Chapter 520: Another Variable Added
Zhang Ruochen looked over and saw that the man who had just spoken appeared to be around thirty years old, with a somewhat sallow complexion and two neatly trimmed mustache strands on his lips, giving him a rather handsome and dashing appearance.
He was only three tables away from Zhang Ruochen.
Others could not see through his cultivation level, but Zhang Ruochen saw through his strength at a glance.
His cultivation had reached the first transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, "Innate Fetal Breath." His breathing was steady, his blood flow slow, and all the pores on his body seemed fully open, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
This man had already surpassed martial arts and stepped onto the sacred path.
Why would someone like him spread rumors without reason?
Was he not afraid of offending both Zhang Ruochen and Orange Moon Star Envoy at the same time?
At this moment, the middle-aged man, whose cultivation had reached the first transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, was still sitting on his chair, drinking wine and speaking with spittle flying everywhere, completely unaware that Zhang Ruochen was sitting not far away.
"It is said that Orange Moon Star Envoy's master is Ghost Saint of the Nine Deaths Cave. Zhang Ruochen dares to treat Ghost Saint's disciple so harshly. Is he not afraid that Ghost Saint will take action and refine him into a ghost child of the dead?" an old man said.
The middle-aged man chuckled: "No matter how powerful Zhang Ruochen is, he is just a young disciple in his early twenties. How could Ghost Saint lower himself to deal with him?"
Another martial artist said: "Even if Ghost Saint does not act, his three great disciples will surely not swallow this insult. It would be strange if they do not tear Zhang Ruochen apart."
"That makes sense, after all, Orange Moon Star Envoy is their junior sister. It is said that Ghost Saint's third disciple, Yin Wuchang, has been pursuing Orange Moon Star Envoy. If he hears this news, he will probably go mad."
"If he goes mad, Zhang Ruochen will be in trouble! Even if Zhang Ruochen has topped the Heavenly Ranking, he is still just a mortal martial cultivator. How can he compare to Ghost Saint's third disciple? It is said that Ghost Saint's third disciple has long since stepped into the Fish-Dragon Realm, with unfathomable cultivation, and is a well-known expert on the evil path."
...
Half an hour later, the middle-aged man seemed to feel he had said enough, so he got up and left the tavern.
Zhang Ruochen immediately settled the bill and followed him.
Zhang Ruochen wanted to know exactly who this man was and why he was deliberately spreading rumors in the tavern.
Since the middle-aged man was a Fish-Dragon Realm expert and Zhang Ruochen had not deliberately concealed his aura, the middle-aged man soon sensed someone following him. He walked to a relatively secluded spot, stopped, stood still without turning around, secretly mobilized his true qi, and said coldly: "Who is it? Come out!"
"Tap, tap."
Zhang Ruochen walked with steady steps to the center of the street, stopping ten zhang behind the middle-aged man, and said: "You were constantly mentioning my name in the tavern just now. What? You don't recognize me?"
The middle-aged man's expression changed slightly. He immediately turned around and looked at the young martial artist standing not far away, somewhat surprised: "You are Zhang Ruochen?"
Zhang Ruochen said indifferently: "Speak! Who exactly are you? And who sent you to spread these rumors?"
The middle-aged man had no intention of answering Zhang Ruochen. He spread his legs slightly, every muscle in his body tensed, and inside his sleeves, his ten fingers clenched tightly into fists, assuming a combat stance.
Although he had broken through the martial barrier and stepped into the Fish-Dragon Realm, he still lacked much confidence in himself because the enemy he had to face was Zhang Ruochen, the number one on the Heavenly Ranking.
He was like a massive brute beast, while Zhang Ruochen was a sharp and aggressive wolf king.
Although on the surface, the brute beast's body was larger, stronger, and more powerful than the wolf king's, the brute beast knew very well that it was no match for the wolf king.
At this moment, the middle-aged man was like that brute beast, terrified in his heart, yet forced to fight desperately.
"Mountain Collapse and Earth Split!"
The middle-aged man roared loudly, raised his arms, and surging true qi flowed between his hands.
Then, he punched fiercely at the ground.
A powerful force of energy surged into the earth, making a "whoosh" sound, flipping up all the stone slabs on the street.
Each of those stone slabs was two meters thick and weighed tens of thousands of jin.
Dozens of stone slabs rolled up, and under the stimulation of the fist force, they rubbed violently against the air, forming blazing red flames, like fiery meteorites flying toward Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen stood calmly in place, watching the incoming fiery stone slabs, completely unflustered. He simply extended a palm and pressed it into the void, releasing a palm force.
The powerful palm force turned into a surging, hidden gale that surged outward.
"Boom!"
All the stone slabs flew back at an even faster speed, counterattacking the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man's expression changed, and he immediately used his movement technique to rush backward, preparing to escape.
"Rumble!"
The stone slabs landed on the ground, smashing large craters, and the entire street was instantly shattered.
"What terrifying Zhang Ruochen! His cultivation hasn't even reached the Fish-Dragon Realm, yet he is already this powerful. What will happen when he reaches the Fish-Dragon Realm?"
