The Sundial is of immense importance, involving the secrets of the Orion Eight Stars and the final resting place of the Venerable Monk Xumi. Although Zhang Ruochen has yet to uncover its mysteries, he absolutely cannot hand it over to Princess Rakshasi.
Zhang Ruochen said, “You must think carefully. This is the Truth Heavenly Domain, not the Divine Ascension Platform.”
“What do you mean?”
“Without the ability to control a Great Sage-level ferocious creature as an auxiliary combat force, are you sure you can defeat me?”
Princess Rakshasi noticed the chilling aura emanating from Zhang Ruochen, and the smile on her beautiful face instantly faded.
“Whoosh!”
She transformed into a shadowy figure, darting out of the sacred chariot and landing on the ground behind Zhang Ruochen, positioning herself advantageously, ready to fight at any moment.
Zhang Ruochen took out the *Temporal-Spatial Codex* and opened it.
“Whoosh!”
Layers of silver light screens appeared, forming a multi-dimensional space that trapped Princess Rakshasi within one of the spaces.
Earlier, during the spatial teleportation, Princess Rakshasi had seen Zhang Ruochen use the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*. At that time, she had thought it was merely an auxiliary spatial treasure and hadn’t paid much attention to it.
Princess Rakshasi stood confidently within the silver light screens, smiling. “What? Do you really intend to kill me?”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression remained impassive. He simply closed the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*, directly sealing Princess Rakshasi inside the book.
When the power of the *Temporal-Spatial Codex* erupted, Princess Rakshasi’s expression finally changed. She quickly attempted to use spatial teleportation to escape the suppression of the codex.
Unfortunately, within the multi-dimensional space created by the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*, her spatial powers were completely ineffective.
When Zhang Ruochen reopened the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*, Princess Rakshasi had become a beautiful illustration on one of its silver pages.
“So this book is actually a supreme treasure of time and space. I never thought I would misjudge it,” Princess Rakshasi said indignantly.
Zhang Ruochen immediately searched Princess Rakshasi’s body and retrieved the scroll that recorded his encounter with the Tianchu Fairy.
After confirming its authenticity, Zhang Ruochen let out a slight sigh of relief. “Princess, you truly stop at nothing. Even such underhanded tactics are within your repertoire.”
Princess Rakshasi merely snorted, saying nothing.
Zhen Miao, the little Taoist, woke up and poked his head out of Zhang Ruochen’s sleeve. “My Purple-Gold Eight Trigram Mirror was also taken by her. Zhang Ruochen, you must help me retrieve it… Oh no, I misspoke. I didn’t mean to reveal your name. Should we silence her?”
“It’s fine. She already guessed my identity.”
Zhang Ruochen reached out and retrieved the Purple-Gold Eight Trigram Mirror from Princess Rakshasi’s possession.
Princess Rakshasi said, “You’ve taken back your things, Zhang Ruochen. Will you release me now?”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. “Earlier, I let you go, but you refused. Now that you want to leave, it won’t be so easy.”
“Do you really intend to kill me?” Princess Rakshasi asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Princess Rakshasi once led the Rakshasa army to annihilate a mortal world of the Heavenly Court. She is a rising star of the Hell Realm that the Heavenly Court must eliminate. If I kill you, I will undoubtedly earn a significant amount of merit points.”
Princess Rakshasi knew full well that Zhang Ruochen could be cold-blooded and ruthless. He might actually do it, which made her somewhat anxious.
“Zhang Ruochen, we once cultivated our spiritual powers together. Can’t you show a little mercy?” Princess Rakshasi’s tone softened slightly.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Rather than appealing to sentiment, why don’t you answer a few questions for me first?”
“What do you want to know?” Princess Rakshasi asked.
Zhang Ruochen sat down in the sacred chariot, holding the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*. “I’m curious. As a princess of the Rakshasa, how did you become Mo Xiaogu, the cousin of Gongzi Yan? There must be spies from the Rakshasa in the Heavenly Court, right? What exactly are you doing in the Heavenly Court?”
“I can’t answer your first and second questions. As for the third question, I can answer it. But if I do, will you release me?” Princess Rakshasi asked.
“No.”
Then Zhang Ruochen added, “However, the fact that I’m giving you a chance to speak means there’s still a possibility for you to survive. If I didn’t give you this opportunity, you would certainly die.”
Princess Rakshasi was furious. She, Luo Sha, had never been threatened like this before!
Was Zhang Ruochen truly her nemesis?
Princess Rakshasi had a few powerful trump cards, but she wasn’t sure if they could break through the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*. For now, she had to bide her time and wait for the right moment to strike.
Princess Rakshasi said, “Actually, I came to the Heavenly Court to study the Dao of Space and the Dao of Truth. I have no ulterior motives. Of course, you probably won’t believe that.”
“So, I have another, more important reason for coming to the Heavenly Court: to find you.”
“To find me? To seek revenge?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Princess Rakshasi said, “If it were just for revenge, why would I need to come to the Heavenly Court in person? You should know that with a single order from me, the Rakshasa experts lurking in the Heavenly Court would naturally take your life. The truth is, you are my destined one.”
