Seizing the Tianzhu Needle is clearly impossible.
Though the artifact spirit of the Tianzhu Needle has not reached the divine realm, it is undoubtedly a top-tier force below it. Moreover, Sikong of the Tianyun Division is surely on the level of Zhuo Yunong or Wuyue Minghuang. Unless it’s Wuma Jiuxing, who would dare make a move against him?
To escort Sikong and the Tianzhu Needle, the Temple of Fate must have deployed countless experts. Even if Wuma Jiuxing were uninjured, he likely wouldn’t entertain the idea of stealing a divine artifact.
Gushen Jing proposed that Zhang Ruochen temporarily entrust the Supreme Source Divine Crystal to her and then reveal the truth to the major forces. Given his current status and influence, no one would dare openly act against him. Besides, with a deity protecting him, who would risk attacking without absolute certainty?
Zhang Ruochen outright rejected her suggestion.
Hand over the Supreme Source Divine Crystal to her?
Sorry, their relationship wasn’t that close.
Moreover, she herself suspected that deities had come to Ice King Star. How could Zhang Ruochen dare show himself?
Gushen Jing left in a huff, muttering like a wronged wife that Zhang Ruochen didn’t trust her.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t try to stop her.
Since Gushen Jing knew he possessed the Supreme Source Divine Crystal, she would surely aid him in secret.
“Is this truly a dead end? If there’s no other way, I’ll have to force my way out,” Zhang Ruochen thought, his gaze hardening. If Burial Gold White Tiger was willing to act, combined with Little Black’s expertise in formations, breaking through Goddess City’s defensive array wouldn’t be impossible.
Once out of the city, with his powers over space and time, his chances of escape would greatly increase.
But taking such action would make him a target for all and push the Blood Absolute Clan to the forefront of danger.
This was the worst possible option.
Moreover, as long as the Tianzhu Needle existed, the Temple of Fate could track him anywhere. The thought of being pursued by a group of top Great Saints, or even deities, made Zhang Ruochen’s scalp tingle.
“Xunmu, come to the Third Discussion Hall immediately,” Gu Yanzhi’s voice reached Zhang Ruochen’s ears.
Zhang Ruochen quickly donned a black robe, transforming into the gaunt form of Master Xunmu, picked up the divine envoy staff, and headed to the discussion hall.
The Third Discussion Hall, built underground and covered with numerous formation inscriptions, was reserved for discussing major secrets and was rarely opened.
When Zhang Ruochen arrived, hundreds of mental strength Saint Masters had already gathered outside the stone gate of the hall. Many were Saint Kings of mental strength above the fiftieth tier.
“For just one Goddess Tower under the Twelve Goddess Pavilions, they’ve recruited so many mental strength experts,” Zhang Ruochen thought, surprised. He didn’t believe the Twelve Goddess Pavilions could train so many mental strength Saint Masters. Observing closely, he found that over ninety percent of them weren’t from the ten major clans but from various minor clans, some even from mortal realms under the Heavenly Court.
This was normal. Every faction had its defectors.
Some capable cultivators, unable to thrive in the Heavenly Court, found a comfortable life in the peripheral regions of the Infernal Realm.
“To activate the Third Discussion Hall, something big must be happening,” one Saint Master whispered.
“With so many major figures arriving in Goddess City recently, their saintly auras shaking the heavens, it would be strange if nothing significant occurred,” another replied.
“I hope we don’t see another top-tier Great Saint battle. Last time, I heard over three hundred mental strength Saint Masters died, with countless others injured,” a third said.
“Quiet, my injuries still haven’t healed. My spirit’s been low ever since,” another added.
“I joined the Twelve Goddess Pavilions because my cultivation had plateaued, thinking I could live out my last decades in peace and pleasure. Who could’ve imagined all this chaos? I doubt it’ll end well,” someone lamented.
Listening to the Saint Masters’ discussions, Zhang Ruochen mused, “For cultivators seeking pleasure, joining the Twelve Goddess Pavilions seems a good choice. Beautiful companions, cultivation resources, and minimal danger.”
“Shh! Quiet, a big figure is coming!” someone hissed.
The mental strength Saint Masters fell silent, straightening their robes and postures.
Footsteps approached.
A group of white-robed cultivators arrived underground, passing through the crowd toward the stone gate of the Third Discussion Hall.
Zhang Ruochen sensed powerful mental strength fluctuations from these white-robed cultivators. Each was extraordinary, undoubtedly mental strength Great Saints.
Leading them was an elder with a silver-glowing sun-moon-star mark on his forehead. His face was slightly plump, his black hair hung loosely, and his eyes carried a sinister smile, exuding an immense presence.
As he passed, the Saint Masters on either side trembled.
One Saint Master’s legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees, making a fool of himself.
