# Chapter 2087: A Thread of Life
After a hundred thousand years, the divine power left behind by the battle of gods had not dissipated. Instead, it had condensed into terrifying monsters. The Eternal Dao was truly mysterious and unfathomable, worthy of the word "Eternal."
"So it turns out that in this largest pit, there are no divine power crystals. Instead, they have all transformed into powerful monsters. Only by killing them can they return to their original form," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Within the multi-layered space formed by the Space-Time Secret Scripture, a crystal the size of a human head floated silently. It was what remained after killing that space monster.
As Zhang Ruochen had guessed, the central area of this pit indeed contained the most divine power crystals, but obtaining them would be extremely difficult.
Right now, however, he was not thinking about how to acquire a large number of divine power crystals. Instead, he was focused on how to escape.
Over a hundred monsters meant over a hundred Undying Great Saints who had cultivated the Eternal Dao. Any Saint King who came here would likely feel their heart tremble.
Of course, these monsters could not be compared to true Great Saints.
After all, beings who could become Great Saints were all extraordinary talents. Their temperament, wisdom, Sacred Arts, and Dao were far beyond what these monsters could match.
"Why are there so many monsters?"
Qianxing Tiannu's eyes were filled with unease. Involuntarily, she moved closer to Zhang Ruochen.
Every monster around her posed a great threat. No matter how many trump cards she had, she might not be able to withstand them.
Zhang Ruochen's expression also turned grave. This situation was completely unexpected.
They were now deep underground. They could not fly, nor could they perform Spatial Displacement. It truly felt like there was no way up to heaven and no door into the earth.
If only three or five monsters had appeared, Zhang Ruochen would have been confident in dealing with them. But now, there were dozens of times more. Even a Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint would have to retreat.
After a moment of thought, Zhang Ruochen turned his gaze toward the darkest passage. He had noticed earlier that monsters had rushed out from all the other passages, but not this one.
However, the amount of divine power flowing into this passage was the greatest. The divine power had almost formed a visible river.
"Everything has a thread of life. Perhaps..." Zhang Ruochen's heart stirred.
"Roar!"
At that moment, the hundred divine power monsters roared in unison, releasing an extremely ferocious aura, as if they wanted to destroy everything.
Space storms, Time Imprints, dark tides, and Origin Divine Light appeared simultaneously, all targeting Zhang Ruochen and Qianxing Tiannu.
Seeing this, Qianxing Tiannu could no longer maintain her calm demeanor. Her mind became chaotic.
In contrast, the more dangerous the situation, the calmer Zhang Ruochen became. He immediately activated the Space-Time Secret Scripture and with all his might constructed a multi-layered space. Unlike before, this time the multi-layered space was meant to envelop himself.
Of course, Qianxing Tiannu was also enveloped, spared from the attacks of the divine power monsters.
"Now is not the time to be dazed. Staying here will only lead to death. We must go to a place without divine power monsters," Zhang Ruochen said seriously.
Qianxing Tiannu shook her head. "This place is simply a nest of divine power monsters. Unless we can reach the surface, there is no way to avoid them."
"That passage has no divine power monsters. If we can break through, there might be a way out." Zhang Ruochen pointed to the deepest passage.
Hearing this, Qianxing Tiannu turned her gaze there and used her Origin Divine Eye to investigate.
Soon, she noticed something unusual about this passage. She whispered, "You might be right, but we are seven hundred zhang away from that passage. These divine power monsters will not let us pass easily."
"We won't know until we try." A determined glint flashed in Zhang Ruochen's eyes.
As he spoke, he began to mobilize Time Rules and Space Rules, unleashing various powerful time and space techniques.
Qianxing Tiannu stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen. She found it hard to understand how he could remain so calm and confident in such a desperate situation, without a trace of panic or fear, and still make the most correct judgment.
This kind of temperament unconsciously gave people a sense of security, causing her to lose focus for a moment.
Steadying herself, Qianxing Tiannu also activated the Origin Pearl, releasing mysterious Origin Divine Light to reinforce the layers of multi-layered space, making its structure more compact.
The situation was too dangerous. Only by joining forces with Zhang Ruochen could there be any hope of survival.
Zhang Ruochen and Qianxing Tiannu naturally would not stay in place, allowing the divine power monsters to attack. The multi-layered space constantly changed its structure, allowing their positions to shift, slowly moving closer to that deep passage.
No one knew what the outcome would be, but at this point, there was no better option. They had to take the risk.
"Boom."
Under the attacks of the monsters, the multi-layered spaces were torn apart.
Fortunately, with the support of Saint Qi, the multi-layered spaces could repair themselves.
But this was not a long-term solution. The speed of repair was clearly slower than the speed of destruction.
A space monster shaped like a divine python had a tail as sharp as a divine spear. It suddenly thrust forward.
"Bang."
Layer after layer of space membrane shattered, as fragile as glass.
"Clang."
The space monster's tail struck Zhang Ruochen's chest.
The Flame God Armor blocked the terrifying force carried by the monster's tail, but a sharp space force penetrated the armor and struck Zhang Ruochen's physical body directly.
