Chapter 2673: The Terrifying Peach Blossom
The Judgment Divine Envoy sat cross-legged amidst a pile of rubble, healing his injuries. When he heard Zhang Ruochen's shout, his heart trembled, and he stopped healing, fleeing into the distance.
How infuriating!
A dignified false god was being scared away by a Saint-realm cultivator at the mere sound of his voice.
The face of a god was utterly disgraced.
But he had no choice but to flee; the opponent's methods were bizarre, capable of severing his connection with the Star Soul Divine Throne.
"Don't run! Stay and fight me honorably! You're a god, what are you afraid of?"
Zhang Ruochen chased after the Judgment Divine Envoy.
Fairy Guna pursued Zhang Ruochen from behind.
As for the other cultivators, they dared not approach. Hadn't they just seen a large number of Supreme Realm Great Saints fall? A battle of this level required at least a demigod to get involved.
The Judgment Divine Envoy was not fooled by Zhang Ruochen's provocation. His face was full of shame, knowing that after tonight, he would surely be ridiculed by cultivators across the world. The only way to salvage his dignity was to personally kill Shu Qianchi.
But that was easier said than done.
This island was over a hundred miles long—neither too big nor too small.
Because it was covered with Divine Marks and Dao Locks, even cultivators of Zhang Ruochen, Fairy Guna, and the Judgment Divine Envoy's level were severely suppressed, unable to overturn heaven and earth.
But Zhang Ruochen suddenly became alert, sensing that the island's terrain was slowly changing.
From all four directions of the island, the ground rose, mud and stone piled up, and the Dao Locks and Divine Marks were altered, forming four mountain ranges.
The terrain transformed into a basin.
Zhang Ruochen, possessing the Wuji Sacred Intent and the Heart of Truth, naturally knew who was behind this. He thought to himself, "So strong. I didn't expect him to be this powerful. I underestimated him."
Originally, Zhang Ruochen believed that if he could see through Peach Blossom's concealment techniques, their chances of victory would be fifty-fifty.
But witnessing Peach Blossom ignore the Divine Marks and Dao Locks to perform such earth-shaking feats, Zhang Ruochen realized that with his current cultivation, facing Peach Blossom would mean certain defeat.
If he didn't choose to break through and escape before the four mountain ranges fully encircled him, surviving today would become as difficult as ascending to heaven.
But if he fled, what about the cultivators of the Book Realm and the Heavenly Dragon Realm?
He couldn't escape.
He had to face the challenge head-on.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze locked onto the fleeing Judgment Divine Envoy ahead. He thought to himself, "It seems there's only one way."
Peach Blossom, in the form of a shadow, stood atop a pagoda-shaped building, his hands slowly lifting upward as if supporting the sky.
With his gestures, the four mountain ranges around the island, like four divine dragons, changed in height and form. What also changed were the momentum of heaven and earth and the spatial structure. He had merged with the entire island, controlling everything.
He knew that Shu Qianchi's greatest strengths were speed and the Way of Space, which allowed him to escape from the siege of the Heavenly Realm Faction's powerful experts.
Thus, to achieve a one-hit kill, Peach Blossom had to alter the terrain and heavenly momentum before striking.
Everything had to be under his control.
In the Green Pear Garden, Hua Chunqiu, who was painting, changed expression. "Not good! The momentum of heaven and earth is being altered, and the rules of heaven and earth are being devoured by another set of rules."
Ao Xukong said decisively, "Impossible. The Red Dust Archipelago is dense with Dao Locks and Divine Marks. Only a god could have such power... It seems it really has been changed! How did those cultivators of the Heavenly Realm Faction do it? Did they activate a sub-god-level grand formation?"
Lian Xi looked at the distant rising mountain ranges.
The mountains blocked her view, and she could no longer see the sea.
From within the mountains, wisps of mist rose, forming a wall of clouds that spread toward the center of the island.
"It's him. It must be him."
Lian Xi murmured, a look of terror in her eyes. Her small, snow-white hands clenched tightly together as she worried about Zhang Ruochen's life and death.
Outside the island, on the sea.
A demigod looked uncertain and asked, "Lord Alliance Leader, why has the terrain on the island changed? Did a god from the Red Dust Peerless Tower intervene?"
The alliance leader of the Ten Thousand Ruins Realm had an unprecedentedly grave expression. He shook his head. "The Red Dust Peerless Tower may not dare to interfere in tonight's events. And this doesn't seem like the work of a god."
"Can a Saint-realm cultivator possess such power?" someone among the Ten Thousand Ruins Realm cultivators exclaimed.
The alliance leader said, "Some things are beyond your understanding. I can only say that the Heavenly Court has finally produced an extraordinary figure."
Even the alliance leader called him an "extraordinary figure." Just how strong was he?
The cultivators of the Ten Thousand Ruins Realm were deeply shaken. They felt that this Red Dust Assembly had greatly broadened their horizons. There was always a sky beyond the sky, a person beyond the person, and a mountain beyond the mountain.
Fairy Guna seemed to know that Peach Blossom was about to act. Her pace in chasing Zhang Ruochen slowed, and she eventually gathered with several Supreme Realm Great Saints of the Elf Clan.
The sense of crisis in Zhang Ruochen's heart grew heavier. He directly used Spatial Displacement to traverse space and intercept the Judgment Divine Envoy.
"Now."
Peach Blossom had been waiting for Zhang Ruochen to use Spatial Displacement. Seizing the opportunity, he thrust his sword.
Although he was over ten miles away, this sword pierced through space, instantly appearing above the Judgment Divine Envoy's head.
At the same time, spatial fluctuations appeared above the Judgment Divine Envoy's head, and Zhang Ruochen was about to step out from the space.
"It's over." Peach Blossom murmured this to himself.
