# Chapter 1842: Do You Want to Die, or Do You Want to Live?
A powerful being like the Six Calamity Ghost King had been instantly killed under Zhang Ruochen's sword, causing the other ghost kings to become extremely wary.
They possessed high intelligence, knowing how to avoid danger and seek advantage, and no longer dared to engage Zhang Ruochen alone, fearing they would be picked off one by one.
"You have finally unleashed the power of time. Truly extraordinary."
Da Xi Wang's face remained calm, but inwardly, she was not without disturbance.
One must understand that subduing a ghost king was no easy task.
Especially a Six Calamity Ghost King—such beings were not easily tamed. Most were cultivated from a weak state, requiring massive resources to be poured in.
Every fallen Six Calamity Ghost King represented a loss of billions of sacred stones.
Da Xi Wang tried her best to remain composed. Her pitch-black pupils manifested two divine seals as she carefully observed Zhang Ruochen's every move, searching for flaws in his Time Sword Art.
At the same time, she issued new orders to the ghost kings, "Enter formation positions."
Led by the four Six Calamity Ghost Kings, the remaining forty-plus ghost kings stepped into mysterious footwork, taking their places at various nodes of the ghost formation.
The ghost qi within their bodies surged forth, merging with the formation's inscription patterns.
Instantly, the pressure on Zhang Ruochen increased dramatically.
"Da Xi Wang is truly formidable. Controlling dozens of powerful ghost kings single-handedly, she can mobilize more power than many ancient sect leaders."
One person, equivalent to an entire sect.
The forty-plus ghost kings channeled their ghost qi toward the center of the formation.
Then, a blood-colored millstone condensed, emitting a humming sound like a star turning.
"Zhang Ruochen, if you submit now, there is still a chance to survive. Otherwise, when the World-Destroying Millstone flies out, you will be reduced to blood paste within it, your divine form annihilated."
Da Xi Wang controlled the blood-colored millstone with one hand, its blood light reflecting on her crystal-clear face, revealing an eerie crimson.
Zhang Ruochen possessed the Five Elements Chaos Body and was the Heir of Time and Space. Such an exceptionally talented individual was not encountered every day. Compared to killing Zhang Ruochen, Da Xi Wang would rather subdue him for her own use.
The World-Destroying Millstone was one of Da Xi Wang's most important trump cards, capable of easily grinding down Nine-Step Saint Kings.
For this reason, before unleashing the World-Destroying Millstone, Da Xi Wang was especially cautious.
The World-Destroying Millstone spun, turning the ghost formation into a vortex, sending sand and stones flying. Zhang Ruochen thrust the Abyssal Ancient Sword into the ground to barely stabilize himself.
Zhang Ruochen laughed. "I'll give you a chance too. Submit to me, and there will be a chance to survive."
Da Xi Wang did not believe Zhang Ruochen possessed the power to break the World-Destroying Millstone. Her gaze was indifferent. "If you have any other tricks, go ahead and use them. If I cannot withstand them, I will die without complaint."
"Good."
Zhang Ruochen channeled all the sacred qi within his body toward his left leg.
"Sizzle, sizzle."
His left leg turned red-hot like a burning iron pillar, manifesting over ten thousand rule patterns.
With a thunderous roar, a ring of fire waves surged outward from beneath Zhang Ruochen's foot, causing the ghost formation to tremble violently.
Da Xi Wang sensed a vast divine might emanating from Zhang Ruochen, and her expression changed dramatically.
That divine might was extremely similar to the divine might of the Flame God, almost identical.
"So you were the one in the Heavenly Absolute Pavilion. All that talk about the Flame God's secret disciple was a deception."
Da Xi Wang did not know exactly what power Zhang Ruochen had activated, but she could clearly feel an extremely dangerous aura. So she hesitated no longer and, together with the forty-two ghost kings, launched the World-Destroying Millstone.
"God Stomps Nine Heavens."
Zhang Ruochen raised his left leg, not only activating the power of the Blazing God Leg but also unleashing the mid-rank leg technique sacred art he had recently mastered.
"Boom."
As his foot came down, a mountain-toppling, sea-overturning divine power surged outward, crushing the ghost formation to pieces.
The forty-two ghost kings within the formation let out miserable screams. Their ghost bodies shattered, and then they were struck by the blazing qi, burned until their souls scattered. Only the four Six Calamity Ghost Kings barely managed to preserve their lives, but all were severely injured.
Da Xi Wang had a protective treasure hanging at her slender waist, shaped like a ruyi scepter.
When the flame divine power struck her, the ruyi manifested a layer of white light, protecting her. Thus, Da Xi Wang only suffered minor injuries and quickly stabilized herself.
When Da Xi Wang saw that dozens of ghost kings she had painstakingly cultivated had been killed or crippled by Zhang Ruochen's single stomp, she could no longer remain calm. She gritted her teeth. "Today, I will extract your sacred soul and refine it into a battle soul to make up for my losses."
"Battle soul? Such authority, fairy." Zhang Ruochen said.
Da Xi Wang's full chest rose and fell gently. She snorted. "How can you use the Flame God's power?"
"If you submit to me, I will tell you." Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhang Ruochen's greatest enemy at present was undoubtedly Shang Zi.
Capturing Da Xi Wang would become his trump card against Shang Zi.
In the struggle between Zhang Ruochen and Shang Zi, Shang Zi had always taken the initiative, continuously making moves, while Zhang Ruochen could only passively respond, barely escaping death each time.
This time, Zhang Ruochen wanted to seize the initiative and become the one making the moves.
