Chapter 880: The Young Hall Master
"Boom!" Dozens of bolts of lightning struck down simultaneously, forming a vast, dazzling cluster of light that crashed down upon Huo Yin's Saint Soul Domain, causing the domain to rapidly contract inward.
Currently, Xiao Hei's strength was already formidable, not inferior to Huo Yin's. By employing the Sevenfold Divine Thunder Formation, his offensive power naturally became even more extraordinary.
Huo Yin was indeed remarkable, managing to hold out for nearly the time it takes to burn an incense stick before his Saint Soul Domain completely shattered.
"Bang!"
The flame pearl suspended above his head dimmed and cracked with numerous lines, shattering into broken crystals.
Seven bolts of lightning struck him simultaneously, blasting his head, back, abdomen, and legs into a bloody mess, eliciting a low, miserable cry from his mouth.
Immediately after, Huo Yin's entire body emitted black smoke as he fell from midair.
A Half-Saint's body was extremely resilient. Even falling from a height of a thousand meters to the ground left him completely unharmed, not killed by the impact.
However, Huo Yin's body did smash a deep, concave pit into the ground. The pit was filled with dense electric patterns, crackling with a hissing sound, turning the soil black and scorched.
Zhang Ruochen used his spiritual power to channel the lightning, wrapping it around his body as he flew down to the ground. He walked to the edge of the pit and glanced at Huo Yin.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, Huo Yin's eyes revealed a look of terror, and his body trembled slightly.
Even a Half-Saint feels fear in the face of death.
Xiao Hei chuckled darkly, extending two sharp claws as he walked toward Huo Yin. "With just you, you dared to set your sights on us? Isn't that overestimating yourself?"
"Xiao Hei."
Zhang Ruochen called out to Xiao Hei, gently shaking his head. "He was only following orders. His crime doesn't warrant death. Let him go."
Xiao Hei was slightly surprised, genuinely curious as to when Zhang Ruochen had started sparing those who tried to kill him.
The Bright Hall, whether surnamed Kong or Zhang, still included many who were once remnants of the Sacred Bright Central Empire.
Unless absolutely necessary, Zhang Ruochen truly didn't want to kill them.
Huo Yin was also taken aback, never expecting Zhang Ruochen to let him off so easily. After all, when Zhang Ruochen had slain the kings of the Ministry of War, he hadn't shown any mercy.
Originally, Huo Yin had been prepared to use a secret technique to self-destruct his Qi Sea and take Zhang Ruochen down with him. Now, he could temporarily endure and hold back.
If he could survive, who would choose death?
Zhang Ruochen's gaze shifted to Xiao Hei and Li Min. "Since Huo Yin could find us, the people from the Bright Hall will likely arrive soon. We must leave immediately."
After Zhang Ruochen, Xiao Hei, and Li Min departed, not long after, two peacocks flew out from the clouds.
Their bodies were enormous, spanning tens of miles in the sky. Their feathers radiated six-colored and five-colored light, like two dazzling sacred clouds, casting two massive shadows on the ground that covered the mountains.
The two peacocks exuded an immensely powerful aura, terrifying the beasts on the ground into prostrating themselves.
Then, the two peacocks rapidly descended, their bodies shrinking until they transformed into two human figures, appearing beside Huo Yin.
The two figures were a young man in a blue brocade robe and a gaunt old man.
The young man was none other than the Young Hall Master of the Bright Hall, Kong Hongbi.
Kong Hongbi appeared very young and handsome, with skin as fair as a woman's. On his back grew a pair of six-colored wings. Even standing casually, he exuded a commanding presence.
Huo Yin endured his injuries, struggling to climb out of the pit, and bowed with clasped hands. "Greetings, Young Hall Master."
Kong Hongbi lightly touched the thumb ring on his finger with his hand and said coldly, "Where is Zhang Ruochen?"
Huo Yin's face showed a pained expression. He immediately knelt on one knee, pressing his ten fingers into the ground and lowering his head completely. "Your subordinate failed to capture him. Please punish me, Young Hall Master."
The fact that he could intimidate a Half-Saint into kneeling on one knee showed that this Young Hall Master of the Bright Hall was an extremely imposing figure.
Kong Hongbi's brows furrowed, and a sharp glint appeared in his eyes. "Zhang Ruochen was already severely injured, and you still couldn't take him down?"
Huo Yin was terrified inside and immediately recounted everything that had happened to Kong Hongbi.
Kong Hongbi let out a mocking laugh, clearly finding it quite absurd. "So, you're saying that a dignified Sacred General of the Bright Hall was severely injured by a beast Zhang Ruochen keeps?"
