Chapter 2223: Seven Star Imperial Palace
Yi Xuan Great Saint stood nearly one zhang tall, with a full head of silver hair, exuding an imposing and domineering aura.
Standing beside Zhang Ruochen, gazing at the blood-mist-filled sky, he continued, "In all the years of war between the Heavenly Court and Hell, Hell has always held absolute dominance. Because of this, the mentality of the beings on both sides is very different."
"The various realms of the Heavenly Court have always been biding their time, hoping to slowly surpass the Hell Realm. It is precisely this 'biding their time' that has made them, from gods to mortals, fond of deliberate low profile and concealment."
"But Hell has always been the strongest. Why be low-key? Why hide one's methods? It is to display an absolutely dominant side, crushing the fighting spirit of cultivators from the Heavenly Court realms from a psychological standpoint."
Saying this, Yi Xuan Great Saint revealed a meaningful smile, adding, "On the Merit Battlefield, you should rarely see cultivators from the Heavenly Court side actively organizing large-scale campaigns to attack Hell, right?"
"They have always been on the defensive, or only able to achieve certain results on small battlefields. Over the past hundred thousand years, one subordinate mortal realm after another has either been destroyed or turned into territory of Hell, providing blood food, mounts, women, slaves, mineral resources for the ten clans... How tragic."
Zhang Ruochen had to admit that what Yi Xuan Great Saint said indeed held some truth.
In the so-called merit wars, the Heavenly Court side had already lost psychologically to Hell.
Just like back then, on the Zuling Realm Merit Battlefield, when selecting the next Merit Battlefield.
Guanghan Realm, Tianmu Realm, Great Demon Ten Directions Realm... all felt that once chosen as a Merit Battlefield, their home realm would surely be destroyed.
This was a mindset of inevitable defeat.
Having lost for a hundred thousand years, how many cultivators in the Heavenly Court realms still harbored a belief in victory?
Every cultivator in Hell did.
Yi Xuan Great Saint laughed heartily, "Of course, you, fellow, are an exception. You made Hell suffer several major losses on the Kunlun Realm Merit Battlefield. Do you know how severely those massacre-like battles of yours shattered the Hell cultivators' belief in victory?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled but said nothing.
"If you had stayed on the Kunlun Realm Merit Battlefield, I suspect many Hell cultivators would have thought of fleeing the battlefield," Yi Xuan Great Saint said.
Zhang Ruochen understood clearly that the true purpose of Yi Xuan Great Saint's earlier words was to tell him that coming to Hell was a wise decision, and that the Heavenly Court realms had no future.
However, Zhang Ruochen's will was firm. How could he be swayed by a few words?
Even if Hell was stronger and better, it ultimately represented destruction and death. If all the Heavenly Court realms were destroyed, how long could Hell survive?
The next step would likely be an extermination war among the ten clans of Hell.
In the end, both the Heavenly Court and Hell would surely fall into desolation, with no living beings or undead left.
Without life, where would death come from?
Zhang Ruochen did not continue pondering these overly macro-level issues. Standing at the edge of the Ten-Winged Saint Ship's deck, he stared at the surrounding saint ships and said, "I see that Yu Huang and Gu Chenzi are both quite ostentatious—one riding the Azure Luan Beast Emperor, the other driving a Silver Flood Dragon Beast Emperor-drawn chariot. Why is it that you, one of the Three Uniques of Blood Heaven, have neither a mount nor a war chariot, traveling alongside a group of Saint Kings?"
Yi Xuan Great Saint scratched his silver hair, looking troubled, and said, "Isn't this all because of the Seventh Son of the Ghost Lord, Xi?"
The Ghost Lord and Xue Jue War God had no small enmity. At this upcoming Heaven Hunting Feast, they would surely target the Blood Heaven Tribe.
Since he had promised Xue Hou and Xuanji Sword Saint to win the Heaven Hunting Feast, Zhang Ruochen wanted to learn more about Xi.
So he asked, "What exactly happened? I remember Zhiyuan Blood Emperor mentioned that Xi once seized a cosmic secret realm discovered by the Blood Heaven Tribe?"
Yi Xuan Great Saint's mood was utterly ruined, and he said angrily, "The Chaos Spring nurtured in that cosmic secret realm should have been my opportunity. But at the most critical moment, he ambushed me and severely wounded me. Not only did he take the Chaos Spring, but he also looted all the treasures on me."
"If I hadn't had a protective treasure on me, I would have died from his ambush. This hatred, this grievance, this shame, I will remember for life."
"But that bastard, having obtained the Chaos Spring, has already far surpassed me in cultivation. At this Heaven Hunting Feast, he will be a great enemy of our Blood Heaven Tribe."
After Yi Xuan Great Saint left, Zhang Ruochen received a telepathic message from Qingsheng Great Saint. He quickly walked into the interior of the saint ship, arriving at a brightly lit hall.
