Chapter: 2226 - Moluo War Emperor
The black square was tens of thousands of meters in both length and width.
Dense divine patterns floated and sank on the black light barriers surrounding the square on all four sides. Once activated, they could not only prevent the power inside from spilling out but also stop any living beings inside from escaping.
In the Martial Combat City District, this square was called the "Life and Death Platform."
Stepping onto the Life and Death Platform was equivalent to tacitly signing a life-and-death contract. No one, not even gods, could interfere afterward.
Any injuries, deaths, or consequences would be borne by the participants themselves.
Moluo War Emperor stood about four meters tall, his legs as thick as iron pillars, clad in black armor, with eight bone wings growing from his back. His nose was sunken, and his eyes were larger than bowls. Like other Rakshasa males, he was extraordinarily ugly.
Yet the power fluctuations emanating from his body were extremely formidable.
"Hua——"
Evil Rakshasa Qi filled the space of the Life and Death Platform like liquid seawater. Because the energy was so immense, the divine pattern light barrier trembled slightly.
The Evil Rakshasa Qi surged toward Zhang Ruochen but automatically parted before him, unable to touch his snow-white, dust-free robe.
"Don't say that Moluo Grand Prince wasn't killed by me. Even if I had brutally slaughtered him, he deserved it and died a fitting death."
Zhang Ruochen's eyes had turned cold to the freezing point. He continued, "Speak. Where did you get that space jade bracelet? If you explain clearly, perhaps I might spare your life."
Moluo War Emperor laughed in fury, "What a joke! You little brat Ruochen, don't think that just because you defeated three wastes from the Blood Heaven Tribe, you can look down on everyone."
"Since I, the Emperor, lured you onto the Life and Death Platform, I never intended to let you leave alive. And you talk about sparing my life? If you kneel and beg for mercy now, perhaps I might leave you a whole corpse to send back to the Blood Absolute Family."
The Moluo Clan was as ancient as the Blood Absolute Family. Within the Rakshasa Clan, their power was immense, and the clan boasted two true gods.
Being granted the title "Moluo" was the highest honor for a member of the Moluo Clan.
Among princes, dukes, marquises, counts, and viscounts, only one person could receive the "Moluo" title.
Because of his special constitution and his comprehension of a fourth-rank Sacred Intent, which gave him the potential to become a god, Moluo War Emperor had obtained the "Moluo" title.
When news spread that a Great Saint-level powerhouse had activated the Life and Death Platform, cultivators throughout the Martial Combat City District erupted in excitement and immediately gathered there.
The vast majority were attendees of the Heaven Hunting Grand Banquet, holding extraordinary statuses within the Hell Realm.
"The ones who stepped onto the Life and Death Platform are actually Moluo War Emperor! He is the leader of one of the seven great divine kingdoms of the Rakshasa Clan, the Disentropy Divine Kingdom, and the number one prodigy of the Moluo Clan in the last ten thousand years, with the potential to become a god."
"And across from Moluo War Emperor... is that a human Great Saint? Or a Shura ascender?"
"Haha, an Immortal Realm Great Saint dares to step onto the Life and Death Platform with Moluo War Emperor? Isn't that just asking for death?" a cultivator remarked with a laugh.
...
...
Moluo War Emperor hated Zhang Ruochen to the core. He struck with lightning speed, and under the infusion of Evil Rakshasa Qi, the Qixin War Axe emitted a blinding evil radiance.
With one axe strike, he unleashed a power that could split heaven and earth, aiming directly at Zhang Ruochen's head.
Zhang Ruochen remained calm despite the crisis. He raised one hand, forming a palm, and conjured a spherical space barrier ten zhang in diameter. The Qixin War Axe struck the space sphere, and all its power was instantly absorbed.
"Boom!"
The next moment, the space sphere erupted with a counterforce, sending the war axe flying back.
"Is this space power?"
A strange glint flashed in Moluo War Emperor's eyes. He immediately channeled all his strength into his arms, fully activating the Qixin War Axe. Instantly, 270,000 king-level inscriptions emerged on the axe, and its power skyrocketed.
The rebound force was quickly suppressed, and the axe came down with even greater ferocity, shattering Zhang Ruochen's space sphere.
With a thunderous "Boom," the axe struck the ground.
All the defensive divine patterns of the Life and Death Platform were instantly activated by the force of the Qixin War Axe.
"Has that human Great Saint been chopped to death by one axe strike?"
"Moluo War Emperor is incredibly powerful! His Qixin War Axe is a divine weapon that has survived two king-level heavenly tribulations. Even many Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection experts wouldn't dare to take his axe head-on."
"That Immortal Realm human Great Saint has probably been reduced to ashes... Wait... How is that possible... He took Moluo War Emperor's axe strike and is still alive!"
At the edge of the Life and Death Platform, a speck of light flickered.
That speck rapidly expanded, materializing into Zhang Ruochen's figure. He landed on the ground completely unscathed.
Through this exchange, Zhang Ruochen had gauged Moluo War Emperor's strength. He had severed ninety-nine shackles, placing him at the same level as Yu Huang.
