Chapter 937: Seven Orifices Blood Nether Palm
"Thanks to the Withering Wood Pill bestowed by Grandmaster, my injuries have fully healed. May I ask how I should address this senior?"
Zhang Ruochen stepped forward, doing his best to appear humble.
The black-robed man said, "No need to call me senior. I am not much older than you. However, since your father and I were fellow disciples, you may call me Uncle Lan."
"So it's Uncle Lan. Father often spoke of your great name. He said you were the most talented among all his fellow disciples, and that your cultivation of the *Ice Soul Divine Canon*, a King-rank lower-grade technique, was unparalleled in the world." Zhang Ruochen flattered.
The records on Blood Dragon Prince also contained detailed information on Haiming Dharmaraja's various disciples. Since this man's surname was Lan, he must be the thirteenth disciple of Haiming Dharmaraja, Lan Ye.
Indeed, a dangerous figure.
Lan Ye sneered coldly in his heart, not taking Zhang Ruochen's words seriously. "The master wishes to see you. Follow me."
Under Lan Ye's guidance, Zhang Ruochen once again arrived at Kongcheng Island. In a plum orchard spanning over a thousand acres, he met Haiming Dharmaraja, who was drinking tea.
Snowflakes the size of goose feathers drifted down from the sky, scattering in all directions.
Haiming Dharmaraja smiled. "Lin Feng, what level of the *Blood Dragon Sutra* have you cultivated to?"
"Reporting to Grandmaster, I have reached the seventh layer," Zhang Ruochen replied.
Haiming Dharmaraja nodded. "If this old man remembers correctly, your primary focus should be on palm techniques?"
"Indeed, Grand-disciple has done considerable research on palm techniques. Of course, in Grandmaster's presence, it is certainly insignificant," Zhang Ruochen said.
Haiming Dharmaraja said, "Why be so self-deprecating? At your age, reaching the second-order Half-Saint already leaves your peers far behind. Lan Ye, exchange a few moves with Lin Feng and test the level of his palm technique."
Zhang Ruochen quickly said, "Uncle Lan's cultivation is unfathomable. Grand-disciple is no match for him..."
Haiming Dharmaraja ignored Zhang Ruochen, as if he could not hear him, and simply continued drinking tea, looking quite relaxed.
"Shua!"
Lan Ye's figure flickered, shifting to stand opposite Zhang Ruochen. "Rest assured, Nephew Lin Feng. Your uncle will suppress his cultivation to the second-order Half-Saint realm and will not bully the weak."
Lan Ye's hands suddenly emitted two clusters of deep blue cold light. In the next moment, the temperature in the entire plum orchard dropped tenfold, and over a dozen chaotic cold currents appeared.
With a whooshing sound, five sharp ice pillars formed behind Lan Ye, resembling a massive icy palm print descending from above toward Zhang Ruochen.
"They are testing my strength. If I am too strong, it will arouse their suspicion. But if I am too weak, I probably won't be valued."
In the blink of an eye, dozens of thoughts flashed through Zhang Ruochen's mind.
"Roar!"
A blood-red dragon soul flew out from Zhang Ruochen's body, dozens of zhang long, coiling around him and making his power and aura grow increasingly formidable.
Zhang Ruochen's arm swung upward, clashing head-on with the massive blue ice palm.
"Boom!"
The snow beneath his feet shot outward like white flying blades.
"He actually blocked it!"
Haiming Dharmaraja slightly raised his head, giving Zhang Ruochen a deep look, feeling quite surprised.
Blood-red meridians bulged on Zhang Ruochen's body as he roared, "Break for me!"
"Bang!"
The massive ice handprint shattered into pieces, and the powerful shockwave pushed Lan Ye back a step.
"Nephew Lin Feng truly lives up to being taught by Ninth Senior Brother. Your palm force is indeed formidable."
Lan Ye's eyes darkened. He clenched his fist and charged at Zhang Ruochen, striking again.
Zhang Ruochen, showing no sign of backing down, also rushed toward Lan Ye.
"Bang! Bang!"
The two figures intertwined, continuously exchanging palm strikes, sending out powerful energy ripples.
Fortunately, Kongcheng Island was equipped with numerous defensive formations; otherwise, the entire island might have sunk.
After exchanging over three hundred palm strikes, the two finally separated.
Both of Zhang Ruochen's hands were sealed in ice, and his body trembled uncontrollably. He then circulated his Saint Qi to shatter the ice.
Zhang Ruochen did not attack again. Instead, he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Uncle, for holding back."
Lan Ye clasped his hands behind his back, appearing calm and composed, but his gaze toward Zhang Ruochen carried a hint of gravity.
"Clap! Clap!"
Haiming Dharmaraja stood up, clapped his hands, and walked into the snow, studying Zhang Ruochen. "Excellent, truly excellent. To block over three hundred palm strikes from your Uncle Lan at the same cultivation level is quite remarkable."
Haiming Dharmaraja's tone shifted. "However, the palm technique you practice is not very advanced. It should be the Ghost-rank lower-grade Flood Dragon Palm, correct?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded and sighed. "The Flood Dragon Palm is already the highest-grade palm technique in the Blood Dragon Hall."
