Chapter 2700: The Goddess Strikes
The two Gates of Fate illuminated ten thousand miles, turning the seawater into a silvery light.
The oppressive power of fate weighed not only on Zhang Ruochen but also on Shang Zihong, who was closest to him.
Shang Zihong sensed the danger.
Therefore, when the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman was only a few hundred meters from Zhang Ruochen, Shang Zihong decisively activated his light-speed technique and retreated backward. He wanted to avoid being killed by the destructive force of the half-divine talisman when it killed Zhang Ruochen.
If Shang Zihong had chosen to fight to the death without retreating, Zhang Ruochen would likely have been in grave danger today.
But Shang Zihong's retreat gave Zhang Ruochen a glimmer of hope.
As Shang Zihong retreated far away, the power unleashed by the Great Dao Desolate Heaven Seal rapidly weakened. Tens of thousands of stars surged from Zhang Ruochen's body, evolving into a chaotic star sea, using the Way of Truth to resist the power of the two Gates of Fate.
At the same time, twelve golden wings grew from his back. He transformed into a golden beam shooting into the sky, his fingers forming a sword seal, and the Abyssal Ancient Sword flew out first.
"Clang!"
A piercing sword cry echoed through heaven and earth.
The Abyssal Ancient Sword spun rapidly, striking heavily into the palm of the Great Dao Desolate Heaven Seal. Combined with the three Supreme Sacred Artifacts, it pierced through the seal, turning it into wisps of clouds and mist.
But there was no time for Zhang Ruochen to escape.
"Boom!"
The Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman, triggered by Southern Saint, shattered prematurely, unleashing a terrifying destructive force. Black death qi, centered on the talisman, spread outward across the surrounding sea.
Countless amounts of seawater evaporated in an instant.
On the periphery, waves surged into hundred-zhang-high water walls. The seawater turned deathly black, like thick, foul-smelling ink.
Many cultivators saw that when the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman exploded, Zhang Ruochen was within a hundred meters of it and failed to dodge into the inner space of a Supreme Sacred Artifact in time.
Shang Zihong had retreated five hundred miles away, but the force of the talisman still struck him, shredding his sacred robe into tatters.
His body felt as if struck by a heavy punch, and he was sent flying a thousand miles by the blast before stabilizing.
Fortunately, Shang Zihong's physical defense was formidable, nearly indestructible, so he was not injured.
However, his soul was impacted, causing a sharp pain in his mind.
Shang Zihong looked back. The entire sea area had become turbid and was bubbling.
Death force permeated the area, extinguishing all life.
"After such an attack, no matter how strong Zhang Ruochen is, he should be utterly annihilated in both form and spirit."
Shang Zihong breathed a sigh of relief, his mind suddenly clear. Standing on the death-qi-filled sea surface, he felt the world was full of vitality, his thoughts filled with ease and contentment.
The demon in his heart was swept away.
The number of sacred dao rules within his body began to grow slowly.
"Haha! It's finally over. In the end, it was I who killed Zhang Ruochen." Southern Saint felt elated, stroking the white beard hanging down his cheek, quite smug.
Some were joyful, others sorrowful.
Xiang Chunan clenched his ten fingers tightly, his eyes bulging like copper bells. His heart was filled with pain and suffering, but he didn't know what to say. Finally, he let out a roar-like long howl.
Qingsi Xue patted his shoulder and sighed.
Among the cultivators of the Heavenly Dragon Realm, Ao Yi sighed: "A fleeting bloom, a moment's brilliance."
Ao Xukong, knowing that Zhang Ruochen was Shu Qianchi, held a respect for him in his heart. He said bitterly, "If Zhang Ruochen had broken through to the Supreme Realm, just how strong would he have been? How many cultivators would he have amazed?"
From the earlier battle, Zhang Ruochen had been pushed to his limits, so many cultivators could see that he had not yet condensed a Supreme Dharma Body and was still at the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm.
"There is no such possibility anymore," Ao Yi said.
