Chapter 1851: Enemies on a Narrow Road
Zhang Ruochen, carrying the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit, flew out of the Eastern Region Sacred City and arrived at an open wilderness.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen took out the Space Disorder Scroll, unfurled it, and waved it toward the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit.
"Master Chen, what kind of small favor is this? You could at least... say it... oh my mother... what the hell is this thing..."
The Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit, seeing the flying scroll, was startled. All its rabbit fur stood on end as it retreated like lightning.
"Whoosh."
From the scroll, thousands upon thousands of Space Inscription Runes surged out, merging with the world's rules. Immediately, the spatial structure began to change, and the earth's plates shifted continuously.
Moments later, within a radius of a hundred miles, everything transformed into a chaotic space.
The change came too suddenly, and the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit felt a pang of panic.
The Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit unleashed its ultimate speed, charging wildly through the chaotic space, trying to escape this bizarre place.
But it was useless. Even when it charged straight ahead, it eventually found itself circling back to the same spot.
"Thud."
The Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit plunged headfirst into the ground, burrowing deep into the earth, but after a few breaths, it burst back out to the surface.
It was as if, somewhere underground, the space had suddenly reversed.
"Master Chen, can we stop playing? I don't want the hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicine anymore!" the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit begged.
Zhang Ruochen, resting his chin on his hand, smiled. "If you can escape from this chaotic space, not only will I give you the hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicine, but I'll also give you this scroll."
"Really?"
The Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit wasn't stupid. It had already caught on, realizing that Zhang Ruochen was using it to test the scroll's power.
"Roar!"
The Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit's body swelled, becoming ferocious, emitting a surge of demonic aura as it transformed into a massive demon dragon.
In its demon dragon form, the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit's aura rivaled that of a cultivator at the Rule Grand Heaven realm.
"Boom."
The demon dragon charged toward Zhang Ruochen's position, attempting a forceful assault. But when it was still over ten miles away, it automatically veered to the right and began circling again.
It had immense power but couldn't use it.
The demon dragon tried to spit demonic flames to attack Zhang Ruochen from a distance, but the flames turned mid-air and landed on itself instead.
"Ah..."
After struggling for nearly an hour, the demon dragon, exhausted and panting, reverted to its rabbit form.
The Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit was covered in bruises, some patches of fur burned off, looking quite pathetic.
"I'm done, I'm done. Master Chen, let me out. I don't want anything anymore!" the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit said pitifully.
Zhang Ruochen could tell that the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit had indeed given its all, but it couldn't overcome the chaotic space. From this, he deduced that using the Space Disorder Scroll to trap a Nine-Step Saint King at the Rule Grand Heaven realm shouldn't be difficult.
Whether it would work against a Dao Domain realm expert was uncertain for now.
The greatest advantage of the Space Disorder Scroll was that it could create a chaotic space in an instant.
In contrast, if Zhang Ruochen set up a chaotic space formation on the spot, it would take a lot of time. In battle, how could an enemy give him the chance to set up a formation?
Zhang Ruochen's five fingers grasped the air, retrieving the Space Disorder Scroll floating in mid-air.
The surrounding spatial structure returned to normal.
The Space Inscription Runes on the scroll had faded somewhat. It could probably be used at most two more times before disappearing entirely.
"A Space Disorder Scroll has a lifespan of about three uses," Zhang Ruochen mused.
Zhang Ruochen waved at the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit. "I have two more types of scrolls here. Come help me test them."
"No, no, Master Chen. Find someone else. My cultivation is too low to test the power of your extraordinary scrolls," the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit said, backing away.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head gently.
The Space Shattering Scroll and the Space Teleportation Scroll both carried considerable danger, so Zhang Ruochen didn't dare let the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit test them recklessly.
Zhang Ruochen took out a Space Shattering Scroll and launched it, sending it ten thousand zhang into the sky.
"Boom."
The scroll exploded, releasing countless Space Inscription Runes.
Each Space Inscription Rune could tear open a space rift. Soon, a massive black hole appeared in the sky, causing the space within hundreds of miles to tremble.
In the distance, the Elephant-Swallowing Rabbit hid in the grass, staring at the dark hole in the sky, trembling all over. "Good thing I didn't agree, or else... or else... where would my life be? Does Master Chen think I've eaten too many sacred medicines and wants to cripple me? No, I need to prove to Master Chen that I'm not just a freeloader."
Zhang Ruochen watched the space rift in the sky, which took a long time to close, and smiled. "If the Space Shattering Scroll is triggered unexpectedly, it could pose a serious threat to a Dao Domain realm expert, or even kill them."
The intense spatial fluctuations attracted nearby Saint realm cultivators.
They thought a rare treasure had appeared and hid in the distance, watching, ready to seize the opportunity.
Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power and unexpectedly detected a familiar aura. His eyes narrowed sharply, and he used Space Displacement, disappearing from his spot.
Three hundred miles away.
Blood Hunter Hongdong, the Young Master of the War Hammer Palace, was hiding behind a stone mountain, staring intently at Zhang Ruochen, gritting his teeth with intense killing intent.
"Truly, enemies meet on a narrow road."
Blood Hunter Hongdong knew very well that Zhang Ruochen controlled the ancient inscriptions of the Eastern Region Sacred City. If Zhang Ruochen stayed inside the city, he would never have a chance for revenge.
But Zhang Ruochen had left the Eastern Region Sacred City alone, and he had encountered him.
