Chapter 2751: Mitian War God
The gods of the Life-and-Death Boundary Star transformed into streaks of divine light, flying in from the distance, their gazes fixed on the reddish-brown Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone.
"A Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone has appeared in the river section near Qiyuan Saint City. I wonder which Corpse Clan deity left it behind? We need to investigate."
"Wujiang only reached the divine realm not long ago and hasn't even cultivated his Divine Realm World yet. Entering the Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone to escape is likely a disastrous move." Some gods revealed expressions of concern.
After all, Wujiang had an enormous background, involving Wentong Great God of the Nether Hall and even a taboo figure from the Darkness Temple.
"Zhang Ruochen is too ruthless!"
"It's not that Zhang Ruochen is ruthless. He's only at the Saint realm—how could he have the power to deal with Wujiang? The truly merciless ones are Bore Goddess and that black-robed god."
"Isn't Bore Goddess from the Underworld Clan? It's said she had a close relationship with Wujiang. Why would she strike so viciously?"
"Bore Goddess has broken ties with the Nether Hall. Once this news spreads, it will surely shake the entire Hell Realm. Who knows what kind of storm it will stir up?"
The gods communicated through divine thoughts, some curious, others worried.
Yushen stood among the gods, his expression grave.
How could he have imagined that with Wujiang's formidable cultivation, along with Xuanli Grandmaster, Nine-Toothed Wolf God General, and Army Sea God General, the outcome would be so tragic?
Without further thought, he immediately sent a message back to the Nether Hall.
...
After absorbing Xuanli Grandmaster's divine blood, the waters of the Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone began to churn, the waves rising higher and higher, exuding a terrifying threat of death.
Bore, Xiao Hei, and Zhang Ruochen all retreated rapidly.
Bore looked ahead, her eyes deep and thoughtful. "Zhang Ruochen, the Santu River has many tributaries connecting various realms, with complex spatial structures. If you leave from here, it will be enough to cover your tracks."
"Leave? Leave for where?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Bore said, "Anywhere. You could go into hiding, or head to the cosmic frontier. In short, don't stay in the Hell Realm any longer. You saw the danger just now. Wujiang is neither the only god who wants to kill you, nor the strongest."
"Can you escape this killing calamity? What about the next one?"
"Wujiang and the three false gods of the Nether Hall tried to kill you. The divine battle fluctuations were so intense—why didn't any god come to save you? Because they know you're destined never to become a god, and there's no need to offend the Nether Hall by saving you."
Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly. "A person's greatest self-awareness is to recognize their own worth. For a minor cultivator like me, it's only natural that no force in the Hell Realm would be willing to offend the Nether Hall. This is perfectly normal, because my current value is too low."
"But if I can break the curse, achieve godhood, and even possess the cultivation of Xue Jue War God and Desolate Heaven, with the potential to become a God Venerable, then my value to the major powers would skyrocket. Even if it means offending the Nether Hall, they would help me."
"So, never blame others for their faults, and never resent them for not helping you. Think more about it—why would someone unrelated to you pay a huge price to help you?"
"All faults stem from one's own lack of strength."
Bore looked at him, staring for a long time. "You still want to challenge the divine realm?"
"I can't back down. I can't go into hiding, nor can I flee the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm, because I'm already a pawn in the game, with no control over my own fate." Zhang Ruochen sighed with emotion.
Bore could go into hiding and ignore everything in the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm.
Xiao Hei could too.
But Zhang Ruochen couldn't, because he had too many ties—how could he simply retreat?
Caught in the game, advancing and retreating were both difficult.
"It's too dangerous. You'll die." Bore's eyes were filled with affection, no longer willing to hide anything.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I can only move forward. If I move forward, perhaps only I will die. But if I retreat in fear, the ones who die will be my loved ones and friends. What about my father? What about Kong Le? What about Lingxi? And... and you? If I run away, what will happen to you?"
"In your heart, is there still a place for me?"
Bore's eyes shimmered with tears, the icy mountain of a thousand years seeming to melt into a spring of water.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to answer, Guye Huanhuan transformed into a red lightning bolt, descending from the sky with a smile. She looked at Zhang Ruochen, then at Bore. "What's with all this tender affection? Is Wujiang dead yet?"
Bore's eyes turned cold again as she stepped away. "Even if Wujiang fled into the Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone, I will chase him in and kill him."
Xiao Hei nodded. "He's badly injured. This is the best time to kill him. Otherwise, once the Nether Hall's gods arrive, we'll never have another chance."
