Chapter 2484: Heading to the Ouyun Asteroid Belt
Duan Lingfeng's head recondensed, putting Zhang Ruochen on alert.
Although spiritual power cultivators have weak physical bodies, at the sixty-ninth level, they can manifest various wonders. Even if their physical body is completely destroyed, they will not die, possessing vitality even stronger than a Supreme Realm Great Saint.
"Although Duan Lingfeng's spiritual power is severely depleted, I still cannot contend with him. I must break away immediately."
Ignoring the risk of exposing his identity, Zhang Ruochen mobilized the sacred Qi within him, activating the Supreme Inscription Rune of the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar, drawing forth its supreme power. Instantly, the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar transformed into a pillar connecting heaven and earth, the surrounding space growing dim as countless bolts of lightning flickered.
A terrifyingly unparalleled energy erupted, instantly blasting away all the sacred arrows shot by Tian Mu.
The sacred light on the arrow shafts dissipated, and numerous cracks appeared.
"Everyone be careful, it's a Supreme Sacred Artifact." Tian Mu's face changed color as he shouted loudly.
Zhang Ruochen activated the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Staff, sweeping it with the momentum of a mountain, sending seven Great Saints, including Shang Yue, flying like scarecrows.
Two of the Great Saints, with lower cultivation, could not withstand the impact of the Supreme Sacred Artifact; their undying sacred bodies exploded, their bones shattered into dust.
Aside from Shang Yue, the other four Great Saints were also severely injured.
Shang Yue was able to withstand the Supreme Sacred Artifact thanks to her profound cultivation and several protective treasures on her person.
Even so, the appearance of the Supreme Sacred Artifact still shocked her.
Since he carried a Supreme Sacred Artifact, it meant the other party had come prepared and had long seen through their plan.
Otherwise, under normal circumstances, only those who were both supremely powerful and held high positions, such as the High Priest, the First Arbiter, or the First Fate Emperor of the Destiny Temple, could possess a Supreme Sacred Artifact. Even the leaders of the Ten Dark Powers might not necessarily control one.
From the three directions, Yue Lin Blood Emperor and Yun Heng Iron Blood King were both at the peak of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm. Only Shang Yue was at the middle stage of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm. Naturally, Zhang Ruochen chose to break through from her side.
"Take another strike from my staff!"
Zhang Ruochen roared, holding the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar with both hands, stirring the cosmic space, then slashing straight down.
Shang Yue had just stabilized her form when she felt space collapsing and sinking, her body uncontrollably falling downward. Looking up, she saw a dark gold sky appearing in the universe, a pillar of light carrying infinite battle intent slashing down.
Her body was locked onto by the Supreme Sacred Artifact, unable to dodge.
The sacred robe and long skirt on Shang Yue's body fluttered in the wind like gorgeous petals unfolding. Blazing flames ignited on her body, the petals turning into fire roses, and a Dao Domain like a hell of nether flames rose up.
At the same time, a monarch-level sacred sword flew out from within her, emitting a startling sword cry.
The sword shot up like a white rainbow.
"Boom, rumble!"
The Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar crushed down, shattering her Dao Domain layer by layer.
It clashed with the sacred sword.
The supreme power shattered all the sword Qi, and a crack appeared on the sword's body, followed by an explosion, shattering into countless sword fragments that flew back.
Some of the sword fragments struck Shang Yue, leaving bloody holes in her.
Although she was a Primordial Fire Spirit, she had also cultivated a physical body of flesh and blood.
"Pfft!"
Shang Yue spat blood, her body falling downward.
The injuries from the sword fragments were secondary; what truly wounded her was the supreme power of the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar. The supreme power not only injured her physical body but also damaged her sacred soul.
Zhang Ruochen grabbed Shang Yue's shoulder, binding her entire body with sacred chains, and threw her out.
Shang Yue instinctively wanted to abandon her physical body, transform into a fire spirit, and break free from the sacred chains. But as soon as she had this thought, white patterns emerged on the sacred chains, releasing a strange force that impacted her sacred soul.
She couldn't even abandon her physical body, let alone break the sacred chains.
"Bang!"
Shang Yue fell to the ground. Bound all over, she struggled to maintain balance, rolling twice before stopping.
It wasn't the ground, but the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar.
