Chapter 1883: The Fifteenth Layer Prison Realm
The Ox Pit Prison Realm was barren, devoid of any vegetation, stretching endlessly like a place of deathly stillness.
Yet it was precisely this dead realm that was filled with boundless danger.
As they advanced, Zhang Ruochen and the green-furred creature were attacked more than a dozen times. The enemies who struck were all beings at the Saint King Realm. Some were humans, some were vicious hounds, some were Ghost Kings...
However, their cultivation levels were not high. The strongest among them was only at the Fourth-Step Saint King Realm, and they could not harm Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen's confusion grew stronger, and he asked, "Why are so many powerful beings gathered in the Ox Pit Prison Realm? How do they improve their cultivation? It can't just be through breathing and absorbing the natural spiritual energy and comprehending the rules of heaven and earth, can it?"
"You are wise, sir. It is indeed not that simple."
The green-furred creature lowered its voice and said, "The Ox Pit Prison Realm grows stone medicines that can enhance cultivation. Each stone medicine is a supreme treasure. Swallowing them can greatly increase one's cultivation level."
"Oh?"
Zhang Ruochen's eyes lit up with curiosity. "What are stone medicines? Where do they grow? Why haven't we encountered a single one along the way?"
The green-furred creature said, "Stone medicines grow along the Heavenly Map Canyon. We haven't reached the Heavenly Map Canyon yet, so naturally, we haven't encountered any."
Zhang Ruochen nodded. "Where is the Heavenly Map Canyon?"
"The Heavenly Map Canyon is a rift valley ten thousand miles long, located at the center of the Ox Pit Prison Realm."
Pausing for a moment, the green-furred creature continued, "The canyon grows longer and wider every year, as if it intends to split the Ox Pit Prison Realm in two."
"However, the area of the Heavenly Map Canyon with the most stone medicines has already been occupied by the Star Cloud Leopard. No living being is allowed to set foot there. Anyone who approaches is killed without mercy. Other beings can only try their luck at the canyon's periphery. If they are fortunate, they might find one or two stone medicines."
Zhang Ruochen squinted his eyes. "Since stone medicines grow in the Heavenly Map Canyon, countless beings must covet them. The Star Cloud Leopard's cultivation is only at the Fifth-Step Saint King Realm. How can it hold the territory?"
"Sir, you may not know this, but in the Ox Pit Prison Realm, once a being's cultivation exceeds the Fifth-Step Saint King Realm, the realm spirit forcibly expels them to the next layer of the prison realm."
"Although there are some powerful beings at the Fifth-Step Saint King Realm in the Ox Pit Prison Realm and a few other prison realms, none of them are a match for the Star Cloud Leopard. Even if they join forces, they might not be able to win."
The green-furred creature spoke with reverence. "The Star Cloud Leopard's combat power is likely not inferior to that of a Sixth-Step or even Seventh-Step Saint King."
After traveling another few thousand miles, the green-furred creature suddenly stopped, looking toward the horizon with deep wariness in its eyes.
From the ground at the horizon, a layer of crimson light rose, dyeing the sky a fiery red, as if flames were burning in the air.
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes, sensing carefully, and let out a soft exclamation.
"The light emerging from the ground contains some mysterious power, making the rules of heaven and earth more active." Zhang Ruochen activated his cultivation technique and immediately felt the rules of heaven and earth surging toward him, converging into his Qi Sea.
"That is the Descending Light, flowing out from the bottom of the Heavenly Map Canyon. It is the nourishment and illumination of the Descending Light that allows the Heavenly Map Canyon and the surrounding areas to nurture stone medicines."
The green-furred creature's eyes gleamed, clearly excited inside.
Then, it pointed to a red mountain beneath the Descending Light. "That is where the Star Cloud Leopard lives, the Star Cloud Blazing Fire Mountain."
Zhang Ruochen took a step forward and walked ahead.
With each step, he covered dozens of miles.
The green-furred creature feared the Star Cloud Leopard and did not dare to follow. Staring at Zhang Ruochen's gradually receding figure, it thought to itself, "This man's cultivation is strong, but he is too arrogant. The Star Cloud Leopard is not to be trifled with. I'd better escape far away, lest the Star Cloud Leopard kills him, senses my aura, and wipes me out too."
Soon, Zhang Ruochen arrived at the edge of the Heavenly Map Canyon, less than a hundred miles from the Star Cloud Blazing Fire Mountain.
Five zhang away from him, there was a stone medicine with three leaves, resembling a piece of red gemstone. Flames burned on its leaves, emitting intense heat.
Yet inside it, there was a rich life force.
Zhang Ruochen plucked the stone medicine from a distance, held it in his hand to examine it, and then used the Purifying Divine Flame to refine it into a walnut-sized ball of medicinal liquid.
After swallowing it, Zhang Ruochen's cultivation did not change much, except that his physical body and spiritual power had noticeably increased by a trace.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head slightly, somewhat disappointed. "These stone medicines are greatly useful for low-realm Saint Kings. But at my current level, even if I swallow a large amount, it won't make much difference."
"Roar!"
A earth-shaking roar came from the red mountain behind Zhang Ruochen, forming rolling waves of air.
"How dare you sneakily pick stone medicines near the Star Cloud Blazing Fire Mountain? Who gave you the nerve?"
The explosive shout echoed through the heavens and earth.
A brilliant seven-colored star cloud flew out of the Blazing Fire Mountain, descending above Zhang Ruochen's head and releasing a powerful sacred might.
