Chapter 543: Bloody Trench
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
“How did you know about that period of history?”
Zhang Ruochen was surprised and stared at Orange Star Emissary. Zhang Ruochen did not expect that she was this knowledgeable.
After all, it’s been 800 years, and that was a long time ago. Aside from people who were particularly concerned about that period of history, no one knew that Emperor Ming’s son was named Zhang Ruochen. Especially because he wasn’t an esteemed master, just a 24-year-old young genius.
Zhang Ruochen’s surprised expression confirmed Orange Star Emissary’s suspicions. She immediately said, “Do you have a connection with the Sacred Crown Prince 800 years ago?”
The Sacred Crown Prince she was referring to was Zhang Ruochen—the Crown Prince of Emperor Ming.
At first, Orange Star Emissary could not believe that Zhang Ruochen had anything to do with the man 800 years ago.
However, when she thought of Zhang Ruochen’s ability to control space, she started to have an inkling.
What if he was the man from 800 years ago?
If Zhang Ruochen was indeed the man from 800 years ago, she will be loyal to him no matter what.
Particularly because Orange Star Emissary’s family members were once courtiers of the Sacred Central Empire.
Her ancestors were once the Third Ducal Ministers in the whole Sacred Central Empire. They had the power to lead 10,000 people and only be below one.
However, her family suffered similar misfortune like Saint Huo Villa, so her family had no choice but to hide in the Black Market.
Zhang Ruochen couldn’t give away his secret to Orange Star Emissary and said, “How would that be possible? I just happen to have the same name as him.”
After saying this, Zhang Ruochen leaped forward and returned to the debris of the warship.
Orange Star Emissary was disappointed. She shook her head lightly and sighed, “The Sacred Central Empire was destroyed. My great-grandfather is the only one who still remembers the Sacred Central Empire, how could I consider him as the Sacred Crown Prince.”
“No, back then, Sacred Crown Prince was first on the Heaven Board, and now, Zhang Ruochen ranks first on the Heaven Board too.”
“What a coincidence! Both of them placed first on the Heaven Board.”
“Also, when Huo Wuji and Huo Guang were about to kill Zhang Ruochen and take his treasures, Zhang Ruochen retaliated with resentment which is not the way he usually does things.”
Orange Star Emissary turned around and then stared at Zhang Ruochen intensely, and a strong doubt slowly rose within her, “Maybe there is a hidden connection between Zhang Ruochen and the Sacred Crown Prince 800 years ago.”
Thus, Orange Star Emissary was determined to know Zhang Ruochen’s real identity.
The Warship Debris continued to move forward, but Zhang Ruochen had an unsettling feeling in his heart. He thought, “As one of the descendants from old Sacred Central Empire, Orange Star Emissary will doubt my identity. If those who are related to the empire are still alive, they will doubt me as well. Chi Yao, did you know that I am back?”
Zhang Ruochen knew that there would be more severe challenges and dangerous situations coming towards him.
Regardless, he has to break through to the Fish-dragon Realm as soon as possible.
Only when he reaches the Fish-dragon Realm, can he gain self-preservation ability. Otherwise, Chi Yao will dispatch his superiors to capture him, and he would have no power to fight back.
“The Fish-dragon Realm!”
With a stern look, Zhang Ruochen squeezed his fingers tightly, rattling the joints of his hands.
…
The Warship Debris sailed on the ocean for seven days.
Throughout the seven days, Zhang Ruochen and his three men encountered attacks from different numbers of humanoid fish and redcloud pythons, and survived more than ten fierce battles.
In one battle, despite their strength, they spent a whole day fighting 70 humanoid fishes.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen also made significant achievements. Over the past seven days, he had accumulated millions of military merits, even approaching the Ultimate Realm of the Heaven Realm.
In fact, Zhang Ruochen couldn’t even count the total number of his military merits because he had killed so many savage beasts and indigens in the Primitive World.
However, the Chord of Gods has not appeared which meant that his military merits had not reached 30 million points yet.
They had to keep fighting.
Instead of enhancing his cultivation, Zhang Ruochen significantly improved his combat skills, as well as sacrificed his youth to become more sophisticated, cold, and restrained during the past few months in the Xuanwu Primitive World.
Orange Star Emissary, sitting on the Warship Debris, folded her hands together. Her robe slipped, and some of her skin was exposed; her skin glittered in the dark and became translucent like jade, emitting bright moonlight. The moonlight formed a white circle and enveloped her body.
Looking from a distance, that circle of white moonlight looked like a moon floating on the sea surface.
After refining six Dragon Pearls, her cultivation finally broke through again, and she achieved the Third Change in the Fish-dragon Realm—Bone Refining to Jade.
In addition to Orange Star Emissary, Huang Yanchen’ cultivation had also improved considerably.
After breaking through the Fish-dragon Realm, Huang Yanchen abandoned the old exercises and started practicing the Xuanwu Sutra.
