Chapter 2216: Overwhelming the Two Prodigies
The Purifying Divine Flame was supremely yang and rigid, overwhelmingly domineering to the extreme, a complete opposite of the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame. It surged wildly from within Zhang Ruochen's body, as if it would sweep through the heavens and incinerate all things in the world.
"Boom."
The two flames clashed, producing an extremely piercing sound.
Under Zhang Ruochen's control, the Purifying Divine Flame transformed into a massive phoenix, breaking through layers of obstacles and soaring high with wings spread wide.
A vast expanse of space, under the intense heat, began to warp and twist.
Even the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame could not withstand the refining burn of the Purifying Divine Flame and dissipated into nothingness.
Zhang Ruochen suddenly stomped his left foot, and over a million crimson divine rules surged forth, releasing a surging surge of flame divine power.
"Boom."
Instantly, the might of the Purifying Divine Flame skyrocketed. The fire phoenix it condensed became even larger and more solid, every single feather clearly visible.
The Blazing God primarily cultivated the path of flame, and among the three types of divine flames he mastered, the Purifying Divine Flame was included.
Therefore, using the power of the Blazing God Leg perfectly amplified the Purifying Divine Flame, truly showcasing the terrifying might that divine fire possessed.
"Whoosh."
The fire phoenix shot into the sky, forcibly tearing apart the flame storm that Yu Huang had condensed. Countless wind blades and Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flames shot out in all directions, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, presenting a rather beautiful scene.
Zhang Ruochen stood atop the fire phoenix's head, hands clasped behind his back, overlooking heaven and earth, like a true god descending upon the world.
Within the Hanhai Bieyuan, many cultivators of the Undying Blood Clan were stunned by the sight.
"How is this possible? Even if it's an Emperor Flame level Purifying Divine Flame, given Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation, how could it be this strong?"
"Zhang Ruochen's Purifying Divine Flame contains true divine power, it's extraordinary."
"Legend has it that Zhang Ruochen, at the Saint King Realm, had already cultivated the Purifying Divine Flame to the Emperor Flame level. When he broke through to Great Saint, the Fusion Dao Tribulation he underwent included merging with the fire dao rules of heaven and earth, undergoing the refinement and baptism of the world's rules. This is an inherent advantage."
"Mastering an Emperor Flame level Purifying Divine Flame at the Saint King Realm is extremely rare throughout history. No wonder Zhang Ruochen is called a peerless genius that only appears once in an eon."
...
Being able to suppress Yu Huang's Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame with fire was a situation that shouldn't have occurred, yet Zhang Ruochen had managed it, earning everyone's admiration.
Under normal circumstances, cultivators who mastered the Purifying Divine Flame, even at the Immortal Realm, rarely managed to transform it into an Emperor Flame.
Yu Huang remained extremely composed, showing no signs of panic. The previous exchange was merely a probe; Zhang Ruochen breaking her technique was no big deal.
With a flick of her hand, Yu Huang placed the Bi Xue Yu Xiao into her mouth and began to play it unhurriedly.
Instantly, a soothing and pleasant flute sound arose, clearly entering the ears of every cultivator present.
As soon as they heard the flute sound, some of the weaker cultivators involuntarily became immersed, appearing entranced.
Zhang Ruochen's experience was completely different.
The moment the flute sound began, Zhang Ruochen felt restless, his internal blood and qi starting to surge, somewhat out of control.
Most terrifyingly, Zhang Ruochen's sacred soul trembled, showing signs of leaving his body.
For some unknown reason, Zhang Ruochen felt a drowsy sensation, and his body and mind inexplicably felt a sense of fatigue.
The next moment, Zhang Ruochen felt pulled into a special world, extremely dim and violently distorted, where everything was like a dream or illusion, constantly shattering.
Even with his spiritual will, he found it difficult to discern whether this world was real or illusory.
"Whoosh."
A dark vortex appeared, spinning and devouring everything, growing increasingly massive.
A strange force seeped into Zhang Ruochen's body, latching onto his sacred soul and will, attempting to suck them both into the dark vortex.
"Soul-Seizing Flute, 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody', life and death vast and boundless, helpless."
At the same time, this phrase surfaced in the minds of many cultivators.
The Soul-Seizing Flute was precisely the Bi Xue Yu Xiao in Yu Huang's hand, a special treasure of extraordinary origin, belonging to a deceased ancient god.
Yu Huang had once accidentally stumbled into a dangerous place, not only surviving by luck but also obtaining the Soul-Seizing Flute by chance, inheriting the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody' from within the flute.
Legend has it that when that ancient god played the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody' with the Soul-Seizing Flute, all living beings in an entire great world would lose their souls, and even gods would be affected.
Yu Huang's mastery in this area was far from comparable to that ancient god, but once she played, it was not something ordinary people could withstand. Even Thousand Questions Realm powerhouses dared not claim they would be completely unaffected.
Clearly, through the previous probe, Yu Huang had acknowledged Zhang Ruochen's strength, so she no longer held back and unleashed her truly terrifying techniques.
