Chapter 3840: Jiusi Yitianhuang's True Form
Zhang Ruochen used the Heavenly God Lock to control the black hand, in order to avoid contamination by the dark weirdness.
As for the Earth Cauldron, its purpose was to activate the Myriad Forms Formless Seal. Otherwise, the power of the black hand could only be unleashed passively, unable to act freely.
Now, Zhang Ruochen could at least utilize the power of the Myriad Forms Formless Seal in the palm of the black hand. This seal was like a condensation of the Heavenly Dao, containing infinite spatial power, capable of transforming all things into formlessness.
"Boom!"
The power of the Myriad Forms Formless Seal was released once again, striking upward.
The spatial fluctuations were fierce and intense, layer upon layer.
Every wisp of black cloud was like a divine rope, but they were scattered. Yet, above, there was still endless darkness, with no light visible.
"This is... Night Curtain..."
Zhang Ruochen's eyelids tightened.
Jiusi Yitianhuang's figure was like a ghostly shadow, approaching from afar, saying, "Breaking through the darkness is already quite remarkable. But the Night Curtain is boundless, covering the sky and earth. You cannot escape."
The Night Curtain was a divine artifact mastered by Jiusi Yitianhuang, mysterious and unparalleled, comparable to the Mysterious Cauldron among the Nine Cauldrons.
Zhang Ruochen's severed arm, the Demon Ancestor Meridian Halberd, and the Eternal Spear flew back one after another.
The severed arm reconnected to his body, the wound quickly disappearing, demonstrating the unparalleled regenerative ability of the Indestructible Divine Body.
"I didn't expect the Emperor of the Strange Heaven to value me so highly, even setting up the Night Curtain in advance. I thought that in your eyes, I was merely a minor character who could be suppressed with a wave of the hand," Zhang Ruochen said.
Jiusi Yitianhuang stared at the Heavenly God Lock in Zhang Ruochen's hand, saying, "The Myriad Forms Formless Seal... this is the palm of an Ancestor? No, it must be the palm of a contemporary Ancestor, otherwise, its power wouldn't be this strong."
"Clatter!"
The Heavenly God Lock coiled around Zhang Ruochen like a steel dragon, assuming a defensive posture.
The power of Myriad Forms Formless was omnipresent.
Zhang Ruochen was surrounded by talisman light, saying, "Are you afraid?"
Jiusi Yitianhuang laughed: "Even if you wield this Myriad Forms Formless Seal, you are still far from me. That strike just now was already your full power, wasn't it?"
He raised his right arm.
"Roar! Roar..."
From the endless darkness, nine ferocious demonic evil dragons condensed, attacking Zhang Ruochen from different directions, claws bared and fangs showing.
The talisman light of the Imperial Talisman was constantly scattered by the dragon claws.
Zhang Ruochen knew very well that unleashing the Myriad Forms Formless Seal could indeed shatter the demonic evil dragons, but at most, it could break three of them. The remaining six would tear him apart.
This was a great divine ability displayed by Jiusi Yitianhuang, a sign that he regarded Zhang Ruochen as a worthy opponent.
Zhang Ruochen remained calm in the face of danger, attacking the demonic evil dragons while dodging and maneuvering, saying, "Indeed, I cannot break the Night Curtain with my current cultivation. But just now, the Night Curtain was shaken!"
"So what? The Divine Maiden Tower is filled with countless formations. A slight fluctuation will not be sensed by anyone," Jiusi Yitianhuang said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Do you know who I came to the Divine Maiden Tower to meet?"
Jiusi Yitianhuang's mind stirred, and he looked up.
He saw a white crack appear in the Night Curtain, with brilliant light pouring down from above.
"It's me."
Wen Tianjun descended from the sky, without using any war weapon, and struck down with a palm.
Jiusi Yitianhuang had no time left to deal with Zhang Ruochen. He immediately summoned the nine demonic evil dragons, condensed them into a Nine Dragon War Banner, and slashed upward.
Demonic Qi and dark power roared, stirring up endless spatial ripples.
"Bang!"
Wen Tianjun's physical body was invincible, his blood energy surging, his five fingers containing the power to tear apart divine artifacts.
