Chapter 871: Divine Fate
Taking the palm strike, the Northern Wolf King’s body arched backward, then flew out like a cannonball, crashing heavily into the hard altar platform.
“Boom.”
The altar platform, which had remained undamaged even through the wars of eight hundred years ago, collapsed inward under the Northern Wolf King’s impact. Massive stone blocks tumbled down, burying his body.
Zhang Ruochen stood on the ground, his long black hair fluttering in the wind. His gaze was calm as still water. Raising his arm, he looked at the Purifying Divine Flame in his palm and murmured to himself, “With the divine flame attached to my body, my strength has indeed increased severalfold.”
Purifying Divine Flame, as its name suggested, was a flame that only gods could control. It did not belong to the mortal world but came from the ethereal and elusive God Realm.
Of course, the power of Purifying Divine Flame was also unpredictable and profound, representing not only destruction but also other attributes.
At this moment, the Purifying Divine Flame was tempering Zhang Ruochen’s body, entering his five viscera and six bowels, his bones, tendons, and meridians. At the same time, it released a massive amount of energy.
It was precisely this energy that allowed Zhang Ruochen to unleash combat power several times beyond his cultivation level, using his Fish-Dragon Ninth Transformation cultivation to defeat the Fifth-Order Half-Saint Northern Wolf King.
“The process of tempering my body with Purifying Divine Flame is also when I am closest to the Sacred Dao Rules. I should take this opportunity to comprehend the rules,” Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
The Sacred Dao Rules that Zhang Ruochen had comprehended were already close to a hundred, accumulated deeply. If he could comprehend the rules tonight, he might have the chance to break through to the Half-Saint realm in one go.
Closing his eyes, Zhang Ruochen began to deeply perceive the Sacred Dao, exploring the true meaning of power.
“Boom!”
The Northern Wolf King burst out from inside the altar platform, his face covered in dust and a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. He lowered his head to look at his chest.
There, twelve layers of golden armor had melted down to ten, leaving a palm-shaped hole.
“It really is Purifying Divine Flame.”
Although Purifying Divine Flame was formidable, Zhang Ruochen could not fully control it. Moreover, the flame’s intensity was weak, so the power it could unleash was quite limited.
Thus, the Northern Wolf King was not afraid of the Purifying Divine Flame. What truly made him wary was Zhang Ruochen’s terrifying speed. A Fish-Dragon realm cultivator moving faster than him was simply too heaven-defying.
“Sacred Soul Domain.”
The Northern Wolf King released his Sacred Soul Domain, expanding it outward into a golden sphere a hundred zhang in diameter, enveloping Zhang Ruochen inside.
Having reached the Fifth-Order Half-Saint realm, his Sacred Soul could mobilize the world’s spiritual energy within a radius of nine hundred li.
The world’s spiritual energy converged endlessly, rushing into the golden sphere, intensifying the pressure within.
Half of Zhang Ruochen’s spiritual will was focused on comprehending the rules, while the other half remained capable of thought.
By manifesting his Sacred Soul Domain, the Northern Wolf King indeed put immense pressure on Zhang Ruochen. Even though Zhang Ruochen released his Space Domain, his speed was still significantly reduced.
“As expected of the Heir of Time and Space, standing within a Fifth-Order Half-Saint’s Sacred Soul Domain and still remaining calm and composed,” the Northern Wolf King said.
“Northern Wolf King, with your cultivation, you cannot kill me, but my cultivation is about to break through. If I were you, I would retreat immediately,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“I have weathered countless storms to reach my current cultivation and rank. Do you think a single word from you could scare me off? Even if you break through to Fish-Dragon Tenth Transformation, you would still be far from a Fifth-Order Half-Saint. And you haven’t even broken through yet.”
“With the Purifying Divine Flame empowering me, I only need to reach Fish-Dragon Tenth Transformation to slay you.”
The Northern Wolf King showed no fear, sneering, “If you truly reach Fish-Dragon Tenth Transformation, the Purifying Divine Flame will fade. Without the divine flame’s empowerment, dealing with you will be no trouble for me.”
For the Northern Wolf King, killing a Heir of Time and Space who was on the verge of breaking through to Fish-Dragon Tenth Transformation would not only earn him abundant military merit but also make his name known throughout the world, leaving a mark in history.
Thus, even if it meant risking his life, he was determined to annihilate Zhang Ruochen.
Standing at the center of the golden sphere, the Northern Wolf King spread his arms, exhaling and inhaling Saint Qi, causing the golden sphere to spin rapidly.
The stones and broken walls on the ground, pulled by a suction force, flew up and revolved around the sphere.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit led Li Min far away; otherwise, a single burst of Saint Qi from the Northern Wolf King could crush her to death.
Li Min looked at the golden orb at the center of the ancient city and said, “Zhang Ruochen hasn’t even broken through to the Half-Saint realm yet, and he dares to fight the Northern Wolf King. He’s probably doomed.”
“Nonsense. Lord Chen has many tricks up his sleeve. Even if he can’t defeat the Northern Wolf King, he can definitely retreat,” the Devouring Elephant Rabbit said.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit was also quite tense, its blood-red eyes fixed on the distant battlefield. Although it had great confidence in Zhang Ruochen, the Northern Wolf King was indeed too powerful, emitting an intimidating aura.
At the center of the golden sphere, the Northern Wolf King once again raised his Half-Moon Saint Blade, pouring Saint Qi into the blade, making it shine like a bright moon as it slashed downward.