Beside the elder was Shang Yue, Bai Qing’er’s disciple.
Shang Yue treated the elder with respect, clearly in awe of this figure who intimidated even someone as proud as her.
Gu Yanzhi, a Great Saint of the Hundred Shackles Realm, trailed behind.
The elder glanced at the kneeling Saint Master, grinned, revealing yellowed teeth, and said, “The Twelve Goddess Pavilions are one of the ten major dark forces, yet they recruit just anyone. Him, I’ll eat first.”
The elder extended two withered fingers and tapped the Saint Master’s head.
The Saint Master let out a piercing scream, convulsing as his sacred soul and mental strength were drawn out and consumed by the elder.
The other Saint Masters paled in fear.
“If Uncle Duan likes, Yue’er will arrange to buy a batch of soul food,” Shang Yue said sweetly, her tone ingratiating, a stark contrast to her ruthlessness when attacking Zhang Ruochen.
“Business first,” Duan Lingfeng said with a cold smile, flicking his wide sleeve and entering the stone gate.
The other Great Saints followed closely.
Those below the Great Saint realm were not qualified to join the discussion and waited outside.
As the stone gate closed, the Saint Masters let out a collective sigh of relief. Many were soaked in sweat, thoroughly shaken.
After a while, they began communicating via mental transmission.
“Did you see? Shang Yue, a Great Saint, was so deferential. Who is that elder?” one asked.
“Since Shang Yue called him Uncle and his surname is Duan, he’s likely that ancient monster from the Twelve Goddess Pavilions who’s lived over twenty thousand years,” a Saint King nearing the sixtieth tier of mental strength replied.
“You mean… the Hand of the World? How could it be him? Wasn’t he dead?” another gasped.
“Don’t talk about someone of that level. With Senior Duan’s mental strength, our mental transmissions here won’t escape his perception,” another warned.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t dare release his mental strength, but with the Heart of Truth, he overheard their transmissions.
The more he heard, the more alarmed he became.
The Hand of the World?
His scalp tingled, and he quickly hid his mental strength thoughts within the Heart of Truth, maintaining only a fifty-ninth-tier mental strength level.
Formation masters were divided into three levels: Master of Mountains and Rivers, King of Seas and Lands, and Hand of the World.
Most formation masters remained at the Master of Mountains and Rivers level.
Kings of Seas and Lands were rare.
As for Hands of the World, each was a figure revered by deities, capable of turning clouds to rain in a great world or inscribing ninth-grade formations with a flick of their fingers.
Even Supreme Great Saints avoided crossing a Hand of the World.
Even those who had achieved divine mental strength might not reach the Hand of the World level in formation mastery.
Half an hour later, Gu Yanzhi and Shang Yue emerged from the stone gate.
Gu Yanzhi’s face was grave, his hands trembling slightly. After a moment, he calmed himself, scanned the gathered Saint Masters, and said, “A major event is about to unfold on Ice King Star, and we need everyone’s participation.”
The crowd responded in unison, “We are willing to serve the Twelve Goddess Pavilions to the death.”
“No need to be so tense. It’s not that serious,” Shang Yue said with a smile, glancing at Gu Yanzhi.
Gu Yanzhi flicked his sleeve, and clusters of black light flew out, hovering before him and Shang Yue.
Within the black light were black stones of varying sizes, covered in eerie patterns exuding a divine aura.
“Each cultivator, step forward and take a Xuanwu Stone,” Gu Yanzhi instructed.
One by one, the Saint Masters, though puzzled, stepped forward to receive theirs.
The stronger their mental strength, the larger the Xuanwu Stone they received.
When it was Zhang Ruochen’s turn, Gu Yanzhi selected a basin-sized Xuanwu Stone and introduced him to Shang Yue. “Lady Yue, this is Xunmu, a freelance mental strength cultivator from the Wing World of the Blood Heaven Tribe. His talent is remarkable, having reached the fifty-eighth tier on his own. With the resources of the Twelve Goddess Pavilions, he’s now broken through to the fifty-ninth tier, with the Great Saint realm in sight.”
A mental strength Great Saint was no small figure in the Twelve Goddess Pavilions, worthy of entering the core circle.
Having recruited such talent, Gu Yanzhi naturally highlighted him.
Shang Yue glanced at Zhang Ruochen, her gaze piercing as if seeing through him. Suddenly, her eyes fell on his staff. “Your staff is interesting,” she remarked.
Zhang Ruochen replied hoarsely, “Lady Yue has sharp eyes. This staff was crafted from a branch of divine wood, infused with the Water of Darkness.”
He wasn’t worried Shang Yue would covet the divine envoy staff, as ordinary treasures wouldn’t catch her eye given her cultivation.
