Chapter 1967: Kill Without Mercy
The might of a single kick scorched the earth for a thousand miles, cracking the ground and evaporating all moisture.
Zhang Ruochen naturally saw the Azure Dragon fleeing but did not pursue it.
It wasn't that he didn't want to eliminate the Azure Dragon, but that he was now powerless to do so.
Unsealing the first seal of the Blazing God Leg and striking with full force had nearly drained all the Saint Qi from his body.
Moreover, the Azure Dragon was wearing the Flowing Light Merit Armor, enabling it to burst forth at a thousand times the speed of sound. Even if Zhang Ruochen now took out his own Flowing Light Merit Armor and gave chase, it would already be too late.
The reason he had shed his Flowing Light Merit Armor earlier was that the power of the Blazing God Leg was too violent (kuangbao), and he feared the armor might be damaged.
"I'll have to be more cautious with the Blazing God Leg in the future. Even if I use it, I can't casually unleash full power," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Such a full-force strike could only be used in life-or-death situations. Otherwise, if he failed to eliminate the enemy, he himself would be in great trouble.
This time, the Azure Dragon was severely injured, unaware of Zhang Ruochen's condition, and with Ling Feiyu and the evil spirit watching menacingly from the side, it fled at maximum speed without a second thought.
"Shua."
Ling Feiyu flashed over and reached out to support Zhang Ruochen.
"How are you?" Ling Feiyu asked with great concern.
Zhang Ruochen forcibly suppressed his feeling of weakness and shook his head. "It's nothing, just a bit overexerted. I'll recover soon."
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen activated the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture*. The blazing sun suspended in his Divine Light Qi Sea spun rapidly, releasing pure essence that transformed into streams of Saint Qi, quickly flowing throughout his body.
The blazing sun in his Divine Light Qi Sea was formed from the Sun Leaf of the Seven-Star Divine Lingzhi, containing immensely rich divine medicine essence. Even a trace of it could be converted into a vast amount of Saint Qi.
Once his Saint Qi had recovered somewhat, Zhang Ruochen reached out with his hand, employing spatial techniques to draw in the scattered remains of the powerful experts caught in the blast from a distance.
He didn't bother to check what treasures these people carried. He simply gathered them all up and stored them away, planning to examine them later when he had time.
"Let's go. We need to leave this place."
Zhang Ruochen and Ling Feiyu flew back onto the head of the evil spirit.
By now, Ruan Ling had collapsed onto the evil spirit's back, her gaze dazed, completely stunned by the scene she had just witnessed.
Several top experts of the Nether God Hall, along with Zi Feng Saint King, had all perished, and even the Azure Dragon had fled with severe injuries.
This meant she could only continue to be Zhang Ruochen's prisoner, with little hope of escape.
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged on the evil spirit's head, continuing to circulate the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture*, eager to recover as quickly as possible. He had never liked this feeling of weakness.
The evil spirit swung its massive divine body, soaring high into the sky before heading toward the real Wuding Mountain.
With Ruan Ling captured, the illusionary Wuding Mountain rapidly collapsed and ceased to exist.
If news of this battle spread, Zhang Ruochen's reputation would undoubtedly rise further.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen had no intention of publicizing it, and presumably, the Azure Dragon wouldn't either, as this battle was a complete disgrace to it.
Zhang Ruochen wasn't worried about the Patrol Envoy learning of this matter. Since the Azure Dragon and Ruan Ling had dared to strike against the Moon-Worshipping Cult, they must have already coordinated with the Patrol Envoy, who would turn a blind eye to everything happening on the Bronze Furnace Plain.
Ling Feiyu stood by, quietly watching Zhang Ruochen. He had given her so many surprises that it felt like a dream.
At the moment she needed help the most, Zhang Ruochen had appeared out of nowhere, resolving numerous troubles for her and the Moon-Worshipping Cult. It turned out that he truly cared about her that much.
