Chapter 2676: Heaven-Connecting Sacred Will
The Judgment Divine Envoy felt extremely humiliated. His body had been shattered, a Sacred Source stuffed into his mouth made his cheeks bulge uncomfortably, his face somewhat deformed, and he was held in Zhang Ruochen's hand like a watermelon.
The former glory of the Judgment Palace's Grand Palace Master, the dignity a False God should possess, had all been washed away by wind and rain.
Two streams of blood tears flowed from his eyes, but he could not speak, his appearance pitiful indeed.
On the other side, the twenty-four elders of the Judgment Palace were also in a miserable state, attacked from within and without by Grand Minister of Works, Second Minister of Works, Xiang Chunan, and Feng Yan. Some died, some were injured, and all fled in defeat.
Feng Yan noticed the countless Sacred Dao Rules flowing on Yin Yuanchen's body. His expression turned serious, but a hint of envy appeared in his eyes.
The level Yin Yuanchen had now reached was the goal pursued by all Sacred Dao cultivators.
It represented invincibility below the Divine Realm.
"Unexpectedly, he could reach this step, surpassing all cultivators. It seems this era is not solely dominated by Yan Wushen and Que." He let out a heartfelt sigh.
Xiang Chunan watched Shu Qianchi pursuing Yin Yuanchen, his blood boiling, and roared with joy: "Well done, Brother Shu! Today, let us fight heaven and earth together, turning everything upside down!"
Suddenly, a voice sounded in Xiang Chunan's ear: "Don't think about fighting heaven and earth. Tonight, if we can all leave alive, that is already a great victory, making the Heavenly Realm Faction lose all face. Now, go quickly and each capture a protective talisman, ready to break out at any moment."
It was Shu Qianchi's voice.
Xiang Chunan's gaze turned to Feng Yan.
Feng Yan had clearly also heard Shu Qianchi's transmission. A contemplative expression appeared in his eyes, and he immediately understood his plan. He muttered to himself: "What a formidable Shu Qianchi. It turns out he had formulated a strategy from the very beginning. For this matter, we really needed to first defeat Yin Yuanchen, otherwise it simply wouldn't work."
"Second Brother, what are you talking about?" Xiang Chunan asked.
Feng Yan took a deep breath and said: "Don't ask anymore. Go quickly and capture a protective talisman."
"What protective talisman?"
Feng Yan patiently explained: "With the strength of the Heavenly Realm Faction, they don't need to all attack together. If just a few of their Great Saints strike with Sacred Artifacts, Green Pear Garden would be reduced to ashes. Why haven't they done so?"
"Because they think killing a chicken doesn't require a butcher's knife, no need to use such powerful force... No, could it be because the Judgment Palace Grand Palace Master is in Green Pear Garden?" Xiang Chunan realized.
Feng Yan said: "Perhaps both reasons apply. But what is certain is that the Judgment Palace Grand Palace Master Lian Xi is indeed a protective talisman in our hands, making the Heavenly Realm Faction cultivators hesitate, unable to ignore her safety. However, once Yin Yuanchen falls in battle and the situation deteriorates, the Heavenly Realm Faction may no longer be as restrained as they are now."
"I understand! To break out and leave, we really do need protective talismans. The more protective talismans we have, the more the Heavenly Realm Faction will be wary."
A look of great joy appeared in Xiang Chunan's eyes, and he began searching for a target.
The identity of the protective talisman must be extremely noble; otherwise, they would be mercilessly sacrificed like those Supreme Realm Great Saints from the Confucian Realm.
"Watch this Emperor's Undying Divine Fire Sword Technique!"
Zhang Ruochen drew divine power from beyond the heavens, transforming it into Undying Divine Fire. As he swung his war blade, Sword Dao Essence and Third-Rank Sword Dao Sacred Will were both integrated into it.
The sword energy turned into an arc of light, chasing after the Yin Yuanchen ahead.
Yin Yuanchen reached the edge of the island, stopping at the top of a mountain range. He turned back, his gaze cold to the extreme, and roared: "Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree!"