Haiming Dharmaraja feigned anger. "Your father really... Ah! If he were still alive, I would surely scold him. Having a high-grade palm technique but not asking me for one—how absurd! What a waste of a fine piece of jade."
Haiming Dharmaraja took out a jade slip the size of a finger and handed it to Zhang Ruochen. "This is a supreme technique of the Blood God Sect, called the *Seven Orifices Blood Nether Palm*. Take it, study it carefully, and strive to achieve some results. In ten days, I will check your progress."
Zhang Ruochen naturally acted overjoyed, respectfully holding the jade slip inscribed with the *Seven Orifices Blood Nether Palm*, and hurriedly withdrew.
After Zhang Ruochen left, Haiming Dharmaraja asked Lan Ye, "What do you think?"
"This child has a strong desire to perform and is eager to prove himself. However, his strength is also alarmingly formidable. Although he is only at the second-order Half-Saint realm, he has the power to defeat a third-order Half-Saint. At the same cultivation level, he could likely contend with an ordinary Saintly Body," Lan Ye said.
Haiming Dharmaraja nodded with a smile. "Indeed, a fine little fellow. A wonderful gift sent by the heavens. In ten days, the Netherword Heavenly Palace will begin recruiting new Banner Lords, three at once. Do you think he can pass the test?"
"Probably not."
Lan Ye added, "The Banner Lord selection is among low-level Half-Saints. Gu Linfeng's strength is indeed impressive, but he is only a second-order Half-Saint. Compared to the other powerful third-order Half-Saints in the sect, he still has a gap."
Haiming Dharmaraja smiled. "Then we must force him to fight desperately. Only by fighting desperately does he have a chance."
"How do we force him?" Lan Ye asked.
Haiming Dharmaraja smiled mysteriously but did not elaborate. His aged eyes, however, gleamed with a venomous expression.
Zhang Ruochen returned to Wangchu Island and went straight into the cultivation tower.
His heart was filled with urgency. "He gave me a supreme technique to cultivate. What is Haiming Dharmaraja really plotting? Ten days? No, I cannot wait that long. I must head to the Endless Abyss immediately."
Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power to probe outward and found that Ruyue and Ruxin were still guarding the tower gate.
"No good. I have only just arrived at the Blood God Sect, and Haiming Dharmaraja does not fully trust me. He might be secretly monitoring me with his saintly thoughts. If I leave Wangchu Island and he notices, the consequences would be disastrous."
Zhang Ruochen took a deep breath to calm himself.
After a moment of thought, he took out the Cosmic Divine Wood Map and released Xiao Hei, instructing him, "I cannot leave for now, so Xiao Hei, you must go to the Endless Abyss in my place."
"No way. That place is a death trap with no return. This emperor is not going. Besides, that Shengshu Cainü doesn't even appreciate this emperor. Why should I risk going to the Endless Abyss?"
Xiao Hei continued, "Zhang Ruochen, I advise you to leave the Blood God Sect as soon as possible. That Haiming Dharmaraja is no kind-hearted soul. Based on my understanding of humans, that old fellow is probably planning to send you on some dangerous mission. That's why he's buttering you up—first arranging beautiful women to serve you, then gifting you a palm technique. Who is the grandmaster here, him or you?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head, his will firm. "Before coming to the Blood God Sect, I was already prepared to face a one-in-ten chance of survival. Whether I leave alive depends entirely on luck."
"Is it worth risking your life for a Shengshu Cainü who might already be dead?" Xiao Hei found it baffling.
Zhang Ruochen didn't seem like someone without reason.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If one day you fall into danger, no matter how perilous, I will definitely come to save you."
Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei had been through many trials together, starting from mutual exploitation and gradually becoming the best of comrades.
Hearing this, Xiao Hei was stunned for a moment, then muttered reluctantly, "Good thing you're a man. If you were a female cat... Hmph, fine! This emperor can go to the Endless Abyss, but only to scout the outer perimeter. Don't expect me to jump into the abyss to search for that Shengshu Cainü's corpse."
With that, Xiao Hei's body rapidly shrank to the size of a mosquito, flew out of the cultivation tower, and left the Immortal Nether Sea.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a smile, then took out the jade slip inscribed with the *Seven Orifices Blood Nether Palm*, holding it in his palm to study carefully.
Called a supreme technique, the *Seven Orifices Blood Nether Palm* was indeed profound, containing many truths about palm techniques.
Comprehending it would be of considerable help to Zhang Ruochen's path of palm techniques.
"Man has seven orifices; the palm also has seven orifices. When all seven orifices are opened, the palm technique reaches perfection."
The opening of the *Seven Orifices Blood Nether Palm*'s general outline began with this cryptic statement.
Zhang Ruochen continued reading and discovered that the *Seven Orifices Blood Nether Palm* was actually a type of sacred art. However, in the history of the Blood God Sect, no one had ever achieved "all seven orifices opened," so it could only display the power of a supreme technique.
A sacred art-level palm technique was certainly worth cultivating.