Chapter 2066: Battle Imminent
Inside the palace, Zhang Ruochen activated the Sundial and began his seclusion. With only three short days left until the Hell Realm attacked True Dragon Island, time was extremely tight, and not a single moment could be wasted.
Fortunately, he hadn't used up all the Divine Stones collected during his previous seclusion; otherwise, he would have a real headache now.
With a thought, Zhang Ruochen manifested both his Time Sacred Aspect and Space Sacred Aspect. These two sacred aspects were the most unique, formless and shadowless, invisible to anyone except himself.
Next, the two sacred aspects would join forces with Xiao Hei to combine the Time Formation and Space Formation with a Ninth-Rank Formation, creating a fearsome trump card.
As for Zhang Ruochen himself, he prepared to refine the Five Elements Divine Substances. This task was undoubtedly extremely challenging.
Even many cultivators at the Threshold of the Dao Realm found it incredibly difficult to refine top-tier Five Elements Divine Substances, let alone completing it within a time limit of three years.
But for now, Zhang Ruochen had no other choice. To rapidly increase his strength, he had to use extraordinary methods.
With a thought, five sealed brocade boxes appeared before Zhang Ruochen. These were the items that Emperor Jiemie had given him earlier. Each box contained a top-tier Five Elements Divine Substance.
With a wave of his hand, all five boxes opened. Radiant divine light burst forth in various colors, and a vast, dense Five Elements Primordial Qi spread out, so thick it could not dissolve. If this were in the outside world, it would undoubtedly create astonishing phenomena.
Seeing the five divine substances in the boxes, Zhang Ruochen's eyes lit up. If he hadn't captured Zhou Yu and Mo Sheng and ruthlessly squeezed the Heavenly Realm Faction, relying on his own resources, he wouldn't have been able to obtain even one of these top-tier substances, let alone all five.
Any top-tier divine substance was incredibly precious. Even gods would treasure them and would not easily bestow them upon others.
The two Five Elements Divine Substances Zhang Ruochen had obtained earlier from the Azure Dragon were quite ordinary, completely incomparable to these five top-tier ones.
For a Saint King cultivator to step into the Great Saint Realm, the most crucial step was forging an Undying Sacred Body. The materials used directly determined the strength of the Undying Sacred Body and also affected the future height of cultivation.
Everyone wanted to use the best materials, but they were too difficult to obtain. Not to mention using top-tier divine substances to forge an Undying Sacred Body; even those who could use ordinary divine substances were few. Most could only find relatively good sacred substances.
"Primordial Water, Merit Chaos Stone... these are all rare divine substances. I hope they can bring me surprises." A look of eager anticipation appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes.
Zhang Ruochen had once seen the Merit Chaos Stone at the Merit Exchange Office of the Merit General Station. It required five hundred billion merit points to exchange for a single piece.
In other words, to exchange for these five top-tier divine substances through the Merit Divine Temple, a total of two thousand five hundred billion merit points would be needed. This was simply impossible.
Even the current number one on the Saint Merit Ranking only had a few hundred billion merit points.
"Let's start with the Primordial Water," Zhang Ruochen murmured.
Reaching out, he grabbed a fist-sized clump of Primordial Water from the box. It looked like mercury, not large in quantity, but extremely heavy, weighing over a hundred thousand jin.
Relatively speaking, the nature of Primordial Water was milder. It could nourish flesh and blood, making it the least dangerous. Once it was refined, his body's adaptability would greatly increase, making it easier to refine the other divine substances.
Activating the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture*, Zhang Ruochen cast aside distracting thoughts, focused his mind, and began refining it seriously.
However, although Primordial Water appeared gentle, it was actually quite domineering, exceeding Zhang Ruochen's expectations. Even with his current physical strength, it was barely manageable. As soon as he absorbed a small amount of Primordial Water into his body, his flesh, blood, and bones began to suffer damage.
Thus, Zhang Ruochen had to slow down the refining process. This was something that couldn't be rushed.
