Chapter 2002: Breaking Through to Dao Domain
“Boundless merit, suppress heaven and earth.”
Shang Zihong’s hands moved with incredible speed, forming complex and profound hand seals as he executed a secret technique of the Merit Divine Temple.
Instantly, the Five-Colored Merit Divine Stele flew out, growing immensely large, suspended high in the sky.
A vast amount of merit energy was released, spreading across the heavens, sealing off the space within thousands of miles.
Shang Zihong found Zhang Ruochen’s spatial abilities extremely troublesome, as they occasionally interfered with him.
Now, by using the Five-Colored Merit Divine Stele to seal the space for thousands of miles, he wanted to see how Zhang Ruochen could still employ his spatial techniques.
Shang Zihong’s original corpse stood atop the Five-Colored Merit Divine Stele, looking down at Zhang Ruochen from a height.
Sensing that the space around him had become extremely stable, Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly. For him, this merit treasure that Shang Zihong wielded was indeed a major problem.
Even though he had achieved great mastery in the Way of Space, tearing through space had become extremely difficult.
Moreover, under the suppression of the Five-Colored Merit Divine Stele, even his time-based abilities were constrained, making them hard to use.
It could only be said that the power of merit was too miraculous, as if it existed specifically to counter the Nine Eternal Paths.
“Zhang Ruochen, without the power of time and space, let’s see what other tricks you have,” Shang Zihong said calmly.
A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Ruochen’s eyes, and he snorted coldly, “Shang Zihong, do you think that by suppressing time and space, you’ve got me figured out? You underestimate me too much.”
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen’s body radiated an extremely masculine and domineering aura. He shook his arms, and a dragon and an elephant materialized.
“A high-rank sacred art? I have one too.”
A hint of a smile appeared in Shang Zihong’s eyes.
The Shang Zihong controlling the Ten-Thousand Refinement Tower struck out, releasing a yin-cold aura completely opposite to Zhang Ruochen’s, as if trying to freeze this entire world.
With a palm strike, an endless surge of yin-cold energy gathered, condensing into a ferocious beast. It resembled a jackal but had three heads, was covered in hard ice armor, and emitted a dense evil and baleful aura, even more terrifying than Gu Tianyin’s evil energy.
In an instant, the heaven and earth rules and power within thousands of miles churned violently, surging madly into the ferocious beast.
“Roar.”
The ferocious beast raised its head and let out a earth-shaking roar, its eyes flashing with fierce light as it lunged straight at Zhang Ruochen.
“Hmm? A high-rank sacred art?”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression changed, and he was greatly shocked.
Despite his shock, Zhang Ruochen quickly struck out, unleashing the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm.
A dragon and an elephant flew out, both enormous, releasing a powerful Great Saint pressure as they met the charging ferocious beast.
“Boom.”
The ferocious beast was extremely savage, holding its own even when outnumbered two to one.
After a brief struggle, all three shattered, with neither side gaining any advantage.
“That’s… Yinming Dark Light! Shang Zihong has actually mastered this high-rank sacred art to great completion!”
In an instant, some cultivators recognized the sacred art Shang Zihong had used and were extremely shocked.
“The Yinming Dark Light is extremely difficult to cultivate. It requires enduring unimaginable pain, especially the need to refine the saint soul of a Great Saint-level Yinming Beast into one’s body. This is something many Immortal Great Saints cannot accomplish.”
“Both of them have actually mastered high-rank sacred arts. When did high-rank sacred arts become so easy to cultivate?”
“It seems Zhang Ruochen has little chance to turn things around now. With his time and space abilities suppressed and his advantage in high-rank sacred arts gone, how can he fight against Shang Zihong, who has cultivated the ‘Three Corpses Refining the Dao’?”
…
Seeing Shang Zihong execute the Yinming Divine Palm, many cultivators became more convinced that he would win this battle, as the advantage seemed entirely on his side.
Shang Zihong chuckled lightly and said, “Zhang Ruochen, what do you think of my Yinming Dark Light? Is it inferior to your Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm?”
“Shang Zihong, I didn’t expect you to hide it so deeply. You never used the Yinming Dark Light before this,” Zhang Ruochen said solemnly.
Since he regarded Shang Zihong as a major enemy, Zhang Ruochen had naturally investigated information about him, but he had no idea that Shang Zihong had cultivated the Yinming Divine Palm.
