Chapter 3308: Breaking Free
Zhang Ruochen did not blame Xuanyuan Lian. On Paradise Realm's turf, being able to keep Chi Xingtian alive was already no small feat.
It was impossible to storm the Divine Heaven Temple, severely wound a group of Paradise Realm great gods, and then still sit back comfortably like a lord, was it?
Zhang Ruochen had heard that Chi Xingtian had been ferocious beyond measure at the time, nearly beating Pulbath and Quanzhongsheng to a pulp.
"Zhang Ruochen, you little thief, this old man has been waiting for you for quite some time."
Canghai Grand Elder's spiritual power leaked out like a blue waterfall, scattering across the eighteen divine formation worlds. The divine formation worlds continuously expanded outward, manifesting the outlines of a real world, attempting to crush Zhang Ruochen's Yin Yang Eighteen Formations.
But after expanding to a certain extent, the eighteen divine formation worlds collided with the Divine Heaven Temple, triggering the temple's divine formations.
Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Ruochen formed a sword finger with his hand.
"Whoosh!"
The Sixth Divine Sword shot through the air, striking toward the cross on the Dissolution Platform.
In front of the Dissolution Platform, Canghai Grand Elder's spiritual power avatar soared up, blocking the cross's path, condensing layer after layer of spatial shield seals before itself.
A series of explosive sounds rang out.
The Sixth Divine Sword was stopped by the final layer of spatial shield seal, suspended in front of Canghai Grand Elder's spiritual power avatar.
"Just an avatar, and it's this formidable!"
Zhang Ruochen observed closely with his Truth Divine Eye and found that the avatar was condensed from countless spiritual power thoughts. Its physical substance was extremely special, containing some characteristics surpassing those of a Tai Xu great god and an eighty-fourth-level spiritual power deity.
It was refined from materials within the body of a deity who had achieved "One Thought Determines Heaven and Earth" through spiritual power.
Zhang Ruochen made this judgment because he himself possessed the skeleton of an eighty-sixth-level spiritual power deity, seized from the Tai Xu great god Mo Fei in Fengdu Ghost City.
"Miao Li, you deal with him!"
Zhang Ruochen was very decisive, leaving the Sundial within the Yin Yang Eighteen Formations, his form transforming into a streak of light as he soared out.
Back then, Xumi Saint Monk, at the peak of eighty-fourth-level spiritual power, had wielded the Yin Yang Eighteen Formations and could contend with a god king without being defeated.
Canghai Grand Elder's spiritual power was not inferior to Xumi Saint Monk's from that time. Even if slightly lacking, the combat power he unleashed was still extraordinary.
He could only let Xiu Chen Heavenly God take the lead. Her divine soul was powerful, and she could combine time power with the Yin Yang Eighteen Formations, likely able to hold off Canghai Grand Elder.
Below, Jia Tianxia had completely defeated Quanzhongsheng, smashing his physical body into tatters. His war weapon had long since fallen somewhere unknown. With every breath and exhale, Jia Tianxia absorbed a vast amount of blood qi from Quanzhongsheng.
He cultivated the "Blood Martial Battle Diagram" and was proficient in secret arts of condensing blood qi to strengthen the physical body.
As Zhang Ruochen soared overhead, Jia Tianxia's gaze darkened. He unleashed the "Shura Hell Diagram," and a broken Shura world slowly unfolded.
An ocher-yellow continent, mountains of white bones, rivers flowing with fresh red blood.
Seeing the "Shura Hell Diagram," Xiu Chen Heavenly God's anger flared up.
One hundred thousand years ago, this was a battle diagram she had refined!
In the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain, Jia Tianxia had even used this diagram to mock her.
Old grudges and new hatreds surged into her heart.
Before Zhang Ruochen could act, a Shura giant handprint flew out from the Yin Yang Eighteen Formations, slapping Jia Tianxia down a full head shorter, nearly turning him into a meat patty.
A huge five-fingered pit appeared on the ground.