Not only Qingsheng Great Saint was there, but also Xue Chen and Xue Ningxiao.
Qingsheng Great Saint's expression was grave, and he said solemnly, "I just received news that Xiu Chen Heavenly God has joined the Green Deer Divine Hall, ranked second among the Shura clan. This adds another powerful enemy to the Heaven Hunting Feast."
"Did the Great Saint call me over just for this matter?"
Having formed a death grudge with Xiu Chen Heavenly God, Zhang Ruochen had long considered everything and feared no challenge.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen remain calm in the face of change, Qingsheng Great Saint nodded approvingly and said, "There is another matter. You are the leader of this Heaven Hunting Feast, so you no longer represent just yourself, but the entire Blood Heaven Tribe. Therefore, your style must be elevated, and your momentum must be strong."
"Before leaving, the War God gave me a treasure to pass on to you."
Xue Ningxiao's eyes lit up, filled with envy. A treasure personally bestowed by the War God was no ordinary item.
A palm-sized, exquisite palace appeared in Qingsheng Great Saint's hand, which he handed to Zhang Ruochen.
"What is this?"
Zhang Ruochen took the exquisite palace, and instantly, a weight heavier than a mountain pressed into his palm, causing his arm to tremble slightly.
"The Seven Star Imperial Palace," Qingsheng Great Saint said.
Xue Ningxiao gasped, exclaiming, "What? It's actually the Seven Star Imperial Palace."
Zhang Ruochen did not know what was special about the Seven Star Imperial Palace, but he could clearly feel that it contained the aura of Xue Jue War God, and it was very dense.
Qingsheng Great Saint shot a glance at Xue Ningxiao.
Understanding, Xue Ningxiao explained to Zhang Ruochen, "The Seven Star Imperial Palace is a sacred hall that the War God forged for himself during his Great Saint period, pouring in a vast amount of treasures and countless efforts. After so many years of nurturing, the Seven Star Imperial Palace is likely not far from becoming a divine hall."
Xue Chen's eyes showed deep envy, and he thought to himself, "Could it be that the War God has decided to treat Zhang Ruochen as the future family head by bestowing the Seven Star Imperial Palace?"
The significance of the Seven Star Imperial Palace was truly extraordinary.
Qingsheng Great Saint said, "The Seven Star Imperial Palace was where the War God once lived and cultivated. Every artifact inside has been nurtured into a Great Saint ancient artifact or a divine relic ancient artifact."
"It contains an excellent cultivation environment, as well as some cultivation insights left by the War God."
"Of course, for you, the most practical benefit at the moment is the defense of the Seven Star Imperial Palace. With your current cultivation, plus the power of the guardian hall spirit, fully activating the imperial palace, even a Great Saint at the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm would find it difficult to break through the defense in a short time."
Zhang Ruochen stared at the Seven Star Imperial Palace in his hand, revealing an expression of amazement.
Such a treasure was even more practical than a divine artifact.
Qingsheng Great Saint added, "For the Heaven Hunting Feast, you will ride the Seven Star Imperial Palace in, carried by eighteen Six-Calamity Ghost Kings. The momentum of the Blood Heaven Tribe must not be weak."
Xue Chen was shaken inwardly, finally understanding the purpose of the War God bestowing the Seven Star Imperial Palace on Zhang Ruochen.
It was to announce to all of Hell that Zhang Ruochen was his successor. If anyone wanted to move against Zhang Ruochen, they had to consider whether they could withstand his wrath.
Of course, the most critical factor was Zhang Ruochen's performance at the Heaven Hunting Feast.
If Zhang Ruochen could not pass this test—unable to show ruthlessness toward the prisoners from the Heavenly Court realms or help the Blood Heaven Tribe assert its prestige—then however high Xue Jue War God lifted him now, the fall would be that much more painful.
Xue Jue War God was making a high-stakes gamble, also forcing Zhang Ruochen to make a decision.
Carrying the Seven Star Imperial Palace, Zhang Ruochen walked out with a heavy heart.
What Xue Chen could see, Zhang Ruochen, whose intelligence was ten times greater, could see even more clearly.
For a moment, Zhang Ruochen thought of many things. Images of Xue Hou, Xuanji Sword Saint, Xue Jue War God, and Chi Kunlun kept flashing through his mind. Even the shadow of Chi Yao appeared.
It was as if Chi Yao was staring at him with a mocking face, saying, "Aren't you the one who hates Hell the most? How have you become a member of Hell now? Zhang Ruochen, in the face of the great tide, your power is insignificant."
After a long time, Zhang Ruochen let out a long sigh. "If I do not enter Hell, who will?"
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen saw a figure flash past in front of him. He immediately withdrew his thoughts, performed a Space Displacement, and intercepted it.
"Why do you try to hide when you see me?"
Blood Butcher, blocked by Zhang Ruochen, had a somewhat ugly expression and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother."