Zhang Ruochen gently raised his left leg.
Across from him, Da Xi Wang quickly retreated dozens of zhang, putting a long distance between herself and Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is the fairy so afraid of my leg?"
In truth, Zhang Ruochen was not very satisfied with that previous stomp. It had failed to kill the four Six Calamity Ghost Kings and had allowed Da Xi Wang to escape.
At the end of the day, it was because his cultivation was not strong enough.
Moreover, he had only refined over ten thousand of the red rule patterns in his left leg, far from unleashing the true power of the Blazing God Leg.
But in Da Xi Wang's eyes, that stomp was extraordinary, already comparable to a strike from a Dao Domain realm cultivator, making her extremely wary.
"No wonder Shang Zi has always regarded you as a great enemy. It seems I have underestimated you."
Da Xi Wang took out a talisman, pinching it between two slender jade-like fingers. "This talisman, I had intended to use against a Dao Domain realm enemy. Now, I can only use it on you."
The talisman burned, transforming into a fireball.
Within the fireball was a skull.
The skull released a sinister power, directly attacking Zhang Ruochen's sacred soul, causing his vision to go dark as if he had fallen into hell. His body grew increasingly numb and cold.
The flame skull flew to the top of Zhang Ruochen's head, opening its skeletal mouth, attempting to devour his sacred soul.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen raised his head. The Space-Time Divine Martial Mark on his forehead spun rapidly, and he let out a long roar. Accompanied by the roar, Purifying Divine Flame spewed from his mouth, striking the flame skull.
The flame skull was shattered into pieces, annihilated in the air.
"Attacking my sacred soul again? Was the last lesson not enough?"
Zhang Ruochen roared, executing Spatial Displacement, appearing before Da Xi Wang, his hand reaching for her snow-white, slender neck.
Da Xi Wang faced such a crisis for the first time. Her face turned slightly pale as she executed a movement martial technique, rapidly retreating backward. She was not only a fifty-ninth level spiritual power saint king but also had reached the Eight-Step Saint King realm in martial arts.
However, to Da Xi Wang's shock, no matter how fast she retreated, Zhang Ruochen's hand was like a clinging curse, getting closer and closer.
"Mm... Zhang Ruo... Ruochen..."
Caught!
Zhang Ruochen showed no trace of chivalrous tenderness. Like grabbing a civet cat, he seized Da Xi Wang's neck and lifted her entire body off the ground. His five fingers locked onto the sacred meridians and energy channels at her neck, preventing the sacred qi within her body from circulating normally.
"Release Xi Wang!"
"Die!"
...
Two severely injured Six Calamity Ghost Kings charged from behind. When they were still ten zhang away from Zhang Ruochen, they launched ghost artifacts.
"Boom."
Zhang Ruochen's left hand struck out.
A massive dragon shadow surged forth, sending the two Six Calamity Ghost Kings flying backward. Their ghost bodies exploded, suffering even more severe injuries.
"If you dare act recklessly again, I will snap her neck right now."
Zhang Ruochen held Da Xi Wang aloft in midair, her toes barely touching the ground, her long hair cascading down like that of a stunningly beautiful female ghost.
Da Xi Wang struggled incessantly, swinging her crystal sacred staff to attack Zhang Ruochen.
"Bang."
Zhang Ruochen exerted force with his arm, slamming Da Xi Wang heavily to the ground. The ground cracked open with countless fissures.
A painful moan escaped Da Xi Wang's lips. Her delicate body went limp, all the sacred qi and spiritual power within her shaken apart, leaving her unable to counterattack.
The four severely injured Six Calamity Ghost Kings surrounded them, their gazes fixed solemnly on Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Yi Emperor Bone Staff and tossed it out. "They're yours."
From the Yi Emperor Bone Staff came an extremely sinister laugh. It transformed into a black skeleton, charging excitedly toward the four Six Calamity Ghost Kings.
Now, the evil spirit's strength was enough to contend with a Nine-Step Saint King of the Rule Grand Heaven realm. Dealing with four severely injured Six Calamity Ghost Kings was naturally more than sufficient.
Zhang Ruochen wrapped his arm around Da Xi Wang's slender waist, tucking her under his arm, and charged into the Xinhuo Tower.
"Bang."
He used the Saint-Binding Lock to bind her, then threw her out, sending her falling down to the bottom of the courtyard well.
Zhang Ruochen held one end of the Saint-Binding Lock in one hand and the Abyssal Ancient Sword in the other, pointing it at Da Xi Wang's brow. "Do you want to die, or do you want to live?"
Da Xi Wang's lips were stained with crimson blood. Her exquisitely beautiful face was covered in dust, but her gaze remained cold. Weakly, she said, "Die... kill me quickly... unless you don't dare?"
Zhang Ruochen knew that Da Xi Wang was deliberately seeking death.
After all, for a woman as beautiful as a celestial maiden to fall into an enemy's hands, she could never again live as gloriously as before.
Death would be liberation.
"Since you want to die, I will make you live instead. But how you live will be up to me. For example, sending you to the lowest brothel in the Kunlun Realm, or stripping you of your magnificent robes and bringing you before Shang Zi, enslaving you with the most humiliating methods... Are you afraid?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Toward his enemies, Zhang Ruochen showed no mercy.
Da Xi Wang's eyes flashed with cold light, both angry and somewhat fearful.
Zhang Ruochen continued, "Of course, if you are willing to submit to me, or do one thing for me, I can let you live gloriously, or die gloriously."
"What thing?" Da Xi Wang asked.