Chapter 484: Cooperation
Ao Xinyan broke free from Red Desire Star Envoy’s control, retreating two steps to stand behind Zhang Ruochen.
After two days of recuperation, Ao Xinyan’s external injuries had healed. However, most of her meridians were severed, and her internal organs had suffered severe trauma. Thus, Ao Xinyan still appeared frail and sickly, unable to circulate true qi, weak all over, and unsteady on her feet. If not for Xiao Hei telling her that the dragon pearl inside Zhang Ruochen could help restore her injuries, she would never have been able to hold on this long.
The fear on Red Desire Star Envoy’s face gradually faded, replaced by a charming, flirtatious smile.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, a layer of golden light radiated from her brow, flowing down her neck and surging toward her arm. Red Desire Star Envoy twisted her wrist, turning it as nimble as a spirit snake, slipping free from between Zhang Ruochen’s two fingers.
“Swish!”
With a flash of movement, Red Desire Star Envoy split into eight graceful afterimages, darting rapidly into the distance.
Zhang Ruochen let out a soft exclamation of surprise. Using his spiritual power, he discerned her true body from among the eight figures. Taking a step forward, he gave chase in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Ruochen caught up to her left side. Channeling true qi into his arm, he struck out with a palm aimed at her left shoulder.
“Bang!”
The powerful palm force struck Red Desire Star Envoy’s body.
But Zhang Ruochen felt no solid impact. He curled his fingers into a claw and grabbed forward, only to catch a thin layer of red gauze. A faint, alluring fragrance lingered on the fabric.
Red Desire Star Envoy had already leaped dozens of zhang away, still clad in that same thin red veil, as if the garment Zhang Ruochen had torn off wasn’t hers at all.
Only after reaching the nine Glass Knights did she let out a long breath and stop. Beads of sweat dotted her pale forehead, and she still felt a lingering fear.
Only now did she truly realize Zhang Ruochen’s terror. He was completely different from other proud sons of heaven. Others might defeat her, but few had the heart to kill her. Zhang Ruochen, however, showed no mercy. If that palm strike had truly landed, even if she survived, she would have been severely injured.
Zhang Ruochen held the long red gauze in his hand, brought it to his nose, and sniffed. “Are you wearing Golden Silkworm Armor?”
Red Desire Star Envoy forced a smile. “That’s right, I’m wearing Red Garment Golden Silkworm Armor. Zhang Ruochen, do you want to count how many layers I have on?”
Golden silkworms were saint-level savage beasts. Their silk was said to be the finest thread in the world, capable of weaving the lightest, thinnest garments. Golden Silkworm Armor also possessed special properties, with formidable defensive power. The legendary movement martial technique, Golden Silkworm Shedding Its Shell, could only be cultivated by martial artists wearing such armor.
Just now, Red Desire Star Envoy had used Golden Silkworm Shedding Its Shell to escape from Zhang Ruochen.
“In that case, let me count.”
Zhang Ruochen extended his pinky finger, converting true qi into a sword wave. With a “whoosh,” the sword wave shot from his fingertip.
The nine Glass Knights had already planted the Nine-Star Array Flags into the ground, forming a nine-pointed star formation. Each flag shone like a brilliant star, radiating dazzling light.
Red Desire Star Envoy flashed and took her place at the center of the formation. At the same time, she released her martial soul, suspending it above her head, and began channeling the formation’s true qi. Streams of true qi converged on her, amplifying her power.
Her martial soul was already formidable, comparable to a cultivator at the fourth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm. With the Nine-Star Formation’s enhancement, her aura surged continuously. Every move she made caused the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to tremble.
She struck out with her palm, sending a massive handprint three meters long flying from her hand, dispersing Zhang Ruochen’s sword wave.
Lifted by an invisible force, Red Desire Star Envoy’s feet left the ground as she hovered in midair. “The Nine-Star Formation channels the power of all nine Glass Knights into me. No matter how strong you are, you can’t harm me now.”