Shang Yue gave it no further attention, and Zhang Ruochen tactfully stepped back.
Examining the Xuanwu Stone, Zhang Ruochen realized it wasn’t a stone but a fragment of a divine Xuanwu turtle shell.
The fragment he held bore hundreds of thousands of formation inscriptions, of exceptionally high grade.
“A divine Xuanwu turtle shell is one of the hardest substances in the world. The inscriptions on this fragment are even more intricate than those of a ninth-grade formation. What are the Twelve Goddess Pavilions planning?” Zhang Ruochen wondered.
After all the formation Saint Masters received their Xuanwu Stones, Shang Yue announced, “Return to your quarters and familiarize yourselves with the inscriptions on the stones as quickly as possible, until you can activate them.”
A younger formation Saint Master asked, “What’s the purpose of these Xuanwu Stones? Are we to work together to set up a formation?”
Gu Yanzhi’s expression darkened. “Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t.”
The Saint Master, cowed by Gu Yanzhi’s glare, trembled and fell silent.
Shang Yue’s voice was sweet and captivating. “For the next few days, stay within the City Lord’s Mansion and don’t go anywhere. Don’t share this matter with any other cultivators, or… well, I’d prefer to buy less soul food.”
The Saint Masters, filled with fear and unease, left the underground chamber.
“Shang Yue’s smile is so charming, yet it sends chills down my spine,” one Saint Master whispered, face pale.
Zhang Ruochen observed the defenses within the City Lord’s Mansion, noting that nearly all the inner formation arrays were activated.
“The Twelve Goddess Pavilions are planning something big,” he thought.
If the formation was for defending Goddess City, there’d be no need to forbid Saint Masters from leaving the mansion. This was clearly a secret operation.
Back at the courtyard, Zhang Ruochen pushed open the door and saw Little Black standing by the window, looking outside.
“The Twelve Goddess Pavilions are up to something big,” Little Black said gravely.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t ask where it had been the past few days. Instead, he took out the basin-sized Xuanwu Stone. “Take a look at the formation inscriptions on this. By the way, you’ve always boasted about your formation skills. Now that your cultivation is restored, have your formation abilities recovered too?”
Little Black took the stone, scoffing like a supreme master. “My formation skills aren’t just talk. In this era… wait, what? Where did you get this Xuanwu turtle shell fragment? Who inscribed these formation patterns?”
Zhang Ruochen replied, “A Hand of the World among formation masters.”
“Duan Lingfeng of the Twelve Goddess Pavilions?” Little Black asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, “You’ve heard of him? Scared?”
“Scared? Ha! My martial arts may not be the best below the divine realm, but in the way of formations, a mere Hand of the World doesn’t faze me,” Little Black laughed arrogantly.
Zhang Ruochen retorted, “You once claimed you could sweep all below the divine realm. Yet you can’t even take down Goddess City.”
Little Black leaned close to Zhang Ruochen’s ear and whispered, “Duan Lingfeng isn’t in the City Lord’s Mansion, is he?”
“He’s right here in the mansion,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Farewell. I was never here,” Little Black said, rushing toward the door.
Zhang Ruochen called out, “The mansion’s formations are fully activated. From now on, anyone who tries to leave will be killed without mercy.”
Little Black stopped, retreated, and shut the door tightly. “My cultivation has only just recovered, and I lack materials to craft formations, so I haven’t made any powerful arrays. Otherwise, I’d challenge Duan Lingfeng right now.”
“No worries. I have plenty of materials, enough even for divine formations. The question is, are you up to it?” Zhang Ruochen said confidently.
“Fine, the more materials, the better. Just wait and see,” Little Black replied.
Examining the Xuanwu shell fragment, Little Black exclaimed, “This is a corner of the Xuanwu Heaven-Swallowing Formation’s inscriptions. The Twelve Goddess Pavilions are indeed planning something big. No wonder they sent an envoy to contact the Wujian Pavilion.”
“Xuanwu Heaven-Swallowing Formation? Contacting the Wujian Pavilion?” Zhang Ruochen asked, surprised.
Little Black pointed at the fragment. “The Xuanwu Heaven-Swallowing Formation is designed to slay gods.”
“A divine formation?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Little Black shook its head. “No matter how skilled Duan Lingfeng is, he can’t create a divine formation. I suspect they’re merely borrowing the momentum of the Xuanwu Heaven-Swallowing Formation. Its grade definitely doesn’t reach divine level.”
“What are the Twelve Goddess Pavilions planning? It can’t be just to deal with me, can it? Are they targeting the Temple of Fate’s cultivators?” Zhang Ruochen mused aloud, then suddenly considered a shocking possibility. His expression hardened as he looked at Little Black. “What did the Twelve Goddess Pavilions’ envoy discuss with the Wujian Pavilion?”
