Chapter 2526: Tian Shuzi
Xuan Disha was in no hurry to step forward, intending to observe a bit longer.
Since he was hailed as an Eon-level genius and valued by so many great figures, his conduct and methods should not be as simple as they appeared on the surface. It was worth watching a little more.
At the very least, this old clan emperor, who had lived for nearly thirty thousand years, had not yet seen through Zhang Ruochen.
...
Among the Ten Clans of Hell, the Undying Blood Clan had ten major tribes, the Rakshasa Clan had seven divine kingdoms, and the Shura Clan had twenty-four divine temples.
Although the Death Clan also had countless internal forces, having established kingdoms, ancient clans, sacred cities, divine temples, and so on, none of them could reach the level of the Undying Blood Clan's ten major tribes.
For this reason, the Death Clan was actually a unified entity, with the Death God Temple holding absolute authority and dominance.
In contrast, the tribes of the Undying Blood Clan could contend with the Undying Divine Temple, not necessarily obeying everything or following every order.
The Death God Temple was filled with powerful figures. Even among the Great Saints sent to the Hundred Clans Royal City, there were many who shook heaven and earth.
Tian Shuzi was one of them.
Tian Shuzi had originally been a guest at the Immortal Source Sacred Land. Upon hearing the news of Que Shenzi's crushing defeat, his killing intent surged skyward, and he smashed his cup as he stormed out.
Princess Xuelai of the Immortal Source Clan personally drove his chariot, pulled by nine silver foxes. The Great Saints of the Death God Temple stepped aside, allowing the sacred chariot to rush to the front of the Seven Star Divine Palace.
Tian Shuzi had a heroic appearance and an extraordinary, proud demeanor.
Princess Xuelai, known as one of the ten beauties of the Hell Realm's border regions, was gentle and graceful, with an ethereal temperament. A few days earlier, she had represented the Immortal Source Clan in inviting Zhang Ruochen to the Immortal Source Sacred Land, but he had ignored her, which had stirred some resentment in her heart.
Today, personally driving Tian Shuzi here, she naturally had a hint of revenge in mind.
Tian Shuzi stood on the chariot's couch and said, "Princess, you were humiliated before Zhang Ruochen's Seven Star Divine Palace. Today, I, Shuzi, will teach him a lesson and make him understand that one should not be too arrogant."
Princess Xuelai's immortal face was flawless and snow-white, her emotions unreadable. She said calmly, "It's not really Ruochen Dacheng's fault; the Immortal Source Clan was too presumptuous. Since we were inviting such a distinguished guest, the clan emperor himself should have come in person to show proper respect."
Tian Shuzi gave a cold, sharp laugh and stepped down from the chariot.
Yuan Ben Jijing immediately walked over and quietly recounted what had happened earlier.
Tian Shuzi nodded. "Lord Yuan need not worry. Since I am here, I will not allow Zhang Ruochen to continue his arrogance."
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power was immense, so he naturally overheard their conversation. A realization dawned on him. No wonder so many cultivators in the Hundred Clans Royal City were hostile toward him. It turned out that during the days he had been comprehending the Dao, he had offended the cultivators who came to invite and pay respects to him.
This was truly unfortunate!
He would have to find time to visit each clan and offer gifts of apology.
Tian Shuzi was clearly an extraordinary figure. Even with four Wan Si Yi Sheng Jing Great Saints captured, he remained calm and confident, calling out, "Zhang Ruochen, dare you fight another battle? A true battle to settle all grievances."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Can you represent the Death God Temple?"
"Of course! If you defeat me, all grievances between you and the Death God Temple will be wiped clean," Tian Shuzi said.
Zhang Ruochen sighed softly. "To be honest, Que Shenzi said the same thing earlier. But your Death God Temple is far too fond of going back on its word. How can I trust you?"
The Great Saints of the Death God Temple showed no embarrassment at this remark; instead, their gazes grew even colder.
If Zhang Ruochen did not hold hostages, they would have already attacked together, smashing the Seven Star Divine Palace, rather than wasting so many words with him.
Tian Shuzi said, "I, Tian Shuzi, am a disciple of Mofa Shenwang. For the sake of my master's reputation, I would never go back on my word."
Lian Xi sent a voice transmission to Zhang Ruochen. "Don't believe him. He's just trying to lure you out of the Seven Star Divine Palace's defensive formation."
Most cultivators present could see Tian Shuzi's intent and guessed that Zhang Ruochen would certainly not fall for it.
With four Wan Si Yi Sheng Jing hostages in hand, he was already in an invincible position. Why risk a decisive battle with Tian Shuzi?
Moreover, Tian Shuzi was an incredibly formidable figure, one of the Death God Temple's most promising cultivators, having entered the fifth level of the Death God Pavilion. Zhang Ruochen's chances of defeating him were nearly nonexistent.
"Hatred is the root of all evil. If there is a chance to resolve it, one should do their utmost," Zhang Ruochen said, uttering a statement that left everyone stunned. Then, ignoring Lian Xi, he turned to Tian Shuzi. "Alright, I'll trust you this once."
