Chapter 3371: Sword Soul Marsh Anomaly
The Azure Mountain Divine Staff was the strongest among the five divine staves of the Inverse God Clan, held by the Grand Elder.
The appearance of the Azure Mountain Divine Staff's aura caught Zhang Ruochen extremely off guard.
Besides Grand Supreme Taiping and Grand Supreme Yuqing, were there other cultivators who had found the Sword God Temple?
Where was the Grand Elder? Was he beneath the Sword Source Divine Tree?
Zhang Ruochen could not be certain, because beings of that level could leave behind an image that would persist in the world between heaven and earth.
Zhang Ruochen fully activated his Truth Divine Eye and also used the Wuji Divine Dao to sense, but he could not penetrate the rain of light or reach the base of the tree.
At that moment, a change occurred.
"Boom!"
The suppressed black war weapon pierced through the blood-mud handprint and shot into the sky.
It resembled a long lance, moving at extreme speed, the space around it warping as it flew.
The blood-mud man let out a deep snort, and with a movement of his arm, a winding blood-colored river flew out. Divine patterns like swords within the river coiled around the black war weapon, pulling it into his hand.
From the direction of the Sword Soul Marsh, a high-pitched and furious roar sounded.
The roar carried a power that shook the divine soul.
The blood-mud man raised his left hand, forming a finger-sword, and pointed at the Sword Soul Marsh.
"Whoosh!"
A thousand-zhang-long blood-colored divine sword condensed, carrying millions of sword lights, striking into the vast black clouds of the Sword Soul Marsh.
The black clouds were torn apart, the sword light overwhelming.
A black, deep pool appeared behind the clouds, like a giant eye, colliding with the blood-colored divine sword.
The blood-colored divine sword exploded, turning into blood qi.
All the sword energy was swallowed by that black eye.
That eye, like a black deep pool, seemed to contain a soul-seizing power. The gods within the formation swayed unsteadily, their divine souls being pulled out, flying from their bodies.
"Guard your divine souls, do not look at it."
Zhang Ruochen immediately activated the Yin Yang Eighteen Formations, transforming the eighteen formation worlds into eighteen shields to resist that terrifying soul-seizing force.
While operating the formation, Zhang Ruochen stared intently at the direction of the Sword Soul Marsh.
He discovered that beneath that black, pool-like eye, there was a shadow. Within the shadow stood three figures, one of which was unmistakably Guo Shenwang.
Guo Shenwang had actually joined forces with the evil anomaly.
Was this cooperation, or submission?
If it was the latter, then the evil anomaly in the Sword Soul Marsh was far too terrifying.
The other two figures were one of a woman, her face unseen, like a black silhouette, her figure extremely tall and slender, her lines full of beauty.
The other was the form of a large bird, also a black silhouette.
Although they were just silhouettes, their auras were very powerful, at the level of enfeoffed kings and venerables.
It was utterly astonishing, including Guo Shenwang, three Infinite Realm beings appearing at once. And there was that black pool-like eye, whose master's cultivation was even more unfathomable.
Who would have thought that the Sword God Temple, hidden deep within the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain, concealed so many divine kings and venerables? If they took control of the Sword God Temple and descended upon the outside world, it would surely cause a massive uproar.
Zhang Ruochen strongly suspected that ancient sites left by ancestors, like the Seventy-Two Demon God Stone Pillars and the Sword God Temple, would emerge one after another, bringing forth more earth-shattering powerhouses to interfere with the present era.
Such as the Witch Hall, Nuwa Palace, Asura Divine Mountain, Demon Ancestor Ridge, Kongming Ruins, Dragon Nest...
Many ancient lands buried by eons of time might not have vanished.
Just like the Sword God Temple and the Seventy-Two Demon God Stone Pillars, they were likely hidden in secret places like the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain and the North Marsh Great Wall.
As for the Ancestor Realms of various worlds and clans, they were even more unpredictable, perhaps harboring even more fearsome power.
The true chaotic era was approaching step by step.
"Earth Demon Sparrow says the summoning force is even stronger now," Bai Qinger transmitted to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze locked onto the large bird-shaped black silhouette, feeling its outline was somewhat similar to the Earth Demon Sparrow. Could the Earth Demon Sparrow's perception come from it?
From a powerful evil anomaly?
The blood-mud man communicated with that black pool-like eye, the auras on both sides growing increasingly powerful.