Fortunately, Yu Huang was only targeting Zhang Ruochen alone; otherwise, many cultivators in the Hanhai Bieyuan would have fallen victim, their lives no longer their own.
Zhang Ruochen was slightly startled inwardly: "Such a bizarre flute sound, it can numb the five senses and erode the spiritual will."
The soul-destroying power was eerie and unpredictable, seeping in everywhere, hard to resist. A slight lapse in spiritual will would lead to falling into endless darkness.
Even with Zhang Ruochen's extremely powerful spiritual will, he experienced a brief moment of daze. The flame phoenix beneath him lost control, rapidly disintegrating back into the raging Purifying Divine Flame.
Suddenly, the flute sound evolved into a skeleton existing between reality and illusion, wielding a demon blade, slashing straight at Zhang Ruochen.
At the same time, the scattered Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flames re-condensed, noticeably different from before, as if given life, transforming into dark lotuses arranged in a special formation, surrounding Zhang Ruochen.
"Is Yu Huang trying to kill Zhang Ruochen?"
Some cultivators thought this.
With both the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody' and the Dark Lotus Soul-Devouring Formation, no matter how one looked at it, this was meant to put Zhang Ruochen to death.
Even if Zhang Ruochen didn't die, he would inevitably suffer unimaginable severe injuries, damaging his cultivation foundation.
To act so boldly within the Blood Absolute Clan, one had to admit Yu Huang had astonishing courage, seemingly unrestrained.
At this point, few believed Zhang Ruochen could withstand Yu Huang's killing move; this battle could essentially be concluded.
Zhang Ruochen stood silently in midair, as if completely controlled by the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody'.
"Calm and unmoving like the earth, the Buddha's wrath splits the nine heavens."
Just as the skeleton swung its blade down, Zhang Ruochen shouted inwardly.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen's spiritual will erupted with ultimate sharpness, unstoppable.
"Crack."
The demon blade and the skeleton shattered together.
The Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, a thousand miles tall, manifested, filled with majesty, subduing all demons.
The Purifying Divine Flame swirled around the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, and with every move, it shattered the Dark Lotus Soul-Devouring Formation.
"Roar."
The Immovable Wisdom King sacred image let out a long roar towards the sky, shaking heaven and earth, suppressing all sounds, leaving everything silent.
"Bang."
Yu Huang's body trembled, letting out a muffled groan, involuntarily stepping back.
Gazing at the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, a hint of shock appeared in Yu Huang's eyes. That roar had not only destroyed the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody' but also caused her some backlash, shaking her spiritual will.
She never imagined that a sacred image could possess such might.
"It's that will."
Blood Butcher suddenly understood.
Earlier, when Zhang Ruochen underwent the baptism in the Ancient Blood Spring, awakening his own bloodline power, a towering figure had appeared, even startling the true body of the Blood Absolute Clan's ancestor.
Although what appeared now was a sacred image, Blood Butcher could faintly sense the aura of that will.
With the strength of that will, breaking the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody' was naturally no difficult task.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was calm, like an ancient well, as he urged the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, forming a mysterious palm seal, and struck directly at Yu Huang.
Yu Huang quickly played the Soul-Seizing Flute, releasing countless rules and Great Saint power, condensing a massive dark demon mountain to block the way.
The Soul-Seizing Flute was an extraordinary secret treasure with endless wondrous uses.
"Bang."
The demon mountain exploded, failing to block the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image.
Helplessly, Yu Huang rapidly retreated, evading the attack of the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image.
Zhang Ruochen did not stop, fully driving the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image to attack Yu Huang, giving her no chance to catch her breath.
Having cultivated the technique to the ninth level, especially after awakening a will of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable in the Ancient Blood Spring, Zhang Ruochen had finally truly grasped the essence and mystery of the 'Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture', gaining more wondrous uses.
Moreover, just now, when the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image combined with a will of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable, some things inexplicably appeared in Zhang Ruochen's mind, obscure and profound, like some special inheritance.
But for now, he had no time to comprehend them.
In fact, even without the will of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable, relying on his own resilient will, Zhang Ruochen could still resist the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody'.
However, breaking the 'Funeral Soul Sacrificial Melody' so overwhelmingly like this would have been impossible.
After all, this was one of Yu Huang's killing moves, enough to make Thousand Questions Realm powerhouses wary, not easily broken.
Seeing Yu Huang's killing move broken and her falling into a disadvantage, the situation rapidly reversed, and many cultivators showed expressions of shock, unable to believe their eyes.
Just then, Gu Chenzi flashed out from the Floating Island, appearing on the battlefield.
"Let me test your skills."
As he spoke, Gu Chenzi shook his body, releasing a vast blood fiend aura. Billions of rules intertwined, condensing a thousand-mile-tall majestic figure, carrying eight silver fleshy wings, identical to Gu Chenzi himself.
This was the sacred image Gu Chenzi had cultivated, extremely solid, like a true body.
"Bang."
Gu Chenzi's sacred image clashed palms with the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, each releasing extremely terrifying power, shaking the surroundings.
At the same time, both sacred images stepped back several paces, creating distance.
