Chapter 3425: The Might of an Ancestor
Ten billion times the spatial gravity pressed down in all directions, the space becoming as stable as solid rock, capable of restraining the divine qi and rules of Infinite Realm powerhouses to a certain extent.
Qiangu Nüdi activated thirty percent of the Time Esoterica, drawing upon the time rules of heaven and earth to condense a divine sea of time, merging it with the ten-billion-fold gravity space formed by the Blunt Void Stone.
Zhang Ruochen and Qiangu Nüdi thus controlled both space and time, holding an absolute advantage.
Even Chimu Divine King and Bai Zun, who had dominated the world for multiple eons, retreated to a distance, not daring to act rashly.
Jiu Chi Divine King, with a serpentine body and nine heads, churned with deathly qi, suspended within the gray mist, releasing an aura like a divine being of the nine heavens.
All nine heads laughed in unison: "Do you think that with the Blunt Void Stone and thirty percent of the Time Esoterica, you can control time and space and remain undefeated?"
"Hua Ying Qing Chan, you have only just broken through to the Infinite Realm, and your understanding of time is still at the level of a Great God. To perfectly utilize thirty percent of the Time Esoterica requires an Indestructible Infinite or a Perfectly Round spiritual powerhouse. Breaking your divine sea of time is actually not difficult!"
"The Blunt Void Stone is, after all, merely an external object, a tool. Tools are dead and require a person to control them. Within the ten-billion-fold spatial gravity field, there are many weak gaps, showing that your understanding of space, Zhang Ruochen, is still far from reaching the hall. In the end, you are still a young man, merely having advanced your cultivation realm ahead of others."
Qiangu Nüdi held the Boundless Sword, like an untainted immortal lotus, both stunningly beautiful and valiantly heroic. She said, "Do you have nine mouths just to spout such nonsense? If you have any real skills, just show them. We will take them on one by one."
"Boom!"
Jiu Chi Divine King’s nine heads all lit up simultaneously.
Within the gray mist, a Divine King World instantly unfolded, countless rule divine patterns interweaving within it, condensing into mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas.
The expressions of Zhang Ruochen and Qiangu Nüdi both turned serious as they sensed Jiu Chi Divine King’s power.
The number of rule divine patterns contained within his Divine King World alone was more than ten times that of either Zhang Ruochen or Qiangu Nüdi individually. Moreover, the strength of those rule divine patterns far surpassed theirs.
A million years of cultivation had given Jiu Chi Divine King a profound accumulation and mastery of various Dao techniques.
Each of his nine heads cultivated a different Dao, including time and space. In terms of the number of time rules and space rules he controlled, he far exceeded Zhang Ruochen and Qiangu Nüdi.
If not for the shackles of the Divine King realm, he might have already reached the Great Unbound Infinite.
In terms of cultivation, Jiu Chi Divine King could be said to far surpass Zhang Ruochen and Qiangu Nüdi, not even in the same tier.
"To break your control over time and space, I must reshape time and space with my Divine King World," Jiu Chi Divine King declared with soaring pride, his formidable cultivation seeming capable of cutting across the universe.
The ten-billion-fold gravity space formed by the Blunt Void Stone and the divine sea of time condensed by Qiangu Nüdi were gradually devoured by Jiu Chi Divine King’s Divine King World, overlapping with each other.
The three Infinite Realm cultivators engaged in a contest at the level of time and space, vying for control over them.
Chimu Divine King and Bai Zun exchanged glances, each forming hand seals to unleash curses.
Chimu Divine King cast the Nether Fire Curse.
Once this curse was activated, the target would burn from the inside out.
It could burn flesh and blood, as well as divine souls.
This was a curse-killing great art!
Combined with ten percent of the Fire Dao Esoterica, it could cross a starry sky to curse and kill deities.
Bai Zun used one of the six great curses of the Underworld Clan, the "Blood Devouring Curse," targeting Qiangu Nüdi.
