Chapter 310

Chapter 310: Broad-Mindedness

A fierce expression appeared on Yaoruoxian’s delicate face for the first time.

This was also the first time Zhang Yang had ever seen such an expression, perhaps even the first time it had appeared before the world.

From childhood, Yaoruoxian had built an unshakable belief in her own inevitable ascension to immortality. She had always viewed other beings as insignificant, never once encountering anything that could challenge her confidence.

Only Zhang Yang.

If it had been anyone else, she would have ended their life with a single slap, treating their words as the meaningless ramblings of a fool seeking death.

Yet, in front of Zhang Yang, for the first time, she felt uncertain.

The First Time She Felt… Panic

During their first encounter in the Daybreak Phoenix Ruins, despite having a two-realm advantage and the power of the Saints’ laws, she had lost.

In front of the Inheritance Stone Furnace, even with a one-realm advantage, she had been unable to suppress him. Instead, she had relied on her extraordinary comprehension to manipulate the Inheritance Stone Furnace, forcing him into the Abyss of the Buried Immortals, yet in doing so, she had lost the Inheritance Stone Furnace itself.

And now, their realms were equal.

How could she fight?

For the first time, she found herself at a disadvantage.

For the first time, she felt that the situation was tricky.

For the first time… she felt panic.

These two emotions were foreign to her. So unfamiliar that it felt as though she had never encountered them in her entire life, or even considered them possible.

Yet, Yaoruoxian remained true to herself. Her deeply ingrained cold pride, her unwavering confidence, quickly took hold, restoring her indifference.

She would not lower herself to bicker with Zhang Yang.

Instead, she simply walked toward the shore, her gaze fixed on the approaching Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals.

The entire process of calmness, being shaken, losing confidence, panicking, then regaining composure, had taken place in the span of just a few breaths.

Even Zhang Yang couldn’t help but admire her remarkable ability to regulate herself.

He stood beside her, hands behind his back, exuding an air of ease.

"You could take this opportunity to kill me," Yaoruoxian suddenly said.

Zhang Yang smiled. "I’d rather see who you become after the Nine Battles Tribulation."

Holy light surged around her once more, revealing the restlessness in her heart.

From the very beginning, the foundation of this tribulation had been built upon one vow, if she lost, she would become his slave.

"Three battles remain in the Nine Battles. You are too confident."

"Is confidence a bad thing?"

"Too much confidence leads to failure."

"So you understand that, yet you still chose me for your tribulation?"

"If I don’t challenge the strongest, how can I achieve the strongest immortality?"

"Choosing the strongest means facing failure and risk."

"You call me a sheltered flower, yet you are the most relentless wind and the fiercest storm. Isn’t that the best thing for my growth?"

"But what if the cost of failure is too great?"

On the surface, their conversation seemed calm.

But beneath the words lay a hidden battle, each sentence was like a blade, testing each other’s will, searching for cracks in the other’s defenses.

Zhang Yang spoke with unshakable composure.

Yaoruoxian responded with cool indifference.

To an outsider, their exchange might have seemed friendly, even intimate.

It wasn’t until the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals came within a thousand meters of Ghost Island that the conversation finally fell silent.

Neither had gained the upper hand.

At last, Yaoruoxian spoke again.

"I want to become an immortal. What about you? Do you seek to dominate the Southern Region? Or do you simply wish to remain undefeated?"

Zhang Yang smiled faintly. She was trying to understand him. Not because of romantic interest. Not because of friendship. But because she wanted to know her opponent, to learn his ambitions so she could one day surpass him. He chose to answer honestly.

He aimed to defeat Yaoruoxian in a grand manner.

That was the path he had chosen for himself.

Killing her would be easy. But defeating her, making her truly surrender was far more difficult.

That was his real goal.

As for the reason?

Through her, he aimed at something far greater—the Demon Sword Forbidden Area.

Yaoruoxian narrowed her eyes. "You refuse to answer? Afraid I’ll grasp your weakness and use it against you?"

At that moment, she was no longer the Cold and Proud immortal she had always been.

She felt agitation. She felt anger. She felt panic.

And, most importantly, she now knew how to provoke him.

Zhang Yang answered her, his voice steady and unwavering.

"Proving my way to immortality is part of my goal, but it is merely a tool for something greater."