The "Three Prodigies of the Blood Heaven" each had their strengths. Yi Xuan Great Saint was strongest in physical body, like Zhang Ruochen, having achieved Great Saint through the physical body, few dared to clash head-on with him.
Yu Huang was known for her mysterious and unpredictable techniques, capable of killing without a trace.
As for Gu Chenzi, his strongest point was his sacred image. Having received secret teachings from the Undying Divine Temple, he had condensed an extremely powerful Undying Sacred Image, allowing him to cultivate various secret techniques of the Undying Divine Temple.
"Whoosh."
Gu Chenzi's Undying Sacred Image formed strange hand seals, and a large number of blood-colored chains flew out, entangling the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image.
The Immovable Wisdom King sacred image waved its hand, and the Purifying Divine Flame transformed into fire dragons, charging out.
The Purifying Divine Flame incinerated everything. No matter how strange those blood-colored chains were, they couldn't withstand it and were all refined away.
On the other side, a sea of blood appeared, raising monstrous waves, crashing towards the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image.
"Wisdom King Suppresses the Nine Heavens."
Zhang Ruochen shouted softly, the hand seals he formed instantly changing.
Above the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, the wind and clouds changed color. A massive amount of world rules and world sacred qi converged, rapidly evolving into nine solid and vast heavenly realms.
An indescribably powerful force was added to the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, pressing down on heaven and earth.
No matter how the blood waves rolled, they could never approach the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image, instead gradually calming down.
Gu Chenzi's gaze narrowed, not expecting Zhang Ruochen's Immovable Wisdom King sacred image to be so powerful, far exceeding his expectations.
It was hard to imagine that Zhang Ruochen was still at the Immortal Realm.
"Roar."
The Undying Sacred Image let out a low roar, gathering countless rules, drawing strange and unpredictable power from heaven and earth, and stabbed out with a finger.
A terrifying finger imprint appeared, covered in strange secret patterns. As soon as it appeared, it pierced through space, and all space fragments melted away.
"Blood Transformation Heaven Nether Finger."
A high-rank sacred art secretly passed down from the Undying Divine Temple, when executed with the sacred image, its power could reach its peak, but only if the sacred image could withstand the force of this finger technique.
Once the Blood Transformation Heaven Nether Finger was unleashed, all living beings would turn into a pool of pus and blood, extremely vicious. Even if the target didn't die, they would suffer immense pain.
"Demon God Suppresses Hell."
The Immovable Wisdom King sacred image instantly transformed into a supreme demon god, its head touching the nine heavens, its feet treading on hell, majestic to the extreme.
After cultivating the thirteenth palm of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, Zhang Ruochen had spent some more time cultivating the fourth level of Demon God Suppresses Hell, also reaching the Hundred Shackles level high-rank sacred art level.
Like the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, Demon God Suppresses Hell had clear cultivation methods. As long as one could comprehend its essence and possess the cultivation foundation, they could succeed.
Zhang Ruochen's Immovable Wisdom King sacred image was extremely powerful, so cultivating the fourth level of Demon God Suppresses Hell was a natural progression.
"Boom."
The Blood Transformation Heaven Nether Finger exploded, its strange power splattering in all directions.
Several layers of the nine heavenly realms above the Immovable Wisdom King sacred image were also pierced, with a large amount of sacred dao rules dispersing.
The Immovable Wisdom King sacred image staggered back repeatedly, suffering a strong impact, struggling to stabilize.
Gu Chenzi's Undying Sacred Image was directly sent flying backward, nearly shattering.
Affected by this impact, Gu Chenzi also suffered backlash, his mind trembling, his internal blood and qi surging violently, almost unable to hold back from spitting out a mouthful of sacred blood.
Although Zhang Ruochen was also impacted, he stood proudly, unmoving, clearly superior.
"Another Hundred Shackles level high-rank sacred art. Is Zhang Ruochen really just breaking through to the Immortal Realm?"
"At the Immortal Realm, being able to cultivate two Hundred Shackles level high-rank sacred arts, and having his sacred image surpass Gu Chenzi's, he's truly a monster."
"It seems Yu Huang and Gu Chenzi can't stop Zhang Ruochen from becoming the leader of the Blood Heaven Tribe. I wonder how strong he'll be when he breaks through to the Hundred Shackles Realm."
"His physical body surpasses Yi Xuan Great Saint, his spiritual will is stronger than Yu Huang's, and his sacred image overwhelms Gu Chenzi. No wonder Zhang Ruochen is called a peerless genius that appears once in an eon."
...
Seeing such a battle situation, no one could remain calm.
The "Three Prodigies of the Blood Heaven" being defeated by the same person in a single day was something no one had ever thought of before, nor dared to imagine.
But it happened, witnessed by so many cultivators, and even observed by the gods.
Once this spread, it would cause an enormous uproar in the Blood Heaven Tribe, and even throughout the entire Undying Blood Clan.
Everyone understood that it wasn't that Yu Huang and Gu Chenzi were weak, but that Zhang Ruochen was too powerful, incredibly so, defying common sense.
...
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