Chapter 2047: Bore and Yan Wushen
On the Blood God Altar, Zhou Yu and Mo both stood as if petrified. Zhang Ruochen had actually publicly blown up the Saint Blood Avatar of the Patrol Envoy, truly lawless and unrestrained.
Zhang Ruochen's actions also caused Zhou Yu and Mo's hearts to sink to the bottom. Whether they could escape was truly an unknown.
"Zhang Ruochen, well done! This emperor has long found those birds from Paradise Realm irritating. From now on, we'll hit them every time we see them. So what if they're Great Saints? If a Great Saint doesn't descend in person, they'll still get beaten down." Xiao Hei laughed loudly.
Zhang Ruochen landed on the Blood God Altar, but his expression was quite serious. He kept pondering the words spoken by the Silver Armor Patrol Envoy.
After a brief silence, Zhang Ruochen took out the Divine Envoy Wooden Staff and contacted the Moon God.
The Moon God's phantom hovered above the Divine Envoy Wooden Staff, radiating sacred light.
"Greetings, Master." Mu Lingxi immediately bowed.
"Greetings, Moon God."
Led by Zhang Ruochen, Xiao Hei, Bao Lie, and the others also respectfully bowed.
Facing a deity, everyone must maintain humility and reverence, and must not blaspheme.
The Moon God's gaze swept over everyone present, finally settling on Zhou Yu and Mo, who were suppressed on the Blood God Altar. In a cold voice, she said, "Zhang Ruochen, you really know how to stir up trouble. You've only just killed that Shang Zi, and now you've suppressed Zhou Yu and Mo."
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen had completely sealed Zhou Yu, Mo, and Xue Tu, rendering them unable to see or hear, making it convenient to speak.
Zhang Ruochen looked up at the Moon God's phantom and said, "This was not my intention. They were the ones who pushed too hard."
"Killing a Shang Zi has already enraged the Merit Divine Temple and Paradise Realm. This time, both Paradise Realm and Black Demon Realm have been pressuring me. Even the Heavenly Palace has sent word, wanting to protect those two." The Moon God said.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes darkened. "I didn't expect the Heavenly Palace to get involved. Paradise Realm's influence is truly immense."
"The successive large-scale internal conflicts have already displeased the Heavenly Palace. Coupled with the fact that both Zhou Yu and Mo have the potential to become gods, the Heavenly Palace cannot afford to ignore this. If the two of them die, it will inevitably trigger a major storm." The Moon God said quite seriously.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruochen's heart trembled. The situation seemed far more complicated than he had anticipated.
On the surface, it only involved two top-tier experts below Great Saint level, but in reality, it concerned the face of the Paradise Realm Faction and the authority of the Heavenly Palace.
Killing Shang Zi had already touched the bottom line of the Paradise Realm Faction, and the Moon God had barely managed to calm things down.
But if Zhou Yu and Mo were also killed, the Paradise Realm Faction and the Heavenly Palace would likely not let the matter rest. Even if the Moon God intervened, she would not be able to suppress it.
Thinking back to how they had earlier urged Zhang Ruochen to kill Zhou Yu and Mo, they now felt a wave of fear. When it came to conflicts between deities, one misstep could lead to the annihilation of everyone present.
A single thought from a god could kill them.
"It seems these two cannot be killed. But I absolutely will not release them easily. If the Paradise Realm Faction wants them back, they must pay a price." Zhang Ruochen said in a deep voice.
A strange light flickered in the Moon God's eyes, and she smiled. "What do you want?"
"I want Divine Stones and top-tier Five Elements divine objects. As for the rest, I leave it to the Moon God to decide." Zhang Ruochen replied.
He believed that with the Moon God's methods, she would surely make the Paradise Realm Faction bleed heavily, extracting the maximum benefits.
The Moon God gave Zhang Ruochen a deep look, then nodded. "Leave this matter to me. Rest assured, this time the Paradise Realm Faction will gain nothing."
With those words, the Moon God's phantom vanished, and the Divine Envoy Wooden Staff returned to stillness.
"Huff."
Zhang Ruochen put away the Divine Envoy Wooden Staff and let out a deep breath. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
According to his temperament, he naturally would not want to let Zhou Yu and Mo go. But this incident had blown up too big. If he acted recklessly, even the Moon God might be implicated.
He had to exercise restraint for once.
Now that he and the Moon God were on the same side, he could not make things too difficult for her.
Since the Paradise Realm Faction valued Zhou Yu and Mo so much, they probably would not wait too long before the negotiations yielded results.
Meanwhile, the events at the Blood God Sect spread rapidly in all directions. Before long, the entire Kunlun Realm had heard the news.
In the Merit Battlefield of the Northern Domain of Kunlun Realm, Zhen Yuan received a Message Light Talisman from the Central Domain. His expression changed rapidly, and his eyes were filled with astonishment.
"Suppressing Zhou Yu and Mo, and even blowing up the Patrol Envoy's Saint Blood Avatar... Junior Brother Zhang's boldness is truly unmatched. But this will undoubtedly bring great trouble. I wonder how Junior Brother Zhang will handle it." Zhen Yuan mused.
