Chapter 3477: Yellow Spring Seal
The soles of the Ancestor Boots caused space and time to tremble.
The Ancestor Divine Travel Cloak emitted a faint black radiance, continuously corroding the heaven and earth rules that Shentu Ghost Emperor had mobilized using his Profound Meaning.
Facing the blockade of a Great Unbound Infinite peak-level powerhouse, every step Zhang Ruochen took spanned millions of miles, appearing and disappearing repeatedly across the starry sky.
Yet, even at such speed, Shentu Ghost Emperor still caught up.
The ghost body of Shentu Ghost Emperor, which had been wounded by the city-protecting divine formation, had already healed. His two elongated eyes, stretching to his ears, released two beams of green flame.
This was no ordinary flame—it was called "Soul-Devouring Ghost Fire," capable of burning and annihilating divine souls.
"Sizzle, sizzle!"
The Soul-Devouring Ghost Fire crossed hundreds of thousands of miles, locking onto Zhang Ruochen.
A terrifying sense of crisis, as if his body would be burned to ashes, surged into his heart.
This was a strike comparable to that of a Heavenly Venerable—who below the Great Unbound Infinite would dare to withstand it directly?
Zhang Ruochen spread his arms wide, divine qi surging from his palms, pouring endlessly into the Earth Cauldron as he prepared to hide his body (dun shen) into the cauldron.
"Boom!"
The Soul-Devouring Ghost Fire struck the Earth Cauldron first, its divine power piercing through the shamanic inscriptions and Origin Divine Light on the cauldron's surface, forming layers of shockwaves that transmitted to Zhang Ruochen.
Struck by the Earth Cauldron's impact, Zhang Ruochen's entire body split open, blood veins densely covering him like shattered porcelain, as his body was flung forward.
The green Soul-Devouring Ghost Fire landed on him.
"So fast—completely impossible to resist..."
This thought had just surfaced in Zhang Ruochen's mind when, before he could stabilize his form, he saw Shentu Ghost Emperor crossing hundreds of thousands of miles to appear before him.
That yin-cold, icy aura seemed ready to freeze Zhang Ruochen's blood and divine soul.
Shentu Ghost Emperor reached out directly, his five fingers grasping for Zhang Ruochen's neck.
At his level of cultivation, every move was the Dao.
His five fingers extended like a Soul-Sealing Seal Art—who below the Great Unbound Infinite could escape?
But just as he thought he could capture Zhang Ruochen with certainty—
A spatial shockwave erupted from Zhang Ruochen's body. The "Illusory Extinction Star Sea" bloomed like fireworks, scattering countless stars in all directions, breaking free from Shentu Ghost Emperor's lock.
Shentu Ghost Emperor showed a surprised expression, then exerted force with his fingers, using Soul-Devouring Ghost Fire to burn through the Illusory Extinction Star Sea.
The space and light power contained in the Illusory Extinction Star Sea were utterly fragile before him.
"Boom!"
The Soul-Fixing Needle flew out from the Illusory Extinction Star Sea, piercing toward his palm at a speed beyond Shentu Ghost Emperor's perception.
The needle's tip broke through Shentu Ghost Emperor's layers of defense, stopping a foot from his palm, blocked by divine power.
The Soul-Fixing Needle trembled violently, but ultimately, all its divine power was neutralized by Shentu Ghost Emperor, and it fell into his palm.
Shentu Ghost Emperor felt no joy at obtaining a divine artifact; instead, his eyes were filled with coldness. A junior who had just broken through to the Infinite Realm, yet he couldn't quickly subdue him.
Zhang Ruochen, stepping on the Ancestor Boots, had already fled over a hundred million miles in an extremely short time.
Such speed was unmatched even by ordinary Great Unbound Infinite cultivators.
Time was already short for Shentu Ghost Emperor to escape, and failing to capture Zhang Ruochen in one go would plunge him into even greater danger.
He had already sensed the auras of Hell Realm powerhouses—other than Feng Tian and the Undying Blood Clan's old patriarch—sealing off all directions of the starry sky, converging toward this area.