Zhang Ruochen didn't want Bore and Xiao Hei to risk their lives. "There's no need to sacrifice yourselves for someone like Wujiang. There are other ways to handle this. Let's return to Qiyuan Saint City first!"
Xiao Hei was reluctant, but knowing nothing about this Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone, venturing in recklessly was indeed too risky. So, he followed Zhang Ruochen and retreated.
After they left, Yushen appeared at the edge of the Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone. He looked around, hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside.
"Splash!"
The moment he set foot in the reddish-brown sea, a wave hundreds of feet high suddenly rose and surged toward him.
The wave was as vivid as blood.
Yushen saw a faint, dark shadow within the water, releasing a chill that froze his divine body, preventing his divine qi from flowing and causing his blood to congeal.
Terrified, he dared not venture further into the Corpse Sea Forbidden Zone and immediately retreated.
...
The moment Zhang Ruochen was struck by divine power, Xue Jue War God, far away on Sansheng Realm, sensed it. He tore through space, opening a divine path straight to the Life-and-Death Boundary Star.
But Ghost Lord intercepted him on the divine path.
Underworld King, Xue Hou, and several true gods from the Blood Heaven Tribe, including Xue Yao Divine Lord, received Xue Jue War God's divine decree and marched out simultaneously.
It could be said that for the life of a mere Saint realm cultivator like Zhang Ruochen, dozens of true god-level experts were mobilized, either scheming in the shadows or openly restraining each other. This could be called a major upheaval in the Hell Realm.
Bore said no god came to save Zhang Ruochen, but that was incorrect.
The major powers were all contending in the shadows, far from the calm surface.
However, the Nether Hall and the Darkness Temple were too powerful, restraining or intercepting all the gods who wanted to go to his rescue.
Even the Hall Master of the Nether Hall personally went to discuss the Way of Heaven with Emperor Luo Da, talking about the war between the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm.
Unfortunately, Bore's ascension to godhood was an unexpected variable, and her willingness to offend her own clan to help Zhang Ruochen caused the Nether Hall's plans to fail.
Of course, this struggle was divided into: above the table, below the table, and pawns.
Wujiang was just a pawn.
The schemer above the table was Wentong Great God of the Nether Hall. This outstanding figure, with the potential to become the Nether Hall's Young Hall Master, possessed unparalleled cultivation and strategy. Naturally, he wouldn't personally attack a junior like Zhang Ruochen, but he could intercept the gods who wanted to save him, orchestrating everything.
Then there was what lay below the table.
For example, the Hall Master of the Nether Hall.
Such an existence wouldn't show their hand, not even letting anyone know they were involved. So, visiting Emperor Luo Da to discuss official matters was a pretext.
In the starry sky, on the divine path.
Wentong Great God watched as Xue Yao Divine Lord, Underworld King, Xue Hou, and the other gods of the Blood Heaven Tribe retreated, a smug smile on his face. The Nether Hall ruled the entire Underworld Clan—how could the Blood Heaven Tribe, just one tribe, shake it?
If the Undying Divine Temple's gods had come in person, it might have been different.
But for a mere Saint realm cultivator, the situation hadn't escalated to that point.
For now, it was just Xue Jue War God mobilizing the forces he could command to oppose the Nether Hall.
"Wentong, tell me—how do you want to die?"
Suddenly, a vast and unparalleled voice echoed through the boundless cosmos, causing the stars in the entire star domain to tremble.
Wentong Great God's brow furrowed.
"Boom!"
A nebula, covering an unknown number of billions of miles, pressed down from above Wentong Great God's head.
The nebula was colorful, taking the form of a palm print.
As the palm print descended, the stars in the domain continuously annihilated, turning into fireballs that fell.
"Pfft!"
Wentong Great God was struck by the palm print, spitting divine blood, his divine armor shattering.
A god of the Nether Hall, standing in the nearby starry sky, trembled in fear at the sight. Just moments ago, Wentong Great God had single-handedly driven back over a dozen true gods of the Blood Heaven Tribe, displaying such peerless elegance.
Now, how had a single palm print left him so disheveled and embarrassed?
"Whoosh!"
A god in silver robes and golden armor stepped out from the nebula, holding a divine lance, his eyes bright and piercing, his divine might domineering and cold, looking down on the Nether Hall's gods.
Meeting his gaze, the Nether Hall's gods all lowered their heads.
"We pay respects to Mitian War God." The gods spoke in unison.
Wentong Great God was a first-rate figure, naturally not lowering his head. He said coldly, "May I ask Mitian War God, have I, Wentong, offended you in any way? Why did the War God attack me?"