Countless Sacred Dao Rules flew out from between his brows, coalescing into a divine tree among the mountains.
The tree was not made of wood, but of bronze material. It grew rapidly, reaching ten thousand zhang in height, with wisps of bluish-black mist flowing between its branches and leaves.
This was the Heaven-Connecting Sacred Will that Yin Yuanchen had cultivated, manifested as a divine tree.
The Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree collided with the sword light Zhang Ruochen had slashed forth. The sword light instantly dissipated, turning into scattered sword energy. This sword energy was absorbed by the leaves of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree.
"Rustle, rustle!"
The branches and leaves of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree swayed, and the tree body grew upward again.
Yin Yuanchen said: "So what if you've mastered a Star Soul Divine Throne? Do you really think I fear you? A False God of the Judgment Divine Envoy's level can't do anything to me."
The Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree shook violently. Immediately, the Heaven and Earth Sacred Qi of the entire sea area where the Red Dust Archipelago was located turned into streams of Sacred Qi, surging over and being continuously absorbed by the leaves.
The Heaven and Earth Rules around the divine tree became extremely chaotic, and space twisted along with it.
Zhang Ruochen keenly noticed that the terrain where Yin Yuanchen was located perfectly combined with the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree.
Clearly, Yin Yuanchen had deliberately lured him here.
Standing at the center of the violent power vortex, Zhang Ruochen remained calm despite the changes. He touched the Judgment Divine Envoy's temple and said: "Yin Yuanchen, I'm afraid you've misunderstood one thing. The one you're fighting now is not the Judgment Divine Envoy, but me. With the same divine power, when I wield it, you may not be able to handle it!"
"Let me see what other tricks you still have up your sleeve."
Yin Yuanchen spat out a mouthful of gray Sacred Qi, which turned into a Sacred Cloud and merged with the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree.
The divine tree flew up and swept toward Zhang Ruochen.
Although Zhang Ruochen spoke lightly, he was extremely cautious in his heart.
The Heaven-Connecting Sacred Will that Yin Yuanchen had cultivated was by no means simple. Coupled with his over forty trillion Sacred Dao Rules, the power it unleashed was enough to pose a fatal threat to False Gods.
"Taiqing Cloud-Pushing Hand!" Zhang Ruochen silently recited in his heart.
This technique was passed down to Zhang Ruochen by Zangjin Baihu, the first form of the "Eight Origins Method."
The Eight Origins Method was said to be the origin of all divine abilities, profoundly mysterious and exquisite.
Zhang Ruochen slowly moved his hands, his palms like two boundless clouds. With the empowerment of divine power, the force they generated was exceptionally powerful, as if the power of the entire heaven and earth was being mobilized by him.
The cloud hand pushed out, colliding with the flying Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree.
The power fluctuation formed by the impact surged outward like raging waves.
Although the Taiqing Cloud-Pushing Hand had only one form, it had a thousand variations and was continuous. Zhang Ruochen quickly struck out a second palm.
Then a third palm, a fourth palm...
Zhang Ruochen had a weakness: his movements were slow. He had to draw divine power before executing techniques, which often put him on the defensive.
But Yin Yuanchen also had a weakness.
Although he could unleash divine-level combat power, he was ultimately not a deity. His Supreme Dharma Body could not sustain prolonged combat.
For this reason, Zhang Ruochen did not use extreme measures. Instead, he fought steadily, intentionally trying to wear Yin Yuanchen down.
The two clashed dozens of times, once again shattering the island below into pieces. Even with the three Divine Generals acting together, they could barely stabilize the trembling space.
"His techniques are indeed formidable. Not only can he mobilize divine power, but like my Heaven-Connecting Sacred Will, he can convert a large amount of Heaven and Earth power for his own use. No, I can't keep stalemating like this, or it will be very disadvantageous for me."
Yin Yuanchen prepared to take a risk and fight Shu Qianchi at close range.
He was very clear that Shu Qianchi's greatest weakness was his reaction speed. In close combat, this weakness would be magnified infinitely. And he, as an assassin, had a huge advantage in close-quarters combat.
