By the Heavenly Pool, the divine envoy staff in Zhang Ruochen’s hand suddenly radiated a cold divine light, and the Moon Goddess’s exquisite figure appeared out of thin air.
“Greetings, Moon Goddess.”
Zhang Ruochen bowed in respect.
Having noticed the anomaly in the void space, he was about to report to the Moon Goddess, but she had preemptively manifested her divine projection.
The Moon Goddess cast her gaze toward the repairing spatial void. Even though this was merely a projection devoid of divine power, her perception far surpassed Zhang Ruochen’s.
“There is more than one god hiding in the void space near the Kunlun Realm, and their auras are strong. Such a grand setup, do they intend to replay the events of a hundred thousand years ago?” the Moon Goddess murmured.
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen’s heart stirred; the situation was clearly more severe than he had imagined.
Her gaze shifting, the Moon Goddess surveyed the blood-soaked Heavenly Pool oasis, saying, “What happened here?”
“The Heaven Realm faction launched a massive assault on the Ziwei Palace, aiming for the Flat Peach Tree and seeking to kill me in the process,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
The Moon Goddess fixed her eyes on Zhang Ruochen, asking, “But it seems their losses were greater. How many of their cultivators did you kill?”
“At least several hundred, all top-tier Saint King realm warriors. Unfortunately, Michael and Yin Yuanchen escaped. They broke into the void space, and a god intervened, rescuing them,” Zhang Ruochen said, a flicker of regret in his eyes.
Among all the Heaven Realm faction’s warriors, he most wanted to slay Archangel King Michael and Yin Yuanchen, the true masterminds. Not killing them left his anger unquelled.
The Moon Goddess could guess that the cultivators who attacked the Ziwei Palace were the Heaven Realm faction’s elite, most capable of becoming Great Saints, some even potentially gods.
Such heavy losses would undoubtedly cause the Heaven Realm faction great pain.
The Moon Goddess said, “The one who acted was Xuanyi True God of the Heaven Realm, the ancestor of the Yin clan. Escaping him was a stroke of luck.”
A cold glint flashed in Zhang Ruochen’s eyes as he committed the name “Xuanyi True God” to memory.
Reflecting carefully, a hundred thousand years ago, the Heaven Realm’s schemes against the Kunlun Realm might also have involved Xuanyi True God. Was taking the daughter of the Ten Tribulations Heavenly Lord part of their plan?
The Moon Goddess turned her gaze to the altar, observing the Dispersed Saints, and said, “The ‘Bilu Path’ created by Biluozi, lost for a hundred thousand years, has reappeared. Has the Kunlun Realm regained the conditions for cultivating Dispersed Saints?”
Having once preached in the Kunlun Realm, the Moon Goddess was familiar with its gods, including the unique Biluozi.
She knew that cultivating the “Bilu Path” required specific conditions, which had vanished after the Middle Ages, rendering Dispersed Saints invisible and unknown to most.
Then, looking at Zhang Ruochen, she added, “The Void Chaos Bridge connects two spatial coordinates, one outside the imperial city and one within, likely used by the Hell Realm to transport their army.”
“I cannot interfere in the Kunlun Realm’s affairs; that’s up to you. As for the gods outside the domain, you need not worry.”
With those words, the Moon Goddess’s figure dissipated.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed, thinking, “The Void Chaos Bridge’s coordinate within the imperial city must be related to the Flat Peach Tree.”
As he initially suspected, the Hell Realm had indeed intervened, and the situation at the Flat Peach Tree’s location was likely worse than at the Ziwei Palace.
“The space where the Flat Peach Tree resides is unique, accessible only through the Qinghong Pavilion’s teleportation array. The Hell Realm’s army must be heading there; we must stop them,” the Nine-Heavens Mysterious Lady’s urgent voice sounded behind Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen was no stranger to the Qinghong Pavilion. Years ago, the Saintly Scholar had invited him there for a gathering. It was a library housing countless texts.
“To the Qinghong Pavilion, now,” Zhang Ruochen ordered.
The Nine-Heavens Mysterious Lady met his gaze, saying, “I’ll go with you.”
“Father, I want to go too. I want to fight for the Kunlun Realm,” Chi Kongle stepped forward, her eyes resolute.
“We also wish to go. Even if we die, we’ll have no regrets. Please, Eastern Domain King, allow us,” the court cultivators spoke, their resolve firm.
This battle concerned the Kunlun Realm’s fate. If they couldn’t protect the Flat Peach Tree, their survival would be meaningless.