"Shouldn't you return the Endless Hell Prison Tower I lent you?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Well..."
Blood Butcher smiled awkwardly and said, "Father God took back the Endless Hell Prison Tower; it's no longer in my hands."
Zhang Ruochen released a vast and boundless saintly might, spreading across the entire Ten-Winged Saint Ship. Countless saint-level cultivators were terrified, trembling and kneeling on the ground.
Although Blood Butcher had become a Great Saint, under the suppression of Zhang Ruochen's saintly might, he found it hard to breathe, and the blood fiend qi in his body seemed to solidify.
"I kindly lent you my supreme sacred artifact, and you went and offered it to your Father God. And you still dare to attend the Heaven Hunting Feast? You still dare to appear before me? You still dare to smile?"
Zhang Ruochen placed his right hand on Blood Butcher's left shoulder.
Instantly, a series of bone-cracking sounds came from Blood Butcher's body, as if his indestructible Great Saint bones were about to be snapped.
"It was clearly my supreme sacred artifact that you snatched away."
Blood Butcher did not dare to say this out loud.
Because Zhang Ruochen's power was too great. Just placing his palm on his shoulder pressed him down completely, unable to move, as if his indestructible saintly body was about to shatter.
Blood Butcher said, "Father God wanted to take it... I... I had no choice."
In truth, the Endless Hell Prison Tower was not taken back by Xue Yao Divine Lord on his own initiative; Blood Butcher had returned it voluntarily.
After all, having tricked a supreme sacred artifact back, why would he give it up?
No matter how powerful Zhang Ruochen was, would he dare to go to Xue Yao Divine Lord to demand the Endless Hell Prison Tower? Would he dare to kill him?
"Boom."
One of Blood Butcher's shoulder bones shattered, and a large amount of saint blood surged from his body.
"Boom, boom."
Then, five more indestructible Great Saint bones broke, and nearly half of his body collapsed.
Blood Butcher finally became afraid.
Did Zhang Ruochen really not dare to kill him?
Even if he did not dare to kill him, he might still shatter his indestructible saintly body, turning him into a fallen one who could never glimpse the divine realm.
"Senior Brother, I was wrong! Spare me this time. Rest assured, I will compensate. Killing me does you no good." Blood Butcher put on a bitter face, speaking in a pleading tone.
Zhang Ruochen said, "A supreme sacred artifact—can you afford to compensate for it?"
"I have fiefdoms that produce a great deal of wealth every year," Blood Butcher said miserably.
Zhang Ruochen said, "How many fiefdoms?"
"Five planets: three first-class life planets, one second-class ore planet, and one fourth-class life planet," Blood Butcher said.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and said, "Not enough. It doesn't match the value of a supreme sacred artifact."
"Aside from the fiefdoms, I have no other treasures. Even if I did, Senior Brother, you wouldn't find them worthy."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's expression change, as if he was about to mobilize even stronger saint power, Blood Butcher quickly said, "But... but I will do everything in my power to make up for Senior Brother's losses until it's fully repaid."
"Boom."
Zhang Ruochen threw Blood Butcher to the ground, his gaze still sharp and cold.
"Crack, crack."
Blood Butcher's broken indestructible Great Saint bones quickly reconnected, and his body restored itself in an instant.
Seeing this, Zhang Ruochen's eyes showed a contemplative expression, and he said, "If your heart is gouged out, will you die?"
"Of course not. I am a Great Saint now, with far greater vitality than when I was at the Saint King realm. Even if my heart is gouged out, a new one will grow back quickly. Senior Brother, why do you ask?" Blood Butcher asked curiously.
Zhang Ruochen said, "How about you sell your heart, kidneys, and lungs? Great Saint organs should be quite valuable and popular. Failing that, you can sell your blood. The saint blood of a Great Saint, the saints and Saint Kings of the Undying Blood Clan would surely be eager to drink it."
Blood Butcher's face grew paler and paler as he listened, and he kept stepping backward.
Suddenly, he realized that offending Zhang Ruochen was not something that could be easily brushed aside.
The consequences...
Were severe.
Zhang Ruochen, not joking, with a serious expression, patted Blood Butcher's shoulder quite earnestly and said, "After we go to the Wugui Forest, we'll discuss our money-making plan in detail. Don't worry about your saint blood drying up; I'll find a way to keep you alive, at least ensuring you don't die."
"Senior Brother, isn't this a bit bad? I am a disciple of Qingyin True God; doing this would tarnish her reputation," Blood Butcher said, clinging to his last shred of hope.
"Mother's reputation will be defended by me alone."
With that, Zhang Ruochen strode away, but before leaving, he added a warning, "I warn you, it's best not to think of running. If I catch you, I'll make you wish you were dead."
Blood Butcher was utterly despairing, suddenly feeling that he was the most pathetic Great Saint in the history of the Undying Blood Clan.
Why did he have to offend Zhang Ruochen of all people?