Chapter 3370: The Great Elder of the Inverse God Clan
Zhang Ruochen had the four Taixu Ancient Gods evaluate the medicinal power of this Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill, gradually gaining a general understanding.
A flash of inspiration crossed his mind, and he then smiled.
The second batch of Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pills, having been nurtured by the seven-colored pill mist, were stronger in medicinal power than the five-colored defective pills taken by Xiao Hei, Bai Qinger, and Chi Yao, even if they were similarly flawed.
Earlier, he had fallen into a misconception.
He thought that refining the six-colored Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill had only increased his Boundless cultivation by half a percent because the pill's power was insufficient.
In reality, it was because his own physical body had reached a certain limit. Being able to increase it by half a percent was already remarkable.
If it were any other Taixu Great God at the Soul-Stopping or Heart-Stopping realm, they would absolutely be unable to withstand the six-colored Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill.
The Tongtian Divine Pill that Chi Xingtian had taken back then might have had strong medicinal power, but it should still have been five-colored.
Wen Tianjun might be able to refine a seven-colored Boundless Tongtian Divine Pill, but without alchemy skills approaching Tai Shang's level, it was unlikely he could refine a six-colored mutated Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill.
Zhang Ruochen was starting to worry about Xue Jue War God.
That was a flawless six-colored Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill—could his maternal grandfather withstand it?
Although he had sent a letter to warn him, given his grandfather's current eagerness to improve his cultivation and combat power, he was probably confident enough to swallow it immediately.
...
Zhang Ruochen took the second flawed six-colored Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill. This time, his physical enhancement was less than half a percent, the effect greatly diminished.
Afterward, he consumed the remaining flawless six-colored Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill.
The medicinal power was extremely strong, several times that of the flawed one.
Even so, Zhang Ruochen was already standing at the absolute peak below the Boundless realm, so a single Taizhen Tongtian Divine Pill was naturally within his capacity to handle.
This time, his physical strength successfully reached ten percent of the Boundless level.
With the cultivation of a Great God, he now possessed a God King's body.
His skin faintly shimmered with six colors, the pill's power not yet fully digested. An immense aura, rivaling that of a God King, radiated outward uncontrollably. His breathing sounded like thunder, and the flow of his blood like the currents of a heavenly river.
Outside the War Dharma Divine Hall, all the gods turned their heads.
"Has he reached the Boundless realm?" Zangjin Baihu asked.
Chi Yao stood atop the divine mountain where the God King battle formation was located, beneath her feet streams of God King blood flowing like rivers. "His physical strength has reached the God King level! Even the Primordial Ancestors of legendary fame might not have reached this step when they were Great Gods."
"You can try it too!" Zangjin Baihu said.
Chi Yao replied, "It's very difficult! Unless I can condense seventeen layers of heavenly domains while at the Great God realm."
Zangjin Baihu said, "If you want to catch up to Zhang Ruochen, no matter how hard it is, you must walk this path. Xumi Saint Monk passed down the *Wisdom King Sutra* to you, and Zhang Ruochen transferred his entire cultivation to you, including the Myriad Ages Unified Dao Domain he comprehended on the River of Time, which reflects all eras of the universe. Isn't it all to hope that you will charge forward bravely, face difficulties head-on, walk the path of the Great Venerable, and surpass him?"
"To surpass the Great Venerable, you must cultivate the seventeenth layer of heavenly domains at the Great God realm. At the Great God realm, you must master Boundless power."
"The Great Venerable has organized a complete cultivation method for you. A Buddha Ancestor has paved the way for you. Zhang Ruochen has transmitted his power to you. Our clan's Zangjin Dao also assists. Gathering the strengths of all sides, combined with your own tempered heart and astonishing comprehension—there is no reason you cannot surpass your predecessors."
Chi Yao's gaze shifted from deep contemplation to sharp determination.
Yes, no matter how difficult, this path must be walked.
She decided that after the Sword God Temple seclusion ended, she would not go to the Sword Realm. She would return to Kunlun, go to the Starry Sky Defense Line, to the battlefield. Staying with Zhang Ruochen would dull her edge. Having received so much from him, the burden in her heart had grown heavy.
Her heart was always tied to him, unable to bear seeing any other woman by his side.
These various distracting thoughts were fetters on her cultivation.
Unable to cut them away, she would forge her own path in cultivation. When her Dao was perfected, they would meet in some distant starry realm, each holding a sword, raising them together toward the heavens. Wasn't that more worth pursuing than clinging to each other in mundane affection?
...
Zhang Ruochen took out the God-Defying Stele, and the Heavenly Banner was suppressed beneath it.
The flagpole had already shattered, leaving only the banner.
Even with the God-Defying Stele suppressing it, Zhang Ruochen still set up thirteen layers of seals, being quite cautious.
"Unseal it, don't worry, I, this god, am here!" Xiu Chen Heavenly God said.
Over the past three years, she had refined all the Divine Soul Divine Pills, greatly increasing her soul strength again, adding twenty to thirty percent on top of the ten percent Boundless foundation.
Such soul strength could be achieved by Divine Kings and Divine Venerables at the early Qiankun Boundless stage who had cultivated for tens of thousands of years.
But it was enough for Xiu Chen Heavenly God to swell with pride!
Just as Xiu Chen Heavenly God was using her soul-killing secret technique to deal with the soul thoughts of Siyang Tianjun, space violently shook, and the War Dharma Divine Hall trembled.
It was a section of the Heavenly Staircase striking the formation light shield above.
Ji Fanxin's palm hovered above the Heavenly Banner, multicolored petals falling from it, using her spiritual power to suppress Siyang Tianjun's divine thoughts.
She and Xiu Chen Heavenly God were both somewhat distracted, and the Heavenly Banner suddenly ignited.
