Chapter 2369: The Altar
The white-bearded elder knelt in front of Zhang Ruochen and said piously, “My lord, please accept the Southern Sword Realm as your slave world. We will offer our wors.h.i.+p to you.”
“We are willing to be your slaves.”
The 13 Saint King Celestial Captives said in unison.
Qi Yang pointed at them and sneered disdainfully. “Who do you think Supreme Saint Ruochen is? All of his slaves are either Scions or Scionesses. Who do you think you are to serve under him?”
The cultivators of the Southern Sword Realm gritted their teeth and endured the humiliation without saying a word.
Zhang Ruochen waved at Qi Yang and said, “You make a move first and wait for me.”
“They are just Celestial Captives of an undeveloped Macroworld. Why do you care about them... Okay, okay, I’ll go first...”
Qi Yang tactfully flew out of the meteors and retreated to the sky above a patch of starry fog hundreds of miles away.
Zhang Ruochen stared at the 14 cultivators kneeling on the ground. They were all shabbily dressed and in dire straits. They were inferior to the commoners.
“Since you can become the top powerhouse of a realm, you must be wise men. Why don’t you understand the law of the jungle? Rather than live in humiliation, it’s better to die in a fierce battle,” Zhang Ruochen said calmly.
“We can die in a fierce battle, but... What about the others in the Southern Sword Realm?” said the white-bearded elder, he looked sad and helpless.
Zhang Ruochen squatted down and looked at the wrinkled face of the white-bearded elder. He said, “It’s so humiliating to be a slave of the entire realm. It’s better to die than live. Is this the kind of life you want?
“As long as you live, there is hope. If you die, there is nothing! Nothing!” The white-bearded elder said while shaking his head.
Zhang Ruochen was not a heartless person, but he still could not understand their persistence.
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What was the belief that supported them to live?
To survive, they had to persevere even if it meant being a slave, having no dignity, and being as lowly as a dog. All they desired was a glimmer of hope, which they could only wish for.
Was there really hope for the future of the Southern Sword Realm?
Would the future of Kunlun also face the choice of destruction and survival?
Zhang Ruochen stood up and let out a long sigh. He said, “This is the Battlefield of Celestial-Hunting. You are destined to die. No one can change this.”
The cultivators of the Southern Sword Realm had a spark of hope that was finally lit, but it was mercilessly extinguished.
Yes, they were a group of Celestial Captives and a group of prey.
No hunters would ever let go of their prey.
Zhang Ruochen changed the topic and said, “But there is a saying, it’s better to help yourself than depend on others.”
“Ourselves?”
“What can we do by ourselves?”
...
The cultivators of the Southern Sword Realm looked at each other, not understanding what Zhang Ruochen meant.
If helping oneself was useful, who would kneel down and beg others?
Zhang Ruochen said, “If I want to kill you and get points, it is just a matter of a snap of the fingers. However, if you can play some role, help me do one thing. Although I can not save your lives, I can help the Southern Sword Realm find a way to survive.”
“There’s a way out?”
A Saint King Celestial Captive asked quickly.
Zhang Ruochen just looked up and did not say a word.
The white-bearded elder understood and asked, “What do you want us to do, my lord?”
Zhang Ruochen said, “What is your purpose in coming to the seventh Dark Star?”
“We heard that the Celestial Captive powerhouse is hiding in the seventh Dark Star and can intimidate the cultivators of the Infernal Court,” the white-bearded elder replied honestly. “We came here specifically to seek refuge to survive.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, “This is also my goal!”
The white-bearded elder was capable of cultivating the Supreme Saint Realm with his knowledge. Therefore, Zhang Ruochen’s intent was already clear to him.
“If you can help me find the information of the Celestial Captives in the starfield where the seventh Dark Star is located and Lord Hornless is hiding,” Zhang Ruochen said, “I promise you that I will protect the lives of those from the Southern Sword Realm for 10,000 years.”
“Only... For 10,000 years?” The white-bearded elder asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, “10,000 years is not a short time!”
The white-bearded elder discussed with the 13 Saint King Celestial Captives for a while. Then, he kneeled in front of Zhang Ruochen again and kowtowed heavily.
