# Chapter 1840: Seeing Liuli Again
A Formation Earth Master, below the Great Saint realm, could be considered an invincible existence.
The sudden appearance of Murong Fengye did not cause Divine Cliff Master to lose his composure; he merely felt that this would delay him a little more time.
Divine Cliff Master let out a light snort: "There really are quite a few people in the Kunlun Realm who aren't afraid of death. Don't you know that when you encounter a Formation Earth Master, you should stay far away?"
The war robe on Murong Fengye's armor fluttered in the wind, making a rustling sound. He said, "After today, you will understand a truth—when you encounter me, you are the one who should stay far away."
Below the Great Saint realm, this was the first cultivator who dared to speak to him in such a tone. Divine Cliff Master was so angry he laughed: "The Kunlun Realm has no Formation Earth Masters, so you don't know how formidable one can be. I understand, I understand. Today, I will let you know just how ignorant you are."
"Seven Stars Burying the Moon."
Divine Cliff Master's hands formed complex finger seals.
Instantly, seven dazzling stars flew out from between his eyebrows and hovered above the sea.
The volume of each star was at least as large as a palace. The largest one was like a meteor suspended in midair, exuding a suffocatingly heavy aura.
In reality, the full size of the seven stars was not completely revealed.
Each of their true bodies was no smaller than the Eastern Domain Sacred City.
"Divine power... the seven stars are all emitting divine power, they are..."
Murong Fengye's expression turned solemn as he sensed the surrounding space becoming as heavy as iron.
With his level of cultivation, he still felt as if he were trapped in a swamp, every movement becoming extremely difficult. The fire lion beast beneath him grew restless and uneasy, sensing an unprecedented dangerous aura.
Divine Cliff Master laughed heartily: "These seven stars are all Divine Throne Planets, which I purchased at great expense from various sacred markets. Using these seven Divine Throne Planets as formation foundations, I inscribed the formation inscriptions of a ninth-grade formation, connecting them into a single whole."
"When the seven stars combine, the power they unleash, even if it cannot compare to a True God's Divine Throne that illuminates the universe, is enough to sweep away everything below the Great Saint realm."
"No matter how many experts come, they are nothing but chickens and dogs, easily crushed."
A Formation Earth Master could sometimes determine the outcome of a Merit Battle—this statement was not an exaggeration.
To ordinary cultivators, Divine Cliff Master, having activated the seven Divine Throne Planets, appeared no different from a god.
The difference was that a god's Divine Throne Planet could illuminate the cosmic sea of stars, while his seven Divine Throne Planets could only shine over tens of thousands of miles.
Even if thousands of Saint Kings attacked him at this moment, they would likely gain no advantage.
"Not necessarily."
The sacred qi within Murong Fengye's body surged like a torrent, rushing toward the sky and crashing into the clouds.
"Boom."
The clouds ignited, turning a fiery red.
At the center of the fire clouds, a supreme power erupted, its aura spreading across the entire Eastern Domain Sacred City. Slowly, a nine-legged ancient cauldron flew out from the fire clouds, its massive size shaking the heavens and earth.
On the cauldron's body, nine phoenix patterns appeared, so lifelike they seemed like nine ancient divine phoenixes sealed within, about to burst out.
Many cultivators in the Eastern Domain Sacred City saw the nine-legged ancient cauldron, and exclamations rang out one after another.
"The Nine Phoenix Cauldron... it's the Nine Phoenix Cauldron! I never thought this Supreme Sacred Artifact would appear again in the Eastern Domain Sacred City. Which powerful figure from the Black Market has arrived?"
"There are fewer than five people in the entire Black Market who can activate the Nine Phoenix Cauldron to such an extent."
...
The Nine Phoenix Cauldron was the battle weapon of one of the Nine Emperors from eight hundred years ago, the "Evil Emperor." After Empress Chi Yao killed the Evil Emperor, she sealed the Nine Phoenix Cauldron inside the Holy Mountain of the Eastern Domain Sacred Academy. Later, it was plotted and taken by figures like Nine Abyss Sword Saint, Illusion Saint, and the Master of the Black Market First Class Hall, and brought back to the Black Market.
