Before the resplendent ancient holy chariot, a strikingly handsome man, as refined as jade, stood opposite the ethereal Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady. Both exuded a sacred and noble aura, appearing exceptionally well-matched, like a pair of divine lovers.
The handsome man wore a warm smile, giving off a refreshing, spring-like charm, and said, “Miss Nalan, my sincerity is as clear as the sun and moon. I believe at this moment, the Kunlun Realm greatly needs our realm’s assistance. I hope you, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, will carefully consider this.”
As he spoke, the handsome man reached out, attempting to take the Mysterious Lady’s delicate hand.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady subtly shifted to avoid his grasp, smiling faintly, “Danqing understands Young Master Yaotian’s intentions and will discuss them earnestly with my eight sisters. I’m sure we’ll provide Young Master Yaotian with a satisfactory response.”
“That would be most ideal. Please rest assured, Miss Nalan, my realm is already mobilizing a holy army, which will soon arrive in the Kunlun Realm to ensure the imperial city’s safety,” the handsome man replied, retracting his hand with a smile still on his face.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady said, “Danqing thanks Young Master Yaotian.”
“My realm and the Kunlun Realm have been allies for generations. We would not stand idly by as the Kunlun Realm faces destruction by the Hell Realm. Besides, between you and me, there’s no need for thanks,” the handsome man said, his smile growing even brighter.
After exchanging a few more words, the handsome man bid farewell to the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, boarded the ancient holy chariot, and departed unhurriedly.
From start to finish, the handsome man never once glanced at Zhang Ruochen, disguised as a refined scholar, utterly dismissing him.
In contrast, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady cast her gaze toward Zhang Ruochen, a glimmer of curiosity flashing in her eyes, as if she had noticed something.
Zhang Ruochen merely met her gaze for a moment before employing his movement technique, swiftly departing.
The Mysterious Lady hesitated briefly before following him.
Dozens of miles from the Ziwei Imperial Palace, by a clear stream, Zhang Ruochen halted, standing beneath a verdant willow tree.
The surroundings were serene, with no one else present, giving the impression of being far from the imperial city.
“You’ve come, as expected.”
A gentle voice sounded behind Zhang Ruochen.
The sacred and flawless Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady appeared, drifting gracefully, like a goddess descending to the mortal world.
Clearly, she had recognized Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen turned to face her, meeting her gaze, and said, “With such a significant event, how could I not come? Why didn’t you send word to me sooner?”
“I didn’t want to put you in a difficult position,” the Mysterious Lady sighed softly.
She knew the imperial city was a place of sorrow for Zhang Ruochen, likely the last place in the Kunlun Realm he’d wish to visit.
Yet, she also understood that if she sent word, despite his reluctance toward the court, Zhang Ruochen would come without hesitation.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t dwell on the matter, instead asking, “Who was that man just now?”
The Heavenly Court’s myriad realms were full of hidden talents, and no one could know every genius. The handsome man with the Mysterious Lady was exceptionally powerful and charismatic, clearly no ordinary figure, yet Zhang Ruochen had no recollection of him, suggesting he was likely a reclusive genius from some great realm.
The Mysterious Lady’s eyes flickered with hesitation. After a moment’s silence, she said, “In the Heavenly Court, he’s known as Young Master Yaotian, from the Tianquan Great Realm, a descendant of the Nine Radiance Divine Monarch.”
The Tianquan Great Realm was formidable, ranking among the top five in the Western Universe’s great realms, with profound foundations.
The Nine Radiance Divine Monarch was a legendary figure in Tianquan’s history, the only being in the universe to master the nine forces—Sun, Moon, Rahu, Ketu, Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—to their utmost, becoming the supreme controller of Tianquan’s holy path, unrivalled in his era.
However, the divine war 100,000 years ago was devastating, destroying over a thousand great realms, with more than half of the Heavenly Court’s gods perishing, including the Nine Radiance Divine Monarch.
“Is he here for the Nine Radiance Divine Tears?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Legend held that when the Nine Radiance Divine Monarch fell, nine tears scattered as meteors, falling to the Kunlun Realm, becoming the so-called Nine Radiance Divine Tears.
Given that Young Master Yaotian was his descendant, Zhang Ruochen couldn’t help but connect him to the Divine Tears.
Especially since Young Master Yaotian sought out the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady directly, his intentions seemed clear.
The Nine Radiance Divine Tears, relics of the Divine Monarch, were of great significance. The Tianquan Great Realm would not want them to remain outside, nor allow the Hell Realm to seize them.