Lian Xi felt that since emerging from the Qiankun Realm, Zhang Ruochen seemed like a different person. How could he be so foolish? And how could he say something like "Hatred is the root of all evil"?
Lian Xi swept her beautiful eyes over the Great Saints of the Death God Temple and raised her voice. "If anything happens to Zhang Ruochen, I will kill these four immediately."
There was no choice. Zhang Ruochen was courting death, but she had to stay rational.
If Zhang Ruochen got himself killed, what would she do?
Zhang Ruochen, who was about to step out of the defensive formation, immediately stopped and shook his head at Lian Xi. "Killing only deepens hatred. Do not do it! Rest assured, I am confident in this battle."
Bore, standing on the Kun Tower, furrowed her delicate brows deeply.
She could tell that Zhang Ruochen genuinely wanted to resolve the hatred and conflict with the Death God Temple.
That was the most suspicious part.
"What exactly happened to him?" Bore was deeply worried, afraid that Zhang Ruochen had encountered problems in his cultivation and had fallen into a demonic heart without realizing it.
She also feared that Zhang Ruochen had been possessed by some deity, causing his personality to change drastically.
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.
But no matter how uneasy or worried she was, she could not step forward now. She would have to wait until this was over to test him and understand the situation.
Stay calm. She could not lose her composure.
Que sensed her emotional fluctuations and glanced sideways, then looked away without asking.
The battle between Zhang Ruochen and Tian Shuzi erupted in an instant.
The Wan Zhou Tian Zhu shone brightly. Under Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power control, he unleashed the Ming Guang Curse.
A layer of purple nether light trapped Tian Shuzi.
"Break for me!"
Tian Shuzi stood still, and from within his body surged five trillion Sacred Dao rules, forming a Dao domain filled with corrosion, decay, and destruction. Within the domain rose countless green stone tombstones, inscribed with divine texts, as if they suppressed undead gods beneath them. The momentum was overwhelming.
"Boom!"
The ever-victorious Ming Guang Curse was shattered by the Dao domain.
The Great Saints of the Death God Temple all cheered.
Princess Xuelai's beautiful eyes shimmered with light. Since Zhang Ruochen's strongest trump card had been broken, this battle should hold no surprises.
Tian Shuzi remained calm and composed, gently waving his right hand.
Countless Sacred Dao rules transformed into scorching Jin Yu Divine Flame, forming three layers of fire waves that rolled toward Zhang Ruochen with earth-shattering force.
His Jin Yu Divine Flame had also reached the tenth level, a supreme high-rank sacred art.
But its temperature exceeded one hundred thousand degrees, and he used it more skillfully than Que Shenzi, filling every inch of space, leaving Zhang Ruochen no chance to escape.
"Absorb!"
Zhang Ruochen took out the Purple Gold Gourd and began collecting the endless torrent of Jin Yu Divine Flame surging toward him.
Tian Shuzi's eyes sharpened. He let Zhang Ruochen absorb the divine flame, his body moving like a leaf in the wind, flying toward Zhang Ruochen along with the flames. One hand controlled the fire, while the other was behind his back, forming a Death God Heaven-Sealing Seal.
The energy and light of the divine flame were enough to conceal his aura and form.
When he was only three zhang away from Zhang Ruochen, he struck with the seal.
His movements were graceful, flowing like water.
As the seal was unleashed, it was as if the Death God had extended a rotting giant hand. The killing intent surrounding the seal was sharper than a monarch-level sacred artifact.
"It's over!" Tian Shuzi thought to himself.
But to his surprise, the seal, which should have been able to shatter stars, became trapped in twisted space after being unleashed. His arm felt as if it were about to be twisted off, accompanied by intense pain.
Tian Shuzi's expression changed. He could not understand how, under the suppression of his five trillion Sacred Dao rules, Zhang Ruochen could still twist space.
Logically, he should have been the master of this space.
"Boom!"
Within the surging divine flame, Zhang Ruochen, clad in the Flame God Armor, struck out with a palm, unleashing thirty times the attack power, colliding with Tian Shuzi's Death God Heaven-Sealing Seal.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen had long seen through Tian Shuzi's strategy. While absorbing the Jin Yu Divine Flame, his other hand was behind his back, forming the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm.
Around the palm print, dazzling Truth Light appeared, within which a universe seemed to manifest, with countless stars rising and falling.
It flashed and then vanished.
Tian Shuzi was sent flying back. When he landed, he left deep craters with each step, finally crashing into Princess Xuelai's sacred chariot with a loud bang.
The chariot nearly overturned, and Princess Xuelai almost fell off, her image quite disheveled.
Tian Shuzi's left hand was bleeding, his gaze complex and wary as he looked at Zhang Ruochen.
All the cultivators present were shocked.
Was the demigod's physical body so powerful that even Tian Shuzi, who had cultivated five trillion Sacred Dao rules, could not withstand it?
Tian Shuzi's physical body was not weak either!
They did not know that Zhang Ruochen's palm strike was not just the power of a demigod's physical body, but also the thirtyfold attack power of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, a Thousand Questions-level high-rank sacred art.
Why thirtyfold attack power?
