Chapter 558: Encountering the Earthfire Qilin Again
Golden Huang King knew that Zhang Ruochen had returned, but he did not turn around. "The person you wanted to save, is she alright?"
Zhang Ruochen stood behind Golden Huang King, also staring at the Evil Sea Pillar in the ocean. "Fortunately, I gave her the Black Tortoise Sacred Source in time. She has already passed the critical period."
After a long silence, Golden Huang King spoke again. "The powers of time and space are quite extraordinary. It is said that only by awakening the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark can one master these two forces. Since ancient times, only two people have awakened the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark. You should be the third, right?"
To become a Half-Saint, one must be knowledgeable and well-versed in the world's martial arts and strange tales.
It was actually quite normal for Golden Huang King to know the legends about the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark.
Zhang Ruochen remained calm. "Senior, what do you mean by that?"
Golden Huang King had an extraordinary bearing, naturally exuding a sense of authority. He smiled. "I say this only to tell you that I have not awakened the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark, so I will not covet your time-type and space-type supreme techniques."
"Besides, we hit it off at first sight and became friends through battle. From now on, you don't have to call me 'senior' all the time. We can treat each other as equals."
Upon reaching the Half-Saint realm, a cultivator's lifespan increases significantly.
Some long-lived Half-Saints can even live up to two hundred years.
On the surface, Golden Huang King appeared to be in his forties, but his actual age was over a hundred, older than Zhang Ruochen's grandfather.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "If word gets out that I am treating a Half-Saint as an equal, countless people will probably call me an arrogant fool who doesn't know his place."
Golden Huang King said, "If I remember correctly, you are a Commandery Prince of a lower commandery, a royal prince of the First Central Empire. I am also a royal prince. Why can't we be considered peers? Moreover, you are a disciple of Xuanji Sword Saint; your seniority might even be higher than mine."
Both Zhang Ruochen and Golden Huang King were indeed royal princes, but Zhang Ruochen was only the lowest-ranked "Lower Commandery Prince," while Golden Huang King was a "Lower Domain King," a full three ranks higher than Zhang Ruochen.
One must understand that the First Central Empire had a strict hierarchy. A difference of one rank was already like the difference between heaven and earth, let alone a gap of three ranks.
However, since even Golden Huang King did not care about these formalities, Zhang Ruochen would not be pretentious either. "Alright! Since you, Prince, have put it that way, I will boldly address you as 'elder brother.'"
Golden Huang King laughed heartily and slapped Zhang Ruochen on the shoulder. "Since you call me 'elder brother,' I will naturally keep your secret."
Then, Golden Huang King's smile faded, and he said solemnly, "I will not reveal to anyone the secret that you have awakened the Time-Space Divine Martial Mark."
Zhang Ruochen nodded, staring at the Evil Sea Pillar, and asked, "So, how should we deal with this evil artifact?"
Golden Huang King furrowed his brow. "With my cultivation, I cannot suppress it. Earlier, I used a Message Light Talisman to report the situation to the higher-ups, asking the Ministry of War to send a Saint to retrieve it."
With Golden Huang King's cultivation, he dared not touch the Evil Sea Pillar. Zhang Ruochen's cultivation was less than one percent of Golden Huang King's, so he dared not approach it even more.
Only a Saint could possibly suppress such an evil artifact.
Golden Huang King suddenly seemed to think of something. "The physical body of the sixth-rank Red Cloud Python Flood Dragon and the shell of the Fire Green Black Tortoise are rare treasures for you. Hurry up and collect them; we can't let those Ministry of War fellows take advantage."
If the experts from the Ministry of War arrived, they would not only take the Evil Sea Pillar but likely also seize the corpses of the Fire Green Black Tortoise and the Black Bone Flood Dragon King.
That was why Golden Huang King reminded Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen understood immediately and activated the Sacred Dragon Qi of the Dragon Pearl. The flesh on his back split open, transforming into a pair of enormous dragon wings.
"Whoosh!"
The dragon wings spread out, emitting streaks of golden light. Zhang Ruochen controlled the wings and flew into the air, leaving a series of afterimages on the sea surface.
In moments, Zhang Ruochen arrived above the corpses of the Black Bone Flood Dragon King and the Fire Green Black Tortoise. He retracted his wings and descended, landing on the shell of the Fire Green Black Tortoise.
After Zhang Ruochen had severed the fleshy crown of the Black Bone Flood Dragon King, it reverted to its original form—a massive red-crowned fleshy fungus nine meters in diameter, like a bloody red spiritual flower.
Zhang Ruochen found the red-crowned fleshy fungus inside the Fire Green Black Tortoise's body, stored it away, and placed it in his Space Ring.
When he triggered the fourth Divine Resonance, Zhang Ruochen's Spiritual Power had already increased significantly, nearing the forty-fourth rank.
This red-crowned fleshy fungus was a priceless treasure for Spiritual Power cultivators. Once refined, Zhang Ruochen would have no trouble breaking through the forty-fourth rank barrier.
Of course, the Black Bone Flood Dragon King also had many other treasures, such as its Flood Dragon Pearl, Flood Dragon Blood, Flood Dragon Sinews, Flood Dragon Bones, and Flood Dragon Scales.
Each of these could fetch a sky-high price if sold.
The Flood Dragon Pearl, in particular, was a supreme treasure for enhancing cultivation, enough to tempt even Half-Saints.
Of course, all the treasures from the Black Bone Flood Dragon King combined were not worth even one claw of the Fire Green Black Tortoise.
The Fire Green Black Tortoise's body was over twenty miles long, floating on the water like a green island.
