Chapter 612: Ice Demon
Zhang Ruochen was certain that the opponent was no Half-Saint.
Although the black-robed man was powerful, he was not so overwhelmingly strong as to make Zhang Ruochen feel hopeless. He was likely a forty-fourth-order Spiritual Power Master as well. However, the opponent's mastery of Spiritual Power far surpassed Zhang Ruochen's.
This person should be the master of Lone Shadow Peak, Ice Demon.
After all, Spiritual Power Masters who could cultivate their Spiritual Power to the forty-fourth order were already rare, and the fact that he could control the power of ice made it even more certain. Aside from Ice Demon, Zhang Ruochen could not think of anyone else.
He had not expected to encounter this notorious evil cultivator so soon.
Ice Demon was over a hundred years old and held a very high seniority in the evil path. As early as thirty years ago, his Spiritual Power had already reached the forty-fourth order.
Based on the aura emanating from him, Zhang Ruochen could determine that even if his Spiritual Power intensity had not reached the peak of the forty-fourth order, it was at least at the high stage of the forty-fourth order.
Zhang Ruochen had only just stepped into the forty-fourth order, and his Spiritual Power intensity was nowhere near comparable.
"This old demon's strength is far greater than what Red Desire Star Envoy estimated," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Only another forty-fourth-order Spiritual Power Master could perceive Ice Demon's terror.
Ice Demon seemed somewhat impatient and said coldly, "Have you considered it? My patience is quite limited."
Although the opponent was strong, Zhang Ruochen remained unfazed and said, "Ice Demon, if you tell me where the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect is, I will let him go."
"Since you know my name and still dare to bargain, hmph, young people these days are truly something."
Ice Demon immediately activated his Heavenly Eye, transforming it into a beam of light that shot toward Zhang Ruochen, trying to see through the mask and reveal his true face.
Ice Demon's Spiritual Power intensity far exceeded Zhang Ruochen's, and with his Heavenly Eye activated, he would surely see through Zhang Ruochen's disguise.
Unable to sit idly by, Zhang Ruochen's eyes turned cold, and he immediately channeled lightning, thrusting forward.
A purple electric blade pierced through the Snowman Warrior's brow, shattering his Qi Sea and leaving a bloody hole.
"Uncle Master, save... save me..."
Blood gushed from the Snowman Warrior's brow as he let out a miserable cry, his body tilting and falling from the back of the griffin.
Having killed the Snowman Warrior, Zhang Ruochen immediately executed the Thunderbolt Art and fled into the distance.
Ice Demon had not expected the other party to strike so suddenly. He was momentarily stunned, then let out a thunderous roar: "Where do you think you're going?"
"Cold Blade Like Rain."
Ice Demon gripped a withered wooden staff, channeling the vast Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, condensing it into a cloud of cold mist, and swung it in the direction Zhang Ruochen had fled.
The cold mist coalesced into the form of thousands of troops, emitting a howling sound, with countless blades darting among them. In an instant, it caught up to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen felt a crushing wave of cold air pressing down on him, nearly freezing all the blood in his body.
"Earth-Destroying Electric Sea."
Zhang Ruochen spun around, raising the Thunder Pearl.
Instantly, centered on the Thunder Pearl, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi transformed into lightning, converging into an electric sea that surged forward.
Even from five hundred miles away, one could see a clash of thunderclouds and cold mist in the sky, unleashing a earth-shattering spectacle.
Thunder roared.
Cold wind howled.
The barbarian beasts in the Fallen God Mountain Range were all terrified, crouching low to the ground.
"Shush, shush."
On the ground, the evil cultivators of the Black Market all rushed out, some standing on treetops, some on cliffs, some on rocks, all gazing at the strange scene in the sky.
The duel between two forty-fourth-order Spiritual Power Masters, both mobilizing the power of heaven and earth, caused devastating destruction, making even Fish-Dragon Realm evil martial artists break out in cold sweat.
"Besides Lord Ice Demon, another Spiritual Power Master has appeared. Who is this?"
"Whoever it is, daring to fight Lord Ice Demon means certain death."
...
After just one clash, Zhang Ruochen's body was sealed in ice, plummeting straight down.
Falling from a height of several thousand meters, even a Fish-Dragon Third Transformation cultivator who had cultivated Golden Skin and Jade Bones would likely be severely injured.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was a hundred meters from the ground, a "crack" sounded. A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, shattering the ice.
Zhang Ruochen burst out of the ice, his body wrapped in purple lightning, turning into a streak of electric light as he flew into the sky.
"Oh!"
Ice Demon was very surprised, not expecting the opponent to break free from the ice. It was truly incredible.
"To withstand 'Cold Blade Like Rain,' this child must be a forty-fourth-order Spiritual Power Master. Could he be... the Great Protector appointed by Red Desire Star Envoy?"
Arriving at Qingyun Commandery, Ice Demon's greatest mission was to kill Red Desire Star Envoy's Great Protector, Zhang Shengming.
Since the lightning-type Spiritual Power Master was likely Zhang Shengming, Ice Demon had to pursue and kill him no matter what.