Black clouds and blood-colored mist clashed against each other, producing thunderous roars. Divine power collided, space boiled, and even the Sword Source Light Rain was scattered.
"Whatever means you have, just use them. Forcing us to withdraw from the Sword God Temple? Don't even think about it!"
The stone steps of the Heavenly Staircase flew up, transforming into ten thousand war swords, slashing into the Sword Soul Marsh.
Guo Shenwang and the large bird-shaped black silhouette simultaneously released divine power, evolving divine abilities, forming a Yellow Spring long river and dense stone mountains, blocking the Heavenly Staircase outside the Sword Soul Marsh.
The collision there was fierce, the divine power fluctuations terrifyingly strong, as if the world were about to end.
Bai Qinger appeared beside Zhang Ruochen and said, "It's very strange. Judging by this situation, it seems the Sword Soul Marsh wants to expel the Heavenly Staircase and the blood-mud man from the Sword God Temple together."
"The Heavenly Staircase and the blood-mud man have coexisted with the evil anomaly in the Sword Soul Marsh for so many years, neither able to do anything to the other. The Sword Soul Marsh suddenly acting so aggressively is indeed strange," Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Yao said, "Could it be that Guo Shenwang's joining has given the Sword Soul Marsh greater confidence?"
"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "Logically, the Sword Soul Marsh should sit back and watch the tigers fight; that would be the best choice. But they completely disregard us, not even fearing an alliance between us, the Heavenly Staircase, and the blood-mud man. Is that the kind of confidence one more Guo Shenwang can provide?"
Bai Qinger said, "I smell an unusual aura. Transmit a message to the two Grand Supremes; we should withdraw from the Sword God Temple."
Even though the Earth Demon Sparrow's artifact spirit felt a strong summoning force, Bai Qinger could restrain herself and urgently wanted to leave.
The danger aura was too intense.
In fact, Zhang Ruochen's perception of danger was even more pronounced. His heart was uneasy, as if an invisible eye was watching him, but he could not see it.
This feeling was like a human looking at an ant. The ant sensed something, but looking around, it could not see where the human was.
Because the two were simply not on the same level.
Zhang Ruochen transmitted a message to the two Grand Supremes, but there was no response.
"Damn, something's wrong. Even if the two Grand Supremes are at a critical moment in breaking through their realm, they should be able to spare a divine thought to reply to me."
Zhang Ruochen's expression finally changed. He handed the formation over to Zangjin Baihu and transmitted to Xiuchen and Ji Fanxin, telling them they must control the Heavenly Banner at the fastest speed.
"Take this with you!"
Luo Ji caught up to Zhang Ruochen, her pale white hand opening, and half of the God-Defying Stele emerged from space.
The other half of the God-Defying Stele was in Luo Ji's hands; Zhang Ruochen had always known this.
Chi Yao and Bai Qinger saw it for the first time, and could not help but look at Luo Ji with new eyes, having previously underestimated her.
Zhang Ruochen took this half of the God-Defying Stele, used the Heavenly Venerable Character Scroll and the "Sixth Patriarch's Zen Meditation Diagram" to protect his body, wore the Body-Attaching Armor, fully armed, and rushed out of the formation, heading towards the cultivation ground of the two Grand Supremes.
The Body-Attaching Armor possessed powerful divine soul defense.
Zhang Ruochen's body was surrounded by floating Heavenly Venerable divine characters, the golden Bodhi tree following him like a shadow, traveling through the chaotic divine power fluctuations, charging towards the densest area of the Sword Source Light Rain.
In the Sword Soul Marsh, a divine thought locked onto him.
That woman-shaped black silhouette held a flute, playing a melodious tune.
In the Sword God Temple, fierce wind gusts rose, accompanied by black clouds, surging straight towards Zhang Ruochen.
It was an anomaly formed by sound waves and soul power, directly attacking Zhang Ruochen's divine soul.
"Whoosh!"
The Heavenly Venerable divine characters grew brighter and brighter, blocking the surging wind gusts and black clouds, preventing them from approaching Zhang Ruochen.
The "Sixth Patriarch's Zen Meditation Diagram" hovered above his head, blocking the dense Sword Source Light Rain. Zhang Ruochen arrived near the two Grand Supremes. He found that there were strong divine soul fluctuations around them, and the sound of swords was incessant.
The Heavenly Sword Soul left their bodies, continuously slashing at the void.