The nine Glass Knights, chosen for their elite status, were all top-tier experts at the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Extreme Realm. Their combined power was terrifying. The force Red Desire Star Envoy had just unleashed was even stronger than Zhang Ruochen’s full-strength attack.
If Zhang Ruochen used Space Collapse, he could break the formation and kill Red Desire Star Envoy and the nine Glass Knights. But he faintly sensed a familiar, powerful presence hidden nearby.
There was definitely another expert lurking in the shadows. If he focused all his effort on Red Desire Star Envoy and the knights, that hidden expert would seize the chance to ambush him. Wouldn’t that let someone else reap the benefits?
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Xiao Hei. The other eight Glass Knights had surrounded Xiao Hei and Orange Moon Star Envoy. However, since Xiao Hei had Orange Moon Star Envoy under control, the knights dared not act rashly.
“The group hiding in the shadows must be experts sent by Pei Ji and the three saintly noble clans. Pei Ji is my greatest threat—I need to eliminate him first,” Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Just as he made up his mind, Red Desire Star Envoy’s voice reached his ears: “Zhang Ruochen, you must know there’s another group of experts hiding in the shadows. If we keep fighting, we’ll only benefit them.”
Zhang Ruochen glanced at her. Her lips hadn’t moved, indicating she was using some secret technique to transmit her voice directly to him.
She continued, “We don’t have to be enemies. In fact, we could be allies. Let me go, and Orange Moon Star Envoy is yours. How about that?”
The Seven Evil Star Envoys were also in competition with each other. If Orange Moon Star Envoy died at Zhang Ruochen’s hands, it would only benefit Red Desire Star Envoy.
Zhang Ruochen narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly, signaling his agreement to cooperate.
Seeing his nod, Red Desire Star Envoy’s heart filled with joy. She immediately ordered, “Zhang Ruochen is too strong. We’ll retreat first.”
The nine Glass Knights began moving rapidly, the Nine-Star Formation spinning as it carried Red Desire Star Envoy away in an orderly retreat.
Orange Moon Star Envoy was stunned, then her face turned pale. “Red Desire Star Envoy, you’re leaving alone?”
Red Desire Star Envoy replied, “Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation has advanced greatly. A single Nine-Star Formation can’t suppress him. If I force a fight, we’ll both be trapped here. So I have to leave first. I’ll return with reinforcements to save you.”
Moments later, Red Desire Star Envoy and the nine Glass Knights vanished from sight.
Orange Moon Star Envoy knew Red Desire Star Envoy was telling the truth. Though furious, she couldn’t blame her. If not for her own carelessness in being captured by Zhang Ruochen’s beast battle pet, rendering her powerless, the combined strength of two Nine-Star Formations would have suppressed Zhang Ruochen no matter how strong he was.
After Red Desire Star Envoy left, Zhang Ruochen walked toward Orange Moon Star Envoy. “Orange Moon Star Envoy, this is the second time you’ve fallen into my hands. Last time, someone saved you, and I let you live. This time, I won’t let you go.”
Orange Moon Star Envoy snorted coldly. “Zhang Ruochen, do you dare have that savage beast release me and fight me fair and square?”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. “I’m here in the Wood Essence Ruins Realm for an important matter. I don’t have time to waste on you. Xiao Hei, kill her. We need to move on.”
Zhang Ruochen had let Red Desire Star Envoy go partly due to the circumstances and partly because she had ambition. She wanted to become the young master of the Black Market First Class Hall. For that reason, Zhang Ruochen could cooperate with her against Di Yi.
But Orange Moon Star Envoy was different. She was absolutely loyal to Di Yi’s orders and had tried to kill Zhang Ruochen multiple times. If he spared her, she would remain a powerful asset to Di Yi in the future. So Zhang Ruochen could let Red Desire Star Envoy go, but he had to eliminate Orange Moon Star Envoy.