So powerful, Zhang Ruochen thought. I won’t be able to defeat him without using the Rules of Truth.
The Silver Armor Saint General was expressionless. Releasing a loud roar, balls of silver fire emerged out of his body and formed a huge whirlpool along with his fists.
The Truth Boat underfoot broke free from Zhang Ruochen’s control and was swept into the whirlpool.
He remained calm even when facing this danger. He entered the whirlpool with the Truth Boat, but his eyes were studying the Silver Armor Saint General, observing his every move.
Boom!
Two fiery fists the size of mountains passed through the whirlpool and landed on Zhang Ruochen’s head. They covered him like two gray clouds.
“Dragon Nine Skies.”
Hot yang Qi poured out of Zhang Ruochen’s body.
Then he performed the tenth palm of the Dragon and Elephant Prajna Palm. His body transformed into a glittering golden dragon and flew upward.
Standing on land, it was like watching a divine dragon that had been hiding underwater suddenly fly bravely into the sky.
Boundless dragon Qi filled the entire sea and lifted huge currents. Waves overlapped and spread to the land.
Zhang Ruochen had added Rules of Truth into the previous palm technique so it had doubled in strength.
More accurately, Zhang Ruochen had attacked with a dragon claw.
As the claw struck down, it tore apart the fiery fist print and hit the Silver Armor Saint General. He quickly plummeted toward the sea.
Roar!
The golden dragon roared and circled in the sky. It rushed down to the Truth Boat and turned back into Zhang Ruochen.
This entire process happened within seconds. Thus, even without Zhang Ruochen’s support, the Truth Boat only tipped to the side slightly and didn’t capsize.
He steered the boat and transformed into an arrow. He crashed toward the Silver Armor Saint General that had fallen back to the sea and forced him back until he was below the curtain of light.
“Elephants Galloping.”
“Dragon in the Sky.”
“Dragon and Elephant Returning.”
…
“Dragon Nine Skies.”
“Dragon and Elephant to the Sky.”
…
Divine Fire Jingmie poured out of the 14 apertures on Zhang Ruochen’s palms. He also added the Rules of Truth and struck out with a dozen palm prints.
Within hundreds of feet in the sea, waves kept lifting and crashing. Divine Fire Jingmie shrouded the area too. Water, fire, and palm force mixed together, creating chaos. One could only hear booming sounds.
Kaboom.
Following a deafening sound, Zhang Ruochen actually shattered the Silver Armor Saint General, turning it into a ball of silver mist.
The fire scattered.
The chaotic palm force gradually disappeared too, the sea surface calming.
“This was so difficult. The guardian of the first level is already so powerful. I wonder how strong the guardian of the second level will be.”
Zhang Ruochen stood on the Truth Boat and panted heavily. He quickly circulated Holy Qi within him to adjust his breathing. When the chaotic saintly might calmed, he steered the boat past the curtain of light and entered the second level.
Boom!
Deafening cheers sounded on land. All the cultivators were discussing this. They were clearly impressed.
Mu Lingxi and the other Guanghan Field cultivators didn’t try to suppress their emotions. They were all excited and happy.
“Zhang Ruochen passed the first level. He received one month of cultivation and three extra spots. This way, three more cultivators of Guanghan Field can come to the Truth Heavenly Domain.”
“The priest is so powerful. As long as he’s here, he can bring glory to Guanghan Field.”
He’d passed the first level on his first visit to the Sea of Truth. This was very rare. Even the top figures of the Saints Merits Rank had difficulty doing it.
Feng Yan was surprised too. “He only cultivated 13 days,” he murmured to himself, “and he could already comprehend the entire first image. Zhang Ruochen’s perception is shocking.”
Wang Xu narrowed his eyes, thinking, Zhang Ruochen was far from as strong as me the last time we fought. His speed of improving has surpassed my predictions.
After passing the curtain of light and entering the second level, Zhang Ruochen immediately sensed that the Truth Boat was harder to control.
The wind on the sea turned into a storm.
Every shred of wind was like a blade and produced metallic clashes when they hit the boat.
Zhang Ruochen had to control his Spiritual Power and saintly power with all his might to control the boat. Under these circumstances, he wouldn’t be able to fight with the guardian even if he reached the pass of the second level.
The second level was also 30 miles wide.
As Zhang Ruochen navigated further and further, the seawater and wind attacked the Truth Boat more strongly. Zhang Ruochen was losing control even though he was using all his might.
“I can’t reach the second pass even with my Spiritual Power and saintly might? This is the Sea of Truth and I’m steering the Truth Boat…Let me try using the Rules of Truth.”
Getting this idea, Zhang Ruochen activated the nine Rules of truth and sent them into the Truth Boat.
A strange feeling instantly emerged in his heart. It was like nine invisible forces connected the Truth Boat and the Sea of Truth beneath him.
