Chapter 846: The Great Calamity
The tragic deaths of the two saints from the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan sent countless people into a panic, their souls scattering in terror.
Lady Shiji’s face turned deathly pale. She had never imagined that after Xuanji Sword Saint revived, he would become so formidable—even more powerful than at his peak.
Lady Shiji shot a glance toward Feng Yinchang and Yin Xuanji, then barked coldly, “Flee!”
The half-saints of the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan and the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan immediately activated their movement techniques, fleeing into the distance. They burst out of the Ghost Spirit Valley, scattering in all directions.
Lady Shiji did not flee.
When Xuanji Sword Saint had ruthlessly slain Kongtong Saint and Zixu Saint, she knew his will was unshakable. He would not let her escape.
The more she tried to run, the faster she would die.
Instead, it was better to fight with all her strength. Perhaps there was still some hope.
Lady Shiji, who controlled the Soul-Seizing Sacred Jar, held a high position in the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan. Among the saints of the entire Kunlun Realm, she was also a formidable figure.
“Ghost King Grand Formation.”
Above Lady Shiji’s head, a massive black vortex condensed.
The Soul-Seizing Sacred Jar hovered at the center of the vortex, rotating slowly, stirring up a violent hurricane. Thousands upon thousands of ghostly shadows flew rapidly within the vortex, emitting piercing shrieks.
Among them, four Ghost King shadows were the largest, each over ten zhang tall, standing like four giants at the four directions of the vortex.
The Ghost King Grand Formation gathered the power of four Ghost Kings and millions of ghost souls. As it spun rapidly, its released energy grew increasingly fierce.
Xuanji Sword Saint stood midair, calm and composed. He glanced at Lady Shiji and said, “Five hundred years ago, Fengpo of the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan was a beauty pursued by the proud talents of the younger generation. Meeting you again five hundred years later, I find that the beauty of yesteryear has aged so much.”
Lady Shiji touched her wrinkled face, smiled, and said, “I remember that back then, you were always dueling with Jiuyou. Either you won, or he did. I thought your hearts held only the sword, yet you remembered me from that time.”
Xuanji Sword Saint and Lady Shiji were cultivators of the same era, both outstanding heroes. In their youth, with youthful passion and beautiful women, they often attended grand gatherings, so they had met several times.
One had returned from the dead; the other was nearing the end of her life.
Though they were mortal enemies facing each other, they could still reminisce about the past. Perhaps only saints could achieve such a state.
They spoke no more. Two immense saintly auras had already peaked.
Lady Shiji’s withered arms slowly pushed forward. The Soul-Seizing Sacred Jar trembled violently, mobilizing the Ghost King Grand Formation to crush down on Xuanji Sword Saint.
Xuanji Sword Saint remained where he stood, exceptionally calm.
Only when the Ghost King Grand Formation reached him did his body transform into a sword of light, unleashing an indestructible force. With a whoosh, it flew out, piercing through the formation.
Even the four Ghost Kings were instantly pierced by the sword energy, turning into four clusters of ghostly qi.
“Pfft!”
The white sword of light pierced through Lady Shiji’s saintly body.
Lady Shiji trembled all over. Her aged eyes lost all luster, and she murmured to herself, “You have… actually reached… that level…”
The next moment, a trace of blood trickled from the corner of Lady Shiji’s mouth.
She still stood motionless on the shore of the magma ocean, but all life force had vanished from her.
A gust of wind blew past, and her body scattered into grains of sand, flying away. In the end, only a skeleton remained, crashing to the ground with a thud.
Xuanji Sword Saint landed lightly on the ground, composed and unhurried. He extended a hand, and the Soul-Seizing Sacred Jar, suspended in the sky, fell into his palm.
His gaze fixed on the skeleton not far away, and he sighed softly, “Red cheeks turn to bones, white hair buried in dust. In five hundred years, how many lives have passed? How many beautiful things have vanished forever? What is the true meaning of life and death?”
After returning from the dead, Xuanji Sword Saint’s state of mind had undergone an elevation.
Before, he had always pursued the sword path, his lifelong wish to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Now, he yearned more to seek the truth of life.
His eyes turned to the half-saints fleeing in the distance. He merely shook his head gently and did not continue to attack.
Xuanji Sword Saint’s ruthless methods had intimidated all the cultivators hiding in the shadows. No one dared to covet the treasures in the magma ocean any longer, and they all retreated.
Over the next few days, Zhang Ruochen led the group in continuing to collect rocks and excavate treasures from the magma ocean. They found more armor fragments and divine bones.
By the sixth day, all the rocks and treasures from the central area of the magma ocean had been dug up. The divine blood and red earth at the bottom of the ocean had also been transported into the Scroll World.
“Twelve armor fragments, four divine bones, and a vast amount of divine blood. With just these treasures, you could establish a massive clan,” Xiao Hei said, grinning as he looked at Zhang Ruochen.