"If the War God cannot give a reason, the Hall Master will personally go to the Yama Clan to seek an explanation."
Mitian War God's eyes blazed with killing intent. "Killing you would be a death well deserved, and you still want an explanation?"
"Boom!"
Mitian War God thrust his divine lance, divine light illuminating thirty million miles. Space shattered piece by piece, instantly reaching Wentong Great God.
With Wentong Great God's cultivation, he couldn't block it. The divine lance pierced his armor and ran through his divine body.
A vast amount of divine blood sprayed out, turning into rivers of blood in the void.
The Nether Hall's gods all pleaded for mercy.
"Wentong Great God is the Hall Master's disciple and the future Young Hall Master of the Nether Hall. Whatever mistake he made, please, Mitian War God, give him a chance to explain."
"Yes, what if it's a misunderstanding?"
...
Wentong Great God reformed his divine body, his divine light dimmed, and his aura weakened significantly. The pride and joy from driving back the Blood Heaven Tribe's gods had vanished without a trace.
Before Mitian War God, he realized there was always a higher mountain.
Mitian War God didn't strike again. He said in a deep voice, "Wentong, I know you're obsessed with beauty. You're already three or four hundred thousand years old and have a bunch of children."
"But you absolutely should not have set your sights on the legitimate daughter of my Yama Clan. Today, I came on the orders of the Clan Leader to kill you."
"Do you accept your death?"
The Nether Hall's gods were all horrified.
What heinous act had Wentong Great God committed to provoke the Yama Clan Leader to personally order his death?
Wentong Great God was even more bewildered, knowing nothing about this. Seeing Mitian War God raise his divine lance again, he quickly said, "There's a misunderstanding. This must be a misunderstanding. May I ask which legitimate daughter of the Yama Clan Mitian War God is referring to?"
"Playing dumb before me is pointless. Right now, she's in your divine hall." Mitian War God said.
Wentong Great God said, "That's impossible!"
"Fine. I'll make you accept your death willingly."
Mitian War God waved his hand, tearing through space to open a divine path.
The divine path was built by the ancient gods of the Hell Realm. Only gods who had reached a certain level of cultivation could open it, traveling through the various star domains of the Yellow Spring Star River.
Mitian War God grabbed Wentong Great God from afar and charged into the divine path.
Though it was undignified for a great god, Wentong Great God had no choice. He didn't fight back, fearing that if he angered Mitian War God and was killed outright, it would be the ultimate injustice.
Enduring a little humiliation now was nothing.
As long as it was proven to be a misunderstanding, the Nether Hall would naturally seek justice from the Yama Clan.
Soon, Mitian War God and Wentong Great God arrived outside Wentong Divine Hall.
Wentong Divine Hall was very close to the Nether Hall, serving as Wentong Great God's exclusive cultivation palace.
"We pay respects... to Master..."
Li Tan Demigod knelt on one knee, bowing to Wentong Great God, her heart uneasy.
She had never seen Wentong Great God in such a disheveled state, and she was suppressed by Mitian War God's divine might, her saint soul trembling.
She was both Wentong Great God's disciple and his consort.
"Master, not long ago, Wujiang sent back a gift." Li Tan Demigod said.
"What gift?"
Wentong Great God was surprised. Had Wujiang succeeded so quickly?
No.
It couldn't be that fast.
Wentong Great God sensed something was wrong.
Mitian War God held Wentong Great God in one hand and his divine lance in the other, striding into the divine hall. Inside, he saw a dark-attribute bronze coffin.
"Bang!"
Mitian War God threw Wentong Great God aside, approached the bronze coffin, waved his hand to break the sealing inscriptions on its surface, and pushed the lid open.
Wentong Great God immediately rushed over, but was blocked by Mitian War God's divine lance.
Wentong Great God glanced into the coffin and his eyes widened. Inside lay a stunningly beautiful woman, with long black hair and white clothes like snow.
It was Yan Zhexian of the Yama Clan.
Wentong Great God felt a chill run through him, from the outside in, all the way to his marrow.
Was Wujiang insane, to harm him like this?
Yan Zhexian was the pearl of the Yama Clan, the beloved heavenly proud daughter of Tai Shang. No wonder the Yama Clan Leader had personally ordered his death, and Mitian War God had come in person.
"Xian'er!"
Mitian War God called softly, his divine voice entering Yan Zhexian's sea of consciousness.
Moments later, Yan Zhexian, who had been sleeping, woke up, opening her beautiful eyes with a look of confusion. "Uncle Mitian, why are you here?"