Chapter 322: The Sinister Red-Clad Beauty
"Boy, with your mere Earth Extreme Realm cultivation, you think you can escape from my grasp?"
Jinchuan stood on the water's surface, laughing loudly, his hair and beard flying upward. The aura emanating from his body grew even stronger, his dense true qi condensing into a patch of golden clouds.
"Die for me."
Jinchuan controlled that true qi giant claw, and his five fingers began to exert force.
The true qi giant claw slowly contracted, attempting to crush Zhang Ruochen and the other two to death within its grip.
"I'll have to use the defensive light shield of the Space Ring."
The Space Ring's defense could only be used three times. Unless absolutely necessary, Zhang Ruochen had no intention of using it.
The force transmitted from Jinchuan's true qi giant claw grew stronger and stronger. Zhang Ruochen immediately injected true qi into the Space Ring. On the ring's surface, layers of spatial defensive inscription patterns appeared.
"Whoosh!"
Streams of white light surged out from the ring, condensing into a cocoon-shaped light shield that resembled a miniature universe.
"So you have a protective treasure on you. Let's see how long that treasure of yours can hold out!"
Jinchuan let out a sinister laugh, striking out with his other hand as well, condensing a second true qi giant claw, trying to crush the cocoon-shaped light shield formed by the Space Ring.
"Jinchuan's cultivation is indeed profound. If I don't break through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm, there's no way I can be his match."
Zhang Ruochen immediately closed his eyes, releasing the true qi within his body to manifest the "Hundred Zhang Flying Snow" phenomenon of heaven and earth.
On the water's surface, heavy snow began to fall. The temperature in the water plummeted rapidly.
Gradually, this stretch of water began to solidify, freezing into a thick layer of ice.
Taking advantage of the ice barrier, Zhang Ruochen slashed through Jinchuan's true qi giant hand with his sword and escaped, letting out a loud roar that transmitted a sonic wave: "Jinchuan, do you dare to fight me in the water?"
"Why wouldn't I dare?"
Jinchuan didn't take Zhang Ruochen seriously at all. With his level of cultivation, dealing with someone like Zhang Ruochen should be a piece of cake, right?
Di Yi placed great importance on Zhang Ruochen. If he could kill Zhang Ruochen, it would earn him face in front of Di Yi.
Perhaps he could even use this opportunity to leave the Demon Ridge and enter the Black Market First Class Hall.
It was also a tremendous merit. Jinchuan had to seize this opportunity no matter what.
He stomped his foot down, and with a crack, the ice shattered.
"Whoosh!"
Jinchuan's entire body was enveloped in golden protective heavenly firmament, transforming into a beam of golden light. With a splash, he plunged into the water.
But the moment he entered the water, Jinchuan sensed something was wrong. He felt a powerful barbarian beast aura rapidly approaching.
Not far away, a silver giant shark came crashing through the waves, revealing a pair of enormous eyes like two silver suns, turning the black water into the color of quicksilver.
The Silver Light Shark bared its sharp teeth, charging at Jinchuan, spitting out a mouthful of wind blades.
Those wind blades sliced through the water, making a "shush, shush" sound, all of them slashing toward Jinchuan.
"Fourth-rank upper-level barbarian beast, Silver Light Shark."
Jinchuan's expression changed drastically. He immediately extended both hands, releasing the true qi from his body to condense an ice wall in front of him, freezing all the wind blades spat out by the Silver Light Shark within the ice.
Why had such a terrifying barbarian beast suddenly appeared?
A fourth-rank upper-level barbarian beast was equivalent to a Heavenly Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist. Even with Jinchuan's profound cultivation, he was far from its match.
"Boom!"
The Silver Light Shark rammed headfirst into the ice wall, creating cracks all over it.
An instant later, that ice wall, nearly five meters thick, shattered into pieces, turning into massive blocks of ice that flew toward the bottom of the water.
Jinchuan was also sent flying by that powerful impact force, feeling extremely frustrated. Why did this Silver Light Shark only attack him and not Zhang Ruochen, who was not far away?
Although frustrated, Jinchuan didn't dare to contend with the Silver Light Shark in the water. He immediately fled back to the surface and escaped into the distance.
The Silver Light Shark's strength was already greater than his, and moreover, in the water, its power could be unleashed to its fullest extent. Even a Heavenly Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist wouldn't dare to fight it.
With Jinchuan's cultivation at the Heavenly Extreme Realm Small Extreme Position, upon seeing the Silver Light Shark, he naturally had no choice but to turn tail and flee.
Seeing Jinchuan escape, Zhang Ruochen breathed a slight sigh of relief. He took Chang Qiqi and Si Xingkong and continued fleeing into the distance.
He didn't know how long he had been fleeing when a small island appeared on the water's surface.
Activating the Flying Fish Armor had consumed a large amount of his true qi, and Zhang Ruochen was also exhausted.
So, he brought the severely injured Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi ashore on the small island, intending to rest for a while first.
Having fled this far, they should be safe by now, right?
"Thank you for saving our lives, Junior Brother Zhang."
Upon reaching the island's sandy beach, Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi suppressed their injuries and simultaneously bowed to Zhang Ruochen.
Their hearts were filled with gratitude, knowing that Zhang Ruochen had taken a tremendous risk to come and save them. This debt of gratitude—how could they ever repay it?
"First, tend to your injuries. We'll talk about other matters later," Zhang Ruochen said.
Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi both nodded, aware that they were not yet completely out of danger. They took healing pills and immediately began to recover from their injuries.
Zhang Ruochen also took out two spirit crystals, holding them in his hands to absorb the spiritual energy within, restoring the large amount of true qi he had consumed.
About fifteen minutes later, Zhang Ruochen's true qi had recovered by half.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes, gazing toward the water's surface. He sensed a faint, barely perceptible fluctuation of spiritual energy.
It wasn't a barbarian beast—it was the aura of a human.
If Zhang Ruochen hadn't possessed powerful spiritual power, he wouldn't have been able to detect that person's presence either.
"Who's there? Since you've arrived, why not show yourself?"
Zhang Ruochen's right hand moved to the hilt of the Abyssal Ancient Sword, his expression becoming extremely solemn.
Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi, who were healing their injuries, also opened their eyes. They looked toward the water's surface but saw no one at all, nor could they sense any human aura.
They both looked at Zhang Ruochen in confusion, only to see him staring intently, as if facing a great enemy. Immediately, they too became cautious, scanning their surroundings.
Perhaps a true expert had indeed arrived.
Chang Qiqi felt as if he had only blinked, and then, on the water's surface that had been completely empty, a stunningly beautiful woman in red robes appeared out of thin air.
That peerless beauty hovered above the water, draped in long, blood-red hair, revealing a pair of smooth, bare feet, slender and straight long legs, a waist as delicate as a willow branch, and a seductive, enchanting face.
Even though he knew full well that the other party was likely an expert from the Black Market, Chang Qiqi still looked somewhat dazed, as if lost in an illusion. His entire body began to dance and flail, rushing toward the water.
Even Si Xingkong, with his composure, showed a look of infatuation in his eyes, falling under her charm.
However, he was in slightly better shape than Chang Qiqi, able to barely control his body and restrain the desires within his heart.
Only Zhang Ruochen remained clear-headed. Staring at Chang Qiqi, he let out a sharp shout: "Come back!"
Zhang Ruochen infused true qi into his voice, shaking the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and shattering the red-clad woman's illusion.
Chang Qiqi, who had already rushed to the water's edge, heard Zhang Ruochen's explosive shout. His body trembled, and he immediately snapped back to his senses.
He looked at the water submerging his feet, then at that enchanting demoness hovering above the surface. He immediately understood what had happened. His face turned pale with fright, and he quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look at that demoness again.
"What a powerful illusion technique."
Si Xingkong also woke up, feeling a deep sense of fear. That demoness's mastery of illusion techniques was extremely high, capable of breaking through a martial artist's spirit and soul.
Once lost, one could only be at her mercy.
Thinking of this, Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi both broke out in cold sweat. Thank goodness for Junior Brother Zhang—otherwise, they wouldn't even know how they died.
The Red Desire Star Envoy narrowed her beautiful eyes, letting out a pleasant, melodious laugh. "As expected of a lay disciple of the Ten Thousand Buddha Path. You're not afraid of my illusion techniques. No wonder the Young Master values you so much, seeing you as a major enemy that must be eliminated."
Zhang Ruochen was, of course, not a disciple of the Ten Thousand Buddha Path. The reason he could resist the Red Desire Star Envoy's illusion techniques was that his spiritual power was stronger than hers.
Illusion techniques were a very formidable type of extraordinary martial skill, and very few martial artists could successfully cultivate them.
To cultivate illusion techniques, one needed powerful spiritual power.
The Red Desire Star Envoy's spiritual power was indeed very strong, having reached the thirtieth rank. Among her peers, this was already at the pinnacle.
But Zhang Ruochen was an exception.
The spiritual power strength she prided herself on was nothing but a fragile defense before Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen narrowed his eyes, roughly seeing through the Red Desire Star Envoy's level of martial arts cultivation.
Her martial cultivation had probably just broken through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm not long ago.
In terms of realm, she was far inferior to Jinchuan.
But Zhang Ruochen's intuition told him that her strength was far greater than Jinchuan's. She was an extremely terrifying martial arts expert.
An expert of Jinchuan's level probably couldn't even withstand a single move from her.
That could only mean she was at least a Six-Excellence Genius, and possibly even the legendary Seven-Excellence.
From Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection to Heavenly Extreme Realm Initial Stage, it was only a difference of one major realm, but it spanned three minor realms.
With Zhang Ruochen's current strength, there was no way he could be her match—unless Zhang Ruochen also broke through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm. Only then, at the same realm, would he have the confidence to defeat her.
The gap of one major realm was the gap between heaven and earth.
Chang Qiqi's legs sank, forming a horse stance. He leveled his arms slightly, assuming a combat-ready posture, and said, "Junior Brother Zhang, let's join forces, the three of us, and fight her to the death! I don't believe that with the three of us together, we can't handle this little wench!"
"Hehe! Bold words. Since that's the case, why don't you three join forces and give it a try?"
The Red Desire Star Envoy smiled charmingly, extending a jade-like finger and lightly pointing it at Chang Qiqi.
Suddenly, Chang Qiqi's body was no longer under his control. He lifted off the ground and flew into the air.
It was as if an invisible rope was wrapped around his neck, dragging him up into the air and hanging him there.
"How... how is this... Are you... a human or a ghost..."
Chang Qiqi clutched his neck tightly, suspended in midair, his entire body struggling violently.
Si Xingkong also felt a chill run down his spine. He had never seen such a bizarre technique. In his heart, he too began to wonder—was that red-clad woman really a female ghost?