Quanzhongsheng, not far from Jia Tianxia, did not escape either; his physical body also suffered severe damage.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God took back the "Shura Hell Diagram," channeling divine flames to refine the power and soul thoughts Jia Tianxia had left within the diagram. Then, she struck out with the diagram again, using the Shura continent to suppress Jia Tianxia.
"Boom! Boom!"
Zhang Ruochen had already clashed with Canghai Grand Elder's avatar, the Six Divine Swords evolving various sword techniques, driving him back step by step.
This avatar was extraordinary. Canghai Grand Elder had begun cultivating it when his spiritual power reached the eightieth level. Every so often, he would separate a large number of spiritual power thoughts into the avatar.
This was prepared by Canghai Grand Elder for assaulting the eighty-fifth level of spiritual power, and it was already at the final stage. He only needed to combine the avatar with his main body to have a high probability of breaking through and becoming a spiritual power god venerable.
"Boom!"
Zhang Ruochen punched through the spiritual power domain of Canghai Grand Elder's avatar, sending him flying to crash heavily into the Dissolution Platform.
Countless cracks appeared on the avatar's body.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen attacking again, Canghai Grand Elder's avatar had no room to retreat. He grabbed Lian Xi and threatened, "Zhang Ruochen, you were able to know the specific situation inside the Divine Heaven Temple, probably through her, right? If you take one more step forward, this old man will make her vanish into thin air."
"Just an avatar, and you think you can threaten me?"
As if crossing time and space, Zhang Ruochen instantly appeared before Canghai Grand Elder's avatar and struck down heavily with his fist.
The avatar's head was blown apart by the punch, forming a fierce spiritual power storm.
Zhang Ruochen wrapped Lian Xi with the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram, the Six Divine Swords protecting his body, and transformed into a pillar of sword light soaring up, landing on the Dissolution Platform.
From start to finish, Lian Xi remained very calm. Her beautiful eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen's outstanding and determined face, feeling the sense of security from his arms and chest, as if all the storms had ceased at this moment.
The tranquility was broken.
Above the Dissolution Platform, a circular divine formation rapidly condensed. With a rumbling roar, bolts of purple lightning shuttled within the formation, emitting an oppressive aura fluctuation.
"Zhang Ruochen, daring to charge the Dissolution Platform, you are still too young!"
Canghai Grand Elder's headless avatar floated up within a cloud of spiritual power, then transformed into eighteen streams of smoke-like rivers speeding away, rushing toward the Divine Heaven Temple's formation hub.
The Six Divine Swords flew out, shattering six of the spiritual power streams, burning the spiritual power thoughts within them.
Countless dense figures flew out from within Zhang Ruochen's body, converging into twelve torrents of spiritual power thoughts that chased after them. Within the twelve torrents, a large number of soul-devouring insects flew with spread wings.
Holding the Blood Drop Sword, Zhang Ruochen mobilized all his strength and swung it toward the cross.
"Boom!"
Still a thousand zhang away from the cross, a large number of divine patterns manifested, blocking the Blood Drop Sword.
This strike was like slashing against a divine wall, instead knocking Zhang Ruochen back a step.
Chi Xingtian's divine thought transmitted: "Many of the divine patterns here were left by Wen Tianjun back then. Deities below the Infinite Realm probably cannot break them by force. You must seize control of the temple's formation hub."
Zhang Ruochen was so angry he could spit blood. Why hadn't he said this earlier?
Chi Xingtian's divine thought continued: "Even if you seize control of the formation hub, it will still take a lot of time to analyze."
Did Zhang Ruochen have this kind of time?
"Then I'll leave?"
Zhang Ruochen wanted to leave immediately, afraid he would end up here.
In the formation above, bright and blinding lightning fell like a waterfall, its destructive power engulfing Zhang Ruochen and Chi Xingtian.
...
Radiant Divine Temple.
Ke Yangshan held his scepter, bathed in flawless radiant divine light, gazing into the distance toward the Divine Heaven Temple's direction. He laughed, "The Quantity Organization has finally made its move."
Ji Donghuang stood to one side, a strange light deep in his eyes. He was about to say something.
