God Emperor
chapter-1238

In the sixth life of the Seven Lives and Seven Deaths Map, Ling Feiyu turned into a white fox. Zhang Ruochen became a hermit cultivator who acted as her guide. He helped open up Ling Feiyu’s mind and guide her onto the path of cultivation.

In this life, Ling Feiyu and Zhang Ruochen accompanied each other for 300 years. They turned from one fox and one human into one woman and one man. The entire time, they lived in a secluded spiritual mountain.

As time passed, their relationship grew ambiguous. They were like master and disciple, but also like a fairy-like couple. They had memories that couldn’t be described clearly, and faint sentiments.

The world was vast and boundless in that life, but they still lived in their two-person world.

After melding the memories and knowledge from the sixth life, Zhang Ruochen didn’t feel a bit of joy. Instead, he sank into a long silence.

The memories and feelings of the 300 years were too complicated. There were so many changes in emotion that even with Zhang Ruochen’s level 51 Spiritual Power, he still couldn’t really separate reality from fantasy. He was quite affected by it all.

A beat later, Zhang Ruochen let out a long breath. He walked out of the daze but sank into even deeper frustrations.

I actually had feelings for her in the Seven Lives and Seven Deaths Map! Thankfully, the feelings weren’t that deep. I didn’t sink fully into them. I should still be able to survive and leave, right?

Zhang Ruochen was worried because the sixth life wasn’t the end.

There was still a seventh life.

He couldn’t predict whether their feelings for each other would expand further to a point that he couldn’t end it.

Zhang Ruochen and Ling Feiyu weren’t from the same world. They’d only had interactions and feelings because of coincidences. If this feeling bloomed, it might not be a good thing.

Zhang Ruochen thought back hard. When he and Ling Feiyu had stepped out of the Seven Lives and Seven Deaths Map, Ling Feiyu seemed very indifferent. She didn’t look like she’d sunken into feelings.

I must be overthinking. I’m sure nothing happened in the seventh life.

Zhang Ruochen smiled, trying to think more positively. At the same time, he was also curious. Ling Feiyu’s cultivation was very advanced. But how could she not be moved at all when she’d combined the memories of all seven lives?

Had she purposely repressed her emotions?

I’m truly curious what she thought of our experiences in the seventh life.

Zhang Ruochen shook his head, moving on from those matters. Thinking about them would only worsen his frustrations.

In the worst-case scenario, he would visit her personally in the Demonic Sect headquarters after the seventh life.

Combining the memories and knowledge of the sixth life, Zhang Ruochen’s attainments in the Sword Way reached the fifth level of Sword Seven. He also had big improvements in the Twelfth Hour Sword Technique, the third level of the time sword. Every move and technique became more mature.

He closed his eyes, releasing his sword intent.

Whoosh!

Dense sword images emerged in the cabin. At first, they were very faint, like shreds of mist.

Gradually, the sword images grew clearer and clearer. They surrounded Zhang Ruochen, bowing toward him. They produced grating clangs. It was like thousands of swords bowing to the emperor.

These sword images weren’t created from Holy Qi or Sword Qi. Instead, it was sword intent.

Yes, it was sword intent.

Sword intent was a type of thought or intent. It was very intangible. Being able to create sword images out of sword intent proved that a swordsman’s attainments were very close to that of a Sword Saint.

The sword images created by the sword intent were completely different from those created from Qi. Apparently, a true Sword Saint could use sword intent to form a solid saintly sword. The power produced were a whole other level.

Sword Seven has ten levels in total. I’m only at the fifth level. Becoming a Sword Saint isn’t an easy thing.

If another swordsman could hear Zhang Ruochen’s thoughts, they would definitely die from anger. After all, most swordsmen only comprehended Sword Seven when they reached the True Realm or Supreme Realm. Then they could become a Sword Saint. Only the best of the best swordsmen could become a Sword Saint.

Zhang Ruochen was only a lower-level Saint, but his attainments in the Sword Way were close to that of a Sword Saint’s. Yet he still wasn’t satisfied. How could he not anger others?

In addition to improvements in the Sword Way, Zhang Ruochen’s comprehension of the Saintly Way also far surpassed other lower-level Saints.

In other words, Zhang Ruochen didn’t need to waste time in comprehending the Saintly Way alone. As long as he had enough precious resources, his cultivation would improve naturally after absorbing the resources.

Zhang Ruochen took out the dragon pearl from his spatial ring and held it in his palm.

Refining this dragon pearl should push my cultivation to the pinnacle of the lower Saint Realm.

Zhang Ruochen was impatient about increasing his cultivation. He had to strengthen his combat ability so he could fight the Immortal Pavilion’s Death Knight by himself.

Every bit of improvement would increase his chances of victory.

Zhang Ruochen closed his hands, flattening the dragon pearl. The pearl had been the size of a skull. Now, it was as big as a pigeon’s egg.

He swallowed it. The Holy Qi circulation path of the seventh level of the Emperor Ming Nine-sky Scripture appeared in his mind. He refined the dragon pearl with all his might.

