Chapter 3344: First Battle Defeats a Half-Venerable
Kongcan remained smiling, saying, "Do not worry. Although Void Dharma Divine Master has fallen, and the Ghost Clan's Divine Master has departed, the Bone Clan and Shura Clan have each sent a Divine Master. With four Divine Masters present, they are not lacking. With them here, Xiong Guan Star is as solid as gold, capable of clashing head-on with the Hundred Clans Royal City's Star Prison Grand Formation."
"That is excellent. I was originally thinking of having Qianqian go to assist, but now it seems unnecessary. Haha!" said the Ghost Lord.
Within the Ghost Lord's Divine Realm World, Cang Jue, Chi Yao, the three experts from Shengu Nest, Xiao Hei, Yuan Tian Monarch, Chi Hun Monarch... and many others, including over a hundred deities like false gods, all showed expressions of disappointment.
They had hoped that with Destiny Temple retreating, Fengdu Ghost City withdrawing its forces, and Void Dharma falling, the control of the divine formation on Xiong Guan Star would weaken.
Unfortunately, the Hell Realm was too strong, with divine realm experts emerging endlessly.
Now, it seemed they had no choice but to abandon illusions and engage in a real, blade-to-blade battle.
After the Ghost Lord and Qianqian took their leave, they returned to the army camp of the Earthly Fiend Ghost City.
The Ghost Lord and Qianqian's avatars entered the Divine Realm World and together bowed to Zhuque Huowu, who had transformed into the Soul Realm's master.
The Ghost Lord said, "The situation is unfavorable. Just now on Xiong Guan Star, I sensed several familiar and immense auras. Bai Changxu, Yun Zhonghu, and Hei Tao—these three are respectively the number one expert of the Bone Clan's Tianyi Bone Sea, the number one expert of the Xunzhen Bone Sea, and the number one expert of the Yongzhou Bone Sea. All are ancient monsters who have not emerged for a hundred thousand years, each with formidable cultivation."
"Additionally, two old-school Taixu Great Gods from the Stone Clan seem to have arrived as well!"
Zhuque Huowu looked at Chi Yao and the others, saying, "I came to Xiong Guan Star this time only to kill those main conspirators. Other matters are none of my concern. Tonight, I will remain neutral!"
Before finishing her words, Zhuque Huowu had already concealed her aura, stepped out of the Ghost Lord's Divine Realm World, and vanished into the night.
Cang Jue chuckled darkly, also stepping out of the Divine Realm World to stand beside the Ghost Lord's true body, saying, "We are all Ghost Clan. As long as you cooperate with us, everything will be fine."
The Ghost Lord gave a forced smile, saying, "Half of my divine soul is in the hands of Lord Cang Jue. How dare I not cooperate? But I beg you all to spare the cultivators of Earthly Fiend Ghost City!"
Chi Yao said, "We came this time only to rescue people, not to kill."
"To break through Xiong Guan Star, we must first take down the four Divine Masters, or at least contain them. I can contain two of them!"
The one who spoke was a soft voice from the Chixia Feixian Valley.
She was one of the most powerful spiritual power deities in the world today, with a peak spiritual power intensity of the eighty-fourth rank. Claiming she could contain two Divine Masters was already very modest, meant to ensure absolute certainty.
This soft voice was more eager than any deity present to break Xiong Guan Star and deal a heavy blow to the Hell Realm.
Yan Huo, a spiritual power expert from Shengu Nest with a semi-transparent body and the character "Yan" on his forehead, said, "I, this old man, will accompany the Valley Master to deal with the four Divine Masters. Together, we should be enough!"
After the soft voice and Yan Huo left, the remaining deities, under Chi Yao's arrangement, each received their tasks.
The main goal was rescue, but there were also some dangerous actions, such as stealing the Heavenly Banner and disrupting the Divine King Battle Formation.
However, these actions had to be coordinated with Zhang Ruochen and the others, acting according to circumstances.