Suddenly, a divine light emerged from the ground, condensing into a deity clad in armor, holding a war halberd.
Ke Yangshan glanced at this deity and said, "Xu Xiao, why are you here?"
"A great saint from the Order Palace came to report, asking this god to emerge from seclusion and assist the young hall master," said Xu Xiao, a great god of the Order Palace.
Ke Yangshan frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled.
To monopolize the credit for suppressing the Quantity Organization, he had not sent anyone to invite other deities from the Radiant Divine Temple. Who was meddling in this matter?
Moments later, deities from the Night Palace, Star Radiance Palace, Freedom Palace... all eight palaces and two battalions of the Radiant Divine Temple arrived one after another.
Although displeased inside, Ke Yangshan could not say much. After all, Paradise Realm had indeed experienced a series of major events today. It was perfectly normal for the gods to gather at the Radiant Divine Temple.
But Ji Donghuang, standing to one side, gradually darkened his expression.
This turn of events caught him somewhat off guard.
About one hundred thousand li from the Radiant Divine Temple, Zhuque Huowu sat beneath a tree, opening her eyes.
It was she who had used her soul power to induce the great saint of the Radiant Divine Temple into inviting all the deities out.
Not to put Zhang Ruochen in a deadly situation, but because she believed the Quantity Organization would not put itself in danger. Since they had laid a trap in the Divine Heaven Temple, they must have a way to deal with the threats from the Radiant Divine Temple and Shangqiu.
The most likely possibility was that a strong member of the Quantity Organization was right inside the Radiant Divine Temple, ready to strike at any moment and seize control of part of Paradise Realm's realm-protecting divine formations.
She understood Ke Yangshan's character. His martial arts talent was top-notch, and he had strategy and ambition, but he was too proud and arrogant.
Zhuque Huowu worried he would fall into the hands of the Quantity Organization, so she used this method to summon the gods of the Radiant Divine Temple to assist him, while also reminding him that today's events were not as simple as they seemed on the surface.
As long as Ke Yangshan became vigilant, or started fighting with the Quantity Organization members inside the Radiant Divine Temple, it would buy Zhang Ruochen more time.
...
On the Dissolution Platform, Zhang Ruochen propped up the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram. The Lesser Yang Divine Mountain and Lesser Yin Divine Sea continuously rotated, absorbing the lightning attacks released from the divine formation.
The Earth Cauldron also hovered above his head, protecting his body.
Holding the God-Defying Stele, Zhang Ruochen continuously broke divine patterns, step by step approaching Chi Xingtian.
"To save you, I've staked my life this time. You must remember this day well." Zhang Ruochen cursed loudly as he advanced, not fleeing.
Chi Xingtian was silent. After a long while, he let out a sigh.
Whether it was a lament for the hardships of the times or a sigh for the warmth of human connections in this world.
The God-Defying Stele was simply the bane of divine patterns and inscription patterns. Even though the divine patterns on the Dissolution Platform were left by Wen Tianjun, they could not withstand it.
Before long, Zhang Ruochen appeared before Chi Xingtian. He soared up, grabbed one of the Radiant War Spears that had pierced into Chi Xingtian's brow, and pulled the spear out inch by inch.
Divine blood continuously flowed out.
Chi Xingtian gritted his teeth and screamed in pain, but the divine qi within his body gradually began to boil.
The first war spear was pulled out, then the second...
A total of nine spears were pulled out!
"Move back further!"
Chi Xingtian shouted this, releasing surging demonic qi from within his body.
One by one, Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription diagram seals manifested around him, snapping all the remaining divine patterns.
The Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram was pushed to its limit. The Lesser Yang Divine Mountain and Lesser Yin Divine Sea were severely damaged, on the verge of collapse. If they truly collapsed, Zhang Ruochen's cultivation would regress.
Seeing Chi Xingtian's physical body so formidable, like an ancient demon god awakening, Zhang Ruochen used the Earth Cauldron to protect himself and immediately flew down from the Dissolution Platform.