Destiny Divine Mountain was no ordinary peak. It covered a vast expanse, with the three divisions and twelve divine palaces scattered across different regions, each claiming thousands of li of territory.
Past Divine Palace and Future Divine Palace were particularly unique, shrouded in mystery. Even on Destiny Divine Mountain, only deities knew their approximate locations.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Senior Xu Tian once remarked that for cultivators of nothingness, sword dao is a flaw. Yet why did he specifically pass sword dao to you?”
“Master said that only upon reaching his current height does sword dao become a flaw in the path of nothingness. As for me, even if I strive with all my might, never slacking, the chance of reaching his present level is exceedingly slim.” Que spoke without a smile, yet his eyes held an unyielding will.
Zhang Ruochen replied, “Senior Xu Tian likely said that merely to spur you on. With your talent, if even you cannot ascend to the ranks of the Heavenly Venerables, what hope do other cultivators have?”
Zhang Ruochen deeply admired Que’s talent and mindset.
In this kalpa, without him and Yan Wushen, Que would likely have been the foremost figure.
In the Saint Realm, though Bai Qing’er and Yin Yuanchen also possessed kalpa-level genius strength, in terms of cultivation mindset, both fell half a step short of Que.
Bai Qing’er had recklessly pursued kalpa-level genius status to challenge Huang Tian.
Yin Yuanchen’s mindset was even more extreme, perhaps half a step weaker than Bai Qing’er’s.
Que said, “After I cultivated perfect second-grade saint intent and, in the Supreme Void Realm, formed four hundred trillion saint dao rules, I asked Master about it. But Master said that such achievements in the Saint Realm merely raised the infinitesimally small chance of becoming one of the Heavenly Venerables to thirty percent. The remaining seventy percent would be decided by a million years of future cultivation.”
“Diligence, will, comprehension, potential, opportunities, fortune, setbacks, life-and-death trials, wisdom, tribulations, endurance… all these will test me repeatedly over the next million years, growing ever more difficult.”
“Some slacken and lose themselves in pleasure. Some exhaust their potential and fade into mediocrity. Some fail to cross life-and-death tribulations. Some miss opportunities. Some cannot withstand setbacks.”
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment. “In truth, I believe seizing thirty percent of the chance to become a future Heavenly Venerable through Saint Realm cultivation in less than a thousand years is already extraordinarily precious. For many deities, their achievements are decided in the Saint Realm. That is true despair.”
“They are merely mediocrities. How could mediocrities feel despair? Mediocrities only feel satisfaction, then grow even more mediocre.” Que’s gaze was disdainful. “True powerhouses must harbour great ambition, never satisfied. Thus, powerhouses are always in pain, forever unaware of what satisfaction tastes like, forever pursuing great ambition and great fulfilment, defeating pain again and again, never compromising.”
“Well said, true powerhouses harbour great ambition!”
A sword hum rang out. A sword light flew from Zhang Ruochen’s body, hovering before Que.
“This is the Desire Sword among the Sword Ancestor’s soul swords. Interested?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Que’s gaze was profound. “Brother Ruochen wishes to gift it to me?”
“Does Brother Que not wish to cultivate his own sword soul, advancing sword dao further?” Zhang Ruochen replied.
A flicker of hesitation crossed Que’s eyes. He sighed. “I once told Master that you rely too heavily on the Sword Ancestor’s soul swords, too dependent on external forces, already straying onto the wrong path. Yet unexpectedly, you so readily offer this supreme treasure that all sword cultivators in the world covet to me, a mere acquaintance. It shows you do not truly depend on external forces. You still possess a powerful heart, able to take and to give.”
If truly dependent, one would never bear to lose it.
Much less gift it away.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Brother Que refuses out of fear of becoming dependent on the Desire Sword?”
Que gave a disdainful laugh. “If a mere Desire Sword could shatter my resolute dao heart, what point in pursuing the path to Heavenly Venerable? Since Brother Ruochen intends to aid me in cultivating my own sword soul, I accept. This favour will be repaid in future.”
Que knew well that Zhang Ruochen’s gift of the Desire Sword was surely for his father, Zhang Ling.
Such matters needed no explicit mention.
Arriving in the Reality Realm meant entering the domain of Reality Divine Palace.
Further ahead lay the Void-Reality Realm.
Autumn hues were deep, the ground covered in withered grass.
Zhang Ruochen gazed afar at the majestic divine palace on the vast plain, built of massive stones, desolate and barren. Unlike other divine palaces thriving with crowds of cultivators.
Que saw his puzzlement. “The twelve divine palaces of Destiny Temple represent twelve forms of destiny. Yet not every form can evolve into a powerful cultivation method. It requires a world-shaking genius to create the law, only then can that palace flourish.”
“Currently among the twelve, the truly prosperous with numerous cultivators are only Death Divine Palace, Murderous Terror Divine Palace, Calamity Choice Divine Palace, Fortune Divine Palace, Fury Heaven Divine Palace, Life Divine Palace, Auspicious Divine Palace, and Nothingness Divine Palace.”
“Strictly speaking, Life Divine Palace and Auspicious Divine Palace declined with the fall of the former Life Divine Venerable and Auspicious Divine Venerable. The current Life Divine Venerable hails from Death Divine Palace. The current Auspicious Divine Venerable from Murderous Terror Divine Palace.”