Zhang Ruochen and Qiangu Nüdi naturally had means to resist curses, but at this critical moment of contending with Jiu Chi Divine King for control over time and space, they had to go all out and could not afford to be distracted.
Qiangu Nüdi felt the divine blood within her body draining away, the blood qi vanishing without a trace, completely defying the rules and order of the world. It was as if some formless power beyond the rules was stripping her of her blood qi.
Zhang Ruochen, targeted by the Nether Fire Curse, had his body ignite, growing increasingly scorching hot. His skin turned a blazing gold, like a red-hot piece of iron about to melt.
Jiu Chi Divine King controlled his Divine King World and the gray mist, surging toward the true bodies of Zhang Ruochen and Qiangu Nüdi, laughing, "I greatly admire your courage. Having just broken through to the Infinite Realm, you dare to contend with three Divine Kings and Divine Venerables whose cultivation far surpasses yours. But such courage can only be called foolishness. Most of the weak in this world die this way."
The pressure on Qiangu Nüdi grew heavier and heavier. She said, "If you have any other trump cards, use them now! Or do you really intend to self-destruct your divine source and perish together with them?"
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen remained calm throughout, having charged straight over to join her without any fear of being surrounded, she knew he must have a hidden card.
How could he not have a trump card?
Jiu Chi Divine King was extremely cautious inwardly, not as arrogant as he appeared on the surface. He knew that Zhang Ruochen and Chi Xingtian were both descendants of an Ancestor, carrying ancestral relics.
But he had absolute confidence that as long as he did not underestimate his opponent, even if Zhang Ruochen used an ancestral relic, he could avoid it.
However, contrary to his expectations, what flew toward him was not an ancestral relic, but Zhang Ruochen himself.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen charge into the gray mist and enter his Divine King World, Jiu Chi Divine King was not pleased but instead became even more vigilant. The head in the center opened its mouth and spat out the Ghost King Vessel.
The Ghost King Vessel, as large as a mountain, was covered in blazing ghost fire.
The might of the divine artifact was grand and imposing.
Zhang Ruochen spread his arms, and from the position of his Xuan Tai, a large amount of nine-colored chaotic divine qi and chaotic rules burst forth, sending the Ghost King Vessel flying away.
Jiu Chi Divine King’s face changed drastically. The nine-colored light filled his vision, and wherever it passed, his Divine King World continuously collapsed, shattering into pieces.
"This is… the power of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable! Is he still alive? Is the Ancestor still alive?"
Jiu Chi Divine King had no time to dodge. The nine-colored chaotic divine qi and chaotic rules struck him, and his divine body, as if made of sand, turned into burning particles.
Gradually, only his skeleton remained.
Fortunately, at the last moment, a large talisman flew out from his divine sea, blocking the nine-colored chaotic divine qi and chaotic rules for an instant. Seizing that instant, his skeleton immediately rushed into the Ghost King Vessel and fled, controlling the vessel.
"Bang! Bang! Bang…"
The Ghost King Vessel smashed through space, flickering across the universe, each flicker spanning millions of miles as it fled at great speed.
The one who fled even before Jiu Chi Divine King was Chimu Divine King.
Because, the moment the nine-colored chaotic divine qi and chaotic rules were released, he suffered the backlash of the Nether Fire Curse, and his own body ignited.
Bai Zun’s face, already pale, turned even whiter.
She fled in a third direction, disappearing into the darkness of the Void World.
The nine-colored chaotic divine qi and chaotic rules were absorbed by Zhang Ruochen from the layers of heavens above the Heavenly Venerable’s tomb while cultivating the Immovable Wisdom King Fist, and had been deposited in his Xuan Tai.
The nine-colored chaotic divine qi was the Ancestor Divine Qi.
The chaotic rules were the Ancestor Rules.
Zhang Ruochen stood in the shattered void, his hands held together in an empty gesture, drawing back the Ancestor Rules scattered in all directions into his Xuan Tai.
Qiangu Nüdi’s gaze was fixed tightly on Zhang Ruochen. Even with her state of mind, she could not help but feel some shock.
