Only around 170 Saints of the Sacred Central Empire were still alive. They were all the cream of the crop.
They knew that Zhang Ruochen used Qiu Yu as a sacrifice for the Universe World and Divine Sky-connecting Tree instead of the world.
Many civilians and cultivators of the Sacred Central Empire lived in the Universe World. The environment could only improve as the Divine Sky-connecting Tree grew stronger. Then it would be more suitable for cultivation and more beneficial for their descendants.
Qiu Yu had inherited part of the divine parasol tree’s power and the Qiao Ancestor’s Supreme Saint tree body. Naturally, he was the best sacrifice for the Divine Sky-connecting Tree.
Thus, the Saints of the Sacred Central Empire were excited.
They already felt a sense of belonging toward the Universe World.
Sizzle, sizzle.
More than 100 beams of Holy Qi were sent into the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron. The words on the cauldron brightened more and more. Horribly thick divine power spread out.
The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron started refining Qiu Yu.
Kaboom.
Boom.
…
The huge cauldron trembled violently.
An overpowering force crashed around, trying to escape.
With each shake, the sky and world would tremble. Rings of water-like Qi rippled out. The surrounding Saints all became dizzy and their Blood Qi tumbled inside. They were almost thrown back by the force.
“He’s suppressed but still so strong.”
“Qiu Yu has a Supreme Saint body and a shred of the divine parasol tree’s divine power. It’s impossible for us to sacrifice him with our cultivation.”
All the Saints present felt great pressure. After all, they weren’t sacrificing an average being now. It was difficult for a major world to produce someone like Qiu Yu.
Qiu Yu’s voice traveled out of the cauldron. “Zhang Ruochen, I am the World Spiritual Root of Kunlun’s Field. I have a great fate. You can’t refine me.”
He continued crashing around. The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron shook even more strongly.
Cracks appeared in the earth around the cauldron. The surroundings were quite stable ground, but the ground was still collapsing.
Zhang Ruochen had let Qiu Yu escape many times before. This time, he had to kill him no matter what.
“There are still two hours before the end of the Saints Merits Battle,” Zhang Ruochen said to himself. “It should be enough time.”
Then he flew up to the top of the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron. Hovering in the sky, Holy Qi poured out of his 144 apertures, transforming into 144 bridges of Qi.
Whoosh!
The 144 bridges fell down, connecting with the cauldron.
The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron stabilized gradually and Qiu Yu’s voice lowered. He didn’t have the pride from before and he even started begging Zhang Ruochen.
Unfortunately, Zhang Ruochen didn’t care at all.
Whoosh!
The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron spun quickly. Golden words fell off of it and flew into the sky, resonating with the saintly light from Zhang Ruochen.
The Time and Space Martial Deity Print appeared on his forehead. It was like a door to the Universe World had opened.
Strands of red fire followed the 144 bridges and rose up. They flooded into Zhang Ruochen’s forehead, entering the Sea of Qi and gathering in the Universe World.
Rustle, rustle.
Saintly light appeared on the leaves of the Divine Sky-connecting Tree. It shook softly, quickly absorbing the fire Qi from the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron.
Crackles sounded in the tree trunk. With visible speed, it grew taller and thicker. Spiritual medicine grew out of the ground within thousands of miles, shining with starry light.
The ground of the Universe World extended outward.
At the edge of the world, Qi of the five elements gradually transformed into land and sky, allowing the world to enlarge. If one stood in Zhang Ruochen’s Sea of Qi and looked at the Universe World, one would feel that a map was opening up, showing more geographical images.
…
After the Luosha marquises retreated from Zuling Field, the Shatuo Seven Fields lost their enemy. The Saints gathered again into seven camps and went toward the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron.
The seven fields all had different losses. Some fields had casualties of 50%. Others had 80% killed or injured.
Of course, whether it was 50 or 80%, it was all tragic. Without large amounts of resources as support, they wouldn’t be able to recover. Even if they survived this Saints Merits Battle, they wouldn’t be able to survive the next one.
For the fields at the end, they were struggling at the brink of collapse, unless they produced a top talent who could continue charging forward bravely. They should enter the Merits Rank of the Saint Realm, Saint King Realm, and Supreme Saint Realm of the Heaven World. Once that figure reached the Divine Realm, they’d be able to kill a god.
As long as they could kill a god from the Hell World, they would change the fate of their mother world.
Thus, the prides of the Saint, Saint King, and Supreme Saints Merits Rank were all fought for by the various worlds.
It was easier to train prides who entered the Saints Merits Rank. They had a greater chance of entering the Saint King and Supreme Saints Merits Rank.
Now, the Saints of Kunlun’s Field gathered together. There were around 30,000 remaining, including humans, beasts, and some mutants.
They gazed at the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron with troubled eyes.
A Saint of the Fire Race went to beg Wan Zhaoyi and the Saint Lady. “Qiu Yu is the future World Spiritual Root of Kunlun’s Field. The Empress has high expectations for him. He indeed made some mistakes on the battleground, but… He’s still young. it’s normal that he doesn’t have a resolute mindset. If he’s given more guidance, he can still stand up tall in the future.”
