Zhang Ruochen stepped down from the White Feather Peacock Saint Chariot and looked up towards the distant void. There, divine power fluctuations surged strongly, lights flashed, and deafening muffled sounds echoed without cease.
For the Universe Cauldron, these peak Taixu-realm powerhouses were truly driven to utter madness, fighting without pause until one perished.
How could a victor emerge in such a short time?
“Your face… who wrote that?”
Small Black had been utterly serious, but upon clearly seeing the two characters on Zhang Ruochen’s face, its pair of rolling cat eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.
“What?”
Zhang Ruochen clearly had no idea what had happened. He opened his palm and condensed a mirror from divine light.
On his left and right cheeks, one character each, together forming “Moon Envoy”.
“Really knows how to play, Moon Envoy? Why not write Sun Envoy?” Small Black laughed until it nearly collapsed on the ground, tears streaming down.
Zhang Ruochen wiped his palm across his face. Divine light flashed, the two characters vanished, and, as though nothing had occurred, he said calmly, “Do you have any tomes on the Path of Runes or the Path of Illusion? The extremely profound kind.”
Small Black asked casually, “How profound?”
“The more profound the better. Ideally those suitable for gods with spiritual force above the eightieth order.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Small Black grew solemn, unable to fathom Zhang Ruochen’s intent. It replied, “None.”
Existences with spiritual force above the eightieth order were countable across the entire universe. Tomes for such beings, even in the Undying Vampire race, could likely only be found in the Undying Divine Hall.
Small Black thought for a moment, then added, “There is, however, one tome on arrays at that level.”
“Arrays are of no use… No, wait, lend it to me.” A strange smile appeared in Zhang Ruochen’s eyes.
Zhang Ruochen had examined Wu Yue. Though her hun and po souls were gravely wounded, her spiritual force had surprisingly recovered nearly fully, astonishingly powerful.
Yet she had lost her memory, and even peak-state Xiu Chen had captured her alive.
With such strength, how could she seize the Universe Cauldron?
Precisely for this reason, in the chariot earlier, Zhang Ruochen had earnestly persuaded her. Finally, Wu Yue agreed to first study some tomes on runes and illusion. Only with offensive methods would she act.
Wu Yue’s learning ability was extraordinary. In less than an hour, she had read through all the rune and illusion tomes on Zhang Ruochen, reaching the level of wielding them freely.
Even ordinary rune patterns and illusions, in her hands, could erupt with bizarre, extraordinary power.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen, caught off guard, had already fallen into her illusion. Otherwise, how could “Moon Envoy” inexplicably appear on his face?
Perhaps he had written the characters himself.
“This Array Codex was given by my master. Do not lose it.”
Small Black cautioned, then handed the tome to Zhang Ruochen.
Such a tome was extraordinarily precious, capable of serving as a clan-guarding treasure. Small Black lent it so readily only because their bond had long surpassed ordinary friendship.
Zhang Ruochen flipped through the Array Codex briefly and, discovering it was Small Black’s transcribed copy, felt reassured.
Returning to the chariot, Zhang Ruochen immediately mobilised the power of the Path of Truth to guard against further illusions. He handed the Array Codex to Wu Yue.
Moments later, Zhang Ruochen emerged from the saint chariot once more.
He instructed Small Black to guard beside the chariot, then went to find the Blood Absolute War God.
The Blood Absolute War God, Lord Xue Yao, Xue Tu, and the Nether King stood together, all observing the distant divine battle in the void while discussing matters.
Lord Xue Yao said, “The starry space of the Lost Paradise will likely become a realm of deathly silence and waste.”
“If destroyed, so be it. Only a pity for all that blood qi.” Xue Tu gazed at the stellar fragments in the void and sighed deeply.
The Blood Absolute War God’s gaze was profound. He said, “I always feel that a vibrant place like the Lost Paradise appearing in the deep void of the Dark Triangle Star Region is far too unreasonable. Unless it is connected to the legendary Sword Realm.”
Lord Xue Yao and Xue Tu both looked towards the Nether King.
The Nether King shook his head. “Neither the Sword Gall nor the Constant Star Divine Sword shows any unusual fluctuations.”
Seeing Zhang Ruochen approach, Xue Tu asked excitedly, “Senior Brother, what did Lady Tianmu say? Even the emergence of the legendary Universe Cauldron cannot draw her from seclusion?”
Zhang Ruochen countered, “The Universe Cauldron has emerged. Why are you still here? Should you not immediately leave the Dark Triangle Star Region and rush to the Destiny Divine Hall to report this to your master? This would be a great merit.”
Xue Tu’s face turned bitter. “Even using a divine vessel, it took years of navigation to reach here. Travelling alone, how many years would it take? What if some mishap occurs and I become lost in the darkness?”
Cultivators from various forces had followed routes explored by the Yaksha race to the end, then endured further trials before successively arriving here.
Zhang Ruochen looked towards the Blood Absolute War God. “Grandfather, I must visit the continental land of the gods.”
The Blood Absolute War God understood his purpose and nodded. “Be careful. Many powerhouses have come to this star region.”