"I want to break this Eternal Night."

"I want the vast world to once again shine with the brilliance of the Era of Competing Races."

"I want the immortal path to flourish once more."

"I want to shatter the rules of reality, so that even the most ordinary mortals have the chance to change their fate."

"I want everyone to be like dragons."

"I want this world to belong not to the holy grounds, but to everyone!"

Yaoruoxian finally turned her head, her gemstone-like eyes locking onto Zhang Yang, gleaming brightly. Then, she smirked coldly. "So, you seek to overturn all the holy grounds. The Demon Sword Forbidden Area will be your first obstacle, and I, Yaoruoxian, will be your first enemy. If you refuse to kill me and insist on continuing until the Nine Battles Tribulation ends, that will be your greatest mistake. You won’t even make it onto the ship in this seventh battle!"

"Hahaha! Good! I want to see how you plan to stop me!" Zhang Yang laughed heartily. Having reached the Ninth Level of the Ascending to Heaven Realm, he longed for battle.

Before his laughter faded, an aura of decay surged from behind him.

The Blood Skeleton had arrived.

He was not alone. He had brought ten fully blue-colored skeletons, each with bone wings sprouting from their backs.

Zhang Yang chuckled lightly. "Are you trying to use them to stop me?"

Without answering, Yaoruoxian suddenly soared into the sky, diving toward the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals as she called out, "The seventh battle begins!"

She landed effortlessly on the ship.

Zhang Yang made no move to ambush her.

At the same time, the moon-returning dragon and Jin Zhihong arrived with their groups.

Both sides clashed fiercely, engaging in an intense battle. Though injuries were sustained, no one fell in combat.

As they passed the Blood Skeleton, a flicker of unease crossed their faces, but they pressed on without hesitation.

When Jin Zhihong passed Zhang Yang, he shot him a deep, assessing glance. Then, with a wave of his hand, he led his people onto the ship.

The moon-returning dragon paused.

"Prince, there’s no need to intervene. This is my fight with Yaoruoxian," Zhang Yang spoke first.

The moon-returning dragon nodded and boarded the ship alongside his three top experts.

Now, only Zhang Yang remained on the shore.

His gaze shifted from the Blood Skeleton to Yaoruoxian, who floated gracefully like an immortal. Already in battle mode, she was bathed in holy light, radiating an overwhelming Holy Might.

Zhang Yang’s voice was calm yet resolute. "Yaoruoxian, I am about to board the ship."

At that moment, a flicker of something unfamiliar crossed Yaoruoxian’s eyes.

The aura he exuded made her pupils constrict.

He had allowed her the time to gather external forces.

He had given her the opportunity to prepare for a safe boarding.

Yet, he chose to stand alone and face the challenge himself.

This kind of calm confidence struck deep within Yaoruoxian, leaving an unshakable imprint of Zhang Yang’s might in her mind, whether she willed it or not.

And that realization only intensified her killing intent.

Because this Zhang Yang, the one standing fearlessly before her—posed an even greater danger.

If she did not kill him now, she risked allowing him to become her Inner Demon.

She, Yaoruoxian, harbored boundless ambition.

He, Zhang Yang, possessed unyielding dignity!

The Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals was now close to Ghost Island and preparing to set sail once more, continuing its journey down the River of Death.

Zhang Yang turned back and said, "Blood Skeleton, if you don’t act now, you won’t get another chance."

The Blood Skeleton sneered and took a step back, retreating behind the ten blue skeletons.

The ten bone-winged skeletons stepped forward, forming a tight line before surrounding themselves in a green glow.

With synchronized movements, they wove hand seals, channeling the green light into their mouths.

Though they lacked tongues, they let out deafening roars.

"Roar!"

The sound carried a strange, rhythmic cadence.

Suddenly, across the vast expanse of the River of Death, a piercing screech echoed, cutting through the lingering aura of death.

A giant bone bird emerged, its wings spanning nearly a hundred meters. Its entire body gleamed in eerie blue hues, exuding an overwhelming presence.

As it flapped its wings, massive waves surged across the river.

Then, like an arrow loosened from a bow, it shot straight toward Zhang Yang.

The Blood Skeleton and his forces quickly retreated.

Laughing loudly, the Blood Skeleton called out, "The bone-winged death bird can slay a saint!"