Chapter 2146: Xue Wuye Severely Injured
Standing before the Inscription Rune Guild, Zhang Ruochen could not help but feel deeply moved.
Had it not been for this opportunity, he did not know how many years of secluded cultivation it would have taken to cultivate the Way of Space and the Way of Time to their current level.
After all, for any type of sacred path, increasing even a single rule at higher stages was an extremely difficult task, let alone for the eternal paths.
To increase the rules of several eternal paths by hundreds of thousands in just seventy-two days was an utterly astonishing feat. If spoken of, probably no one would believe it.
Aside from the fact that that small world was unique, containing countless space inscriptions and time imprints, what was even more important was that Zhang Ruochen's own strength and will were too formidable. The benefits he could obtain by reaching the eighteenth stele of the Emperor Sovereign Divine Ruler at the Saint King Realm were naturally incomparable to what ordinary people could achieve.
"With extraordinary treasures like the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, the Sundial, and the Emperor Sovereign Divine Ruler, it is no wonder that the Kunlun Realm was so glorious and prosperous before the Middle Ages. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that the Hell Realm has been so intent on breaching the Kunlun Realm," Zhang Ruochen mused inwardly.
The Kunlun Realm possessed too many rare and exotic treasures, coveted by both the Hell Realm and the various realms of the Heavenly Court.
For them, the Kunlun Realm becoming a Merit Battlefield was an absolute feast not to be missed.
The flow of time in that small world was different; seventy-two days there meant less than two and a half days had passed outside, so not much time had been wasted.
Otherwise, by the time Zhang Ruochen emerged from seclusion, the Central Imperial City might have already changed beyond recognition.
Without lingering long outside the Inscription Rune Guild, Zhang Ruochen headed straight for the Ziwei Imperial Palace. He needed to find the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden to learn the latest situation in the Central Imperial City, especially to inquire about Yan Wushen's whereabouts, and also to visit Chi Kongle.
With tens of millions of Hell Realm saintly army troops besieging the city, the situation was changing by the minute. It might be calm now, but the next moment, the Central Imperial City could be breached, and a great battle could erupt at any time.
Before long, Zhang Ruochen met the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden and Chi Kongle outside the Ziwei Imperial Palace.
To Zhang Ruochen's slight surprise, Yin Yuanchen also walked out of the Ziwei Imperial Palace with them.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden's expression was somewhat grave, as if something major had happened.
"What happened?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden said, "Three hours ago, Xue Wuye was severely injured by someone and is now hanging by a thread."
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen's brow furrowed slightly. He had a fairly good relationship with Xue Wuye. Although they walked different paths, both had a sincere heart for the Sword Dao.
Another point was that Xue Wuye had once been in contact with Xumi Saint Monk, who had bestowed upon him a Time Imprint and a Space Imprint. With these two imprints, he could wield the power of time and space to a certain extent.
In a sense, Xue Wuye could also be considered a successor of Xumi Saint Monk.
For this reason alone, Zhang Ruochen was willing to befriend Xue Wuye.
"Take me to see Xue Wuye," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden did not hesitate and immediately led the way.
The Ziwei Imperial Palace was extremely vast, composed of many magnificent halls and pavilions. Only those with extremely high status in the imperial court could reside within.
The Zi Chen Hall was a cultivation ground specially prepared by Empress Chi Yao for the nine Realm Sons, off-limits to ordinary people.
At this moment, aside from Huang Yanchen and the deceased Ouyang Huan, the other seven Realm Sons were all gathered in the Zi Chen Hall.
As soon as he entered the Zi Chen Hall, Zhang Ruochen saw many familiar faces: Gai Tianjiao, Lidi Heshang, Beigong Lan... But everyone's expressions were grim, and the atmosphere was exceptionally oppressive.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen arrive, Gai Tianjiao and the others' eyes shifted slightly.
They had been chosen as Realm Sons and nurtured by Empress Chi Yao, their futures seemingly limitless. Each of them had hopes of becoming an emperor or empress in the future.
Over the years, they had indeed grown extremely fast, their cultivation and strength catching up to or even surpassing the five Heavenly Proud Ones from the "Heroes Ode."
But compared to Zhang Ruochen, their achievements paled in comparison.
Zhang Ruochen merely nodded slightly without saying anything, following the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden toward one of the cultivation rooms.
