God Emperor

However, the more shocked one was Sword Saint Jiuyou.

He attacked with all his might, even using the Sword Way Xuangang, but was still stopped by Lord Lingquan. The Sword Way Xuangang only passed through the divine patterns on Lord Lingquan’s palm and didn’t injure him greatly.

This kind of defensive ability was very frightening.

“You must die.”

The Evil Sha Qi inside Lord Lingquan’s body surged like a dozen rivers. They boomed and the divine patterns on his skin showed even more blindingly.

His other hand clenched into a fist and punched Sword Saint Jiuyou’s stomach.

Whoosh!

Nine saint swords flew out of Sword Saint Jiuyou’s forehead.

The nine swords had different colors and connected into a nine-colored sword snake. It clashed with Lord Lingquan’s fist.

Boom!

The next moment, Sword Saint Jiuyou was sent flying by the fist print.

The nine swords also flew out and stabbed into the water around Sword Saint Jiyou, but Sword Qi still poured out of them. It represented his undying sword intent.

Blood trickled out of the corner of his lips. He was clearly hurt badly.

The two were both half-step Saint Kings. However, Lord Lingquan had the Supreme Complete Body Constitution. Sword Saint Jiuyou would never be able to compete with him on this.

Further, Lord Lingquan had the support of the divine patterns. This increased their gap. Even though Sword Saint Jiuyou had completed Sword Eight, he still couldn’t make up for the difference.

Lord Lingquan raised his right hand and looked at the two-inch-long gash on his palm. He felt pain coming from the injury.

Earlier, Sword Saint Jiuyou’s strike had destroyed the divine patterns on his palm and even left a beam of Sword Xuangang in his body. This made it difficult for the injuries to heal.

The Sword Xuangang was also spreading toward his wrist and arm.

Dammit. Lord Lingquan swore silently.

Sword Saint Jiuyou wiped away the blood on his mouth. He still had a smile. “Not bad. You’re pretty strong.”

Lord Lingquan took out a bronze glove and put it on his hand. He stared down at Sword Saint Jiuyou and Zhang Ruochen. “You two aren’t bad. Fight me together!”

“Zhang Ruochen isn’t needed,” Sword Saint Jiuyou said. “I can take you down by myself.”

Lord Lingquan showed disdain. “You don’t know your own strength,” he said in a low voice. “You’re indeed advanced in the Sword Way, but I hit you with the Chaotic Six Kill Fist. You must be quite hurt. If you continue, I’ll pound you into mangled flesh.”

Zhang Ruochen could tell that Sword Saint Jiuyou wasn’t actually that crazy. He wanted to use the fight with someone as strong as Lord Lingquan to keep pushing himself and search for the chance to break into the Saint King Realm.

Back then, Sword Saint Jiuyou had challenged Sword Saint Xuanji with the same goal.

Unfortunately, Sword Saint Xuanji had been poisoned by Pluto, so he couldn’t unleash his full power. The battle had ended as soon as it started. Sword Saint Jiuyou had failed in reaching the Saint King Realm during that battle.

Sword Saint Jiuyou naturally knew that there was a big gap between them. If they kept fighting, the final result might really be as Lord Lingquan said. He would be killed and turned into a pile of mangled flesh.

However, he had no choice. He could only risk his life for a battle.

If he couldn’t reach the Saint King Realm, he would still die.

Instead of waiting to die from old age, he’d rather have a great fight before death.

Zhang Ruochen realized Sword Saint Jiuyou’s goal, so he didn’t interfere. Instead, he retreated quickly. He prepared to work with Demonic Sound and fight quickly to steal the Merits Record Wall.

“Go.”

In the distance, Sword Saint Dongliu, Xue Lingfeng, and Li Mu glanced at Lord Lingquan and Sword Saint Jiuyou. Then they activated a shuttle-shaped Ten-thousand-pattern Saint Weapon together.

The three flew onto the shuttle cloud and fled 100 times faster than the speed of sound.

The three escaped because they were too heavily hurt and had no other choice.

However, the bigger reason was that they could see that continuing to fight with the eight first marquises was no doubt helping Zhang Ruochen steal the Merits Record Wall.

They were smart. They wouldn’t do things to help someone else.

The Merits Record Wall falling into Lord Lingquan’s hands was actually better than being in Zhang Ruochen’s hands.

“Those three…”

Zhang Ruochen was a bit helpless, but his eyes sharpened.

After Sword Master Dongliu, Xue Lingfeng, and Li Mu escaped, no one continued to hold back the eight first marquises. They formed a circle and charged toward the Merits Record Wall.

“Zhang Ruochen, your companions have already run. Aren’t you going to run?”

Marquis Xiebai laughed loudly. In an instant, he was within 100 feet of Zhang Ruochen. The other seven first marquises clearly saw Zhang Ruochen as their top enemy and gathered toward him too.