"Whoosh!"
Above the Judgment Divine Envoy's head, spatial fluctuations clearly appeared, but what emerged was not Zhang Ruochen. Instead, it was the sword Zhang Ruochen had been holding earlier.
The two swords clashed, sparks flying, sword qi surging.
The Judgment Divine Envoy below couldn't dodge in time and was struck by the sword qi, leaving multiple sword wounds on his body, blood dripping.
He was both frustrated and furious. He stopped fleeing and roared, "Shu Qianchi! Come on! This divine envoy will fight you to the death! Fight! Fight me honorably!"
The Judgment Divine Envoy surged with twenty trillion Sacred Dao Rules, condensing into a dense array of sword shadows around him.
But no one responded.
In the distance, Peach Blossom, the moment the two swords clashed, realized something was wrong. He immediately turned and pointed a finger behind him.
Zhang Ruochen stepped out of the space behind Peach Blossom, mobilizing all his power to strike with a palm, intending to severely injure this terrifying opponent with a single unexpected blow.
But Peach Blossom's reaction speed was too fast.
Just as Zhang Ruochen struck with his palm, Peach Blossom's finger had already been thrust out.
"Boom!"
The palm print and finger print collided.
Zhang Ruochen felt a sharp pain in his palm. At the same time, a force like a mountain or sea surged from the opponent's fingertip, shaking Zhang Ruochen's fingers, wrist, arm, and shoulder, all emitting cracking sounds, as if his bones were about to break.
Zhang Ruochen was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground a hundred zhang away.
The ground beneath his feet shattered, and within a ten-zhang radius, all Divine Marks and Dao Locks were destroyed.
"No doubt about it. He has indeed reached that level." Zhang Ruochen looked at the wound on his palm, his heart sinking to the bottom.
He had almost completely seized the initiative, and the opponent had only reacted hastily. Yet he still couldn't contend, proving the gap between them was enormous.
Peach Blossom's strength had reached the level of Bai Qinger back then.
Peach Blossom flew down from the top of the pagoda, hovering three zhang above the ground. He extended his hand, and the distant Divine Relic Ancient Artifact war sword flew back into his grasp.
He remained in shadow form, his true face hidden. His voice was like the wind, somewhat hoarse. "You are the only cultivator below the god realm who has ever evaded my assassination. And you have repeatedly seen through my Heavenly Witch Concealment Technique—truly remarkable. Come on, show me your full strength. Let's see how many of my sword strikes you can withstand."
Peach Blossom knew that the opponent had not yet used his full power, especially the number of Sacred Dao Rules, which remained unknown.
Zhang Ruochen knew that at this point, hoping for the Mysterious Case Divine General to deal with Peach Blossom was wishful thinking. He had to break the deadlock himself.
His injuries healed instantly. He put on a calm demeanor and smiled. "If you want to see my true strength, shouldn't you first reveal your true face?"
"A dead man has no right to know who I am," Peach Blossom said.
"Yin Yuanchen! You are a descendant of the Ten Calamities Wen Tianjun, and your grandfather is a figure like Xuan Yi True God. How can you lack the courage to show your true face?" Zhang Ruochen shouted loudly.
His voice spread beyond the island, echoing across the Red Dust Archipelago.
Even among the cultivators of the Heavenly Realm Faction, very few knew Peach Blossom's true identity. Hearing Zhang Ruochen's shout, they looked shocked and uncertain.
Was Peach Blossom actually Yin Yuanchen?
Yin Yuanchen was a highly controversial figure in the Paradise Realm. His grandfather was the awe-inspiring Xuan Yi True God, and his grandmother was Princess Shenba, daughter of the Ten Calamities Wen Tianjun.
His talent was extraordinary. He had emerged a thousand years ago, and after the Kunlun Realm Merit War, he entered the Tongtian Divine Temple to cultivate, surpassing Michael and Fairy Guna in strength.
But his identity was too special, caught between the Paradise Realm and the Kunlun Realm. Moreover, he used his own father's remains for cultivation, an act despised by the Radiant Divine Temple and scorned by all cultivators of the Paradise Realm.
Thus, Yin Yuanchen was like a flash in the pan, later fading from the cultivation world, and had disappeared entirely in recent centuries.
Now, Shu Qianchi seemed to have seen through Peach Blossom's true identity and shouted the name "Yin Yuanchen."
Instantly, the cultivators of the Heavenly Realm Faction and those from various realms in the Red Dust Archipelago were pulled back into memories from hundreds of years ago, deeply shaken.
Yin Yuanchen and Peach Blossom overlapping—who could remain calm?
Even among the Heavenly Realm Faction, many cultivators turned pale, for they had once insulted, mocked, and ridiculed Yin Yuanchen.
Peach Blossom, hovering in the air, was silent for a long time. Suddenly, two sharp beams of light shot from his eyes, staring straight at Zhang Ruochen. The killing intent he emitted turned into a visible blood-red cloud.
Though he said nothing, he had undoubtedly admitted his identity.
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Ruochen rushed out rapidly, putting distance between himself and Peach Blossom.
"You should know that with your cultivation, you have no chance of escaping from me."
Peach Blossom's voice was no longer hoarse but young and clear, yet devoid of any emotion. He stood still and slowly extended a hand.
That hand instantly became infinitely large, transforming into a five-fingered heaven and earth.
Zhang Ruochen was trapped within this five-fingered heaven and earth, his body as insignificant as dust. Looking up, he saw Yin Yuanchen's face appear, occupying nearly half the sky. His eyes were like sun and moon, his brows like mountain ranges, and his breath turned into divine rivers.
This was not an illusion. Space had changed, and the rules of heaven and earth were under Yin Yuanchen's control.
The Yin Yuanchen of a thousand years ago did not possess such profound mastery of space.