Chapter 325: Duanmu Family
That warship was a hundred zhang long, forged from black iron, with formations powered by spirit crystals to provide propulsion, making it even larger than the Black Market's Red Spider Giant Ship.
On the warship stood martial artists, all wearing blue-green martial robes embroidered with the characters "Duanmu," numbering several hundred. Each was spirited and sharp-eyed, clearly all martial arts experts.
Were they all retainers of the Duanmu Family?
Looking at that warship, Zhang Ruochen was filled with doubt. The Duanmu Family's power wasn't based in the Demon Ridge, so how could they gather so many experts to rush to the Death River Reach in such a short time?
Even the top sects of the Demon Ridge, "Cloud Terrace Sect Mansion" and "Taiqing Palace," would find it difficult to accomplish this in such a brief period.
At that moment, following Duanmu Xingling's orders, the Duanmu Family's martial artists carried the unconscious Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi onto the warship.
Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen also boarded the warship and went to a quiet place. Seeing no one around, Zhang Ruochen used sound transmission to ask, "Senior Sister Huang, after leaving Death City, how did you encounter Senior Sister Duanmu's aunt?"
Huang Yanchen looked at Zhang Ruochen with some confusion, wondering why he was speaking in a low voice transmission, but still replied, "After leaving Death City, the five of us split into two groups to escape. Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi were one group; I, Chen Xi'er, and Xingling were the other. During our escape, we encountered Miss Qin, and she saved us. Why? You're not suspecting Xingling, are you?"
"I'm just asking casually." Zhang Ruochen said thoughtfully.
Huang Yanchen said, "Xingling was personally sent into the Martial Market Academy by a Half-Saint of the Duanmu Family. If she had issues, wouldn't the high-ranking members of the Martial Market Academy know?"
"Perhaps," Zhang Ruochen said.
On the warship, there were accompanying physicians, said to be medical masters of the Duanmu Family.
Under the treatment of that medical master, Chang Qiqi and Si Xingkong's injuries quickly healed by more than half, and they woke from their coma.
Inside the cabin, Chang Qiqi looked dejected, as if he had lost his wife, saying, "Although we escaped, Guoguo got lost. I wonder if it's still alive?"
That rabbit, though very gluttonous, was quite intelligent and endearing. Chang Qiqi was genuinely sad about losing Guoguo.
Footsteps sounded, and Zhang Ruochen walked in from outside, smiling, "Who said Guoguo is lost?"
That large, reddish rabbit, with its ears perked up, crept quietly behind Zhang Ruochen, holding a piece of spirit meat in its paws, gnawing away diligently.
Occasionally, it would look up at Chang Qiqi and blink its eyes.
Since eating two pieces of Black Wind Giant Python's spirit meat, Guoguo's cultivation seemed to have improved considerably.
Just now, Zhang Ruochen had given it another piece of spirit meat. After swallowing it, it was no longer frozen by the meat's cold energy and instead ate with relish.
"Guoguo!"
Seeing that rabbit, Chang Qiqi immediately executed a "Fierce Tiger Pounces on Prey" move, pouncing on Guoguo and stroking its fur, laughing, "Junior Brother Zhang, how did Guoguo end up with you?"
Earlier, Guoguo had been staying inside the Time-Space Crystal. Only after arriving on the Duanmu Family's warship, where it was temporarily safe, did Zhang Ruochen release it.
Zhang Ruochen didn't want to reveal the secret of the Time-Space Crystal, so he said, "Ask it yourself!"
"Ask it? It can't talk," Chang Qiqi said.
Zhang Ruochen smiled, "Guoguo is very intelligent. If you teach it more, it will definitely learn to speak."
Not wanting Chang Qiqi to keep asking, Zhang Ruochen immediately changed the subject, saying, "I obtained a spiritual medicine on the Death River Reach that can enhance cultivation, and I want to share it with you."
Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi already knew Zhang Ruochen had a Space Ring, so Zhang Ruochen had nothing to hide. He took out two Nirvana Fire Spirit Flower petals from his Space Ring and handed them to the two.
Si Xingkong, being knowledgeable, took a deep sniff and said in surprise, "This is a Nirvana Fire Spirit Flower petal, and at least a thousand years old. Such a treasure is extremely rare in the Demon Ridge. Junior Brother Zhang truly has great fortune to find such a treasure."
"A thousand-year... spiritual medicine..."
Chang Qiqi's mouth fell open in astonishment, his heart filled with ecstatic joy.
In the Demon Ridge, if a thousand-year spiritual medicine appeared, even top powers like the Martial Market Academy, Cloud Terrace Sect Mansion, and Taiqing Palace would fight desperately to seize it.
Zhang Ruochen had only taken a stroll through the Death River Reach and picked a spiritual medicine of this level.
If that wasn't great fortune, what was?
Chang Qiqi said, "If I refine this petal, my cultivation should immediately break through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm!"
"It will definitely work."
Si Xingkong thought for a moment, put away the spirit flower petal, and said, "I think we can first refine the petal into a medicinal liquid and carry it with us. It won't be too late to break through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm after entering the underwater Dragon Palace."