However, his attack power surpassed Yu Huang's.
Yu Huang was more proficient in spiritual power, talisman arts, and formations, with attack power being her weakness.
"No wonder he dared to call the Blood Heaven Trio wastes. He indeed possesses formidable combat strength and is no ordinary opponent."
Zhang Ruochen was deeply concerned about Mu Lingxi's safety and didn't want to waste time with Moluo War Emperor. He decided to end the fight quickly and activated the Flame God Armor, covering his entire body.
"Chi chi."
The white robe on his body was instantly burned to ashes by the flames radiating from the Flame God Armor.
"The Way of Space is indeed subtle, allowing you to escape from my axe. But this is the Life and Death Platform. Running away won't save you."
Moluo War Emperor spread his eight bone wings, which grew larger and larger, enveloping the entire Life and Death Platform.
Between the bones, streaks of lightning flowed. Some lightning coalesced into sacred dragons, some into taotie beasts, and some even into human forms... There were a full hundred lightning war souls.
Each lightning war soul emitted an aura surpassing that of a nine-step Saint King at the Threshold Realm, approaching that of an Immortal Realm Great Saint.
With a hundred such formidable war souls attached to his body, Moluo War Emperor's sacred might reached its peak.
Zhang Ruochen showed a hint of seriousness. He hadn't expected Moluo War Emperor to possess such a technique.
"It's the Hundred Beast War Body! To deal with an Immortal Realm Great Saint, Moluo War Emperor is actually borrowing the power of a hundred beasts."
"Moluo War Emperor once used the Hundred Beast War Body to fight a Thousand Questions Realm initial-stage Great Saint to a standstill. Is that Immortal Realm Great Saint worth such serious treatment?"
The cultivators present were all puzzled, feeling that using the Hundred Beast War Body against Zhang Ruochen was like using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.
Anyone who could cultivate to the Great Saint realm within a thousand years was no ordinary Great Saint.
Especially someone like Moluo War Emperor, who could lead one of the seven great divine kingdoms of the Rakshasa Clan, was even more extraordinary. Crossing major realms to fight was perfectly normal for him.
When Moluo War Emperor was at the Saint King realm, he was far stronger than Moluo Grand Prince, a top-tier powerhouse.
If Moluo War Emperor could further enhance his Hundred Beast War Body so that all a hundred beasts reached Immortal Realm Great Saint-level power, his combat strength would become even more terrifying. A Great Saint of the same realm like Yu Huang could be injured in a single strike.
Yet Zhang Ruochen was completely undaunted. He strode forward and attacked.
Possessing a demigod body, why should he fear an incomplete Hundred Beast War Body?
He struck out with a simple palm, which transformed into a five-fingered mountain of flame. A vast, majestic yang energy surged forth, turning the black armor on Moluo War Emperor red-hot, as if it were about to melt.
Moluo War Emperor felt a chill and quickly mobilized the power of a hundred beasts, merging it with his own strength, and swung the Qixin War Axe with all his might.
The axe and palm collided, releasing blinding sacred light.
"Boom."
The power was evenly matched, with neither side gaining the upper hand.
Zhang Ruochen snorted lightly and released his Truth Realm Form, manifesting the scene of "Starry Sea Without Shore." Dense specks of starlight filled the space of the Life and Death Platform.
Although it was a Starry Sea Without Shore, Zhang Ruochen's realm form was not far from the highest level, "Universe Without Bounds."
Feeling Zhang Ruochen's power increase tenfold, Moluo War Emperor quickly released his Gate of Destiny, suspending it behind him to reduce the unceasing impact of the incoming force.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen's mastery of the Way of Truth far surpassed Moluo War Emperor's mastery of the Way of Fate.
"Bang, bang, bang..."
Unable to withstand the power Zhang Ruochen unleashed, Moluo War Emperor kept retreating. With each step, the Life and Death Platform shook violently.
The Saint Realm cultivators around the Life and Death Platform were all dumbfounded.
That Immortal Realm human Great Saint was actually suppressing Moluo War Emperor with pure power!
Then, something even more unbelievable happened.
Zhang Ruochen simultaneously released his Space Domain and Virtual Time Domain, applying them to Moluo War Emperor. Thus, Moluo War Emperor was now suppressed by the three eternal paths: Truth, Time, and Space.
...
At the top of the eastern viewing stand of the Life and Death Platform, a ghost lotus the size of a washbasin floated.
The ghost lotus had seven petals, and two of the petals each held a ghostly figure.
They were the Ghost Lord's eighth son, Ming, and seventh son, Xu.
Ming had once been the number one powerhouse below the Great Saint realm among the Ghost Clan. Now, he had undergone seven ghost tribulations and become a Ghost Emperor.
Xu was even more extraordinary. After ambushing Yixuan Great Saint, he used the Chaos Spring to refine his Immortal Ghost Emperor Body, severing all one hundred ghost shackles within his body, forging an Immortal Chaos Ghost Emperor Body, and reaching the Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection.
