Chapter 3855: Soul Attack
Wan Qi was the strongest figure of the Space Divine Temple since the chaotic ancient era. In life, his spiritual power had reached the ninety-third rank, making him the Formation Grandmaster of that era.
Of course, the former Qi Grandmaster was already dead.
Now, he was merely a remnant of spiritual will that had returned.
Zhang Ruochen had already clashed with him at Buzhou Mountain.
Within the Sword Divine Temple, the figures who had locked onto Zhang Ruochen with their divine thoughts were the ancient hall masters of the Space Divine Temple who had fled from Buzhou Mountain.
They had returned by seizing divine corpses with their remnant souls, all possessing cultivation and combat power at the Infinite Realm. Some formidable figures among them had even reached the Great Unbound Infinite level.
So many Infinite-level beings gathered together, surpassing any single clan in the Hell Realm.
Moreover, Zhang Ruochen could clearly sense that compared to ten thousand years ago, their cultivation had improved significantly and should not be underestimated.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze finally settled on those dark, abyss-like sinister eyes.
All his mental awareness seemed to be sucked into them.
That darkness, that eeriness, that soul-seizing power constantly reminded Zhang Ruochen that this was the greatest threat.
These dark abyss sinister eyes had been called the "Darkness's Envoy" by the artifact spirits of the Earth Demon Sparrow and the Heavenly Dao Flute.
Back during the battle at the Sword Divine Temple, Zhang Ruochen had already seen them.
At that time, for reasons unknown—perhaps related to the Sword Source Divine Tree—these dark abyss sinister eyes had been unable to fly out of the Sword Soul Pool. Now, not only had they flown out of the Sword Soul Pool, but they had also left the Sword Divine Temple.
The aura they now emitted was incomparable to when Zhang Ruochen had first encountered them.
The power of the dark abyss sinister eyes originated from the "Darkness" mentioned by the Earth Demon Sparrow and the Heavenly Dao Flute's artifact spirit. Thus, there were three possibilities.
First, "Darkness" had grown stronger, granting more power to the dark abyss sinister eyes.
Second, "Darkness" had already awakened.
Third, these dark abyss sinister eyes were no longer merely the Darkness's Envoy but were themselves the eyes of Darkness.
Regardless of which scenario it was, the situation was very dire.
Because the power emanating from these dark abyss sinister eyes was of the same origin as the black hand coiled around the Heavenly God Lock. Then, the "Darkness" deep within the Sword Soul Pool should be the Immortal that the Second Confucian Ancestor had spoken of.
"Whoosh!"
Beneath Zhang Ruochen's feet, a Space Teleportation Array quickly formed.
In the Void World, there were no space rules or spatial concepts. But with Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power and spatial mastery, he could teleport even within the void.
"Shush, shush!"
Beams of spatial light flew out from the Sword Divine Temple, disrupting the space rules Zhang Ruochen was constructing and preventing him from teleporting away.
"With dozens of hall masters from the Space Divine Temple's history here, do you still think you can escape through space?" Wan Qi said, striking the ground heavily with his staff.
Instantly, dense formation inscriptions spread outward in all directions, quickly enveloping the entire Sword Divine Temple and forming seven layers of divine formation light seals.
Zhang Ruochen recognized them as seven "Heaven-Containing Earth-Containing Divine Formations." Without a second thought, he activated his utmost speed and charged toward the Real World.
As long as he returned to the Real World, he could reactivate the Space Teleportation Array.
Then, even if the dozens of Space Divine Temple hall masters in the Sword Divine Temple attacked together, they would not be able to stop him.
"I am here—do you think I will let you leave?" Yan Jun had long been prepared. He slashed down with four demon flags simultaneously.
Behind each demon flag were countless demonic shadows: human armies, ten thousand dragons paying homage, a hundred ghosts parading at night, and phoenixes dancing together.
Zhang Ruochen swung the Heavenly God Lock, unleashing the black hand.
In the distance, the dark abyss sinister eyes emitted an eerie radiance, as if billions of voices were chanting in the void.
The black hand trembled violently, no longer under Zhang Ruochen's control.
