Chapter 874: Interlinked

He had drawn the "Stare to Impregnate" skill three times before. He had used it twice and had been reluctant to use the last one, saving it for a truly insurmountable problem that would threaten his life.

Clearly, this was such a moment; if he didn't use it now, he likely wouldn't get another chance.

Without a moment's hesitation, he charged towards Zhao Ruizhi, wielding his Tai'e Sword.

Zhao Ruizhi was initially startled to see him charging, then sneered repeatedly. This fellow usually seemed quite clever, but now he was foolishly rushing to his own demise?

What use was mere passion in the face of an absolute disparity in power?

He slowly raised his foot. He harbored such intense hatred for Zu'an that he didn't even wish to use his hands. Instead, he intended to stomp the man like a dead dog in front of everyone, dragging him across the ground like a puddle of sputum to fully satisfy his vengeance.

But just as he lifted his foot, his brows suddenly furrowed. "Hm?" he uttered.

He felt sudden pangs of pain in his abdomen.

Given his cultivation, he had long been immune to the effects of weather and illness; it had been years since he last experienced any abdominal discomfort.

"Could this be an after-effect from that scythe-wielding fellow earlier?" Zhao Ruizhi wondered. The pain in his abdomen, initially a dull ache, quickly escalated into an agonizing spasm, forcing him to lower his foot and clutch his stomach.

He Li and the others nearby were dumbfounded. What was happening? Why did the Emperor look so distressed? Had he been injured to such a severe degree?

By this time, Zu'an's sword had reached its target, poised to pierce Zhao Ruizhi's body. However, two plump fingers suddenly appeared, clamping the Tai'e Sword with precise accuracy. No matter how much force Zu'an applied, he found it impossible to advance the blade even a fraction of an inch.

Zhao Ruizhi slowly straightened his body, gritting his teeth. "Do you truly believe this minor pain can defeat me?" he sneered. "During my campaigns to conquer the world and battles against mighty demon lords, I endured countless severe injuries without even a whimper... Ouch!"

He hadn't finished speaking when a sudden, severe cramp seized his abdomen. Even with his immense willpower, he almost couldn't bear it and cried out aloud.

He had just thought he was growing accustomed to the agony, but he hadn't realized that the pain of pregnancy and childbirth wasn't a constant sensation. It would ebb, then surge in waves of contractions, each one more intense than the last. Just when he believed he had successfully endured it, an even more terrifying wave would inevitably follow.

Zu'an seized the opportunity, thrusting his Tai'e Sword forward with all his might. Due to the intense pain, Zhao Ruizhi's grip loosened momentarily, causing him to lose hold of the blade.

Nevertheless, he was an emperor forged in blood and fire. Despite the new, unfamiliar pain wracking his abdomen, in that crucial moment, he clamped down fiercely on the blade, even as pea-sized beads of sweat trickled from his forehead. The sword's tip was now just a hair's breadth from his body.

Zu'an, naturally, hadn't expected this single sword thrust to be fatal. Recognizing the situation, he decisively released his Tai'e Sword and instead struck out with a palm directly towards Zhao Ruizhi's forehead.

He Li, who had been watching the exchange with wide eyes, couldn't help but secretly admire Zu'an's decisive abandonment of his sword. It was no wonder he and his group had repeatedly been defeated by Zu'an; the man's combat instincts were simply too formidable, his every move proving unexpectedly effective.

He knew full well that if it were any of their guest experts, who were fully engaged against an opponent's longsword just moments before, they would be utterly unable to dodge such a palm strike.

But Zhao Ruizhi had been the world's foremost expert for so many years; how could their combat experience possibly compare to his?

His hand moved with astonishing speed and unpredictability, seeming to appear later but arriving first, directly intercepting the blow.

With a sharp crack, Zu'an's arm clearly fractured. He Li, watching nearby, saw the unnaturally twisted angle of the joint and winced as if the injury were his own.

Zu'an was sent flying backward like a tattered sandbag. Bi Linglong rushed to catch him, her voice laced with panic and a sob. "Ah Zu!" she cried.

Mi Li had also been about to speak, but seeing the situation, she remained silent.

At that moment, Zhao Ruizhi scoffed, "Linglong, I used to think you were intelligent, but now I see you are utterly foolish. To be enamored with such a brute, and even fantasize about him exchanging blows with me?"