However, at this moment, the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar had become as massive as a mountain, flying at extreme speed like a ship. Its speed was so fast that even Shang Yue, a Great Saint of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm, could not catch up.
Yun Heng Iron Blood King, Yue Lin Blood Emperor, and the other Great Saints were left far behind.
Zhang Ruochen stood on the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar, his expression still serious and tense, without a trace of relaxation.
"Boom!"
A loud explosion came from the universe above.
Invisibly, strands of death Qi manifested, like clouds, like mist, or like dragons and snakes formed from clouds and mist, rapidly intertwining, emitting dark red and purple-black light.
A thousand miles away.
Duan Lingfeng's eyes were extremely venomous. He raised the Red Gold Black Tortoise Staff above his head, gritting his teeth and shouting, "Death Storm."
This was a spiritual power sacred art.
From within the death Qi cloud mass came sounds of metal clashing, warhorses neighing, and dragons roaring. Then, doomsday chariots, death spirit knights, bone dragons, corpse tigers... rushed out from the cloud mass, surging toward the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar.
Shang Yue, lying on the ground, laughed at this sight, "You can't escape. This is an attack launched by my senior uncle using spiritual power, enough to kill you from a thousand miles away."
"What are you laughing at? If this move can kill me, it can also kill you. Your senior uncle doesn't seem to care about your life at all." Zhang Ruochen said.
Shang Yue's pretty face turned cold, and she stopped speaking.
Zhang Ruochen took out a stack of talismans from his space ring and scattered them into the sky.
"Bang, bang."
One by one, the talismans exploded, either turning into light screens, shields, or ancient cities, colliding with the chariots, knights, dragons, and tigers in the death storm.
These protective talismans were either taken by Zhang Ruochen from other cultivators or were congratulatory gifts sent by various major forces when he and Luo Sha became engaged.
Although the talismans were not of the highest grade, they made up for it in quantity.
Watching Zhang Ruochen scatter handful after handful of talismans, Shang Yue's eyelids twitched, her heart filled with doubt. Each of these talismans was priceless. How could he have so many?
Could he be a disciple of the Supreme Talisman Master?
Standing on the tortoise shell, Duan Lingfeng was driven mad. He could no longer hold on, blood spraying from his mouth and nose. He fell backward, fainting.
The death storm dissipated along with him.
"This emperor and Yun Heng Iron Blood King will pursue that person. You all take care of Elder Duan."
Yue Lin Blood Emperor and Yun Heng Iron Blood King erupted with extreme speed, turning into two beams of light, chasing after the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar.
At first, the two experts used sacred artifacts to launch long-range attacks.
But after their sacred artifacts were taken by the other party using unknown means, they dared not act rashly again.
Of course, as time passed, the distance between them and the Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar grew larger and larger. Even if they wanted to attack, they were powerless, only hoping to keep following and not lose track.
Three hours later.
The Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar had opened up a distance of two hundred thousand miles from them.
Zhang Ruochen breathed a slight sigh of relief and muttered to himself, "After three hours of relentless pursuit, their sacred Qi should be nearly depleted, right? They won't catch up to me anytime soon."
Constantly activating the Supreme Sacred Artifact, Zhang Ruochen's sacred Qi consumption was actually ten times greater than that of Yun Heng Iron Blood King and Yue Lin Blood Emperor.
However, he had been absorbing divine stones and swallowing sacred medicine, so he lasted longer.
Both Yun Heng Iron Blood King and Yue Lin Blood Emperor were at the peak of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm. Without revealing his identity, Zhang Ruochen believed he was not yet their match.
Moreover, for such a major matter as seizing a divine artifact, Zhang Ruochen did not believe Bai Qinger would entrust it entirely to Duan Lingfeng.
The allure of a divine artifact was too great. What if Duan Lingfeng embezzled it?
He speculated that either Bai Qinger was already on her way or she had dispatched another expert.
Therefore, since the divine artifact was in hand, there was no need to continue fighting.
Zhang Ruochen swallowed a ten-thousand-year ancient sacred medicine, feeling that his sacred Qi had recovered somewhat. He decided to completely shake off Yue Lin Blood Emperor and Yun Heng Iron Blood King before stopping to rest.
He grabbed the chain binding Shang Yue and reached into the void.