Zhang Ruochen grunted, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Enduring the pain in his chest, Zhang Ruochen quickly mobilized Space Rules and used powerful space force to condense a peerless sharpness.
"Crack."
Under the slash of this peerless sharpness, the monster's tail snapped off.
"Whoosh."
Before Zhang Ruochen could catch his breath, another divine power monster broke through the multi-layered space. A sharp claw reached out.
Zhang Ruochen turned around instantly, mobilized as much Saint Qi as possible in his body, and struck out with a palm.
Accompanied by a high-pitched dragon roar, a flame-wrapped dragon flew out and collided with the monster's claw.
"Boom."
The flame dragon and the monster's claw both exploded simultaneously, but a terrifying dark force instantly invaded Zhang Ruochen's palm.
Most of Zhang Ruochen's power was used to activate the Space-Time Secret Scripture. Combined with his hasty response, it was inevitable that he would suffer.
This dark force was extremely troublesome. Even by mobilizing Time Rules and Space Rules, Zhang Ruochen could only temporarily suppress it, not immediately expel it.
As a master of time and space, Zhang Ruochen had no fear of time and space attacks, but facing attacks of origin and darkness, he found himself in a difficult position.
At the same time, Qianxing Tiannu was also attacked by monsters. She used the Origin Pearl to block most of the power, but she still suffered considerable injuries.
Whether in cultivation or physical body, she was far inferior to Zhang Ruochen.
If not for Zhang Ruochen blocking the front, she would have been even more severely injured.
Seeing another monster break through the multi-layered space, Qianxing Tiannu quickly threw out a Sacred Talisman.
The Sacred Talisman emitted a red light, releasing extremely terrifying power.
"Boom."
Half of the monster's body was destroyed by this power.
Unfortunately, this was useless. As long as the violent will within the monster's body was not extinguished, it could regenerate infinitely.
Under the continuous interference of the monsters' attacks, Zhang Ruochen and Qianxing Tiannu's movement speed slowed significantly. That deep passage seemed within reach yet impossibly far away.
Before long, both of them were covered in wounds. Their clothes were stained with blood.
With a wave of her hand, Qianxing Tiannu threw out another Sacred Talisman to block the attack of a time monster.
"I don't have many Sacred Talismans left. Are we really going to die here?" A hint of despair appeared in Qianxing Tiannu's eyes.
Without Sacred Talismans, even with the divine patterns inscribed by the old Heavenly Lord on her body, how many monster attacks could she withstand?
Sensing Qianxing Tiannu's emotional change, Zhang Ruochen shouted, "Yu Chenjing, are you already resigned to your fate just because of a group of Great Saint-level monsters? Our situation is indeed dangerous, but it is far from hopeless. Those who are weak at heart can never become true powerhouses."
"Am I weak at heart?" Qianxing Tiannu murmured to herself.
From the moment she embarked on the path of cultivation, everything she did was extremely smooth. She learned anything instantly. She was so perfect that she was destined to become a god.
But Zhang Ruochen said her state of mind had flaws. No matter how good her talent, she could not achieve great success. Those flaws usually did not show.
However, when facing life-and-death situations or encountering invincible enemies, they would be exposed.
Because of Zhang Ruochen's words, Qianxing Tiannu chose to go out alone to train, wanting to prove that she was not as useless as he said. At the same time, she hoped to make her state of mind more complete through training, achieving perfection.
She had made many changes, such as helping out at Xumi Dao Field and Peacock Manor. In the past, such actions would have been impossible because they brought her no benefit.
But clearly, such changes were not enough to compensate for the flaws in her state of mind. When faced with real danger, her state of mind still appeared fragile. She could not stand on her own and was far from being indomitable.
Just as Qianxing Tiannu was stunned, a dark monster suddenly appeared. Its wings, filled with dense dark power, slashed down like heavenly blades.
"Boom."
Zhang Ruochen moved instantly, appearing in front of Qianxing Tiannu. He struck out with palm prints, dragons and elephants appearing together, blocking the descending dark wings.
The power of this strike was extremely strong. Zhang Ruochen's arms trembled, and the bones in his arms emitted cracking sounds. Of course, the most terrifying thing was the erosion of the dark force, which could corrode bones and melt souls. No one could withstand it easily.
Zhang Ruochen's feet were rooted like a rock, not retreating a single step. He shouted, "Do you want to die?"
An invisible vortex appeared in front of Zhang Ruochen, instantly shredding the monster's dark wings.
This was his Space Sacred Aspect. With his current cultivation and strength, even a top-tier Ten-Thousand Pattern Sacred Artifact would be shredded into pieces and become scrap metal if it approached the Space Sacred Aspect.
Under normal circumstances, Zhang Ruochen would not use his six Martial Sacred Aspects to fight, because once the Sacred Aspect was damaged, it would greatly affect future cultivation.
But now, at this critical moment of life and death, there was no need to have so many concerns.
As long as they could get through this crisis, any means could be used.
Qianxing Tiannu came to her senses, her gaze fixed tightly on Zhang Ruochen, showing an expression of incomprehension.