Seeing their determined gazes, Zhang Ruochen knew stopping them would be futile.
Yan Liren stood atop the altar, proclaiming loudly, “The Dragon Guard Pavilion awaits Your Highness’s orders.”
The Dragon Guard Pavilion members shouted in unison, “We await Your Highness’s orders.”
Ale had returned, taking a key position on the altar.
“Little Junior Brother, your Senior Brother will fight alongside you.”
“Second Senior Brother will fight alongside you.”
“Sixth Senior Brother will fight alongside you.”
Three figures descended from the altar, appearing beside Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze locked onto them, surprised, then filled with excitement and warmth.
He never imagined he’d reunite with these three, who had long been dead.
They were Emperor Ming’s eldest disciple Hong Ya, second disciple Chen Daogu, and sixth disciple Lu Yuanzhi, all presumed dead, now reappearing.
Zhang Ruochen could tell that Hong Ya, Chen Daogu, and Lu Yuanzhi were no longer flesh-and-blood beings.
As the Moon Goddess said, they must have cultivated the “Bilu Path” created by the legendary Biluozi, though he couldn’t yet comprehend it.
“We vow to fight with Your Highness.”
Hundreds more figures descended from the altar, kneeling before Zhang Ruochen.
“Elder Liu, Elder Yuan, Blood-Clad Heavenly King…” Seeing these familiar faces, even Zhang Ruochen’s calm heart rippled intensely.
Those kneeling before him were all former vassals of the Saintly Central Empire, most having died in battles against the Chiqing Central Empire.
Seeing them was like glimpsing the once-prosperous Saintly Central Empire.
No matter the reason, their survival was cause for joy.
“Isn’t that the Seven-Kill Sword Saint, renowned in the black market five hundred years ago? Wasn’t he killed by an Eastern Domain Academy master?”
“Didn’t Black Wind Saint die of old age a century ago?”
“That’s… Master Kuxin of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Path, who passed away six hundred years ago. How could he…”
…
Looking at the figures on the altar, the court cultivators could no longer remain calm.
Before the Kunlun Realm’s revival, cultivation conditions were harsh, making it extremely difficult to reach the Saint realm.
Thus, every saint was renowned, and their fall would shake the entire Kunlun Realm.
Yet now, saints and Saint Kings long thought dead reappeared, dreamlike and incomprehensible.
A spark of surprise flashed in the Nine-Heavens Mysterious Lady’s beautiful eyes, followed by realization, as if she understood some key truth.
Zhang Ruochen had much to say to Hong Ya, Chen Daogu, and the others, but time was pressing, with the Qinghong Pavilion in peril.
“Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Brother, let’s first crush the Hell Realm’s ambitions. When we triumph, we’ll celebrate with a hearty drink,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Hong Ya, with his blood-red hair, laughed, “Good, after years of dormancy, let’s fight today. My blade is still sharp.”
Without delay, Zhang Ruochen collected the most precious treasures scattered in the Ziwei Palace, then ascended the altar.
The court cultivators followed, their injuries rapidly healing with the Spring of Life, restoring their combat strength.
On the altar, they consumed healing pills, seizing the moment to recover.
“Break the Ziwei Palace’s seal,” Zhang Ruochen commanded.
The Dragon Guard Pavilion members acted, channelling sacred energy into the altar.
The altar trembled, its blood-red patterns flowing swiftly, roaring like a rushing river, deafening and resonant.
The sacred energy of heaven and earth surged, converging toward the altar.
“Boom.”
Immense sacred power erupted from the altar.
The Heaven Realm faction’s seal was shattered with overwhelming force.
The Ziwei Palace’s true state was revealed, a scene of ruin, with many halls reduced to rubble.
“Swish—”
Intense killing intent soared, darkening the skies.
The entire region around the Ziwei Palace had turned blood-red, like a hellscape.
“What happened?”
In the imperial city, many Saint realm cultivators sensed the disturbance, turning their gazes toward the Ziwei Palace.
The altar hovered in the air, radiating vast sacred might, speeding toward the Qinghong Pavilion like lightning.
In a luxurious sacred mansion, Zhou Yu’s gaze locked onto the altar, his expression tightening.
“Zhang… Zhang Ruochen, he’s alive. Could it be…”
A terrifying thought gripped Zhou Yu.
He knew what had transpired in the Ziwei Palace.
With Zhang Ruochen emerging and no Heaven Realm faction members in sight, the outcome was clear.
“How is this possible? So many leaders, even a Fallen One, how could they fail?” Zhou Yu’s mind reeled, unable to accept the reality.