The Fire Green Black Tortoise had been dead for many years, and ninety percent of its Black Tortoise Sacred Blood had been lost. Even the remaining ten percent had been corroded by the evil energy of the Evil Sea Pillar. Only by using the Cosmic Divine Wood Map to refine the evil energy could it be consumed.
Zhang Ruochen valued the Fire Green Black Tortoise's shell even more, as it was far more precious than any forging material.
A piece of shell just two meters square could be forged into a Black Tortoise Armor that even Sacred Artifacts would struggle to break.
With such a massive shell, at least one hundred thousand Black Tortoise Armors could be forged, enough to train a Black Tortoise Army.
If the big shots of the Ministry of War saw the Fire Green Black Tortoise's body, they would be extremely envious.
Although Black Tortoise Armor was far inferior to Sacred Artifact-level armor and had limited defensive capabilities, its advantage lay in its quantity and ease of production.
Zhang Ruochen could forge one hundred thousand Black Tortoise Armors, but which force could forge one hundred thousand Sacred Artifact-level armors?
The value of the Fire Green Black Tortoise's body was self-evident.
Golden Huang King was willing to give up the Fire Green Black Tortoise's body to Zhang Ruochen because he had something better—the Evil Sea Pillar.
The Evil Sea Pillar was an extraordinary treasure. Once the Ministry of War's Saint came to retrieve it, Golden Huang King would have rendered a great military service and would surely receive generous rewards.
Thus, each of them got what they needed.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Abyssal Ancient Sword, channeled his true qi, and struck downward with force.
"Clang!"
The tip of the Abyssal Ancient Sword collided with the Fire Green Black Tortoise's shell, sending sparks flying.
Zhang Ruochen's strike felt like stabbing an iron wall, producing a piercing sword hum that jarred his arm.
Yet, the Fire Green Black Tortoise's shell only bore a shallow dent.
This was only possible because the Abyssal Ancient Sword was extremely sharp. If it were any other hundred-pattern Sacred Artifact, it would have been even harder to damage the Black Tortoise shell.
The Fire Green Black Tortoise's cultivation far exceeded that of an ordinary Saint, likely reaching the eighth-grade Beast level.
A seventh-grade Beast's combat power was comparable to a Saint.
An eighth-grade Beast was comparable to a Saint King among Saints.
Nourished by sacred qi, every part of the Fire Green Black Tortoise's body contained the power of the sacred path, especially its shell, which had the strongest defense.
"With the Abyssal Ancient Sword's current grade, cutting through the Black Tortoise shell is still very difficult. It might come in handy later."
Zhang Ruochen unfolded the Cosmic Divine Wood Map and stored the bodies of the Black Bone Flood Dragon King and the Fire Green Black Tortoise into the scroll's inner world.
He planned to collect the Half-Saint Flood Dragon Blood and Black Tortoise Sacred Blood after returning to the Holy Academy.
As Zhang Ruochen stepped out of the inner world, he felt a wave of heat rushing toward him, stinging his face.
"Gurgle!"
"Gurgle!"
...
The seawater was boiling, sending up bubbles the size of washbasins.
The air above the sea was also abnormally hot.
"Roar!"
On the distant horizon, a patch of fiery red clouds surged rapidly.
Within the clouds, a beastly shadow let out a deafening roar.
Zhang Ruochen focused his gaze and was startled. "Earthfire Qilin!"
The Earthfire Qilin radiated intense flames, its four pillar-thick legs moving swiftly as it charged toward Zhang Ruochen.
One must know that this was not at the bottom of the sea, where the water pressure suppressed it. Moreover, Zhang Ruochen could not use the power of the Sarira to temporarily gain Half-Saint-level combat power again.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen was merely a Fish-Dragon First-Change cultivator. How could he possibly withstand a sixth-grade Beast like the Earthfire Qilin?
Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to hide in the scroll world, he noticed that the Earthfire Qilin was not charging at him but chasing the Monk Lidi.
Monk Lidi was running frantically. When he saw Zhang Ruochen ahead, he gasped for breath and shouted, "Benefactor Zhang, please lend me a hand and subdue this Qilin."
"Master, don't joke. With my meager cultivation, how can I contend with an Earthfire Qilin? It would be better for you to subdue it yourself and show off your divine powers," Zhang Ruochen said.
What a joke, asking Zhang Ruochen to subdue the Earthfire Qilin?
Zhang Ruochen knew his limits and would not force himself to do what he could not.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen did not leave. Instead, he stood aside and observed quietly. If Monk Lidi were truly in danger, he would not stand idly by.
The Earthfire Qilin chased Monk Lidi, circling around Zhang Ruochen.
Strangely, the Earthfire Qilin seemed unable to see Zhang Ruochen and only pursued Monk Lidi.
Monk Lidi kept chanting Buddhist scriptures, seemingly trying to convert it.
But the Earthfire Qilin bared its sharp teeth and let out thunderous roars, clearly intending to devour Monk Lidi.
The reason the Earthfire Qilin chased Monk Lidi was that Monk Lidi had merged with the Buddha Emperor's Golden Body.
To beasts, Monk Lidi was like a human-shaped sacred medicine. Devouring him would allow them to attain sainthood.
Zhang Ruochen observed for a while, stroked his chin, and nodded. "Monk Lidi has indeed reached the realm of physical sainthood. Although he cannot perfectly use his physical power, his escape speed is top-notch. Even the Earthfire Qilin cannot catch him."
A Half-Saint-level Qilin could not catch a Fish-Dragon First-Change monk. If this were spread, probably no one would believe it.
Yet, it was happening right before Zhang Ruochen's eyes.
The Earthfire Qilin chased Monk Lidi for hundreds of laps but could not catch him, exhausting itself instead.
The Earthfire Qilin stopped and glared at Zhang Ruochen.
It seemed only then did it notice that there was another human in this sea area.