Chapter 943: Borrowing the Saintess’s Momentum
"Boom!"
The power of the Whirlpool Swamp was far more terrifying than Zhang Ruochen had anticipated. Though he stood on flat ground, his body swayed incessantly, and even moving an arm was no easy task.
Extremely strong undercurrents surged from all directions, pressing against him. With the slightest misstep, he could be swept off balance and flung off Mount Poluo.
However, Zhang Ruochen’s mastery over power far surpassed that of other Half-Saints, and even the Blood God Sect’s Saintess could not compare to him.
Thus, upon entering the Whirlpool Swamp, Zhang Ruochen moved through it like a fish in water, his speed twice that of the Blood God Sect Saintess. He quickly caught up to her, closing the distance to less than three zhang.
The Blood God Sect Saintess glanced back at Zhang Ruochen, then at Bai Yu, Ning Guihai, and Yan Kongming chasing behind him. A flicker of irritation crossed her mind.
She understood perfectly well that Zhang Ruochen was deliberately tailing her, using her as a shield to restrain Bai Yu, Ning Guihai, and Yan Kongming.
"Are you courting death?"
An icy chill emanated from the Blood God Sect Saintess.
The nine rings of holy light swirling around her graceful figure trembled unsteadily, like nine layers of white water waves, releasing powerful energy fluctuations.
In a sense, Zhang Ruochen was blatantly using her.
How could a Saintess of such noble status not be angered?
Zhang Ruochen paid no heed to the Saintess’s warning and continued to follow her, now only two zhang away.
Behind him, Yan Kongming’s eyes were bloodshot as he let out a low roar: "What a cunning brat! He’s hiding behind Her Highness the Saintess, forcing us to hold back. If not for that, I could have slain him with a single slash."
Ning Guihai’s face was twisted with murderous intent. "We can’t wait any longer. If they break out of the Whirlpool Swamp first, we’ll never catch them."
"But the Saintess is too close to him. If we strike and accidentally harm her, what then?" Bai Yu voiced his concern.
Ning Guihai said, "You’ve both taken the Blood God Gu. Do you not know the consequences if you fail to become Flag Master? Since that’s the case, why fear offending the Saintess?"
"If we knock both that second-rank Half-Saint brat and the Saintess off Mount Poluo, that’ll free up two spots."
Determined to seize the Flag Master position, Yan Kongming, Bai Yu, and Ning Guihai were ready to go all out, even if it meant attacking the Saintess.
Yan Kongming struck first. Wielding a seven-foot blood blade, he slashed out a crescent-shaped blade aura aimed at Zhang Ruochen’s back.
Sensing the energy fluctuation behind him, Zhang Ruochen kicked off the ground and dodged to the right, evading the blade aura.
"Boom."
The powerful blade aura struck the Blood God Sect Saintess, colliding with her nine rings of holy light and shattering the outermost two rings.
Though the Saintess was a third-rank Half-Saint, she had not taken the Blood God Gu. Thus, her strength was roughly on par with Yan Kongming, who had borrowed the Gu’s power.
The impact of the blade aura destabilized the Saintess, and she nearly lost her footing to an undercurrent.
Fortunately, her movement technique, the "Butterfly Dance Step," was highly advanced. She executed it instantly, transforming into a light, graceful butterfly. Her two snow-white jade feet stepped through the void, her long legs shifting positions continuously like a celestial maiden dancing, quickly neutralizing the crisis.
"Yan Kongming, how dare you attack me? Do you think borrowing the Blood God Gu’s power makes you my equal?" the Saintess demanded.
Yan Kongming showed no fear. "I was merely trying to strike the person behind you, Your Highness. Hitting you was an accident. I hope you won’t hold it against me."
The Saintess gritted her pearly white teeth and sneered coldly. "Knowing you might hit me, you still attacked. Why bother with excuses?"
Ning Guihai’s voice was sharp. "The Netherworld Heavenly Palace’s trial is about competition to select the strongest. Even if Your Highness is noble, you’re just one of the participants now. Why can’t we attack you?"
The Saintess abruptly stopped, her star-bright eyes locking onto the three behind her. "So you really want to challenge me? Fine, I’ll give you that chance."
Her stunning eyes held a mesmerizing charm. Even Bai Yu, Ning Guihai, and Yan Kongming, with their cultivation, were momentarily dazed when they met her gaze.
If this were outside, without the barrier’s suppression, that brief lapse would have been enough for the Saintess to take their heads.