But that scoundrel Zhang Ruochen was also infuriating. Knowing full well that Ruan Ling was impersonating her, he had still treated Ruan Ling that way.
Unconsciously, the image of Zhang Ruochen and Ruan Ling being intimate replayed in Ling Feiyu's mind, causing her some embarrassment and anger. After all, Ruan Ling had been disguised as her at the time, making it feel as though something had happened between her and Zhang Ruochen.
The evil spirit moved swiftly, reaching the real Wuding Mountain in less than an hour.
Zhang Ruochen ended his cultivation and stood up. His Saint Qi had mostly recovered, and the rest would be fully restored in a little more time.
He stored the evil spirit and Ruan Ling into the Qiankun Realm, then descended with Ling Feiyu to the foot of Wuding Mountain.
Ruan Ling's identity was extraordinary. Keeping her for now might prove useful in the future.
"Palace Master Ling."
Seeing Ling Feiyu, a Saint-level cultivator who had just arrived at the mountain gate immediately changed expression.
"Shua."
He turned around at once, intending to retreat back into the Moon-Worshipping Cult.
Ling Feiyu moved, blocking the Saint-level cultivator like a flash of lightning.
"Why run when you see me?" Ling Feiyu demanded coldly.
The Saint-level cultivator trembled. "I… I didn't."
"Speak. What's going on?" Ling Feiyu's aura grew extremely sharp.
With a thud, the Saint-level cultivator was so frightened that he knelt before Ling Feiyu, stammering, "Palace Master Ling, spare me! It wasn't me, it was Uncle-Master Hong and the others."
Zhang Ruochen approached and said, "People from the Nether God Hall have already entered Wuding Mountain, but they're just minor figures, nothing to worry about."
Hearing this, Ling Feiyu immediately understood what had happened.
"I can tolerate dissatisfaction with me, but daring to collude with outsiders—I will never forgive that." A terrifying killing intent appeared in Ling Feiyu's eyes.
She had only just been lured away by Ruan Ling when people from the Nether God Hall appeared in the Moon-Worshipping Cult. There was only one possibility: traitors and weak-willed individuals within the cult had taken the initiative to let the Nether God Hall's people in.
Perhaps they all thought she would never return, which was why they dared to act so recklessly.
Fortunately, Zhang Ruochen had arrived in time, preventing the Nether God Hall from making further preparations. Otherwise, the Moon-Worshipping Cult might have truly fallen, for once the Azure Dragon made its move, who in the cult could resist it?
"Someone, seal the mountain gate. Without my permission, no one is allowed to enter or leave the cult." Ling Feiyu gave the order coldly.
Several Moon-Worshipping Cult disciples guarding the mountain gate quickly responded, "Yes."
Everyone could tell that Ling Feiyu was furious. No one dared to provoke her at this moment.
Ignoring the kneeling Saint-level cultivator, Ling Feiyu soared into the air and shot straight toward the Demon Emperor Sacred Hall.
Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly, took a step forward, and used Spatial Displacement, vanishing from the spot.
The Saint-level cultivator remained kneeling, not daring to rise, let alone attempt to flee.
The Demon Emperor Sacred Hall was located on Saint Gold Peak. Whoever could take control of the Demon Emperor Sacred Hall would gain mastery over the Moon-Worshipping Cult.
Back then, Zhang Ruochen had led his forces to attack Wuding Mountain, nearly turning the Moon-Worshipping Cult upside down, and even Shi Qianjue couldn't suppress him.
It was at that time that Ling Feiyu's father, Xiu, had emerged.
Many cult disciples had long been dissatisfied with Shi Qianjue, so they chose to follow Xiu, leading to the cult's split.
However, after the Kunlun Realm was attacked by the Hell Realm, Ling Feiyu returned to Wuding Mountain and, with her formidable strength, unified the two factions, restoring the cult to a single entity.
But some within the cult were loyalists of Shi Qianjue, always resentful of Ling Feiyu and eager to replace her.