He said, “Sir, the Southern Sword Realm is not a Microworld, but a Marcoworld. There has been no birth of G.o.ds because of the devastating disaster and the loss of inheritance.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
The white-bearded elder stared at the ground, he said, “I want to tell you, my lord, that the Southern Sword Realm is full of talents and geniuses. They are not a burden to you. As long as you are willing to teach them, they will become a powerful force under you in the future.”
Then, the white-bearded elder spat out a three-inch sword-shaped token. He held it in his hands and handed it to Zhang Ruochen.
“If you agree to teach the Southern Sword Realm to fight, we will risk our lives to do what you asked us to do.”
The cultivators of the Southern Sword Realm said in unison.
There was a tragic and resolute feeling in them. They knew that they were doomed. They could only pin all their hopes on Zhang Ruochen.
Even though they did not know this person, they had no choice.
Zhang Ruochen touched his hair and said, “It seems that you are not stupid at all. On the contrary, you are very smart and know how to bargain.”
“I can see that you are different from other cultivators in the Infernal Court. You have a kind heart. You want to help the Southern Sword Realm. You don’t want innocent lives to be destroyed,” the white-bearded elder said.
Zhang Ruochen smiled coldly. “I have a kind heart? You probably didn’t see it. When I killed, I didn’t even blink an eye.”
“But you’re willing to protect the Southern Sword Realm for 10,000 years. Even if we didn’t finish the mission, you’d still do it, right? I believe in you,” the white-bearded elder said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Don’t think you can see through me. Go do your job. If you succeed and help me, I’ll seriously consider helping the Southern Sword Realm.”
The white-bearded elder and the thirteen Saint Kings were overjoyed. They said in unison, “Please accept the realm token. You are now the Supreme Lord of the Southern Sword Realm.”
“Please accept the token, my lord.”
...
Zhang Ruochen grabbed the realm token and held it in his hand. Then, he released Lord Bladeh.e.l.l from the Violet Gourd.
“I’ll leave them to you! It should be easier for the Celestial Captives to spy on the other Celestial Captives.”
Zhang Ruochen briefed Lord Bladeh.e.l.l on what happened. Then, he picked up dozens of saint corpses on the ground, flew out of the meteors, and met up with Qi Yang.
Qi Yang stared at the meteors that had flown far away and asked, “Where are the dozen Celestial Captives from the Southern Sword Realm? Did you let them go?”
Qi Yang didn’t know what had happened inside because Zhang Ruochen had just released the Profound Spatial Dimension to cover the entire meteor.
“Don’t ask anything you shouldn’t ask,” Zhang Ruochen said coldly with his hands behind his back.
Qi Yang naturally didn’t think that Zhang Ruochen would let them go after a few pleas from the Celestial Captives. However, when he thought about how badly Yuan Mo had died, he suppressed his curiosity and didn’t dare to ask any more questions.
“Let’s go. Take me to see Pan Ruo,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Qi Yang thought he’d heard wrong. He said in shock, “Supreme Saint, What are you doing? Are you trying to steal her? Her Highness Pan Ruo has a powerful backer. Please don’t act rashly.”
“It seems like you have forgotten what I just said,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Qi Yang quickly shut his mouth. He held it in for a while and said in a low voice, “Her Highness Pan Ruo has a large group of powerful figures from the three upper clans gathered around her. It’s probably... Not good for you to go so openly.”
“You’re right. We can’t swagger out like this,” said Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen transformed into Yuan Mo and said, “This should be enough, right?”
Zhang Ruochen’s voice changed. He sounded exactly the same as Yuan Mo.
His aura, eyes, and power fluctuations were flawless.
Qi Yang circled around Zhang Ruochen three times. He swallowed his saliva when he saw the surging Qi of Death around him.
If Yuan Mo hadn’t died right in front of him, he wouldn’t have believed that the person in front of him was actually Zhang Ruochen.
“Everyone says that the Immortal Vampires’ Shapes.h.i.+fting technique is amazing. I’ve finally seen it today!” Qi Yang exclaimed.