Amidst a series of explosive sounds, he crushed the Nine Dragon War Banner with his palm and struck Jiusi Yitianhuang.
"Nine Yangs protect the body, Nine Yins protect the soul."
Jiusi Yitianhuang activated a defensive divine ability, shooting the power of Nine Yin and Nine Yang from his pupils, forming eighteen layers of dark light barriers to envelop his body.
Each light barrier was as thick as a great world.
He was sent flying backward, all eighteen layers of dark light barriers shattered.
The darkness on his body was dispersed.
Zhang Ruochen finally saw Jiusi Yitianhuang's true appearance. He actually had nine heads. The first layer had only one head, with a ferocious face, green-faced and fanged, his pupils filled with demonic Qi.
The second layer had three heads.
The third layer had five heads. One of them was a woman, bearing a seven-tenths resemblance to the Moon God.
"Could it be that these nine heads represent his nine lifetimes?"
Zhang Ruochen thought of the Great Demon God, who had eight heads.
Could it be that the Great Demon God had cultivated for eight lifetimes, using a cultivation method similar to Jiusi Yitianhuang's, fusing eight lifetimes to attain the Ancestor Path?
"Are you alright?"
Wen Tianjun looked at Zhang Ruochen, then his gaze fell upon the black hand on the Heavenly God Lock. He could feel the terrifying aura contained within the black hand, which even made him somewhat wary.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and shook his head, saying, "Although the Emperor of the Strange Heaven is strong, I can still withstand a few of his moves."
"If this statement spreads, probably more than half of the Heavens in the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm would feel ashamed."
Wen Tianjun withdrew his gaze, his confidence in Zhang Ruochen growing even stronger. Previously, he had been somewhat worried that Zhang Ruochen, having not broken through to Indestructible Infinite, would be in great danger going to the Yama Clan.
Now it seemed his worries were completely unnecessary.
"Yi, with your status and cultivation, fighting a Great Unbound Infinite is beneath you. How about we have a battle?" Wen Tianjun said.
Jiusi Yitianhuang had already stabilized the dark Qi within his body, saying, "Here?"
This place was the Undying Divine City. Many Heavens of the Hell Realm were in the nearby star domain and could arrive in an instant.
Neither Wen Tianjun nor Jiusi Yitianhuang might have put the Heavens of the Hell Realm in their eyes, but each had their own concerns.
Wen Tianjun was worried that the Starry Sky Defense Line of the Hell Realm would collapse because of this battle. Jiusi Yitianhuang was worried that Zhang Ruochen would interfere, joining forces with Xu Fengjin, Undying War God, Yan Renhuan, and others to hunt him down.
"Let's go outside the realm."
"Just what I was thinking."
The Night Curtain contracted, turning into a rapidly spinning black hole, tearing open the space of the divine city. Jiusi Yitianhuang instantly vanished into the black hole, fleeing into the Void World.
Wen Tianjun's skin emitted a dazzling light, his body as if forged from divine fire, and he charged into the black hole.
"Don't follow. It's dangerous."
Wen Tianjun's voice reached Zhang Ruochen's ears.
Zhang Ruochen certainly couldn't follow. A battle at the Heavenly Venerable level could easily shatter star domains, potentially piercing through the dimensions of time and space.
Although he had exchanged a few moves with Jiusi Yitianhuang using the Imperial Talisman and the Myriad Forms Formless Seal,
if Jiusi Yitianhuang were to become completely serious, a single strike could severely wound him.
After the Night Curtain disappeared, Zhang Ruochen immediately put away the Heavenly God Lock and the black hand, to prevent the aura from leaking out and being sensed by unknown terrors.
"Is this the Heavenly Venerable level? Even the space of the divine city can be easily broken. If the Half-Ancestors don't emerge, what in this world can stop them?"
The collapsed spatial hole recovered, but the divine mountain beneath Zhang Ruochen's feet was already damaged, as if bitten by a primordial beast.
A large number of palaces and pavilions had turned to ashes, including the cultivators inside.
"Swish! Swish!"
Ji Fanxin, Bai Qinger, A Le, Yu Qiancheng, and other cultivators arrived one after another, appearing above the broken cliff of the damaged divine mountain.
