The headless body of Baihuan Shenzi dropped to the ground with a loud bang.
Zhang Ruochen retrieved the Azuresky Pagoda and took out the Spring of Life, dripping a drop on Shi Ren’s head.
As a Light of Life engulfed Shi Ren’s body, his injury rapidly recovered.
Following immediately, Zhang Ruochen walked toward Bao Lie and Bao Xinghun. “Xinghun is badly wounded. My Spring of Life could help him recover rapidly.”
Boa Lie did not decline Zhang Ruochen’s kindness. “An Ancient Abyssal Blade isn’t enough to prove who you are.”
Zhang Ruochen knew what Bao Lie meant, and he nodded lightly. Coming up beside Bao Xinghun, he dropped a drop of Spring of Life on Bao Xinghun’s body, then took out the Eight-Dragon Umbrella and Nine-Dragon Carriage.
“Father used to wield the Eight-Dragon Umbrella and Nine-Dragon Carriage. Only the direct descendants of Zhang of Shengming could drive the implement spirits of these sacred artifacts. If you all still don’t believe me, I can bring you to a place,” said Zhang Ruochen.
Seeing the Eight-Dragon Umbrella and Nine-Dragon Carriage, Bao Lie had believed him somewhat, his burly body shuddering subtly.
But how could his dead younger fellow come back to life again?
It was something too unthinkable.
“Go where?” asked Bao Lie.
With the wave of his hand, Zhang Ruochen had opened the World Gate of the Qiankun Realm. “This way.”
Bao Lie possessed a high level of cultivation and was not afraid of anything. So he stepped into it.
Once inside the Qiankun Realm, Zhang Ruochen first brought Bao Lie to the royal tomb and royal shrine, then to meet the descendants of the former officials of Shengming Central Empire.
Zhang Ruochen could sense Bao Lie’s reducing resentment.
Coming under the Divine Sky-Connecting Tree, Bao Lie let out a long sigh. “Little Brother, tell me what you have gone through for the past eight hundred years.”
Zhang Ruochen forced a smile. Dropping his butt on the ground, he started telling his story.
As time ticked by, the suspicion and hostility in Bao Lie’s eyes had completely gone as he was immersed in Zhang Ruochen’s story. “Princess Chi Yao has achieved divinity?” he roared furiously.
“That is right,” said Zhang Ruochen.
Immediately, like a deflated rubber ball, Bao Lie sat down on the ground, feeling melancholy. “I had been practicing my cultivation in the Nether Dungeon, hoping I could kill my way out and challenge Princess Chi Yao again to get my revenge. Damn it! Who would have known that Princess Chi Yao has become an empress and attained divinity? How could I challenge her again?”
Zhang Ruochen got to his feet and patted Bao Lie on his shoulder. “Brother Bao Lie, it was already amazing of you to attain what you have attained despite the lack of cultivation resources in the Nether Dungeon.
“Besides, Chi Yao has the Seal of the Celestial Wheel, which speeds up her cultivation thirty-time faster.
“Right now, the Kunlun Realm is reviving. There is no lack of Precept of Heaven and Earth, and all cultivators are speeding up their rate of cultivation. It is the best era.
“But the Infernal Court is launching a large-scale invasion, every mortal realm of the Celestial Court is plundering the resources with saint-class wars breaking out everywhere, people are panicking and the world has plunged into total chaos. In this sense, this is also the worst era!
“Brother Bao Lie, this era needs you. Follow me, leave the Nether Dungeon, and conquer the world. What do you say?”
Bao Lie could see the shadow of Emperor Ming on Zhang Ruochen. He was deep in thought, after which he got back to his feet. “You sounded as if I like this hellish place so much. Let’s go now. I am eager to see what kind of elite fighters the Infernal Court and the Celestial Court have. I can’t wait to fight right now.”
“No hurry. I came to the Dismemberment Prison Realm with another urgent matter in mind. Why don’t we leave the Qiankun Realm, and I will explain to you slowly?”
As soon as Bao Lie left the Qiankun Realm, he heard the howl of Bao Xinghun. “Where is my father? What have you all done to him?”
“What is the matter with you, Xinghun?” Bao Lie shot him a stern look.
Apparently, Bao Xinghun was afraid of Bao Lie. He tucked away his war spear. “Father, where have you gone?” he asked softly.
“Don’t ask. It is still not the ripe time for you to know.”
Bao Lie pointed at Zhang Ruochen. “Meet Master Zhang, my younger fellow. Bow to him quickly.”
“Master Zhang?” Bao Xinghun was struck dumb.
Zhang Ruochen smiled at him with his hands behind him.
Bao Lie gave Bao Xinghun a kick on his leg. “What are you waiting for? Master Zhang is a generation more senior than you, and his cultivation base is also much higher than yours. Is bowing to him too difficult for you?”
Bao Xinghun had no word for it. At least, he was a Five-Step Saint King and the king of a prison realm. Why was he still being treated like a kid?
But having been beaten by Bao Lie since young, Bao Xing was fearful of his father and dared not defy him.
“Master Zhang.” Bao Xinghun cupped his fists, bending his body in respect.
“Nice to meet you, Bao Junior.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled, taking out a Seven-Radiance Thousand-Inscription Sacred Artifact-class golden spear and handing it out.
Bao Xinghun was puzzled. He could not make head or tail of what Zhang Ruochen meant.
“Since you have bowed to me, it will only be proper for me as an elder to give something in return. I got this spear from a deity of the Celestial Court. It should be of a much higher grade than the spear in your hand.”