Zhang Ruochen had already discerned that the Nine Heavens Mysterious Ladies, each with distinct constitutions and cultivating different forces, yet able to unite as one, likely owed their fortune to the legendary Nine Radiance Divine Tears.
The Mysterious Lady nodded, “Yes, he wishes to reclaim the Nine Radiance Divine Tears.”
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly.
He could tell Young Master Yaotian was immensely powerful, and with the might of the Tianquan Great Realm, reclaiming the Divine Tears should be straightforward.
Yet, Young Master Yaotian hadn’t acted, instead showing such courtesy to the Mysterious Lady. His motives were likely far from simple.
“What exactly did Young Master Yaotian ask you to consider?” Zhang Ruochen asked earnestly.
The Mysterious Lady didn’t answer immediately. She walked to the stream’s edge, standing quietly for a long while, her eyes flickering with complex emotions, before saying, “It’s nothing serious, don’t worry. I can handle it.”
“If you won’t tell me, I’ll have to ask Young Master Yaotian myself,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Why go to such lengths?”
The Mysterious Lady turned to face him, saying, “Fine, I’ll tell you. He hopes that we, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Ladies, will marry him. In doing so, he won’t reclaim the Divine Tears, and the entire Tianquan Great Realm will fully support the Kunlun Realm.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “What a scheming Young Master Yaotian. He wants both the Divine Tears and the ladies, truly a cunning plan.”
With the Kunlun Realm in peril, he sought to exploit the situation. Such tactics were utterly despicable.
For a figure as unparalleled as the Nine Radiance Divine Monarch, it was surprising that his descendant was so shameless.
Yet, it was understandable. With the beauty, grace, and talent of any of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Ladies, few could remain unmoved. To marry all nine would be an unparalleled delight for any man.
Moreover, the Mysterious Ladies possessed exceptional cultivation talent. If integrated into the Tianquan Great Realm and nurtured, they could significantly boost the realm’s power.
Given the Divine Tears’ miraculous nature and their own potential, achieving godhood in the future was not impossible.
“What do you plan to do? Will you accept his terms?” Zhang Ruochen asked again.
The Mysterious Lady pondered for a long time, her misty eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen, and said, “Do you think I’m that foolish?”
She continued, “The Western Universe is dominated by the Paradise Realm. Even if we agreed to Young Master Yaotian, how much help could the Tianquan Great Realm offer the Kunlun Realm? Even if they dared defy the Paradise Realm, they’d have to consider their own losses. He merely wants to gain both the treasures and the people without shedding a drop of blood.”
“Marrying him would be worse than marrying you.”
Hearing that last remark, Zhang Ruochen didn’t take it seriously, knowing it was likely just the Saint Book Maiden or the Mysterious Lady speaking out of frustration.
“The Nine Radiance Divine Tears have merged with our holy souls. Only by killing us can they be retrieved. For now, we can play along, but when the time comes to confront him, there will be a resolution,” the Mysterious Lady sighed softly.
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen’s heart trembled. He hadn’t realized the Divine Tears were tied to the Mysterious Ladies’ lives.
The “resolution” she mentioned likely meant only one thing.
If they wouldn’t yield to him, death was the only outcome.
A path to life or a path to death, no wonder Young Master Yaotian seemed so confident, using the Mysterious Ladies’ lives and the Kunlun Realm’s survival as leverage.
“Why didn’t you tell me? You should know that when it comes to you, I’d never stand by idly,” Zhang Ruochen said, staring intently at her.
The Mysterious Lady’s heart stirred, and she said, “Don’t act recklessly. The Tianquan Great Realm is immensely powerful, and the Nine Radiance Divine Monarch’s lineage holds sway within it. Don’t you already have enough enemies? I can handle him, you don’t need to get involved.”
Zhang Ruochen grasped her soft hand, his gaze resolute, “So what if he’s a descendant of the Nine Radiance Divine Monarch? So what if it’s the Tianquan Great Realm? In the Kunlun Realm, he can’t act as he pleases.”
Unable to break free, the Mysterious Lady gave him a resentful glance before relenting.
After a moment, Zhang Ruochen realized his impulsiveness, his emotions having gotten the better of him, and gently released her hand, saying softly, “What’s the situation in the Central Imperial City now?”
“It’s not ideal. Though the city is protected by layers of arrays, the Hell Realm’s ten array masters are highly skilled. Given enough time, they might break through.”
“Moreover, the city is a mix of factions, with great hidden dangers,” the Mysterious Lady said gravely.
Zhang Ruochen understood. If even the Eastern Saint City had Hell Realm infiltrators, the Central Imperial City was likely no exception.
The threats weren’t only from hidden Hell Realm cultivators but also from forces hostile to the Kunlun Realm. If they made moves now, they could deal a fatal blow to the city.
