Chapter: 2418 - The Calamity of the Divine Mountain
Blood Queen said, "Without a physical body, even summoning the soul is useless. Moreover, the battle ended in the void space; the particles of the physical body and fragments of the saint soul would have been instantly nullified. Even if Wuqing Zong's cultivation is extremely high, I'm afraid there's nothing they can do. They can only accept all of this."
Xue Jue War God shook his head, saying, "No, the place where the battle ended was on the Dark Star. The domain of the Dark Star is enough to completely absorb all the physical particles and saint soul fragments of Yan Wushen. You must understand, Yan Wushen had merged with the Dark Elemental, and the Dark Star itself is a part of his body."
A look of utter disbelief filled Blood Queen's eyes. She pondered for a long time, then said, "Even so, it's impossible for him to come back to life. Even if he does revive, he would only be a cripple. Would Wuqing Zong pay a tremendous price to resurrect him?"
Back then, when Zhang Ruochen first entered the Great Saint realm, his physical body wasn't destroyed, yet just the act of summoning his soul nearly caused Blood Queen to fall.
Given Yan Wushen's current cultivation level, to bring him back to life would likely require sacrificing a deity, exchanging one god for one saint, for it to possibly succeed. Moreover, even if the saint soul is retrieved, he would still have to reincarnate and cultivate anew.
Achieving his former height again would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Xue Jue War God said, "Therefore, it depends on Yan Wushen's spiritual will. If his spirit is strong enough, he can transcend the physical body and soul, and communicate with the Heavenly Soul."
"The legendary Heavenly Soul?" Blood Queen asked.
Xue Jue War God sighed, "In the current era, all living beings in the Heavenly Court and Hell cultivate the Human Soul. They cultivate the Human Soul into a Saint Soul. However, in the extremely distant past, there was once a group of Qi Refiners who cultivated the Heavenly Soul. They called the Heavenly Soul the 'Primordial Spirit.'"
"The Heavenly Soul does not reside within a living being's body; it is integrated into the Heavenly Dao, a part of it."
"Those Qi Refiners vainly attempted to cultivate the Heavenly Dao, acting against the heavens, ultimately suffered divine punishment and died out completely."
"The Six Paths Reincarnation is not without records. It is said that it was something the ancient Qi Refiners always wanted to establish, to resist the Heavenly Dao and defy the heavens."
"Zhang Ruochen killed Yan Wushen, causing his soul to scatter and his spirit to vanish, which forced him onto a path of no return. He had no choice but to steal the heavens. Only by stealing the Heavenly Soul, stealing the Heavenly Dao, and cultivating the Six Paths Reincarnation, would he have a sliver of a chance to survive. This is also an inevitable step in cultivating the first-rank sacred intent, the Six Paths Reincarnation Sacred Intent."
Xue Jue War God looked up at the sky, saying, "Having already reached the mountain's peak, wanting to ascend to heaven, there is no path. Unless one abandons this physical body, abandons everything once possessed, and in the form of spirit, breaks through the constraints of the Heavenly Dao on living beings, only then is there a possibility of success."
"The path of cultivating a first-rank sacred intent is the path of opposing the Heavenly Dao; one must break the existing rules."
"Yan Wushen chose to steal the heavens and steal the Dao, placing himself in a desperate situation to find a chance for survival. I wonder what choice Zhang Ruochen will make?"
"Cultivating a first-rank sacred intent is so perilous. What is the probability of Yan Wushen coming back to life?" Blood Queen asked, her brow deeply furrowed with worry.
Of course, she wasn't worried about Yan Wushen, but about Zhang Ruochen, who was still walking this path.
Xue Jue War God was silent for a long time, then said, "What is the probability of a dead person climbing out of a coffin? The probability of Yan Wushen coming back to life is ten times lower than that."
Blood Queen was filled with anxiety and wanted to immediately stop Zhang Ruochen from continuing to cultivate the Yin-Yang Five Elements Sacred Intent, but she knew it was too late. At this point, Zhang Ruochen couldn't retreat.
