Chapter 1870: Submission
"Ally?"
Shenya Xiansheng was taken aback, his gaze shifting toward Zhang Ruochen and Tianchu Xianzi. He suddenly realized that Ji Fanxin's arrival might not be as simple as it seemed.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and raised his voice, "With such a renowned reputation, Shenya Xiansheng, why do you always enjoy engaging in shady dealings? The Hundred Flowers Fairy is my close companion, and we share a deep bond. I suggest you don't set your sights on her."
Shenya Xiansheng's eyes gradually turned cold and stern. "The fairy should know to read the situation. Surely, she wouldn't oppose me, would she?"
Ji Fanxin shot Zhang Ruochen a glance before saying, "If you leave Zhanhun Star now, naturally, we won't be enemies."
"And if I insist on taking Zhang Ruochen and Tianchu Tiannu with me?"
Shenya Xiansheng sneered, his spiritual power surging forth, swirling above his head into a cloud shaped like a formation. A powerful aura radiated, forming a suffocating pressure that enveloped the area, seemingly threatening Ji Fanxin. If she dared to interfere, she would face a thunderous assault.
"Then we will be enemies," Ji Fanxin said calmly, unfazed.
"Very well, the fairy has courage. I hope you won't regret this decision later."
Without another word, Shenya Xiansheng raised both hands.
"Rumble."
The ground shook violently as nine hills, each over six hundred meters tall, erupted from beneath the earth, enclosing Zhang Ruochen, Ji Fanxin, and the cultivators from Tianchu Civilization. The peaks of the nine hills glowed with dazzling light, and streaks of light patterns connected, forming formation inscriptions.
"Deploying a formation so quickly—it seems Shenya Xiansheng's mastery of formations has truly reached a world-altering level."
Zhang Ruochen's expression grew serious. He lacked confidence in Ji Fanxin's ability to withstand Shenya Xiansheng, so he opened the world gate of Qiankun Realm and summoned Zhenmiao Xiaodaoren. The little Daoist was highly skilled in formations and might be able to counter Shenya Xiansheng to some extent.
Seeing the nine hills rising from the ground, Zhenmiao Xiaodaoren and Ji Fanxin almost simultaneously recognized it. "The Mountain-Sea Heart-Filling Formation."
Shenya Xiansheng rose into the air, standing atop the formation cloud in the sky, looking down with a proud tone. "The fairy can still regret this now."
Ji Fanxin remained as calm as water. "Though the Mountain-Sea Heart-Filling Formation is powerful, it requires spiritual power to activate. Suppress your spiritual power, and the formation loses its might."
Shenya Xiansheng laughed. "Does the fairy think a formation master's spiritual power is weak? Unless it's a Spiritual Power Great Saint, no one can suppress my spiritual power. Unfortunately, Kunlun Realm has no Spiritual Power Great Saint."
"Let me try."
Ji Fanxin soared into the air on a rain of petals, a lotus mark appearing on her brow. The light from the lotus mark illuminated the entire Zhanhun Star, its formidable aura shaking the formation cloud beneath Shenya Xiansheng's feet.
Initially, a smile lingered on Shenya Xiansheng's face. Gradually, it faded, replaced by gravity, as he had to fully engage in countering Ji Fanxin's spiritual power attack, leaving him no energy to control the Mountain-Sea Heart-Filling Formation.
This was the first time Zhang Ruochen had seen Ji Fanxin go all out. Her spiritual power was terrifying.
The Fool laughed. "The Hundred Flowers Fairy truly lives up to her reputation as a Nether Ancient Illumination Lotus, able to stand up to Shenya Xiansheng. Should we strike now and eliminate this great enemy?"
"What are we waiting for? Attack."
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Abyssal Ancient Sword, channeling the Sword Eight's sword intent into the blade. The sword transformed into a black beam, slashing toward Shenya Xiansheng in midair.
"How dare you!"
Laiwangren acted, producing a wheel-shaped sacred artifact that clashed with the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
"Bang."
The Abyssal Ancient Sword, now a Seven-Shine Ten-Thousand-Pattern Sacred Artifact of exceptional sharpness, struck out, cracking the wheel-shaped artifact and nearly destroying it.
Laiwangren's expression changed. He quickly unleashed five more sacred artifacts, each of considerable rank.
As Zhang Ruochen and Laiwangren clashed, the Blood Bee Shura King emerged from the blood mist, surrounded by nearly a thousand Blood Emperor Bees. Four other figures appeared: Dizu Taizi, Yue Gongming, the Fourteenth Prince, and Shiqing Shenzi. None had escaped. Dozens of Blood Emperor Bees clung to each of them.
The Blood Bee Shura King had clearly recognized that the Hundred Flowers Fairy's spiritual power was formidable. If she and Zhang Ruochen killed Shenya Xiansheng, he would be at a disadvantage. In a three-way struggle, balance was key. In that balance, he sought an opportunity to eliminate the other two sides entirely.
"Luo Ji, if you want them to live, have Zhang Ruochen hand over the Supreme Sacred Artifact," the Blood Bee Shura King said.