Murong Fengye was well aware of the complex situation in the Eastern Domain Sacred City, so he had borrowed the Nine Phoenix Cauldron before coming.
Murong Fengye's cultivation was already extremely formidable, with unparalleled combat power, capable of briefly exchanging blows with a Great Saint. With the aid of a Supreme Sacred Artifact, he was like a tiger with wings, completely unafraid of Divine Cliff Master.
Jiang Yunchong appeared behind Divine Cliff Master, his long hair flying as he raised six cities with both hands.
The six cities were forged from sacred iron, and within each city sat a Great Saint's corpse, providing an endless stream of energy to the city. The six cities combined with his Six Harmonies Method, slowly rotating around him.
"Divine Cliff Master, today I will make you understand that after coming to the Kunlun Realm, even an Earth Master must keep a low profile, or else death awaits." Jiang Yunchong gritted his teeth and struck out with the six cities, attacking Divine Cliff Master.
At the same time, Murong Fengye pushed the Nine Phoenix Cauldron to its limit. The cauldron's body slammed downward, and nine fire phoenixes rushed out from within, emitting cries that echoed for ten thousand miles.
"Boom."
Under the combined attack of two top experts like Murong Fengye and Jiang Yunchong, even Divine Cliff Master had to take them seriously. His expression turned extremely grave as he manipulated the seven Divine Throne Planets to counterattack.
The battle fluctuations were incredibly fierce, shaking the entire Eastern Domain Sacred City.
...
...
The Xinhuo Tower had three hundred and thirty-three floors. At its center was a courtyard well, running from the bottom of the tower to the top.
In the courtyard well burned the Xinhuo.
The more fiercely the Xinhuo burned, the more ancient inscriptions were activated.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen used the Town Pattern Pearl to suppress the Xinhuo firmly below the first floor of the tower.
As a fifty-eighth-level Spiritual Power Saint King, Zhang Ruochen's Heavenly Eye could see Jiang Yunchong, Murong Fengye, and Divine Cliff Master locked in fierce battle thousands of miles away.
"Divine Cliff Master's strength is too terrifying. I must suppress the Xinhuo and prevent him from mobilizing the ancient inscriptions for his own use."
"Whoosh—"
Zhang Ruochen sensed a faint sacred dao fluctuation behind him, rapidly approaching.
The person carried thick killing intent, thrusting a sword light toward Zhang Ruochen's back. In an instant, sword qi filled the tower, accompanied by the clattering sound of swords.
Zhang Ruochen initially intended to summon the Abyssal Ancient Sword to kill the approaching person, but upon recognizing their identity, he held back.
"Bang."
The tip of the sacred sword struck Zhang Ruochen's back.
Zhang Ruochen stood motionless, his armor blocking all the force.
The armor generated a powerful counter-shock force, sending the beautiful figure flying backward.
The beautiful figure wore palace attire, appearing to be twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old. She had sapphire-blue hair and a cold, proud expression on her face.
When she saw Zhang Ruochen's profile, she froze for a moment, then said, "Zhang Ruochen?"
A bitter smile appeared on Zhang Ruochen's face as he turned around, his expression very complex. "Junior pays respects to Sacred Lord Liuli."
The palace-dressed beauty was none other than the new-generation Sacred Lord of the Chen Clan, Chen Liuli.
Of course, she had another identity—the princess consort of the Qian Water Commandery, the mother of Huang Yanchen.
Meeting Zhang Ruochen again, Chen Liuli's heart was filled with a mix of emotions. She had many things she wanted to say but couldn't utter a single word. Once, this young man before her had been the son-in-law she admired and was most proud of.
Now, things had changed, leaving only an entanglement of gratitude and grievances that was hard to distinguish.
Chen Liuli said, "Did the ancestor die by your hand? Have you come back for revenge?"
"Revenge? What revenge?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Does Sacred Lord Liuli think that because your daughter stabbed me with that sword back then, I would have to destroy the entire Chen Clan to vent my hatred? I consider myself someone who distinguishes between gratitude and grievances. I'm not that ruthless."