Yin Yuanchen was very decisive. Lifting the Divine Relic Ancient Artifact war blade, he passed through the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree, stepping on the void, and rapidly approached Zhang Ruochen.
Contrary to Yin Yuanchen's expectations, Shu Qianchi did not retreat but instead actively charged toward him, giving him a bad premonition.
But the arrow had already been shot from the bowstring; there was no turning back.
If he retreated now, he would only lose quickly.
"Whoosh!"
The Diamond Moon Wheel flew over first, emitting a brilliant golden Supreme Power.
The Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree turned into streaks of Sacred Dao Rules, rushing into Yin Yuanchen's back. Then, it flew out from between his brows, reforming into the divine tree's shape, and collided with the Diamond Moon Wheel.
The Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree was shattered into a large area, but it also neutralized the Supreme Power of the Diamond Moon Wheel.
Yin Yuanchen flew past the Diamond Moon Wheel and then executed a Death Sword Technique.
The moment he raised his sword, a Death Kingdom appeared, with countless undead wandering inside.
The moment he swung his sword, every undead in the Death Kingdom turned into a White Bone Sword, striking together with his sword momentum toward the nearby Zhang Ruochen.
"Puff!"
"Puff!"
...
Zhang Ruochen did not dodge those White Bone Swords, letting them strike his body, creating bloody holes.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen getting closer and closer, Yin Yuanchen's heart shouted, "Bad!" His gaze shifted from Zhang Ruochen's face to Zhang Ruochen's hand.
"I'll send you a Divine Soul."
Zhang Ruochen pressed his palm forward. In his hand, the Judgment Divine Envoy's head struck Yin Yuanchen's chest.
Inside the head's Qi Sea, the Judgment Divine Envoy's Divine Soul exploded, emitting a dazzling divine light. It tore through the flesh and skull, forming a powerful wave of force.
This wave of force was different from a self-destructing Sacred Source.
Its most terrifying attack power lay in forming a force that impacted the cultivator's Spiritual Power and Sacred Soul, with damage to the physical body being secondary.
Yin Yuanchen flew backward, his head splitting with pain. His Spiritual Power and Sacred Soul suffered unprecedented severe damage, nearly torn to pieces. He could no longer control the power within his body and fell directly to the ground.
Zhang Ruochen was also heavily injured. Not only was his body pierced by White Bone Swords, but the Divine Relic Ancient Artifact war blade that Yin Yuanchen had slashed also cut open his physical body.
The sword cut from Zhang Ruochen's right shoulder down to below his left rib, splitting his body in two.
The impact from the Judgment Divine Envoy's Divine Soul explosion also partially affected Zhang Ruochen himself, impacting his Sacred Soul and Spiritual Power.
However, unlike Yin Yuanchen, Zhang Ruochen had long deployed defensive measures. With the protection of his Truth Heart and Jian Zu's Sword Soul, the damage to his Sacred Soul and Spiritual Power was not too severe.
With the aid of his Spiritual Power, Zhang Ruochen's two halves of his body recombined.
"You're ruthless! Whether you're Shu Qianchi or the Slaughter Heaven and Destroy Earth Emperor, I've remembered your name!"
Yin Yuanchen climbed up from the ground, unable to maintain his shadow state, fully revealing his true appearance. Without a second thought, he immediately mobilized the power within his body and fled out of the island.
"Now! Break out together!"
After Zhang Ruochen transmitted his voice to everyone, he suppressed his injuries and chased after Yin Yuanchen.
The fierce battle just now had forced the Heavenly Realm Faction cultivators to retreat to a distance, making this spot the only gap on the entire island.
Yin Yuanchen and Zhang Ruochen, one after the other, rushed out of the island, heading toward the sea far away from the Red Dust Archipelago.
Xiang Chunan, Feng Yan, Grand Minister of Works, Second Minister of Works, and the crowd from Green Pear Garden, having long received Zhang Ruochen's transmission, were prepared. Therefore, they seized the opportunity and followed the two, escaping from the island.