Chapter 827: Shuntian Half-Saint
After leaving the stone forest, Zhang Ruochen collected all the dead blood insects, including the blood insect king, into the Scroll World and handed them to the severely injured Devouring Rabbit. If these blood insects were fully refined, they would surely allow its cultivation to rise significantly, giving it a chance to break through to the second-order Half-Saint.
Zhang Ruochen and Shi Ren did not stray far from the stone forest but instead concealed themselves at its edge. Around them, eight talismans floated, forming a concealment formation.
Standing within the formation, Zhang Ruochen gazed into the distance at Yin Xuanji, who was riding atop the dragon corpse, and drew a sharp breath. "Such powerful corpse energy. If that dragon corpse were still alive, it would likely be close to the Saint Realm. Even as a battle corpse, its offensive power must be astonishing. The Death Zen teachings of the Death Zen Sect share some similarities with the Corpse-Driving Secret Art."
Shi Ren said, "The Death Zen teachings actually evolved from the Corpse-Driving Secret Art, incorporating formations and Buddhist doctrines. Compared to the Corpse-Driving Secret Art, the Death Zen teachings have both advantages and disadvantages. It is said that battle corpses refined by the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon on their own, enhancing their cultivation. However, battle corpses refined by the Death Zen Sect must undergo repeated refinement; each refinement only increases their power by one step."
Yin Xuanji and the dragon corpse had already disappeared into the thick ghostly mist. Zhang Ruochen turned to Shi Ren and asked, "You entered the Ghost Spirit Valley first. Did you discover anything?"
Shi Ren stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Before I answer your question, may I ask you one first?"
"Go ahead," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Have you already defected to the Moon Worship Demon Sect?" Shi Ren asked.
Zhang Ruochen clearly had not expected Shi Ren to ask such a question. This showed that Shi Ren harbored doubts about him and did not fully trust him. After all, Zhang Ruochen had been seen with the Demon Sect's Holy Maiden and the rat, which would naturally raise such suspicions.
"If I said I have nothing to do with the Moon Worship Demon Sect, would you believe me?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Shi Ren said, "I believe that a disciple of Xuanji Sword Saint would not tell such a low-level lie."
"Have you met him, the elder?" Zhang Ruochen's expression shifted.
Shi Ren nodded. "Xuanji Sword Saint has some ties with my clan. If you obtain the Skyward Sword and inherit his legacy, you will naturally understand my meaning in the future. Come, I will take you to a place."
Shi Ren waved his sleeve, withdrawing the eight talismans, and then walked ahead.
Zhang Ruochen stared at Shi Ren thoughtfully.
Within the Ghost Spirit Valley, there was not only a powerful force pressing down on cultivators but also some dangerous ghost formations. The stone forest they had just passed through was a maze formation; any cultivator below the Half-Saint realm who entered would meet certain death.
As they ventured deeper into the Ghost Spirit Valley, the pressure above their heads grew stronger. Even with Zhang Ruochen and Shi Ren's physical strength, they had to circulate their Saint Qi to withstand it.
The ground was covered with dense white bones, both human and beast. Countless living beings had died in the Ghost Spirit Valley.
Shi Ren was already familiar with this area, leading Zhang Ruochen through it to the edge of a black cliff. Zhang Ruochen looked down; below, it was pitch black, with ghostly mist churning, the bottom invisible.
Zhang Ruochen crouched down, touching the stone of the cliff with his fingers, and said in surprise, "Such powerful sword intent. This cliff must have been carved out by a single sword strike from some supreme being. Could it be... the ancient battlefield left behind from the battle between the Thousand Bone Empress and the gods?"
Shi Ren cautiously scanned the surroundings. "I think so too. The invisible pressure here reaches a new peak. Only a battlefield of gods would still exert such immense pressure on people ten thousand years later. The force pressing down on us is likely the residual divine might from ten thousand years ago. The closer we get to the divine corpse, the stronger that divine might becomes."
"Have you been down there?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"No."
Shi Ren shook his head and admitted, "Even at the cliff's edge, the pressure has a huge effect on me. If I jumped down, with my cultivation, I probably wouldn't be able to climb back up."
"We should indeed be cautious," Zhang Ruochen said.
He released Han Xue, Xiao Hei, Mu Lingxi, and the Divine Demon Mouse from the Scroll World, and they all appeared at the cliff's edge.
Xiao Hei paced along the cliff's edge with his hands behind his back, his eyes darting around. After a long moment, he said confidently, "This place indeed retains the power of gods. No need to wait any longer; let's go down now. The divine corpse must be at the bottom of the cliff."
Zhang Ruochen, however, was more cautious and did not make an immediate decision. Instead, he looked at Han Xue and asked, "What do you think?"
