A few hundred zhang from the Ziwei Imperial Palace, the space rippled like the surface of water, and two figures slowly emerged, Zhang Ruochen and Chi Kongle.
Both Guoguo and the Demon Ape were with Chi Kongle, though treated differently: Guoguo was comfortably cradled in her arms, while the Demon Ape, shrunken to the size of a fist, sat on her shoulder.
“Father, it’s Sister Xuannü,” Chi Kongle said.
Zhang Ruochen turned his gaze toward the palace gate, his brow furrowing slightly.
At that moment, two figures emerged from the gate, a man and a woman, both exuding extraordinary presence, as if they transcended the ordinary.
The woman was naturally Jiutian Xuannü, while the man was no stranger to Zhang Ruochen, it was Young Master Yaotian, whom he had met before.
After several days, seeing Young Master Yaotian and Jiutian Xuannü together again outside the Ziwei Imperial Palace struck Zhang Ruochen as more than mere coincidence, perhaps it was fate.
Chi Kongle also frowned, saying, “It’s that Young Master Yaotian again. He seems to keep pestering Sister Xuannü lately.”
Clearly, the encounter Zhang Ruochen had witnessed was not Young Master Yaotian’s first time seeking out Jiutian Xuannü.
It had to be said, Young Master Yaotian was remarkably persistent in his pursuit of Jiutian Xuannü.
Guoguo raised its head and snorted, “Where did this pretty boy come from, daring to harass Jiutian Xuannü? Doesn’t he know she’s our Master Chen’s woman?”
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Zhang Ruochen shot Guoguo a fierce glare.
Guoguo shrank back, quickly correcting itself, “Friend, I mean friend! Princess Kongle, what’s the deal with this pretty boy? Why is Jiutian Xuannü so polite to him?”
“Young Master Yaotian hails from the Tianquan Great World, a descendant of the legendary Nine Radiance Divine Lord. His own strength is formidable, said to have cultivated both the powers of Taiyin and Taiyang to a high level,” Chi Kongle explained.
The Nine Radiance Divine Lord had mastered nine powers to their pinnacle, and most of his descendants naturally followed suit, cultivating the Nine Radiance Powers.
However, the Divine Lord’s talent was inimitable, and for his descendants, mastering even one of these powers to its peak was a rare feat.
Among the Nine Radiances, the powers of Taiyin, Taiyang, Jidu, and Luohou were particularly mystical and extraordinarily difficult to cultivate.
Young Master Yaotian’s ability to master both Taiyin and Taiyang marked him as exceptionally talented, unmatched by most, a true genius.
“Who cares if he’s a descendant of the Nine Radiance Divine Lord? Harassing Jiutian Xuannü is unacceptable. Master Chen, you’ve got to teach him a lesson and make him stay far away,” Guoguo said excitedly.
The Demon Ape sneered, “You talk big, but if you’re so tough, why don’t you go beat him up?”
“Shut up, you big oaf,” Guoguo snapped back.
Zhang Ruochen ignored Guoguo, pausing briefly before striding forward.
“Miss Nalan, the situation in the Imperial City is growing increasingly perilous. You should make a decision soon, don’t…” Young Master Yaotian was earnestly persuading Jiutian Xuannü when he suddenly sensed something.
He turned his head, his gaze landing on two approaching figures, drawing closer by the moment.
Upon recognizing them, Young Master Yaotian’s pupils contracted, his composure wavering.
“So Zhang Ruochen has really come to the Central Imperial City, and I just had to run into him,” Young Master Yaotian thought to himself.
Three days prior, the events at Lianzhu Mansion had spread like wildfire, shocking many and causing cultivators from various great worlds to act more cautiously.
One person intimidating thousands of great worlds was almost unimaginable.
Given Young Master Yaotian’s background and strength, he could face most people with calm confidence.
Yet, at this moment, he felt a twinge of nervousness, wanting nothing more than to leave immediately and avoid confronting Zhang Ruochen.
Since arriving in the Central Imperial City, Zhang Ruochen’s whereabouts had been a mystery, he hadn’t even appeared when punishing Zhou Yu at Lianzhu Mansion. Yet now, he stood boldly before Young Master Yaotian, stirring unease in him.
As Zhang Ruochen drew closer, Young Master Yaotian steadied himself, smiling and clasping his hands, “Brother Zhang’s reputation precedes him like thunder. Meeting you in person is truly an honour, this trip was not in vain.”
“Who are you?” Zhang Ruochen asked coolly.
Young Master Yaotian was taken aback. As a leading figure in the Tianquan Great World, renowned across the Heavenly Realm and Hell Realm, it was the first time someone claimed not to know him.
