Chapter 3717: The Hall Master Arrives
Xuan Yuan Second was not dead, but his divine body could not move.
Strands of blood, like the network of blood vessels within a human body, rose from the blood sea, covering the Demon God Stone Pillar and wrapping around his skeletal frame.
Dragon Lord asked him what he had encountered, but received no answer.
Xuan Yuan Second's divine soul thoughts and voice could not break through the blood web, as if imprisoned and suppressed within it. All that could be seen were ripples of space bursting from his body, striking against the suppression of the blood web.
"Blood of an Immortal?"
Zhang Ruochen muttered this phrase.
"What do you mean?" Dragon Lord asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "This blood sea is very similar to the blood in the blood lake I saw inside Fei Ma Wang's head, but far less in quantity."
"Fei Ma Wang's divine source and divine soul were sealed in that blood lake, allowing them to be preserved from the chaotic ancient times to the present day, and then awaken."
"Void Heaven and Nutian Shenzun both analyzed it, believing that this blood might be the blood of an Immortal. Only an Immortal can use blood to resist the Heavenly Dao."
Dragon Lord's heart stirred, feeling shocked and incredulous.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen eager to collect the blood, Feng Yan was alarmed and whispered, "If there really is an Immortal here, with so much blood, it could very well be their true body. Since that existence didn't stop Blade Venerable and the First Queen from escaping, and only suppressed Xuan Yuan Second, they might be busy with other matters and unable to attend to us. Let's not cause trouble and take this opportunity to leave quickly!"
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "You make a good point! Since that existence is in a critical moment and can't even kill Xuan Yuan Second, this rare opportunity means I definitely can't leave!"
"I agree with Ruochen's decision. If an Immortal is right before us, yet we can't glimpse their true form or seize something, what a great regret that would be? How many ancients sought such a chance but never found it?"
Dragon Lord deeply understood the importance of opportunity, especially at their level.
Thus, he summoned the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower, flipped his palm, and sent the divine tower flying toward the blood sea.
The tower door opened, intending to collect the blood.
Whether it was the blood of an Immortal or not, these bloods were definitely extraordinary.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Bright Mirror Platform, activated the Space Essence, and struck it toward the blood sea.
"Alright, let's go all out!"
Feng Yan gritted his teeth and sacrificed the Pure Yang Divine Sword, releasing the sword's inner space world.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, the blood sea surged with waves.
The red waves seemed conscious, transforming into strange tentacles that wrapped around the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower, the Bright Mirror Platform, and the Pure Yang Divine Sword, dragging them into the seawater.
Zhang Ruochen and Dragon Lord's expressions changed simultaneously. They spat out condensed divine qi light rivers from their mouths, pouring them into the Bright Mirror Platform and the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower, stimulating greater divine artifact power to resist the force surging from the blood sea.
"Sizzle!"
The spirit of the Pure Yang Divine Sword awakened, its blade burning like a torch, countless sword qi flying across the blood-red water surface.
"Not good! My connection with the Pure Yang Divine Sword is weakening!" Feng Yan exclaimed in alarm.
Zhang Ruochen and Dragon Lord encountered the same situation.
Dragon Lord was extremely decisive. He let out a long roar, his skin growing countless scales, transforming into a half-dragon, half-human form, and charged directly into the blood sea.
Vast dragon qi swept in all directions. He stepped on golden clouds, walked on the waves, and struck out claw after claw, causing the blood sea's tentacles to continuously shatter.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Xuan Yuan Second, who was pierced through on the Demon God Stone Pillar, and an idea formed in his mind.
"Whoosh!"
The Eight Trigrams Compass flew out from Zhang Ruochen's chest, spinning rapidly, and crashed toward the Demon God Stone Pillar.
"Boom!"
The blood web entangling the Demon God Stone Pillar immediately shattered into a large area.
With successive impacts from the Eight Trigrams Compass, Xuan Yuan Second soon broke free from the suppression. He roared loudly, pulled his body off the stone pillar, and then heavily landed in the blood sea, stepping down so hard that the blood sea dented and the air pressure pushed in all directions.
"Sizzle, sizzle!"
Sounds emanated from his body.
The blood was corroding his skeletal frame.
But Xuan Yuan Second was a half-ancestor in life, his bones being half-ancestor divine bones. Although the blood had corroded many marks into his bones, it had not completely dissolved them.
Xuan Yuan Second pointed at Zhang Ruochen and said, "Zhang Ruochen, count this as a favor I owe you! Even if I, Xuan Yuan Second, want to kill you, I'll repay the favor first, then kill!"
Zhang Ruochen ignored him, directing his gaze at Dragon Lord, and warned, "Uncle Dragon, be careful. The blood here cannot be touched."
Dragon Lord had already reunited with the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower, but the situation was dire. Countless blood waves enveloped him, and the space he could maneuver was shrinking.
Some blood pierced through his protective divine light, landing on his dragon scales, corroding them into black, which then turned into black dust.