Why did Zhang Ruochen save her?
As fellow possessors of Truth Esoterica, they were enemies, not friends. She had even clearly stated that one day, she would seize the Truth Esoterica that Zhang Ruochen possessed.
And the two previous intimate encounters were excellent opportunities, yet Zhang Ruochen did not take advantage of her.
Why save her? Of course, because Zhang Ruochen knew very well that Qianxing Tiannu's cultivation of the Origin Dao could play a significant role here. Only by combining their strength could they have a chance to escape.
"How long are you going to stay dazed? I can save you once, but that doesn't mean I can save you a second time," Zhang Ruochen said.
Qianxing Tiannu fully woke up. An unprecedented emotion arose in her heart. She actually felt that Zhang Ruochen was not so hateful after all.
"Yu Chenjing, what are you thinking? This guy forced you to write a marriage contract, used you as a human shield, and looked down on you, saying your state of mind was flawed and you could not achieve great success. Such a despicable and shameless scoundrel must be hated, firmly hated."
Quickly gathering her thoughts, Qianxing Tiannu glared at Zhang Ruochen with her beautiful eyes and said, "What are you shouting about? This Heavenly Maiden is thinking of a countermeasure."
"And what countermeasure have you come up with?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
At this moment, Qianxing Tiannu naturally dared not joke. She waved her hand and took out an extremely exquisite Sacred Chariot. It was the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot she had used at the God-Sealing Platform.
The Star Radiance Sacred Chariot was very ancient. It had once been the chariot of a Great Saint. Over the long years, it had naturally absorbed the aura of a Great Saint, becoming an ancient Great Saint artifact.
Most importantly, it had a very large internal space with an excellent cultivation environment. Its value was no less than that of a Monarch War Artifact.
Zhang Ruochen was no stranger to the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot. Back at the God-Sealing Platform, he had entered it more than once and had even fought a great battle with Qianxing Tiannu inside.
It was at that time that he forced Qianxing Tiannu to write that marriage contract.
In an instant, Zhang Ruochen understood Qianxing Tiannu's intention. With the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot, they could break through faster.
However, although the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot was extraordinary, it was obviously impossible to withstand the attacks of over a hundred divine power monsters. It would likely be shattered after just a few strikes.
"The Star Radiance Sacred Chariot definitely cannot withstand the attacks of those monsters. So, we still need your Mountain-Hiding Demon Mirror and this time-space treasure," Qianxing Tiannu said seriously.
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen did not think too much. He immediately said, "Act now. Delay will only lead to changes."
At this moment, they had to act decisively. Any further delay would only make the situation worse for them.
Without any hesitation, Qianxing Tiannu entered the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot, while Zhang Ruochen stayed outside to control the Space-Time Secret Scripture and the Mountain-Hiding Demon Mirror.
Soon, the surface of the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot emitted brilliant starlight, and complex inscriptions interwove into a net.
Zhang Ruochen began to contract the multi-layered space, wrapping the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot within.
At the same time, the Mountain-Hiding Demon Mirror was also activated, growing to several zhang in size and hovering above the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot, releasing thick demonic Qi.
"Rumble."
The Star Radiance Sacred Chariot was activated, bursts of Great Saint power erupting, charging forward like a star.
"Boom."
Several divine power monsters blocking the way were directly sent flying by the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot, forcibly opening a path. It rushed at full speed toward that deep passage without monsters.
In an instant, all the divine power monsters were enraged, frantically attacking the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot.
Space rifts, dark divine light, the River of Time, origin beams... all kinds of destructive forces struck continuously, enough to drown a large area of the starry sky.
Zhang Ruochen's expression was extremely serious. He divided his mind three ways, using the Mountain-Hiding Demon Mirror and the Space-Time Secret Scripture for defense while activating the Destruction Golden Sun to actively attack the approaching divine power monsters.
Fortunately, his mental power was strong and his Saint Qi was abundant, allowing him to persevere.
But even so, attacks still landed on the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot, nearly sending it flying.
"We must hold on."
Qianxing Tiannu gritted her teeth, activating all the formations arranged within the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot.
For her, this dangerous situation was the best training. If she could survive it, perhaps the flaws in her state of mind could be compensated.
Under continuous monster attacks, the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot inevitably suffered some damage. The brilliant starlight it emitted gradually dimmed.
"Three hundred zhang... two hundred zhang... one hundred zhang..."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was firm, fixed on the increasingly close dark passage ahead.
He was not sure that entering it would allow them to escape the monsters' attacks, but at this point, there was no other choice.
Perhaps because they were getting closer to that deep passage, all the divine power monsters became agitated, unleashing even more terrifying attacks.
"Whoosh."
The multi-layered space was completely torn apart. Overwhelming divine power instantly submerged the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot.
Under the impact of this divine power, the Star Radiance Sacred Chariot rushed even faster into the dark passage ahead, producing a loud sound.
When it was still ten zhang away from the dark passage, all the divine power monsters stopped, as if afraid of something, not daring to cross the line.
(Chapter End)