Dizu Taizi, the Fourteenth Prince, and Shiqing Shenzi were severely injured and disheveled, looking at Tianchu Xianzi with pleading eyes. They weren't afraid of death, but they refused to die on Zhanhun Star. Their talents were exceptional, with the potential to become Great Saints, and their futures were boundless.
Tianchu Xianzi's brows furrowed deeply. "Blood Bee Shura King, you've misunderstood something. I am me, and Zhang Ruochen is Zhang Ruochen. If you want the Supreme Sacred Artifact, come and take it with your own strength. Don't expect me to retrieve it for you. That's impossible."
"Impossible?"
The Blood Bee Shura King snapped his fingers.
"Ah..."
The Fourteenth Prince's scream rang out as dozens of Blood Emperor Bees burrowed into his body, draining his blood. His spiritual will was suppressed by the Blood Bee Shura King's spiritual power, preventing him from even self-destructing his sacred source.
Before Tianchu Xianzi and the others' eyes, the Fourteenth Prince's body grew riddled with holes, becoming increasingly shriveled. Finally, even his sacred source and sacred soul were devoured by a Blood Emperor Bee.
Even the arrogant Dizu Taizi and Shiqing Shenzi trembled, their faces turning pale.
Zhang Ruochen controlled the Abyssal Ancient Sword in his clash with Laiwangren, then turned to glare at the Blood Bee Shura King. Though he had no fondness for the Fourteenth Prince, seeing a Heavenly Realm divine son, who once commanded the world, die in an instant, stirred something within him.
"Blood Bee Shura King, with your strength, if you want the Supreme Sacred Artifact, why resort to such lowly tactics? Aren't you afraid of tarnishing your reputation?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The Blood Bee Shura King wasn't afraid of Zhang Ruochen and the others; in fact, he didn't consider them a threat at all. He was worried that killing Zhang Ruochen and Tianchu Xianzi would disrupt the balance among the three factions. Then, Shenya Xiansheng and Ji Fanxin might stop fighting and deal with him first.
Thus, the Blood Bee Shura King only needed to restrain Zhang Ruochen and Tianchu Xianzi for now, waiting until Shenya Xiansheng and Ji Fanxin resolved their conflict—preferably with both sides weakened—before making his move.
Ignoring Zhang Ruochen, the Blood Bee Shura King pointed at Dizu Taizi. "Kneel and submit to me, or the Fourteenth Prince's fate will be yours."
"You... I, the Crown Prince..."
Dizu Taizi gritted his teeth, his pride forbidding him from submitting to any being.
"Kneel!"
The Blood Bee Shura King roared, shaking Dizu Taizi's sacred soul nearly to the point of shattering. Dizu Taizi felt a Blood Emperor Bee crawling on his brow, followed by the pain of its bite.
"Thud."
Dizu Taizi fell to his knees, drenched in cold sweat. His unwillingness and fear of death crushed his pride.
"Spare... spare my life... I can... I can submit to you..." Dizu Taizi said, trembling.
The Blood Bee Shura King nodded in satisfaction, then used the same method to force Shiqing Shenzi and Yue Gongming to kneel before him.
Tianchu Xianzi's eyes showed disappointment as she shook her head gently.
The Butcher spat on the ground. "With such weak spines, you dared to pursue the Heavenly Maiden? Just thinking about it now makes me sick."
The Fool added, "They're not even fit to be the Heavenly Maiden's attendants."
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I must record this scene!"
Zhenmiao Xiaodaoren clapped and laughed, producing a scroll. He channeled his spiritual power, imprinting the image of Dizu Taizi, Yue Gongming, and Shiqing Shenzi kneeling at the Blood Bee Shura King's feet onto the scroll.
Dizu Taizi and the others felt both humiliated and furious.
The Blood Bee Shura King, however, seemed indifferent. "You're top-tier figures in the Heavenly Court Realm. You must know what will happen if news of today spreads. Now, I order you to kill them."
Dizu Taizi, Shiqing Shenzi, and Yue Gongming slowly rose, hesitating. Initially, they had knelt and submitted, thinking, "A true man can bend and stretch," planning to take revenge once their cultivation improved. But as the Blood Bee Shura King said, if the cultivators from Tianchu Civilization weren't eliminated and the news got out, the consequences would be dire.
The Blood Bee Shura King's gaze darkened. "Don't you want to win Tianchu Xianzi? Whoever captures her will receive her as a reward. Rest assured, if you kill everyone here, no one will know you knelt to me. You'll remain divine sons and crown princes, with a bright future ahead."
Dizu Taizi, Shiqing Shenzi, and Yue Gongming no longer hesitated. Together with a swarm of Blood Emperor Bees, they attacked Zhang Ruochen and Tianchu Xianzi. The Blood Bee Shura King didn't fully trust them, keeping dozens of Blood Emperor Bees on each of them, ready to take their lives at any moment.
"Interesting, very interesting."
The Blood Bee Shura King stood aside like a spectator, a stiff smile on his face.
The last trace of disappointment vanished from Tianchu Xianzi's eyes, replaced by a calm like still water. "Attack. Show no mercy."