Shang Yue glared coldly and said, “You won’t get anything out of me.”
Though she feared death and had no desire to die, having reached the Realm of Thousand Deaths and One Life, how could she be intimidated by Zhang Ruochen’s few words?
“Don’t be so quick to refuse. My questions are all simple.”
Zhang Ruochen looked her up and down and asked, “How old are you?”
Shang Yue clenched her teeth, considering carefully. It was a question she could answer, so she softened slightly and said, “Counting from when I gained sentience, seventy thousand years. Counting from when I cultivated a physical body, one thousand three hundred years.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded and asked, “Why cultivate a physical body?”
“What’s that got to do with you?” Shang Yue replied.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Answer me.”
Shang Yue turned her face away and said, “Be it plants, spirits, or even Stone Clan cultivators, who wouldn’t cultivate a physical body if they had the method? Without a physical body, achieving sainthood or divinity is ten times harder.”
Zhang Ruochen knew that Stone Clan cultivators in the Heavenly Court’s Stone Realm pursued life and cultivated physical bodies.
In contrast, the Hell Realm’s Stone Clan did not cultivate physical bodies, instead following the Path of Death, seeking to destroy all things and turn them to stone. Even if they had blood, it was called stone essence, a condensation of their stone body’s vitality, flowing through stone veins.
Without physical bodies, most Hell Realm Stone Clan, like Ghost Clan, Corpse Clan, and Bone Clan, lacked reproductive ability. Even when reproducing, their methods were highly unconventional.
Cultivating a physical body was extremely difficult for the Stone Clan.
Moreover, generations of Stone Clan sages believed that those who cultivated physical bodies were no longer true Stone Clan, but heretics who had lost their origin and been swayed by fleshly beings. Thus, most divine techniques and treasures were held by the Hell Realm’s Stone Clan.
The Hell Realm’s Stone Clan far surpassed the Heavenly Court’s Stone Realm in numbers and strength.
Zhang Ruochen said, “How old is your master, Bai Qing’er? Is she Stone Clan? Has she cultivated a physical body?”
“I know nothing of my master’s affairs,” Shang Yue said.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes showed regret as he shook his head and said, “If you won’t share even this small bit of information, what’s the point of keeping you alive?”
He reached out his right hand, touching Shang Yue’s delicate cheek.
A spark of Pure Extinguishing Divine Fire appeared at his fingertip.
Shang Yue hurriedly said, “My master rarely shares her secrets. I only know she’s not older than three thousand years. Whether she’s Stone Clan, I don’t know. But she’s definitely not stone-bodied, as she bleeds real blood, not stone essence.”
“Very good.”
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his hand, clapped, and smiled, saying, “One last question: Did Bai Qing’er capture a cultivator from the Kunlun Realm?”
“If I answer, will you let me go?” Shang Yue asked.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and said, “If I said I’d let you go, would you believe me?”
“You’d never let me go, because you wouldn’t let anyone know the Tianshu Needle ended up in your hands,” Shang Yue said.
She had noticed that Zhang Ruochen didn’t return to Ice King Star but went to the Oyin Asteroid Belt, deducing he had no intention of returning the Tianshu Needle to the Temple of Fate, planning to keep it for himself.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I won’t let you go, but I can promise not to kill you.”
“Like the relationship between my junior sister and the Divine Prince?” Shang Yue said.
Zhang Ruochen was momentarily stunned, not expecting to stumble upon such significant information.
Intrigued, he said, “What’s the relationship between your junior sister and Luo Sheng Tian?”
“Between a man and a woman, what do you think?” Shang Yue countered.
Recalling past events, Zhang Ruochen remembered Luo Sheng Tian often sneaking to the Divine Maiden Tower. Was it mutual affection, or a scheme by Bai Qing’er?
Both were possible.
After all, for Shang Xia, becoming the woman of Tianluo Divine Kingdom’s Divine Prince elevated her status far beyond staying in the Twelve Divine Maidens’ Workshop.
Zhang Ruochen couldn’t help but smile. If Luo Sheng Tian dared to lecture him self-righteously again, he now had a retort. A small gain!
Zhang Ruochen said, “I said I won’t kill you, and I won’t. Answer my question first.”
Shang Yue smiled slyly and said, “No.”
“Hm?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Shang Yue said, “My master hasn’t captured any Kunlun Realm cultivators, at least not before I entered the city lord’s mansion. After that, I was preparing the Xuanwu Sky-Swallowing Array and didn’t step outside, so I know nothing of outside events.”
Zhang Ruochen stared at her for a long time and said, “Fine. One last question.”
