Chapter 1796: "Ten Clans of Hell Myriad Evil Record"
"Overestimating yourself."
Tian Mingzi stood at the center of the Black Tortoise phantom, ignoring the Butcher charging toward him.
The most formidable aspect of the Six Armor Cloud Devouring Formation was its defense—how could a crude, burly man possibly break through it?
"Black Tortoise Breaks the Void."
Tian Mingzi murmured softly.
On the surface of the Black Tortoise phantom, dense light patterns emerged. Then, it lifted a leg as thick as a pillar and stomped down toward the Butcher.
"Rustle, rustle."
The grass, trees, and broken stones around the Butcher were all blasted away.
Instead of retreating, the Butcher let out a loud laugh. Reaching out with one hand, a massive claw materialized, supporting the Black Tortoise phantom's foot.
"How is this possible?"
The four sons of Tianyuan within the Black Tortoise phantom were all stunned.
The Butcher swung his blade backhand, dragging out a river of light-like saber qi. With an unstoppable force, he slashed through the Black Tortoise phantom.
"Pfft."
Among the four sons of Tianyuan, Tian Jinzi, Tian Xuzi, and Tian Shangzi were instantly severed in two. Even Tian Mingzi, whose cultivation had reached the Nine-Step Saint King realm, was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into a great mountain dozens of miles away.
The Black Phoenix's beautiful eyes flickered with surprise. She hadn't expected the Butcher to be so powerful—a casual slash of his blade cut through the Six Armor Cloud Devouring Formation as easily as slicing vegetables.
"Haha! A bunch of clowns, utterly useless... utterly..."
Before the Butcher could finish his words, he fell backward onto the ground.
"What happened?"
The Black Phoenix thought the Butcher had been ambushed and immediately raised a defensive barrier of black flames, enveloping both herself and Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen said calmly, "No need to be so tense. He's afraid of blood."
The Black Phoenix's stunning eyes blinked a couple of times, unsure what to say. After a long pause, she said, "I'll deal with Tian Mingzi. Leave this place to you."
"Whoosh." The Black Phoenix vanished from the spot.
For cultivators at the Saint King level, being cut in two wasn't fatal as long as their Saint Soul remained intact. So, Zhang Ruochen condensed three sword auras and pierced through the foreheads of Tian Jinzi, Tian Xuzi, and Tian Shangzi before confidently walking over.
Taking out the Yin Bottle, Zhang Ruochen began collecting the remnants of their souls.
Shi Shenghua burst forth, rooting herself in the ground and absorbing the four Saint King corpses.
By the time the Black Phoenix returned, carrying the severely injured and unconscious Tian Mingzi, the four Saint corpses had turned into dried husks. A cold wind blew, and with a "crackling" sound, they crumbled into four piles of loose dirt.
"Thud."
The Black Phoenix threw Tian Mingzi to the ground and used a rope specially designed to restrain Saint Kings, locking it around his neck.
"Why keep him alive?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Black Phoenix's eyelashes curled upward, her long hair fluttering in the wind. She smiled, "Killing him outright would be too easy, wouldn't it? Besides, Tian Mingzi and his group are just pawns. There are powerful figures behind them. Trying to plant a Gu in me and make me, this young lady, a slave—they'll pay a heavy price."
Hearing the words "this young lady," Zhang Ruochen found it strange. The Black Phoenix hadn't referred to herself that way before.
Of course, given the Black Phoenix's cultivation and beauty, she was worthy of the title "Fairy."
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands behind his back and said, "Are you planning to escort him to the Merit Post Station and hand him over to the Heavenly Court and Merit Divine Temple for judgment?"
"Exactly."
The Black Phoenix added, "Colluding with beings from the Hell Realm and plotting against Heavenly Court comrades is a grave crime. Not only must Tian Mingzi die, but those behind him must die as well. Even the Tianyuan Divine Sect will have to pay a price."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze lingered on the Black Phoenix for a moment. "Fairy, you should change into a Saint robe first. Standing before me like this is too much of a disadvantage."