What had just happened?
Zhang Ruochen had used the power of an Ancestor?
Not only Ancestor Divine Qi, but also a large number of Ancestor Rules.
Even she had the illusion that the man before her might be the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable himself, which was why Jiu Chi Divine King had fled in terror.
"What a pity. Jiu Chi Divine King had a remarkable divine talisman on him, most likely refined by Second Master. Otherwise, he would not have escaped today," Zhang Ruochen said.
Qiangu Nüdi asked, "You have Ancestor Divine Qi and Ancestor Rules within you. Why didn’t you pursue him just now?"
Zhang Ruochen was about to speak when he sensed a surge in the aura of the Night Clan’s five clan leaders. His gaze sharpened, and he immediately enveloped Qiangu Nüdi with the Taiji Four Symbols Diagram.
The Ancestor Boots beneath his feet flickered, and with a single step, he vanished into the void.
The five clan leaders of the Night Clan manifested their forms one after another.
After a moment of silence, the Phoenix Clan leader said, "Zhang Ruochen must have obtained the inheritance of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable. You all saw it just now—even Jiu Chi Divine King could not withstand the Ancestor Divine Qi and Ancestor Rules and nearly fell."
"So what? Night Soil is our territory. If it really comes to a fight, he will be the one to die," the Golden Crow Clan leader said stubbornly.
The Spider Demon Clan leader said, "Even if we use every means to kill him, we will pay a terrible price. Moreover, we might attract the backing behind him to the Phantom Extinction Star Sea. At that point, can the six clans still hold out?"
The Golden Crow Clan leader sighed. Though he would not admit it verbally, he had already conceded in his heart, knowing that they truly could not afford to provoke Zhang Ruochen, this powerful dragon from beyond.
"Boom!"
A bright light came from the southeast of Night Soil.
The five clan leaders’ hearts shook simultaneously as they looked over.
"Not good, it’s the Hundred Foot Emperor’s Mausoleum."
The five clan leaders sensed something was wrong.
The Fox Clan Tomb Realm and the Hundred Foot Emperor’s Mausoleum had both suffered incidents in succession. This could not be a coincidence; someone must have deliberately planned to release the taboo beneath Night Soil.
After some discussion, some of the five clan leaders returned to guard their ancestors’ tombs, while others headed for the Hundred Foot Emperor’s Mausoleum.
…
Zhang Ruochen stopped and spread out the Ancestor Night Cloak, turning it into a stretch of night sky suspended above, concealing the auras of himself and Qiangu Nüdi.
Only then did he release his hand, which had been pressed against his lower abdomen, revealing a palm full of blood.
"You… are injured?" Qiangu Nüdi asked.
Zhang Ruochen smiled, appearing very calm. "The Ancestor Divine Qi and Ancestor Rules are too terrifying. Now I understand why I couldn’t mobilize them when I was at the Great God realm. If I had forced it back then, even if I could kill the enemy, I would have died myself. At my current cultivation level, I can barely endure it."
Gradually, the wound on Zhang Ruochen’s lower abdomen healed.
But the cracks in his Xuan Tai could not be repaired in a short time.
Qiangu Nüdi asked, "How long until you fully recover and can use the Ancestor Divine Qi and Ancestor Rules again?"
"At least half a year," Zhang Ruochen said.
Qiangu Nüdi said, "I can help you with the Way of Time."
"I also cultivate the Way of Time, and my skill is not much weaker than yours."
Zhang Ruochen was very composed, not taking the matter to heart. "The Great Venerable left behind the Ancestor Divine Qi and Ancestor Rules for me to comprehend, to experience the Ancestor’s Great Dao, not to be consumed in places like this. Just now, with eight Infinite Realm cultivators lurking in the shadows and in the open, the situation was very dangerous. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have used this move."
The Ancestor Rules could be retrieved back into the Xuan Tai.
But the Ancestor Divine Qi would diminish with each use.
Rules were the blade; divine qi was the force.