If this was truly the blood that sealed the chaotic ancient demon gods' divine sources and souls, allowing them to survive over ten million years to the present, then why could the chaotic ancient demon gods withstand the blood's corrosion?
Or were the two types of blood fundamentally different?
Zhang Ruochen left the Xutuohui White Silver Tree to protect Feng Yan, then summoned the God-Defying Stele and the Sword Ancestor Divine Tree, charging toward Dragon Lord.
At the same time, he controlled the Eight Trigrams Compass to crash into the blood tentacles entangling the Bright Mirror Platform.
Xuan Yuan Second stood in the blood water, suddenly laughing loudly: "I understand! It's a curse! The blood contains the power of a curse, devouring blood, eroding bones, dissolving souls. This place must be the initial ground of Nether Ancestor's transformation into the underworld. Haha!"
Feng Yan struggled hard, his five-colored mud continuously burning, striving to maintain his connection with the Pure Yang Divine Sword, and said, "Why are you so excited? Your half-ancestor skeletal frame can't withstand the curse in the blood either. Let's join forces, overturn the blood sea, and see what's hidden beneath!"
"Do I need you to tell me?"
Xuan Yuan Second pulled out the Demon God Stone Pillar, mobilized all his divine power, and fiercely struck toward the blood sea.
"Boom!"
A water path appeared in the blood sea.
The water path continuously sank, straight to the seabed.
Xuan Yuan Second laughed loudly, following this water path as he charged toward the seabed.
"Truly formidable. Even dead, the half-ancestor's skeletal frame remains terrifyingly strong. With Dragon Lord and Big Brother's cultivation, they dare not touch the blood water, yet he can endure it directly and strike toward the seabed."
Blood mist diffused from the seawater, passing through the Xutuohui White Silver Tree, and landed on Feng Yan.
Feng Yan felt the power of the curse. The blood in his body rapidly disappeared, his bones shrank, and his consciousness grew blurry.
Just as he was about to collapse to the ground, a broad, large hand landed on his shoulder.
Instantly, Feng Yan felt a warm current surge into his body, and in moments, he emerged from his weakened state.
The blood mist had dissipated.
"Greetings, Hall Master. Thank you for saving my life."
Seeing the tall figure standing behind him, Feng Yan was both surprised and delighted, quickly bowing.
Truth Hall Master showed no kindness, snorting coldly: "With your cultivation, how dare you meddle in this battle in the Soul Realm? What kind of place is this? Even Blade Venerable and A Fuya fled, yet you dared to barge in? Arrogant, reckless, without fear, and ignorant of death."
Feng Yan lowered his head in shame, not daring to argue, and said, "Hall Master's lesson is well taken."
"Not convinced? Then swallow it. Don't think that just because you're the head of the Wind Clan, I can't scold you! I'll deal with you later."
Truth Hall Master walked out of the Ten Thousand Buddha Forest and stood by the blood sea.
He saw Zhang Ruochen and Dragon Lord wrapped in blood-red water columns, constantly being pulled toward the seabed, only able to defend passively. The anger on his face grew even more.
He also saw Xuan Yuan Second charge into the blood sea, only to be swallowed by the blood water. The sea surface churned continuously, as if engaged in a fierce battle with something at the bottom.
The Pure Yang Divine Sword had disappeared beneath the surface, but flames could still be seen burning under that sea area, boiling the blood water.
Zhang Ruochen fully controlled the Bright Mirror Platform, the Eight Trigrams Compass, the Sword Ancestor Divine Tree, and the God-Defying Stele, merging them with the four symbols of the Taiji Four Symbols Diagram, striking in all directions, continuously breaking the oncoming blood-red water columns.
Truth Hall Master's appearance surprised him slightly, but he quickly accepted it.
Many abnormal signs now had answers.
Clearly, Truth Hall Master was another important hidden force left for him by Hao Tian. His so-called injury was likely faked, deliberately numbing opponents. Otherwise, a figure of his level should try to conceal injuries or give an elusive sense of reality and illusion, not loudly proclaim them everywhere.
For a Heavenly Venerable-level powerhouse, pretending to be weak to lure and kill enemies was plausible.
Secondly, Blood Talisman Evil Emperor fled without fighting, likely because he sensed Truth Hall Master hiding in the shadows.
Truth Hall Master erupted with seven-colored divine light, evolving the heaven and earth universe, forming the Truth Realm Form. Countless divine mists surged toward the blood sea, blasting the area suppressing the Pure Yang Divine Sword.
"Clang!"
The Pure Yang Divine Sword broke free from suppression, carrying billions of sword qi, flying like a fire dragon into Truth Hall Master's hand.
Truth Hall Master held the sword, pointing it at the sea surface.
"Boom!"
Scorching pure yang flames, sharp and unstoppable sword dao might, and tidal waves of truth light mist spread outward, pushing back the gray death qi, calming a large area of the blood sea.
"Impressive! The Hall Master, truly the Hall Master."
Zhang Ruochen retreated to the shore.