The boat that had been rocking was now much steadier. Zhang Ruochen only had to use his Spiritual Power and a bit of saintly might to control it.
“Indeed, it’s related to the Rules of Truth.” Zhang Ruochen chuckled.
The following journey was quite successful. A while later, Zhang Ruochen reached the second pass, appearing under the curtain of light.
Poof, poof.
Another Silver Armor Saint General flew out of the light curtain, shimmering and floating in the air.
It was still a half-step Saint King with sharp eyes and a semi-transparent body. However, there were silver bones inside the body. The aura radiating from him gave Zhang Ruochen quite a lot of pressure.
“Defeat me and you can enter the third level,” the Silver Armor Saint General said coldly.
This time, Zhang Ruochen attacked proactively. He flew out of the Truth Boat, transforming into a golden dragon and unleashed the tenth palm of the Dragon and Elephant Prajna Palm.
“Rules of Truth.”
Zhang Ruochen stopped using the Rules of Truth to control the boat. Instead, he added the nine rules into his palm technique.
His full-power palm transformed into a golden dragon claw and slapped down at the Silver Armor Saint General.
Argh!
The Saint General let out a dragon roar and actually performed the Dragon and Elephant Prajna Palm too. However, he actually used the eleventh palm—Dragon and Elephant to the Sky.
Kaboom!
The golden dragon was sent into the sea by the Silver Armor Saint General’s palm print.
Zhang Ruochen returned to the Truth Boat, transforming back into human form. It was like his bones had fallen apart. His legs trembled and he couldn’t stand steadily.
The boat underfoot shook violently.
“How is this possible? He’s actually skilled in the Dragon and Elephant Prajna Palm too and has completed the eleventh palm.”
Before Zhang Ruochen could steady himself, the Silver Armor Saint General’s second palm print slapped down like a five-fingered mountain.
Zhang Ruochen felt the world darken and his body couldn’t move. It was like the sun, moon, and all the stars in the universe fell down. Faced with such terrifying strength, many cultivators would fall to the ground in fear.
He clenched his teeth. Putting his hands together, he activated spatial power and struck up.
Whoosh!
A spatial crack flew out, ripping apart the incoming palm print.
But before he could take a breath, another palm print fell down. It hit his head, sending him and the Truth Boat deep into the sea.
Zhang Ruochen felt dizzy and his body grew heavier as if he was about to lose consciousness.
Suddenly, his body grew lighter and a gentle strength fused into the 144 apertures in his body. It flowed through his meridians and Saintly Meridians like specks of light.
“You reached the second pass on your first time to the Sea of Truth and exchanged countless strikes with the guardian. You are very talented and received one-ten-thousandth of the Mysteries of Truth.” A wispy voice entered Zhang Ruochen’s mind.
“What’s the Mysteries of Truth?” he asked.
“The more you receive, the faster you will comprehend the Rules of Saintly Way and the more you’ll understand the truth of the world. If you receive one one-hundredth of the Mysteries of Truth, you’ll become a Messenger of Truth.”
“Then what’s the Messenger of Truth?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
When he asked this question, he felt his sight brighten and realized that he was on the bank of the sea. Even more surprising was that he had no injuries at all.
“Congratulations, Brother Zhang. You reached the second pass on your first try. This is a rare accomplishment since the establishment of the Truth Godly Palace.” Feng Yan walked over and patted Zhang Ruochen’s shoulder strongly.
Zhang Ruochen wasn’t used to this enthusiasm. He was wondering what the Mysteries of Truth and Messenger of Truth were exactly. Who was the one that spoke to him?
He felt instinctively that the Mysteries of Truth must be something impressive. Not every cultivator who passed the first level could get it.
It was only one-ten-thousandth, but he could feel that he was different now. He could clearly sense all sorts of rules flowing around him.
If he was cultivating in isolation now, he would definitely be faster at comprehending the Rules of Saintly Way.
I wonder where I can get more information on the Mysteries of Truth. Maybe I can ask the Moon Goddess. She must know.
Zhang Ruochen only knew that he received something great, but he didn’t know just how great.
“What are you thinking about?” Feng Yan said, chuckling. “Come, I’ll bring you to the Wanglai Saint Pavilion, one of the top ten saint pavilions, to receive your one month’s time and three extra spots.”
Feng Yan pulled Zhang Ruochen toward a saint pavilion not far from the Sea of Truth.
“Zhang Ruochen is willing to interact with Feng Yan of the Feng Clan. This isn’t good news. I must tell Ziyan.”
Zhang Ruochen had only cultivated for 13 days and had already reached the second pass and fought with the guardian. This indeed gave Wang Xu some pressure.
But when he thought that Zhang Ruochen would soon be dead, the pressure disappeared.