For now, they could not leave the Ghost Lord's Divine Realm World, lest they be sensed by the Hell Realm's deities.
...
In the void a million miles away from Xiong Guan Star, Zhang Ruochen used the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram to cover the deities behind him, concealing their auras and heavenly secrets.
"It should be about time, right?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Shenpo Princess, who had transformed into the second elder of the Array Extermination Palace, said, "According to the timeline, if all goes smoothly, the arrangements on Xiong Guan Star should already be complete. The truly troublesome ones are only those Divine Masters controlling the formations. With the soft voice there, these Divine Masters are likely no match for her."
Zhang Ruochen had no worries about Xiong Guan Star.
Chi Yao and the soft voice were both skilled in strategy and could control the overall situation. Zhuque Huowu acted with clear purpose, Qianqian was deep in thought, and Cang Jue was cunning and treacherous.
Among the Hell Realm deities, only that Half-Venerable from the Death God Temple could contend with them. Figures like Kongcan and Blazing Sun Heavenly Lord were far inferior.
"Then let's begin."
Zhang Ruochen raised his right hand slightly, and nine snake skull heads emerged from his palm, flying out.
The skull heads, initially the size of beans, rapidly grew to the size of planets, flying through the dark universe and turning into nine blazing fireballs.
In the starry sky outside Xiong Guan Star, various war cities and star fortresses floated.
Instantly, horn sounds echoed across the universe.
"Boom! Boom! Boom..."
Many war cities and star fortresses, before they could activate their strongest defenses, were struck by the snake skull heads, exploding into fragments, with countless Hell Realm soldiers turning to ash.
The nine skull heads crashed into Xiong Guan Star's atmosphere, forming nine fiery cloud masses, causing the massive star to shake.
They were blocked by the formation light barrier within the atmosphere!
"It's the nine heads of the Nine-Headed Bone Serpent!"
"It's the Famous Sword God. He's here. I've already sensed his aura."
"Too arrogant. This is a provocation. If we don't tear him to pieces, where will the Hell Realm's face be?"
"Since he's come, he won't be leaving!"
...
One after another, divine lights shot into the sky, like countless death gods emerging, appearing in the void outside Xiong Guan Star.
The Hell Realm deities, some manifested giant divine bodies as tall as mountains, some had blood-colored cloud seas above their heads with countless bones and corpses floating within, and some appeared driving divine temples without revealing their true forms.
The deities stood in the void, their radiance illuminating heaven and earth, instantly dimming the stars in the universe.
Zhang Ruochen, in white robes like snow, appeared with the "Second Elder of Array Extermination Palace," "Huang Daozi," and "Lihen Ancient God" at a position about three Divine Spirit Steps away from Xiong Guan Star.
Kongcan's divine body was thousands of feet tall, his spiritual power and voice transmitted together: "Well done! All the Heavenly Court deities, show yourselves!"
"No need. The four of us can annihilate the entire Hell Realm." Zhang Ruochen's tone was flat, very contemptuous.
The more he acted this way, the more the Hell Realm deities felt provoked.
"Just you?"
Enemies meeting face to face, their eyes burning with hatred, Blazing Sun Heavenly Lord immediately prepared to activate the Heavenly Banner. But the distance was too great; even if he struck unexpectedly, it would be difficult to severely wound the Famous Sword God.
The Half-Venerable walked out from the black divine temple tens of thousands of meters high, standing at the temple's entrance, locking eyes with Zhang Ruochen, and said, "Were Jade Python Lord and the Nine-Headed Bone Serpent both killed by your hand?"
"Brother Ruhai, do you not believe it?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"If that is truly the case, then I am interested in your strength."
The Half-Venerable's form blurred, and without taking a Divine Spirit Step, he crossed three Divine Spirit Steps in one go, appearing before Zhang Ruochen.
Around him, countless gray death shadows emerged.