Finally, Shentu Ghost Emperor made up his mind to suppress Zhang Ruochen again.
Zhang Ruochen knew well that with his current cultivation, he could never escape from Shentu Ghost Emperor. He felt deeply frustrated, thinking Feng Tian was too petty, lacking the magnanimity of a Heavenly Venerable.
Death God Venerable... that's all?
She still wanted to be the Hall Master of Destiny Temple—her vision was too narrow!
But now, under someone else's roof, he had to bow his head. Zhang Ruochen called out again: "Feng Tian, it's time to show yourself. I'll hold him off; if you strike unexpectedly, he definitely won't escape. Then, I'll use the Earth Cauldron to help you refine him, and your cultivation will surely advance significantly."
No response from Feng Tian came.
What came was Shentu Ghost Emperor.
He had caught up again!
Hearing Zhang Ruochen's words, Shentu Ghost Emperor couldn't help but grow more cautious, suspecting that Feng Tian might indeed be hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.
Shentu Ghost Emperor raised his sleeve, releasing the power of Qiankun, enveloping millions of miles of starry space, pulling the fleeing Zhang Ruochen toward his sleeve.
Zhang Ruochen felt a crushing force from all directions, his body uncontrollably flying toward Shentu Ghost Emperor's sleeve.
This was no casual strike—it was a remarkable divine ability, capable of absorbing heaven and earth!
"Swish, swish!"
A towering divine mountain manifested above Zhang Ruochen's head.
From the mountain, tens of thousands of war swords flew out, forming a sword river, led by the Abyssal Ancient Sword, charging at Shentu Ghost Emperor.
But these war swords were like paper before Shentu Ghost Emperor. Except for the Abyssal Ancient Sword, all other swords, still thousands of miles away from him, ignited and turned into droplets of molten metal.
Shentu Ghost Emperor gave a cold, sharp laugh, mobilizing even stronger divine power.
Zhang Ruochen's expression turned solemn. He no longer placed his hopes on Feng Tian, and battle intent erupted in his eyes.
With his current cultivation, he was indeed far from a match for Shentu Ghost Emperor, but if he could hold on for a few moves until the Hell Realm powerhouses arrived, the situation would surely reverse.
"This is..."
Shentu Ghost Emperor sensed something.
"Boom!"
The sleeve that had enveloped heaven and earth suddenly collapsed in space, a crack appearing.
Zhang Ruochen escaped a second time from the crack's location.
It was the Blunt Void Stone!
Just now, a billion-fold spatial gravity had erupted, creating a flaw in Shentu Ghost Emperor's divine ability.
"Hmph!"
This snort, carrying a soul attack, shook Zhang Ruochen's mind, blood flowing from his seven orifices.
"Swish!"
Shentu Ghost Emperor appeared before him, his aura fierce like an eagle spreading its wings, giving Zhang Ruochen no chance to escape again.
Zhang Ruochen knew that fleeing was pointless now. He clenched his right fist, his entire skeleton rattling, blood flowing like great rivers within him.
"Immovable Wisdom King Fist!"
Gathering all his strength, Zhang Ruochen charged forward, his momentum peaking instantly, and threw a punch.
So what if he faced the third-strongest of the Ghost Clan?
Though young, he dared to strike back.
Fight!
"Good courage!"
Shentu Ghost Emperor struck out with his large hand, effortlessly breaking all of Zhang Ruochen's force, crushing his flesh and blood until only a skeleton remained.
Even as a skeleton, Zhang Ruochen's spine remained straight, and he roared to the heavens: "You can't kill me today. In the future, I will make your soul scatter!"
Zhang Ruochen was absolutely confident that even if he was defeated and severely wounded, Shentu Ghost Emperor could never refine and kill him before the Hell Realm powerhouses arrived.
Feng Tian stood in the void, watching this scene. The phoenix pattern on her brow flickered, her snow-white jade fingers curling into claws, flowing with death divine light.
Several times she wanted to act, but she restrained herself.
She was waiting for Zhang Ruochen to yield.
