Chapter 2771: Wujiang Arrives
The radiance of the Buddha Emperor Relic was suppressed here by some ancient and mysterious power, its light dimming considerably.
Zhang Ruochen could not see the full interior of the stone temple. Only the human cocoons on certain sections of the stone walls, emitting divine light, appeared deeply unsettling. No one knew if they might suddenly come to life.
It seemed...
They might indeed still be alive.
Blood Butcher and Yan Ting, who had entered later, heard their words and were so shaken they could not utter a single sentence, wanting only to leave immediately.
Among those present, Zhang Ruochen had the strongest eyesight.
He gazed into the darkness, and within a chaotic mist of light filled with Nether Qi, he saw many mutilated corpses frozen in ice crystals. "Look!"
Yan Wushen, Blood Butcher, Yan Ting, and Hai Shui all looked over.
"These are divine corpses. Why are so many shattered divine corpses frozen here?"
Yan Ting involuntarily took a step forward.
Yan Wushen quickly pulled her back, saying, "What are you doing? The Nether Qi there is extremely powerful, and the deathly aura is astonishing. With your cultivation level, if you get close, you will surely die without a burial place."
Zhang Ruochen said, "That is not just a mass of Nether Qi mist; it looks more like a unique space propped up by the mist, a space used to bury gods. Look, the ice crystals are filled with densely packed mutilated corpses, divine blood staining the ice red. Only by opening a separate space could it hold so many divine corpses and suppress the resentment of the gods after death."
"Don't say it's us; even a true god wouldn't dare step inside."
Yan Wushen's tone was deep and somber as he sighed, "Legend has it that the invincible Snow Domain Star Sea Divine Army has mostly been buried here, forever sealed in that divine corpse space."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze shifted to the human cocoons on the stone walls on either side. "These human cocoons don't seem to number three thousand; they are far from it. What exactly happened back then? Why did the Snow Domain Star Sea Divine Army suffer such heavy losses? Could there be an enemy in the Abyss of Darkness that even Yinyue Tian could not defeat?"
Yan Ting said, "Most of these human cocoons on the stone walls are likely still alive, and there are many of them. Whoever can control this force will surely sweep across the star river."
Her gaze fixed on Yan Wushen, the implication clear.
This might be an opportunity for the Dark Abyss Yan Clan.
Controlling a divine army was more valuable than any opportunity or treasure.
Even a divine artifact could not compare.
They might not have the ability themselves, but they could immediately leave the Abyss of Darkness, rush back to the Yama Clan, and inform the clan leader. With the clan leader's cultivation, it might not be impossible.
Blood Butcher nudged Zhang Ruochen with his elbow and transmitted his voice, "This is a divine army! If our Blood Heaven Tribe can control it, the Blood Heaven Tribe's strength will surely become the number one among the ten tribes."
"Bang!"
From outside the stone temple came a powerful wave of energy, shaking the human cocoons on the walls, causing them to sway gently.
Some of the human cocoons emitted a surge of divine light and let out low growls.
Just those unconscious low growls made the five people in the temple suffer from tinnitus and dizziness, their Qi Seas churning, their Sacred Souls feeling as if they were about to be torn apart.
"Let's go, get out of here immediately," Zhang Ruochen said.
Who dared to stay any longer?
Blood Butcher, Hai Shui, and Yan Ting rushed out of the stone temple one after another. Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen each grabbed one of the stone doors and slowly closed them.
The Heavenly Patterns that had receded surged back, covering the stone doors.
Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, a scream came from outside.
"Not good, something's happened," Yan Ting said.
Illuminated by the Buddha Emperor Relic, they passed through a series of stone paths and arrived at the base of a pagoda about ten zhang high. This place was very close to the open space where the older generation of Yama Clan cultivators were; they could see it at a glance.
The concealment formation had been broken.
Two Supreme Realm old-generation Great Saints had been beaten down to just their skeletons, lying in a pool of blood.
Another seven Supreme Realm Great Saints were suppressed by Wujiang using his Nether Realm Dao Domain, kneeling on one knee as if enduring immense pain, unable to stand up no matter what.
The other Supreme Realm Great Saints surrounded them, but were hesitant to act rashly.
Wujiang wore a wide black robe, with a black lightning pattern flashing on his brow. He stood there silently, yet he exuded immense pressure, like a magnificent divine mountain pressing down on a group of Supreme Realm Great Saints.
Blood Butcher shouted, "Wujiang, you have some nerve, daring to break into the Abyss of Darkness. Aren't you afraid of dying in the belly of a strange beast?"
Wujiang's gaze was contemptuous, ignoring Blood Butcher. His eyes fell on the Buddha Emperor Relic in Zhang Ruochen's hand, and his expression shifted dramatically. "I have never seen such pure and dense Buddhist Qi. It seems the legends are true; Xumi Saint Monk's relic was found by you, Zhang Ruochen. The Buddha Emperor Relic is indeed not just one."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I didn't expect you to escape from the Corpse Sea Forbidden Domain. A true god is indeed a true god. Impressive. So, Kongzhi and the others were sent by you into the Abyss of Darkness?"
Wujiang said, "So you've already encountered them. Tell me, who killed them?"
Blood Butcher and Yan Ting were both shocked inwardly, never expecting that Kongzhi and the others had already fallen.
In the Abyss of Darkness, only strange beasts could have killed them.
Just as Zhang Ruochen remained silent, Wujiang's eyes turned fierce. With a flick of his finger, a Yama Clan Supreme Realm Great Saint suppressed in the Nether Realm Nation let out a low, painful groan as his sacred body emitted cracking sounds.
"Bang!"
The sacred body exploded into a cloud of blood mist.