The air was still filled with chaotic dark fluctuations.
Many cultivators in the Divine Maiden Tower were fleeing.
Yu Qiancheng felt the terrifying aura within the dark fluctuations, her heart trembling, and said, "Master, who was causing trouble in the Divine Maiden Tower?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Jiusi Yitianhuang."
Yu Qiancheng and the cultivators who had followed her were all terrified, some nearly unable to stand.
"Hua!"
Above the divine mountain, a Gate of Destiny appeared.
Xu Tian stood within the gate, holding the Celestial Pivot Brush, casting a majestic and proud shadow: "Jiusi Yitianhuang has appeared? Haha, I, this Heavenly Lord, naturally want to meet him!"
In the streets and alleys of the Undying Divine City, countless cultivators knelt down.
People establish their names, trees establish their shadows. Jiusi Yitianhuang and Xu Tian had shaken the universe for a million years, their influence far beyond Zhang Ruochen's reach.
That Gate of Destiny connected to the Void World and disappeared along with Xu Tian.
"Xu, that old ghost, seems to have completely refined the Celestial Pivot Brush. So inflated, wanting to fight a Heavenly Venerable level... could it be that his spiritual power has broken through?"
Zhang Ruochen didn't believe that the barrier of the Heavenly Venerable level was so easy to cross.
...
The Undying Divine Temple was located on a floating continent at the center of the Undying Divine City. The continent was about ten thousand miles long and wide, with dense vegetation and numerous blood rivers flowing.
Hundreds of divine temples and divine mountains were distributed across the continent, all emitting majestic divine might.
Bing Huang, his white hair like frost, stood with his hands behind his back outside the Undying Divine Temple, saying, "All gods, hear my command! Activate all the city's formations, ready for battle at any time."
Among the thirteen war gods of the Undying Blood Clan, eight stood behind Bing Huang, all radiating the divine power fluctuations of the Infinite Realm.
"Jiusi Yitianhuang has already left. He probably won't return. Activating all formations now will consume too many divine stones," said a Sixteen-Winged War God.
Bing Huang's eyes were filled with sharpness, saying, "Who repelled Jiusi Yitianhuang, I don't care, and the world won't know the truth. But as long as we make a big enough show, the world's cultivators will naturally think it was us who forced him back. Only then can we preserve the prestige of the Undying Blood Clan."
"If a clan's divine city can be entered and left at will, and this precedent is set, who will take the Undying Blood Clan seriously in the future?"
"Qing War God, you will lead the campaign to eradicate the various branches of the Darkness Temple scattered across the Yellow Spring Star River."
Qing War God rode a three-headed corpse hound, saying, "In the future, will there be no more Darkness Temple in the Hell Realm?"
One of the war gods said, "Even the main temple was taken by Ji Wang. The Darkness Temple has already lost its reason for existence."
Qing War God led dozens of gods and a sacred army, rushing out of the Undying Divine City and leaving this star domain.
Bing Huang's brows were tightly furrowed, deeply recognizing the Corpse Buryer's concerns. If the Undying Blood Clan only had the Undying War God as an Indestructible Infinite, in this era, they were indeed at risk of annihilation at any time.
Without the cultivation realm of Indestructible Infinite, even if he controlled the divine city, facing a Heavenly Venerable level like Jiusi Yitianhuang, there was no possibility of counterattack.
The thought of breaking through the realm was stronger than ever before.
...
That physical body of Wan Zunzhe had already exploded into a cloud of blood mist when Zhang Ruochen struck Jiusi Yitianhuang with the Myriad Forms Formless Seal earlier.
Afterward, the blood mist was devoured by Jiusi Yitianhuang's dark power.
Zhang Ruochen took out Wan Zunzhe's Divine Sea, holding it in his palm, and began to break the Dao and search her soul.
"The remnant soul of the ancient Hall Master of the Time Divine Temple has indeed returned quite a bit. It seems that Qishier Pin Lian went to the Pangu Realm to fetch the Five-Colored Clay Figurine to make bodies for them."