Shang Zihong replied, “The Yinming Divine Palm was prepared specifically for you, so naturally, I wouldn’t use it on others. Besides, no one else is worthy of me using it.”
In fact, Shang Zihong had only recently mastered the Yinming Divine Palm. The reason he had gone to the Underworld in the Eastern Domain was precisely to cultivate this high-rank sacred art-level palm technique.
With that, Shang Zihong struck again, doing his utmost to unleash the Yinming Dark Light.
Once more, the ferocious beast formed from yin-cold evil energy appeared, hovering in the air. Within thousands of miles, a large number of ice crystals formed, and the temperature plummeted.
Anyone within this area felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.
This yin-cold aura was so terrifying that even Zhang Ruochen’s body began to frost over.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes sharpened, and he quickly mobilized the immense masculine energy within him, hundreds of thousands of times greater than an ordinary person’s. His entire body became like a blazing sun, melting everything.
A massive azure dragon flew from Zhang Ruochen’s palm, solid and real, covered in a layer of crimson flames released by the Flame God Armor and Flame God Bracers.
The azure dragon also fiercely drew in the heaven and earth rules and power within thousands of miles, its aura rising steadily as it tangled and fought with the ferocious beast.
“Bang.”
After a fierce battle, the ferocious beast was torn apart by the azure dragon, turning into countless ice crystals that scattered downward.
Although the azure dragon was also damaged, it still retained considerable power and instantly crashed into Shang Zihong.
Shang Zihong had been quite pleased, thinking he could gain the upper hand with the Yinming Dark Light, but he never expected this sudden turn of events.
“Boom.”
The Shang Zihong who had used the Yinming Dark Light was sent flying by the azure dragon.
The force carried by the azure dragon was immense, sending Shang Zihong flying hundreds of zhang.
Moreover, the layer of crimson flames attached itself to Shang Zihong’s body.
Even though Shang Zihong tried desperately to release terrifying cold energy, he couldn’t extinguish the flames immediately.
By the time the flames were put out, Shang Zihong was disheveled, and his precious garment was badly burned.
“How could this happen?”
Shang Zihong was furious and couldn’t accept this result.
“Both are high-rank sacred arts, but why is Shang Zihong’s Yinming Dark Light weaker than Zhang Ruochen’s Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm?”
“It must be that Shang Zihong hasn’t truly mastered the Yinming Dark Light to great completion. After all, it’s a high-rank sacred art, extremely difficult to cultivate.”
“Could it be that even with time and space suppressed, Zhang Ruochen can still turn things around?”
…
Seeing Shang Zihong at a disadvantage, the onlookers were all astonished.
The battle between Zhang Ruochen and Shang Zihong had reached a point where it was hard to predict the outcome.
“How could I lose to Zhang Ruochen?”
Shang Zihong clenched his fists, his eyes burning with rage.
Immediately, Shang Zihong activated his technique, and the fire-attribute sacred energy within him surged out endlessly. He even released the hundreds of thousands of flame rules he had cultivated, all pouring into the Red Child Sword.
As the Red Child Sword swung, it brought a crimson fire cloud, and powerful divine energy burst forth.
Tens of thousands of infant figures appeared, solid and real, emitting piercing and mournful cries, releasing a vast amount of resentment and baleful energy.
At the same time, the Shang Zihong who had just suffered a loss once again mobilized his ice-attribute rules, fully unleashing the Yinming Dark Light.
The two Shang Zihongs, occupying different positions, simultaneously launched terrifying attacks.
Zhang Ruochen’s expression was solemn as he opened all one hundred and forty-four acupoints, releasing a sea of sacred energy.
Five hundred thousand palm rules all converged on his palms, combining with the Great Saint-level dragon soul and elephant soul.
“Roar.”
With a earth-shaking roar of dragon and elephant, a dragon and an elephant, almost filling the sky, flew out, radiating a majestic and dignified aura.
Next, the Sword Intent Soul condensed before Zhang Ruochen, formed from seven hundred and fifty thousand sword rules and vast sacred energy. It held the Abyssal Ancient Sword and executed exquisite sword techniques.
“Boom.”
The Yinming Dark Light was once again torn apart by the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, its power not even on the same level.
Meanwhile, the Sword Soul swung the Abyssal Ancient Sword, shattering all the infant illusions, and then slashed a sword beam at Shang Zihong.
Even though Shang Zihong blocked with the Red Child Sword in time, he was still sent flying by this strike, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth—clearly, he had suffered significant injuries.