Huang Yanchen had wholly refined Xuanwu Qi and practiced the third stage of Xuanwu Sutra. Although she was still far from the Third Change in the Fish-dragon Realm, she became much more powerful than before.
Standing beside her, Zhang Ruochen asked, “Senior Sister, how do you feel?”
Practicing Xuanwu Sutra had made Huang Yanchen have a weak interaction with Xuanwu.
Huang Yanchen opened her eyes, looked at the sea surface covered with white fog and said, “The reaction is still very weak, but I am sure that we are moving in the right direction.”
Thanks to Huang Yanchen’s sensing ability, Zhang Ruochen, and the other men did not lose their way and were gradually approaching the Xuanwu Heritage Place.
“Leader, look, why is the seawater turning red?” Ao Xinyan said.
It wasn’t only the seawater that was turning to red, but also the fog on the sea surface.
“It seems like we have almost reached the Bloody Trench,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhang Ruochen smiled, walked over, looked into the water and said, “It is said that the over 3,333-meter-deep Bloody Trench is the deepest sea area in Xixuan Sea. It is known as the Bloody Trench because of its bloody fountain, a fountain that continuously pours out blood, turning the surrounding seawater within hundreds of miles turn into the same color as blood, at a great depth of the trench.”
Ao Xinyan said surprisingly, “The same color as blood?”
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, “That’s right.”
As the Warship Debris continued moving forward, the seawater started turning into a brighter red. At the end of the trip, the seawater turned into blood plasma, and emitted a strong fishy smell.
Bones of the dead, including the bones of humans and savage beasts, floated on the surface of the water.
“Gaaa!”
A group of strange black birds stepped on the bones. They had sharp teeth and used them to devour the rotten meat on the bones while shouting a shrill cry that sounded like a crying ghost.
The sea, the air, everything had an atmosphere of death.
The place was like a Genie Blood Sea. There were no signs of life.
“Swoosh!”
The Warship Debris swept across the water, creating a wave.
With a sword in his hand, Zhang Ruochen at the front of the Warship Debris. He looked at the scene of death on the sea surface and said, “It’s too quiet! So many soldiers of the Primitive World had entered this sea area. Why is no one here?”
Huang Yanchen stared at the bones and said, “Perhaps… did they all die?”
Huang Yanchen’s words turned the atmosphere darker, and everyone stopped talking.
Not long after, they found a Half-saint Warship on the sea surface.
However, the warship had been damaged and was turned sideways on the sea surface. It seems like it would sink any time soon.
On the front of the warship, there was a big hole that looked like a ten-meter-long paw print. The breach caused seawater to enter the warship continuously.
Zhang Ruochen stood at the bottom of the paw print, looked at it for a moment and said, “The atmosphere of death is too strong! Even a Half-saint Warship could not resist its attack. I don’t know what kind of creature could have caused such terrible damage.”
“Swoosh!”
Zhang Ruochen gently tiptoed, took off and flew to the top of the Half-saint Warship. He landed on the railing and found that the warship was full of corpses.
All of the Primitive World soldiers did not survive.
Following behind Zhuang Ruochen, Huang Yanchen, Ao Xinyan, and Orange Star Emissary boarded the warship. Seeing this scene in front of them, they all were shocked and their heartbeats increased.
“The sea of the Bloody Trench is indeed a place of murder. Even the Half-saint Warship could not escape misfortune in this trench,” Orange Star Emissary said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “The blood on their bodies is not dry yet which means that it hasn’t been long before they died. It’s best that we leave here as soon as possible in case the horrible creatures’ returns. We would be in trouble if we were to meet it.”
The fact that all Primitive World soldiers on the warship died was frightening. Zhang Ruochen and his three comrades did not dare stay there for a long time.
They left the scene and continued to move on. Six hours later, they met the other Primitive World soldiers on the sea.
The soldiers were attacked by powerful enemies on their way to the Bloody Trench but were lucky enough to have had survived the attacks.
The crowd of soldiers gathered together, and the number of people started to increase. In the end, more than 600 people gathered.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Thousands of you set off from Holy Turtle Island. Did only a few of you survive?”
A First Change level Primitive World soldier of the Fish-Dragon Realm sighed, “Our Half-saint Warship was attacked by the Black Skeleton Flood-dragons led by Lord of Flood-dragon. Although most of the soldiers on the warship escaped successfully, our warship was taken away by Lord of Flood Dragon.”
Another soldier of Primitive World said, “Our encounter was worse. We met a monster with flames covering its body. It sunk a Half-saint Warship and killed countless soldiers. If I didn’t escape quickly, I would have died on the warship.”
…
Everyone was sharing their own experiences. After listening for a long time, Zhang Ruochen finally understood one thing:
Four Half-saint Warships set off from Holy Turtle Island. Three of them had sunk or been damaged, while one was taken away by the Black Skeleton Flood-dragons.
The Xuanwu Heritage had not been seen, and most of the Primitive World soldiers have died.