# Chapter 439: Thirty-First City
Deep beneath the Divine Sword Sacred Land, a ninety-nine-zhang tall sacred altar had been constructed. It was cylindrical in shape, majestic and grand, emitting a white sacred radiance from its entire surface.
Jade Saint walked to the base of the altar and gently pushed with his palm, channeling a stream of air that wrapped around the one hundred jin of Black Water Liuli Crystal. The crystal lifted off the ground and flew toward the top of the altar.
The white-haired woman stood at the center of the altar, her posture proud and upright. She extended five snow-white jade fingers, grasping the Black Water Liuli Crystal through the air, and struck it toward the suspended Creation Life Sword above.
"Whoosh!"
The Creation Life Sword absorbed the Black Water Liuli Crystal, as if receiving the source of life, and began to slowly repair itself.
Jade Saint said, "Sacred Ancestor, Zhang Ruochen is right here in the Divine Sword Sacred Land. Do you want to go see him? Perhaps, right now, you could confirm his identity."
The white-haired woman opened her stunningly beautiful eyes, pondered for a moment, and said, "Not yet. Once the Creation Life Sword is fully repaired, I will definitely go see him."
For some reason, her heart was filled with hesitation. She had not felt such a feeling in a very long time.
Jade Saint nodded and said no more.
...
Leaving the External Affairs Hall, Zhang Ruochen went to visit the current Sect Master of the Divine Sword Sacred Land, Lu Chongyu. However, he was informed that the Life Sword had not yet been fully repaired. Once it was, it would be personally returned to him.
Zhang Ruochen did not dwell on it. That afternoon, he left the Divine Sword Sacred Land, planning to first go to the Thirty-First City District.
"What kind of scene will a district gathered with mercenaries be like? Lu Youcai said he has arranged for a trusted subordinate to receive me in the Thirty-First City District. I hope I can quickly hire a strong enough person to kill the Blood Spirit King." Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Only by eliminating the Blood Spirit King could Zhang Ruochen truly feel at ease to do other things.
The Blood Spirit King was like a blade hanging over his head, ready to strike down at any moment, leaving Zhang Ruochen in constant danger.
Not long after leaving the Divine Sword Sacred Land, Zhang Ruochen developed an ominous premonition. He felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him from behind.
"Could it be that people from the Divine Sword Sacred Land covet the wealth on me and want to take back those three hundred sixty million spirit crystals?" Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
After all, Zhang Ruochen was now a Holy Disciple of the Saint Academy. Would the Divine Sword Sacred Land dare to make a move against a Holy Disciple in the Eastern Region Sacred City?
Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power, spreading it outward to probe the strong figure following him.
But at that moment, a dangerous aura came from behind, growing closer and closer. He could already faintly smell a bloody scent surging from the rear.
"Not good, it's the Blood Spirit King."
Sensing the Blood Spirit King's aura, Zhang Ruochen's expression changed drastically. He immediately activated the power of his Martial Soul. A pillar of light surged from the top of his head, forming a massive vortex centered on that pillar, absorbing the world's spiritual energy into his body.
In an instant, Zhang Ruochen's aura rose to the level of the Fish-Dragon Realm.
"Roar!"
Zhang Ruochen's body was enveloped in a layer of golden light. A dragon's roar sounded from within him, and he shot forward like a meteor, rushing ahead at top speed.
Behind him came a loud crash.
A massive blood-red palm print struck the spot where Zhang Ruochen had just been standing, creating a crater over ten meters in diameter. The surrounding ground shattered along with it.
If Zhang Ruochen had been even slightly slower to react, that palm strike would have landed on him.
Ten zhang behind Zhang Ruochen, the originally transparent void rippled like water. At the very center of those ripples, a stream of blood qi flew out and condensed into the Blood Spirit King's body.
The Blood Spirit King's gaze was icy cold, murderous intent surging. She chased after Zhang Ruochen.
He regarded her as a mortal enemy who must be killed, and she likewise wanted nothing more than to eliminate Zhang Ruochen.
"Zhang Ruochen, do you think you can escape today? Hand over the Half-Saint Light and the 'Divine Fall Scripture,' and I will spare your life." The Blood Spirit King's eyes turned cold, and every strand of blood-red hair on her head stood on end.
Although the Blood Spirit King had lost the Half-Saint Light, her cultivation had already reached the Sixth Change of the Fish-Dragon Realm. Thus, the speed she displayed was astonishingly fast.
In the blink of an eye, she caught up to Zhang Ruochen. Her arm spun in a circle, using blood qi to condense a sharp blood sword. With a "shush" sound, she stabbed toward Zhang Ruochen's back.
Zhang Ruochen pushed his spiritual power to its limit. Just as the Blood Spirit King struck with her sword, he immediately changed direction, shifting seven zhang to the left.
"Shush, shush!"
After missing with her first sword strike, the Blood Spirit King immediately followed with a second, then a third...
The sword qi came in an unbroken stream, like layers of water waves, sweeping toward Zhang Ruochen.
"Out!"
A point of light appeared on Zhang Ruochen's brow. He summoned the Purple Lightning Sword and executed the Flying Sword Art.
The Purple Lightning Sword flew out from Zhang Ruochen's Space Ring, crackling with thunder, like a bolt of light. From ten zhang away, it attacked the Blood Spirit King.
