Chapter 1914: The Grave Situation
The Merit Value Exchange Hall became incredibly quiet, so silent that a dropped needle could be heard. Everyone focused their gazes on Zhang Ruochen, as if time itself had frozen at this moment.
"Only 3.5 billion merit points. Compared to before, the gap is really huge."
Zhang Ruochen sighed slightly and shook his head, not satisfied with his current merit value.
The Heavenly Court Sacred Merit Ranking had a total of 183,673 people. The four dominant worlds and the top hundred worlds accounted for the majority, while very few from other worlds could make it onto the list.
For example, the Guanghan Realm, before Zhang Ruochen, had only one person on the list, and that person's ranking wasn't particularly high, and that was already with the full force of the Guanghan Realm behind them.
With the merit points Zhang Ruochen currently possessed, he could only rank after the ten-thousandth place. The gap between him and the number one on the Sacred Merit Ranking was astronomical.
The top ten thousand on the Sacred Merit Ranking represented a threshold. Crossing it was no easy feat, as merit points often reached forty or fifty billion.
According to the rules of the Merit Divine Temple, anyone who could enter the top ten thousand of the Sacred Merit Ranking would receive tremendous benefits, including a large amount of merit qi to baptize their physical body and sacred soul.
If one could enter the top thousand, top hundred, or even top ten, the benefits would be even greater, something no one could resist.
In fact, many of those ranked high on the Sacred Merit Ranking could have long broken through to the Great Saint realm, but they deliberately suppressed their cultivation.
There were three reasons for this: first, they wanted to cross the tenth layer of the Sea of Truth to obtain supreme opportunities; second, they could play a significant role on the merit battlefield, serving as an important trump card for the Heavenly Court in dominating the merit battlefield; and third, the Merit Divine Temple would grant them immense benefits—benefits that ordinary people couldn't even imagine.
Unfortunately, entering the upper ranks of the Sacred Merit Ranking was extremely difficult.
Nie Xiangzi, one of the ten great divine disciples of the Truth Divine Temple whom Zhang Ruochen knew, had been one of the top experts below the Great Saint realm for over a hundred years. He had accumulated a massive amount of merit points, yet he only ranked ninety-third on the Sacred Merit Ranking, barely squeezing into the top hundred.
Most of those ranked at the top were pushed up by major forces pouring all their resources into them.
Relying solely on individual effort, there was almost no hope of reaching the very front.
For instance, Zhang Ruochen had just obtained 3.5 billion merit points in one go, but that was the result of many people working together. The countless Undying Blood Clan members he killed were not all slain by him alone.
"Zhang Ruochen, did you really annihilate the entire Undying Blood Clan army that besieged the Underworld King's Sword Grave?"
A female cultivator asked.
Hearing this voice, Zhang Ruochen snapped back to reality and turned around. "Shouldn't I have? You all went to the merit battlefield, but doesn't the Kunlun Realm itself need someone to protect it? I'm a coward; I don't dare go to the merit battlefield. So I can only stay in the Kunlun Realm and wait for the Hell Realm cultivators to come to me."
Hearing this, many people showed extremely awkward expressions, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Earlier, they had all mocked Zhang Ruochen as a coward for not daring to go to the merit battlefield.
Now, Zhang Ruochen's words were undoubtedly a response to them.
If annihilating hundreds of thousands of Undying Blood Clan troops made him a coward, then what did that make them?
"Rumor has it that the Undying Blood Clan dispatched five Divine Sons and seven Imperial Sons and Daughters this time, and even invited the Nether Clan's Nether Immortal to assist. Did you really wipe them all out?" The female cultivator who had spoken earlier asked again.
Clearly, she knew many inside details, including Nether Immortal and Blood Butcher Divine Son.
That was precisely why she found it hard to believe.
How could Zhang Ruochen and the Zhenyu Ancient Clan deal with so many top-tier experts?
Setting aside the others, just Blood Butcher Divine Son alone seemed enough to breach the Sword Grave.
