Chapter 920: Blood Clan Returns Again
Force Offering King was also feeling the pressure, eager to capture Zhang Ruochen quickly. Without further idle words, he struck directly, sending the Execution Order downward.
Every Domain King-level prince in the Ministry of War received a personal bestowal from the Empress, obtaining an Execution Order. The power of the Execution Order varied according to the rank of the title.
For instance, Wanxiang King, Fengqin, and others who had died by Zhang Ruochen's sword were merely lower-rank Domain Kings. The power of their Execution Orders was naturally limited.
However, whether on the overseas battlefield or the Ruins Realm battlefield, Force Offering King had earned illustrious military merits and had long been enfeoffed as a mid-rank Domain King. The Execution Order he wielded was naturally different from those of lower-rank Domain Kings, possessing far greater power.
With a casual wave of his hand, the Execution Order grew immensely large, like a Heaven-Overturning Seal, condensing a surging tide of killing intent that surged outward.
"Boom, rumble."
If Zhang Ruochen were still a First-Stage Half-Saint, he likely could not have blocked this strike. Of course, even having broken through to the Second-Stage Half-Saint, Zhang Ruochen's expression remained quite stern, without the slightest relaxation.
Yang energy and Saint Qi churned wildly within his body, causing tens of thousands of flames to burst forth from his pores.
"Dragon-Elephant Divine Furnace."
Zhang Ruochen's body was like a blazing furnace, melting the soil beneath his feet into droplets of crimson magma.
A golden handprint struck upward. At the center of the handprint, a dragon and an elephant could be seen coiled together.
The Execution Order collided with Zhang Ruochen's handprint, producing a thunderous sound. A ring of visible sound waves surged outward rapidly, shattering all the oak trees on the mountain.
However, when the sound waves struck the Sikong Zen Courtyard, Buddhist characters flew out from within, forming a golden wall of text that blocked the force.
Zhang Ruochen retreated over ten zhang before finally neutralizing the power of the Execution Order, letting out a long breath.
The strength of a Seventh-Stage Half-Saint was indeed formidable. With his current cultivation, contending with an expert of that realm was still quite a stretch.
Force Offering King cast a deep, wary glance at the Sikong Zen Courtyard. The shockwave from their earlier clash was enough to kill a low-rank Half-Saint. Yet, it had been blocked by a layer of Buddhist characters.
There must be a hidden expert residing here. If they continued fighting outside the courtyard and provoked the cultivator within, it would surely bring great trouble.
Force Offering King fixed his gaze on Zhang Ruochen and said, "Zhang Ruochen, shall we continue elsewhere?"
"I'm afraid we can't go elsewhere."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was fixed on the distance. In the eastern sky, a patch of dark red blood clouds was surging rapidly toward them.
Force Offering King also sensed it and immediately turned around, his flame-burning eyes looking toward the blood clouds.
"Undying Blood Clan."
Force Offering King wore a solemn expression, growing somewhat tense.
Undying Blood Clan members had come here? Moreover, that Undying Blood Clan member had a pair of silver fleshy wings on his back, unlike an ordinary Undying Blood Clan general.
The Second Prince of the Undying Blood Clan stood at the center of the blood clouds, his pair of silver wings brightening the night somewhat. A mocking smile curled on his lips. "There are even Ministry of War people here. Hmph, they should be eliminated first."
"Such big talk."
Force Offering King held the Execution Order in one hand and a long halberd in the other, riding atop his Yi Lin Beast as he charged straight into the blood mist, clashing with the Second Prince of the Undying Blood Clan.
The Ministry of War and the Undying Blood Clan were mortal enemies, so there was nothing to say—when they met, they simply killed each other.
"Bang, bang."
Loud collision sounds came from within the blood mist, causing the world's spiritual energy to tremble violently.
The battle did not last long. Force Offering King's mount, the Yi Lin Beast, let out a miserable cry. Its massive body was cleaved in two by the Second Prince's blood sword, plummeting from midair.
Moments later, the Second Prince's blood sword pierced through Force Offering King's chest.
"Haha! Is a Seventh-Stage Half-Saint from the Ministry of War this weak?"
The Second Prince grinned savagely, baring his fangs as he bit into Force Offering King's carotid artery, draining the blood from his body.
Force Offering King's entire body trembled. He let out a roar from his throat, pulling out a scroll of the Sacred Edict in an attempt to break free.
But the blood sword had pierced through his body, leaving him no chance to escape.
Gradually, Force Offering King's body grew more withered, his skin turning a deathly gray as he completely lost his vitality.
"Snap!"
The Second Prince crushed Force Offering King's body into a mass of shattered armor and ash, casually scattering it into the air.
"The blood of a Seventh-Stage Half-Saint is truly delicious. Once I fully absorb it, my realm should reach the peak of the Sixth-Stage Half-Saint." The Second Prince took out a white silk handkerchief and wiped the bloodstains from his lips.