“Those powerhouses are currently drawn to the Universe Cauldron. Who would care about a minor figure like me whose martial cultivation is utterly wasted?” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Senior Brother, I shall accompany you.”
Xue Tu wished to follow.
Though Princess Fima had ravaged the continental land of the gods severely, its vast expanse meant truly destroyed regions comprised less than a tenth.
Lord Xue Yao’s face darkened coldly. He rebuked, “Return. The Lost Paradise is exceedingly perilous now. You, a mere upper god, do you no longer value your life?”
Xue Tu was bound by Lord Xue Yao’s regulus divine patterns, feeling utter distress.
Mere upper god?
Were upper gods weak?
Had another mid-Taiyi Great God said this, Xue Tu would surely retort, unleashing ruthless words like “In one aeon, this emperor will beat you until even your mother fails to recognise you.” Yet against Lord Xue Yao, he could not.
After all, Lord Xue Yao was his father.
Zhang Ruochen stepped with divine steps, walking through the void where fine stellar fragments were everywhere visible.
This star region spanned more than a trillion miles, with over a thousand life-bearing planets. A great many had been destroyed. Fireballs frequently streaked overhead.
The ten constant stars above the continental land of the gods had long since collapsed entirely.
Fortunately, boundary-protecting arrays and divine patterns shielded it. Stellar fragments were blocked outside the realm. Yet the continent’s beings still suffered calamity: volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and floods, earthquakes shaking mountains.
Any slight divine power fluctuation was catastrophic destruction for mortals, beasts, fish, insects, and birds.
Zhang Ruochen descended to the vast zone of shattered space, released Xiu Chen, and allowed it to absorb the Shura evil qi and regulus divine patterns of the Shura Great Yi Realm, along with divine soul fragments scattered across the land.
Since Xiu Chen had become the sundial’s artifact spirit, the stronger its cultivation, the better.
Zhang Ruochen sensed in all directions, detecting no divine auras. Even the Xu Feng divine vessel in the outer heavens had departed.
“If anyone asks, say you have joined Xing Huan Tian. Do not let them know you became the sundial’s artifact spirit.” Zhang Ruochen instructed.
“Do I need you to tell me this?”
Xiu Chen ignored Zhang Ruochen further, flying into chaotic space to breathe and circulate.
Zhang Ruochen knew watchful eyes observed the continental land of the gods from the starry sky. Thus, he donned the Heavenly Venerable Treasure Veil, concealed his aura, hid his form, and proceeded towards the Eternal Divine Hall.
Wu Yue had already asked whether the Yu Shi imprisoned in the Eternal Divine Hall’s depths was truly her disciple. Zhang Ruochen had evaded the question.
Now, he must eliminate this hidden danger.
The Eternal Divine Hall lay in ruins. Zhang Ruochen entered the subterranean world, but Yu Shi, originally bound to the bronze pillar, had vanished.
Zhang Ruochen was unsurprised. So much time had passed; gods would surely have come to investigate.
He only wondered whether Yu Shi had been rescued or captured.
Into whose hands had she fallen?
As Zhang Ruochen examined traces on the ground, he suddenly sensed a fluctuation. His figure flashed, appearing on the surface. He gazed coldly at a massive azure-grey boulder. “Still not showing yourself?”
“Great God, spare my life.”
The boulder transformed into an upper god of the demonic race with three tails. He bowed deeply, face nearly pressed to the ground.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Why are you still at the Eternal Divine Hall? Do you know who took Yu Shi away?”
“Great God knows this little god?”
The demonic upper god lifted his head slightly, glancing at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen was not in Shu Qianchi’s appearance, so naturally unrecognised, yet the demon discerned clues. Probingly, he asked, “Great God, are you that Confucian-robed scholar wielding the Qing Ping Sword?”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression turned odd. He thought inwardly, worthy of an old demon. Cultivation not high, but keen eyesight.
He had not fully concealed his gaze earlier, and it had seen through him.
“You were seeking me?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
A flash of astonishment passed deep in the demonic upper god’s pupils.
Zhang Ruochen continued, “No need for such surprise. If you were not seeking me, why probe my identity? Any other upper god, encountering a stranger Great God, even with suspicions, would not voice them.”
The demonic upper god hurriedly said, “This little god merely asked casually.”
Zhang Ruochen stared fixedly at him. “No need to deny. Let me guess further. Two hundred thousand years ago, you met the wielder of the Qing Ping Sword, Shang Qing. Thus, seeing the Qing Ping Sword in the subterranean world, you have been watching me ever since. Correct?”
This demonic upper god was native to the continental land of the gods and had crossed one aeon tribulation. By age, he indeed neared two hundred thousand years, possibly overlapping with the era of Shang Qing.
“Impressive. Worthy of a Great God. Nothing escapes your discerning divine eyes.”
The demonic upper god smiled bitterly and asked, “What is Great God’s relation to Lord Shang Qing?”
Zhang Ruochen felt intense excitement surge within, countless thoughts flashing through his mind, yet none showed on his face. He drew the Qing Ping Sword to prove his identity.
“Shang Qing can be considered my ancestral master. How may I address you?”
“Lan Wu Teng.”