Xue Jue War God took out the Six Directions Heavenly Venerable Cauldron and handed it to Blood Queen, saying, "This cauldron has already nurtured unique patterns unseen anywhere else in the world, possessing the potential to become a divine artifact. Keep it safe for now."
Blood Queen put away the Six Directions Heavenly Venerable Cauldron and prepared to leave.
Xue Jue War God said, "Still going to the Yama Clan?"
"Since you think Zhang Ruochen wants to personally go to retrieve Kunlun, I trust your judgment. Let him handle the mundane affairs himself!" Blood Queen sighed.
She believed in Zhang Ruochen's abilities.
Xue Jue War God said, "Indeed, mundane affairs are none of our concern. But now, a major event is about to sweep across the entire Heavenly Court and Hell. Every deity will be stirred into action."
"What event?" Blood Queen asked.
Xue Jue War God said, "The Yuhuang Realm is about to open. As the Grand Clan Chief, I will certainly lead the gods of the Blood Heaven Tribe there. This time, you will accompany me. The Sixth Child will stay behind to guard the Wing World."
...
Cultivating within the Destiny Temple primarily helps cultivators comprehend the rules of fate and gain a deeper understanding of the Path of Fate.
For some special cultivators, a single day of cultivation in the temple yields greater rewards than a year of cultivation outside, allowing them to achieve significant breakthroughs.
Zhang Ruochen's talent was not ordinary, but his exposure to the Path of Fate was still short. He was clearly not one of those special cultivators.
Even though he had mobilized his saint soul and spiritual power thoughts to their fullest, after a hundred days of cultivation, he had only comprehended two million Fate Rules, less than one percent of any of the Five Elements Rules.
The hundred-day cultivation period ended.
At the foot of the Fate Divine Mountain, the cultivators of the Blood Heaven Tribe and the Undying Blood Clan bid farewell to Zhang Ruochen. Some planned to return to their respective tribe's Wing Worlds, some intended to go to the Merit Battlefield, and others were heading to the Undying Divine Temple to attempt the Thousand Questions Realm.
There is no eternal feast under heaven; every cultivator has their own path.
"The Undying Divine Temple has publicly announced that all cultivators who participated in the Heaven Hunting Battle are eligible to enter the temple for cultivation. Furthermore, they can freely choose whether to join the temple and enter the Blood Emperor Divine Demon Camp."
"The legendary Blood Emperor Divine Demon Camp! Only the elite among the Undying Blood Clan's Great Saints can join it. Below the divine realm, they can sweep through everything."
"With such an opportunity, I will definitely join the Blood Emperor Divine Demon Camp. It is said that when the Blood Emperor Divine Demon Camp marches across the Merit Battlefield, the starry sky is filled with the corpses of Heavenly Court Great Saints."
...
Zhang Ruochen heard many pieces of news: the might of the Blood Emperor Divine Demon Camp, the rewards from the Undying Divine Temple for the participating cultivators, the latest rankings of the Ten Great Tribes...
Overall, due to the victory in the Heaven Hunting Battle, the cultivators of the Undying Blood Clan were still in a celebratory mood.
There was also bad news.
"With the Heaven Hunting Battle over, Hell Realm has dispatched more saint-level armies to the Kunlun Realm Merit Battlefield, preparing to launch a larger-scale war to completely destroy this great world that should have been annihilated a hundred thousand years ago."
In Kunlun Realm, Zhang Ruochen had friends, subordinates, fellow disciples, confidantes, and even family.
How could he feel at ease upon hearing this news?
Unfortunately, he could not stop this.
In the face of a war of this magnitude, his current achievements seemed insignificant.
"Perhaps only by rescuing Yunshen Daozhu can Hell Realm be forced to withdraw its troops."
Standing beneath the Gate of Destiny, Zhang Ruochen watched the Undying Blood Clan cultivators leave one by one, then walked up the divine mountain under the glow of the setting sun.
"With the Fate Rules I have now mastered, I should be able to bear thirty ten-thousandths of the Fate Essence. Obtaining the Essence is the key to rescuing the Island Master. This is all I can do now. The life and death of those cultivators in Kunlun Realm will ultimately depend on them."