Xu said, "It looks like Moluo War Emperor is going to lose. His Hundred Beast War Body hasn't reached full maturity and can't suppress Zhang Ruochen, the Heir of Time and Space with a demigod body."
Ming said, "Moluo War Emperor is only temporarily at a disadvantage. I think the outcome is still uncertain."
Xu shook his head, "In terms of pure power, Zhang Ruochen might not necessarily surpass Moluo War Emperor. Unfortunately, Zhang Ruochen's greatest strengths have never been power, but Time and Space, along with his countless battle treasures."
"No... Although Moluo War Emperor is a bit lacking in brains, his combat strength is still extraordinary. At least he forced Zhang Ruochen to go all out and reveal his level of mastery in the Way of Truth."
Ming said, "Moluo War Emperor hasn't used his fourth-rank Extreme Dao Heaven-Opening Sacred Intent yet. Is there a chance for a comeback?"
Xu said, "If Moluo War Emperor had used his Sacred Intent from the very beginning, he might have had a chance to win. But now, suppressed by the three eternal paths of Truth, Time, and Space, he has no opportunity to unleash his Sacred Intent. Even with my current cultivation, if I were caught in this triple suppression, I might not be able to escape unscathed."
"That powerful?"
Ming was secretly shocked and continued, "Seventh Brother, if you were to fight Zhang Ruochen, what are your chances of winning?"
"If it were before, when I hadn't seen Zhang Ruochen in action and didn't understand his Time, Space, and Truth powers, I might only have a ninety percent chance of winning. But now, I am one hundred percent certain I can defeat him."
Xu smiled and said in a teasing tone, "Zhang Ruochen is only at the Immortal Realm middle stage and hasn't even cultivated a Sacred Intent. If I can't defeat him even now, wouldn't I, a Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection, have to go and smash my head against a wall?"
"However, killing Zhang Ruochen is an extremely difficult task. It would take two or three experts as powerful as me attacking together to have a chance."
Around the Life and Death Platform, there were four or five Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection experts as powerful as Xu, all carefully studying Zhang Ruochen's techniques and thinking of ways to counter them.
On the Life and Death Platform, Moluo War Emperor roared in fury. Relying on his deeper cultivation, he struggled with all his might to break free from the triple suppression of the Truth Realm Form, Space Domain, and Virtual Time Domain.
"Bang."
The Gate of Destiny behind him was the first to shatter, turning into specks of light.
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen used the Blazing God Leg, stepping on a cloud of Purifying Divine Flame as he descended from the sky, stomping down toward the top of Moluo War Emperor's head.
"Watch my Hundred Artifact Divine Cloud!"
Moluo War Emperor spat out a cloud of divine Qi from his mouth, within which were wrapped a hundred sacred artifacts, trying to block the Blazing God Leg.
"Bang, bang."
In an instant, sixty-three of the sacred artifacts were crushed into scrap metal. The other thirty-seven were sent flying, scattering across the four corners of the Life and Death Platform.
Suppressed by the power of the three eternal paths and struck by the Blazing God Leg, Moluo War Emperor could no longer hold on. His scalp split open, he spat sacred blood, and he fell heavily to the ground.
Zhang Ruochen's foot pressed down on his back, and he said in a deep voice, "Tell me, where is she?"
Moluo War Emperor gritted his teeth and remained silent, feeling an immense humiliation. He, the War Emperor of the Moluo Clan and the leader of the Disentropy Divine Kingdom, was being stepped on by an Immortal Realm Great Saint.
The face of the Moluo Clan and the Disentropy Divine Kingdom had been completely lost.
More importantly, he had deliberately lured Zhang Ruochen here to set a trap for him. Now, the result seemed as if he had been the one seeking death.
Only by killing Zhang Ruochen on the Life and Death Platform could he salvage his reputation.
"Burn my Great Saint blood! I will fight you to the death!"
Moluo War Emperor roared, activating a secret technique. The Great Saint blood within his body began to burn. His bones cracked, his blood vessels thickened, and the Hundred Beast War Souls showed signs of evolving toward the Immortal Realm Great Saint level, emitting increasingly powerful auras.
Zhang Ruochen's Blazing God Leg was shaken by the force, his bones going numb, and he could barely keep him pinned down.
The Truth Realm Form, Space Domain, and Virtual Time Domain all developed cracks, as if they were about to be torn apart at any moment.
"Your Great Saint blood belongs to me. It can be sold for a lot of sacred stones. Do you think you can just burn it as you please?"
Zhang Ruochen took out the Purple Gold Gourd, grabbed it by the neck, and swung it down, smashing it into Moluo War Emperor's head.
It must be noted that the Mercury Star Gourd, Annihilating Golden Sun, and Cosmic Void Cold Stone were all extremely heavy materials, heavier than many planets.
This blow shattered even the hardest Great Saint bones in Moluo War Emperor's head. His skull caved in slightly, his spiritual thoughts scattered, his consciousness faded, and he fell unconscious.