Bai Qing’er, clad in a voluminous maroon robe, ascends the stargazing platform, facing the bleak, falling snow, appearing before the crowd.
Her delicate, graceful demeanour resembles a refined maiden well-versed in poetry, evoking pity and elegance. She lacks the domineering air of a cultivator or the worldly aura of the Twelve Goddess Towers’ women. Yet, this gentle, serene, and refined quality exudes an irresistible allure, enhancing her already breathtaking beauty, as if capable of stealing a man’s soul.
Bai Qing’er has always been enigmatic. This is the first time she reveals her true face before so many monks.
Even Zhang Ruochen, Yuan Qianmo, Zhuo Yunong, Miao, Yan Huangtu—figures from different races, each having seen countless stunning beauties and possessing profound mental fortitude—are drawn to her.
Her presence seems to transform the place into a realm of harmony, dissolving all conflicts and disputes.
“Is she Bai Qing’er? The daughter of Empress Bai and the Great God Huang Tian? Her beauty is so ethereal, a weapon to captivate hearts,” Miao says, eyes filled with admiration.
Huoxing remarks, “No wonder Wu Ma Jiuxing challenged Zhuo Yunong to defend her. Truly a femme fatale.”
“Empress Bai was once a beauty rivalling the Moon God, pursued by several gods in their youth. It’s no surprise her daughter possesses such looks,” Yan Huangtu says.
…
Bai Qing’er, holding a bamboo scroll, approaches Zhang Ruochen, exuding a faint scholarly fragrance, saying, “Young Master Ruochen, since our parting in the Fate Domain, we meet again.”
Zhang Ruochen glances at her bamboo scroll, his eyes narrowing sharply.
The handwriting is strikingly familiar.
Composing himself, Zhang Ruochen says, “Didn’t we just meet at the Ji Feng Holy Mansion? I nearly died at your hands, Miss Bai. Have you forgotten? Oh, right. In the Fate Domain, you tried to silence me, and I barely escaped. So, I’d rather not see you again.”
Bai Qing’er remains calm, saying, “You and the Seven-Handed Elder stole the supreme source divine crystal in the Goddess Tower, making the Twelve Goddess Towers a target. I only sought to retrieve it.”
Zhang Ruochen retorts, “First, I barely know the Seven-Handed Elder. How could I collaborate with him?
“Second, only the Goddess Tower and the seventeen major factions knew where the five supreme source divine crystals were stored. Even if I wanted to steal them, I had no chance.
“Third, with your formidable cultivation and a Supreme Realm space jade turtle by your side, stealing the supreme source divine crystal would be far easier for you.
“A fine lady, yet why play the thief crying thief?”
The monks present, all astute, grow suspicious at Zhang Ruochen’s words.
Does Bai Qing’er truly have a space-mastering turtle of the Supreme Realm?
Before Bai Qing’er responds, Zhang Ruochen continues, “Don’t be fooled by Miss Bai’s beautiful exterior. Her cultivation is formidable, and the Twelve Goddess Towers are filled with experts. Some of the major factions here may not compare.”
Bai Qing’er sighs lightly, “The Twelve Goddess Towers have one hundred eighty buildings. Every monk in the Hell Realm knows their locations. How could the Goddess Towers dare oppose the major factions?
“Everyone knows the Twelve Goddess Towers never engage in conflicts, and we lack the strength to vie for the Source Temple. We wouldn’t attempt such a reckless act.
“Besides, when Tan Fei self-detonated his sacred source, it nearly destroyed the entire Goddess Tower. For a mythical, possibly nonexistent Source Temple, the Twelve Goddess Towers wouldn’t be so mad.
“But you, Young Master Ruochen, have done plenty of such reckless things.”
Her words carry weight.
No monk present believes the Twelve Goddess Towers would dare oppose the seventeen major factions. If exposed, their one hundred eighty buildings would be obliterated under their wrath.
Ultimately, no one takes the Twelve Goddess Towers seriously.
A group of women relying on beauty—what threat could they pose?
Zhuo Yunong, seated, says, “Zhang Ruochen, if you knew so much, why didn’t you speak in the Fate Domain?”
Zhang Ruochen replies, “I saw Bai Qing’er and Cang Baizi kill the Seven-Handed Elder and Xing Qian. But my cultivation was low, and I couldn’t be sure what I saw was the truth.
“What if a powerful cultivator disguised themselves as them to mislead me?
“Besides, Lord Arbiter, you were clearly targeting me then. I suspected you and Miss Bai had some shady deal. Without powerful backing, how could the Twelve Goddess Towers dare offend the seventeen major factions?”
At this, Zhuo Yunong’s eyes flash with divine light, piercing toward Zhang Ruochen like swords.
Zhang Ruochen presses his palm, summoning the Fate Heaven Decree, radiating dazzling fate light to block Zhuo Yunong’s gaze.