Zhang Ruochen raised his head, his divine eyes piercing through the blood clouds above, also piercing through the spatial barrier, seeing Lihentian.
If he had the cultivation of a Heavenly Venerable level, he would very much like to attack Lihentian now and eliminate all threats.
"The Heavenly Venerable level is too far away. For now, I must first break through to Indestructible Infinite. As long as I step into Indestructible Infinite, my use of the Nine Cauldrons and the Myriad Forms Formless Seal will surely increase by a large margin," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Chapter 3841: Decision
"Luo Yan Great Emperor is actually in the Blood Heaven Tribe."
Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to ask Ji Fanxin about the situation of the Rakshasa Clan, Blood Absolute Clan Leader had already transmitted a divine thought to him.
Ji Fanxin said, "When the Rakshasa Divine City was destroyed, Luo Yan Great Emperor and some of the Rakshasa Clan's gods hid in the Ancestor Realm, narrowly escaping disaster. Qishier Pin Lian suspected this and wanted to break into the Ancestor Realm to investigate, but Wen Tianjun repelled her."
Zhang Ruochen pondered, "So Qishier Pin Lian doesn't know that Luo Yan Great Emperor and the others are still alive?"
Ji Fanxin nodded, "Exactly. Luo Yan Great Emperor decided to have the surviving cultivators go into hiding, to avoid suffering another disaster of being wiped out. In recent years, the Rakshasa Clan has suffered repeated blows and has been severely weakened. I took the liberty of inviting him to go to the Sword Realm, and the Great Emperor has agreed."
"However, he has old grudges with Wen Tianjun, so he did not travel with us."
Because of Zhang Ruochen, Ji Fanxin maintained respect for Luo Yan Great Emperor in her address. In reality, her cultivation strength was not inferior to Luo Yan Great Emperor's.
Both publicly and privately, Zhang Ruochen could accept the Rakshasa Clan, especially since they included a group of god-level experts. He said, "You did well! What about Luo Sha?"
Ji Fanxin said, "The Rakshasa Clan suffered heavy losses this time. The Tianluo Divine Kingdom was nearly destroyed. Princess Luo Sha voluntarily stayed behind, intending to use the Ancestor Realm as a foundation to rebuild the Rakshasa Divine City. She is now the Empress of the Tianluo Divine Kingdom!"
"With Heavenly Mother around, the Imperial Dust need not worry about her."
Zhang Ruochen looked at Bai Qinger, who had spoken, and said, "Qinger, this form of address is a bit distant."
"Then how should I address you?" Bai Qinger was as cold as ice, with no emotional fluctuation in her eyes, saying, "Without a proper name, words are not smooth. With your current level of cultivation, who dares not to call you Imperial Dust?"
Zhang Ruochen had first married Wu Yue in a grand ceremony at the Destiny Temple, then held a lavish wedding in the Heavenly Court, marrying not only Yu Chenjing and Ao Linglong but also Chi Yao and Ling Feiyu.
Given Bai Qinger's strong-willed personality and her upbringing, how could she not care about the four words "proper name and smooth words"?
Zhang Ruochen looked at Ji Fanxin again.
Ji Fanxin's eyes dodged, and she did not intend to help him out of this predicament.
"Don't worry, I won't keep you waiting too long."
Zhang Ruochen sighed inwardly. Each of them had a strong and independent personality, and some were even scheming, sinister, and ruthless characters. If they were to be together in the future, there would inevitably be more conflicts.
Unfortunately, the current situation was fraught with danger. How could he have the energy to deal with them?
He needed a woman who could stabilize the situation and help him handle these matters.
If the mighty Imperial Dust, who fought against the Heavens, had trouble in his own backyard, wouldn't the world's cultivators laugh at him?
The figures of Chi Yao and Wu Yue appeared in Zhang Ruochen's mind, but he gently shook his head.
Chi Yao's prejudice against cultivators from the Hell Realm was too deep. She probably couldn't treat them fairly.
Wu Yue's methods were sinister. Bai Qinger and Chi Yao, who could protect themselves, might not fear her. But if Yu Chenjing, Ao Linglong, Luo Ji, or Ling Feiyu offended her, they would probably not end well.
