Zhang Ruochen withdrew the Soul-Piercing Sword and swiftly thrust it forward once again, piercing through the gap between the black cat's claws. The blade struck its forehead, producing a metallic clang and scattering sparks.
"Bang!"
Even with a fourth-grade True Martial Treasure like the Soul-Piercing Sword, Zhang Ruochen couldn't penetrate the cat's defense.
Despite possessing a cultivation level equivalent to the Yellow Extremity minor stage, the black cat's defense was terrifyingly powerful.
"Haha! Even though my cultivation is a minor stage lower than yours, I possess an indestructible body and highly advanced combat skills. I can easily fight opponents three stages above my level. With my current strength, I could battle a Yellow Extremity great perfection warrior to a draw. Prepare to die, young man! Meow!"
The black cat lunged at Zhang Ruochen again, leaping two meters into the air with its mouth wide open, aiming to bite his shoulder.
"Heavenly Heart Breaks the Plum Blossom!"
Zhang Ruochen circulated his True Qi throughout his body and thrust his sword, releasing seven strands of sword energy.
When the Soul-Piercing Sword reached the black cat's jaw, the seven strands of energy converged into one, hitting it right under the chin.
The black cat yowled in pain as it crashed heavily to the ground. "Ouch! That hurts! How can you be this strong? You're just at the Yellow Extremity intermediate stage, so how can you unleash the power of a Yellow Extremity great perfection warrior?"
"You possess a powerful physique, but so do I. If we were at the same stage, I might be slightly weaker than you. However, since I'm a stage above you, you are no match for me." Zhang Ruochen approached with his sword in hand.
Indeed, the black cat was formidable. If they were at the same level, Zhang Ruochen might have struggled to defeat it due to its nearly invulnerable body.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen advancing, the black cat quickly said, "Young man, since neither of us can defeat the other, why waste our time fighting? Why not sit down and talk things out?"
The black cat's defense was incredibly strong, even with the Soul-Piercing Sword unable to break through its skin. Zhang Ruochen knew that even if he could defeat it, killing it would be difficult.
He stopped and said, "If you answer some questions, I might be willing to negotiate."
The black cat sat on the ground, puffing out its round belly, and said casually, "Ask away! I possess knowledge of the past and future spanning ten thousand years. There's almost nothing in this world I don't know."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Why did the Sumeru Saint seal you within the Divine Wood of Heaven and Earth Scroll?"
"Ah, that's a long story! I committed a grave sin in the past, and the Sumeru Saint deemed me guilty, so he sealed me inside the scroll." The black cat's large ears twitched, and its eyes darted about.
Zhang Ruochen pressed, "What kind of sin?"
"Killing countless beings, bringing calamity upon the world, slaying dragons, boiling seas… you know, things like that." The black cat spoke nonchalantly.
Zhang Ruochen eyed its chubby form and said, "You don't look the part."
"Exactly! I feel the same way. Clearly, that monk wrongfully accused me and sealed me in the painting world. I don't even know where to seek justice!" The black cat lay on its back, rubbing its belly as it sighed.
"Sometimes those who look harmless are the worst villains. And those who seem like villains might be capable of great acts of heroism," Zhang Ruochen said thoughtfully.
"I'm just a cat! Don't think of me as such a terrible creature... Hey, what are you doing?" the black cat exclaimed.
"Whoosh!" The black cat was sucked back into the Divine Wood of Heaven and Earth Scroll.
"Just as I thought, the power of the scroll can suppress you. As the scroll's owner, I can send you back into the painting world with just a thought." Zhang Ruochen smirked while holding the scroll.
"Young man, please calm down. Release me, and I swear my loyalty to you. I promise I will never betray you. If you want me to catch fish, I'll never dare to chase mice again," the black cat pleaded, sounding anxious.
Having been trapped in the Divine Wood of Heaven and Earth Scroll for ten thousand years, the black cat was desperate to remain free now that it had regained its freedom.
Ignoring it, Zhang Ruochen set the scroll aside and began studying the eight fundamental spatial runes.
"Young man, to inscribe basic spatial runes, your spiritual power must be at least at the 20th tier. Given your age, you couldn't possibly have such powerful spiritual strength. Release me, and I'll teach you how to cultivate your spiritual power," the black cat's voice echoed from the scroll.
"Tier 20? My spiritual power is already at Tier 32. These basic runes aren't difficult for me."
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged, opened the Secrets of Time and Space, and began to study.
