Chapter 2474: White-Haired Qianmo
Originally, Benji was a cultivator at the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm, having survived ten thousand battles without dying. Although he hadn’t anticipated Zhang Ruochen making such a forceful move, stunning him for a moment, he quickly felt overjoyed.
He had been looking for an opportunity to teach Zhang Ruochen a lesson, but now the latter had delivered himself to his doorstep. Before finding the Seven-Handed Old Man and the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal, he couldn’t kill Zhang Ruochen, of course, but he could teach him a lesson, or even take the chance to cripple his cultivation.
Crippling an Eon-level genius would make him famous throughout the Hell Realm, even leaving his name in history. Moreover, it would vent his brother’s anger and restore the lost face of the Yuan family.
“It was you, Zhang Ruochen, who struck first. So even if you’re crippled, the Blood Absolute Family has no face to come after me. Hmph!”
In an instant, a thousand thoughts flashed through Benji’s mind. Then, he let out a long roar: “Zhang Ruochen, since you want to cut me down, today I, the Master, will fight you to the bitter end, even if it means a net breaking and fish dying.”
Hearing this, Luo Shengtian trembled with anger again, feeling that Benji had reached the pinnacle of shamelessness. A Great Saint of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm, fighting a Great Saint of the Hundred Shackles realm, yet shouting “a net breaking and fish dying.”
What was he trying to do? Was he planning to take the chance to kill Zhang Ruochen?
“Your Highness, rest assured. If Benji truly dares to go for the kill, this old man will save the Consort.” Yan Hanyi transmitted a message to Luo Shengtian.
Luo Shengtian was furious, not only at Benji but also at Zhang Ruochen. I, the Imperial Prince, am already at the Thousand Questions realm, yet I still have to swallow this anger. You, a Great Saint of the Hundred Shackles realm, are so reckless as to strike at Benji? Isn’t that asking for trouble?
“What else can be done? He’s already made his move, so…”
Before Luo Shengtian could finish, blood splattered across the Stargazing Platform, accompanied by a piercing scream. Benji was sent flying.
“Boom.”
Benji crashed to the ground, clutching his blood-drenched lower body, convulsing all over. The pain was clearly extreme, preventing even a Great Saint from standing up.
Except for a few Great Saints who knew Xiao Hei’s true strength, the other cultivators present stepped back again. The Calamity Star, who had earlier claimed he would roast and eat Xiao Hei, sucked in a cold breath through his bony mouth. This owl was not only incredibly powerful but also… very treacherous.
Benji had actually been very cautious. He knew that although Zhang Ruochen was only at the Hundred Shackles realm, his combat strength was formidable, and with a Supreme Sacred Artifact in hand, he was even more formidable. That was why he had locked all his mental power onto Zhang Ruochen, unleashing a Thousand Questions-level sacred technique seal.
But who could have imagined…
Who could have imagined that this parrot-like, mindless owl, which he had overlooked as Zhang Ruochen’s pet, could tear through his protective Dao Domain and sacred armor with a single claw?
Just who in the hell are you?
If your cultivation is so high, why are you acting like a fool?
Benji realized this was a conspiracy, a scheme aimed at him. The owl’s earlier foolish act was meant to lull him into complacency. Zhang Ruochen, by activating the Supreme Sacred Artifact and launching an attack, was further distracting him.
“I was careless! I didn’t expect Zhang Ruochen to be even more treacherous and cunning than me.”
Benji gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with extreme malice. The injury was minor; losing face was the real issue. He had to reclaim that face.
“Whoosh!”
The death energy in heaven and earth converged toward his lower body, and the wound quickly healed. Benji stood up, summoning a silver-patterned trident. “Today’s humiliation is irreconcilable. If I don’t kill you two, how can I face the world and stand in the Hell Realm?”
From Benji’s body surged hundreds of billions of sacred Dao rules, forming a bizarre Dao Domain world. In that world, the sky was dark, stretching for thousands of miles of Gobi desert, with towering stone peaks standing tall, some shaped like divine Buddhas, others like roaring lions, and still others like giant swords embedded in the ground.
Zhang Ruochen was pulled into his Dao Domain world, holding the Black Gold War Heaven Pillar. “Killing you, I alone am enough.”
The chance for fame was right before him; how could he miss it?
The spotlight couldn’t be stolen by Zhang Ruochen!
Xiao Hei immediately expanded his body tenfold, turning into a giant cat-headed eagle. “Let this Emperor handle it! This man has insulted you too much, an unforgivable crime. Go warm a pot of wine for this Emperor, and watch me cut him down with one claw.”
With a whoosh, Xiao Hei flew out, using his wings to cut through the countless barriers in the Dao Domain. Flying above Benji’s head, he spat out a mouthful of Undying Divine Fire, engulfing Benji.
The flame’s temperature was so high that it instantly burned through the Dao Domain world, spilling onto the Stargazing Platform.
“Undying Divine Fire.”
Ye Manman’s face changed. She pulled a talisman from her sleeve and cast it out. From the talisman flew dense talisman patterns, weaving into an independent space to prevent the Undying Divine Fire from burning down the Stargazing Platform, and even the entire Divine Maiden Tower.
Several other Great Saints also joined in, releasing their Dao Domains to aid Ye Manman.
“So it’s not an owl, but an Undying Bird. And that Undying Bird seems to have reached the Supreme Realm. For Zhang Ruochen to have such a powerful being by his side, could it be a guardian left by the Blood Absolute War God?” Ling said.