On the ground, a black sword appeared in Zhang Ruochen’s hand. He traced a large circle, condensing a black-and-white Taiji Diagram Seal.
“Sword Two.”
The sword tip pointed upward, and he slashed fiercely.
“Boom.”
The blade and sword clashed, creating a earth-shaking energy wave that shattered all the floating stones and broken walls into dust.
“Nine Stars Surrounding the Moon.”
Immediately after, Zhang Ruochen struck again, unleashing the Ghost-level top-grade Nine Stars Surrounding the Moon sword technique, taking the initiative to attack the Northern Wolf King.
“Life-Sealing Strike.”
The Northern Wolf King swung his blade in response, clashing with Zhang Ruochen once more.
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen silently chanted in his mind, “Sword Qi Clone.”
The Abyssal Ancient Sword he thrust forward suddenly split into two.
One sword shadow clashed with the Half-Moon Saint Blade, while the other struck the Northern Wolf King’s chest, piercing through the last two layers of golden armor.
“Pfft.”
Blood splattered from the broken armor.
The Northern Wolf King retreated rapidly, pressing his hand to his chest, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen. He no longer dared to underestimate him in the slightest.
This Zhang Ruochen was truly a prodigy. Not only did he possess the Time and Space Divine Martial Mark, but he had also cultivated the Sword Dao to such an exquisite and unparalleled level.
The Purifying Divine Flame began to flicker violently, tempering Zhang Ruochen’s flesh until it became crystal clear, like a ruby.
That was... a sign of the impending breakthrough to Fish-Dragon Tenth Transformation.
“Don’t think you can reach that legendary realm. Die!”
The Northern Wolf King stomped on the ground, erupting with lightning speed, activating all the inscriptions in the Half-Moon Saint Blade as he slashed forward.
From another direction, the Myriad Phenomena King sent Xiao Hei flying with a punch, then raised his bronze long spear, coordinating with the Northern Wolf King to strike at Zhang Ruochen’s back.
Just then, a loud explosion rang out from within Zhang Ruochen’s body, as if he had broken through some critical threshold.
Immediately after, the world’s spiritual energy in the surrounding area began to boil violently.
At the center of Zhang Ruochen’s Qi Sea, a small flame of Purifying Divine Fire hovered there, like a figure sitting cross-legged amidst a sea of clouds.
Zhang Ruochen had finally reached Fish-Dragon Tenth Transformation, condensing the “Divine Fate.”
“Whoosh—”
His eyes snapped open, emitting a dazzling light.
A flash of sword light, and the Abyssal Ancient Sword thrust forward, its tip clashing with the edge of the Half-Moon Saint Blade.
Then, Zhang Ruochen twisted his wrist, sending strands of Purifying Divine Flame from his palm surging toward the sword tip.
“Crack!”
Cracks appeared on the surface of the Half-Moon Saint Blade, followed by an explosion as it shattered into pieces.
All those fragments were absorbed by the Abyssal Ancient Sword, becoming part of the blade.
The sword light continued forward with an unstoppable momentum, and with a “pfft,” it pierced through the Northern Wolf King’s body.
The Northern Wolf King’s pupils dilated rapidly as the life force within him drained away quickly. He muttered a final phrase, “...Impossible...”
Zhang Ruochen swiftly withdrew his sword, sensing the danger approaching from behind. He immediately shifted his body horizontally to the right.
At the same time, the Myriad Phenomena King’s spear thrust through Zhang Ruochen’s afterimage, striking the Northern Wolf King’s forehead and shattering his skull.
The Myriad Phenomena King immediately stopped, glanced at the Northern Wolf King’s corpse, paused for a moment, then snorted coldly, “Cunning brat.”
In that moment of the Myriad Phenomena King’s hesitation, Zhang Ruochen, relying on his supreme speed, appeared diagonally above the Myriad Phenomena King’s head and slashed down with the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
“Myriad Phenomena Infinite.”
The Myriad Phenomena King retracted his senses, twisted his wrist, raised the bronze long spear horizontally, and blocked upward.
His burly body surged with rolling black Saint Qi, condensing into massive elephant phantoms that surrounded the bronze long spear, forming a formation like stars surrounding the moon.
“Boom!”
The Abyssal Ancient Sword clashed with the bronze long spear. Immediately after, the elephant phantoms from all directions surged upward, forming an overwhelming force that sent Zhang Ruochen flying backward.
Zhang Ruochen, holding his sword, landed lightly like a falling leaf on top of the damaged altar platform, unharmed.
The Myriad Phenomena King grabbed the bronze long spear and pointed it at Zhang Ruochen, letting out a cold snort, “Zhang Ruochen, I am not the Northern Wolf King. You are still far from my level.”
“Is that so?”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze fixed on the bronze long spear.
The Myriad Phenomena King also looked at the spear, noticing a shallow crack at its center. Although this crack was not enough to destroy the spear, it had broken several inscriptions inside.
He knew that the inscriptions in a sacred artifact were interdependent, with complex and subtle connections. Even a single broken inscription could greatly reduce the artifact’s power.
“What a formidable sword. Could it be Xuanji Sword Saint’s Sky-Soaring Sword?” The Myriad Phenomena King gasped, making this guess in his mind.
After all, his Thunder God Halberd Spear was also a formidable sacred artifact. Aside from a Thousand-Mark Sacred Artifact, what other weapon could damage it?
Thus, the Myriad Phenomena King immediately thought of the Sky-Soaring Sword.
Although the Abyssal Ancient Sword was also quite powerful and made of special materials, it was not as famous as the Sky-Soaring Sword. (To be continued.)