Dragon Lord followed closely, saying, "Thank you, Hall Master, for your assistance."
Truth Hall Master's face was cold and stern, saying, "It would be better if both of you died! I shouldn't have come. If I did, I might be dragged down by you and unable to leave."
Zhang Ruochen knew Truth Hall Master had this temper, but risking his life to charge in and save them—this debt of gratitude was too heavy.
"But since I'm here, I need to find out what kind of monsters are hiding beneath this blood sea. You two cover me from above."
Truth Hall Master directly took Zhang Ruochen's Bright Mirror Platform to resist the curse's invasion, then, holding the Pure Yang Divine Sword, cleaved open the blood sea, supporting the universe-like vast Truth Realm Form, and step by step walked toward the seabed. Moments later, his figure disappeared.
"Fortunately, Hall Master arrived in time. Fengxian Sect Leader and Xun Yangzi were about to break free!"
Zhang Ruochen used the seal again to suppress the Earth Cauldron and the Immortal Gold Bright Sun Wheel.
Dragon Lord took Feng Yan into his divine realm world for protection.
Zhang Ruochen put away the Ten Thousand Buddha Forest. Earlier, the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation had been severely damaged when Corpse Heavenly Lord used the Death God Blade to cleave it, otherwise the blood qi and curse power wouldn't have so easily permeated the forest.
The area of the blood sea's boiling grew larger, with bubbles as big as water tanks emerging.
Sword qi continuously escaped from the bottom of the blood sea.
Dragon Lord said, "The Hall Master's combat power is stronger than I estimated."
"At the same level, I'd say Blade Venerable is too cunning, always hiding his strength. The Hall Master, however, is a trustworthy straightforward person—when there's trouble, he really steps up," Zhang Ruochen said.
Blade Venerable and Truth Hall Master hadn't reached Indestructible Infinite, but they had found their own path to it, different from other Great Unbound Infinite peak experts, or even Zhao Gongming, who had achieved dao perfection. Their combat power was much higher.
Many Heavenly Venerables were at this level.
Dragon Lord laughed, "A straightforward person? Not necessarily! Ruochen, your experience is still lacking. When you reach the Hall Master's level, no one is as simple as they appear on the surface."
Zhang Ruochen was about to ask what Dragon Lord meant, as he truly trusted Truth Hall Master and believed he wasn't mistaken.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, on the blood-red sea surface, a white formation disk appeared, with countless truth rules flowing within it.
The entire blood sea began to rotate with it, causing space to spin.
Zhang Ruochen exclaimed in shock, "Such terrifying spiritual power! Has it reached Heaven Round No Gap? Is it the Hall Master? Does the Hall Master also cultivate spiritual power?"
Dragon Lord was not surprised at all, sighing, "As the Hall Master of Truth Divine Temple, how could he not cultivate spiritual power? Otherwise, how could he guard the Truth Divine Gate on the Starry Sky Battlefield, perceiving all Hell Realm cultivators trying to infiltrate the Heavenly Court? However, that the Hall Master quietly cultivated his spiritual power to the ninetieth level still surprises me. There are rumors that, in his youth, the Hall Master's spiritual power talent surpassed Xu Fengjin. I didn't believe it, but now I do!"
"If the Hall Master's spiritual power weren't strong enough, how could I have not sensed him following us all the way to the Soul Realm? I should have thought of it. Indeed, none of them are straightforward—each hides deeper than the last."
Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a bitter smile, then suddenly thought of something and asked, "Did the Hall Master compete with Void Heaven in his youth?"
Dragon Lord's expression turned strange, and he said, "They were originally fellow disciples, both learning spiritual power from the previous Truth Divine Temple Hall Master."
Zhang Ruochen was stunned.
"What's so surprising? At that time, there was no such thing as the Heavenly Court. The two universes weren't hostile, and everyone could cultivate in the Saint Realm. Otherwise, do you think Xu Fengjin's spiritual power had no teacher and he reached Heaven Round No Gap on his own?"
Dragon Lord didn't belong to that era. Compared to Truth Hall Master and Xu Fengjin, he was just a junior. "Legend has it that when Xu Fengjin was young, he was deeply in love with Truth Hall Master, but Truth Hall Master was devoted to Saint Monk, who hadn't yet become a monk. The grudges between Xu Fengjin and Saint Monk originated from this. Of course, these are all legends. The specifics are unclear."
Zhang Ruochen took a deep breath and said, "I think Void Old Ghost's taste is pretty good. How could he..."
Dragon Lord said, "Legend has it that the Hall Master was extremely beautiful in his youth. Later, something happened that caused a huge change in his mindset, and he gradually grew into what he is now. Perhaps this is the principle of 'the mind shapes the appearance'!"
"Boom!"
The blood sea exploded, the power of order becoming active and chaotic, with many cracks appearing in space.
"Why has the power of order suddenly become active?"
Dragon Lord and Zhang Ruochen's expressions changed simultaneously. Each struck out with divine artifacts, pressing down toward the blood sea.