Linglong Xianzi bit her lip gently, her rippling beautiful eyes fixed on the place with the densest death qi, secretly hoping for something. She said, "He was killed by both the Heavenly Court and Hell together. Is there really no place for him in this world?"
Ao Yi said meaningfully, "Perhaps he himself didn't want to integrate into the Heavenly Court or Hell. If he had chosen either side, he wouldn't have been an enemy to the entire world. No matter what, it was the path he chose himself. To have five top experts join forces against him, even if he died in battle, he has already shaken an era."
On the ancient ship where cultivators of the Destiny Temple gathered, Bore and Xue Tu both showed expressions of disbelief, feeling that this couldn't be real.
"Could there be... some variable?" Xue Tu licked his lips, unsure whether he was hoping for a variable or fearing one.
Bore formed hand seals with both palms and pressed them outward. A strong gale surged forth, blowing away the deathly evil qi on the sea surface. She didn't believe this was real. Zhang Ruochen could never fall at the hands of a mere Southern Saint.
As the deathly evil qi faded, everyone's vision became clear.
On the sea surface, a flickering flame appeared.
"That is..."
Southern Saint's smile froze, his eyes fixed on the flame.
The flame was flying rapidly toward him.
"Not good!"
Southern Saint's expression changed drastically, his heart shaken beyond measure. He couldn't understand how Zhang Ruochen had survived the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman.
With no time to think, he stuck two talismans to his legs and fled into the distance at top speed.
The flame grew brighter and brighter. It was Zhang Ruochen, wearing the Flame God Armor.
To be honest, the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman was indeed powerful. When it exploded, the force nearly shattered Zhang Ruochen's physical body inside the Flame God Armor into bloody mud.
But Zhang Ruochen had fused with the Heart of Truth and White Cang Blood Soil, so the vitality contained in his physical body was not so easily extinguished.
As for the impact of the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman on his soul, it was blocked by the power of his Sword Soul.
Below the divine realm, there might still be cultivators who could defeat Zhang Ruochen. But killing Zhang Ruochen was no easy task.
Unless the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman exploded directly on Zhang Ruochen's body, it might be possible.
Just now, when everyone thought Zhang Ruochen had died under the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman, Zhang Ruochen had used this brief time to reconstitute his physical body, recovering his injuries to about seventy or eighty percent.
What delighted Zhang Ruochen even more was that the sacred dao rules within his body were growing wildly, continuously pushing toward the extreme realm of two eon numbers.
The opportunity to break through had arrived.
"Where do you think you're going? Die!"
Zhang Ruochen's speed was too fast; below the divine realm, no one could match it. He caught up with Southern Saint and threw a punch.
Purifying Divine Flame surged out along with the fist force.
Southern Saint had no time to use his spiritual power techniques. He had to turn around and strike out with both palms, forming a mountain-sized Revolving Wheel Seal.
"Bang!"
Zhang Ruochen pierced through the Revolving Wheel Seal, his fist heavily striking Southern Saint's chest.
Southern Saint's body shattered into pieces, blood splattering across a hundred-zhang radius of the sea.
"Refine!"
A large amount of divine flame surged from the Flame God Armor on Zhang Ruochen's body, covering the entire sea area. He refined Southern Saint's blood, remnants, and spiritual power, intending to kill him completely.
"Rustle!"
Southern Saint's spiritual power was not extinguished. From a gourd-shaped vessel, he summoned dense talismans to protect the blood and remnants scattered across the sea.
Six sword lights tore through the air, evolving into six sword techniques, attacking Zhang Ruochen.
At the same time, Lan Ying's laughter rang out: "Zhang Ruochen, let me be the one to cut you down!"
Zhang Ruochen broke the six sword techniques one by one. Lan Ying's figure appeared beside him, grasping the strongest of the six swords, the Ashura Sword, and swung it horizontally in a slash.
Yuan stood above Zhang Ruochen's head, stepping on a cloud of ghostly energy condensed from tens of thousands of evil ghosts. Her delicate hands traced one Abandoned Heaven Ghost Pattern after another.