“Why another last question?” Shang Yue felt annoyed, thinking Zhang Ruochen was toying with her.
Zhang Ruochen said in a low voice, “You need to understand, you’re my prisoner now, and I make the rules. You’ve already said so much, so what’s one more question?”
Shang Yue wasn’t fooled, knowing Zhang Ruochen was gradually breaking her mental defenses.
Zhang Ruochen said, “If you don’t answer, you’ll die. After you’re dead, I can ask your junior sister. She and I might become family, so she’d likely tell me.”
“Think about it. Sisters so close, yet the elder dies, while the younger becomes the Divine Prince’s consort, possibly using Tianluo Divine Kingdom’s resources to reach divinity, bearing many children, living freely. And you? Who’ll remember you after death? The gap is so vast, it’s pitiful.”
Shang Yue’s thoughts were drawn into Zhang Ruochen’s scenario, her emotions surging. She said, “I don’t believe Shang Xia is really in your hands.”
Zhang Ruochen took out the *Secret Tome of Time and Space* and opened a page.
On it was a portrait of a beauty, identical to Shang Xia, vividly lifelike, as if she could step out of the page.
Zhang Ruochen closed the tome and said, “My grandfather is the Blood Absolute War God, and my mother is a divinity. Being the woman of a Yuan Epoch genius is no worse than being a Divine Prince’s. You’re smart; you know how to choose. You’re beautiful and exceptional, a powerhouse in the Realm of Thousand Deaths and One Life, far surpassing Xia Yu. To get Xia Yu, I gave up a supreme saint artifact. I’m always generous with beauties.”
Shang Yue’s eyes shifted from doubt to struggle, then to contemplation. The coldness on her face melted, and she lowered her head, saying softly, “Ask away. I’ll answer anything I know.”
“Did Bai Qing’er steal the five supreme origin divine crystals?”
After countless circles, breaking Shang Yue’s defenses, Zhang Ruochen finally got to the point.
Shang Yue said, “Yes. But the five supreme origin divine crystals were swapped. What my master stole were just five ordinary origin divine crystals.”
“Who swapped them?” Zhang Ruochen pressed.
Shang Yue said, “My master suspects it was Old Man Seven Hands.”
Zhang Ruochen kept watching her eyes, confirming she spoke the truth.
He paced in the cave.
After a while, Zhang Ruochen laughed, “Bai Qing’er is indeed clever, but she underestimated others. In this game with Old Man Seven Hands, she seems to have lost a step.”
Thinking carefully, Bai Qing’er’s loss was due to Zhang Ruochen’s interference.
Otherwise, Old Man Seven Hands would likely be dead, and the five supreme origin divine crystals would be hers.
No wonder Bai Qing’er hated him so much, wanting him dead.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Why did the Twelve Divine Maidens’ Workshop dare to boldly join the ten dark forces to seize the Tianshu Needle? Aren’t they afraid of the Temple of Fate finding out?”
“Why fear the Temple of Fate? It was a collaboration between the Temple and the Workshop to lure out and eliminate the ten dark forces’ powerhouses,” Shang Yue said.
Zhang Ruochen wasn’t surprised, having suspected as much, merely seeking confirmation.
Bai Qing’er’s tactics were impressive, manipulating all sides with remarkable boldness and cunning.
Zhang Ruochen said, “One last question.”
Shang Yue rolled her eyes.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Truly the last. Who did Bai Qing’er station in the Oyin Asteroid Belt?”
Shang Yue looked shocked, hesitating slightly, and said, “You even guessed that!”
“It’s not hard to guess. Who wouldn’t covet a divine artifact? Bai Qing’er wouldn’t leave Duan Lingfeng unchecked. If there’s a spatial wormhole in the Oyin Asteroid Belt, there must be a trusted powerhouse guarding it,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Shang Yue said, “It’s Lord Turtle and General Pillar.”
Zhang Ruochen recalled them and said, “Are they a match for Duan Lingfeng?”
“Don’t underestimate them. Both were mentored by the Great God Huang Tian, exceptional among the Stone Clan. Of course, my master is meticulous; she likely has other arrangements but wouldn’t tell us.”
A tender look appeared in Shang Yue’s eyes as she said, “Young Master Ruochen, I’ve told you everything I know. Have I been obedient enough?”
A great saint of the Realm of Thousand Deaths and One Life speaking so coyly, as if offering herself, stirred Zhang Ruochen’s heart, nearly overwhelming him.
Suppressing his wayward thoughts, he approached and said seriously, “Very obedient.”
“Then…” Shang Yue began.