Bao Xinghun hesitated, but still took the golden spear. After studying it for a while, he was ecstatic. “Seven-Radiance Thousand-Inscription sacred artifact? I can’t believe that it is a Seven-Radiance Thousand-Inscription sacred artifact! Fantastic!”
The Nether Dungeon lacked resources and capable alchemists. The weapons that Bao Lie and Bao Xinghun carried were naturally not of quality.
Now, even Bao Lie was stunned at hearing the name ‘Seven-Radiance Thousand-Inscription sacred artifact.’ He walked right up to Bao Xinghun and snatched the golden spear from him. “Kid doesn’t need such an excellent weapon. With your cultivation at only Five-Step Saint Kinghood, you can’t use all the full power of the Seven Radiance. I will keep this thing in my custody until you have attained Nine-Step Saint Kinghood.”
Bao Lie fiddled with the golden spear, his eyes burning with fire in excitement.
Bao Xinghun bowed his head melancholically. Before the Seven-Radiance Thousand-Inscription sacred artifact had even warmed up in his hand, his father had taken it away. He was almost crying.
Zhang Ruochen let out a smile. “Brother Bao Lie, Why do you still like to snatch someone else’s weapon, eh? Haven’t you done that often enough to Sixth Brother last time?”
“How can you say I snatch? I keep it in my custody,” said Bao Lie. “Besides, your Sixth Brother was a capable alchemist. If I didn’t take from him, the eldest and second brother would have.”
Speaking of this, Bao Lie fell into a brief silence. “Are Eldest and Second Brother still alive, Little Brother?”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and sighed. “I am not sure. According to the First Central Empire’s history book, Eldest Brother Hong Ya had fought with the Xue Wangzhao, the Number One God of War of the Central Chiqing Empire, and died in the Darkmourn Mountains. Second Brother Chen Daogu was burned to death with celestial fire by Fire Demon Xiao Sheng, the eldest disciple of Emperor Qing. Third and Fourth Brother are still missing. No one knows if they are still alive.”
“Too many things happened eight hundred years ago. We have got to investigate to find out the truth. After all, the First Central Empire’s history book was in fact hiding the truth.”
Bao Lie clenched his fists impatiently. “Then what are we waiting for? Let us go find it out now! If they are still alive, flush them out. If they are dead, I will also dig them out of their graves. As for Xue Wangzhao and Fire Demon Xiao Sheng, I want an eye for an eye.”
“I am here in the Dismemberment Prison Realm looking for someone,” said Zhang Ruochen.
“Looking for someone in the Dismemberment Prison Realm? There is not a soul here. Is there any other cultivator?”
Immediately, Shi Qiankun summoned the ghost image of Zhenyu Clan’s old elder Shi Mingyuan in front of Bao Lie. “Elder Bao Lie must have stayed in the Dismemberment Prison Realm for a long time. Have you seen my father?”
Seeing that ghost image, he was wide-eyed as a hideous image flashed across his mind. “It is him! How could this be?”
“You saw my father?”
Zhang Ruochen, Shi Qiankun, and Shi Ren were delighted.
Bao Lie nodded. “Don’t you all get too happy, too quickly? The situation isn’t as good as you all imagine. In fact, Little Brother, you saw ‘it’ before.”
Zhang Ruochen’s heart skipped a beat. He looked shocked. “It? Third Brother, you mean he…”
“That’s right. It was the monster you saw earlier,” said Bao Lie. “If he was really the chief of Zhenyu Clan Shi Mingyuan, my guess is that he must have been poisoned by Lord Ming’s blood toxin, or his mind had been controlled by Lord Ming’s consciousness.”
“No. Absolutely impossible. Father’s spiritual power is very powerful. No way Lord Ming could control him,” said Shi Qiankun.
“What if Lord Ming attacked him when your father was at the critical moment of cultivation?” asked Bao Lie.
“This…” Shi Qiankun could not find the words to respond with.
“Could it be that Lord Ming has not been incarcerated but still can move freely in the Dismemberment Prison Realm?” said Zhang Ruochen.
A chill ran up their spine when Shi Ren and Shi Qiankun heard this. They could not help but check around them, fearing that Lord Ming might suddenly appear in front of them.
“Of course, Lord Ming has been sealed. But… something is not right. Let me bring you to the place of incarceration and you will understand!”
Bao Lie shot a look at Shi Qiankun, Shi Ren, and Bao Xinghun. “The cultivation base and will of you all are too weak. Stay here lest you all fall under Lord Ming’s control, becoming his slaves.”
Bao Lie and Zhang Ruochen rode on the Golden Dragon Carriage, and off they went.
After going for thousands of miles, Zhang Ruochen suddenly sensed the precepts in heaven and earth thinning, spiritual Qi disappearing, as if they had come to a forbidden land.
As the Golden Dragon Carriage, Zhang Ruochen and Bao Lie alighted.
There was no crystal covering the surface of the land, just black soil and rock. Not even a trace of the living and Qi. It was not different from any other barren planets in the universe.
Zhang Ruochen looked into the distance and saw six giant sacred swords, each almost one hundred thousand feet tall, which were so arranged that it formed a mountain of swords, standing on the horizon with a dazzling glow.
The glow had even illuminated a part of the sky.
A vast amount of lightning, celestial fire, gale, and icy flew around these six swords, emitting a dull sound.
“You are one of the sword holders of the Zhenyu Clan, but what you all are wielding are just the secondary swords. The six primary swords are being used to suppress Lord Ming,” said Bao Lie.
