Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
The battle platform hovering in the air was made of black metal and was three feet thick. It could take a Saint's full-power attack. It had been pa.s.sed down from the middle-ages and still hadn't been destroyed.
The rings on the edges were tied with 72 black chains. They connected to the center altar.
Whoosh.
Zhang Ruochen seemed very composed. He signed the life-or-death contract. Then he jumped, arriving at the battle platform first.
He stood in the center of the platform. His Shooting Star Invisibility Cloak shone with white light. His sharp gaze swept past the Half-Saints of the Ministry of War. "I've signed the contract. My life or death is not up to me anymore. I will not show mercy on this platform. Please think carefully before coming up."
Zhang Ruochen was speaking the truth. He really wouldn't show mercy here. If he attacked, it would be fatal.
He couldn't help it. There were too many Half-Saints from the Ministry of War. If he didn't attack to kill, he would have to go through rounds of battles. Then he would use up his Holy Qi and undoubtedly die in the end.
In this battle, either he died or they died.
"I'll take care of you!"
Feng Qin had wanted to attack, but another Half-Saint rushed out first beside him. He stepped on the chains and flew to the platform with a whoosh.
Feng Qin glared at the short and thin man on the platform, feeling furious. "w.a.n.g Piao is too impatient in trying to accomplish something."
A life-or-death naturally had to be one-on-one. Since someone else had stepped out, Feng Qin could only retreat.
w.a.n.g Piao was also a king of a lower region. His t.i.tle was the Marten Demon King. He was shorter than five feet, but he had four legs and four arms. His limbs were all covered in dark blue scales.
It was obvious that he was from the Bi-Marten-Human Clan. He had two faces, one male and one female, with four arms and legs.
"Zhang Ruochen, I, w.a.n.g Piao, will take your life for the Ministry of War!" w.a.n.g Piao thundered.
Zhang Ruochen had quite an impression on this man. Earlier, he'd claimed to be a blood brother of King Thousand-elephant. He wanted to avenge King Thousand-elephant by dueling with Zhang Ruochen.
Now, he said he was going to take Zhang Ruochen's life for the Ministry of War. It was quite laughable.
w.a.n.g Piao's four hands all held a crescent-moon blade. As he added Holy Qi into it, the four blood blades instantly radiated with icy Qi. They were like four blood moons.
The sky darkened instantly and icy wind started blowing. The four blood moons hung above the platform, s.h.i.+ning with b.l.o.o.d.y-red light. Everyone below the platform felt the cold dig into their bones.
"w.a.n.g Piao must have cultivated the Earth Demon Scripture to the 12th level and reached the sixth level of the Half-Saint Realm. No wonder he dared to duel with Zhang Ruochen." Feng Qin's eyes narrowed and his fists tightened.
"Before, Zhang Ruochen used the Taotian Sword to release the Destruction of the Thousand-patterns and kill four Kings."
"Do you think Zhang Ruochen still dares to use the Destruction of the Thousand-patterns now?"
"Even if he can kill one challenger per strike, he'll use up his Holy Qi. When the second challenger walks up the platform, he'll only need to use a finger to squash him."
"If Zhang Ruochen can't use the Destruction of the Thousand-patterns, he's only a powerful first level Half-Saint. With w.a.n.g Piao's cultivation, he can kill Zhang Ruochen in three strikes."
The Half-Saints of the Ministry of War were all chatting. Only Wan Zhaoyi and the Saint Lady kept quiet while sitting above the altar.
To Wan Zhaoyi, the Empress had only ordered to capture Zhang Ruochen in three months. She hadn't said whether she wanted him alive or dead. Clearly, it was more beneficial to him if Zhang Ruochen was dead.
Right now, he only needed to chop Zhang Ruochen's head off and send it to the Royal Capital. He wouldn't have to worry anymore.
However, the Saint Lady's eyes were worried. After all, Zhang Ruochen had only just entered the Half-Saint Realm. If they were in the wilderness, he might be able to save himself from a sixth level Half-Saint with the saint decree she'd given him.
They were fighting on a battle platform now though. They didn't have that much s.p.a.ce. There was also a formation around it. He couldn't escape even if he wanted to.
Faced with this situation, a first level Half-Saint could never be the match of a sixth level Half-Saint.
After all, the Saint Lady had taken the nine Heirs to the Royal Capital for a test once. The results were that even the nine Heirs with many trump cards and tactics could at most fight with a fourth level Half-Saint while in the first level. Even so, many Heirs had still lost.
Zhang Ruochen's talent was only a bit higher than the nine Heirs. Even if the rumors were true that Zhang Ruochen had reached the Tenth Change of the Fish-Dragon Realm, he probably could only fight with someone in the fifth level.