Zhang Ruochen said, “But too obedient. I don’t like that.”
Shang Yue, naturally fiery, dropped her act and said coldly, “Zhang Ruochen, have you been humiliating me all along?”
Zhang Ruochen exhaled deeply and sighed, “You can betray your master and be so obedient to me. In the future, you could betray me for someone else. How could I want such a woman? I prefer someone stubborn. You’re too easy, fit only to be… a maid for now. Perform well, and there might be a chance later.”
Shang Yue was furious, thinking Zhang Ruochen a deceitful scoundrel, and said, “I’m a great saint of the Realm of Thousand Deaths and One Life, and you want me to be…”
Zhang Ruochen tossed her into the *Secret Tome of Time and Space*, sealing her as a beauty portrait.
His yang energy was strong, enhanced by Yan God’s fire divine patterns and the fourth-grade Fire Path Saint Intent. He nearly lost control earlier.
Before perfecting the Yin-Yang Five Elements Saint Intent, how could he dare cultivate the Pure Extinguishing Divine Fire?
His earlier talk of using Shang Yue to cultivate the fire was merely to scare her.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t question Shang Xia, knowing her resolute nature made it pointless; she’d die before yielding.
With the Heart of Truth, he confirmed Shang Yue’s words were true.
Activating the Sundial, Zhang Ruochen consumed saint medicines and pills to restore his depleted saint qi and heal his qi sea injuries.
He also spent time breaking thousands of tiny shackles in his body.
In three days, using the Lightstream Merit Armor at ten thousand times the speed of sound, he travelled nearly three hundred million miles, thinking he’d shaken off all pursuers.
But as he landed on a cosmic rock to carve a cave for rest, a shout came from behind, “Great Saint Ruochen, wait, wait for me.”
To avoid recognition, he had disguised himself as the aged Master Xunmu. Who could recognize him? Who could keep up?
Zhang Ruochen grew wary, summoning the Black Gold War Heaven Pillar.
A frail young man landed on the rock, stumbling forward, nearly falling, and laughed awkwardly, “No need to be tense. It’s me, Gong Nanfeng, Sikong of the Temple of Fate.”
Zhang Ruochen was shocked, unable to fathom how Gong Nanfeng caught up.
He had seen Gong Nanfeng, who wielded the Tianshu Needle.
Probing with spiritual power, Zhang Ruochen found no power fluctuations on Gong Nanfeng, like a mortal.
Gong Nanfeng smiled, allowing the probe, and said, “I didn’t expect Great Saint Ruochen to help the Temple of Fate reclaim the Tianshu Needle. Worthy of Fulushen’s high regard and the holder of the Fate Heavenly Token. Great Saint Ruochen, please return the Tianshu Needle.”
Return the Tianshu Needle?
Zhang Ruochen said coldly, “I’m not Zhang Ruochen. You’ve got the wrong person.”
“Great Saint Ruochen, we’re on the same side. No need for caution. I deduced your identity long ago. I have a saint robe you wore, brought from the Blood Absolute Family. When close enough, I can confirm it,” Gong Nanfeng said familiarly, approaching with a smile.
Zhang Ruochen retreated, saying, “How do you know the Tianshu Needle is with me? Deduced it?”
“Not deduced. I was nearby when you took it from Duan Lingfeng,” Gong Nanfeng said seriously.
Zhang Ruochen hadn’t sensed anyone nearby and didn’t believe him, saying, “Why didn’t you act then?”
“I’m too weak to fight them. Besides, I wanted to see who was behind the Tianshu Needle’s theft, casting a long line to catch a big fish. That mastermind, even I couldn’t deduce, must be extraordinary. But after days of waiting with no appearance, I thought it safer to take the Tianshu Needle back,” Gong Nanfeng said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “You’re weak?”
“Yes. Any strong man could knock me down,” Gong Nanfeng said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Yet you caught up to me, evaded my senses, and wander the cosmos. Are you really weak?”
“Truly weak. Try punching me. I’d collapse and not get up.”
Gong Nanfeng leaned forward, inviting a hit.
Zhang Ruochen retreated swiftly. This man, a Sikong of the Temple of Fate, wielder of a divine artifact, able to evade his senses and match the Lightstream Merit Armor’s speed, couldn’t be weak.
Was he playing the fool?
Or, knowing Zhang Ruochen intended to keep the Tianshu Needle, was he baiting him to act?
Unable to discern Gong Nanfeng’s true strength or motives, Zhang Ruochen felt cornered.
Fight? He doubted he was a match.
Hand over the Tianshu Needle? Impossible.