Zhang Ruochen immediately stopped, knowing that the two Grand Supremes were encountering an unknown divine soul attack and were engaged in a magical contest.
If Zhang Ruochen did not use the power of the Heart of Truth, he could not even see the Heavenly Sword Soul, nor sense the divine soul fluctuations, only feeling an invisible killing intent.
Rushing over recklessly would have unimaginable consequences.
Zhang Ruochen held the Bodhi tree, which radiated ten thousand zhang of Buddha light, and the sound of ten thousand Buddhas chanting sutras filled the world.
He swung the Bodhi tree horizontally, the golden Buddha light brilliant and sacred.
Logically, the Bodhi tree could dispel evil anomalies and illuminate darkness. But even after Zhang Ruochen swung it with all his might several times, he could not disperse the divine soul attack enveloping the two Grand Supremes.
Grand Supreme Taiping's voice reached Zhang Ruochen's ears: "The one attacking us with divine soul power is Qiangshake, one of the Supreme Four Pillars. Don't get involved. Quickly take them and leave the Sword God Temple."
The voice was very urgent, clearly in the midst of a critical magical contest.
Qiangshake?
Zhang Ruochen was very surprised. In his mind, he recalled the massive figure with goat horns he had seen in Lihentian. It had crushed the Truth Divine Hall Master's divine soul thought on Guangjing Mountain and had also pursued Feng Tian's divine soul thought.
Able to be famous alongside the Heavenly Demon, listed among the Supreme Four Pillars, this being was absolutely invincible in some eras, comparable to a Heavenly Venerable.
For a moment, Zhang Ruochen's mind was filled with doubts.
Why did Qiangshake's remnant soul appear in the Sword God Temple?
Was it the one from Lihentian? Or another remnant soul?
Could the Sword God Temple really have a passage connecting to Lihentian?
Grand Supreme Yuqing's voice sounded: "Go, go quickly. Don't worry about us. A great change has occurred in the Sword God Temple. There is an aura more terrifying than Qiangshake coming from the Sword Soul Marsh, about to descend."
"If we go, we go together."
Zhang Ruochen took down the Heavenly Venerable Character Scroll wrapped around him, retracting the protective Heavenly Venerable divine characters back into the scroll, condensing the remaining Heavenly Venerable divine power within it.
Immediately, waves of divine soul attacks surged towards Zhang Ruochen.
The protective Buddha light formed by the Bodhi tree flickered like a candle in the wind, as if it could be pierced at any moment.
"No one is leaving!"
Guo Shenwang rushed out of the Sword Soul Marsh, speeding towards Zhang Ruochen.
Unlike the evil anomaly, he was not particularly afraid of the Sword Source Light Rain. However, he did not dare get too close. The dense light rain was hard for even the two Grand Supremes to bear, let alone him?
A dozen miles away, Guo Shenwang pressed his hands to the ground, forming a Yellow Spring Divine River between them. The water was swift and cold, exuding a chilling aura.
On the river surface, thousands of armored Yin soldiers charged towards Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen mobilized the six divine swords, forming a sword formation to meet them.
"Boom!"
The cultivation gap was too great. All the divine swords and sword energy were sent flying by the Yellow Spring Divine River.
Forced to do so, Zhang Ruochen had to strike the condensed Heavenly Venerable divine power from the scroll at Guo Shenwang. With a thunderous roar, all the Yin soldiers exploded, and the Yellow Spring Divine River shattered.
The Heavenly Venerable divine power surged all the way to Guo Shenwang's body. One by one, the divine characters shattered his divine king ghost body into pieces.
Guo Shenwang re-condensed his divine king ghost body, now much weaker, but his emotions were frenzied, his battle intent and killing intent intense, abnormal. He laughed wildly, "Hao Tian's power is exhausted, isn't it? Little junior, let's see how you can withstand my killing now!"
Guo Shenwang seemed completely unafraid of death, transforming into a vast expanse of green ghost fire, surging towards Zhang Ruochen and the two Grand Supremes.
Even though the Sword Source Light Rain would damage his divine soul, he showed no fear.
Zhang Ruochen did not flee. He still stood in front of the two Grand Supremes, his long hair flying in the fierce wind, biting his lips tightly, his gaze deep and heavy. He summoned the Earth Cauldron, manifesting the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram.
"Just you? Why can't I be your match?"
If Zhang Ruochen retreated, the two Grand Supremes would likely fall.
Today, there was only one option: fight to the death.