Qi Yang and Zhang Ruochen used the Qi of Death to carry dozens of saint corpses and flew away quickly.
Soon, they arrived at a rocky asteroid at the edge of the dark s.p.a.ce.
After verifying their ident.i.ties, the two of them entered the interior of the asteroid through an invisible enchantment. Only then did Zhang Ruochen sense a Supreme Saint’s powerful aura.
Supreme Saint cultivators from the Nether Clan, Deathkin, and Stone Clan flew past him from time to time.
The total number of Supreme Saints was most likely greater than 1,000.
The Celestial Captives’ bodies were piled upon an altar on the asteroid. On the altar, their Sainthood Source flashed.
Scarlet Saint Blood flowed down from the altar and filled up the mysterious inscriptions on the ground.
The corpse of Celestial Captive had over a million bodies piled up like a small mountain. Their souls flew around the altar and let out hoa.r.s.e howls, using the corpse skin as a sacrificial flag and the sacred bones as pillars.
Nearly 300 Deathkin Supreme Saints had gathered near the altar. They continued carving inscriptions with the Will of Death.
With each inscription, the power of the altar became stronger.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Why are you building The Altar of Death?”
Qi Yang smiled proudly and said, “This Altar of Death was built by Her Highness Pan Ruo. It has a divine and unfathomable power. With it, we can dominate the entire Battlefield of Celestial-Hunting. Even if Lord Hornless comes, he will die.”
Qi Yang threw dozens of saint corpses to a Deathkin Supreme Saint. He raised his head and looked at The Altar of Death which gave off a terrifying aura. “Her Highness Pan Ruo is a genius of the Fane of Destiny. Only she can build such a magnificent masterpiece in such a short time,” he said.
“Is this the secret weapon you used to conquer the seventh Dark Star?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Qi Yang was worried that Zhang Ruochen would destroy the altar. He stopped smiling and said quickly, “The Altar of Death is almost complete. It has the power of self-defense. Supreme Saint Ruochen, please don’t act rashly.”
“What if I want to?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Qi Yang said anxiously, “There are nearly 300 Deathkin Supreme Saints near The Altar of Death. Supreme Saint Ruochen, as soon as you activate your power, they will sense it and release The Will of Death to combine with The Altar of Death.
“The power of nearly 300 Supreme Saints’ Will of Death combined with altar enhancement. I’m afraid you won’t be able to resist it with your current cultivation.”
Following that, Qi Yang bent his body and quickly said, “I have no intention of threatening you. I’m only thinking about your safety and my own life.”
Pan Ruo’s beautiful figure walked out from a gray light door below the altar. She looked at the two of them.
Qi Yang sensed her and quickly straightened his body. A smile appeared on his handsome face and he said, “Greetings, Your Highness Pan Ruo. Your Highness is even more beautiful than before. You are as beautiful as the moon in the nine heavens.”
Pan Ruo was quite tall. The water of the Nether River surrounded her. Destiny’s sacred light radiated from every inch of her skin. It was a stark contrast to the desolate surroundings here.
Her gaze fell on Zhang Ruochen. “So you are here too, Yuan Mo. I was about to find you. Follow me to the altar.”
With that, Pan Ruo walked into the altar.
Qi Yang stared at the side of Zhang Ruochen’s face and was stunned for a moment.
Wow!
If it was outside The Altar of Death, Zhang Ruochen certainly would not be able to destroy it. However, once he entered the inner part, the self-defense mechanism of the altar would be ineffective. With Zhang Ruochen’s terrifying cultivation, the altar that the three upper clans had painstakingly built would probably be torn down in an instant.
More importantly, the altar was covered in secret engravings. Even G.o.ds couldn’t find out what was happening inside.
Zhang Ruochen had come for Pan Ruo. What if he did something reckless after entering the altar?
Pan Ruo was bringing disaster to herself.
Qi Yang was extremely anxious. He wanted to expose Zhang Ruochen’s ident.i.ty several times, but he restrained himself because the image of Yuan Mo’s tragic death appeared in his mind.
That image would probably haunt him for the rest of his life.
“I shall take my leave from Supreme Saint Ruochen and Her Highness Pan Ruo,” said Qi Yang.