“I am Yaotian, from the Tianquan Great World. My ancestor is the Nine Radiance Divine Lord,” Young Master Yaotian said, his voice carrying a strong sense of pride and an innate superiority.
After all, the Tianquan Great World ranked among the top five in the Western Universe, with deep foundations, and the Nine Radiance Divine Lord had once been invincible, his reputation enduring across realms. How could he not be proud?
“The Tianquan Great World, the Nine Radiance Divine Lord, quite an impressive background,” Zhang Ruochen said indifferently.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Young Master Yaotian’s eyes, something about Zhang Ruochen’s words felt off.
Controlling his emotions, Young Master Yaotian smiled again, “Brother Zhang’s arrival in the Central Imperial City is a major event, enough to boost our morale. I’d like to host a banquet, inviting some friends to welcome you. What do you say?”
“No need, I prefer peace and quiet. Besides, I doubt many people are thrilled about my arrival in the Central Imperial City,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Young Master Yaotian’s expression froze, unprepared for such a blunt refusal, leaving him no face at all.
Though displeased, he maintained his courtesy, “How could that be? Brother Zhang defeated Yan Wushen, the strongest below the Supreme Saint. Countless people admire you.”
“Anything else?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Young Master Yaotian’s heart sank, he could tell Zhang Ruochen found him an annoyance and wanted him gone, utterly outrageous.
If it were anyone else, he would have lashed out by now, but standing before him was the notorious Zhang Ruochen, known for his unrestrained actions, someone Young Master Yaotian dared not provoke.
“What a Zhang Ruochen, so arrogant. It seems he’s deliberately picking a fight, trying to interfere with my pursuit of Jiutian Xuannü, utterly despicable,” Young Master Yaotian fumed inwardly.
He had investigated and knew of Zhang Ruochen’s close ties with the Saintess of the Sacred Confucian Sect. Zhang Ruochen’s current attitude only made things clearer.
Yet, even knowing this, Young Master Yaotian didn’t dare confront Zhang Ruochen. He was strong, with many trump cards, but he had no confidence in facing Zhang Ruochen.
“Offending both the Heavenly Realm and Hell Realm, Zhang Ruochen, your good days won’t last long. I’ll let you be arrogant for now,” Young Master Yaotian thought.
Suppressing his anger, he said, “I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”
With that, Young Master Yaotian didn’t linger, his form transforming into a strange holy light of interwoven Taiyin and Taiyang, swiftly departing.
“Such a hypocrite, clearly fuming but pretending to be all calm and composed,” Guoguo said disdainfully.
The Demon Ape remarked, “Facing His Highness, does he dare act out?”
“Master Chen is mighty, invincible across the heavens, dragons or snakes all bow before him,” Guoguo flattered.
Jiutian Xuannü gave a helpless smile, unsurprised that Zhang Ruochen had intervened, unsure of what to say.
“Why go to the trouble?” she asked.
“I didn’t do anything, just brought Kongle back and happened to run into him,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Jiutian Xuannü gave him a sidelong glance, then took Chi Kongle’s hand, saying, “Kongle, don’t wander around lately, stay safely in the palace.”
With the Central Imperial City now a chaotic mix of forces and lurking dangers, the Ziwei Imperial Palace, home to Empress Chi Yao, was the safest place, untouchable by any.
“Thank you for looking after Kongle, I’ll visit her oftenруса
System: often,” Zhang Ruochen said.
At that moment, a glow emanated from Zhang Ruochen’s brow, and the Chenyuan Ancient Sword flew out from his divine light sea, circling him once before soaring into the Ziwei Imperial Palace without any obstruction.
Zhang Ruochen knew the sword was seeking the Blood-Dripping Sword, it had been a long time since their parting at the Sword Tomb.
Recently, with the tense situation in the court, the Blood-Dripping Sword had been stationed at the Ziwei Imperial Palace to maintain morale.
Zhang Ruochen felt a deep sense of emotion, no matter how adversarial his relationship with Chi Yao was, the bond between the Chenyuan Ancient Sword and the Blood-Dripping Sword remained unchanged, truly a testament to the swords’ loyalty surpassing that of humans.
“Perhaps you should visit the Inscription Guild,” Jiutian Xuannü suddenly suggested.
At the mention of the Inscription Guild, Zhang Ruochen’s heart stirred, immediately connecting it to certain possibilities.
After a brief exchange, Zhang Ruochen watched Jiutian Xuannü and Chi Kongle enter the Ziwei Imperial Palace before turning to leave.