"Impossible! The average adult only has spiritual power at the 10th tier. For someone your age, reaching the 8th tier is impressive. Even those with naturally strong spiritual power wouldn't exceed the 15th tier before the age of twenty. How could yours reach the 32nd tier?" the black cat doubted.
Zhang Ruochen ignored it and focused on the first basic spatial rune—the Point Rune.
The black cat's voice echoed again, "Did you start cultivating your spiritual power from a very young age? No, that doesn't make sense. Even if you started early, reaching the 20th tier would be impressive. How could you possibly reach Tier 32? Young man, you're just boasting!"
Usually, learning basic runes required spiritual power at the 15th tier. However, spatial runes were unique; they were more complex and unstable, requiring at least the 20th tier to be inscribed successfully.
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Ruochen concentrated his True Qi at his fingertip, forming a beam of light as he attempted to inscribe the Point Rune in mid-air.
After over thirty attempts, he failed each time.
"Haha! I knew you were bragging. Reaching the 20th tier is incredibly difficult for most cultivators. Inscribing basic spatial runes is no easy task," the black cat taunted.
Zhang Ruochen paused and mused, "It's indeed challenging to inscribe runes for the first time. I should practice with spirit paper and an inscription brush first."
Alchemists and artifact craftsmen initially practiced runes on spirit paper using inscription brushes. It usually took over a year to inscribe their first rune.
Zhang Ruochen, attempting to inscribe directly in mid-air with his finger on his first try, was bound to fail.
Standing up, he prepared to buy an inscription brush and spirit paper.
"Young man, take me with you! I promise I won't cause any trouble and will follow your every command…" the black cat pleaded again.
Before it could finish, Zhang Ruochen rolled up the Divine Wood of Heaven and Earth Scroll, stored it in his brow mark, and exited the Time and Space Crystal.
He then left the palace and headed toward the Martial Market.
As soon as Zhang Ruochen departed the palace, a maid reported his departure to Han Qingluo at the Queen's residence.
"He finally left the palace? Excellent! Gather a team; we'll leave the palace tonight. Tonight, a young genius will fall." Han Qingluo's eyes glinted with a cold light, and she smiled with sinister delight.
...
Arriving at the Martial Market, Zhang Ruochen made his way directly to the Inscription Guild.
The Inscription Guild was one of the most powerful organizations in Kunlun Realm, with an incredibly long history. It existed even before the First Central Empire.
The guild was divided into four main alliances: the Alchemist Alliance, the Artifact Craftsman Alliance, the Beast Tamer Alliance, and the Alliance of the Unorthodox.
Only within the Inscription Guild could one purchase "inscription brushes" and "spirit paper."
These two items were completely monopolized by the guild and were unavailable elsewhere.
Every city in the Kunlun Realm had an Inscription Guild branch. In Yunwu Commandery's capital, the guild's building resembled a grand fortress.
Outside the guild, the streets bustled with carriages and people. There were not only warriors but also alchemists wearing their distinct azure robes.
The alchemists' robes were marked with a cauldron symbol on the back.
The artifact craftsmen's robes bore a hammer symbol on the back.
In addition to these, there were beast tamers riding ferocious beasts into the guild.
A middle-aged man in a craftsman's robe, appearing to be in his thirties, walked with a proud stride towards the guild.
"Greetings, Master Zorn, the esteemed craftsman!"
The guards outside the guild bowed respectfully as he approached.
"Hmm." Zorn nodded, ignoring the guards as he entered.
"That's Master Zorn, the renowned craftsman. His spiritual power has reached the 26th tier, making him a highly respected second-grade artifact craftsman."
"Master Zorn has seventeen disciples, eight of whom have become first-grade craftsmen. Countless warriors in the capital aspire to be his apprentice."
"I've heard that his requirements are extremely high. He doesn't accept those with spiritual power below the 12th tier, nor those over the age of twenty."
"Reaching the 12th tier before twenty is no easy feat. Only true prodigies can achieve that."
...
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen spotted two familiar figures: the Eighth Prince Zhang Ji and Shan Xiangling, the daughter of the Chiyun Sect's leader.
They had also come to the Inscription Guild.
After the annual assessment, the Eighth Prince's standing in the palace plummeted.
His mother, Consort Xiao, was confined to the cold palace, and he became the weakest among the nine princes. With this dual blow, he became dejected.
Today, he accompanied Shan Xiangling to seek apprenticeship under Master Zorn, a second-grade artifact craftsman.
Since he couldn't surpass Zhang Ruochen in martial arts, he sought to do so through other means to regain his status.