Qi Yang turned to leave, but he found that he couldn’t move, Zhang Ruochen’s voice rang in his ears. “You’ll go in with me. If you dare to escape or try to reveal my ident.i.ty, I can guarantee that you’ll die a worse death than Yuan Mo.”
“I... I don’t want to disturb you...” Qi Yang replied telepathically
Qi Yang followed Zhang Ruochen into the altar miserably.
The precepts of heaven and earth in the altar were chaotic.
The Sainthood Sources emitted bright light and released a large number of precepts, forming a chaotic environment.
The ground was a liquid surface like the surface of the water. Ripples would appear when one stepped on it.
Pan Ruo stood in the center, holding the cyan-brown Compa.s.s of Destiny. The bright Door of Trueself appeared with a light stroke of her hand.
“Follow me into the Door of Trueself,” she said.
Qi Yang was intrigued and inquired, “The Door of Trueself is formed by the interweaving of the Precepts of Destiny. Inside is Her Highness Pan Ruo’s Realm of Trueself. Why are we entering her realm?”
“Don’t ask so many questions. Just go in.” Zhang Ruochen ordered.
Then, Pan Ruo’s gaze fell on Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen took the lead and walked in.
Qi Yang thought to himself, ‘Is Her Highness Pan Ruo smart enough to see through Zhang Ruochen’s true form? So, she wants to trap him in the Realm of Trueself?’
The more Qi Yang thought about it, the more he felt it made sense. He quickly followed and stepped into the Door of Trueself.
The interior of the Door of Trueself was another scene. It was a vast expanse of whiteness with only a white stone island floating in it.
It was raining eternally in the sky.
The rain was also white.
Drip Drip
Zhang Ruochen stood on the island and closed his eyes to listen to the sound of the rain. He smelled the faint fragrance approaching him, he said, “It is said that every cultivator can cultivate a realm of his or her own. The world is what the heart is like. “I didn’t expect your world to be so simple and pale. “Why is there no vitality at all?”
Pan Ruo stood beside Zhang Ruochen and stared straight ahead. Her eyelashes were long and curved. She said, “The more I think, the more mistakes I make. I’m not really simple and pale. I just have to choose this.”
“Can’t you stop the rain?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Pan Ruo said, “Why should we stop? I think it’s good.”
Qi Yang stood to the side. He didn’t understand what they were saying, but he instinctively felt that Pan Ruo and Zhang Ruochen were both strange.
One was as cold as ice in Qi Yang’s eyes, and the other was ruthless.
But at that moment, no matter how he looked at it, they were shy towards each other.
Pan Ruo wasn’t like this when she normally communicated with Yuan Mo.
When Zhang Ruochen killed Yuan Mo, he was not as calm and gentle as he was now.
Suddenly, Pan Ruo asked Zhang Ruochen a question that made Qi Yang’s heart jump. “Is Yuan Mo still alive?”
“He’s dead!” Zhang Ruochen said.
Pan Ruo said, “Did you kill him because of Kunlun?”
“Because of myself.” Zhang Rucohen replied.
Zhang Ruochen did not want her to continue asking. So he decided to ask her, “How did you see through my Thirty-six Formless Transmogrification?”
“Do you think I’m still the same person? Actually, I don’t need to see it. When you appeared in front of me, I knew it was you. A person can change anything, but if his heart does not change, he will definitely notice.,” Pan Ruo said.
The more Qi Yang listened, the more he felt that something was wrong. He felt that he had heard things he shouldn’t have heard and knew things he shouldn’t have. He felt a chill run down his spine. He felt like a disaster was coming.
Dong
Qi Yang knelt on the ground, trembling, and said, “I... I didn’t hear anything. I, too, don’t know anything. Can you please allow me to leave the Realm of Trueself now? I’m not at all interested in your secret.”
Zhang Ruochen acted like he couldn’t hear him. “I’m here to ask you a question.”
“What is it?” Pan Ruo asked.
“Why did Lord Hornless appear on the Battlefield of Celestial-Hunting? Was it because of the Empress?” Zhang Ruochen asked.