"No... Zhang Ruochen, why are you here? Who killed the ancestor?" Chen Liuli asked.
Zhang Ruochen did not blame Chen Liuli. After all, Chen Yuhua's corpse was lying outside. Any cultivator who saw him in the Xinhuo Tower would likely think he was the murderer.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If I said that Senior Chen Yuhua did not die by my hand, would Sacred Lord Liuli believe me?"
"I would," Chen Liuli said.
Zhang Ruochen showed a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Chen Liuli said, "Yanchen would not misjudge a person. I trust her."
"Don't mention her in front of me. We are already strangers. Favor has been severed, love has been broken." Zhang Ruochen averted his gaze, looking outside the tower.
No one could understand the pain in his heart. Hearing Huang Yanchen's name was like a sharp thorn stabbing into his heart.
Letting go—how easy was that?
After a long silence, Zhang Ruochen said, "Senior came here to seek help, didn't you?"
"Yes."
Chen Liuli nodded.
Then, despair appeared in her eyes.
The main city of the Eastern Domain Sacred King Manor was under attack by a large number of Otherworldly sacred realm cultivators, on the verge of destruction.
Chen Liuli had fought through a narrow escape from death to break out of the encirclement and come here, hoping to ask Chen Yuhua to activate the Xinhuo Tower and use the ancient inscriptions to kill the invading enemies.
Chen Yuhua was the Chen Clan's number one expert and their last hope.
The moment she saw Chen Yuhua's corpse, Chen Liuli's heart sank to the bottom. She knew the Chen Clan was finished, with no hope left.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Xinhuo Token, holding it in his hand, and said, "Before his death, Senior Yuhua passed the Xinhuo Token to me, making me the King of the Eastern Domain."
A glimmer of light appeared in Chen Liuli's despairing eyes. "Quickly use the Xinhuo Token to activate the Xinhuo Tower, mobilize the ancient inscriptions, and suppress the chaos in the Eastern Domain Sacred City."
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "One's Spiritual Power must reach the fifty-ninth level to activate the Xinhuo Tower."
In the entire Kunlun Realm, cultivators with Spiritual Power reaching the fifty-ninth level could be counted on ten fingers.
At this critical moment, where could they find such a person?
"It seems heaven wants to destroy the Chen Clan, heaven wants to destroy the Eastern Domain." Chen Liuli laughed bitterly, a layer of mist forming in her eyes.
At this moment, the disciples of the Chen Clan were being mercilessly slaughtered by the enemy, yet she could do nothing to change it.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Since I am now the King of the Eastern Domain, I will never allow anyone to run rampant on my territory. I will go with you to the main city of the Eastern Domain Sacred King Manor."
"You?" Chen Liuli said.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Does Senior doubt my strength?"
Chen Liuli's gaze softened a little, and she said earnestly, "Don't go to your death. Before they take control of the Zhou Tian Grand Formation and the ancient inscriptions, quickly escape from the Eastern Domain Sacred City."
Having said this, Chen Liuli walked out of the tower with a resolute expression.
Zhang Ruochen gazed at her back. He had to admit, just from behind, Chen Liuli and Huang Yanchen looked very similar. He asked, "Why doesn't Senior flee?"
"The Eastern Domain Sacred King Manor is my home. I will live and die with it."
Chen Liuli did not look back.
Facing the impending death, she seemed completely unafraid.
"With such a group of cultivators with firm resolve, the Kunlun Realm will eventually rise again one day," Zhang Ruochen said.
The next moment, Chen Liuli retreated back into the Xinhuo Tower, a look of panic on her face. "They're here. Zhang Ruochen, run quickly."
"They're... here?"
Zhang Ruochen remained calm and composed, looking out of the tower.
He saw gloomy ghost mist surging in from the night, rushing into the Spirit Mountain, and soon surrounding the Xinhuo Tower. The ghost mist swirled around the tower, and from within came the howling of thousands of ghost souls, sending chills down one's spine.