With this in mind, Zhang Ruochen grew more concerned for Chi Kongle, saying, “I want to see Chi Kongle.”
“Kongle isn’t at the Ziwei Imperial Palace. She’s gone to the Grand Chancellor’s Lianzhu Mansion. In the next day or two, a council will be held, attended by leaders from various realms to discuss strategies against the enemy.”
“During the council, young talents from all realms will gather to exchange knowledge. Kongle hopes to use this opportunity to enhance her strength,” the Mysterious Lady said.
Zhang Ruochen fell into thought. The council would likely draw many great realm leaders, none of whom would be weak. Even Grand Chancellor Wang Shiqi might struggle to control the scene.
Without sufficient strength, one lacked influence, and the court, even the Kunlun Realm, might find itself in a precarious position.
In truth, the court’s authority had waned. In the Central Imperial City, aside from the Ziwei Imperial Palace, there seemed to be no place off-limits to other realms’ cultivators.
After escorting the Mysterious Lady back to the Ziwei Imperial Palace, Zhang Ruochen headed to the Lianzhu Mansion to meet Chi Kongle as soon as possible.
Since parting in the Truth Heavenly Domain, he hadn’t seen Chi Kongle in a long time and had yet to fulfill his promises to her.
With the council approaching, the Lianzhu Mansion’s gates were open, welcoming leaders from various realms.
Upon arriving, Zhang Ruochen saw numerous ornate carriages arriving in a steady stream. Some were pulled by holy beast kings comparable to Nine-Step Saint Kings, signifying the high status of their occupants.
Of course, some arrived without fanfare, coming in their true forms.
Those eligible for the council were leaders of top-tier realms, each with extraordinary strength. Such a gathering of prominent figures was a rare event.
Only a timeless great realm like the Kunlun Realm could attract cultivators from across the myriad realms. Even top geniuses from strong realms coveted its opportunities.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t reveal himself, using spatial techniques to enter the Lianzhu Mansion unnoticed.
Soon, he located Chi Kongle.
Beyond its nine grand halls, the Lianzhu Mansion had many pavilions and towers, mostly situated on a spiritual lake, arranged artfully amid misty waters, creating a dreamlike ambiance.
The gathering place for young talents was on this spiritual lake.
Though called young talents, their cultivation was at least at the Saint King level. Based on their cultivation, they were scattered across various islands.
With a flicker, Zhang Ruochen appeared on one island, unnoticed like a phantom.
Dozens of young experts were already gathered there, including Chi Kongle.
Compared to their time in the Truth Heavenly Domain, Chi Kongle had changed greatly. No longer a youthful twelve-year-old, she had blossomed into a graceful young woman, radiating holy light, a stunning beauty with faint traces of a young Chi Yao.
Clearly, Chi Kongle had trained in the Heavenly Wheel Seal, accelerating her growth.
Zhang Ruochen could imagine the hardships she’d endured to achieve her current state.
At that moment, Chi Kongle sat alone at a jade table, isolated, with no one around her.
The dozens of talents chatted animatedly, but none approached Chi Kongle. When their gazes fell on her, they carried mockery and disdain.
Seeing this, Zhang Ruochen felt a pang of heartache, tempted to appear and take her away.
Just then, three more young talents entered the pavilion, each distinct, hailing from the Angel Clan, Giant Clan, and Elf Clan.
Evidently, they were from the Paradise Realm.
At their arrival, many in the pavilion rose to greet them.
“Brother Bolan, Brother Palas, Fairy Yanyu, you’ve finally arrived. We’ve been waiting!”
The talents smiled warmly, exceedingly courteous.
Regardless of Bolan and the others’ backgrounds, their strength alone commanded respect.
Especially Bolan, a divine son with powerful bloodline and exceptional talent, his future limitless.
Bolan was dashing, with flowing golden hair and golden pupils, bearing two pairs of platinum wings, exuding divine radiance and an indescribable nobility that made others feel inferior.
Bolan smiled, “I’ve just returned from the Merit Battlefield, sorry to keep you waiting.”
“With Brother Bolan’s strength, you must have slain many Hell Realm experts, soon to climb the Saint King Merit List.”
“Of course, Brother Bolan is a rare talent of the Angel Clan. Had he been born a century earlier, he’d surely be among the top below Great Saints, renowned across the Heavenly Court and Hell.”
The crowd spoke, their words full of flattery.
Bolan’s smile widened, clearly enjoying the praise.
His gaze shifted, landing on Chi Kongle sitting alone. A glint flashed in his eyes, and with a smile, he walked toward her.