With only the blade and no force, Zhang Ruochen would be left with empty Ancestor Rules, unable to slay enemies.
In the end, Zhang Ruochen preferred to solve problems with his own strength. But his opponents were all extremely shrewd, always mobilizing tenfold or hundredfold power, seeking to crush him with absolute advantage, leaving him no way out.
Of course, this also showed how much fear his opponents had of him.
Every time he grew stronger, the wariness and fear in his opponents’ hearts would increase tenfold.
Zhang Ruochen could already imagine that after exposing this trump card, the next crisis he faced would be terrifying to an unimaginable degree.
He secretly pondered remedial measures, such as spreading the word that Jiu Chi Divine King had already been severely injured, with his divine body broken by the Dragon Lord, leaving his cultivation less than half.
Another idea was to push Jie Venerable to the forefront. That old fellow, having cultivated the Nineteenth Layer of Heaven, could also mobilize a trace of Ancestor Divine Qi and a small number of Ancestor Rules from the divine source, making his combat power far greater than before.
Even Zhang Ruochen, who had absorbed only a small amount of Ancestor Divine Qi and Ancestor Rules, could be so formidable.
How strong would Jie Venerable, who controlled the Ancestor Divine Source, become?
With Jie Venerable bearing the brunt, the attention of the top figures in the universe would shift away from Zhang Ruochen.
After all, it was no secret that he possessed the Ancestor Divine Source. Building up his reputation might truly intimidate many and make him another pillar supporting the Kunlun Realm.
"Something’s wrong!"
Qiangu Nüdi looked toward the southeast of Night Soil, crossing layers of space, and saw that the Hundred Foot Emperor’s Mausoleum had collapsed at one corner. Crimson divine light surged from within the tomb, illuminating a large area of the night.
The light was blood-red, as if the cosmic void itself were bleeding.
Zhang Ruochen looked over, his pupils contracting. "It’s Xuan Yi’s aura. He actually went to the Hundred Foot Emperor’s Mausoleum. He came prepared. What is the Quantity Organization trying to do?"
"Perhaps that Stone Axe Lord has the answers we want."
Qiangu Nüdi waved her hand, and from her Divine Realm World, Stone Axe Lord Yu Sanjie flew out, suppressed within a dense web of rule divine patterns.
…
A million miles away from Night Soil, above a gaseous planet, a rift dozens of meters long appeared in space, connecting the Lihentian and the Real World.
This rift flashed and disappeared, and space returned to normal.
Two figures appeared in the void, one behind the other.
The one in front was a white-robed elder with a kind face and sleeves as wide as clouds.
Huang Tian followed behind the white-robed elder, his divine sense spreading outward. Soon, he sensed the residual aura of the battle between Xuan Yi and Zhang Ruochen in the void, his gaze filled with defiance and struggle. "So, you crossed over from Lihentian to come here to kill Zhang Ruochen?"
"No, this is just an accident! Master came to Night Soil for another purpose."
"However…"
The white-robed elder’s gaze fell on Huang Tian. "Tian’er, you should understand that in Master’s heart, you hold a very heavy weight. Master has always regarded you as his successor. As long as you agree to return to the Stone Clan and become the Hall Master of the Stone Divine Temple, Master can grant you one condition. This condition includes sparing Zhang Ruochen’s life today. Do you think this is fair?"
"Are you threatening me? You haven’t given me the right to choose. Such forceful coercion only makes me more repulsed," Huang Tian said.
The white-robed elder said, "If Zhang Ruochen dies, you will be the most outstanding prodigy of this era. It won’t take long—at most three eons—and you will surely have a place among the All Heavens. A million years later, you will be invincible under heaven. Master is clearing the path for you. Shouldn’t you be happy?"
"Master knows that you still have emotions in your heart, which is your greatest weakness. It is this weakness that prevents you from killing Zhang Ruochen."
"Master only asks you this: Have you never been jealous of Zhang Ruochen? Have you never, even for a moment, wished that someone would kill him so that you could become the number one under heaven? Even if it was just a fleeting thought?"