Zhang Ruochen was naturally happy to see this. As long as he could make all eight stay here, Demonic Sound should be able to steal the Merits Record Wall quickly.

“You think you can force me to run?”

Zhang Ruochen stood in place. He stepped on a tree branch and stood unmoving like an ancient tree.

Marquise Qianyu was a Luosha female who cultivated the martial way. She wore a white feathered robe. Blade-like feathers flowed around her feet, transforming into a flood of feathers.

When the feathers flew, they clanged like swords.

“Sword Master Dongliu, Xue Lingfeng, and Li Mu are three top figures and they’re still no match for us,” Marquise Qianyu said. “You think you can last for 15 minutes by yourself?”

“I’ll flatten him in the span of three breaths,” Marquis Xueyu said.

The eight first marquises circulated their Holy Qi at the same time. Some cast spells while others activated their weapons.

However, Zhang Ruochen acted before them. His first attack target was the strongest of the eight—Marquis Xiebai.

“So fast.”

Marquis Xiebai only felt a figure flash and Zhang Ruochen was already within five feet of him. The heavy black sword in his hands came down with thunderous wind.

Marquis Xiebai could only push up the shield made out of Supreme Saint bones to stop the Abyss Ancient Sword.

Thud!

It felt like a metal mountain had crashed into the shield. His fingers were almost broken and his body flew back uncontrollably.

After that strike, Zhang Ruochen peered behind him.

He saw that Marquis Xueyu had already come within 20 feet of him to help Marquis Xiebai.

“That’s the distance.”

The time prints around Zhang Ruochen all started shaking. They gathered toward him like specks of light.

“Zi Sword.”

This was the third level of the time sword technique. It was one of the Twelve Hours Sword Technique.

At that moment, time stopped.

Zhang Ruochen attacked. Marquis Xueyu was stabbed through by the Ancient Abyss Sword before he could react. At the same time, Divine Fire Jingmie poured out of Zhang Ruochen’s hands. It rushed into Marquis Xueyu’s body along the blade.

“Ah… Is this the time sword technique…”

Marquis Xueyu’s face twisted and he yelled.

Zhang Ruochen didn’t answer. What was the point in talking to a dead person?

Boom.

Sword Qi flew out of the Abyss Ancient Sword and tore apart Marquis Xueyu’s body.

A moment later, the fragments were burned to dust by the Divine Fire Jingmie.

A first marquis’ vitality was indeed strong, but no matter how strong, they were all dead when faced with Divine Fire Jingmie.

The remaining seven first marquises all gasped, clearly intimidated by the time sword technique.

They were all first marquises. Marquis Xueyu’s end might be their end as well. The time sword technique and Divine Fire Jingmie were too terrifying. How could they block it without the divine patterns?

Zhang Ruochen stood in the middle of the seven first marquises. “Who would like to die next?” he said indifferently.

Marquis Xiebai’s eyes were serious but still composed. “Don’t be afraid, everyone. Even the time sword technique requires time to perform. The Divine Fire Jingmie isn’t completely unstoppable either. Earlier, didn’t Marquis Chengxuan survive the Divine Fire Jingmie? We seven first marquises…perform one attack each and we’ll kill him.”

Zhang Ruochen took out the Buddha’s sarira. Activating its origin power, he struck it at Marquis Xiebai.

Marquis Xiebai’s hands pressed on the Supreme Saint bone shield and activated a shred of Supreme Saint power. Next, the projection of a Supreme Saint rushed out.

Kaboom.

The sarira shattered the projection and crashed into the Supreme Saint bone shield. Marquis Xiebai was sent flying. This time, he spat out blood and bloody cracks appeared on his arms.

The other six first marquises all attacked with spells and weapons, besieging Zhang Ruochen.

Zhang Ruochen was very decisive. Ignoring the six first marquises, he transformed into a streak of light and attacked Marquis Xiebai with Sword Seven.

Boom!

After this collision, the Supreme Saint bone shield flew out of Marquis Xiebai’s hands. His arms were practically disabled.

Marquis Xiebai was terrified. Unable to care about anything else, he used an escape technique and fled twice as fast as usual. He just wanted to get as far away from Zhang Ruochen as possible.

“Wu Sword.”

Before he could reach 20 feet away, time stopped again.

Poof.

Sword light passed through Marquis Xiebai’s back, leaving a basin-sized hole. Slivers of Divine Fire Jingmie spread out from the edges of the hole, burning Marquis Xiebai’s body.

Enduring the great pain, Marquis Xiebai yelled, “Zhang Ruochen, I will die with you!”

Boom.

Just as Marquis Xiebai was going to deactivate his saintly source, Zhang Ruochen attacked with another time sword technique. He stabbed Marquis Xiebai’s Sea of Qi sooner and the saintly source flew out of the body.

Yet another first marquis had fallen.