For some reason, the figure of Feng Tian appeared in Zhang Ruochen's mind, but he cut off this thought in an instant.
Too terrifying!
Why did he think of her?
Zhang Ruochen looked at Ji Fanxin, thinking to himself, "Fanxin's cultivation strength can suppress Yao Yao, Qinger, and Wu Yue by a head, but she is too detached from the world. I wonder if she would be willing to be the master of this harem?"
Should he push her to the forefront first and see?
"Ruochen, your maternal grandfather has arrived. Come to the Undying Divine Temple to discuss important matters."
Bing Huang's divine voice sounded in Zhang Ruochen's ears.
"Wait for me to return."
Zhang Ruochen suppressed the various thoughts in his mind, instructed Ji Fanxin and Bai Qinger, and then teleported away.
Bai Qinger's eyebrows were like willow leaves, her eyes filled with misty waves, looking in the direction Zhang Ruochen had left, saying, "Was I too concerned just now?"
Ji Fanxin said, "Shouldn't you be?"
...
The continent floating above the divine city was enveloped by formation inscriptions, with blood energy rising and condensing into a scarlet ocean. Countless Blood Sea Heavenly Dao rules interweaved within.
Beams of light shot up from hundreds of divine temples and divine mountains.
This continent and the divine temple at its center seemed to possess life, releasing a devouring and overwhelming aura.
"If Jiusi Yitianhuang really wanted to destroy the Undying Divine City, he would have to pay a heavy price."
Zhang Ruochen hovered in mid-air, thinking this to himself.
But he knew very well that Jiusi Yitianhuang would not confront the Undying Divine Temple head-on, nor would he give the Undying Divine Temple a chance to fully activate its formations.
"Hua——"
A corner of the blood-red formation light curtain opened, and Zhang Ruochen flew in.
Inside the hall.
Bing Huang, Blood Absolute Clan Leader, Xiu Chen Heavenly God, A Fuya, and Yi Xuanbei Shi were already waiting.
Blood Absolute Clan Leader carefully observed Zhang Ruochen, visibly moved, and said, "Are you injured?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled, saying, "I exchanged a few moves with Jiusi Yitianhuang and almost died at his hands, but the injury isn't serious. Do I look that bad?"
Bing Huang, A Fuya, and Yi Xuanbei Shi all steadied their minds, their eyes showing surprise.
"Exchanging moves with a Heavenly Venerable level?"
Xiu Chen Heavenly God absolutely didn't believe it, saying, "You are indeed very strong now, but a Heavenly Venerable level could crush you with one move. I think you look so bad because of trouble in your backyard. Did you have a fight with Bai Qinger? She's no pushover!"
Zhang Ruochen really wanted to give Xiu Chen Heavenly God a beating. It had been too long since he had been beaten, and he was getting too cocky, forgetting his place as an artifact spirit.
Blood Absolute Clan Leader laughed heartily, "As long as your origin isn't damaged, that's good. By the way, who repelled Jiusi Yitianhuang?"
Zhang Ruochen didn't hide it from them, saying, "Kunlun Realm, Wen Tianjun."
"I thought so."
Luo Yan Great Emperor's voice sounded, and then his tall and sturdy divine body walked out from Blood Absolute Clan Leader's Divine Realm World.
Bing Huang was thoughtful, saying, "Wen Tianjun has come to the Undying Divine City. What is his purpose?"
This time, Zhang Ruochen didn't reveal the whole truth, saying, "Wen Tianjun was already pursuing Jiusi Yitianhuang. I met with him, and we plan to launch a counterattack together."
"A counterattack? Against whom?" Blood Absolute Clan Leader said.
"The current target is Beixi."
Then, Zhang Ruochen explained the plan with Wen Tianjun.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God said, "Wen Tianjun pursues Jiusi Yitianhuang, and then uses Hao Tian to deal with Beixi. Those hiding in the shadows will indeed be thrown into disarray for a while. If we can kill one of them, it will surely make the rest tremble with fear and live in terror."
Luo Yan Great Emperor hated Beixi and the others to the bone, saying, "Why not join forces with Heavenly Mother and Renhuan Heavenly Venerable to set up a great heaven-slaying scheme?"