Unless necessary, Zhang Ruochen preferred to avoid the palace.
Using the “Formless and Phaseless Thirty-Six Transformations” to alter his appearance, Zhang Ruochen arrived in the Fifth District, where the headquarters of the Inscription Guild was located.
The Inscription Guild was highly secretive, a neutral force in the Kunlun Realm, recruiting spiritual power cultivators from all races, with a history unmatched by few.
No matter how the Kunlun Realm’s situation changed, the guild endured, its foundations unfathomably deep, even the court dared not challenge it.
Standing outside the guild’s headquarters, Zhang Ruochen’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
He had imagined a grand, sprawling complex with countless pavilions, but instead, he saw a single, ancient palace, marked by the traces of time.
Zhang Ruochen could tell the palace was extraordinary, imbued with countless inscriptions, surely crafted by a master artificer.
“This palace must contain a universe within, if it seals itself, few could breach it. Legend has it the Inscription Guild was founded by an unparalleled divine artificer, and two or three of the Kunlun Realm’s ten divine artifacts were said to be crafted by them,” Zhang Ruochen mused.
Divine artifacts were exceedingly rare, the Kunlun Realm, an eternal great world, possessed only ten, while most great worlds lacked even a single supreme holy artifact.
Since the medieval catastrophe, most of the Kunlun Realm’s ten divine artifacts had vanished, with only the Imperial Divine Ruler preserved intact by the Inscription Guild.
More precisely, the Imperial Divine Ruler was the guild’s treasured cornerstone.
The guild’s enduring legacy owed much to the ruler, said to measure the cultivation realm of emperors, containing profound principles of the Great Saint Path, potentially leading to divinity if fully comprehended.
For those at the Saint King realm seeking rapid progress, meditating with the Imperial Divine Ruler was the best choice.
Zhang Ruochen’s visit to the guild was naturally to use the ruler for enlightenment, aiming to elevate his cultivation to its peak.
The first meditation with the ruler was said to be the most effective, even possibly leading to sudden enlightenment.
Though Zhang Ruochen had reached the peak of the Saint King realm, he had never visited the guild before, so he was eager to see what cultivation effects awaited him.
“Brother Zhang, a pleasure to meet you,” a magnetic voice suddenly called out.
A man approached with a warm smile, exuding an approachable charm.
He stood six feet tall, with flawless features, strikingly handsome, enough to make many women envious. Dressed in silver-white robes with flowing purple hair, he carried an air of elegance.
Most striking were his purple eyes, shimmering with a mysterious aura.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at him, noting his extraordinary presence, a noble temperament blended with approachability.
To his surprise, the man saw through his transformation.
It seemed his “Formless and Phaseless Thirty-Six Transformations” needed more practice, having been seen through by Zhenyuan, Fairy Cihang, and now this man.
Could he be on par with Zhenyuan and Cihang?
The purple-haired man approached, clasping his hands, “Brother Zhang, allow me to introduce myself, I am Yin Yuanchen, from the Heavenly Realm.”
As he uttered the last three words, the surrounding temperature plummeted.
“What does someone from the Heavenly Realm want with me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Yin Yuanchen remained unfazed, calm and composed, “Though I’m from the Heavenly Realm, I’m not your enemy. Just as not everyone in the Kunlun Realm is your friend.”
“Is that so? Are there people in the Heavenly Realm who don’t want me dead?” Zhang Ruochen replied.
“The Heavenly Realm is vast, with countless cultivators, not all think alike. Honestly, I disapprove of many of their ruthless tactics, they lack vision, the Hell Realm is the true enemy, alas, I can only control myself,” Yin Yuanchen said.
“Interestingly, I have deep ties to the Kunlun Realm, my grandmother was from here, marrying my grandfather before the medieval era, so Kunlun blood flows in my veins.”
A smile spread across Yin Yuanchen’s face, as if proud of his unique heritage.
“With the history between the Kunlun and Heavenly Realms, how could their people come together?” Zhang Ruochen asked skeptically.
“Before the medieval era, the two realms were on good terms. My grandfather and grandmother were no ordinary figures, both of exceptional status,” Yin Yuanchen explained.
“My grandfather was a god who trained under the Ten Tribulations Heavenly Lord and fell in love with his daughter, their union was a celebrated tale of that era.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes flickered with surprise.
The Ten Tribulations Heavenly Lord was a legendary figure, the Kunlun Realm’s greatest powerhouse, whose supreme divine abilities once dominated all realms, his name still revered.
Only a god could be worthy of the Heavenly Lord’s daughter.
But did she truly marry into the Heavenly Realm, and what was her fate now?
