What a pity
Though the Innate Water God was not weak, it was still outmatched by Zhang Chen’s Water Authority. Zhang Chen’s authority flowed, and all the Divine Techniques’ power that approached him was completely suppressed by his Law of Water Authority, dissipating into nothingness.
"You... what’s happening?" The Innate Water God looked bewildered, disbelief filling his eyes.
At this moment, Zhang Chen smiled gently. The next moment, his Qi Mechanism flowed, and the Water Authority spread, enveloping a radius of three thousand meters. This entire space became a world absolutely controlled by Zhang Chen, where the Law of Water completely submitted to him.
The connection between the Innate Water God and Heaven and Earth was severed instantly by Zhang Chen’s Water Authority, causing him to fall out of the state of Harmonization with the Authority of Heaven and Earth.
"Impossible! I am a Divine Spirit nurtured by Heaven and Earth, bestowed with authority. How can you suppress me?" The Innate Water God was dumbfounded. His greatest reliance was the ability to control the Water Authority of the entire world, but now Zhang Chen had severed his connection with the Water Authority between Heaven and Earth. Wasn’t that horrifying to the extreme?
The Innate Water God’s eyes revealed a trace of horror. Now, unable to leverage the blessings of Great Heaven’s Law of Water, he could only use his own Divine Techniques.
But at this moment, looking at Zhang Chen before him, the Innate Water God sensed an unfathomable depth that he couldn’t see through.
He realized that he couldn’t discern Zhang Chen’s strength now. The other seemed like an ordinary person, standing quietly there. Yet, can an ordinary person sever his connection with the Great Thousand Worlds?
He didn’t dare to act! Within his heart, countless doubts arose.
"Who... who exactly are you?" The Innate Water God was terrified.
Zhang Chen smiled without answering, but calmly said: "If I were you, I’d flee immediately and not continue this entanglement."
The Innate Water God’s expression was uncertain, sizing up Zhang Chen for several breaths before saying: "Deceptive trick, this realm’s limit determines your strength limit. You haven’t been stripped of your Essence Qi Origin by the Great Thousand Worlds, surely you haven’t exceeded the Twelfth Tier. What’s with this facade? I don’t believe your strength is enough to suppress the operating laws of the Great Thousand Worlds!"
The next moment, a divine light surged within the Innate Water God, transforming into a Sword Qi, sweeping mightily toward Zhang Chen.
"Without the blessings of the Great Thousand Worlds, the Innate Water God’s strength is only at the Eleventh Tier." Surrounding Zhang Chen, Sun True Flame billowed, forming a dragon of flames that charged to counter the Sword Light slashed by the Innate Water God.
Sun True Flame’s power Origin was formidable, but as an ancient relic born in the Ancient Era, the Innate Water God’s Origin wasn’t weak, so his Sword Light didn’t get evaporated directly by Sun True Flame but tangled with it. But don’t forget, Zhang Chen holds an Innate Spiritual Treasure.
Zhang Chen didn’t wish to entangle with the Innate Water God excessively, to avoid drawing attention from hidden old figures. The next moment, a silver-white ruler appeared in Zhang Chen’s hand, into which he poured a mass of Innate Qi. Instantly, the Celestial Measuring Ruler sublimated to the utmost, and it struck fiercely toward the Innate Water God opposite.
"Innate Spiritual Treasure!!!"
The Innate Water God was startled, seeing the Celestial Measuring Ruler swing at him, a water-blue barrier surfaced around him. But the ruler twisted space, leaping into the barrier and struck the Innate Water God.
’Puff~’
A mouthful of azure blood spurted from the Innate Water God’s mouth, azure flames surged from his seven orifices, and he flew backward. Leveraging the rebounding force, he transformed into water light and fled.
As an Eleventh Tier Ancient Divine Being, with his heart set on escape, Zhang Chen couldn’t intercept.
The Innate Water God, an entity from the dawn of the Ancient Era, knew how formidable an Innate Spiritual Treasure is, especially one that can manipulate the Power of Space. It was beyond his resistance.
With his authority suppressed, losing his advantage, why would he continue entangled?
Upon escaping the realm dominated by Water Authority, the Innate Water God realized that his connection with the Water Authority between Heaven and Earth had restored. His escape light halted, and he turned back, disbelief in his gaze facing Zhang Chen afar in the clouds: "Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable! Where did this freak come from? Holding an Innate Spiritual Treasure? If I haven’t mistaken, this is a fully awakened Innate Spiritual Treasure. How can it be fully awakened in his hands?"
"And this person can suppress my authority, it’s simply my nemesis!" The Innate Water God’s eyes flickered with killing intent, yet no Divine Techniques could affect the man opposite.
"Unless my cultivation surpasses his, without Heaven and Earth Law, using my own cultivation to kill him, otherwise I can only retreat." Thinking this, killing intent spun in the Innate Water God’s eyes: "This one must not be allowed to remain! I need to quickly restore my Twelfth Tier cultivation, to strike him down."
The Innate Water God’s gaze was full of Evil Qi; who would allow a natural nemesis to live in the world?