If not for the suppression of the Universe Cauldron, it would have already broken free from Zhang Ruochen and flown toward the dark abyss sinister eyes.
Zhang Ruochen had no choice but to activate the Emperor Talisman, sending a rain of talisman inscriptions to strike the four demon flags descending from above.
The talisman inscriptions and demonic qi and shadows canceled each other out, both burning away.
Fei Ma Wang stood hundreds of thousands of miles away, forming hand seals and unleashing the divine ability "Thousand Spirit Blood Fiend," attacking Zhang Ruochen from the right as he battled Yan Jun.
Meanwhile, the seven Heaven-Containing Earth-Containing Divine Formations within the Sword Divine Temple were completed. Under the activation of the dozens of ancient Space Divine Temple hall masters, the divine formations transformed into seven worlds, trapping Zhang Ruochen within.
Zhang Ruochen broke away from his confrontation with Yan Jun, shifting his form to evade the Thousand Spirit Blood Fiend attack.
Looking up, the Void World was no longer visible. All he could see were seven layers of clouds and seven heavens, each with different colors, like a dim rainbow.
"Whoosh!"
Yan Jun's figure directly teleported to the opposite side of Zhang Ruochen, only a few dozen zhang away. He laughed and said, "I have to admire you—you can still remain calm even now."
Zhang Ruochen manifested the Taiji Four Symbols Diagram Seal, suppressing the violently trembling black hand beneath the Shaoyang Divine Mountain. He said, "Isn't Yan Jun being overly confident? If I self-destruct my divine heart, how many here can survive?"
Yan Jun said, "Aren't you the one being overly confident? My soul has reached the Indestructible Peak—do you think I can't suppress your thought of self-destructing your divine heart? Besides, with so many experts here, each with formidable souls, you underestimate the cultivators of this world too much."
Wan Qi said, "Suppress him with soul attacks and capture him."
"It would be better to kill him and eliminate the hidden danger forever," Yan Jun said, his killing intent thick. He felt Zhang Ruochen was a great threat and should not be left alive.
The dark abyss sinister eyes spoke, "His First-rank Divine Path has great research value. Killing him like this would be a pity."
Zhang Ruochen could tell that Yan Jun and the dark abyss sinister eyes were not of the same faction; there was conflict and opposition between them.
They were likely just in a cooperative relationship.
In the end, Yan Jun relented, releasing his demon soul, which transformed into tens of thousands of black tentacles surging toward Zhang Ruochen.
Fei Ma Wang and the gods within the Sword Divine Temple simultaneously released their soul thoughts, launching soul attacks directly against Zhang Ruochen's soul and spiritual power.
The dark abyss sinister eyes were the most terrifying. Zhang Ruochen wasn't sure if he was hallucinating, but the water waves surging from those two eye pupils contained thousands of souls in every drop.
Facing so many Infinite-level soul attacks, Zhang Ruochen's pressure multiplied. He immediately released the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation for defense.
But even the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation was instantly penetrated.
Threads of soul power flowed between the Suddhodana White Silver Trees, like soul-locking iron chains, approaching Zhang Ruochen.
"Soul Collection!"
Zhang Ruochen looked up at the sky.
The Dao Soul Platform flew out from between his brows, transforming into a ninety-nine-zhang-tall altar. The Daoist secret patterns and symbols on it all lit up.
As the Dao Soul Platform operated, it collected the threads of soul power flying toward him.
Zhang Ruochen also raised the Mani Pearl, drawing out Brahma Fire to burn the souls between heaven and earth.
Ji Fanxin's voice came from within his Divine Realm World: "Their souls are too strong. The attack power will keep coming endlessly. The Ten Thousand Buddha Formation, Dao Soul Platform, and Mani Pearl won't hold out much longer before they are completely broken. Don't stop me anymore—I need to fully unseal the seals within my body."
Zhang Ruochen's mind remained calm. He said, "Don't do anything foolish. Your life force has already been draining heavily, and your aura is unstable. Forcibly unsealing the seals would be very dangerous. Don't worry—I've already sensed the variable in the heavenly mechanism. Just hold on a little longer."
Before long, a earth-shattering divine sound came from the depths of space: "Are you all so arrogant? Do you think the Hell Realm has no one?"