He was now faced with w.a.n.g Piao, who'd reached the sixth level of the Half-Saint Realm. Could Zhang Ruochen survive?
For some reason, the Saint Lady's peaceful saint heart was now in a mess. She didn't want to see Zhang Ruochen die on the platform.
She wasn't the only one. Li Min and s.h.i.+ Ren were very worried about Zhang Ruochen too. They furrowed their brows and held their breath. They felt repressed.
On the other hand, Zhang Ruochen seemed composed. He stood in the center of the platform with his hands behind his back. He stared at the four blood moons in the sky.
No matter how strong the cold wind was, not a single strand of his hair moved nor did his clothes flutter.
"Burning Void Sword."
Pure black demonic Qi poured out of w.a.n.g Piao like ink. His five-foot-tall stature expanded ten times. He was now a demon G.o.d, 50 feet tall.
The four crescent-like blood blades lit up in flames and came down on Zhang Ruochen from four different directions. However, the flames were icy cold. They sealed the entire platform in ice. Various sharp icicles shot out.
"Draconic Transformation."
Zhang Ruochen's body started popping. Blinding gold light and powerful dragon Qi surged from him.
Roar!
There was an ear-splitting sound. The next moment, Zhang Ruochen transformed into a golden dragon that was dozens of feet long. Two huge dragon claws slapped forward, cras.h.i.+ng against two blood blades. He averted w.a.n.g Piao's attack.
Shock colored w.a.n.g Piao's eyes. He hurriedly whisked out the two other blades, cutting toward the golden dragon's neck and talons.
However, the dragon's power was beyond his imagination. A huge talon with blazing fiery Qi pa.s.sed through the two blood blades and struck w.a.n.g Piao's head.
"How can he be so strong?"
w.a.n.g Piao was scared out of his wits. He squeezed his fingers and crushed the jade badge around his wrist.
Boom.
The broken jade formed a light s.h.i.+eld around him, protecting his body. This was a protective talisman made by a Spiritual Power Saint. It was a flawed copy, but it still had shocking defensive abilities. It could block a ninth level Half-Saint's full attack.
Of course, it could only be used once.
w.a.n.g Piao had used one hundred million Spiritual Crystals to buy it, practically going bankrupt for it. He didn't think that he'd have to use his lifesaving trump card against a first level Half-Saint.
With a thud, the golden talon struck the light s.h.i.+eld. It fell down on both w.a.n.g Piao and the s.h.i.+eld, hitting the platform. The light s.h.i.+eld quickly dissipated after blocking that one hit.
"d.a.m.n kid." w.a.n.g Piao looked at the broken jade at his wrist furiously. Gritting his teeth, he roared, "Earth Demon Change!"
w.a.n.g Piao continued expanding and enlarging. Finally, he'd become a huge demonic marten. He had sharp claws, sharp fangs, and blood-red eyes.
A moment ago, there were two human Monks fighting on the platform. The next moment, it was a dragon and a marten. The surroundings were filled with the auras of savage beasts. It was very strange.
Zhang Ruochen's aggressive attack had shocked many people. The gleeful Monks wiped their smiles away.
A first level Half-Saint was powerful enough to force a sixth level Half-Saint to activate his lifesaving talisman.
"Ninth Palm of the Dragon and Elephant Prajna Palm."
Li Min's eyes brightened. She was excited and a faint blush covered her pale cheeks. She finally saw Zhang Ruochen transform into a dragon. He truly was powerful.
Zhang Ruochen had used Draconic Transformation because he wanted to end things quickly. The longer the battle was, the more disadvantageous it was to him.
The golden dragon roared and circled in the air. He rushed down and attacked with full power, fighting with the demonic marten that was w.a.n.g Piao.
Judging solely in terms of power, Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation was similar to w.a.n.g Piao. He didn't actually have many advantages. w.a.n.g Piao had only been surprised because he'd underestimated his enemy.
Boom, boom.
The dragon and marten created gouge after gouge, ring of shockwave after ring. They ripped apart the clouds in the sky.
The demonic marten crouched in the center opened its mouth. Icy Qi wrapped around the four blood blades and attacked the draconified Zhang Ruochen together.
"Rip it!" An ear-splitting roar came from the dragon.
The golden talons clawed downward, ripping apart the void. It created a spatial crack that was dozens of feet long.
The demonic marten had guessed that Zhang Ruochen was skilled in spatial attacks. So the moment the spatial crack appeared, it rushed to the left.
However, Zhang Ruochen's reaction was faster than his. The demonic marten had just started moving when the flying dragon already transformed into a blazing human figure. He quickly landed and sent out a palm. He hit the demonic marten's stomach with a thud.