Luo Shengtian was in high spirits, activating his divine eyes to see what state Benji was in after being burned by the Undying Divine Fire.
“Boom!”
A ghost cultivator in ancient armor descended as a black pillar of light, landing on the Stargazing Platform. Wielding a two-meter-long broadsword, he cleaved through the talisman patterns and charged into the Undying Divine Fire, pulling out Benji, who had been burned to half his body. To be precise, what he pulled out was a black, human-shaped charcoal.
“He’s not afraid of the Undying Divine Fire? Could he be a Nine Calamities Ghost Emperor?”
“It’s the ghost servant beside Yuan Qianmo.”
“That owl’s Undying Divine Fire is terrifying! In just one breath, Benji lost half his life. If it had been any later, wouldn’t he have turned to ashes, his life force completely extinguished?”
“Since the ghost servant has appeared, Yuan Qianmo should be here soon.”
…
Xiao Hei used his wings to cut through the space formed by the talisman, charging at the ghost servant and Benji, roaring, “Who dares to save the one this Emperor wants to kill?”
The ghost servant, standing three meters six tall, swung his broadsword like a door panel. On the sword’s body surged five layers of King-level inscriptions, emitting blinding sword light.
Xiao Hei’s claw clashed with the broadsword.
“Boom.”
The ghost servant’s arm exploded, and the broadsword flew from his hand.
Just as Xiao Hei was about to tear apart his ghostly body with a claw, his immensely powerful claw was blocked by two slender fingers.
Yuan Qianmo had appeared beside the ghost servant at some unknown time, one hand behind his back, the other forming a sword finger, striking the center of Xiao Hei’s claw, softly murmuring, “Go back.”
A ring of energy ripples surged from the point where his finger met Xiao Hei’s claw.
Xiao Hei flew backward, landing on the ground and shrinking back to his original size. He stumbled back a few steps before steadying himself, his arrogance greatly diminished, his eyes fixed on Yuan Qianmo with extreme gravity.
“It’s him.”
Zhang Ruochen stared at Yuan Qianmo.
After the Heaven Hunting Battle ended, Xue Tu had warned Zhang Ruochen to be wary of Yuan Qianmo. Thus, Zhang Ruochen had deliberately looked up his information and was quite familiar with this legendary expert, ranked first on the Divine Storage List.
Yuan Qianmo had hair as white as snow, yet without a trace of age, instead appearing cold and elegant—a man who could captivate any woman in the world. After his appearance, the female cultivators present indeed had their gazes drawn to him.
“An Undying Bird of Nine Deaths Nirvana, appearing in this era—how interesting. But unfortunately, it’s not as strong as the legends claim.”
After saying this flatly, Yuan Qianmo extended his flawless hand and pressed it toward Benji from a distance. Instantly, the Undying Divine Fire that had invaded Benji’s body was completely drawn out, forming a small flame in Yuan Qianmo’s palm.
Yuan Qianmo closed his five fingers, and with a hiss, the Undying Divine Fire was extinguished.
On the ground, Benji, now half a charcoal, had thick death energy surge from within, rapidly reviving his body back into human form.
Such was the vitality of a Great Saint. For a Great Saint of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life realm, their life force was even stronger; as long as they weren’t completely dead, they could quickly reassemble their body.
Benji’s aura was extremely weak, not daring to look up at Yuan Qianmo.
“This is a Life-Death Great Return Pill. Take it and consume it.”
Yuan Qianmo took out a jade box and handed it to Benji.
“Thank you, Fourth Brother.”
Benji quickly took the pill. This time, he had misjudged his opponent, suffering not only severe injuries but also a significant loss in cultivation. Without a hundred years, he couldn’t hope to return to his peak state. But with this pill, he would recover soon.
The Great Saints present were all amazed and envious. Not to mention them, even Zhang Ruochen sighed inwardly, “I helped the Undying Blood Clan win first place among the ten clans and was only rewarded with one Life-Death Great Return Pill, which I’ve been reluctant to use. Yuan Qianmo casually gives one away. Truly one of the top experts below the divine realm, with deep reserves.”
The Life-Death Great Return Pill was a quasi-emperor-grade healing pill, something you couldn’t buy even with divine stones.
Xiao Hei transmitted to Zhang Ruochen, “Be careful. This man is no ordinary.”
As Zhang Ruochen was sizing up Yuan Qianmo, the latter finally shifted his gaze from Xiao Hei to Zhang Ruochen. “My fifth brother was in the wrong first. Suffering this calamity, he has no one to blame.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled. “Finally, someone who understands reason has appeared.”
Benji’s words “turtle hiding its head” would have been ignored by other deep-scheming cultivators, who wouldn’t have made such a big fuss. Zhang Ruochen had heard far worse insults and had long since become indifferent, so he naturally didn’t take it to heart.
The reason he struck was simply that he didn’t want to appear timid, making everyone suspect he was guilty. The more forceful he was, the more people would doubt whether the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal was on him. The more confident he seemed, the more others would believe his words.
“I’ve been wronged. I’m the victim. The top-grade Origin Divine Crystal isn’t with me. Anyone who dares to slander me, I’ll fight to the death.” Zhang Ruochen had to send this signal to everyone.
Yuan Qianmo looked around. “Since you and the Goddess Twelve Pavilions each have their own story, it means someone must be lying. The liar must know where the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal is. So, please invite Miss Bai out. I’m really looking forward to it, and I really want to know who has the skill to toy with everyone like this. That person must die!”