Ice Demon roared, "The Great Protector of Red Willow Villa has appeared! Everyone, move out immediately and surround and kill him!"
His voice, transmitted through Spiritual Power, reached the ears of all the evil cultivators hidden nearby.
In the dark, rugged mountains, sounds of breaking wind immediately arose. Countless evil cultivators all chased in the direction Zhang Ruochen had fled.
Ice Demon used a speed-enhancing spell to pursue Zhang Ruochen first.
"The Black Market has gathered so many experts. It seems Senior Sister Duanmu must be hiding nearby."
Seeing Ice Demon getting closer, Zhang Ruochen took out the treasure given to him by Third Senior Brother, the Meteor Invisibility Cloak, and put it on.
In an instant, Zhang Ruochen's figure completely disappeared, concealed from sight.
Ice Demon chased to where Zhang Ruochen had been and snorted coldly, "Even if you have a concealment technique, you cannot escape my Heavenly Eye."
"Open!"
Ice Demon stood in midair, opening his Heavenly Eye. A green vertical eye appeared on his brow, emitting a three-foot-long beam of light.
After scanning around, Ice Demon found nothing and let out a soft "oh," becoming cautious. He muttered to himself, "How is this possible? Could his Spiritual Power intensity be higher than mine? No, if he had such strong Spiritual Power, why would he flee?"
The Meteor Invisibility Cloak was a supreme treasure. Even a forty-fourth-order Spiritual Power Master, if Zhang Ruochen stood still, did not touch anything, and did not use true qi or Spiritual Power, would find it very difficult to detect his aura, let alone a Saint.
Wearing the Meteor Invisibility Cloak, Zhang Ruochen had silently landed on the ground.
Although Ice Demon's Spiritual Power was strong, Zhang Ruochen still had a chance to assassinate him if he was careful.
Zhang Ruochen was about to approach when suddenly, another powerful energy fluctuation came from afar. A blue-robed woman carrying a sword appeared, her figure flickering, landing on the top of an ancient maple tree not far from Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen immediately stopped, frowning slightly. "Why has Blue Star Envoy also come?"
Orange Moon Star Envoy had once told Zhang Ruochen that among the seven Star Envoys, Blue Star Envoy's talent ranked in the top three. She possessed the "Azure Cloud Saint Body," and if possible, it was best not to provoke her.
If it were just Ice Demon or Blue Star Envoy alone, Zhang Ruochen had over a seventy percent chance of assassinating them.
But with the two of them together, it became quite troublesome. If Zhang Ruochen acted now, it would inevitably lead to a fierce battle, delaying the rescue.
Worried about Mu Lingxi's safety, Zhang Ruochen did not act immediately. He stood still, observing Blue Star Envoy and Ice Demon.
Blue Star Envoy asked, "Can't find him?"
Ice Demon stood in midair, retracting his Heavenly Eye, and shook his head. "He must have used a Sacred Edict to escape this area."
"How strange. Why would the Great Protector appointed by Red Desire Star Envoy risk coming to save the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect?" Blue Star Envoy said, puzzled.
"There's nothing strange about it. Perhaps Red Desire Star Envoy has already allied with the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect," Ice Demon said, confident in his experience, as if nothing could escape him.
Blue Star Envoy snorted coldly. "Although the succession struggle within the Black Market is brutal, it absolutely does not allow interference from hostile forces. If Red Desire Star Envoy truly dares to ally with the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect, the Council of Elders will deal with her."
"As long as we don't catch her in the act, the Council of Elders can't do anything to her," Ice Demon said with a smile. "Blue Star Envoy, I think we should continue capturing the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect. Once we catch her, we can not only negotiate with the Demon Sect but also find evidence of Red Desire Star Envoy colluding with the Demon Sect. We can overthrow her without shedding a drop of blood. It's killing two birds with one stone."
After Ice Demon and Blue Star Envoy left, Zhang Ruochen immediately used his movement technique and dashed into the dense forest.
"The evil martial artists of the Black Market have sealed off an area of three thousand miles. It seems Senior Sister Duanmu is in this area. I must find her before the evil martial artists do."
With Ice Demon nearby, Zhang Ruochen dared not recklessly use his Spiritual Power to probe, lest he attract Ice Demon again.
A forest of three thousand miles—it was not large, and with Zhang Ruochen's current speed, he could cross it in two hours.
But it was also vast, covering an area as large as a lower-level commandery. Without using Spiritual Power, even if he spent ten or eight years, he might not find a single person.
Since Mu Lingxi was injured, she would definitely hide herself. Finding her would rely entirely on luck.
Although Zhang Ruochen could not use Spiritual Power, his martial arts cultivation gave him extraordinary vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste—his five senses far surpassing ordinary people by countless times.
Thus, his search speed was still not slow.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's ears twitched, hearing the sound of two hurried footsteps fifty miles away.
"Shush!"
Zhang Ruochen executed a Space Displacement, vanishing from his spot.
After several displacements, Zhang Ruochen landed on a high ground halfway up a mountain, finally seeing the owners of the two footsteps.
...
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