This was a godsent opportunity!
Blood Hunter Hongdong took out a half-foot-long bronze flying sword, held it in his palm, and channeled sacred qi into it.
"Sizzle."
Flame patterns appeared on the sword's surface.
The bronze flying sword was a Seven-Shining Ten-Thousand-Pattern Sacred Artifact.
Even more impressive was that it contained Flowing Light Inscription Runes inside. The sword's speed, though far from light speed, could reach five hundred times the speed of sound.
If used for a surprise attack, even a Nine-Step Saint King at the Rule Grand Heaven realm would find it hard to dodge, likely suffering severe injury.
Blood Hunter Hongdong had fought Zhang Ruochen at the Divine Sword Sacred Land and knew that Zhang Ruochen's strength was slightly below that of a Rule Grand Heaven realm Nine-Step Saint King. He had only won by relying on a Supreme Sacred Artifact.
"Damn."
Blood Hunter Hongdong sensed a spiritual power sweep over him, and at the same time, Zhang Ruochen in the distance suddenly vanished.
"He must have discovered me."
Blood Hunter Hongdong turned to flee, but then saw Zhang Ruochen standing behind him with his hands clasped behind his back.
Blood Hunter Hongdong froze on the spot, his eyes cold and fierce. "We meet again! Why aren't you wearing a mask this time?"
"It seems you already know my identity," Zhang Ruochen said.
Blood Hunter Hongdong said, "At the Eastern Region Sacred Prince Manor, when you used the Supreme Sacred Artifact, I knew it was you who attacked me at the Divine Sword Sacred Land."
"Since you know my identity, you should understand my relationship with the Divine Sword Sacred Land. What you did at the Divine Sword Sacred Land must be settled," Zhang Ruochen said calmly.
Blood Hunter Hongdong wasn't afraid of Zhang Ruochen himself, but of the Supreme Sacred Artifact he wielded. So, not giving Zhang Ruochen a chance to take it out, he shot the bronze flying sword with a "whoosh."
The bronze flying sword was incredibly fast, but Zhang Ruochen's reaction speed was faster than Blood Hunter Hongdong had imagined.
Zhang Ruochen punched out, creating a brilliant fire cloud that collided with the bronze flying sword.
"Boom."
Zhang Ruochen took three steps back, then sank his left leg, transferring all the force from the bronze flying sword into the ground.
The ground beneath his left foot collapsed into a large pit.
The bronze flying sword was knocked flying.
"How is this possible?"
Blood Hunter Hongdong was stunned. At such close range, with such speed and power, Zhang Ruochen had effortlessly neutralized it.
Even he himself might not have been able to do that.
While Blood Hunter Hongdong was still in shock, Zhang Ruochen had already closed to within ten zhang of him. He struck out with a palm from a distance, sending a palm imprint dozens of meters long hurtling toward him.
"Penetrating Block Fist."
Blood Hunter Hongdong mobilized all his sacred qi and fist path rules, striking out with both fists to meet Zhang Ruochen's palm imprint, hoping to use his power advantage to push Zhang Ruochen back.
"Bang."
A violent, scorching force slammed into Blood Hunter Hongdong. Zhang Ruochen's palm power was more than twice as strong as he had anticipated.
Blood Hunter Hongdong's expression changed drastically as he retreated. With each step, the ground beneath him collapsed. He retreated hundreds of zhang before finally dissipating Zhang Ruochen's palm power.
He spat out a mouthful of sacred blood.
"Your... your cultivation has broken through?"
Blood Hunter Hongdong's eyes showed fear.
Last time, when they clashed with pure power, Blood Hunter Hongdong had the absolute advantage, suppressing Zhang Ruochen. But this time, Zhang Ruochen had injured him with just one palm.
In just a few days, even without the Supreme Sacred Artifact, Zhang Ruochen's combat power had far surpassed his.
Blood Hunter Hongdong didn't dare continue fighting. He took out a talisman, stuck it to himself, and turned into a streak of light, shooting into the clouds to escape.
"Running again?"
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly, about to use Great Space Teleportation to chase, when he suddenly sensed a dragon might in the clouds. He stopped, a smile appearing on his face.
"Boom."
From the clouds, a demon dragon as massive as a mountain range let out a long roar, striking out with a sharp dragon claw that slammed into Blood Hunter Hongdong, sending him flying backward.
"Kid, if Master Chen wants to keep you, how dare you try to escape?"
Guoguo, eager to prove to Zhang Ruochen that he wasn't just a freeloading glutton, put all his strength into attacking Blood Hunter Hongdong, beating the Young Master of the War Hammer Palace back step by step.
Blood Hunter Hongdong had the talisman to boost his speed.
But Guoguo, in his demon dragon form, was over twenty miles long and terrifyingly fast. No matter how Blood Hunter Hongdong tried to escape, he couldn't get out of Guoguo's claws.
The Saint realm cultivators hiding in the distance watched in fear.
"Zhang Ruochen has so many experts by his side. With him controlling the Eastern Region, our days will only get harder."
"With Blood Hunter Hongdong's strength being hunted down with no way to escape, if we want to throw our weight around in the Eastern Region, we'll have to think twice about whether we can handle Zhang Ruochen."
From the clouds came a thunderous roar, shaking the entire world.
"Get down here."
A pitch-black dragon claw pressed Blood Hunter Hongdong down from the sky to the ground, smashing him into the earth, sending thick dust flying everywhere.
...