Even the Sacred Soul was crushed into fragments.
The Yama Clan Supreme Realm Great Saints roared in fury and attacked Wujiang, but were all sent flying by the myriad hand seals manifested behind him, suppressed beneath the countless death cities within the Nether Realm Nation.
Supreme Realm Great Saints, beings at the pinnacle of the Saint realm, were like children before Wujiang, utterly powerless to resist.
Yan Wushen's eyes turned cold and sharp. "Wujiang, are you trying to make an enemy of the Yama Clan?"
Wujiang curled his lips. "The Darkness Temple has long wanted to eliminate your Dark Abyss Yan Clan. You call yourselves the Yama Clan? The Yama Clan of Tiantian Wai is the true Yama Clan."
Then, Wujiang walked over to another white-haired old man of the Supreme Realm, pressing his finger on his head. With a smile, he said, "Besides, if I kill you all, who would know?"
Yan Wushen locked eyes with Wujiang, the killing intent in his gaze growing stronger.
Blood Butcher secretly transmitted to Zhang Ruochen, "Senior brother, we're in big trouble. Wujiang is a true god; we are no match for him. But what works in our favor is that this stone temple is covered in Heavenly Patterns, so Wujiang can't get in. As long as we hide inside, he can't do anything to us."
Wujiang said, "Of course, my goal in coming to the Abyss of Darkness this time is not your Yan Clan, but Zhang Ruochen."
"If Brother Wushen can help me capture Zhang Ruochen, these elders of the Yan Clan can still live. Cultivating a Supreme Realm Great Saint costs a lot of resources. Brother Wushen surely doesn't want to see them all buried here, does he?"
Yan Ting was already furious beyond measure. She said coldly, "You're dreaming!"
"Bang!"
The head of the Supreme Realm old man beneath Wujiang's palm exploded, leaving only a headless corpse.
Yan Ting's eyes turned bloodshot. With a sharp cry, she was about to rush out and fight Wujiang to the death.
But Blood Butcher grabbed her arm and pulled her back, saying, "Are you crazy? You can't win against a stronger opponent. He's a true god; you can't even beat me. How can you fight him?"
"Let me go!" Yan Ting shouted.
"Are women all brainless?"
Blood Butcher struck Yan Ting's back with a finger, sending Blood Fiend Qi into her body, sealing all her meridians. Her body became immobile, only her eyes could move.
Wujiang walked toward another Yama Clan Supreme Realm Great Saint. "Brother Wushen is a peerless genius. Once you step into the Divine realm, you will soar like a dragon through the nine heavens. Zhang Ruochen not only took away your fiancée but also suppresses you at every turn. How can a hero like you be willing to live under someone else's shadow?"
Yan Wushen let out a long laugh, then his face turned cold. "You should know that I, Yan Wushen, will never be threatened by anyone. And you, Wujiang, are not qualified to threaten me."
"Shua!"
Yan Wushen moved with incredible speed, like a spatial displacement, instantly breaking into Wujiang's Nether Realm Dao Domain. His body immediately turned golden, growing to nine zhang and six chi tall.
"Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, Great Luo Dharma Mantra."
The nine-zhang-six-chi golden body struck out with a palm, the hand as large as a winnowing basket, a dragon coiled around the arm, shattering countless high layers of the dark space continent.
Wujiang struck out with a single hand, hitting Yan Wushen's palm.
Rings of shockwaves caused space to twist into a gourd-like shape, slamming into Yan Wushen's giant palm, sending him flying.
Then, Wujiang formed a hand seal with his right hand.
Within the Nether Realm Nation, rules and divine patterns, like billions of chains, coiled around Yan Wushen's golden body, binding him.
"Six Paths Reincarnation!"
A halo of Six Paths Reincarnation appeared around Yan Wushen, breaking the rules and divine patterns. He clasped his hands together, and dense spots of light appeared on the surface of his golden body. Each spot was a "卍" character divine seal.
"Clatter!"
The "卍" character divine seals, like raindrops, surged toward Wujiang.
Wujiang reached out with one hand, and an arc-shaped light curtain appeared, sending all the incoming "卍" character divine seals flying, unable to get close to him.
"So it's a doppelganger."
Zhang Ruochen saw through Wujiang's true nature. He stepped out of the stone temple and into the Nether Realm Nation.
In an instant, the scenes within the Nether Realm Nation began to collapse, as if the world was being destroyed.
A dark light pillar surged from the black lightning pattern on Wujiang's brow, piercing through Yan Wushen's Six Paths Reincarnation halo, sending him flying dozens of miles away, crashing deep into the ice layer.
"A doppelganger of a true god is more than enough to kill you."
With a thought, Wujiang appeared before Zhang Ruochen. He unleashed the Myriad Hands Life-Death Palm Seal, filling the sky with hand shadows that emitted bright divine light, striking at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen pointed forward, and ten thousand swords shot out simultaneously, breaking Wujiang's myriad hands. The sword light all struck Wujiang, sending him stumbling back dozens of steps.
Hai Shui, who had been silent all along, said, "Impressive! A doppelganger of a true god like Wujiang is far more powerful than an ordinary false god. But it couldn't withstand a single finger from Benefactor Ruochen."
Blood Butcher chuckled, "Little nun, you didn't see it, did you? My senior brother used the power of the Buddha Emperor Relic to perform a Buddhist secret technique, 'Equality for All Beings.' No matter how powerful Wujiang's doppelganger is, once it's suppressed to the same realm as my senior brother, it's easy to beat."
"This doppelganger of Wujiang's doesn't seem simple. It doesn't seem to be just condensed from divine thoughts," Hai Shui said.