On the other side, after tearing apart the ferocious beast, the dragon and elephant also crashed into the other Shang Zihong.
Shang Zihong desperately activated the Ten-Thousand Refinement Tower, but the result was that he and the tower were both sent flying.
“Pfft.”
Shang Zihong’s body trembled, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood.
“Even with two against one, Zihong is no match for Zhang Ruochen,” Si Han said on the warship, his expression one of extreme disbelief.
Not only him, but the observing Great Xi King was also shocked, never expecting Zhang Ruochen to be so overwhelmingly strong that even Shang Zihong was on the verge of defeat.
“Whoosh.”
The three Shang Zihongs suddenly merged into one.
After merging, Shang Zihong’s aura became even more formidable.
Shang Zihong laughed in fury, “Master was right. Zhang Ruochen, you are indeed my great enemy. That’s why you must die.”
With that, Shang Zihong took out a jade bottle and swallowed all the strange precious liquid inside.
“Hmm?”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression changed, and he grew more cautious.
“By drinking the Earth Soul Liquid, Zihong is finally going to break through to the Dao Domain realm,” Si Han’s eyes lit up.
Not long ago, he and Shang Zihong had entered the Underworld together to kill a powerful Ghost King, precisely to obtain this Earth Soul Liquid.
The Earth Soul Liquid had a miraculous effect. Once a cultivator reached the peak of the Rule Grand Heaven and drank it, they could quickly form a Dao Domain.
After seizing the Earth Soul Liquid, Shang Zihong hadn’t been in a hurry to take it. He had planned to accumulate more experience and wait until he truly reached his limit before using it to form the strongest Dao Domain.
However, Zhang Ruochen’s strength was too great, forcing Shang Zihong to change his plan. He decided to forcibly break through his cultivation during the battle to gain the power to crush Zhang Ruochen.
The effect of the Earth Soul Liquid was immediate.
As soon as Shang Zihong swallowed it, the tens of millions of sacred rules within his body surged out like a bursting dam, rapidly intertwining in a special pattern.
In almost an instant, Shang Zihong successfully formed his Dao Domain and stepped into the Dao Domain realm.
Immediately, the sacred energy of heaven and earth churned violently, surging madly into Shang Zihong’s body, causing his aura to rise steadily.
…
(Here, I’ll talk a bit about the new book.
The new book will be released on August 1st, four days from now. Today, I’ll write at least four thousand words for “The Ancient God Emperor.” If I can manage six thousand, I’ll fight to write six thousand. I won’t stop updating.
Although it’s releasing on August 1st, I should be able to give you a preview in advance on the public account “Yutian Feiyu.” You can search for it on WeChat, add “Yutian Feiyu,” and follow it.
Besides that, I have a lot to say to the readers.
First, a self-criticism. In the past, I could write ten thousand words a day and maintained that for two or three years. But starting from March last year, more and more things came up around me. Perhaps because writing is too monotonous, I wanted to participate in everything—studying, field trips, gatherings… This led to a whole year of being somewhat degenerate, with unstable updates.
It was probably about two months ago that I began to reflect deeply and decided to refocus, to code properly and stabilize my updates.
However, I also discovered a problem: the final great battle in “The Ancient God Emperor” is too brutal. Relying solely on Zhang Ruochen and his group feels too monotonous and doesn’t fully showcase the scene. So, I decided to write another protagonist—decisive, resolute, and strong-willed—to advance and retreat together with Zhang Ruochen and complete the ultimate battle.
The final battle is definitely not between the Heavenly Court Realm and the Hell Realm. It’s related to the “Divine Right of Martial Power” mentioned in Chapter 2 of “The Ancient God Emperor.” That is, for martial artists to cultivate the martial path, they must obtain the approval of the gods and receive the Divine Martial Mark.
In fact, the Heavenly Court Realm and the Hell Realm don’t represent the entire universe. They are like two galaxies within the universe, similar to the “Milky Way.”
There are countless such galaxies in the universe.
Based on this reason, the new book “The Legend of the Heavenly Emperor” was born.
The fate of this book’s protagonist is even more twisted and difficult than Zhang Ruochen’s. More enemies stand in his way, and the world is darker and more brutal.
The protagonist of this book is Lin Ke.
He originally thought that the character “Ke” meant “unforgettable,” but he later discovered that wasn’t the meaning. Behind the truth lies an even bigger story.)