Snapping back to reality, the three broke out in cold sweat and dared not meet her eyes again.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at them and continued forward, aiming to leave the Whirlpool Swamp.
"If I haven’t left, do you think you can?"
The Saintess turned, fixing her gaze on Zhang Ruochen. Her five slender fingers formed a claw, reaching through the void toward his shoulder.
Her technique was bizarre and unpredictable, producing over a hundred afterimages, making it impossible to discern the real claw strike.
"Crack!"
Zhang Ruochen’s spine twisted, and his body swayed. Using an incredibly refined control of power, he generated over a hundred human-shaped phantoms, evading every claw strike.
The Saintess was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected this young man to have such precise control over power, allowing him to dodge her Profound Yin Capture Claw.
Just as she prepared to strike again, Zhang Ruochen stopped and smiled at her. "Since Your Highness wants me to stay, I’ll stay."
He chose to stay not out of fear of the Saintess, but because if he moved too far away, Ning Guihai, Bai Yu, and Yan Kongming would attack him without restraint, and the Saintess might also turn on him. In his current state, he couldn’t withstand a siege from four experts.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen’s compliance, the Saintess retracted her holy qi.
But Ning Guihai, Bai Yu, and Yan Kongming had no intention of letting this opportunity slip. They attacked the Saintess almost simultaneously.
"Forgive us, Your Highness!"
Bai Yu unleashed a sword technique, sending a sacred sword flying. It turned into a streak of light, piercing through the Whirlpool Swamp.
"Boom!"
The sword collided with the Saintess’s holy light, piercing through three layers. The shattered light scattered like rain, shimmering beautifully in the air.
The Saintess extended a delicate hand, blocking Bai Yu’s sword midair, halting its advance.
Yan Kongming’s blade aura and Ning Guihai’s Dragon Fang Dagger also struck, landing on the Saintess simultaneously.
"Bang! Bang!"
Ring after ring of holy light shattered in rapid succession.
Soon, all nine layers were destroyed, revealing the Saintess’s true form.
She was undeniably a breathtaking beauty, appearing only seventeen or eighteen years old. She wore a thin blood-red gauze, her glossy black hair tied with a blue hair ribbon. Her body seemed carved from celestial jade, flawless.
Even the three attacking experts were momentarily stunned by her ethereal beauty, their attacks slowing.
Seizing the chance, the Saintess raised both hands, releasing two massive streams of blood qi that turned into rivers, sending Bai Yu’s sword, Yan Kongming’s blade, and Ning Guihai’s dagger flying back.
"Not good…"
Because she had exerted too much force, an undercurrent in the Whirlpool Swamp caught her off balance, sending her flying toward the edge of Mount Poluo.
Zhang Ruochen was standing right beside her. As her body lifted, one of her long, shapely legs brushed past his scalp.
He looked up slightly and caught a glimpse of two snow-white thighs. Following the line upward, he could even see the moon-white undergarment beneath her blood-red skirt—a scene far too alluring.
Zhang Ruochen hadn’t intended to peek; it was purely accidental. He hadn’t expected the Saintess to be dressed so lightly.
A bit embarrassed, he quickly averted his gaze. At the same time, he reached out and grabbed one of her snow-white jade feet.
Then, with a surge of powerful force, he swung his arm and flung the Saintess out of the Whirlpool Swamp, landing her safely on solid ground.
Though a bit disheveled, the Saintess managed to steady herself.
But her eyes blazed with murderous intent as she stared at Zhang Ruochen emerging from the swamp. She lunged at him with a claw aimed at his eyes, as if to gouge them out.
Zhang Ruochen sidestepped, dodging her attack, and asked in confusion, "Your Highness, if I hadn’t helped you just now, you would have been thrown off Mount Poluo. Why repay kindness with enmity?"
"Whoosh—"
Nine rings of holy light reappeared around the Saintess, enveloping her graceful form.
A cold voice came from within the light: "Why? You know very well. Gouge out your own eyes and cut off your hands, and I’ll spare your life."
"How unreasonable," Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Yu, Ning Guihai, and Yan Kongming had also crossed the Whirlpool Swamp and caught up, surrounding Zhang Ruochen from three sides.
The Saintess stood at the highest point, smiling faintly. "Forget it. Let them deal with you. I’ll go ahead."
With that, she transformed into a slender figure, quickly reaching the summit of Mount Poluo. She pulled out a black war flag and gripped it firmly.