"Although it's difficult, I can barely manage it. This time, I don't necessarily have to refine all the Five Elements Divine Substances. Even if I only refine a small portion, it will be enough to greatly enhance my Five Elements Chaos Body," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Refining enough divine substances to forge an Undying Sacred Body in one go was simply impossible. It required gradual progress and slow accumulation, which was the same principle as cultivating his Five Elements Chaos Body.
Xiao Hei observed for a while. After confirming that Zhang Ruochen was fine for the moment, he also calmed down and began studying how to combine the Time Formation and Space Formation with his Ninth-Rank Formation.
Before Xiao Hei lay thirty-six formation flags, each inscribed with countless complex and profound formation patterns.
These flags were the crystallization of Xiao Hei's hard work. They could be used to set up a complex and profound Ninth-Rank Formation. Once activated, killing a Saint King would be as easy as killing a chicken. Even against a powerhouse of Zhou Yu or Mo Sheng's level, he could hold his own.
However, this was clearly not enough to deal with the Seven Absolute Killing Gods of the Nether Hall. Its power needed a significant upgrade.
"Each flag already has twelve million formation patterns inscribed. To trap the Seven Absolute Killing Gods of the Nether Hall, I need to at least double the number of patterns and combine them with Time and Space formation patterns. This is a massive project. It's going to kill me!"
Thinking about what needed to be done in the next three years, Xiao Hei's head ached.
Time was too short. Xiao Hei couldn't guarantee he could finish, but now, he had to give it his all.
And even if the flags were successfully upgraded, there would still be many troublesome issues. The stronger the formation, the more energy required to activate it, and the harder it would be to control.
A true Ninth-Rank Formation was usually powered by Divine Stones, supplemented by a large number of Sacred Stones, and required a Great Saint-level formation spirit to be refined into it. After all, Ninth-Rank Formations were designed to deal with Great Saint-level powerhouses.
"First, I'll refine the flags. I'll let Zhang Ruochen figure out the rest."
Shaking his head vigorously, Xiao Hei stopped overthinking and began to focus on inscribing formation patterns.
If the flags couldn't transform, thinking about it was useless.
While Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei were in seclusion, the Yin-Yang Sea was turbulent. More and more Hell Realm cultivators were pouring out of the spatial rift.
Unlike the armies deployed to other merit battlefields, the forces gathering in the Yin-Yang Sea were all Saint King-level experts, including many Nine-Step Saint Kings.
The entire Yin-Yang Sea was almost completely sealed off by the Hell Realm army. It had become very difficult for anyone to enter or leave.
In a hidden sea area near True Dragon Island, five massive warships were anchored, quietly observing the situation on True Dragon Island.
Strangely enough, although large numbers of Hell Realm experts were patrolling the surrounding waters, they couldn't find these five warships. Their concealment was excellent.
"The Son of Darkness has indeed come. What terrifying dark aura, completely different from ordinary dark cultivators."
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden used her Origin Divine Eye to gaze from afar at a Hell Realm warship. A look of gravity appeared in her eyes.
The Hell Realm had seven massive warships anchored in the waters around True Dragon Island. Each ship had top-tier experts stationed on it, and some even had more than one.
The one the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden was observing was the largest of them all, shrouded in a vast dark force. Even her Origin Divine Eye couldn't see through it clearly.
The Great Venerable frowned and said, "The Son of Darkness is a peerless genius rarely seen in ten thousand years from the Darkness Temple. He entered the Abyss of Darkness and not only survived but also obtained a great opportunity, fusing an alien dark substance into his body. Moreover, he received the inheritance of an ancient titan from the Darkness Temple. No one knows how many trump cards he has."
"Among those below the Great Saint realm in the Hell Realm, the Son of Darkness's strength is enough to rank in the top three. For the Darkness Temple to send him out shows they are determined to obtain the World Gate Key."
