God Emperor
chapter-615

Dozens of evil cultivators tried assembling a Combined Attack, but Mu Lingxi broke it up before it was even formed.

They had not imagined the Demonic Saintess could be so terrifying. She had killed nearly 20 masters in the Fish-Dragon Realm with a snap of her fingers. It totally exceeded the power she had shown last time.

"I deliberately let you win last time. Do you really believe the Black Market is that great?" Mu Lingxi rolled her eyes, looking very conceited.

"Hurry! Retreat! Don't let the Astral Wind Breaking Needle hit you!... Ah..."

In the dark forest, another horrific scream was heard. Another evil cultivator in the Fish-dragon Realm was killed by the Astral Wind Breaking Needle.

The Demonic Saintess resembled a queen bee at the moment. Everyone who was hit by her needles died.

All the evil cultivators retreated in panic. They avoided her like she was a snake or a scorpion.

Ice Demon watched from the air, seething with rage.

All the Monks under him had reached the Fish-dragon Realm. Each was an evil master who could fight several warriors. Losing one was like losing a vast amount of wealth.

What irked him was that within the very short span of ten breaths, she had killed nearly 20 evil cultivators of the Fish-Dragon Realm. It was a terrible loss.

Ice Demon said angrily, "Her Highness the Saintess is really good at disguising her strength. I didn't realize your true power had reached such unfathomable heights. I have underestimated you."

"Knife-like Piercing Wind."

Ice Demon condensed his Spiritual Power into the dead wood staff.

A powerful wave of fluctuating energy burst out from the staff. It formed a 30-meter vortex of cold air, instantly turning the surrounding grass and trees into fine powder.

Even Mu Lingxi felt the enormous pressure. She quickly released the Vigorous Qi of the Holy Light and leaped to avoid the vortex of cold air, moving back swiftly.

"SWOOSH!"

A white light spot soared out from Mu Lingxi's left pupil. It turned into a Holy Sword and then landed in her hand. She swung the blade at the vortex of cold air.

"Cloud-splitting Movement!"

The keen sword Qi drew a long arc, tearing open the vortex. It flew towards Ice Demon's center.

Ice Demon smiled coldly. He spun the dead wood staff in his hand. At once a white icing saber condensed. The saber struck out in front of him and shattered the sword Qi.

"Your Highness the Saintess, you underestimate the abilities of a Master of Spiritual Power at the 44th level. Your cultivation is still too low to fight me. Don't you think you are too arrogant?"

Ice Demon laughed hoarsely while lifting the dead wood staff up with both hands. At the same time, the vortex of cold air had become even larger, swallowing several kilometers of the surrounding land. Earth, boulders, and trees all soared into the air. It was an apocalyptic scene.

Within the vortex of cold air, icing sabers formed one after another. They kept spinning in the air, whirling loudly.

The terrible destructive power of a Master of Spiritual Power at the 44th level was finally unleashed.

Just as Ice Demon was about to cast his spell, something strange happened.

A thick, purplish streak of lightning appeared in the air. It suddenly condensed behind Ice Demon's head, forming strange inscriptions, and then swiftly struck down on him.

Without any warning, Ice Demon was struck by the lightning, and his partially cast-out spell backfired.

"BOOM!"

Numerous icing sabers lost control and hurtled to the center, hacking Ice Demon's body.

The gigantic vortex collapsed in a flash and its power dissipated outward.

After suffering the backlash, Ice Demon grunted weakly. His complexion had become pale and his body tottered, almost as if he was going to fall from the air.

Zhang Ruochen was wearing the Shooting Star Invisible Cloak. He stood behind Ice Demon's neck, slightly surprised that he had not killed the old demon with his sneak attack.

It looked like the Ice Demon had a protective amulet treasure.

"Wrath of the Thunder God!"

Recovering from his brief surprise, he quickly cast his second spell.

Over a dozen streaks of lightning condensed into the figure of a 10-meter tall ferocious Thunder Deity. The Deity held a thunder hammer. With an ear-splitting bang, the hammer hit the top of Ice Demon's head.

"BANG!"

A spinel pendant was hanging from Ice Demon's neck. One of its crystals exploded, emitting a circular green light that then enveloped his body.

The Thunderbolt Deity struck with his thunder hammer, but this blow was immediately parried by the green light. Energy ripples surged out from the light.

Even though the blow was parried, Ice Demon was still hurt by the thunder hammer. He spat out a mouthful of blood and rapidly fell to the ground.

A tremendous thud was heard 15 kilometers away. Ice Demon had fallen to the ground and created a huge crater.

Ice Demon coughed out a mouthful of blood. An icy glitter shone from his eyes. He soared up above the crater and hovered in mid-air around the tree-tops. Glancing around his surroundings, he roared. "Who was it? Who dared to ambush me?"

"Ch-ch!"

After his tirade, freezing Qi emanated from the dead wood staff in his hand. It turned 10 kilometers of the vicinity into an ice plain. Flowers, grass, trees, fishes, insects, birds and beasts were all turned into ice sculptures.

Without any warning, crackling noises were heard 10 meters above Ice Demon. A spherical ball of lightning had condensed.