The Devouring Rabbit, the Demon Ape, and the Divine Demon Rat all had green eyes, staring fixedly at the divine blood.
Even Mu Lingxi playfully licked her lips, rubbing her chin with two jade-like fingers, and said, “He’s all alone. How can he establish a clan?”
Zhang Ruochen, however, remained quite calm. He took out a small jar of divine blood and handed it to Mu Lingxi. “Senior Sister Duanmu, everyone has worked hard recently. Distribute this divine blood among them.”
Mu Lingxi took the jar carved from the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, her heart pounding wildly.
A whole jar of divine blood—at least a hundred drops. Even a saint carrying so much divine blood would find it hard to stay calm.
The three beasts had already prepared containers. They lay in front of Mu Lingxi like three lapdogs, staring at her.
Hanxue was quite curious. Watching Zhang Ruochen’s departing figure, she said, “Why doesn’t Master distribute the divine blood himself? Why give it to Sister Mu?”
Xiao Hei chuckled meaningfully, “Soon enough, you might have to change your address. Call Sister Mu your master’s wife instead.”
Hanxue tilted her head, thinking hard. She really couldn’t understand why she should call Sister Mu her master’s wife. Wasn’t her master’s wife Sister Yanchen?
These past few days, Xuanji Sword Saint had been staying in the Scroll World, studying the green stone tablet.
Zhang Ruochen arrived not far from the green stone tablet and stopped. He simply stared at Xuanji Sword Saint without speaking.
Xuanji Sword Saint’s gaze was fixed on the green stone tablet. Without turning around, he said, “This stone tablet is indeed the stone talisman left by Qiangu Nüdi. That black cat is quite extraordinary to have seen through it as well.”
Zhang Ruochen stood straight, a look of joy appearing on his face. “So, it can truly seal the passage between the Yin and Yang realms?”
Xuanji Sword Saint nodded. “The stone tablet contains extremely powerful energy that can suppress certain rules of heaven and earth. However, as that black cat said, the tablet’s power can only seal the passage for a few years. After that, the passage will open again.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “For now, only the undead from the outer reaches of the Yin Realm are heading to the Kunlun Realm. With the Kunlun Realm’s current strength, we should be able to hold them off. But in a few years, the powerful beings from the depths of the Yin Realm will likely learn of this and invade the Kunlun Realm. By then, the calamity will be far worse.”
Xuanji Sword Saint turned to face Zhang Ruochen. “That’s why your master intends to go to the depths of the Yin Realm. I want to know what kind of place it truly is.”
“Isn’t that too risky? I’ve heard that deep in the Yin Realm, there’s a second River of Corpses. It’s dozens of times more dangerous than the outer reaches,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Precisely for that reason, I must go. In a few years, when the stone tablet loses its effect, the Kunlun Realm will be completely exposed, becoming a place the undead of the Yin Realm can invade at any time.”
Xuanji Sword Saint’s eyes held a steady, resolute determination. He continued, “If possible, I would very much like to take Hanxue with me.”
Zhang Ruochen immediately understood Xuanji Sword Saint’s intention. “Master wants to search for Qiangu Nüdi?”
Xuanji Sword Saint nodded, then shook his head. “It’s been a hundred thousand years. Even Qiangu Nüdi has likely fallen in the depths of the Yin Realm. But she must have left behind a legacy. If Hanxue can obtain it, she can grow quickly.”
“In that moment when I came back to life, I seemed to see a vision—the entire Kunlun Realm destroyed, the sky turning blood-red, the earth shattering into fragments, all living beings dead. I think perhaps the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was trying to tell me something, or maybe it was the future of the Kunlun Realm.”
“So, all of us must do our utmost to prevent that day from coming.”
Zhang Ruochen’s hair stood on end, and he drew in a cold breath. “Is the Great Calamity about to arrive?”
In the history of the Kunlun Realm, many Great Calamities had occurred, each one ending an era.
Among them, the Great Calamity of the Medieval Period was the most terrifying. Even the gods had all fallen. The rules of heaven and earth had been thrown into chaos, and even now, no one could become a god.
Xuanji Sword Saint said, “Perhaps, or perhaps not. But we must prepare for the worst; otherwise, we will surely be caught off guard.”
Zhang Ruochen was silent for a long time. “In that case, I’ll go tell Hanxue. If she agrees, let her accompany Master to the depths of the Yin Realm.”
…
An hour later, Zhang Ruochen, Hanxue, and Xuanji Sword Saint appeared at the entrance of the Ghost Spirit Valley.
Hanxue carried the Void Sword on her back. She stood gracefully beside Xuanji Sword Saint, her clear eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen across from her. Her expression was one of near-tears. “Master, I will work hard to learn swordsmanship from Master’s master. Though the depths of the Yin Realm are dangerous, I am not afraid.”