Who knew that after cultivating the "Unbounded Universe" Truth Realm Form, his attack power could reach such terrifying levels? Even Zhang Ruochen himself did not fully understand.
But this thirtyfold increase did not amplify his physical strength; it amplified the power of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm.
And the sacred art was driven by sacred qi and Sacred Dao rules.
Thus, even a thirtyfold increase in the sacred art's power was still weaker than a full-force palm strike from his demigod physical body. It was the combination of the sacred art and the physical body that allowed him to repel Tian Shuzi.
Moreover, Tian Shuzi had been overconfident, and after being affected by spatial power, Zhang Ruochen was able to succeed.
Through this exchange, Zhang Ruochen clearly realized that there was still a gap between him and those deeply accumulated peak Wan Si Yi Sheng Jing Great Saints.
Few among the observing cultivators understood the intricacies. They only saw that Tian Shuzi had been bloodied by Zhang Ruochen, and they were all terrified.
"Zhang Ruochen is only at the Great Perfection of the Hundred Shackles Realm. Can he already possess Supreme Realm combat power?"
"It's all thanks to his demigod physical body. If he doesn't get a chance to use his physical strength, Tian Shuzi can stand a thousand li away and win easily. But it must be admitted, Zhang Ruochen is invincible in close combat, and his physical strength is fearsome."
...
Tian Shuzi set aside his contempt. The wound on his arm disappeared, and he said, "Zhang Ruochen, was that your strongest strike?"
Zhang Ruochen did not want to deceive him and nodded. "Yes, that was my strongest strike, and it nearly exhausted all the sacred qi in my body."
Tian Shuzi wanted to save face and chuckled lightly. "That strike just now was just a casual move from me, less than sixty percent of my power. Since you've shown your full hand, I'll finish this quickly and defeat you within three moves."
"Mofa Heavenly Blade."
Tian Shuzi took out the sacred blade once used by Mofa Shenwang. He strode forward, and with each step, the blade Dao rules converging on the blade increased, his momentum rising.
His blade intent locked onto Zhang Ruochen, not giving him another chance to use spatial power.
Not only the cultivators watching nearby, but even those in more distant city districts felt the terrifying blade intent. Their sacred souls were affected, feeling as if they were about to be torn apart, an unbearable sensation.
Xuan Qingying said, "This is bad. Tian Shuzi has actually used the Mofa Heavenly Blade. Why hasn't the clan emperor stepped in to stop him?"
Xuan Disha's gaze fell on Zhang Ruochen. "Zhang Ruochen's expression is very calm, with no sign of fear. Hmm, let's wait and see a little longer."
Tian Shuzi raised the blade above his head, and the sky darkened.
Gale winds rose on all sides, and killing intent surged to the heavens.
"Whoosh!"
This earth-shattering slash came down. The Dao locks, Great Saint inscriptions, and divine patterns around the street were worn away by this strike. Countless cultivators were left breathless.
"Boom!"
The sound of metal clashing rang out.
A figure was sent flying back, crashing into Princess Xuelai's sacred chariot.
The chariot shattered, and Princess Xuelai shot out with a whoosh, fleeing to the side.
Tian Shuzi, holding his war blade, climbed to his feet. A trace of blood hung at the corner of his mouth. He could no longer maintain his calm demeanor. Staring at Zhang Ruochen with murderous eyes, he roared, "Didn't you say that earlier strike was your strongest, and your sacred qi was nearly exhausted?"
Zhang Ruochen, clad in the Flame God Armor with divine flame burning on his body, looked like a young divine general. He said sincerely, "That's right!"
"You..."
Such shameless words could be spoken, and Tian Shuzi hated Zhang Ruochen to the core.
Curses rose from all around, with many feeling that Zhang Ruochen was too despicable.
Standing on the Kun Tower, Yan Zhexian did not know what words to use to describe her feelings at the moment. Logically, the Death God Temple, with its numerical advantage, should have been the one to be despised.
Logically, Tian Shuzi, relying on his superior cultivation to challenge the Hundred Shackles Realm Zhang Ruochen, should have been the one she looked down upon.
But now, she actually felt some sympathy for the Death God Temple. Zhang Ruochen's actions could not be called cunning or despicable, but they were both infuriating and amusing.
To put it precisely, it was somewhat childish.
It felt like he was deliberately mocking Tian Shuzi.
But Zhang Ruochen was very clear that he was not mocking anyone. He said seriously, "Brother Tian Shu, do not misunderstand. That earlier strike was indeed my strongest. This strike just now, though it injured you, borrowed external power. I won unfairly."
His tone was humble, not wanting to seem too arrogant.
This strike had indeed mobilized the world power of the Qiankun Realm.
"Don't say another word. Today's humiliation is the greatest shame of my life. I will fight you to the death, with no end until one of us falls." Tian Shuzi wiped the blood from his lips, his gaze extremely cold and ruthless.
If this matter spread, he would be ridiculed throughout the entire Hell Realm.
Even if he had to burn his blood and his lifespan, he would suppress Zhang Ruochen's arrogant flame and wash away the shame on his body.
...
Xiao Yu wishes everyone a happy New Year, all the best, and may you read two chapters of "Eternal God Emperor" every day in the new year!