Chapter 732: Seeing Through
Ouyang Huan turned to look at Zhang Ruochen, scrutinizing him for a moment before saying, "Next month, at the Realm Son Banquet, we will meet again. At that time, I will personally take back what you have taken from my sect, including Dragon Three's Divine Dragon Bone and Sparrow Nine's life."
Although his voice was calm, every word carried weight, exuding an invisible pressure.
"Thank you for your Saint Sky Seven Cloud Pill." Zhang Ruochen replied flatly.
Their exchange was extremely plain, yet it carried a tense, confrontational killing intent. If not for Shengshu Cainü's presence separating them, they might have already come to blows.
"Let's go."
Ouyang Huan clasped his hands behind his back, turned around, and walked toward the direction outside the Divine Platform City.
Shou Shu, Wu Ba, and the severely injured Snake Two and Dragon Three followed closely behind, riding on the back of a winged dragon as they flew out of this ancient city.
Immediately, thunderous cheers erupted within Divine Platform City.
"Lin Yue!"
"Senior Brother Lin Yue!"
...
Regardless, Lin Yue had indeed avenged the Eastern Domain cultivation world, consecutively defeating two top experts of the Demon Sect, and even defeating the ancient relic, Saint Heart White Snake. He was truly formidable.
Now, Lin Yue was not only a sword prodigy of the Liangyi Sect but also one of the leading figures of the younger generation in the Eastern Domain.
On a wide street within Divine Platform City, Xue Wuye stood at the center. He wore an immaculate white robe, with eyebrows as green as jade, bright eyes, and skin so fair and translucent that his features were even more delicate than a woman's. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the most handsome man under heaven.
Gazing toward the battle platform, he smiled slightly. "Even in the Central Domain, Ouyang Huan has never suffered such a loss. The Liangyi Sect truly lives up to its reputation as the foremost sect of the Eastern Domain. Besides Gai Tianjiao, they actually have such a remarkable figure."
A beautiful sword attendant stood to Xue Wuye's left, holding a jade flute. She spoke softly, "Does the Young City Lord believe Lin Yue can contend with Ouyang Huan?"
Xue Wuye's lips curled into a smirk. "Ouyang Huan became the Demon Sect's Demon Son for a reason. The Moon Worship Demon Sect's influence spans the world, hiding dragons and crouching tigers, with geniuses as numerous as clouds. Experts like Lin Yue, besides Shou Shu and Snake Two, can be found at least three more."
He added, "Shou Shu and Snake Two are only top experts of the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace, one of the Demon Sect's nine palaces. The other eight palaces also have some formidable figures."
In truth, Xue Wuye had made it quite clear. Lin Yue's current cultivation was far from matching Ouyang Huan. However, Lin Yue had significant room for growth. He was only at the seventh transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm. It was hard to imagine how powerful he would become upon reaching the eighth or ninth transformation.
"It seems Lin Yue is quite close to Miss Yanchen. Should I go and warn him?" The sword attendant's gaze was rather sharp.
"No need."
Xue Wuye laughed. "Pursuing a beauty is not about possessing her. Having others join the pursuit makes it more challenging. Whose charm will prove greater? Heh."
With that, Xue Wuye stepped gracefully onto a carriage pulled by a Blood Gold Wula, accompanied by eight sword attendants, and departed from Divine Platform City.
By defeating Snake Two and Dragon Three, Zhang Ruochen had naturally caused a massive sensation. Heirs of various sacred clans and sects from the Eastern Domain all took the initiative to invite him, hoping to befriend him.
Zhang Ruochen declined them all, accompanying Huang Yanchen back to the residence where Xuanji Sword Saint was staying.
Throughout the journey, Huang Yanchen remained silent, still extremely cold.
Yet her lips moved faintly, and she occasionally glanced at Zhang Ruochen, as if she had something to say.
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands in front of him, maintaining a distance of three feet from her—neither too close nor too far. He smiled slightly. "Miss Yanchen, do you now believe in my strength?"
"It is indeed surprising. Your skill qualifies you as a sword prodigy."
Huang Yanchen stared straight ahead, her two deep blue pupils flickering with doubt. Finally, she asked, "I am curious. The Liangyi Sect is one of the four great sword sanctuaries of the Kunlun Realm, and Zangyue Sword Saint's reputation shakes the world. The Sword Pavilion houses countless secret sword techniques. With such resources, why do you seek to learn the sword from Xuanji Sword Saint?"
As expected, even she had begun to suspect.
Zhang Ruochen remained expressionless, nodded lightly, and stopped walking. He looked at her with righteous vigor. "The path of the sword is endless. As a sword cultivator, one must integrate the strengths of various schools, learn from the sword paths of predecessors and sages, and finally fuse them together to become a sword saint."
"Senior Xuanji has become a sword saint, so naturally, there is much to learn from him. As a junior, approaching him with a devout heart to learn is only proper."
Huang Yanchen clearly scoffed at Zhang Ruochen's explanation. She knew that before coming to the Liangyi Sect, Xuanji Sword Saint had never met Lin Yue.
A sword saint would not casually borrow insights from a young Fish-Dragon Realm sword cultivator, nor would he unconditionally impart sword knowledge to him.
Moreover, even when the sword prodigy Xue Wuye visited Xuanji Sword Saint, the latter had not arranged for Huang Yanchen to meet him alone. So why arrange it for Lin Yue?