The Black Phoenix's silk dress was tattered, revealing large patches of snow-white, alluring skin.
"It's fine. Consider it repayment for saving me."
The Black Phoenix said boldly, even casting him a flirtatious glance, deliberately teasing him.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a smile, dragged the Butcher on the ground, turned, and walked away.
Encountering a woman as forward, bold, and straightforward as the Black Phoenix, Zhang Ruochen dared not provoke her at all. Once she got the wrong idea, it would likely end up hurting her.
*Once drunk, I whipped a famed steed; I fear too many loves will burden the beauties.*
"This cripple has too upright a character! A living, breathing, stunning beauty stands before him, and he just turns and walks away."
The Black Phoenix gently bit her full, red lips, watching Zhang Ruochen's limping figure, a ripple of laughter in her eyes.
"Whoosh."
A beam of white light descended from the sky, landing on the ground and condensing into a figure of unparalleled grace.
It was Bai Zhuque.
"Shi Kai saw Tian Mingzi captured and used Earth Element Escape Technique to flee. As long as they're on land, capturing or killing a Stone Clan cultivator is too difficult!"
Bai Zhuque's eyes still shimmered with the light of vengeance.
This time, she and the Black Phoenix had lost all face at the hands of Shi Kai.
If not for Zhang Ruochen's intervention, they might have fallen into irreversible disaster.
This grudge was as vast as the heavens.
Then, Bai Zhuque added, "But I've severely wounded Shi Kai. He shouldn't be able to cause trouble in the short term."
The Black Phoenix changed into an extremely ornate Thousand-Feather Phoenix Saint robe, radiant with five colors and a subtle fragrance, perfectly accentuating her celestial curves.
They say clothes make the man—or in this case, the woman. It was true.
The Black Phoenix already had an exceptional aura, and wearing this Saint robe made her even more breathtaking, like a Phoenix Heavenly Maiden descending to the mortal world.
Bai Zhuque's eyes showed a hint of surprise. "Senior Sister, this Thousand-Feather Phoenix Saint robe is too flashy. Didn't you say we should keep a low profile when traveling?"
The Black Phoenix ignored Bai Zhuque and spun around in front of Zhang Ruochen, her voice like silver bells. "Cripple, is this Saint robe beautiful?"
"Beautiful," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Black Phoenix asked, "Is the Saint robe more beautiful, or am I? You can only answer one."
Zhang Ruochen naturally didn't think that the Black Phoenix, a Saint King, would fall in love with a cripple she'd never seen the true face of just because he saved her once.
Clearly, she was treating him like an unromantic block of wood, deliberately trying to provoke him.
Zhang Ruochen played along, "You, of course."
"Hehe."
The Black Phoenix smiled charmingly. "Then, if this fairy gives you a chance to pursue me, would you take it?"
Bai Zhuque looked thoughtful, clearly wondering whether the Black Phoenix was joking or serious. She also considered whether to share her suspicions with the Black Phoenix.
"Fairy, stop teasing me. Let's head back to Luo City first."
Worried about the people in Luo City, Zhang Ruochen hurried back ahead.
The Black Phoenix wanted to follow but was stopped by Bai Zhuque, who used spiritual power to transmit some words to her.
"What? Him... is it possible? Doesn't seem like it. Legend says that Heir of Time and Space is handsome and one of the most outstanding rising stars in the Heavenly Court Myriad Realms. Countless proud daughters of heaven want to meet him. How could he be a cripple?"
"Maybe I'm wrong."
The Black Phoenix nodded slightly, thinking the cripple had only learned some spatial techniques and couldn't be the Heir of Time and Space, Zhang Ruochen. After all, his limp wasn't faked.
...
The next morning.
In Luo City, Zhang Ruochen, the Butcher, the Fool, the Black Phoenix, and Bai Zhuque gathered around a table laden with dishes and fine wine.