The lives of everyone were in his hands, and he could not afford any mistakes.
Han Xue held the Void Sword, communicating with its spirit, then nodded to Zhang Ruochen. "The direction the sword spirit points is also down the cliff."
When Mu Lingxi and the Divine Demon Mouse appeared, Shi Ren stepped back, adopting a wary posture. Although he trusted Zhang Ruochen, he did not trust the demonic cultivators of the Moon Worship Demon Sect.
Suddenly, Shi Ren glanced behind him and warned, "Zhang Ruochen, experts from the Undying Blood Clan are approaching."
Zhang Ruochen turned and looked in that direction.
Led by Feng Han, six Half-Saints of the Undying Blood Clan, like six clouds of blood, arrived at the cliff's edge in an instant.
In the past few days since entering the Ghost Spirit Valley, the Undying Blood Clan had suffered heavy losses. More than ten Half-Saints who entered together had either gone missing or died, leaving only these six alive.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, Feng Han's eyes turned cold. "Junior Brother, I didn't expect you to arrive before me."
"What a narrow path for enemies," Zhang Ruochen said.
He had no goodwill toward Feng Han. He immediately took out the Abyssal Ancient Sword, gripping it in his right hand, and a sword domain spread out, ready to fight to the death with Feng Han.
At the same time, Xiao Hei, Han Xue, Mu Lingxi, the Divine Demon Mouse, and Shi Ren all entered a combat state.
Shuntian Half-Saint stepped out from behind Feng Han and sneered coldly. "A bunch of juniors dare to act recklessly in front of the Sixth Prince? Do you believe this old man alone can annihilate you all?"
An extremely powerful blood fiend aura surged from Shuntian Half-Saint's mouth, rushing toward the cliff like a great river. Each word was like thunder, making everyone present's eardrums ache.
Based on Zhang Ruochen's judgment, Shuntian Half-Saint's cultivation was definitely above the fifth-order Half-Saint. Even if all of them combined, they would have no chance of winning.
This was the strongest among Feng Han's group, renowned even within the Undying Blood Clan.
Just as Shuntian Half-Saint's power erupted, Zhang Ruochen keenly noticed that the space at the cliff's edge began to develop fine cracks.
"It must be from the great battle in the Middle Ages that shattered the space here. Even after ten thousand years of repair, it remains extremely fragile, unable to withstand too much power."
The power of gods could shatter space. As a result, the space here was very fragile. Comparing external space to a block of iron, the space here was like a piece of paper; even a Half-Saint-level battle could tear it apart. Cultivators above the fourth-order Half-Saint could cause space to crack just by releasing their aura.
Zhang Ruochen thought of a strategy. He deliberately showed fear and shouted, "Everyone, retreat quickly! This person's cultivation is beyond our ability to contend!"
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's terrified expression, Feng Han's recent frustrations vanished, and he chuckled lightly. "Junior Brother, now you understand the taste of despair, don't you? How about jumping down the cliff first to scout the way for us?"
Another Undying Blood Clan Half-Saint sneered mockingly. "That's right. You have no chance; you're doomed today. Zhang Ruochen, if you jump down the cliff to test the dangers for our Undying Blood Clan, even if you die, we'll take care of the others and won't kill them all. Especially that big beauty and the little beauty."
The other Undying Blood Clan Half-Saints also burst into laughter, their eyes lecherously fixed on Mu Lingxi and Han Xue.
Mu Lingxi, disgusted by the looks from those Undying Blood Clan Half-Saints, wanted to gouge out their eyes. But Shuntian Half-Saint's cultivation was too formidable; even the force of his aura had injured her internally, making her meridians feel like they were about to split.
Shuntian Half-Saint advanced step by step, forcing Zhang Ruochen and the others to the edge of the cliff. However, aside from Zhang Ruochen, no one noticed the increasing number of cracks in the space at the cliff's edge.
Mu Lingxi moved to Zhang Ruochen's side, lifting her beautiful eyes to gaze at him affectionately. "Let's jump together. Even if we die, dying with you would leave me with no regrets in this life."
As she spoke, she extended her soft, boneless hand and clasped it with Zhang Ruochen's, her eyes filled with determination.
"Want to die together? It won't be that easy."
Shuntian Half-Saint sneered, leaped into the air, and extended his arm. Five beams of lightning radiated from his fingers as he reached for Mu Lingxi.
"Boom!"
Struck by Shuntian Half-Saint's power, the space at the cliff's edge finally shattered, forming dozens of massive spatial rifts. Inside the rifts, a powerful devouring force emerged, creating dozens of enormous whirlpools that pulled in all surrounding matter and energy.