When the Nether God Hall's people came knocking, these opponents of Ling Feiyu immediately stepped forward, opening the gates wide and welcoming the Nether God Hall's forces onto Wuding Mountain.
Inside the Demon Emperor Sacred Hall, Hong Yuantong and several other loyalists of Shi Qianjue were chatting and laughing with the Nether God Hall's experts.
They had learned from the Nether God Hall's people that Ling Feiyu was trapped and wouldn't return, so they were now overjoyed, believing they could finally take control of the cult.
"Ling Feiyu was truly foolish, daring to oppose the Nether God Hall. She deserved to die."
"Exactly. If the Nether God Hall wants to take something from our Moon-Worshipping Cult, it's an honor for us. Naturally, we should cooperate fully."
"Please rest assured, esteemed seniors. When Lord Azure Dragon arrives, we will immediately lead him to retrieve the treasure left by the Moon God."
Led by Hong Yuantong, four Saint Kings of the cult fawned over the three Nether God Hall experts.
A Dao Domain realm expert from the Nether God Hall nodded with a smile. "Good. Those who know when to adapt are wise. If you're willing to serve the Nether God Hall, you won't lack rewards. When—"
"Pfft."
Before he could finish, a sword light suddenly appeared, cleaving him in two. Blood splattered across the sacred hall.
"Shua."
Everyone in the hall turned to look at the entrance.
"Ling… Ling Feiyu."
The faces of Hong Yuantong and the other four changed drastically, their eyes filled with terror.
Ling Feiyu stood at the entrance, holding the Sky-Burying Sword, a terrifying killing intent radiating from her eyes.
"You're quite something, willingly becoming dogs for the Nether God Hall, ready to hand over everything from the cult. Is this how Shi Qianjue taught you?" Ling Feiyu's face was as cold as frost, her voice piercingly icy.
"We…"
The four of them trembled uncontrollably, not daring to meet Ling Feiyu's gaze.
"Ling Feiyu, how dare you kill someone from the Nether God Hall! Aren't you afraid of bringing destruction upon the Moon-Worshipping Cult?" one of the remaining Nether God Hall experts shouted.
From the casual sword strike that had killed one of their own, the two surviving Nether God Hall experts knew they were no match for Ling Feiyu. In a direct confrontation, they probably couldn't even withstand a single blow from her.
Thus, they could only resort to threats, hoping to make Ling Feiyu hesitate.
But unease gnawed at them. Ruan Ling had personally gone after Ling Feiyu—why was she here? Had something gone wrong?
"Feiyu, do you need my help?" Zhang Ruochen appeared beside Ling Feiyu out of thin air, smiling.
Ling Feiyu replied, "Do you think I can't even kill these few?"
"Zhang Ruochen."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, the two Nether God Hall experts' faces changed dramatically.
The Azure Dragon and Ruan Ling had set their trap mainly to deal with Zhang Ruochen. Now that Zhang Ruochen and Ling Feiyu were at Wuding Mountain, while the Azure Dragon and Ruan Ling were nowhere to be seen, how could they not be alarmed?
"Run."
Without hesitation, the two Nether God Hall experts tried to flee.
"Run? Do you think Wuding Mountain is a place you can come and go as you please?" Ling Feiyu snorted coldly.
Both experts struck with all their might, unleashing powerful sacred arts. Two beams of black holy light shot out, one aimed at Zhang Ruochen and the other at Ling Feiyu, in an attempt to carve a path of escape.
Zhang Ruochen casually waved his hand, distorting the space before him. The black holy light aimed at him veered off in the opposite direction.
"Bang."
The Nether God Hall expert, caught off guard, was struck heavily by his own black holy light, flying backward and slamming into the wall of the sacred hall.
On the other side, Ling Feiyu swung her sword, cleaving the black holy light in two. Then she closed in on the other Nether God Hall expert and struck, severing his head from his body.
Following that, Ling Feiyu used her flying sword technique to decapitate the Nether God Hall expert who had crashed into the wall, her movements clean and decisive, without any hesitation.