“Can such a Life Divine Venerable transmit the dao of life? Can such an Auspicious Divine Venerable transmit the law of auspiciousness? Life and death are intertwined. Auspicious and inauspicious are unpredictable.”
“Only because Life Divine Palace and Auspicious Divine Palace still have many cultivators do they retain some influence.”
“In truth, before Master emerged supreme, Nothingness Divine Palace was much like the current Reality Divine Palace, existing in name only.”
Much of what Que said already bordered on taboo.
Yet who dared object when he was Xu Tian’s disciple?
This disciple was no half-way convert like Xue Tu under Feng Tian. All could see Xu Tian was grooming him as future master of Nothingness Divine Palace.
Entering the Void-Reality Realm, behind lay endless plains. Ahead was utter chaos.
Deep in the chaos lay absolute emptiness.
“Further ahead is Great Tribulation Palace. But we go not there.”
Que stamped his foot hard. The ground beneath cracked open.
He and Zhang Ruochen sank straight into the depths below, falling into boundless chaos.
After an unknown time, Zhang Ruochen’s form steadied. He appeared on a floating island. Before his eyes flowed a mighty long river, drifting in the void, coursing through chaos, endless ahead and sourceless behind.
Half the floating island lay within the long river. Half between void and reality.
“This is the Five Realms Heaven. Reality, nothingness, past, present, future coexist here.” Que said.
Zhang Ruochen extended a palm. Instantly, before it appeared dense time rules like packed threads, flowing swiftly from his palm into the time river.
Indeed.
The river before him was the River of Time.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “What does Senior Xu Tian wish me to do?”
“Master’s intent is that your cultivation is still too weak. You must grow sufficiently strong before leaving Destiny Divine Mountain.”
Que pointed to a crystalline jade-like hall on the island’s right. “That is Future Divine Hall. Defeat the one within, and you may leave Destiny Divine Mountain.”
Zhang Ruochen was sceptical. He stepped out of chaos, heading towards the island’s portion in the time river.
The floating island held two halls in total.
One left: Past Divine Palace.
One right: Future Divine Palace.
The two were nearly identical, neither grand, only thirteen zhang long and three zhang high. Incomparable to other divine palaces or halls.
Yet what shocked Zhang Ruochen was that both were built from spacetime crystal stones.
Even a single spacetime crystal stone was extraordinary treasure. Constructing divine palaces from tens of thousands defied imagination, possible only for Destiny Temple.
Between Past and Future Divine Palaces lay two time divine arrays, ceaselessly absorbing time rules from the river.
Figures seemed to cultivate within, but profound space arrays at the edges concealed the divine array worlds.
Zhang Ruochen reached Future Divine Hall’s exterior and cupped fists. “This junior Zhang Ruochen, by Senior Xu Tian’s command, comes to challenge the senior within.”
From afar, Que said, “Master’s meaning is you may only use your own power to defeat this person. Divine artefacts and mysteries are permitted, but not the strength of others.”
Whoosh!
Time rules on the floating island grew active, forming dense light points converging on Future Divine Hall.
Even the nearby River of Time surged wildly.
The countless time light points formed a long river, rushing madly towards Zhang Ruochen.
Striking without warning.
Zhang Ruochen’s expression changed sharply. Struck by this time river, he would lose vast lifespan. Thus he summoned Chen Yuan Ancient Sword, unleashing the sixth layer of time swordsmanship, thrusting out.
The Winter Sword of the Four Seasons Swordsmanship.
The entire floating island seemed to turn instantly to ice and snow, freezing time.
“Roar!”
A dragon cry rang out.
The time river transformed into a time divine dragon, shattering Winter Sword, crashing into Zhang Ruochen.
Though Zhang Ruochen raised the Taiji Circle at the last moment, his body still flew back. Viscera shattered. Nearly a millennium of lifespan lost. He crashed heavily to the ground.
“River to dragon. Such profound time attainment.”
Zhang Ruochen’s throat filled with blood, yet he forcibly suppressed spitting divine blood. He rose slowly, gazing at Future Divine Palace. No depression or discouragement in his eyes, only battle intent.
Que said, “Had you used the divine sword, even if unable to break the time divine dragon, you would not be wounded this gravely.”
Zhang Ruochen had not used the divine sword not from underestimation, but to defeat the one in Future Divine Palace with his own power alone. To prove to Xu Tian that even without divine sword, Zhang Ruochen remained unrivalled.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen take out the sundial to heal, Que knew he would not leave Five Realms Heaven soon and departed first.
Xiu Chen’s voice emerged from the sundial. “Destiny Temple built Past and Future Divine Palaces to counter Heaven Court’s Time Divine Hall. Pity time cultivation is no easy matter. Palaces are simple to build. Talent is hard to find.”
“That Feng Caiyi once invited this god to become master of the two palaces. Regrettably rejected. I thought the two palaces mere facades. Unexpectedly, they truly nurtured a remarkable time dao powerhouse.”
“Zhang Ruochen, your time dao attainment lags far behind others. Unless you master the seventh layer of time swordsmanship, Flowing Years Swordsmanship, you cannot break the time divine dragon.”
“Of course, the root cause is your cultivation too weak. Reach Tai Bai Realm, and breaking this time divine dragon would not be difficult.”