"Boom!"
The seven Heaven-Containing Earth-Containing Divine Formations were violently attacked, shaking incessantly.
Yan Jun's expression darkened sharply. "Yan Renhuan is here... Kill!"
Yan Jun could wait no longer. He charged directly into the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation, attacking Zhang Ruochen.
Soul attacks were too time-consuming. Once Yan Renhuan broke in, killing Zhang Ruochen would become as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Fei Ma Wang also sensed that something was terribly wrong. Following Yan Jun's lead, she charged into the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation from another direction.
Before Zhang Ruochen had broken through the ninetieth rank, the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation had already been severely damaged by Yan Jun, revealing many flaws. Otherwise, the soul attacks and Fei Ma Wang would not have been able to break in so easily.
"Bang!"
Yan Renhuan pierced through the seven layers of divine formations with his divine spear, descending from the sky.
His entire body was burning. His hair and skin had already been burned away, his features blurred. Blood and flesh were exposed, making him look particularly ferocious.
"Whoosh!"
He hurled his divine spear.
The spear shot like an arrow from a bowstring, like a meteor streaking across the sky, flying into the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation.
Feeling himself locked onto, Yan Jun immediately grabbed the Heavenly Dragon Banner, madly channeling demonic qi, and swung it upward.
With a thunderous "boom," the divine spear shattered thousands of dragon shadows, sliding past the edge of the Heavenly Dragon Banner and striking Yan Jun's shoulder.
Yan Jun's right shoulder exploded, fragments of bone flying out, forming clumps of blood mist.
The souls shrouding the Ten Thousand Buddha Forest were also scattered by this spear strike.
Zhang Ruochen broke free from the soul attacks of the gods and immediately charged out, talisman inscriptions trailing behind him in a long path of light.
"Boom!"
Yan Jun's reaction speed was astonishing. Just as Zhang Ruochen, carrying the talisman inscriptions of the Emperor Talisman, attacked with a fist, Yan Jun suppressed the pain and injuries, striking out with his left palm.
Fist met palm.
Yan Jun let out a muffled groan, his form flying backward out of the Ten Thousand Buddha Forest.
Yan Renhuan's tall and straight figure landed in the Ten Thousand Buddha Forest, lifting his divine spear again. On his blood-and-flesh-blurred face, only his eyes remained bright.
But he gritted his teeth, as if enduring something.
Zhang Ruochen had long sensed the heavenly mechanism, knowing Yan Renhuan's condition. His expression heavy, he took out the Mani Pearl and handed it over. "Is there still time?"
"The curse has already entered the soul and corrupted the blood."
Yan Renhuan took the Mani Pearl, gripping it tightly. Only then did the pained expression ease slightly. His gaze swept over Yan Jun, Fei Ma Wang, and the gods of the Sword Divine Temple one by one. He said, "With the Mani Pearl in hand, I am finally confident that I can eliminate the hidden danger for the Yama Clan and the Hell Realm before my blood burns out."
Stricken by the Blood Burning Curse, not only would the blood inside his body burn, but his mind would also fall into madness.
The Mani Pearl could suppress the curse, keeping Yan Renhuan in a clear and sober state.
Yan Jun's voice rang out: "Why must the Heavenly Venerable be so stubborn? If you agree to our conditions, you will still be the Heavenly Venerable, and you will become the greatest clan leader in Yama Clan history. Because you will lead the Yama Clan to truly stand at the pinnacle of the universe, making all gods prostrate and all realms tremble."
"If I cannot even protect my own clansmen and loved ones, what greatness is there to speak of? What pinnacle of the universe is there to boast about? I do not acknowledge you as an ancestor! Fight—today, the blood of the Yama Clan is destined to dye this sky red."
Yan Renhuan's form teleported, swinging his spear horizontally. Divine blood splashed along his arm, turning into clusters of bright red flames.
What did it matter if his blood ran dry?
Let it be like splashing ink to paint a picture, leaving behind a lifetime of brilliance.
"Bang!"
Yan Jun could not dodge at all. His Heavenly Dragon Banner and Human Ancestor Banner were knocked away, and his belly was slashed open, nearly cut in half.