It turned into a cloud of Qi in his body.

Various Rules of Saintly Way flew out of it. They rushed into his Sea of Qi, following the Saintly Meridians.

Zhang Ruochen’s Sword Way saintly source hovered in his Sea of Qi. It was a palm-sized crystal that shone with dazzling light.

The Rules of Saintly Way from the dragon pearl entered the Sea of Qi and immediately spun around the saintly source. They circled it nine times and then rushed inside the saintly source.

The Rules of Saintly Way in the saintly source grew denser and denser.

At the same time, Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation was also improving rapidly. Every 15 minutes was like a month of cultivation for other lower-level Saints.

After a while, Zhang Ruochen had absorbed 80% of the dragon pearl’s essence. His cultivation reached the peak of the lower level. His body was filled with Holy Qi and was almost bursting at the seams.

Zhang Ruochen quickly stopped absorbing the dragon pearl’s essence. He worked to repress the aggressive Holy Qi within him.

After stabilizing, he became slightly relieved. I’ve finally reached the pinnacle of the lower level. I can wait until I fully control the power within me to refine the remaining 20%.

He moved the remaining 20% through his Saintly Meridians into the Sea of Qi to store temporarily.

He’d reached the pinnacle of the lower Saint Realm. Before reaching the middle level, it seemed difficult to have any other improvements. However, Zhang Ruochen felt like he still had great room for improvement. He hadn’t truly reached the limit of the lower level yet.

Both the Rules of Saintly Way in the Sword Way or Holy Qi were from the dragon pearl. They weren’t pure. If Zhang Ruochen continued to fortify and exercise it, he would definitely improve further.

Cackle, cackle.

Suddenly, strange noises sounded outside the cabin. It was like the laugh of an eerie shadow. The strange noise got closer and gradually grew clearer.

Oh no, it’s that eerie shadow again.

Zhang Ruochen could clearly feel a cold and eerie current blow into his face. He’d witnessed the power of this shadow, so he quickly collected his Qi. He curled up within the Ten Saints Blood Armor and lay on the ground like a dead corpse.

Cackle, cackle.

The creepy laugh got closer and paced outside the cabin.

Zhang Ruochen had never seen such an unpredictable thing before. He had no clue how he should deal with it. He could only continue to pretend to be dead in hopes of fooling it.

The Ten Saints Blood Armor was quite a treasure. It could actually fool the creepy shadow.

A while later, the shadow’s laugh gradually went into the distance.

Zhang Ruochen stood up from the ground. He’d just let out a relieved breath, when crackles came from outside the cabin. It was like someone sawing the cabin’s metal door with some sharp weapon.

It didn’t leave?

Zhang Ruochen raised his hands. He activated the power of space, preparing to use the Spatial Move to escape.

Thud.

The cabin’s door was torn apart. Blackie rushed in and cackled. “Zhang Ruochen, I spent so many days and finally found you. How come you’re hiding in the lowest level of the ship?”

“Oh, it’s you.” Zhang Ruochen put away the power of space. “I’m hiding from the ghostly shadows. You should know what they are, right?”

Blackie nodded its fuzzy and round head. “It’s the Evil Saint Intent Body.”

“Is it living or dead?” Zhang Ruochen asked.

“Neither living nor dead.” Blackie thought about how to explain it to Zhang Ruochen. A moment later, it finally said, “Every Half-Saint or Saint has a saint intent. No one can explain clearly what exactly that is. I believe that the so-called saint intent is a Half-Saint or Saint’s perceptions.

“Many Half-Saints and Saints have died on this ship. Along the way, I’ve seen countless skeletons. Their saint souls have already disappeared. But for some reason, their saint intents have actually been combined and turned into cruel Evil Saint Intent Bodies. Both living and dead souls will be attacked by them.”

Zhang Ruochen furrowed his brows. “Saint intents are only a Saint’s thoughts. You can cultivate thoughts and unleash power even more terrifying than a Saint?”

“That’s why I said that this ship is very odd,” Blackie said. “Anyway, the best thing to do when faced with an Evil Saint Intent Body is to hide. Coming to the lowest level of the ship is a very smart choice.”

Zhang Ruochen was about to inquire about a way to deal with them when Blackie asked first, “Zhang Ruochen, why is someone sitting behind you? Who is he? The Crazy Alcoholic?”

“Someone? There’s someone here?” Zhang Ruochen thought that Blackie was speaking nonsense, so he didn’t take it seriously.

Blackie reached out a claw and pointed behind Zhang Ruochen. “Can’t you see? There really is someone sitting there.”

Earlier, Zhang Ruochen had used the Spatial Move to come to this sealed cabin. He’d been cultivating with all his might and didn’t even check his surroundings.

Seeing that Blackie wasn’t joking around, he finally turned around and looked toward the corner. He instantly felt a chill run down his spine and goosebumps rising all over. There really was a person sitting in the corner.

More accurately, it was a dead person.