He thought highly of Zhang Ruochen and did not want him to suffer because of this.
But this matter involved too many parties. Even with his status, it would be difficult for him to intervene.
In another tent at the Northern Domain camp, Xuan Yuan Lie Kong also received the news. His brow furrowed slightly. "What a Zhang Ruochen. His growth rate is truly fast. But acting so recklessly and without restraint will likely not lead to a good outcome."
He had originally intended to recruit Zhang Ruochen, but because of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree trunk, a considerable rift had formed between them.
Thus, seeing Zhang Ruochen grow so quickly, Xuan Yuan Lie Kong was naturally not too pleased.
...
At the Tian Jue Pavilion in the Eastern Domain, Jiang Yun Chong received the news and burst into laughter.
Yan Ruo appeared beside Jiang Yun Chong and asked curiously, "What has you so happy?"
Jiang Yun Chong handed the Message Light Talisman to Yan Ruo and laughed. "As expected of the Heir of Time and Space. His boldness is astonishing. With him around, it lets the other realms know that Kunlun Realm is not a place they can trample on at will."
"This matter is not that simple. Even the Patrol Envoy personally intervened. Zhang Ruochen will likely face many troubles because of this." Yan Ruo frowned slightly.
Jiang Yun Chong comforted her, "No need to worry. Zhang Ruochen is not a reckless person. Since he dared to do this, he must have a way to resolve it."
Although he had not had much contact with Zhang Ruochen, Jiang Yun Chong understood his character well and admired him greatly.
Not long after, the news reached many major worlds under the Heavenly Court Realm, causing an even greater uproar.
"Zhang Ruochen is too arrogant. He must be severely punished."
"Xue Ling Xian is a fierce man from the Middle Ages. His appearance at this time is definitely a big problem. It must be thoroughly investigated."
"It's best to suppress Zhang Ruochen first and not let him run rampant any longer."
...
Undoubtedly, those with the strongest reactions were from the Paradise Realm Faction. Cultivators from other factions were quietly watching the spectacle, hoping Zhang Ruochen would cause even more chaos.
On the other side, the news also spread quickly into the Hell Realm, causing considerable shock.
The reason, of course, was that Xue Tu had also been suppressed, his fate unknown.
Many cultivators had personally seen Xue Ling Xian extend a snake tail, pierce through Xue Tu's body, and drag him into the Blood God Sect. After that, no one knew what happened.
Xue Tu was one of the five strongest cultivators below Great Saint in the Undying Blood Clan and could rank in the top hundred in the entire Hell Realm. He had the potential to become a god.
"The Heavenly Court Realm has violated the rules of the Merit War by allowing a Great Saint-level expert to act. The Heavenly Court Realm must give us an explanation. Otherwise, the Great Saints of the Hell Realm will soon enter Kunlun Realm en masse and destroy it."
"Send an envoy immediately to negotiate with the Heavenly Court Realm and rescue Xue Tu."
"If Xue Tu is not handed over, the Great Saints of the Hell Realm will immediately crush Kunlun Realm."
...
The Hell Realm was in an uproar, eager to use this as a pretext to launch a full-scale war against Kunlun Realm.
In fact, the Hell Realm had already dispatched envoys at the first opportunity, both to rescue Xue Tu and to cause trouble.
Xue Ling Xian's identity was too sensitive, making it easy for others to make a big issue out of it.
...
Near the Yin Burial Mountain Range, there was a small town called An Ning Town.
An Ning Town was very small, with a sparse population, ancient and quiet.
There was a small tavern in the town, very quiet at the moment. A young boy and a tall, burly man sat by the window, eating and drinking leisurely.
The young boy was none other than Chi Kunlun, and the burly man was the mysterious Yama Clan expert who had snatched Chi Kunlun from Shang Zi, the Yan Wushen who made the Heavenly Court Realm tremble.
"Shua."
A streak of light suddenly flew in from beyond the sky and was caught by Yan Wushen.
"Hmm? Zhang Ruochen again. This kid really knows how to stir things up." Yan Wushen's eyes showed surprise.
Chi Kunlun looked up and asked urgently, "What happened?"
"See for yourself." Yan Wushen tossed the Message Light Talisman in his hand.
Chi Kunlun quickly caught the Message Light Talisman and began to examine it carefully.
Yan Wushen squinted his eyes, a strange light flickering within. "The Middle Ages fierce man Xue Ling Xian. Very interesting. It seems I must pay a visit to the Blood God Sect."
Undoubtedly, the appearance of Xue Ling Xian had piqued Yan Wushen's interest greatly.
Yan Wushen was a battle maniac who loved to improve himself through combat. Unfortunately, there were fewer and fewer opponents who could match him.
The Four Heavenly Kings of the Heavenly Palace were very strong, but they always fought together. Even though Yan Wushen was incredibly powerful, he still suffered losses and had to avoid them.