Zhang Ruochen nodded, "Exactly! The condition for entering the underwater Dragon Palace is cultivation below the Heavenly Extreme Realm, but martial artists can break through their realm after entering the Dragon Palace."
Chang Qiqi also nodded. If he could break through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm in one go, his strength would skyrocket, making him a true martial arts legend.
If the Black Market's martial artists dared to chase him again, he would just slap them to death.
In the Demon Ridge, Earth Extreme Realm martial artists were a dime a dozen, but Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists were pitifully few. Each was a regional overlord, a martial arts grandmaster, holding a very high martial arts status.
The Heavenly Extreme Realm was truly something to aspire to.
Next, Zhang Ruochen took out three more Nirvana Fire Spirit Flower petals and gave them to Huang Yanchen, Duanmu Xingling, and Qin Ya.
After all, Qin Ya had struck down Red Desire Star Envoy, allowing Zhang Ruochen and the others to escape so easily.
This debt of gratitude naturally had to be repaid.
Receiving the Nirvana Fire Spirit Flower petal, Qin Ya narrowed her eyes, put it away, and said, "Zhang Ruochen, from what Duanmu Xingling says, you're going to enter the underwater Dragon Palace to compete with the Black Market's martial artists for the Dragon Relic inside. How confident are you?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Not confident at all."
Qin Ya smiled, "Actually, our Duanmu Family can lend you a hand."
"Oh?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Qin Ya continued, "The Black Market has gathered over a thousand Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artists. Di Yi will definitely give them elixirs to break through their realms. Once inside the underwater Dragon Palace, at least several dozen will be able to break through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm."
"This is a terrifying force. Although your cultivation is very high, you may not be able to withstand their combined attack formations."
"This time, our Duanmu Family has brought 280 Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artists. Due to time constraints, this is all we could gather. Although far fewer in number than the Black Market, they are extremely loyal."
"When necessary, they can use their lives to clear a path for you and Xingling."
Zhang Ruochen smiled slightly, "Boss Lady, are they really Duanmu Family martial artists?"
"Of course."
Qin Ya's expression remained unchanged, smiling slightly.
"Alright! With the Duanmu Family's martial artists helping, it's indeed a considerable boost," Zhang Ruochen said.
After Zhang Ruochen left, Duanmu Xingling came out, walked to Qin Ya's side, and sighed, "Aunt, you're using him."
Qin Ya said, "Do you think Zhang Ruochen doesn't know I'm using him? He's already suspicious of us. I'm using him, but isn't he also using us to deal with the Black Market's martial artists?"
"He already knows?"
Duanmu Xingling frowned, feeling a sense of panic. For some reason, she was very worried that her deception would turn her and Zhang Ruochen into enemies.
Qin Ya said sternly, "Xingling, you are the Holy Maiden of the Cult. You must learn to hide your emotions. Otherwise, if you continue to stay undercover in the Martial Market Academy, you will face deadly danger. You must constantly tell yourself that you and Zhang Ruochen are enemies. Otherwise, when you face each other in a life-or-death struggle in the future, the one who dies will be you."
"Perhaps," Duanmu Xingling said.
Qin Ya shook her head gently and sighed, knowing that Duanmu Xingling hadn't taken her words to heart.
The Duanmu Family's warship sailed to the central area of the Death River Reach, and a strong smell of blood drifted over.
On the water's surface floated human skeletons and a large number of barbarian beast carcasses.
The originally black river water had turned blood-red.
Among them were the wreckage of destroyed warships—masts, sails, planks... all floating on the water.
From Zhang Ruochen's observation, at least two Red Spider Giant Ships had been destroyed here, with hundreds of Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artists buried in the water, leaving only incomplete bones.
"The Three-Clawed Dragon Flood Dragon is indeed the overlord of the Death River Reach, dealing a heavy blow to the Black Market. Sending the Silver Light Shark to notify the Three-Clawed Dragon Flood Dragon was the right move," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Speaking of the Silver Light Shark, Zhang Ruochen realized that its martial soul in the Cosmic Divine Wood Map had dissipated, indicating it was dead.
"The Silver Light Shark was already severely injured, and with its martial soul stored here, its strength was greatly reduced. Once Jinchuan discovered the Silver Light Shark's true state, he would stop fleeing and surely kill it."
The Silver Light Shark's death had no impact on Zhang Ruochen.
Although the Silver Light Shark was very powerful, once Zhang Ruochen broke through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm, its usefulness to him would become negligible.
Now, Zhang Ruochen was not far from the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
"How terrifying. With so many top experts dead, the martial arts world of the Demon Ridge will surely experience a massive upheaval," Si Xingkong said.
Everyone was stunned and shaken by the sight before them.
"The Black Market helped us clear out the barbarian beasts, saving us a lot of trouble."
With Qin Ya's command, the warship activated its protective formation.
Layers of light appeared, forming a white shield that wrapped the warship airtight.
The warship sank downward, eventually fully submerged, continuing toward the underwater Dragon Palace. As they drew closer, the shadow of a Red Spider Giant Ship could faintly be seen ahead.