Looking at the Heavenly Court Realm and Hell Realm, there were truly very few below the Great Saint realm who did not fear the Son of Darkness.
"The Son of Darkness, the Seven Absolute Killing Gods of the Nether Hall, and the Three Emperors and Twelve Venerables of the Bone Clan—all are troublesome figures. Trying to snatch the World Gate Key from them will likely be a bitter battle. Some of us might even fall on True Dragon Island," the Big Dipper Heavenly Son said gravely.
To seize the World Gate Key, the Hell Realm had truly gone all out this time, mobilizing almost the most elite forces of the Nether Clan and Bone Clan.
Under normal circumstances, the Son of Darkness, the Seven Absolute Killing Gods of the Nether Hall, and the Three Emperors and Twelve Venerables of the Bone Clan would hardly ever appear in the same place. Any one of them was enough to dominate a merit battlefield.
"Actually, there's no need to be so tense. Even if we can't get the World Gate Key, it's no loss to us. The Kunlun Realm should be the one with a headache."
"Afterward, we can attack Golden Dragon Island and Silver Dragon Island. Those are the habitats of the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon and Five-Clawed Silver Dragon. The treasures collected by the Divine Dragon Clan must be on those two islands. If we can get them, it will be a huge gain."
The Blazing Sun Heavenly Son said with a light laugh, showing no signs of pressure.
Clearly, from the very beginning, he had set his sights on Golden Dragon Island and Silver Dragon Island. No matter what, this trip couldn't be in vain.
Especially if the Kunlun Realm was truly on its last legs, they should seize the opportunity to grab more opportunities. It was better than letting the Hell Realm have them.
The Linglong Fairy glanced at the Blazing Sun Heavenly Son and said, "Golden Dragon Island and Silver Dragon Island are not as simple as you think. The Divine Dragon Clan of the Kunlun Realm, whether the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon or the Five-Clawed Silver Dragon, has produced overlord-level powerhouses. It's best not to set foot on their habitats lightly. Otherwise, you might bring disaster upon yourself."
As a fellow dragon clan member, the Linglong Fairy undoubtedly knew the most about the Kunlun Realm's dragon clan.
When she left the Heavenly Dragon Realm, her clan elders had instructed her that, aside from True Dragon Island, she must never set foot on any other island in the Yin-Yang Sea.
What was an overlord-level powerhouse? It was an existence that could dominate even among gods, one who must have mastered Esoterica.
Whether a god mastered Esoterica or not made a world of difference in their strength.
For example, when the Moon God had only recovered fifty percent of her divine power, she could still easily defeat the Yan God, who had not mastered Esoterica, relying on the Esoterica she controlled.
Usually, only gods who had mastered Esoterica had the ability to slay other gods.
The Blazing Sun Heavenly Son's heart stirred, but he still said casually, "Overlord-level powerhouses are indeed strong, but they have already fallen. How many means could they have left behind? Fairy, there's no need to be so cautious."
Hearing this, the Linglong Fairy said nothing more. As the saying goes, a few words are better than many when there's no common ground.
"Strange, the Hell Realm is about to launch a full assault on True Dragon Island. Why hasn't Zhang Ruochen arrived? Has he already left the Yin-Yang Sea? And where are the other Kunlun Realm experts? Why are they nowhere to be seen?" the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden said with a puzzled expression.
The Blazing Sun Heavenly Son laughed lightly and said, "Fleeing the Yin-Yang Sea early is the wise choice. Given the current situation in the Yin-Yang Sea, even if Zhang Ruochen gets involved, he can't change anything. He'll likely just throw his life away. This so-called War God of the Kunlun Realm is nothing but a joke when facing the Son of Darkness, the Seven Absolute Killing Gods of the Nether Hall, and the others."
Anyone could hear the Blazing Sun Heavenly Son's contempt for Zhang Ruochen.