Cold sweat kept pouring from the middle-aged man's forehead as he desperately fled forward, wanting only to get as far away from Zhang Ruochen as possible.
"Where are you going?"
Before he knew it, Zhang Ruochen had already appeared in front of him, blocking his path.
The middle-aged man immediately stopped, gritted his teeth, and a cold, ruthless look appeared in his eyes as he prepared to strike again.
"Zhang Ruochen, I'll fight you to the death!"
"Whoosh!"
A bright flash of sword light passed before the middle-aged man's eyes, and the next moment, a cold sword was pressed against his neck.
Feeling the chill at his neck, the middle-aged man trembled all over. The attack he had been about to unleash froze in midair, and his body seemed to turn to stone, not daring to move an inch.
"What fast sword technique!"
Fear finally appeared in the middle-aged man's eyes.
Zhang Ruochen held the sword hilt with one hand, concentrated his spiritual power into his eyes, and stared at the middle-aged man, saying: "Speak! Who exactly are you? Don't beat around the bush with me, or I'll make your head fly off immediately."
The middle-aged man was intimidated by Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power, becoming completely dispirited and losing his vitality. Somewhat dazedly, he said: "Xu... Xu Longyi."
Zhang Ruochen said: "A member of the Xu Holy Clan?"
"I am only a collateral descendant of the Xu Holy Clan, not a direct bloodline disciple. I am just following orders. In fact, we have no enmity. Please spare my life," Xu Longyi said cautiously.
He was afraid that saying even one wrong word would provoke Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen said: "You don't need to be so afraid. As long as you confess honestly, I will let you live. Tell me, who sent you to do this? What is the purpose?"
Xu Longyi visibly relaxed and said: "It was Xu Hai. He also came to the Chaos Myriad Realms Mountain. He was ordered by the old ancestor to come specifically to kill you."
Zhang Ruochen and the Xu Holy Clan had always had a grudge, almost to the point of being irreconcilable.
When news of Zhang Ruochen topping the Heavenly Ranking reached the Eastern Domain, the entire Xu Holy Clan was shaken.
As a long-established saintly clan, the Xu Holy Clan knew better than anyone the weight of a peerless genius.
Perhaps Zhang Ruochen could not threaten them now, but what about fifty years from now? A hundred years from now?
Once Zhang Ruochen reached the Saint Realm, it would be a disaster for the Xu Holy Clan.
Therefore, no matter what, the Xu Holy Clan had to eliminate Zhang Ruochen before he could grow.
The Three-Sword Half-Saint of the Xu Holy Clan personally ordered Xu Hai to lead four Fish-Dragon Realm experts to the Chaos Myriad Realms Mountain, determined to kill Zhang Ruochen on the Ruins Realm battlefield.
Xu Longyi was one of the four Fish-Dragon Realm experts sent by the Xu Holy Clan, and of course, the weakest among them.
Xu Longyi continued: "The reason Xu Hai sent me to spread rumors was to anger the evil path martial artists of the Black Market, using their hands to eliminate you."
"Xu Hai is indeed a figure, able to think of using a borrowed knife to kill," Zhang Ruochen said with a smile.
Last time, in the Five Elements Ruins Realm, Zhang Ruochen had killed Xu Qing, the current generation's heir of the Xu Holy Clan.
Unexpectedly, the Xu Holy Clan had not learned their lesson and had sent a second heir to deal with Zhang Ruochen.
Xu Hai was the previous generation's heir of the Xu Holy Clan. He had entered the Holy Academy ten years ago, and both his talent and cultivation far surpassed Xu Qing's.
Rather than being plotted against, it was better to take the initiative.
In an instant, a plan formed in Zhang Ruochen's mind, and he asked: "Where is Xu Hai?"
Xu Longyi hesitated, but under the pressure of Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power, he finally said: "Xu Hai should be meeting with the Green Robe Star Envoy of the Black Market First Class Hall. They plan to join forces against you. Also, I heard that Ghost Saint's third disciple, Yin Wuchang, has already arrived at the Chaos Myriad Realms Mountain and has declared that he will refine you into a ghost child of the dead."
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said: "Xu Hai spreads rumors to intensify the conflict between me and the Black Market, while simultaneously forming an alliance with the Black Market to deal with me together. The heir of the Xu Holy Clan is indeed not to be underestimated."
Xu Longyi asked: "I have told you everything I should. Can you let me go now?"
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his spiritual power, turned his arm, and put away the Abyssal Ancient Sword, saying casually: "You may go!"
"Just letting me go like this?"
Although Zhang Ruochen had withdrawn his spiritual power, Xu Longyi did not relax at all. Instead, he became even more nervous, unable to believe that Zhang Ruochen would be so kind as to let him go so readily.
Was it possible?
He strongly suspected that the moment he turned around, Zhang Ruochen would strike unexpectedly and cut off his head.
Zhang Ruochen said: "Of course I am letting you go. After you return, you can also inform Xu Hai and the evil path martial artists of the Black Market that I am now heading to the Black Tortoise Ruins Realm. If they want to kill me or rescue Orange Moon Star Envoy, they must not miss this opportunity."