Though furious, Zhuo Yunong dares not attack the Fate Heaven Decree, retracting his gaze, saying, “Since you wield the Fate Heaven Decree, you’d best not tarnish the Temple of Fate’s reputation. Otherwise, even the Decree won’t save you.”
Zhang Ruochen says, “I haven’t tarnished the Temple’s reputation. I merely suspect the Arbitration Division.”
His words answer both Zhuo Yunong and Bai Qing’er indirectly.
You claim the Twelve Goddess Towers wouldn’t dare oppose the seventeen major factions?
But with the Arbitration Division’s support, what wouldn’t you dare?
When the Arbitration Division moved to capture Zhang Ruochen, their speed raised suspicions among the monks present. Zhang Ruochen merely amplifies those doubts.
Gu Shejing, her beautiful eyes shimmering, watches Zhang Ruochen, thinking, “I didn’t expect this guy’s eloquence to gain the upper hand.”
Bai Qing’er says, “Someone told me you dislike chess, finding it too tedious and scheming, suited only for cunning minds. Now, it seems that’s not quite true. I think you’re quite cunning.”
Zhang Ruochen recalls saying this, but few know it.
How does Bai Qing’er know?
Recalling the handwriting on her bamboo scroll, Zhang Ruochen has his answer, his teeth clenching involuntarily. This demoness is unforgivable.
He has already lost the Great Saint Manjian to death. Must he now watch his teacher die in the Hell Realm?
As Zhang Ruochen locks eyes with Bai Qing’er, Miao steps forward, saying, “Earlier, Great Saint Ruochen said Bai Qing’er and Cang Baizi killed Xing Qian and the Seven-Handed Elder. I’m curious—how could Cang Baizi, an elder of the Longevity Hall, know Miss Bai?”
Zhang Ruochen knows Bai Qing’er is threatening him with Shangguan Que to silence him.
But he refuses to be threatened and knows that as long as the Seven-Handed Elder and the supreme source divine crystal are linked to him, Bai Qing’er won’t kill Shangguan Que.
What is there to fear?
Today, he will expose all of Bai Qing’er’s secrets. Whether they believe him matters less than planting doubt.
Zhang Ruochen begins, “It seems you don’t know that Cang Baizi has long been under Bai Qing’er’s…”
Halfway through, a chilling dread surges through him. His Heart of Truth senses an unprecedented mortal danger. He unleashes the Fire God Armour, War God Belt, Liuguang Merit Armour, and Divine Blood Armour in rapid succession.
In an instant, four layers of defence envelop him.
He knew this trip was perilous, so he wore all his defensive armours in advance.
With a bang, a crystalline arrow, appearing from nowhere, strikes Zhang Ruochen’s chest.
Like a cannonball, he crashes through the stargazing platform’s array light wall, flying dozens of miles, colliding with the array light walls of every street in Goddess City.
Bang! Bang! Bang…
Smashing through dozens of array light walls, Zhang Ruochen plummets into ruins, his body buried.
No monk anticipated this turn of events. Shocked, they raise domains and sacred artifacts, fearing to follow Zhang Ruochen’s fate.
A fleeting smile flashes in Bai Qing’er’s eyes, unnoticed, before she exclaims, “The Heavenly Dao Arrow—it’s Fu Xiangnu’s Heavenly Dao Arrow.”
Indeed, it is the Heavenly Dao Arrow.
All eyes turn to Yan Huangtu.
What are the Yanluo Clan’s intentions?
Did they shoot Zhang Ruochen to seize the supreme source divine crystal?
No one believes Zhang Ruochen could survive the Heavenly Dao Arrow—not everyone is Wu Ma Jiuxing.
“Who? Who did this? This Emperor will slay you!”
Xiao Hei lets out a deafening roar, its saintly might erupting like a tempest, Immortal Divine Fire surging into a vast sea of flames.
Its owl-like body undergoes a purification transformation, sprouting a crimson tail, wings unfurling with divine rule patterns, each feather turning to divine flame crystal.
Furious beyond measure, Xiao Hei moves to fly toward Zhang Ruochen’s fall.
Suddenly, someone cries, “Look at the sky!”
All heads turn upward.
In the blood-cloud-covered sky, a talisman spanning dozens of miles breaks through, descending.
Dark purple, it crackles with Zitian Gang Thunder.
At its centre, lightning weaves into divine halls, headless Buddhas, world trees, heavenly halberds, and primordial chaos hammers—stunning forms.
Yan Zhexian, in a talisman robe with a disguised appearance, pales, exclaiming, “A divine talisman crafted by a Talisman Heavenly Master—the Divine Punishment Tiangang Talisman. Once unleashed, even pseudo-gods must retreat. We must act together to save Goddess City… no, to survive.”
Elsewhere, with Zhuo Yunong and Yuan Qianmo’s cultivation, they could escape.
But in Goddess City, with layers of arrays blocking them, even their speed cannot outrun it.