The Dark Gold Battle Heaven Pillar transformed into a staff and fell into his hand.
The next moment, he activated the Flowing Light Merit Armor, erupting at ten thousand times the speed of sound.
Every second, he covered nearly ten thousand miles.
The Flowing Light Merit Armor consumed a tremendous amount of sacred Qi. After flying about five million miles, Zhang Ruochen could no longer sustain it, his sacred Qi nearly exhausted.
After stopping, Zhang Ruochen looked back. Even with his Truth Eye, he could barely see any trace of Yun Heng Iron Blood King and Yue Lin Blood Emperor.
He had completely escaped.
Finding a mountain-sized cosmic rock, Zhang Ruochen carved out a cave and hid inside with Shang Yue.
In the universe, such rocks were abundant. Hiding inside one could at least prevent a Great Saint's eyes from seeing him from ten thousand miles away.
Zhang Ruochen split off a spiritual power avatar, controlling the cosmic rock to fly south toward the Ouyun Asteroid Belt at a speed of a hundred miles per second. Then, he prepared to absorb divine stones to recover his severely depleted sacred Qi.
Shang Yue sat not far away, snorting coldly, "So the so-called Master Xun Mu is actually Zhang Ruochen."
"You recognized me?" Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised.
He knew, of course, that Shang Yue wasn't sure yet and was just testing him. But it didn't matter. Since Shang Yue had fallen into his hands, there was no chance of her escaping.
Shang Yue said, "With such low cultivation, yet possessing a Supreme Sacred Artifact, scattering talismans like paper, and swallowing ten-thousand-year sacred medicine like ordinary things. Besides Zhang Ruochen, where else in the world could you find a second?"
"You mean to say that I only rely on external forces and have no real skill?" Zhang Ruochen's withered, shriveled, aged body returned to its handsome, youthful appearance.
Shang Yue was secretly pleased but remained expressionless, "That's right. You, Zhang Ruochen, this so-called Eon-level genius, in my eyes, are just someone propped up by Supreme Sacred Artifacts and various external objects. Nothing remarkable. If you let me go and fight me barehanded, you might not last ten moves against me."
Zhang Ruochen walked over to her, crouched down, and looked at her closely, as if hesitating.
Shang Yue's heart pounded, afraid that Zhang Ruochen wouldn't take the bait.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You're at the middle stage of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm?"
"That's right. What, scared? An Eon-level genius defeating an opponent two realms higher is what deserves the title of Eon-level." Shang Yue continued to provoke him.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You are a Primordial Fire Spirit?"
"My original form is the essence of Li Fire. I cultivated for endless ages until my master enlightened me, passed on a technique, and I finally cultivated a physical body, gaining my own life. Zhang Ruochen, do you dare to fight or not?" Shang Yue said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The essence of Li Fire, not bad. It will help me cultivate the Purifying Divine Flame."
Shang Yue's face changed drastically, her expression turning panicked and terrified, "You... what kind of Eon-level genius are you? You don't even have the courage to fight me?"
"Why should I prove my cultivation and strength to you? You are just my prisoner. No, from now on, you are merely material for me to cultivate the Purifying Divine Flame." Zhang Ruochen said indifferently.
Shang Yue's body trembled slightly, her emotions hard to calm.
Her life's cultivation had not been easy. From gaining intelligence to cultivating a physical body, to reaching the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm, every step was arduous. Now, with divinity within reach, she naturally did not want to die.
Zhang Ruochen clicked his tongue, sighing, "In my life, I am almost flawless, without any weaknesses. Unfortunately, I have only one flaw: I cannot bring myself to be ruthless toward beautiful women."
Hearing this, Shang Yue felt like a drowning person grasping at a lifeline.
She believed her beauty was not inferior to those so-called fairies and holy maidens.
Zhang Ruochen's reputation for coveting beauty was well-known throughout the Hell Realm, so Shang Yue naturally had no doubts.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I will ask you a few questions, and you must answer truthfully. I like obedient and well-behaved women. If you are not obedient enough, no matter how beautiful you are, I will have no choice but to destroy the flower. Also, your junior sister, Shang Xia, is also in my hands. After I finish questioning you, I will verify with her. If you lie... I will be very angry, and when that happens, I might act without any bottom line!"