The Fool complained, "What a pity! I was so close, you know, just a hair's breadth away from completely taking down Qi Xiaotian. But the Undying Blood Clan's vitality is too strong, and Qi Xiaotian had a flask of Great Saint blood on him. Just as I'd beaten him to a pulp, he took a sip and healed completely."
The Butcher scoffed, "Qi Xiaotian is that weak, and you couldn't finish him off? How embarrassing. See how you explain yourself to the Heavenly Maiden when you get back."
The Fool retorted, "You're so strong, but you fainted without even throwing a punch! If you're afraid of blood, why not gouge out your eyes?"
"Damn you, Fool, have you been wanting to gouge out my eyes all along?"
...
Zhang Ruochen coughed twice, interrupting the quarreling Fool and Butcher. "You two seem very familiar with Qi Xiaotian. Who exactly is he?"
Zhang Ruochen asked this because he had encountered Yinghuo the night before.
The Butcher's voice was loud. "Qi Xiaotian is a Divine Son of the Qitian Tribe, one of the ten major tribes of the Undying Blood Clan. He holds a high status and is quite powerful."
Zhang Ruochen knew that not only did the Kunlun Realm's Undying Blood Clan have ten major tribes, but the Hell Realm's Undying Blood Clan also had ten.
Among the ten major tribes of the Hell Realm's Undying Blood Clan, the Qitian Tribe was the strongest.
"So it seems you don't have the 'Ten Clans of Hell Myriad Evil Record,' Cripple." The Black Phoenix smiled, her lips red and teeth white.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What is the 'Ten Clans of Hell Myriad Evil Record'?"
The Black Phoenix took out a cyan gem and handed it to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen channeled his spiritual power into the cyan gem, and before his eyes appeared figures and dense text descriptions.
Some figures were as tall as mountains, some resembled fierce ghosts, some had silver fleshy wings, and some were as beautiful as the nine fairies from the "Nine Immortal Beauties Chart."
The Black Phoenix said, "The 'Ten Clans of Hell Myriad Evil Record' documents the more powerful and promising Saint King-level cultivators among the ten clans of Hell. It includes their portraits, the techniques they cultivate, the weapons they use, and even their weaknesses."
"It also marks their danger levels."
"For example, Shi Kai, at the peak of the Eight-Step Saint King realm, has a danger level of four. Qi Xiaotian's danger level reaches five."
Inside the cyan gem, Zhang Ruochen discovered the seductive, enchanting figure of Rakshasa Princess Luo Sha. Her danger level was as high as seven. Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised—was the Rakshasa Princess really that dangerous?
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his spiritual power from the cyan gem. "This is truly a good thing."
The Black Phoenix said, "I'm giving it to you."
"Really?" Zhang Ruochen was a bit surprised.
The Black Phoenix said, "Such a precious treasure, and I didn't even bat an eye giving it to you. Don't you want to give me something in return?"
Zhang Ruochen immediately began searching his storage ring for a suitable item to exchange for the "Ten Clans of Hell Myriad Evil Record."
The Fool laughed, "Actually, it's not that precious. You can buy it at the Merit Post Station for just one Saint Stone."
The Butcher quickly tried to stop the Fool, but it was too late—the words had already slipped out.
The Black Phoenix's phoenix eyes glared at him. "If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute."
After hearing the Butcher's telepathic explanation, the Fool realized he had said something he shouldn't have. He quickly leaned toward Zhang Ruochen and whispered, "Just now... that... I was talking nonsense. Don't take it seriously. It's a good thing, very precious. I dare say you couldn't buy it for a hundred million Saint Stones."
The Black Phoenix's eyes were practically shooting flames. Where did this fool come from? How annoying!
"Found it!"
Zhang Ruochen didn't care about the true value of the "Ten Clans of Hell Myriad Evil Record." He wanted to befriend the Black Phoenix and Bai Zhuque, two powerful allies. He took a small wooden bottle from his space ring and handed it over.