Luo Yan Great Emperor didn't suggest gathering all the Heavens of the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Because doing so would create too much commotion, and the other side would detect it in advance.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I think that level of strategic planning shouldn't require our worry. Hao Tian, Heavenly Mother, and Renhuan Heavenly Venerable must have their own tacit understanding. The Heavenly Court is not without other supreme beings besides Hao Tian."
Bing Huang agreed with Zhang Ruochen's view, saying, "We are still two levels of status and identity away from the Heavenly Venerable level. They don't need us to teach them what to do. But taking this opportunity, we can do two things."
"First, capture Luo Yueluo and retake the Shura Divine Temple."
"Second, attack the Sword God Temple. I think if Hao Tian and Wen Tianjun take action, the Sword God Temple will become empty."
"To be certain of success, we can only choose one of the two."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God really didn't want to be the Shura Clan's Clan Leader and engage in a long-term struggle with Luo Yueluo and Qinglu Divine King, so he immediately said, "Kill Luo Yueluo. This is a golden opportunity. Leaving her alive is too great a threat to the Shura Clan and the Starry Sky Defense Line!"
Bing Huang said, "The unknown terror of the Sword God Temple is truly difficult to fathom. Without a Heavenly Venerable level accompanying us, it would be very dangerous. I agree to deal with Luo Yueluo first!"
Blood Absolute Clan Leader and Yi Xuanbei Shi clearly had the same idea, and their gazes turned to Zhang Ruochen.
In their view, Zhang Ruochen would surely want to attack the Sword God Temple first, to eliminate the threat to the Sword Realm.
Zhang Ruochen pondered, "Now is not the time to attack the Sword God Temple. Most importantly, the Sword God Temple cannot still be in its original place, waiting for us to attack. If we go rashly, we might be walking into a trap."
"Alright, then it's decided. I will invite the Undying War God to come out of seclusion!" Bing Huang said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I may not be able to go to the Shura Clan with you. I need to go to the Yama Clan."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God immediately became unwilling, saying coldly, "Zhang Ruochen, you promised me. If you don't go, I won't go either. The Undying War God alone cannot kill Luo Yueluo. And there's still Qinglu Divine King!"
"What are you afraid of? If Zhang Ruochen doesn't go, I, this Heavenly Lord, will go."
With a vast and distant voice.
Accompanied by a sword cry, Xu Tian rushed through the hall door and appeared before everyone.
His hair and beard were flying, his eyes shining with divine light, emitting a soaring sharpness.
Bing Huang stood up, saying, "With Senior Xu Tian accompanying us, this matter will surely succeed."
Xu Tian said, "I have invited Shi Bei Ya and Gong Xuan Zang. If that Qinglu kid dares to make a move, they will intervene."
Shi Bei Ya was naturally the number one expert of the Stone Clan, "Shi Tian."
Zhang Ruochen's eyes showed concern, saying, "Can Shi Tian be trusted? As far as I know, he is a Weak Water North Cliff Stone and has subtle connections with Yu Jingzhen and Qishier Pin Lian."
"Don't worry! Shi Bei Ya, I know him very well. That old fellow is not on the same side as Qishier Pin Lian!" Xu Tian said.
"That's good."
Next, Zhang Ruochen pacified Xiu Chen Heavenly God.
Xu Tian, Bing Huang, and the others discussed the specific strategy for dealing with Luo Yueluo.
To enter the Shura Star Pillar Realm, Xiu Chen Heavenly God was a necessary key.
Zhang Ruochen reminded, "Luo Yueluo will surely guess that we will deal with her and will be prepared. Xu Tian must not underestimate the enemy."
"In the face of absolute power, any preparation can be cut down with a single sword." Xu Tian's heroic spirit soared to the clouds, saying, "Under the Heavenly Venerable level, I am invincible. Above the Heavenly Venerable level, I can trade one for one. That is my confidence!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Why did Xu Tian return so quickly? Where are Wen Tianjun and Jiusi Yitianhuang?"
"Didn't catch up."
Xu Tian said nonchalantly, not wanting to dwell on this issue, and said, "If there are no problems, let's set off now. The sooner, the better."