He followed the Fate Stream upward, crossing layer upon layer of stone steps.
Halfway up the mountain, two Death Fate Saint Guards at the Saint King realm each raised a spear, blocking his path.
Being able to guard the Fate Divine Mountain, these two Death Fate Saint Guards were naturally full of arrogance and did not regard Zhang Ruochen, a Great Saint, with any importance.
"Sir Ruochen, the hundred-day cultivation is over. You are not a disciple of the Destiny Temple. Please leave the divine mountain immediately." One of the Death Fate Saint Guards, who was nothing but a skeleton, said in a dry, grating voice.
He was from the Bone Clan.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I wish to see the High Priest."
"The Destiny Temple has twelve Black Robe High Priests. Which one do you wish to see?" asked another Death Fate Saint Guard, born from the Ghost Clan, in a cold voice.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Fulu Black Robe High Priest."
"Fulu Black Robe High Priest is not on the divine mountain. Please return," the two Death Fate Saint Guards said simultaneously.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes darkened. "How do you know Fulu Black Robe High Priest is not in the temple without even reporting it?"
"I have already used spiritual power telepathy to inquire. The High Priest is indeed not here," said the Bone Clan Death Fate Saint Guard.
The Ghost Clan Death Fate Saint Guard said, "Sir Ruochen, why not try the Fulu Divine Palace? You might find the High Priest there."
The two Death Fate Saint Guards were not afraid of Zhang Ruochen at all. Their faces were expressionless, but inwardly they sneered coldly.
No matter how powerful you, Zhang Ruochen, are, do you dare to cause trouble on the Fate Divine Mountain?
You, Zhang Ruochen, are indeed highly valued by Fulu Shenzun, but the two of them belong to the Heavenly Mandate Department and are not under the jurisdiction of the Fulu Divine Palace.
"A cultivator from the Heavenly Court, coming to Hell Realm, not knowing his place is one thing, but being so arrogant and reckless—it's high time someone taught him a lesson."
"Yanhong Great Saint died by his hand, causing the Destiny Temple to lose considerable face."
"Be careful. Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power is strong. Don't let him hear us."
"So what if he hears? Does he dare to make a move? I wish he would. Some big shots in the Judgment Department and the Heavenly Mandate Department have been wanting to deal with him for a long time, but they just haven't found a reason."
The two Death Fate Saint Guards communicated via spiritual power telepathy, showing no reverence for the Great Saint from the Heavenly Court before them, but rather a provocative attitude.
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power was many times stronger than theirs, so he naturally heard everything clearly.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Why bother with spiritual power telepathy, you two? If you have something to say, just say it openly. After all, on the Fate Divine Mountain, I wouldn't dare to do anything to you."
The Bone Clan Death Fate Saint Guard saw that Zhang Ruochen lacked the decisive and ruthless aura he was rumored to have. The little fear he had in his heart vanished completely, and he said, "Fine, I'll say it. The Destiny Temple does not welcome humans. No, you don't seem to be human either. You can only be considered a... half-breed."
"Boom!"
A powerful saintly might erupted, and the invisible shockwave sent the two Death Fate Saint Guards flying.
Along with the saintly might, divine flames surged from the Blazing God Leg.
The divine flames entered their bodies.
The two Death Fate Saint Guards immediately let out miserable screams. Moments later, they were burned to ashes, falling to the ground. The spears in their hands melted into molten iron, dripping onto the ground with a sizzling sound.
The power of the divine flames was immense, triggering the divine patterns and formation inscriptions within the Fate Divine Mountain.
"How dare you! Who dares to storm the Fate Divine Mountain?"
A thunderous roar erupted. A Heavenly Fate Saint Guard from the Heavenly Mandate Department, who was at the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm, transformed into a bolt of lightning and descended a dozen or so zhang above Zhang Ruochen.
This Heavenly Fate Saint Guard had three canine heads, and ghostly energy flowed all over his body.