And then there was Nether Immortal, whose formations and curses were terrifying, also possessing the power to destroy the Sword Grave.
Zhang Ruochen smiled slightly. "Since you're so well-informed, why ask me about these things?"
Turning his gaze, Zhang Ruochen looked at Daxi King and smiled. "Lianxi Fairy, long time no see. You look as radiant as ever, and I've missed you dearly. Last time, you left in such a hurry that you left behind this Shadowless Heavenly Garment. Now, I'm returning it to its rightful owner."
As he spoke, a transparent, glowing treasure robe appeared in his hand, slowly floating toward Daxi King.
Daxi King reached out and caught the Shadowless Heavenly Garment, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. Clearly, she hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen to pull such a move.
Beside her, Shang Zi's eyes flickered with a cold light, and one of his hands behind his back clenched tightly.
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen turned his gaze toward him, a very provocative smile appearing in his eyes.
Then, he smiled again at Daxi King. "Lianxi Fairy, you're always welcome to visit the Eastern Domain as my guest. Let me fulfill my duties as a host and show you the scenery of the Eastern Domain. I have matters to attend to, so I won't keep you."
With that, Zhang Ruochen cast a meaningful smile at Daxi King before turning and leaving.
"Swish."
Many people turned their gazes toward Daxi King, their eyes filled with strange expressions.
As far as they knew, Zhang Ruochen and Shang Zi were at odds, and Daxi King should also be hostile toward Zhang Ruochen.
But judging by Zhang Ruochen's words, it seemed he had an unusual relationship with Daxi King, which was undoubtedly odd.
"Divine Maiden, what's the relationship between you and Zhang Ruochen..." Si Han asked, a puzzled look on his face.
Daxi King snapped back to reality and glared at Si Han, saying coldly, "There is no relationship between Zhang Ruochen and me. Can't you see he's trying to sow discord?"
Si Han quickly shut his mouth, not daring to say anything more.
In truth, he also had doubts. Last time, he had easily rescued Daxi King from Zhang Ruochen's hands without any interception, and he had noticed that Daxi King wasn't under any restrictions at the time—at the very least, her spiritual power could be used.
Based on his understanding of Zhang Ruochen, the man was decisive and ruthless, never showing mercy to women. Why would he treat Daxi King differently?
Could it be that there really was something between Daxi King and Zhang Ruochen?
"Zi, you don't believe Zhang Ruochen's words, do you?" Daxi King looked at Shang Zi.
Shang Zi smiled. "Of course not. Do you think I can't see through Zhang Ruochen's petty tricks?"
But as he said this, a few strange lights flickered imperceptibly in his eyes. No one knew what he was thinking.
"Brother Zi, should we take this opportunity to kill Zhang Ruochen?" Si Han said in a low voice, his face dark.
Before Shang Zi could respond, Daxi King spoke up to stop him. "It's best not to act rashly. Zhang Ruochen was able to annihilate hundreds of thousands of Undying Blood Clan troops, which means he must have some powerful trump cards. If we act recklessly, we might suffer a great loss."
"He has trump cards, but so do we. He's alone now, which makes it the perfect opportunity. As soon as he leaves the Merit General Relay Station, we can strike like thunder and kill him." Si Han said dismissively.
Even after learning that Zhang Ruochen might have wiped out hundreds of thousands of Undying Blood Clan troops, he still didn't take Zhang Ruochen seriously, believing he could easily deal with him.
"You underestimate Zhang Ruochen. He's far more difficult to handle than you think." Daxi King shook her head.
Si Han frowned and said in a deep voice, "Divine Maiden, you keep defending Zhang Ruochen. Could it be that there really is something between you two?"
"How dare you! How dare you suspect me like this? Zhang Ruochen is Zi's enemy, which means he is my enemy as well. That will never change."
Daxi King scolded coldly.
If Si Han weren't a top expert of the Soul Realm with a significant background, she would never let him speak again.
Shang Zi spoke up at the right moment. "Enough, no need to get angry. Si Han just doesn't want to waste a good opportunity. But for now, there's no need to rush into dealing with Zhang Ruochen. He and I will have a battle sooner or later, and I will make sure he never has a chance to recover."