Ever since entering Kunlun Realm, the Four Heavenly Kings of the Heavenly Palace had been relentlessly pursuing him, much to Yan Wushen's annoyance.
Xue Ling Xian was a fierce man from the Middle Ages whose name had spread through the ages. He was undoubtedly an extraordinary talent. If Yan Wushen could fight him at the same cultivation level, he could gauge his own standing among the geniuses of past and present.
Being invincible in the present world did not necessarily mean being invincible throughout history.
"When are we leaving?" Chi Kunlun asked.
If it were any other place, he would not be interested. But the Blood God Sect was different because Zhang Ruochen was there. Chi Kunlun had many things he wanted to ask Zhang Ruochen face to face.
Just as Yan Wushen was about to speak, he suddenly sensed something.
"Shua."
A bolt of lightning fell from the clouds, striking the bluestone street.
A graceful figure appeared on the street. Her skin was like crystalline jade, her long hair like a waterfall, her eyes deep and captivating. She exuded an aura of arrogance that looked down upon the world.
The moment she appeared, the center of this heaven and earth seemed to converge upon her.
"Isn't this Bore, one of the three Divine Maiden candidates of the Destiny Temple? Have you come to see me to form an alliance as well?" Yan Wushen chuckled and downed a cup of wine.
Bore's gaze was deep. It swept over Chi Kunlun and lingered for a while, as if observing him closely.
Chi Kunlun felt immense pressure from Bore, though not as much as from Empress Chi Yao, it still felt like mountains were pressing down on him.
He had the illusion that this evil woman had come for him. But why?
Bore's gaze did not linger on Chi Kunlun for long before she turned to Yan Wushen. "It seems other Divine Maiden candidates have already come to you. But I have no such intention. Only the weak need to borrow the power of others."
"You're right. The strong only need to rely on themselves. But are you strong?"
Yan Wushen smiled and continued, "The other two Divine Maiden candidates have already come to me, hoping I would help them become the true Destiny Divine Maiden. They even offered very generous terms. Since you didn't come to form an alliance, why are you here?"
Although Yan Wushen was not a disciple of the Destiny Temple, he came from a supreme clan of the Hell Realm and was the number one expert below Great Saint in the Hell Realm. His influence was enormous.
Whoever could gain Yan Wushen's support would undoubtedly have a better chance of becoming the Divine Maiden of the Destiny Temple.
Bore's expression was calm, without any fluctuation. "The Yin Burial Mountain Range is an ancient battlefield, filled with countless killings that have affected the fate of countless beings. It is the most suitable place to comprehend the Way of Fate. I passed by here, sensed the presence of a powerful aura, and came to take a look."
"The Yin Burial Mountain Range is not simple. Even I cannot see through it. Yet you want to enter it to comprehend the Way of Fate. Truly bold. No wonder you have gained the favor of the Destiny Temple's giant." Yan Wushen gave Bore a deep look.
Among the three Divine Maiden candidates of the Destiny Temple, Bore had the least seniority. Yan Wushen did not think highly of her.
...
Compared to the uproar outside, the Blood God Sect was a different scene.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was fixed on Zhou Yu and Mo. "I know you're both unconvinced. I'll give you a chance to fight me fairly."
"A fair fight? I can suppress you with one hand." Zhou Yu said disdainfully.
Mo also sneered. "If it weren't for the advantage of the Supreme Sacred Artifact, how could I have lost to you in the betting battle?"
"Then let's have another betting battle. No Sacred Artifacts, no Sacred Arts. Just a pure contest of physical bodies." Zhang Ruochen said.
Mo snorted. "If I win, will you release me?"
He had no interest in merely sparring with Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen naturally knew what he was thinking and smiled. "If you really can win, releasing you is not out of the question."
"And if we lose, what price do we have to pay?" Mo asked in a deep voice.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I want the Truth Esoterica within you."
Upon hearing this, Mo's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen to be after the Truth Esoterica.
As a top-tier genius, Mo had indeed obtained Truth Esoterica while crossing the Sea of Truth.
He also knew that there were only two ways to obtain the Truth Esoterica from someone else: either kill them, or have them voluntarily give it up.
From the moment the Patrol Envoy appeared, Mo understood that Zhang Ruochen probably wouldn't kill him and Zhou Yu. Thus, if Zhang Ruochen wanted their Truth Esoterica, he would have to make them give it up voluntarily.
Zhou Yu sneered. "Zhang Ruochen, you've got quite the plan, trying to take our Truth Esoterica. Do you think we'll agree?"
The Truth Esoterica was no small matter. Even deities coveted it. No one would give it up easily.
A cold light flashed in Zhang Ruochen's eyes, and then he smiled. "You've figured out that I won't kill you, haven't you? But for the Truth Esoterica, I don't mind taking a risk. After all, I've already killed Shang Zi. Adding the two of you doesn't seem like a big deal."
Upon hearing this, both Zhou Yu and Mo felt a chill. They had heard of Zhang Ruochen's methods. His words were probably not just empty threats.