Outside the Sikong Zen Courtyard, Zhao Yue and Pu Yuelin were already terrified out of their wits, their legs trembling uncontrollably.
Force Offering King was among the top ten figures in the entire Yuan Prefecture's Ministry of War. Even sect leaders and family heads had to show him some respect.
But now, such a powerful Ministry of War big shot had died before their eyes. How could they not feel fear?
Since Force Offering King was already dead, how could that Undying Blood Clan member spare the two of them?
Yet, the Second Prince did not even glance at them. His gaze was fixed on Zhang Ruochen, and he said with a smile, "Zhang Ruochen, your cultivation isn't much, but your escape skills are impressive. You've made this prince search quite a while. How about this—take a guess: can you escape this time?"
Zhang Ruochen drew the Abyssal Ancient Sword, gripping it in his hand as he looked at the cold blade. "Why should I run? Let's fight. It's not certain who will win or lose."
The Second Prince's gaze sharpened as he carefully examined Zhang Ruochen. "No wonder you dare to speak so boldly—you've broken through to the Second-Stage Half-Saint. Let this prince see just how much you've improved."
"Whoosh."
The Second Prince formed a sword seal with two fingers, and the blood sword flew out, spinning around his body while continuously accelerating.
When the blood sword reached twenty times the speed of sound, a massive wind vortex formed around the Second Prince.
The blood sword then shot out, striking toward Zhang Ruochen outside the Sikong Zen Courtyard.
A sword this fast—let alone Zhang Ruochen, even a Ninth-Stage Half-Saint could not dodge it.
Carrying twenty times the speed of sound, the blood sword unleashed terrifying power. Even an ordinary Seventh-Stage Half-Saint would struggle to block it.
Earlier, the Second Prince had used this very move to pierce through Force Offering King's body in one strike, securing victory.
Within Zhang Ruochen's pupils, the tip of the blood sword grew increasingly clear.
Without any thought, the sword intent within him surged forth automatically. As if by instinct, Zhang Ruochen raised the Abyssal Ancient Sword and thrust it forward.
"Boom."
The tips of the two swords collided.
Countless sword energies flew outward in all directions.
The immense power contained in the blood sword traveled through the Abyssal Ancient Sword to Zhang Ruochen's palm, making his five fingers ache and go numb.
Zhang Ruochen twisted his body, transferring that force into the ground.
The next moment, the earth beneath his feet cracked open and collapsed inward, forming a crater ten zhang in diameter.
Although Zhang Ruochen suffered some minor injuries, he had ultimately blocked the Second Prince's strike.
The Second Prince was somewhat surprised. Even a Seventh-Stage Half-Saint could not block that strike—how had Zhang Ruochen managed it?
He did not know that Zhang Ruochen's strength could rival a Seventh-Stage Half-Saint. He simply thought Zhang Ruochen's sword path realm was profound, allowing him to use skill to neutralize the blood sword's power.
"Winning by skill is just luck. Winning by force is the true path." The Second Prince snorted coldly, waving his arm to recall the blood sword.
How could Zhang Ruochen let him succeed? He pointed a finger forward and uttered a single word: "Break."
Above the blood sword, space collapsed inward, turning into a shattered void that directly swallowed the blood sword.
The blood sword was quite close to being a Thousand-Mark Sacred Artifact, ranked twenty-fourth on the Hundred-Mark Sacred Artifact List. It was naturally extremely precious.
Moreover, the Second Prince had cultivated the sword path since childhood, refining the blood sword into his lifebound sword. If he lost it, his combat power would likely drop by thirty percent.
"Not good, I was careless."
The Second Prince's expression changed drastically. He formed sword seals with both hands, trying to control the blood sword to escape the void space Zhang Ruochen had opened.
Earlier, he had only thought of capturing Zhang Ruochen quickly and seizing the Sky-Soaring Sword to send to the Nether King Sword Tomb. He had forgotten that Zhang Ruochen could manipulate space power, enough to swallow the blood sword.
The mystery of space power far exceeded the Second Prince's imagination; it was not something he could contend with.
In the end, the blood sword was devoured by the void space. Moments later, the entire space returned to its original state.
Zhang Ruochen appeared calm and composed, smiling. "Force without skill—how is that different from a brute?"
The Second Prince's face twisted hideously, his eyes looking as if they wanted to devour Zhang Ruochen. "From childhood to adulthood, no one has ever opposed this prince. Everyone who dares to oppose this prince has become a corpse."
"Is that so? It seems I'll be an exception." Zhang Ruochen said.
Provoking the Second Prince to anger was a success in itself.
A person in a rage could indeed unleash twelve-tenths of their power, but they would also reveal more flaws.
He only needed to seize one flaw to kill him.
"Roar!"
The Second Prince let out a fierce roar, spreading his hands wide. The vast blood clouds condensed into a massive Suanni phantom, occupying a third of the sky and exuding a powerful barbaric beast aura. (To be continued.)