Anyone could feel the unmatched aura emanating from him, brimming with absolute confidence in his own strength.
Taking a deep look at Zhang Ruochen's retreating figure, Shang Zi turned and walked out of the Merit Value Exchange Hall.
He would continue to go to the merit battlefield to kill Hell Realm cultivators, accumulate merit points, and surpass Zhang Ruochen.
No matter what, he absolutely could not fall behind Zhang Ruochen.
Daxi King also stared at Zhang Ruochen's back, her expression quite complicated. This feeling of being controlled by someone else was very unpleasant.
She had to find a way to retrieve several important items from Zhang Ruochen, especially the mysterious soul jade that was crucial for her subsequent cultivation. Without reclaiming it, she would be unable to break through to the Great Saint realm.
If it weren't for that, why would she be under Zhang Ruochen's control?
Seeing Shang Zi and the others leave, the crowd that had gathered to watch the excitement also dispersed.
They had indeed seen some excitement this time, though it was different from what they had expected.
After shaking off Shang Zi and the others, Zhang Ruochen arrived at the Merit Treasure Exchange.
There were no staff here; one had to exchange for merit treasures on their own.
Merit treasures were extremely precious, each requiring a massive amount of merit points to exchange.
"Merit Golden Pills, Merit War Artifacts, Merit Spiritual Items... There are so many types, and they're all good stuff." Looking at the various descriptions of merit treasures, Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but feel some admiration.
Merit Golden Pills were elixirs refined from merit qi, with many different types and various effects. Some could enhance cultivation, some could improve physique, and some could extend lifespan. Each one was priceless and couldn't be bought anywhere.
Merit War Artifacts were war tools forged from merit qi, possessing great power. For example, the Merit Divine Seal that Shang Zi once used was a powerful Merit War Artifact.
As for Merit Spiritual Items, they were auxiliary items. For instance, the Merit Sword-Washing Marrow that Ling Feiyu obtained belonged to this category. It could be used to refine a sword soul and had extraordinary effects.
"A small bottle of Merit Sword-Washing Marrow requires ten million merit points to exchange. That's really expensive." Looking at the merit points corresponding to the merit treasures, Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but be a little shocked.
Merit Sword-Washing Marrow was a consumable item. For a sword cultivator to refine their sword soul to its peak state, they would need a considerable amount.
Merit points were hard to come by and couldn't be squandered casually.
After careful consideration, Zhang Ruochen chose to exchange for some merit treasures, not only for himself but also for the people around him.
Everyone had contributed to guarding the Sword Grave, so he naturally wouldn't keep the merit points earned from the exchange all to himself.
"Did you hear? The seal at the Immortal Mechanism Mountain in the Northern Domain has further broken. A large number of Death Clan members have flooded into the Kunlun Realm. Wherever they pass, life is extinguished. Many cities have already turned into dead cities."
"Your news is too outdated. Three days ago, the Star Cult was besieged by the Death Clan and suffered heavy casualties. However, the Star Cult was ruthless enough to use their Star Control Art, wiping out a large number of Death Clan members and forcing them to retreat. But this battle has severely depleted the Star Cult's strength, and they have already announced the closure of their mountain gate."
"As one of the seven great ancient sects of the Kunlun Realm, the Star Cult has deep foundations. Yet, they were crippled so easily. The Death Clan is truly terrifying."
"I've also heard some news. Yesterday, Pei Yutian single-handedly charged into a city occupied by the Death Clan, smashing the city into ruins. No one knows how many Death Clan members were killed. Someone saw Pei Yutian covered in blood, falling off a cliff, his life or death unknown."
"In the Southern Domain, Shura Clan members have appeared, engaging in a brutal battle with the army of the First Central Empire of the Kunlun Realm. The court's Battle Heaven King has fallen, and the Kill All King has been severely wounded. The Fire Clan has been breached, nearly facing total annihilation."