As the Heaven Realm’s public leader, he had stayed out of the operation to avoid suspicion.
From start to finish, he never considered failure, even preparing a victory feast.
In another sacred mansion, Jin Hong, leader of the Heavenly Palace’s enforcement team, stood atop a hundred-zhang tower, gazing at the speeding altar.
“Such intense killing intent, and the Ziwei Palace in such a state—something major has happened. Is the Heaven Realm faction stirring trouble again?” Jin Hong frowned slightly.
As the enforcement team leader, the ongoing internal conflicts since entering the Kunlun Realm shamed him.
But could he, a mere enforcement leader, dare to intervene in a dominant world’s conflicts?
A dominant world could make him vanish without a trace effortlessly.
“Swoosh.”
Figures emerged from across the imperial city, approaching the altar.
They were familiar faces: Murong Yefeng, Bao Lie, Feng Yan, Xiang Chunan, Zhenyuan, Cihang Fairy, Luo Xu, Princess Bailei, and others.
There were also awakened ones, not only Thousand Blade King and Crimson Gold King from the Yin-Yang Sea but also Jiang Yunchong, Spirit-Devouring King, and Hong Xuanji.
The awakened ones had been summoned by Zhang Ruochen in advance for contingencies.
Now was their time to act.
“What happened, Junior Brother Zhang?” Zhenyuan asked.
Zhang Ruochen replied, “The Hell Realm likely sent a large force into the imperial city, targeting the Kunlun Realm’s World Spirit Root.”
“Such a thing! I’ll call Senior Brother Lu to join you,” Zhenyuan’s eyes narrowed.
Xiang Chunan said, “Big Brother, I’ll go with you to slaughter the Hell Realm’s warriors.”
With time pressing, Zhang Ruochen didn’t elaborate, guiding everyone onto the altar and racing to the Qinghong Pavilion.
“Why such haste? Where is Zhang Ruochen going?”
“Even Zhenyuan and Cihang Fairy are involved, representing the Five Elements Temple and Western Heavenly Buddha Realm. Something big is happening.”
“Ao Xukong and Nie Xiangzi are heading there too. What are they doing? What’s the situation at the Ziwei Palace?”
…
Cultivators from all realms were puzzled, focusing on the altar and Zhang Ruochen’s destination, none daring to act rashly.
Some entered the ruined Ziwei Palace to investigate.
Seeing the Heavenly Pool oasis littered with corpses and rivers of blood, especially the familiar faces, all gasped in shock.
“A major event!”
The fall of so many Heaven Realm faction elites would cause an unimaginable uproar, likely shaking the Heavenly Palace.
In fact, the Heavenly Palace was already in turmoil.
The reason was the Moon Goddess’s report to the Heavenly Palace of Hell Realm gods hiding in the void space near the Kunlun Realm.
Almost simultaneously, Xuanyi True God of the Heaven Realm sent the same message to the Heavenly Palace.
His intent was clear: to distance himself from suspicion.
Otherwise, he risked being accused of colluding with the Hell Realm—a grave taboo no one could bear.
Swiftly, the Heavenly Palace dispatched multiple gods, led by War God Bian Zhuang.
This was at Bian Zhuang’s insistence, stating that the Moon Goddess’s affairs were his own, and he didn’t trust other gods to lead.
Concurrently, the Truth Temple mobilized gods, led by the Truth Temple Master.
The Moon Goddess had detected the aura of Huang Tian, a Stone Clan member, in the void space near the Kunlun Realm—a disgrace to the Truth Temple who had to be slain to reclaim the Mysteries of Truth.
Meanwhile, forces like the Western Heavenly Buddha Realm and Five Elements Temple also sent gods.
The starry region around the Kunlun Realm soon brimmed with divine might, stars trembling, divine lights illuminating the cosmos.
When the Heavenly Realm gods arrived outside the Kunlun Realm, Empress Chi Yao was already there.
With such a major upheaval in the Ziwei Palace, how could she not sense it?
“It’s been a long time since I’ve killed Hell Realm gods. It’s time for the Tianpeng Bell to taste divine blood again,” War God Bian Zhuang stood atop a star, gazing at the distant Kunlun Realm.
“Hum!”
The Tianpeng Bell flew from his hand, piercing the dark cosmos, shattering a vast expanse of space.
The Heavenly Realm gods moved together, entering the void space.
Since the Middle Ages, large-scale divine wars between the Heavenly and Hell Realms were rare, but today, with gods converging, a divine war was inevitable.