"Indeed, it is a Star Cloud Leopard." Zhang Ruochen felt joy in his heart.
After all, the Star Cloud Leopard was a descendant of a divine beast, quite rare. The one living on the Blazing Fire Mountain was most likely Senior Brother Bao Lie.
"Bao Lie..."
Zhang Ruochen saw the figure standing in the seven-colored star cloud and was momentarily stunned, swallowing the words that were about to leave his throat.
In the star cloud stood a young man in his twenties, with a pair of seven-colored leopard ears, thick eyebrows, wearing a set of red battle armor, holding a thick spear as wide as a bowl, and his eyes emitted a brightness like stars.
It was not Senior Brother Bao Lie.
But this young man bore some resemblance to Bao Lie in human form.
Could he be a descendant of Senior Brother Bao Lie?
Bao Xinghun did not waste words. He thrust his spear, and from its tip flew a red light shuttle, surging toward Zhang Ruochen on the ground. The light shuttle was extremely thick, like a river, causing the entire area to tremble violently.
In the distance, the green-furred creature sensed the powerful fluctuations of sacred power coming from the Heavenly Map Canyon and trembled inwardly. "I said not to provoke the Star Cloud Leopard. Why wouldn't he listen? He's dead for sure. That human is dead for sure."
This young man might be a descendant of Senior Brother Bao Lie, and Zhang Ruochen did not want to harm him.
So, Zhang Ruochen stood still, merely activating layers of sacred light to block the red light shuttle that Bao Xinghun had unleashed, preventing it from getting close.
Bao Xinghun's eyes narrowed, showing disbelief.
"A full-power strike from me was easily neutralized by him. Could his cultivation be above the Fifth-Step Saint King Realm?"
Just as this thought flashed through Bao Xinghun's mind, he found himself appearing before the human cultivator, unable to move at all.
"How is this possible?"
Bao Xinghun's arms burst into flames as he struggled to break free from Zhang Ruochen's suppression.
But the space around him seemed to have solidified. Even moving a single finger was extremely difficult.
Zhang Ruochen observed him carefully and nodded slightly. "You cultivate the 'Divine Refining Scripture.' It seems you are indeed a descendant of Senior Brother Bao Lie."
"You know the 'Divine Refining Scripture'?" Bao Xinghun was surprised.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "The 'Divine Refining Scripture' is one of the top cultivation techniques of the Holy Bright Central Empire. How could I not know it?"
"Nonsense. The 'Divine Refining Scripture' is the technique my father cultivates. What does it have to do with some damn Holy Bright Central Empire?" Bao Xinghun said.
Zhang Ruochen frowned. "Where is your father?"
"Who are you? Why should I tell you?" Bao Xinghun said.
Zhang Ruochen was not angry; instead, he felt a surge of joy. At least it proved that Senior Brother Bao Lie might still be alive.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Who am I? By seniority, you should call me Uncle-Master."
"Uncle-Master? I should be your Grandmaster."
Bao Xinghun snorted coldly, his eyes dark and stern. "I think you want to seize the Dendrobium Golden Orchid from my father. It's useless. Your cultivation is strong, but in front of my father, you are nothing."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Since you are so confident in your father's strength, take me to him."
Bao Xinghun sneered and said nothing, showing no intention of leading the way.
"Are you not confident in your father?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Bao Xinghun thought for a moment and then said, "Fine. Since you want to die, I'll take you there."
Bao Xinghun led the way, with Zhang Ruochen following behind, heading toward the eleventh layer of the Nether Prison, the "Stone Crushing Prison Realm."
According to Bao Xinghun, his father had gone to the fifteenth layer of the Nether Prison, the "Dismemberment Prison Realm," to cultivate and seek an opportunity to break through to a higher realm. To reach the fifteenth layer, one had to pass through the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth layers.
"The fifteenth layer prison realm again. Why does everyone go there to cultivate in seclusion?"
Zhang Ruochen was puzzled. After all, the Underworld King was imprisoned in the fifteenth layer. Could it really be a sacred ground for cultivation?
When he descended into the Dismemberment Prison Realm, Zhang Ruochen was stunned.
Beneath his feet were colorful crystals covering the entire ground. There were both spirit crystals and sacred stones, in such vast numbers that they were uncountable.
Bao Xinghun was also visiting the fifteenth layer for the first time, and he too was momentarily dazed by the sight.
In the distance, there was a crimson flame lake, spanning hundreds of miles in area.
The closer they got to the flame lake, the more active the rules of heaven and earth became, like writhing flood dragons shuttling through space and time.
Zhang Ruochen arrived at the edge of the lake and closed his eyes. The speed at which he comprehended the sacred rules increased by more than three times.
As he continued walking toward the center of the lake, the surrounding temperature rose sharply, and the speed of his comprehension grew faster.
Four times, five times...
It was still increasing.
"Boom."
Suddenly, from the ground beneath the flame lake, a leopard claw hundreds of meters long extended outward, with light flowing over its surface, and struck toward Zhang Ruochen.
At the edge of the flame lake, Bao Xinghun showed great joy. "Father."
That leopard claw was just a phantom.
But the power it emitted was extremely fierce, dimming the flames in the lake somewhat. On the ground, pieces of spirit crystals and sacred stones continuously shattered, turning into powder.
Zhang Ruochen formed hand seals with both hands, unleashing the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, mobilizing the Truth Rules, and unleashing a sevenfold attack power.
"Dragon-Elephant Piercing the Heavens."
Countless dragon and elephant shadows flew out, colliding with the leopard claw.