Ice Demon was an old demon who had practiced for centuries. After the last two sneak attacks, he was now much more alert.

Ice Demon was immediately alerted when Zhang Ruochen condensed the spherical ball of lightning for his third attack. He lifted the dead wood staff and struck above him, forming a three-meter-long ice spike.

Although it was only a Level One Magic Art of the ice series, it was cast by a Master of Spiritual Power at the 44th level. It exhibited great penetrating power.

Even a superior of the Ninth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm who had cultivated a Glazed Treasured Body would suffer grave injuries if struck by the ice spike. A Glazed Treasured Body could only take so much.

Zhang Ruochen had not expected the Ice Demon to be this alert. He quickly used his bodily movement and dodged to one side.

"SWOOSH!"

The ice spike was like a long jade spear. It nearly grazed Zhang Ruochen's waist as it flew up into the sky, penetrating through the clouds.

The Shooting Star Invisible Cloak had divine power. It could escape a Master of Spiritual Power's Sky Eye or a Monk's five senses. However, its user could still be detected if he touched anything or used his martial technique and Spiritual Power.

Therefore, Zhang Ruochen had only one chance to ambush a more powerful master while wearing the Shooting Star Invisible Cloak.

If his attack failed, his opponent would locate him from his Genuine Qi or the fluctuation of his spell. He would have nowhere to hide.

This was what Ice Demon was doing now.

Although he could not see Zhang Ruochen, he could feel the fluctuations of his spell and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. So he brandished the dead wood staff again, attacking with a Second-level Magic Art, the Frost Storm.

Overwhelming frost condensed. Once the frosty Qi touched a Monk, anyone under the Seventh Change in the Fish-dragon Realm would immediately freeze and become an ice sculpture.

Once drawn into the storm, even a Monk above the Seventh Change in the Fish-dragon Realm would be in grave danger.

Since he had already been detected, Zhang Ruochen came out of hiding.

His figure emerged in mid-air, taking on a liquid human form. He turned into a streak of light. In an instant he dashed to the Ice Demon and struck the area between his eyebrows with a Level One Magic Art—the Wind and Thunder Finger.

Most Masters of Spiritual Power at the 44th level would fight a foe with a Level One or Two Magic Art. Although these were elementary spells, they could be cast very quickly, so they were suited for close combat.

With no protection from warriors, a Master of Spiritual Power would most likely be killed before he could display the more powerful Level Three or Four Magic Arts.

As he eyed Zhang Ruochen's rapid approach, the Ice Demon's pupils began to dilate.

Zhang Ruochen was so fast, he was like a streak of light. Ice Demon could not hide. He was hit between the eyebrows by the Wind and Thunder Finger.

"POW!"

Another crystal on the pendant on Ice Demon's neck broke.

At the same time, his body flew backward. He fell to the ground once more.

Zhang Ruochen's blistering speed was thanks to the Shooting Star Invisible Cloak.

This treasure could not only render him invisible, but it could also double his speed. No wonder it was likened to a "shooting star."

Doubling one's speed might not seem much of a deal, but it actually was.

When two closely matched masters fought each other, even a 10% increase in speed would greatly enhance a person's chance of winning.

If his speed doubled, he could kill his opponent with little effort.

A Monk of the Ninth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm was only twice as fast as a Monk of the First Change in the Fish-dragon Realm, but it was actually a great difference.

Zhang Ruochen's current power was enough to fight an ordinary monk of the Ninth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm. With the Shooting Star Invisible Cloak, he was likely the fastest warrior of the Fish-Dragon Realm.

"I'm surprised you could ward off three fatal strikes."

Zhang Ruochen fixed his eyes on the crystal pendant on Ice Demon's neck. Three crystals had disappeared, leaving only two.

This crystal pendant must be Ice Demon's protective amulet treasure.

Mu Lingxi had exterminated the other evil cultivators. She approached, her toes stepping on void space. Ripples of Genuine Qi emanated from under her feet. Light as a swallow, she landed on top of a maple tree to Ice Demon's left.

From above, Mu Lingxi sized up the embarrassing Ice Demon. She said with a smile, "People say that Ice Demon possesses the Seven-star Pendant, a medieval treasure from the superior level ruins. Someone once wanted to exchange seven cities for it but you refused. Why are there only two crystals now?"

Standing on the ground, Ice Demon was infuriated.

As Mu Lingxi had said, the Seven-star Pendant was a peerless treasure. It meant its owner had seven more lives.

There would be one less crystal each time he was nearly killed.

Over the years, he had been very careful—only two crystals were used.

The first time was when he was besieged by the imperial army 20 years ago in the Eastern Holy Land. He had no choice but to use one crystal to save his life.

The second time was when he was nearly killed by a Half-Saint who had attacked him from thousands of kilometers away. He had no choice but to use another crystal to save himself. He then found some other way to escape.

Both occasions were very dangerous—his life hung by a thread. He had no other choice but to use the crystals on the Seven-star Pendant.

Ice Demon had always thought it was worth it. After all, the Seven-star Pendant helped him escape death twice, otherwise, he would have died 20 years ago.

Today, however, Ice Demon felt a lot of anger. Three crystals were wasted due to a junior's sneak attacks. They were equivalent to three wasted lives.