Four blazing suns appeared on the banner, releasing terrifying divine flames.
Zhang Ruochen's brows tightened.
If those four suns charged out, all the gods within the formation would face disaster.
Fortunately, they stabilized it, pressing Siyang Tianjun's divine thoughts back.
"Don't get distracted—leave the outside to me."
Zhang Ruochen walked out of the War Dharma Divine Hall.
Outside, all the gods stood within the formation, fully alert.
The Time Formation, the Yin Yang Eighteen Formations, the Sword Formation, and over a dozen divine formations had all been activated.
The Heavenly Staircase hovered step by step in the void, its momentum vast, issuing a final ultimatum: "The Divine Tree is about to leave, and you should leave the Sword God Temple as well! If you don't go today, then let's fight!"
"Boom!"
Blood-colored soil surged like hundred-zhang-high waves, rolling outside the formation, stretching for hundreds of miles.
Atop the wave of soil, a vast expanse of blood mist swirled, dense with rules.
At the center of the blood mist, a human figure condensed, looking down at Zhang Ruochen with an air of dominance over the world. "Human, we have no ill intentions. We only hope you will leave. The matters within the Sword God Temple are not something your current cultivation can meddle in."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Are the two of you the masters of the Sword God Temple?"
"The Sword God Temple has no master," the Blood Mud Man said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Then on what authority do you two order us to leave?"
"On the authority of our strength, which far surpasses yours," the Heavenly Staircase said, its stone steps flying up, emitting piercing sword cries.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Heavenly Venerable Character Scroll and said, "If you want war, we will certainly oblige."
Taiqing Patriarch and Yuqing Patriarch had not returned yet, likely because they were at a critical moment in their cultivation, which worried Zhang Ruochen greatly.
If the Heavenly Staircase and the Blood Mud Man discovered their location and attacked them directly, the consequences would be disastrous.
Zhang Ruochen decided to take the initiative, using the formations to tie down the Heavenly Staircase and the Blood Mud Man.
Suddenly, the radiance of the Sword Source Divine Tree dimmed noticeably.
A chilling yin wind swept through the Sword God Temple, bone-piercingly cold, accompanied by wisps of black mist bridges.
The three-month deadline was approaching, and subtle changes were occurring within the temple. Darkness was devouring light, and the rain of sword source light was receding.
From the direction of the Sword Soul Pond within the temple, a black streak of light shot out rapidly.
Within the black light was a sharp war weapon, its surface flickering with strange patterns, seemingly able to pierce through space and time, locking onto Taiqing Patriarch and Yuqing Patriarch with precision.
The evil entities in the Sword Soul Pond had long been restless. Now, coinciding with the Sword Source Divine Tree's light receding and Zhang Ruochen's group being pinned down by the Heavenly Staircase and the Blood Mud Man, they finally struck.
Zhang Ruochen immediately sent out the divine artifact, the Celestial Pivot Needle.
The Celestial Pivot Needle intercepted the black light, and the two clashed.
"Boom!"
That war weapon possessed formidable power, actually knocking the Celestial Pivot Needle away. However, its trajectory was altered, striking a spot a hundred zhang away from Taiqing Patriarch.
The ground, hard as divine jade, was smashed into a large pit.
The war weapon rose again and thrust forward.
Beside the war weapon, a faint, disheveled shadow appeared, seemingly an illusory existence, yet possessing astonishing explosive force.
"Boom!"
A hill-sized blood-colored mud handprint descended from the sky, shattering that shadow and suppressing the black war weapon in its hand.
The Blood Mud Man looked at Zhang Ruochen and said, "See? The Divine Tree has only just begun to dim, and they are already eager to act. You cannot handle this."
A hint of confusion appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes. "Why did you help us?"
"We have no enmity. If this can create a good connection, perhaps you will heed our well-meaning advice and leave willingly. As for your grudge with the Heavenly Staircase, that has nothing to do with me," the Blood Mud Man said frankly.
If not for the initial conflict with the Heavenly Staircase, Zhang Ruochen might have actually cooperated with the Blood Mud Man to deal with the Sword Soul Pond.
The Blood Mud Man likely truly meant no harm.
From the Blood Mud Man's earlier strike, Zhang Ruochen could gauge its cultivation level—it was terrifying, far surpassing the Heavenly Staircase by a wide margin. The formations they had set up might not be enough to stop it.
Moreover, if the Blood Mud Man wanted to attack, it had ample opportunity in the years when the two Patriarchs entered the Sword God Temple to cultivate. It wouldn't have waited until now.
Seeing the other side take the initiative to show goodwill, Zhang Ruochen softened his tone. "You were born in the Sword God Temple, yet you seem quite knowledgeable about human affairs. Might I ask for your guidance?"
The Blood Mud Man did not speak, its gaze fixed on the direction of the Sword Source Divine Tree.
Zhang Ruochen couldn't see its expression, but following its gaze, truth radiance flickered in his eyes. Perhaps because the Sword Source Divine Tree's light had dimmed, Zhang Ruochen found that he could now see the tree's trunk!
Beneath the tree sat an aged figure holding a staff.
A wind blew, sweeping up a curtain of light rain, swallowing the trunk and the aged figure.
They vanished!
That scene seemed like an illusion.
No, it wasn't an illusion.
The Black Water Divine Staff in Zhang Ruochen's hand flickered violently, and the artifact spirit within said, "I sense the aura of the Green Mountain Divine Staff. It's the Great Elder—the Great Elder is inside the temple."
The Great Elder of the Inverse God Clan?
Zhang Ruochen's emotions churned. Could the aged figure he had just seen be that legendary figure who had traveled across all realms and personally established the Heavenly Court?
(End of Chapter)