A blood-red sword light and a purple lightning light clashed repeatedly in midair, producing a series of "crackling" collision sounds.
"Only a few days have passed, and Zhang Ruochen's strength has grown this much?" The Blood Spirit King was shocked. She had to reassess Zhang Ruochen's potential.
Although Zhang Ruochen was still far from being her match, if he continued to grow, it would not be long before he completely surpassed her.
Finally, Zhang Ruochen saw a row of enormous Zangqing-colored walls ahead, lying across the horizon like a great dragon.
Above the city gate were carved five ancient characters — Thirty-First City.
Zhang Ruochen was overjoyed. He had finally reached the main city of the Thirty-First City District. If he could escape into the city, he would be safe.
No matter how high the Blood Spirit King's cultivation was, she would not dare to kill someone inside the main city.
The Blood Spirit King was determined to kill Zhang Ruochen. Naturally, she would not let him escape into the main city.
Her body transformed into a mass of blood mist, splitting into six streams of blood qi. They shot forward rapidly, rushing ahead of Zhang Ruochen to block his path.
"Die!"
The Blood Spirit King extended a jade-white finger. Her sharp fingertip, like a sword tip, stabbed out rapidly toward Zhang Ruochen's brow.
Zhang Ruochen immediately recalled the Purple Lightning Sword and held it horizontally to block.
"Bang!"
The Blood Spirit King's finger struck the center of the Purple Lightning Sword's blade. The powerful sword qi converged into a single point, forming a force that could overturn mountains and seas.
Three layers of light immediately appeared around Zhang Ruochen's body, colored cyan, gold, and white respectively.
The cyan light was his protective Heavenly Firmament.
The golden light was the Dragon Pearl's protective power.
The white light was the defensive aura of the Half-Saint Light.
Even with three layers of protective light, Zhang Ruochen still felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow. Like a kite with a broken string, he was sent flying backward.
The gap in cultivation was too great. Even with many treasures, it was useless.
The Blood Spirit King was about to strike a second time, to completely break through Zhang Ruochen's defenses and kill him outside the Thirty-First City.
A stern shout came from the distant Thirty-First City.
"How dare a blood spirit commit murder in the Eastern Region Sacred City?"
A man in white armor rushed out from the Thirty-First City. In an instant, he reached the Blood Spirit King and struck out with his palm.
His palm was as white as jade, his five fingers slender and long. That pair of hands alone was more beautiful than a woman's.
Yet the power contained in his palm was terrifying. With a single move, he forced the Blood Spirit King back.
The Blood Spirit King glared venomously at the man in white armor and snorted coldly: "Meddling busybody, you're asking for death."
The Blood Spirit King clenched her five fingers into a fist and punched out. Blood qi surged forth, forming a massive fist shadow.
"Boom!"
The man in white armor strode forward, forming his five fingers into a claw shape. With one claw, he shattered the fist shadow. Then, his claw quickly transformed back into a palm, slashing diagonally downward toward the Blood Spirit King's neck.
The Blood Spirit King swung her arm as well, chopping toward the man.
"Bang!"
Both of them retreated simultaneously.
"Zhang Ruochen, I'll let you off for today. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
The Blood Spirit King shot a reluctant glare at Zhang Ruochen, transformed into a wisp of blood qi, burrowed into the ground, and vanished without a trace.
The man in white armor gave chase but was still a step too slow, allowing the Blood Spirit King to escape.
"What a formidable blood spirit. It has the potential to become a Blood Spirit Half-Saint."
The man in white armor's expression was somewhat grave. He stomped heavily on the ground, causing the earth to shake.
Zhang Ruochen walked over to the man, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your assistance, sir."
The man in white armor turned around, glanced at Zhang Ruochen, and said, "Deputy Tuanzhang of the Silver Sky Mercenary Group, Nie Honglou. You are Zhang Ruochen?"
When stating his own name, Nie Honglou appeared quite proud. Because this name carried endless honor — honor more important than his very life.
Zhang Ruochen was slightly surprised. "How do you know my name?"
Nie Honglou smiled. "Among the new generation of geniuses, the only one who can execute the Flying Sword Art is probably you. Besides, someone from the Divine Sword Sacred Land had already told me you would be coming to the Thirty-First City District. I was only halfway through our conversation when I saw someone being chased outside the city. Anyone with a bit of brains would guess that person was you."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I see. So, the strong expert the Divine Sword Sacred Land helped me contact is you?"
After that battle just now, Zhang Ruochen was quite satisfied with Nie Honglou's strength.
After all, the Blood Spirit King had fused with the Half-Saint Light and reached the Sixth Change of the Fish-Dragon Realm. Her strength was naturally much greater than that of an ordinary Sixth Change Fish-Dragon Realm cultivator.
Nie Honglou was also at the Sixth Change of the Fish-Dragon Realm, yet he could overpower the Blood Spirit King.
This showed that his talent was also quite extraordinary, not that of an ordinary mercenary.
Nie Honglou smiled. "Let's enter the city first and discuss business slowly. The person in charge from the Divine Sword Sacred Land is still waiting for us in the city."
After Zhang Ruochen and Nie Honglou entered the Thirty-First City, a wisp of blood qi emerged from underground, silently flying into the Thirty-First City as well.