoosh—"
A sound of wind breaking.
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden, disguised as a man, caught up and appeared above Zhang Ruochen, speaking solemnly: "I have already used my Origin Divine Eye to observe. A quarter of the Heavenly Realm's Saint King realm experts in the Truth Heaven Domain are gathered in that illusion formation. Even if you go, you won't be able to save them. Instead, you'll only end up throwing yourself in."
"This matter doesn't seem to concern you," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden didn't know why she had come to stop this somewhat annoying fellow. She just felt that if Zhang Ruochen died here, she wouldn't be happy about it. Instead, she would feel like something was missing.
Perhaps it was because Zhang Ruochen was the first cultivator of the same realm to make her feel frustrated.
If Zhang Ruochen was going to be defeated or die, it had to be at her hands, beneath her sword.
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden lifted her chin and said, "Even if it were a dog, I wouldn't stand by and watch it go to its death, let alone a human. Of course, if you insist on going, please hand over that thing on you first. I don't want it falling into the hands of the Heavenly Realm after you die—that would be troublesome for me."
Zhang Ruochen didn't know whether the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden was referring to the "marriage contract" or the "Truth Esoterica."
If it was the "marriage contract," Zhang Ruochen had indeed considered handing it over to her now, since he really didn't have much confidence in this battle. If it was the "Truth Esoterica," Zhang Ruochen would never willingly hand it over even if he were beaten to death.
Xiao Hei, the True Marvel Little Daoist, and Ye Honglei all looked at Zhang Ruochen, waiting for him to make a decision.
Chi Wansui's arms were both crippled. He stood somewhat dazedly on the lake surface, staring at the Xumi Dojo formed by illusion techniques. It was as if he could see through the illusionary scene to the Kunlun Realm cultivators inside the illusion formation, who were surely being mercilessly suppressed by the Heavenly Realm cultivators, calling out to heaven but receiving no answer, calling out to earth but receiving no response.
The corners of Chi Wansui's mouth twitched continuously as he engaged in a fierce internal struggle.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, he bent his legs and knelt before Zhang Ruochen, his voice low and deep: "Zhang Ruochen, save the Kunlun Realm. Only you have the chance to save them now. If they all die in battle at the Xumi Dojo, the Kunlun Realm will truly be... finished!"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fixed on Chi Wansui's pale and dejected face.
For someone like him, a noble-born imperial clan descendant, to kneel before his own enemy was truly beyond Zhang Ruochen's expectations. Perhaps, in his heart, the life-and-death honor of the Kunlun Realm had already surpassed his own dignity and hatred.
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden rolled her eyes, thinking Chi Wansui was very naive, and said, "That place isn't the Xumi Dojo at all, but a trap formed by illusion techniques. Can Zhang Ruochen alone contend with the Heavenly Realm?"
The True Marvel Little Daoist said, "Zhang Ruochen, forget it. The Heavenly Realm is clearly trying to wipe out the Kunlun Realm. There's no need for us to jump into this trap."
The blood vessels in Chi Wansui's eyes seemed about to burst, as if blood tears would flow. He roared loudly: "I'm sorry, Zhang Ruochen... I'm sorry. The enmity between us, I shouldn't have... shouldn't have used those two children. If you have resentment, kill me. But you can't just stand by and watch those two children... also die in battle inside..."
How could Zhang Ruochen not hate Chi Wansui?
It was he who had instigated Chi Kunlun and Chi Kongle to kill Zhang Ruochen. How malicious was his intent? At that time, no one could understand the bitterness in Zhang Ruochen's heart.
But from another perspective, Chi Wansui's entire family had been killed by Zhang Ruochen. Wasn't his pain equally unbearable?
If not for the grudges of eight hundred years ago, there would be no opposing Chi Wansui and Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen struggled internally for a long time, then finally let out a deep shout: "Get up."
Zhang Ruochen extended a hand, grabbed Chi Wansui's shoulder, and lifted him up.
The moment he lifted him up, the power of the green lotus seed erupted once again, pouring into Chi Wansui's body.
"Sizzle sizzle."
Chi Wansui's two severed arms regrew, and even the injuries on his body healed rapidly. In just a few breaths, he had recovered to his peak state.
Including Chi Wansui, all the cultivators present were extremely shocked.
What kind of treasure was that? How could it be so heaven-defying?
"Your arms, I return them to you. I'll wait for you to come and take revenge. As long as you have the ability, my life is yours."
After saying this, Zhang Ruochen paid no further attention to the dazed Chi Wansui. Holding the Eight Dragon Umbrella in one hand and the Abyssal Ancient Sword in the other, he charged into the illusion formation.
"Young people are so impulsive. Fine, this emperor will go crazy with you one more time."
Xiao Hei spread his wings and also flew into the illusion formation, clearly intending to share Zhang Ruochen's fate.
The True Marvel Little Daoist sighed helplessly and said, "Let's consider it training in the mortal world. This poor Daoist will also fight until heaven and earth are turned upside down today."
Xie Chengzi, Chi Wansui, and the divine demon mouse successively charged into the illusion formation.
Ye Honglei also wanted to follow, but was grabbed by the wrist by the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden and held back.
"Since you're a sacred master of illusion techniques, why bother with fighting and killing? Come with this Heavenly Maiden. Let's go meet that big shot from the Heavenly Realm who set up this illusion formation. I'll also broaden your horizons."
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden didn't know whether it was because she wanted to train or because she found this matter very interesting, but in the end, she decided to get involved.
...
...
Inside the illusion formation.
The vast majority of Kunlun Realm cultivators lay in pools of blood. Some were trampled underfoot by dwarf clan cultivators holding war axes; some were on the verge of death with sorrowful expressions; some had already died completely, reduced to broken corpses.
This island had turned into scorched earth, stained with the blood and tears of Kunlun Realm cultivators.
They had come with surging battle intent, determined to reclaim the dojo that belonged to the Kunlun Realm. But upon entering the dojo, they discovered that a large number of Heavenly Realm experts had already been lying in ambush here. Every single one of them was a Saint King realm expert, and their numbers were more than ten times theirs.
A trap!
This was a trap that the Heavenly Realm had set up long ago!
The Kunlun Realm cultivators had not failed to anticipate such a situation. Therefore, at the first moment, Chi Kunlun had tried to communicate with Xumi Saint Monk's remnant soul to activate the Equality of All Beings.
If the Equality of All Beings could be activated, they would at least have a fighting chance, and the vast majority of cultivators should be able to escape.
But Xumi Saint Monk's divine power did not appear, and the Equality of All Beings did not activate either.
Without the empowerment of the Equality of All Beings, their strength compared to the Heavenly Realm was like fireflies compared to the bright moon. They suffered a crushing attack. Defeat and death had become inevitable.
Bu Qianfan was suppressed beneath a lightning net by three elf clan saint kings. His body was charred black from the lightning. He knelt on one knee, roaring unwillingly: "If the Equality of All Beings had been activated, at the same cultivation level, my halberd would surely have split all of you in half!"
A blue-clad female elf with extremely handsome features laughed: "There is no such 'if.' Cultivation realm is everything. Only the weak place their hopes on using the Equality of All Beings to defeat their opponents. Voluntarily write down the cultivation techniques and sacred arts you practice, and I will grant you a quick death."
Not far away, Gai Tianjiao was pierced through the chest and abdomen by a ten-thousand-pattern sacred artifact-level spear, pinned to the ground. A large amount of blood dripped from the wound onto the earth. An angel clan saint king was also demanding her cultivation techniques and sacred arts, questioning her about some secrets of the Kunlun Realm.