Huang Yanchen did not believe Lin Yue was more outstanding than Xue Wuye.
She felt that her master was hiding something from her. This Lin Yue likely had an extraordinary background.
Since Lin Yue refused to tell the truth, Huang Yanchen was too lazy to continue the conversation. She snorted coldly and strode straight into the residence.
Zhang Ruochen stood outside the door, watching Huang Yanchen's graceful retreating figure, and shook his head with a soft sigh.
"Why don't you tell her the truth? Having a fiancé like you, Senior Sister Yanchen is rather pitiful." Ao Xinyan stepped lightly and silently appeared behind Zhang Ruochen, a smile on her delicate face.
Zhang Ruochen had long sensed Ao Xinyan following him. He sniffed the faint fragrance in the air, turned around, and looked at her calmly. "There are things you wouldn't understand."
Just now, Ao Xinyan had only been testing Lin Yue, unsure if he was truly Zhang Ruochen.
But Zhang Ruochen seemed unwilling to hide it from her, directly acknowledging his identity, which left Ao Xinyan stunned and wide-eyed.
He really was Zhang Ruochen.
Ao Xinyan's chest rose and fell rapidly, even her full bosom trembling slightly. She was clearly overjoyed, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons.
Ao Xinyan stepped forward, wanting to further confirm Zhang Ruochen's identity. "Captain..."
Zhang Ruochen raised a hand, making a shushing gesture. "This is not the place to talk. Let's go inside."
He was now a figure in the spotlight, with countless eyes watching him in the shadows. One misstep could expose his identity, so he had to be cautious.
Zhang Ruochen took Ao Xinyan's hand and led her into the residence.
Xuanji Sword Saint had already arranged for a separate stone chamber for Zhang Ruochen to cultivate in seclusion. It was located at the center of the residence, covered by layers of formations. Even a saint would find it difficult to peer into the chamber through the void.
Clearly, Xuanji Sword Saint had considered Zhang Ruochen's situation, to prevent saints from spying on him and exposing his identity.
Entering the secluded stone chamber, Zhang Ruochen released Ao Xinyan's hand, mobilized his sacred Qi, and reverted to his original appearance. "Your cultivation has progressed quickly. You've already reached the seventh transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, which is beyond my expectations. Hmm? What's wrong with you?"
Zhang Ruochen lit a Buddha Fat Green Lamp in the chamber, its light dispelling the darkness. He then saw Ao Xinyan's expression. Her delicate, exquisite face was tinged with a blush, looking quite shy.
*Just holding her hand made her so bashful. This half-dragon princess of the Divine Dragon Clan is quite sensitive. I'll have to be more careful in the future,* Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
The light of the Buddha Fat Green Lamp was very soft.
As the Buddha Fat burned, it emitted a faint, refreshing fragrance. Zhang Ruochen smelled it and immediately felt invigorated, his mind clear and free of distracting thoughts.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's true face, Ao Xinyan finally relaxed. "After Xiao Hei, Cheng Yue Star Envoy, and I returned from the Ruins Realm battlefield, I went back to the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan and refined a drop of Dragon Emperor Blood. Naturally, my cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds."
The Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan was an ancient race with extraordinary ties to various dragon clans.
The so-called "Dragon Emperor Blood" was the blood left by a dragon emperor, considered a treasure of the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan. The sacred power contained in Dragon Emperor Blood was many times greater than the Black Tortoise Sacred Blood Zhang Ruochen had refined.
Refining a drop of Dragon Emperor Blood brought endless benefits. It not only boosted cultivation but also tempered the physical body and connected with the sacred path, making it easier for cultivators to comprehend the realm of "saint."
For Ao Xinyan, who possessed a half-dragon body, refining Dragon Emperor Blood brought even more advantages.
Zhang Ruochen said, "As expected of the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan. Your foundation is truly enviable."
"Although Dragon Emperor Blood is excellent, one must reach the Fish-Dragon Realm to withstand its power. If I were only at the Heavenly Extreme Realm, absorbing Dragon Emperor Blood would only cause my body to explode."
Ao Xinyan continued, "Actually, refining Dragon Emperor Blood is just preparation for refining Divine Dragon Blood. Only by using Dragon Emperor Blood to strengthen my body can I withstand the baptism of Divine Dragon Blood."
Zhang Ruochen was quite surprised. "Does the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan really still have Divine Dragon Blood?"
Divine Dragon Blood was, naturally, divine blood.
At the end of the Middle Ages, all the gods of the Kunlun Realm had vanished. Even if divine blood remained, it would have been preserved from a hundred thousand years ago until now.
In his previous life, as the Crown Prince of the Holy Bright Central Empire, Zhang Ruochen had heard that some powerful medieval aristocratic clans preserved a very small amount of divine blood.
However, at that time, he was too young and had not yet qualified to access the secrets of divine blood. He had only heard some legends and did not know if divine blood truly existed.
Ao Xinyan said, "I only know that the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan does possess some Divine Dragon Blood. But after a hundred thousand years of consumption, the quantity is extremely scarce."
"In the Fish-Dragon Realm, if I refine a single drop of Divine Dragon Blood, I can condense a Divine Dragon Mark within my body, comparable to experiencing a Divine Resonance once."
"If I can refine two drops of Divine Dragon Blood, I can condense two Divine Dragon Marks, comparable to experiencing Divine Resonance twice."
...
"But cultivators in the Fish-Dragon Realm find it very difficult to refine Divine Dragon Blood."