**Chapter 2696: Striving for Qualification**
The Purgatory Venerable's Divine Realm World was dim and gloomy, with iron prisons suspended in the void, suppressing all kinds of living beings, dead spirits, anomalies, and even gods.
The Purgatory Venerable's divine body was as tall as eight thousand zhang, seated on an iron throne. His corpse-like form exuded a dark, mysterious, and corrosive power, as if condensed from the darkest and filthiest substances in heaven and earth.
Ordinary gods could not approach.
The gods present in this Divine Realm World once again felt their minds stir.
Indeed, Zhang Ruochen's Dao Domain was too strange and wondrous, grand and majestic, possessing unimaginable room for growth, enough to make even true gods jealous.
Blood Absolute War God had just arrived. How could he have known that Zhang Ruochen had comprehended such an earth-shattering Dao Domain?
Melting all ages into one, understanding the transformations of all phenomena.
Even he, back in his day, would not have dared to think such a thing.
"A brat who has only cultivated for a few years, how could he possibly understand the universe of heaven and earth, how could he comprehend the past and present? In this god's view, this child must be the reincarnation of Xumi Saint Monk, and may even retain some of Xumi Saint Monk's memories. He cannot be kept! He cannot be kept!" A ghost clan god spoke in a sinister tone.
Blood Absolute War God stood firm like a mountain, glaring angrily. "Yu Hai Old Ghost! I, this lord, think you look very much like a remnant soul of Ten Calamities Wen Tianjun cultivated into form. You cannot be kept today."
The crimson blood energy beneath Blood Absolute War God's feet surged out, wrapping around that ghost clan god and pulling him closer.
As the ghost clan god resisted the blood mist, he roared, "You are slandering me! The Purgatory Venerable is here, you cannot do as you please."
"You can casually slander others, so why can't I?"
Blood Absolute War God instantly appeared before Yu Hai Old Ghost and threw a punch. Tens of thousands of divine lightning bolts crackled on his fist, blasting the ghost clan true god's ghostly body apart into a cloud of ghost mist.
Yu Hai Old Ghost's ghostly body reformed, quickly retreating toward the Purgatory Venerable's position, his face full of shock. "After returning from the Jade Desolate Realm, Blood Absolute War God has become even stronger. I have no power to fight back at all."
Blood Absolute War God strode forward in pursuit, but a wisp of ghost mist surged ahead, condensing into the Ghost Lord's divine body.
"Blood Absolute, Yu Hai merely stated a possibility. Why are you so furious that you want to kill him? Are you trying to cover up some truth?" the Ghost Lord said.
Blood Absolute War God could not fail to detect the malicious intent hidden in the Ghost Lord's words. He laughed loudly. "Fine! A group of gods, yet so petty. Just because my grandson is too outstanding, you want him dead. Come on, let's see who has the ability today!"
A piercing dragon roar sounded.
The Blood Dragon War Halberd flew into Blood Absolute War God's hand, and even the Purgatory Venerable's Divine Realm World trembled with it.
Xue Zhi Gushen cleared his throat. "Does the Purgatory Venerable, with his supreme cultivation and peerless power, need you all to argue about the origins of a mere Saint realm junior?"
Blood Absolute War God and the Ghost Lord locked eyes, their auras sharp and unyielding, neither backing down.
At this moment, the Purgatory Venerable spoke. "Xumi Saint Monk has already fallen, his divine form utterly destroyed. There is no need to mention this matter again."
The Ghost Lord raised his voice. "Zhang Ruochen is indeed the heir of Xumi Saint Monk, but he is also the son of a sinner of the Destiny Temple. He disrupted the Ten Realms Battle, which is a capital offense. He even dares to issue a challenge, seize the ten realms, and claim to be their lord. He has no qualification whatsoever!"
During the Heaven Hunting Battle a thousand years ago, the Ghost Lord targeted Zhang Ruochen not because he valued him, but because he was engaged in a distant struggle with Blood Absolute War God. In his eyes, only Blood Absolute War God mattered.
But now, targeting Zhang Ruochen was because the Ghost Lord truly saw him as a threat, no longer viewing him as an ant in the Saint realm.
"Disrupting the Ten Realms Battle has damaged the dignity of the Destiny Temple. He should indeed be severely punished." Another god spoke, this one from the Nether Hall.
Qinglu Divine King manifested his form. "High talent cannot be a qualification to break the rules. Strong cultivation cannot override the rules. War God, your blind protection will only harm him."
One god after another stepped forward, speaking to the Purgatory Venerable.
They suggested that even if divine punishment was not enacted to kill Zhang Ruochen, he should at least be captured and prevented from continuing to disrupt the Ten Realms Battle.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen's displayed heaven-defying talent had caught their attention. Otherwise, figures at the Divine King level would not personally step in to say such things.
Facing the pressure and siege from the gods, Blood Absolute War God showed no sign of compromise. He laughed wildly. "Let me tell you the truth. Zhang Ruochen is the heir of Xumi Saint Monk, but he also carries the blood of the Blood Absolute Family in his veins."
"He is the son of a sinner, but he is also my Blood Absolute's grandson."
"Whether you agree today or not, since Zhang Ruochen has already issued the Ten Realms Challenge and the battle has begun, no one can stop it."
"If he is not allowed to participate in the Ten Realms Battle, then we will fight, turning heaven and earth upside down."
"If Zhang Ruochen wins the Ten Realms Battle and you do not give him the ten realms, then we will kill. Whoever dares to take over the ten realms, we will kill them. In the mortal world, he is invincible. In the divine realm, I will take on all comers!"
"Of course, if he loses, then it means he is not worthy to be the lord of the ten realms. At that time, I will personally take him away from the Ten Realms Battlefield and will not offend your eyes."
The Ghost Lord sneered. "A mere Great Saint wants ten great worlds? Can he swallow them? Can he hold them? Aren't you afraid he'll choke to death?"
Blood Absolute War God said, "Alright! Since the Ghost Lord has agreed to let Zhang Ruochen try, I believe no other god will have any objections. The matter is settled!"
The Ghost Lord's divine eyes blazed with fury, and he gritted his teeth, about to curse Blood Absolute War God for his shamelessness, when he heard the voice of Emperor Luo Yan from above. "Zhang Ruochen, after all, represents the Hell Realm. The strength he has displayed is extraordinary. Perhaps he can truly battle the heroes of the world. If he can win all ten realms, then all ten realms will belong to the Hell Realm. Isn't that a good thing?"
Emperor Luo Yan was a figure on par with the Purgatory Venerable. When he spoke, the gods present remembered that Zhang Ruochen seemed to be the son-in-law of Emperor Luo Yan. Back then, it was the Fortune God Venerable who had arranged the marriage.
This made things difficult.
Qinglu Divine King, being shrewd and experienced, realized that given his status, he could no longer press the issue.
This Blood Absolute War God and Emperor Luo Yan, one feared nothing under heaven, the other feared nothing above it. Neither was an easy opponent. There was no need to confront them head-on.
He secretly transmitted a message to Lan Ying. "Zhang Ruochen wants to use battle to break through the limits of the Sacred Dao rules. Do not let him succeed. Find an opportunity and kill him."
The Ghost Lord also transmitted a message to Yuan. "Zhang Ruochen has become a force to be reckoned with. Do not fight him alone. Unite with all possible allies, find the right moment, and be sure to slay him in the Wuding Divine Sea."
The Ghost Lord sneered coldly. Blood Absolute, go ahead and revel in your triumph now. Soon, your great joy will turn into great sorrow.