He was, after all, the world's most formidable expert. By this time, he had slowly begun to adapt to the sensation of pregnancy and childbirth. Although occasional contractions still wracked his abdomen, he forcibly suppressed them with his internal energy, keeping the pain within a tolerable range.

Bi Linglong glared at him hatefully. "Unlike you, a cold-hearted person who only treats others as pawns," she retorted, "he would give everything for me, even his life. You, with your selfishness, could never compare to that."

Seeing his intended consort still defending another man at such a crucial moment, Zhao Ruizhi was enraged. "You're practically asking for death!" he roared.

He Li nodded in profound agreement, a thought flashing through his mind: *For those lovers to go this far, I'm almost impressed.*

To everyone's surprise, Zu'an's wild laughter suddenly rang out. He spat a mouthful of blood, then, with a sickening crack, wrenched his twisted arm back into place. The sight made others break out in a cold sweat, yet his face betrayed no sign of discomfort.

Zu'an circulated the Primordial Chaos Scripture. His battle-hardened body possessed astonishing regenerative capabilities, and the severe injury to his arm had already largely recovered in that brief time.

"Did you actually think I was clashing palms with you for amusement?" Zu'an's face was etched with mockery.

Zhao Ruizhi was stunned, suddenly feeling an icy chill that seemed to target his very soul. He raised his hand and saw that his palm had turned completely white, and this pallor was gradually creeping up his wrist.

"Ice Heart Snow Soul!" Having traversed the world for so many years, he immediately recognized the name of the poison.

Under normal circumstances, this poison, while potent, would struggle to harm him. However, he was currently suppressed by the world's natural laws, his strength diminished. Combined with the significant injuries sustained from battling the heroic spirits of Bai Qi and Wang Jian, his subsequent clash with Mi Li, and the ongoing effect of "Stare to Impregnate," his condition was unprecedentedly poor. This weakened state allowed the virulent poison to take advantage and infiltrate his system.

However, given his cultivation, this potent poison, while troublesome, was still merely an inconvenience.

He circulated his vital energy, and a golden light flickered, forcibly suppressing the white line on his arm, pushing it back down.

At that moment, Zu'an moved. He was not about to give his opponent a chance to slowly expel the poison.

As the Tai'e Sword was no longer in his grasp, a dark gleam flashed as he seized the 'Poisonous Dagger', stabbing directly towards Zhao Ruizhi.

He activated the Sunflower Phantoms to their utmost, his body splitting into several afterimages, attacking relentlessly from multiple directions.

With Zhao Ruizhi's level of cultivation, those illusory figures naturally couldn't deceive his eyes. However, his current condition was truly dire: he was severely wounded, and under the combined debilitating effects of "Stare to Impregnate" and "Ice Heart Snow Soul," his movements were considerably slower than usual.

Additionally, Zu'an altered his usual approach, opting not to engage in head-on clashes but instead striking and retreating quickly, leaving Zhao Ruizhi momentarily flustered and helpless.

He Li and the others stared in disbelief. Could Zu'an actually exchange dozens of blows with the Emperor without being at a disadvantage?

If word of this got out, he would surely become world-renowned within a month!

The Emperor had been invincible for so many years, barely making a direct move in recent times. Yet, every indirect action from him was enough to shock the world. Many top experts speculated whether they could even withstand a single move from the Emperor. Now, Zu'an was fighting him to a standstill?

On the other side, Bi Linglong gritted her teeth, about to rush forward to help, but Mi Li stopped her. "Your cultivation is too low," Mi Li said. "Rushing in would only cause pure chaos. Zu'an would then have to look after you, which would be an even greater burden."

Bi Linglong, after all, was not a woman who lacked intelligence despite her appearance; she understood the truth of Mi Li's words. Yet, seeing the intensity of the battle, she couldn't help but bite her lip. "But we can't just stand by and watch, can we?"

"Just stand by and watch," Mi Li paused, then added, "Trust him."

Just then, the battle on the side took a turn.

Zhao Ruizhi let out a sinister sneer. "Got you!" he declared.

Amidst the flurry of butterfly-like afterimages, he precisely seized Zu'an's hand. To his surprise, Zu'an showed no panic; with a flick of his finger, the 'Poisonous Dagger' in his hand flew directly towards Zhao Ruizhi's chest.