From a distance, Zhang Ruochen could already hear sobbing sounds rising and falling.
Without needing to guess, Zhang Ruochen knew it must be the sword attendants that Xue Wuye had taken in.
Like the Sword Emperor Xue Hongchen, Xue Wuye was also a romantic figure, always accompanied by many sword attendants, each beautiful and possessing remarkable talent in the Sword Dao.
In the cultivation room, there were over a dozen sword attendants, all with tear-streaked faces, looking extremely sorrowful, enough to stir pity in anyone.
Turning his gaze, Zhang Ruochen saw Xue Wuye.
Xue Wuye was lying on a bed of cold jade, severely injured. His body was covered in cracks, with blood seeping out continuously, as if the slightest touch would shatter him.
Zhang Ruochen could tell at a glance that Xue Wuye's three meridians were shattered, his five organs were ruptured, and his Sacred Soul was also severely damaged. He was barely holding on to a breath of life, but it was clear he could not last much longer.
"Xue Wuye's three meridians are shattered. Even the best healing sacred pills cannot be administered to him," Shengshu Cainü said with a sigh.
The imperial court was not lacking in various sacred pills and medicines, but Xue Wuye's current condition left them helpless.
Zhang Ruochen said nothing, walking to the jade bed to carefully examine Xue Wuye's injuries.
The dozen or so sword attendants clearly recognized Zhang Ruochen's identity, knowing he was a legendary unmatched powerhouse. Thus, hope flickered in their previously despairing eyes.
"Lord Ruochen, please, you must save our master," all the sword attendants knelt together, pleading with Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen told them to rise first, then probed Xue Wuye's injuries, his heart sinking.
Xue Wuye's condition was even worse than he had anticipated; the injuries were nearly irreversible.
To heal Xue Wuye's wounds, the highest-grade Life Spring, or a large amount of divine spring from the Sealing God Platform, or other healing wonders of the same level would be needed.
Unfortunately, the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree had not yet fully matured, so the Life Spring's level was insufficient, and the divine spring collected from the Sealing God Platform was almost depleted, far from enough to help Xue Wuye heal.
"Who did this?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The person who injured Xue Wuye was extremely ruthless, not only wanting his life but also making him suffer immense pain and torment.
Zhang Ruochen did not sense any power from the Hell Realm on Xue Wuye, so he could be certain that it was someone from the Heavenly Court Realm who had struck.
Yin Yuanchen said, "It was the Little Sword Venerable of the Sword God Realm—Gu Xin'ao. He took a liking to one of Xue Wuye's sword attendants, and the two clashed over it. Unfortunately, I arrived too late and could not stop it in time."
"This is not Young Master Yuanchen's fault. If you had not arrived in time, Xue Wuye might have already died," the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden said.
Because of Zhang Ruochen's earlier inquiries, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden had a good understanding of Yin Yuanchen's situation and did not treat him as an enemy, lumping him together with other cultivators from the Paradise Realm.
Yin Yuanchen sighed, "Given the current situation, whenever those big shots from outside take a liking to a beautiful woman from the Kunlun Realm, they almost always take her into their own quarters."
"Not only that, the small clans and minor sects of the Kunlun Realm, in order to join those powerful realms, will even actively select stunning beauties to offer to outside cultivators. They trade beauty for a way to survive."
"It is precisely these reasons that fuel the arrogance of cultivators like Gu Xin'ao, making them feel that the women of the Kunlun Realm naturally belong to them—if they take a liking to one, they can take her away. But this time, they ran into Xue Wuye."
"Gu Xin'ao." Zhang Ruochen narrowed his eyes.
He had heard this name before. This person was the leader of the Sword God Realm, with exceptional talent in the Sword Dao, rarely matched by anyone.
The Sword God Realm was a powerful realm ranked in the top twenty of the Western Universe, the most flourishing great world for the Sword Dao, with countless sword cultivators and extremely deep foundations. Few were willing to provoke it.
Most importantly, the Sword God Realm belonged to the Heavenly Realm Faction and always followed the lead of the Paradise Realm. It was possible that Gu Xin'ao had deliberately provoked Xue Wuye, intending to cripple one of the Kunlun Realm's Realm Sons.
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First, a short chapter. Another short chapter will follow tomorrow during the day.