Even from a distance, a corrosive aura had already struck Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen formed his fingers into a sword, slashing horizontally. All the gray death shadows were cut apart. Behind them, the Half-Venerable's figure appeared, with a layer of silver scales on his arm, seemingly some kind of secret treasure.
He engaged Zhang Ruochen in unarmed combat.
The silver scales emitted a secret power belonging to Divine Kings and Divine Venerables, enhancing his strength.
In a flash, the two clashed several times.
The entire process took only the blink of an eye, and the Half-Venerable had already retreated to the entrance of the black divine temple. His arm covered in silver scales continuously bled, and a bloody hole appeared in his chest.
The Hell Realm deities were all shocked.
Had the Half-Venerable been defeated so quickly?
They speculated one after another that the Famous Sword God might have already reached the Infinite Realm.
The blood on the Half-Venerable's body gradually stopped, and the wound healed. He said, "Such powerful physical strength. What opportunity did you obtain? Did you eat the flesh of an Ancestor?"
Zhang Ruochen's pride soared to the heavens, saying, "Do not measure Heavenly Court deities by the habits of Hell Realm cultivators. I have my own invincible cultivation method!"
Not only did the Hell Realm deities feel he was showing off, but even Mandala Flower God, Chi Chaluo, Feng Yan, and Xiang Chunan, hidden in the shadows, felt a sense of respect, thinking they had previously misunderstood the Famous Sword God. He was truly the backbone of the Heavenly Court, a glory of an era!
They had been staying on Xinghuantian and, upon learning that the Heavenly Court had a major operation on Xiong Guan Star, had specially come to assist.
Mandala Flower God, cold and jade-like, nodded lightly and said softly, "What a Famous Sword God. Truly someone who once could rival the Dragon Lord. I underestimated him before!"
"Indeed admirable." Chi Chaluo said.
Feng Yan said, "Such a strong and unyielding character is very similar to the Blade Venerable. No wonder he gained the Blade Venerable's appreciation."
"It seems I had a misunderstanding about him before. He dares to face the Hell Realm's deities head-on. What kind of spirit is this? Who else in the Heavenly Court has it?" Xiang Chunan said with a guilty heart.
"He is not the Famous Sword God. He is Zhang Ruochen."
A pleasant voice suddenly sounded in the darkness.
The few present were greatly startled, but after seeing the owner of the voice, they quickly calmed down.
Ji Fanxin silently emerged from the darkness, as if stepping out of a black veil or walking out of space.
Mandala Flower God and Chi Chaluo, both at the Taixu realm, felt a strange sensation. Although Ji Fanxin was truly standing before them, they felt she was ethereal and elusive, like a formless existence.
Mandala Flower God stared at Ji Fanxin, saying, "Fanxin, why did you come out of seclusion so quickly? Have you fully mastered your own power?"
"To fully master it, I'm afraid I'll need to go to the Bodhisattva Secret Realm."
Ji Fanxin's beautiful eyes looked toward the distant Zhang Ruochen and the Hell Realm deities. Her gaze was no longer as ethereal and clear as before, but deep and unfathomable.
If she was once a transcendent and otherworldly fairy, now she was more like a peerless empress, possessing her own momentum and authority.
Such a gaze, along with the aura she emitted formlessly, put even Mandala Flower God, her master, under pressure.
It was like when Mandala Flower God first encountered the Ancient Illumination Lotus, before it was sealed by the Star Sea Angler. The defensive spiritual power ripples emitted by the Ancient Illumination Lotus had injured her, who was at the Taixu realm.
In fact, Mandala Flower God had always believed that she was merely Ji Fanxin's guide in the early stages of cultivation.
"The Ancient Illumination Lotus's spiritual power was accumulated over hundreds of millions of years, the root of the source between heaven and earth. Once it fully masters its own power, who in this world can be its master?"
These were the words spoken back then by the Star Sea Angler!