Feeling Kong Hongbi's anger, Huo Yin trembled all over, sweat constantly beading on his forehead.
The old man interceded for Huo Yin. "Earlier, when Zhang Ruochen fought the kings of the Ministry of War, I saw the cat Zhang Ruochen keeps. It indeed didn't seem ordinary. Its burst of speed was no less than Jian Kongzi's. Huo Yin's failure is understandable."
The expression in Kong Hongbi's eyes shifted repeatedly before he finally suppressed his anger. "Fine. Since the Bright Hall is in need of talent right now, I won't hold this against you."
Huo Yin let out a long sigh of relief and shot a grateful look at the old man beside Kong Hongbi.
The old man merely nodded at him without saying a word.
Kong Hongbi clasped his hands behind his back, gazing into the sky. "Once Zhang Ruochen escapes, finding him again will be as difficult as reaching the heavens."
The gaunt old man said, "News has just arrived. Powerful figures from the Undying Blood Clan have appeared en masse within Yuan Mansion's territory. I wonder what's happening."
"The Undying Blood Clan? Haven't they always been active in the Northern Domain? How dare they come to the Central Domain? Could it be..."
Kong Hongbi narrowed his eyes. "Could they be after the Nether King Sword Tomb? I've heard that an ancestor of the Undying Blood Clan is imprisoned there."
As the Young Hall Master of the Bright Hall, Kong Hongbi naturally knew many secrets and had heard legends about the "Nether King."
After a moment of contemplation, Kong Hongbi revealed a faint smile. "Since the Undying Blood Clan has appeared in Yuan Mansion, it will surely stir up a storm. Let's go join the excitement and see just how big a wave they can make."
...
...
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged on Xiao Hei's back, traveling at top speed while also focusing all his effort on healing his injuries.
Li Min, however, remained constantly frowning, always looking worried. She frequently glanced back, afraid that powerful enemies might catch up.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit had shrunk to the size of a palm, its round belly protruding, as it sat on Li Min's shoulder. It held a bowl-thick silver-bearded ginseng in its paws, biting out rows of tooth marks.
It glanced at Li Min, looking quite relaxed. "Why are you so scared?"
Li Min let out a delicate snort. "You have no idea how reckless you are. Don't you realize that the experts from the Ministry of War and the Bright Hall are likely chasing us from behind? If they catch up, we're doomed."
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit looked rather disdainful, spitting out a piece of ginseng skin. "You need to have faith in Dust Lord. In the battle the night before last, even the seven great experts of the Ministry of War couldn't stop him. Now that Dust Lord has broken through to the Half-Saint realm, even if the court and the Bright Hall's experts catch up, what can they do to him?"
Li Min glared at the Devouring Elephant Rabbit. "At that time, Zhang Ruochen only managed to fight the seven great experts of the court with the help of the Purifying Divine Flame. Without the Purifying Divine Flame, even after breaking through to the Half-Saint realm, I suspect Zhang Ruochen's strength still lags behind those seven experts."
Li Min had read extensively, especially enjoying books on strange and ancient topics, so she naturally had some understanding of the Purifying Divine Flame.
She continued, "Besides, Jian Kongzi is no pushover. Even when Zhang Ruochen used the Thousand Ripple Annihilation Force, he couldn't do anything to him. If Jian Kongzi went all out, Zhang Ruochen probably couldn't withstand three strikes."
"Aside from Jian Kongzi, that Young Hall Master of the Bright Hall is a truly terrifying figure."
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit continued eating the silver-bearded ginseng, mumbling indistinctly, "How terrifying?"
Li Min really didn't want to talk to a rabbit, but Zhang Ruochen was as unresponsive as a stone, ignoring her completely, so she had no choice but to keep talking to the Devouring Elephant Rabbit.
"Have you heard of the 'Half-Saint Ranking'?" Li Min asked with great interest.
In the past, whenever students at the Confucian Academy mentioned the "Half-Saint Ranking," they would become incredibly excited, chattering about it for an entire day.
The figures on the "Half-Saint Ranking" were truly great individuals. Each had a high probability of becoming a Saint, each with countless legendary stories, leaving others in awe.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit didn't even turn its head. "Never heard of it."
Li Min's enthusiasm was instantly dampened. She let out a long sigh. "I knew it. You, this rabbit, know nothing except eating."
"The 'Half-Saint Ranking' was compiled by one of the Empress's Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens, Shengshu Cainü, who gathered information from across the entire realm and poured her heart and soul into it."
Mentioning Shengshu Cainü, Li Min's eyes were filled with admiration and worship. She had always regarded Shengshu Cainü as her idol and the goal she strived toward, so she was naturally very excited. (To be continued.)