The moment he descended, he enveloped Zhang Ruochen within his own Dao Domain.
The Dao Domain cultivated by a Nine-Step Saint King could only release the sacred rules they had cultivated, forming a simple field.
A Thousand Questions Realm Great Saint, however, could already evolve their Dao Domain into a concrete form, be it a world of yellow sand, three hundred war swords, a Shura killing field, or a nascent universe.
For a powerhouse at the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm, the Dao Domain had reached a state of perfection. Without even needing to make a move, they could suppress other Great Saints with just their Dao Domain.
Within the Three Canine Spirit Venerable's Dao Domain, there were nine ghost cities, descending upon Zhang Ruochen one after another.
The only Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm Great Saint Zhang Ruochen had previously fought was Chi Di.
However, Chi Di's spiritual power had been sealed, and he was bound by divine chains. Moreover, when Zhang Ruochen fought him, he was already severely injured, and his saintly qi was nearly depleted. His combat power was probably more than ten times weaker than the Three Canine Spirit Venerable before him now.
This one was a true Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm Great Saint.
As the first ghost city pressed down, Zhang Ruochen's entire body became immobile, and his skin felt as if it was about to split.
When the second ghost city pressed down, Zhang Ruochen immediately released his Space True Domain, Virtual Time Domain, and Truth Realm Form to counter the Three Canine Spirit Venerable's Dao Domain.
...
When the fifth ghost city pressed down, Zhang Ruochen had to mobilize the power of the Qiankun Realm to withstand it.
A series of nine ghost cities pressed down above Zhang Ruochen's head, causing the veins all over his body to bulge. The divine flames beneath his feet blazed fiercely like a sea of fire, and a sharp light gleamed in his eyes.
"So this is the true strength of a Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm Great Saint? Truly formidable. No, this is only the power of his Dao Domain; he hasn't even made a move yet," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
The Three Canine Spirit Venerable was astonished.
He had long heard that when Zhang Ruochen fought Yan Wushen, he had unleashed combat power comparable to a Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm Great Saint. He had initially dismissed it as a rumor and hadn't taken it seriously.
But the fact that Zhang Ruochen could withstand his nine ghost cities without even bending his spine was indeed extraordinary.
"Shush, shush."
The sound of wind breaking rang out continuously.
One after another, Death Fate Saint Guards and Heavenly Fate Saint Guards, clad in armor and holding spears, rushed over from all directions.
Among them, the auras of five figures were not weaker than the Three Canine Spirit Venerable's, and some were even stronger and more profound.
Zhang Ruochen showed no fear. When he had killed those two Death Fate Saint Guards earlier, he had sensed the Three Canine Spirit Venerable's aura nearby. However, the Three Canine Spirit Venerable had not revealed himself, seemingly waiting for Zhang Ruochen to make a mistake.
Moreover, Zhang Ruochen suspected that the two Death Fate Saint Guards had dared to be so insolent largely due to a secret order from the Three Canine Spirit Venerable.
"Zhang Ruochen, you forcefully stormed the Fate Divine Mountain and killed two Death Fate Saint Guards. Do you know what crime you have committed?" the Three Canine Spirit Venerable said in a deep, cold voice, with a rather arrogant tone.
He acted as if Zhang Ruochen had finally fallen into his hands.
Before Zhang Ruochen could speak, a voice from a Heavenly Mandate Department Saint Guard on the left rang out.
"Forcibly storming the Fate Divine Mountain is a capital offense. Killing a Fate Saint Guard is also a capital offense. Two crimes combined, the punishment is increased by one degree. You should have your tendons drawn and your soul burned."
The middle canine head of the Three Canine Spirit Venerable revealed sharp teeth and let out a light laugh. "Did you hear that? Seize him. First, lock him in the Soul Refining Prison of the Heavenly Mandate Department. If he dares to resist, execute him on the spot without mercy."
"Stop."
A clear, cold female voice came with the wind.
Then, a graceful white figure, wrapped in a gurgling Nether River, slowly walked down the stone steps from the top of the divine mountain.