Hearing this, a hint of mockery flashed in the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden's eyes. "As a Heavenly Son of an ancient civilization, to have such shallow insight and vision. Zhang Ruochen returned to the Kunlun Realm, fought bloody battles continuously, and his fierce reputation shook the world. How many experts renowned across the realms have fallen by his hand? He even dared to blow up the doppelganger of a Patrol Envoy. And this fool still dares to underestimate him. If the Blazing Sun Heavenly Son were to ascend to the position of Heavenly Lord, the Blazing Sun Civilization would surely decline."
"Get ready. The shift between day and night is coming soon. As soon as the Hell Realm breaks through True Dragon Island, we will immediately land on the island at top speed and head to the Dragon God Hall at the center. The World Gate Key is there," the Big Dipper Heavenly Son said with a serious expression.
Although they knew it would be difficult to seize the World Gate Key, the combined forces of their four ancient civilizations and the Heavenly Dragon Realm gathered in the Yin-Yang Sea were not weak. They might be able to contend with the Hell Realm.
Among them, the Heavenly Dragon Realm was the most powerful. An eternal hegemon, it ranked in the top ten among the myriad realms, second only to the four dominant worlds. One hundred thousand years ago, the three giants of the Western Universe—the Paradise Realm, the Kunlun Realm, and the Western Buddha Realm—might not have been able to defeat the Heavenly Dragon Realm individually. It must be remembered that at that time, the Kunlun Realm had figures like Xumi Saint Monk, Ten Calamities Wen Tianjun, and Dragon Lord Jiwang sitting in command.
Of course, later, when the Sundial was activated, the Kunlun Realm entered an era of "one day in heaven, one year on earth," advancing by leaps and bounds, leaving the Paradise Realm, Western Buddha Realm, and Heavenly Dragon Realm far behind. They had the ambition to establish a new order in the universe. But unfortunately, they fell short at the last step. After their glory, only ruins remained.
Now, the strength of the Heavenly Dragon Realm must be even more terrifying than it was one hundred thousand years ago. The current Kunlun Realm was nothing compared to it.
The Thousand Star Civilization, Blazing Sun Civilization, Big Dipper Civilization, and Witch God Civilization were all four giants among the ancient civilizations of the universe, with deep foundations and long heritages. They had the qualifications to negotiate with the Heavenly Palace.
With these five powerful forces coming together, their ambitions were undoubtedly great.
...
In the Silver Dragon Palace, Ao Xinyan, the Heavenly Corpse Emperor, and the Dead Zen Patriarch gathered with over a dozen other powerful figures. The Three-Eyed Ancient Clan's Zixin Saint King was also among them.
Those dozen or so figures, who sat on equal footing with Ao Xinyan and the others, all had auras like dragons and phoenixes, steady temperaments, thick blood qi, and an ancient charm, as if they were characters who had stepped out of ancient history books. Among them, Zixin Saint King sat only at the lowest seat.
"Chief, why haven't you come out of seclusion yet? The shift between day and night is coming soon. If we don't hurry to True Dragon Island, not only will we miss the chance to save the dragon clan of the Ancestral Dragon Mountain, but we will also be unable to stop the Hell Realm from taking the World Gate Key," Ao Xinyan said with an anxious expression.
The Heavenly Corpse Emperor said, "This matter cannot be delayed. Let's go ahead."
The Dead Zen Patriarch sat cross-legged on the back of a Four-Unlike Beast, chanted a Buddhist chant, and said, "Don't worry. Benefactor Zhang has already arrived."
As soon as he finished speaking, the figures of Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei appeared before the four of them.
"I apologize for the wait, everyone. I am ready. We can set off at any time," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Heavenly Corpse Emperor took a deep look at Zhang Ruochen, a faint, unusual light flickering in his eyes. In just three short days, he felt that Zhang Ruochen had undergone a tremendous change.
This change was not on the surface but internal, as if he had been reborn.
...
Continuing to promote Xiao Yu's new book, *The Legend of the Heavenly Emperor*. I hope all readers can support it.
(End of chapter)