He absolutely wouldn’t allow it!
"This wretch must die!" Pondering this, the Innate Water God transformed into mist and vanished on the spot.
In a farther distance
Zhang Chen collected the Authority of Water and put away the Celestial Measuring Ruler, watching silently in the direction where the Innate Water God had departed.
"At this moment, this wretched creature must have developed a desire to kill me. In his eyes, I’m a thorn in the flesh he wishes to remove directly," Zhang Chen’s eyes revealed a hint of prudence. "But the speed of his cultivation recovery may not match my gains. Once I’ve finished crafting the God-Beating Whip, even against a Twelfth Tier expert, I should be able to contend."
Of course, contending is merely contending; the outcome depends on Zhang Chen’s own skills.
After putting away his treasures, Zhang Chen turned towards the direction of Jinling City, silently returning to his courtyard. Upon opening the door, he was taken aback, for inside sat a chubby-faced child.
"How did you find this place?" Zhang Chen, upon seeing the figure of Hu Li the Immortal, couldn’t believe his eyes.
Upon hearing Zhang Chen’s words, Hu Li the Immortal pointed to his nose: "With my sense of smell, finding you wasn’t difficult."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen was convinced, for even an ordinary tiger could track prey within a radius of ten miles using its nose.
Zhang Chen pushed the door open and entered: "Why are you looking for me?"
"I saw the process of you acquiring that Twelfth Tier treasure!" Hu Li the Immortal looked at Zhang Chen with a smile.
Zhang Chen’s gaze fell on Hu Li the Immortal. He slowly poured a pot of tea and placed it on the stove to heat: "And then? Are you thinking of taking it?"
Zhang Chen’s gaze was somewhat dangerous. Hu Li the Immortal, sensing this, hastily waved his hands in a flustered manner:
"Such treasures are naturally desired by everyone, but I know that in your hands, not even the Celestial King could take it away. How could I dare harbor such thoughts?"
"So, what do you mean?" Zhang Chen asked.
"I wish to have a showdown with the Great Virtuous Master, but I’m lacking a trump card. If you could lend me the treasure, I might stand a better chance." Hu Li the Immortal said.
Zhang Chen looked at Hu Li the Immortal in surprise: "Have the Demon Race and the Taiping Dao reached such a situation?"
Hu Li the Immortal nodded: "You don’t know, Prince Pingbian has lost all his will to fight and has become a cripple. Both the Demon Race and the Taiping Dao want to take full control of Prince Pingbian’s domain before the court and the Eight Great Clans of Kyoto respond. But whether it’s the Taiping Dao or the Demon Race, they know that if the two sides go to war now, only the Royal Family of Great Zhou will benefit. So, I had a challenge with the Great Virtuous Master, which seems the least costly way to decide the ownership of the Northern Land."
Recalling the unfathomable Great Virtuous Master, Zhang Chen’s eyes showed a hint of caution: "When do you want to borrow the treasure?"
If Hu Li the Immortal could eliminate the Great Virtuous Master, it would indeed be good news for him. Little Xiaodouding’s issues would be resolved, and he might have a chance to slip into Qingcheng Mountain to seek the next step in the Qi Cultivator’s path.
Thus, Zhang Chen had no reason not to lend the treasure.
However, lending the treasure was one thing; he feared that Hu Li the Immortal might have ill intentions and might usurp his treasure. He would then be left with nowhere to appeal.
"After the Dao Discussion Battle in Jinling City ends," Hu Li the Immortal said.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen nodded: "There are still more than six months left; I should be able to complete the sacrificial refining by then. The treasure can indeed be lent to you."
"Thank you!" Hu Li the Immortal was overjoyed and hurriedly expressed his gratitude to Zhang Chen.
"How far has the Demon Race advanced now?" Zhang Chen inquired.
The Blood Dao is not far from ascending another tier; this suggests how many lives have perished recently in the land of Jiangnan.
"Seventy vassal states’ territories have already been conquered," Hu Li the Immortal said with some pride. "Wherever we pass, the various noble families surrender in panic, willingly submitting to the Human-Demon Race."
Here, Hu Li the Immortal’s voice carried a hint of puzzlement: "You humans are indeed strange."
"What’s so strange?" Zhang Chen asked reflexively.
"The lower class people, with no wealth or assets, mere paupers, shout slogans like ’Reclaim our rivers and mountains,’ and fight us to the death, refusing to yield. Yet those in possession of vast lands and riches, faced with our Demon Race armies, surrender at the first sight of us. Isn’t that bizarre?" Hu Li the Immortal said with incomprehension in his voice: "The rivers and mountains aren’t theirs, the cities aren’t theirs, yet they stubbornly fight us to the death. Even when the real masters of those lands and cities surrender, the common folk refuse to submit. Isn’t that laughable?"
"It’s like a fierce tiger invading the territory of jackals, but a flock of sheep desperately defends the jackal’s territory. Even when the jackals have surrendered, the sheep still refuse to yield. Isn’t that absurd?" Hu Li the Immortal said.