If Zhang Ruochen admitted his mistake or begged her to intervene, she would appear without hesitation and tear Shentu Ghost Emperor apart.
But this guy's temper was too stubborn. Knowing she was nearby, he refused to bow his head.
Think about it—Zhang Ruochen had just defied her will, using Heavenly Mother to pressure her. Given her status, how could she not be angry? At this moment, if Zhang Ruochen didn't lower his head first, how could she have a way out?
Was a Heavenly Venerable supposed to submit to such treatment?
She couldn't step in.
She couldn't find a reason to step in.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a bright yellow seal flew out from space, carrying a Heavenly Venerable-level divine power, striking Shentu Ghost Emperor.
Shentu Ghost Emperor flew sideways, causing large-scale space collapse around him, revealing the Void World.
"Yellow Spring Seal!"
Shentu Ghost Emperor shouted deeply, immediately releasing Soul-Devouring Ghost Fire and Rule Divine Patterns, clashing with the Yellow Spring Seal as it flew back.
"Rumble!"
The lower half of Shentu Ghost Emperor's body, already mist-like, exploded.
But the Yellow Spring Seal's power rapidly declined, and it was knocked back as well, failing to form a crushing advantage.
The Yellow Spring Seal was a divine artifact left by the Ghost Clan's Primordial Ancestor, "Yellow Spring Great Emperor." Only each generation's master of Fengdu Ghost City could wield it, making it the Ghost Clan's strongest war weapon.
Unfortunately, Fengdu Great Emperor had been exiled to the River of Time!
Although the Yellow Spring Seal contained divine power stored by Fengdu Great Emperor, it was ultimately only controlled by its artifact spirit. Its divine power drained quickly, and its might was extremely limited.
Shentu Ghost Emperor saw this, feeling both excited and delighted. He actively met it, aiming to seize the Yellow Spring Seal.
In the eyes of Ghost Clan cultivators, the Yellow Spring Seal's allure surpassed even the Nine Cauldrons.
Blood qi and divine soul fragments quickly coalesced, and Zhang Ruochen's divine body restored itself. He looked at the Yellow Spring Seal, now enveloped by Shentu Ghost Emperor's Divine Realm World.
"Rumble!"
The Yellow Spring Seal struck out repeatedly, but it couldn't escape the Divine Realm World's range. Each attack was dodged by Shentu Ghost Emperor.
"Abandoning me to seize the Yellow Spring Seal—does it have some special power? If he takes it, does Shentu Ghost Emperor have full confidence to escape?"
Zhang Ruochen was certain that Shentu Ghost Emperor's primary goal was escape.
Even capturing him was meant to use him as a hostage to negotiate with the Hell Realm powerhouses. But this strategy wasn't foolproof—the Hell Realm powerhouses might not care about Zhang Ruochen's life or death!
Realizing this, Zhang Ruochen didn't rush to flee. Instead, he deliberately said: "Feng Tian, if you don't show yourself now, once Shentu Ghost Emperor seizes the Yellow Spring Seal, no one will be able to stop him."
Feng Tian's icy voice sounded without warning behind Zhang Ruochen: "The Yellow Spring Seal can tear through space, traversing a Jingtian in an instant. If the Yellow Spring Seal had been in Fengdu's hands before, who in this world could have stopped him? But he was too arrogant!"
One Jingtian was a terrifying distance unit, ten thousand times a trillion miles.
Zhang Ruochen didn't agree with Feng Tian's view. Since the Quantity Organization and the Chaos Ancient Gods had managed to suppress Fengdu Great Emperor, how could they not have accounted for the Yellow Spring Seal?
A fragrant breeze swept by!
Feng Tian extended a jade hand, pressing it on Zhang Ruochen's shoulder.
A stream of death qi entered Zhang Ruochen's body, spreading through his blood vessels.
Leaving Zhang Ruochen immobilized, Feng Tian headed straight for Shentu Ghost Emperor without looking back, speaking coldly and ruthlessly: "Once Shentu is suppressed, you will come with me to Destiny Temple. If you try to escape again this time, don't blame me for being unkind!"