Zhang Ruochen naturally didn’t believe Princess Rakshasi’s words. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t tell the truth. I’ll take you to the Truth Divine Temple now. I’m sure the great figures there have ways to make you reveal everything.”
“Zhang Ruochen, aren’t you being too heartless? Have I ever harmed you? Why are you treating me like this?” Princess Rakshasi’s eyes turned red, and she put on a pitiful expression, as if she were about to cry.
“You are a princess of the Hell Realm, and I am a cultivator of the Heavenly Court. We are natural enemies. Do I need more reasons than that?”
On the battlefield of merit, Zhang Ruochen had seen Rakshasa cultivators treating humans as livestock, boiling them in pots, roasting them over fires, and even eating children. The sight had filled him with immense anger.
And the commander of that war was none other than Princess Rakshasi.
Therefore, Zhang Ruochen’s desire to kill Princess Rakshasi was not an empty threat. He truly harbored hatred and killing intent toward her.
Feeling the murderous aura emanating from Zhang Ruochen, Princess Rakshasi quickly said, “The Heavenly Court is the Heavenly Court, the Hell Realm is the Hell Realm, and we are we. What good would killing me do you? Even if you exchange my life for merit points, the Merit Divine Temple won’t give you any merit treasures. In the eyes of many forces in the Heavenly Court, you are a thorn in their side. They will do everything in their power to eliminate you.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “It seems you know a lot?”
“I know more than that. If you release me, I can tell you an even bigger secret,” Princess Rakshasi said.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “What secret?”
Princess Rakshasi said, “Release me first.”
“Never mind!”
Zhang Ruochen closed the *Temporal-Spatial Codex* and drove the sacred chariot toward the Truth Divine Temple.
“This matter concerns the Kunlun Realm. In as little as a year, or at most two years, the Heaven and Earth Altar protecting the Kunlun Realm will be breached. At that time, the armies of the Hell Realm will enter the Kunlun Realm through the world holes left from ten thousand years ago, completely destroying this ancient world.” Princess Rakshasi’s voice came from within the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*.
Zhang Ruochen immediately stopped the sacred chariot and opened the *Temporal-Spatial Codex*. Princess Rakshasi reappeared before him, standing within the layers of silver light screens.
Zhang Ruochen asked gravely, “Are you telling the truth?”
Princess Rakshasi smiled. “The Kunlun Realm is an eternal world that has survived countless cosmic calamities. In the entire universe, there are only a dozen or so such worlds, each with ancient legacies and treasures that tempt all cultivators.”
“Not only do the cultivators of the Hell Realm know that the Kunlun Realm is about to become a battlefield, but the major worlds of the Heavenly Court are also preparing. Once the Heaven and Earth Altar is breached, the armies of these worlds will flood into the Kunlun Realm.”
“Given your understanding of the mortal worlds of the Heavenly Court, do you think they are going to the Kunlun Realm to help it fend off the invasion of the Hell Realm? More likely, they will plunder the Kunlun Realm’s resources first.”
“Some mortal worlds might even attack the cultivators of the Kunlun Realm, preventing it from rising again after the calamity.”
Princess Rakshasi clearly knew that the Kunlun Realm was Zhang Ruochen’s homeland, which was why she said these things.
Zhang Ruochen’s expression shifted uncertainly as he pondered the situation. If the armies of both the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm flooded into the Kunlun Realm, its common people would immediately be plunged into war, and its resources would be plundered mercilessly.
Seizing the opportunity, Princess Rakshasi activated a talisman.
“Boom!”
A terrifying force, comparable to that of a Supreme Saint, erupted from the talisman, shattering the layers of silver light screens around her.
The ground within a radius of dozens of miles around Zhang Ruochen turned into barren wasteland, and at the center, the soil melted into red-hot magma, forming a lake of molten rock.
Zhang Ruochen flew out from the bottom of the magma lake and looked around, but Princess Rakshasi was nowhere to be seen.
“Zhang Ruochen, we’ll meet again in the Kunlun Realm.”
Princess Rakshasi’s voice came from the distant horizon.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen was preoccupied with heavy thoughts and did not pursue Princess Rakshasi. Instead, he took out the divine staff given to him by the Moon Goddess and used its power to contact her.
“Is the Kunlun Realm about to be breached by the Hell Realm?” Zhang Ruochen asked directly.
The Moon Goddess’s phantom appeared above the divine staff, radiating a sacred light. Her voice was ethereal as she said, “That is the fate of the Kunlun Realm. It is destined to face war once more. For now, focus on cultivating diligently in the Truth Heavenly Domain. I will tell you what to do when the Kunlun Realm battlefield is about to open.”
The Moon Goddess’s phantom dissipated, but Zhang Ruochen remained standing in place for a long time.
- After a while, Zhang Ruochen headed toward the Truth Divine Temple, planning to enter seclusion there for the next year to elevate his cultivation to an even higher level.