"The situation in the Eastern Domain is even worse. The Corpse Clan and Ghost Clan are launching fierce attacks. The merit battlefield there has long turned into a hellish landscape. Many powerful figures have lost their lives there. Multiple top-tier sixth-rank Ghost Kings and top-tier Corpse Kings have already entered the Kunlun Realm, establishing strongholds and advancing step by step. It's as if they want to turn the Eastern Domain into a land of darkness."
"However, two days ago, Empress Chi Yao's war artifact, the Blood-Dripping Sword, appeared. With a single sword strike, its cold light illuminated the nine provinces, killing two Shura Clan Divine Sons and forcing the Shura Clan to retreat step by step, allowing the court's army to stabilize their position."
"The situation in the Kunlun Realm is becoming increasingly complicated. Many powerful figures from both the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm have arrived. It feels like the Kunlun Realm might really be doomed this time."
...
Just as Zhang Ruochen was exchanging merit treasures, some discussions reached his ears.
Hearing these pieces of news, Zhang Ruochen's expression turned serious.
The situation in the Kunlun Realm was too dire. Both the Hell Realm and the Heavenly Court wanted to carve it up. Surviving this calamity would be extremely difficult.
If only the Kunlun Realm could have more preparation time, allowing it to fully recover and give birth to a large number of powerful beings, its predicament wouldn't be so severe.
"It seems I need to get to the Immortal Mechanism Mountain as soon as possible. The situation in the Northern Domain is too complicated. If I arrive too late, the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree might fall into someone else's hands." Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Putting away all the merit treasures, Zhang Ruochen didn't linger at the Merit General Relay Station. He immediately set off on the return journey.
As he expected, someone followed him, but it wasn't Shang Zi and the others, which disappointed him somewhat.
If Shang Zi and the others had dared to follow, he would have made sure they never returned.
As for the others following him, they were most likely there to gather information.
As long as they didn't provoke him, he couldn't be bothered to deal with them.
Back at the Sword Tomb Palace, Zhang Ruochen immediately gathered everyone and distributed the various merit treasures he had exchanged.
He didn't play favorites. Bao Lie, Ji Fanxin, Xiang Chunan, Murong Yue, and others all received something, even Luo Yi got a share, and each merit treasure was specifically chosen for the recipient.
Additionally, the Zhenyu Ancient Clan also received a portion of the merit treasures. However, because there were too many of them, it was impossible to give everyone a share, so Shi Qiankun was tasked with the distribution.
"Master Uncle, the two of us can't go to the Northern Domain with you. Master instructed us to go to the Earth Divine Temple for some important matters." Da Sikong spoke up.
Zhang Ruochen knew that the Earth Divine Temple's master was known as the Living Bodhisattva, likely connected to the Buddhist sect. Indra Master must have had a deeper purpose in sending Da Sikong and Er Sikong to the Earth Divine Temple.
"Your Highness, I also want to return to the Murong Family for a while to help the old ancestor." Murong Yue also spoke up.
Bao Lie then spoke up as well. "Little Junior Brother, I plan to go to the Central Domain to investigate the situation of a few senior and junior brothers. If you need me, send me a message anytime, and I'll rush to your side as fast as I can."
"Zhang Ruochen, I, the poor Daoist, have nothing going on. I can go to the Northern Domain with you." The True Marvel Little Daoist chuckled.
But Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "No, you need to stay here. Although the Undying Blood Clan has been temporarily driven back, I don't think they'll give up easily. So, I want you to stay here and help the Zhenyu Ancient Clan repair the ancient divine patterns to guard against another attack from the Undying Blood Clan."
"You're all running around, leaving me here to do hard labor." The True Marvel Little Daoist pouted, clearly unhappy.
Shen Family Head Shen Jia stepped forward and smiled. "Please, Senior, stay and help the Zhenyu Ancient Clan. I am willing to offer the 'Star Chart' for you to study."
"The 'Star Chart'? Good stuff. Alright, since you're so sincere, I'll stay and help you for now."
The True Marvel Little Daoist's eyes lit up, and he immediately changed his mind.