The Abandoned Heaven Ghost Patterns were created by Ghost Lord, capable of communicating with heaven and earth, controlling ten thousand ghosts, and stealing heavenly might.
Dense Abandoned Heaven Ghost Patterns, along with the ghost cloud stretching hundreds of miles, pressed down simultaneously.
Zhang Ruochen unleashed the Mountain-Hiding Demon Mirror, Black Gold War Heaven Pillar, Diamond Moon Wheel, and Abyssal Ancient Sword all at once, repelling Lan Ying. Then, he shot straight into the sky, meeting the ghost cloud head-on.
"Fight!"
Behind him, the Immovable Wisdom King Sacred Image condensed, transforming into a towering, majestic figure.
The Immovable Wisdom King Sacred Image struck out with a palm, shattering the ghost cloud and breaking the Abandoned Heaven Ghost Patterns.
Yuan's gaze sharpened. A pair of black eagle wings grew from her back, and she rapidly flew toward the sky. She didn't dare engage in close combat with Zhang Ruochen like Shang Zihong and Lan Ying. Hadn't she just seen Southern Saint's body shattered by Zhang Ruochen's punch?
"Zhang Ruochen, let's continue the fight!"
Lan Ying laughed loudly, controlling the six swords, and chased after Zhang Ruochen.
On the sea surface, drops of blood and pieces of remnants, guided by spiritual power, reconstituted into Southern Saint's form.
His face was pale, his body weak, and the fear in his eyes had not yet faded. He muttered to himself, "What a terrifying Zhang Ruochen. Even the Ghostly Light Death Soul Talisman couldn't kill him. I can't fight any longer!"
This battle had left a significant psychological shadow on Southern Saint, making him feel as if Zhang Ruochen was unbeatable, a peak he could never surmount.
Southern Saint was about to withdraw from the battlefield...
"Whoosh!"
From the sky, a kilometer-long giant sword plunged straight down, shattering his physical body again.
The giant sword was the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
A "buzzing" sound arose as countless Devouring Spirit Insects, following the giant sword's body, surged into the sea surface, devouring Southern Saint's blood and remnants. Southern Saint's soul's screams echoed across the sea surface.
Within the Judgment Venerable's Divine Realm World.
The Sixth Lord from Tiannan Life-Death Ruins narrowed his eyes. His right hand's two fingers joined together, channeling spiritual power, and flew toward the sea below.
"Bang!"
Blood Jue War God swung his war halberd, severing his spiritual power.
"Sixth Lord, it's better for deities not to interfere in the Ten Realms Battle. Earlier, when my grandson was in a deathly situation, did I intervene?" Blood Jue War God said coldly.
"You..."
The Sixth Lord couldn't refute and could only glare at him.
Blood Jue War God's face was as cold as frost, meeting his gaze without fear of his identity as a descendant of Tiannan Life-Death Ruins.
"Oh! That little goddess has made a move!" A deity from the Death God Temple said in surprise.
In the sea below, a stunning and beautiful figure streaked across the sky, landing in the blood-red sea area.
It was the Fate Goddess, Bore.
She stood a few zhang above the sea surface, with the Gate of True Self floating behind her. Beams of light fell from the gate, like threads, wrapping around Southern Saint's remnants.
Within the light of fate, Southern Saint's body reconstituted once more.
This time, Southern Saint was extremely weak, the sharpness in his eyes gone.
He bowed to Bore and said, "Thank you, Goddess, for saving me. Southern Saint will surely remember this kindness."
"Leave the battlefield first and heal your wounds properly."
Bore waved her sleeve, and the force within it turned into a gust of wind, sending Southern Saint back to the camp of the Death Clan cultivators.
Holding the Fate Judgment Staff, she raised her snow-white head and looked up at Zhang Ruochen, who was locked in battle with Lan Ying and Yuan. She then glanced at Shang Zihong and Yin Yuanchen, who were flying over. Finally, a winding Nether River surged from beneath her feet, and she stepped onto it, flying toward Zhang Ruochen in the sky.