“Stand up tall?”
Wan Zhaoyi put his hands behind his back and sneered. “If he had one-tenth of Zhang Ruochen, then I’d believe that he can stand up tall. Unfortunately, he doesn’t.”
Chu Siyuan stood on the side and muttered, “Even a regular Saint would deactivate their saint sources when faced with death to die with the enemy. But Qiu Yu only knows to give in and even side with the enemy, acting as the enemy’s dog. Kunlun’s Field doesn’t need a World Spiritual Root like this. It’s too embarrassing.”
The Saint Lady knew that Qiu Yu was only the Empress’s obvious chess piece. The World Spiritual Root that she was truly developing was the peach tree.
So, Qiu Yu’s death didn’t really affect Kunlun’s Field.
Of course, the Saint Lady still didn’t understand the Empress’s reason for using Qiu Yu. Perhaps, the enemies would try to kill the World Spiritual Root, so she used this chess piece to fool them.
It was also possible that the Empress wanted to train Qiu Yu into a sword just for Zhang Ruochen.
Some worlds were also plotting to steal the Merits Record Wall while Zhang Ruochen was sacrificing Qiu Yu.
But the power that Zhang Ruochen displayed was too much. He’d forced the Luosha marquises to retreat. Thus, no one dared to provoke him.
“Let’s test him first. I don’t believe that he can maintain such strong combat abilities.”
Hell Blade Field and Purple Mansion Field sent a ten-person team and hid under an invisibility umbrella. They collected their auras and snuck over.
The ten people were all top figures. The invisibility umbrella could also cover their auras.
When they were around 1,000 miles from the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, Zhang Ruochen, standing on many golden words, suddenly opened his eyes.
Whoosh!
The Abyss Ancient Sword whistled and flew out.
Twenty thousand runes appeared on the sword, unleashing Second Yao power. It streaked past 1,000 miles and hit the invisibility umbrella.
Boom.
The ground shook violently and a bottomless ditch appeared.
The invisibility umbrella was tattered and the ten strong cultivators fell to the bottom of the ditch. They were bloody and had stopped breathing.
He’d killed ten top figures with one strike.
“This guy… What exactly does he have?”
Fang Yi, Heir of Hell Blade Field, and Sword Master Dongliu, Heir of Purple Mansion Field, were both shocked. The other Saints of the two worlds were also terrified.
“Those who aren’t afraid of dying, come steal the Merits Record Wall. I will kill you all.” Zhang Ruochen spat out sound waves to warn the Saints of the Shatuo Seven Fields.
The tempted Saints all calmed down.
“The Priest is so aggressive, but I like it.”
“With the Priest’s protection, no one will be able to steal the Merits Record Wall anymore. Guanghan Field will definitely be number one.”
…
Guanghan Field Saints all felt proud. Undoubtedly, having a Priest like Zhang Ruochen shining on the battleground would improve Guanghan Field’s reputation and status.
The Moon Goddess had a reputation in the Heaven World, but she was a god. She wouldn’t appear often.
Zhang Ruochen was different. Now was his shining moment. After this, he would create an even bigger name for himself and represent Guanghan Field.
After this, Guanghan Field cultivators only had to say Zhang Ruochen’s name outside and the other cultivators would show respect.
This was the influence of a top pride!
Around an hour later, the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron fully refined Qiu Yu. The ritual was officially over.
Zhang Ruochen picked up the bronze cauldron and poured ashes out.
“After absorbing Qiu Yu’s power, the Divine Sky-connecting Tree has strengthened greatly. The Spiritual Qi in the Universe World has also grown thicker.” Zhang Ruochen was satisfied.
Just then, he raised his head and saw that the Saints of the Shatuo Seven Fields were all coming over.
They stopped around 1,000 miles from him. Only the Heir of each world used physical techniques to appear before him.
The Spiritual Flame Demonic Concubine had petal-shaped clouds under her feet. She looked exotic and let out a seductive laugh. “Zhang Ruochen, I’m not here for the Merits Record Wall. But there are many bodies of Great Devil Ten Square Field Saints on this battleground. I want to bring them back to bury.”
“They should be buried in their home,” Zhang Ruochen said. “No problem. I give you permission.”
“Thank you.”
The Demonic Concubine’s smile grew even more alluring.
She didn’t actually want their bodies, but the saintly sources within them.
After all, there were hundreds of thousands, even millions of Saints who’d died here. The battle had been very intense. No one had the time to collect the saintly sources.
In other words, a great number of saintly sources were left on this battleground.
If a Half-Saint refined a saintly source, it was highly possible for them to reach the Saint Realm. The Shatuo Seven Fields all suffered great losses. They could only recover quickly by receiving a large number of saintly sources. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to survive the next merits battle.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen was the biggest obstacle to them taking the saintly sources here. It wouldn’t be easy to get past him.
“You can take the bodies,” Zhang Ruochen said. “But the saintly sources must be left behind.”
Hearing this, the Demonic Concubine’s smile stiffened.
