Yan Liren brushed it off by referring to them as “two old friends of this sect leader.”
Suihan did not press further, moving on to the main purpose of his visit, saying, “The Hell Realm’s ten-realm war challenge has been delivered to the Heavenly Palace. Has Sect Leader Yan heard of this?”
Yan Liren nodded, saying, “This matter has been widely discussed in the Kunlun Realm as well.”
Suihan said, “The Heavenly Palace has deliberated on this challenge for days and finally decided that we must accept it. Many cultivators in the Heavenly Court’s myriad realms already fear the Hell Realm. If we refuse, for the next thousand years, our cultivators will struggle to hold their heads high before those of the Hell Realm, and our morale will suffer greatly.”
“The Heavenly Palace had no choice but to make this decision,” Yan Liren said.
Suihan nodded, his face clouded with worry, saying, “Indeed. In this millennium, the Hell Realm has produced countless powerhouses, with ten epoch-level figures emerging. Moreover, Que and Yan Wushen are peerless prodigies, each more extraordinary than the last, overwhelming the cultivators of the Heavenly Court’s myriad realms. On the merit battlefield, their names alone strike fear.”
“The Hell Realm issued this ten-realm war challenge to capitalize on their rising momentum, aiming to psychologically crush the Heavenly Court’s cultivators.”
Yan Liren asked, “If we accept, we will likely face more defeats than victories.”
Suihan agreed, saying, “Thus, the Heavenly Palace entrusted this matter to the Red Dust Peerless Tower, which will select participants from the Heavenly Court’s myriad realms and major ancient civilizations.”
“The Red Dust Peerless Tower is about to hold the Red Dust Conference, sending twenty Red Dust Invitations to the Kunlun Realm.”
Suihan took out a jade-white invitation and handed it to Yan Liren, saying, “At the Red Dust Conference, the Heavenly Realm faction will surely try to suppress the Kunlun Realm again. I ask Sect Leader Yan to accept this Red Dust Invitation and represent the Kunlun Realm.”
“For the Heavenly Palace, the priority is to win the ten-realm war.”
“For the Kunlun Realm, it is enough to hold our ground at the Red Dust Conference and avoid excessive humiliation from the Heavenly Realm faction.”
Suihan’s words undoubtedly boosted others’ morale while diminishing his own, but Yan Liren understood the worry and bitterness in his heart.
In terms of worldly power, even after a thousand years of development and the emergence of awakened ones, the Kunlun Realm still could not compare to the Heavenly Realm faction.
Otherwise, the Supreme Master would not need to personally guide great saints.
The Kunlun Realm had some great saints, but it lacked top-tier great saints, especially demi-gods. Even Yan Liren was still striving to reach the demi-god realm.
Without centuries of accumulation, reaching that level was nearly impossible.
Though Yan Liren had gained a great opportunity in the Endless Abyss, the demi-god realm remained as difficult as ascending to the heavens, a threshold to divinity not easily crossed.
Only by becoming a demi-god could one have a chance to break through to the divine realm, a goal even great saints could only dream of.
“Rest assured, this sect leader will attend the conference on time.”
Yan Liren accepted the Red Dust Invitation, glanced at it, and put it away.
As one of the Kunlun Realm’s top powerhouses, he had to bear this responsibility.
Suihan sighed, “All cultivators believe that with the Supreme Master’s return, the Kunlun Realm will surely grow stronger and prosper, but they don’t know how hard our great saints struggle to hold on in the Heavenly Court. I only hope Bai Chi and Shu Daizi can break through to the Supreme Realm soon, to pose some deterrence to the Heavenly Realm faction.”
“Not long ago, Xu Xu of the Blade God Realm challenged Ling Xiu, the great saint and lord of the Golden Sand Saint Domain. Ling Xiu was severely injured, nearly killed by a single strike.”
“Sect Leader Ling, to avenge his father, immediately challenged Xu Xu, shattering his saint source and crippling his cultivation.”
“Because of this, the great saints of the Blade God Realm declared war on the Kunlun Realm, even vowing to cripple Sect Leader Ling to seek justice for Xu Xu. When I returned to the Kunlun Realm, the Heavenly Palace’s envoy had already gone to mediate, but I doubt it will help much.”
“I didn’t expect the Blade God Realm to ultimately side with them.” Yan Liren’s heart sank slightly. The Blade God Realm, ranked fourth in the Western Universe, far surpassed the Kunlun Realm’s worldly power compared to the Blade Hell Realm.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “The Sect Leader Ling you mentioned, is that the former Feiyu Sword Saint, Ling Feiyu?”
Suihan nodded, saying, “That’s right.”
…
After Suihan left, Zhang Ruochen rose to bid farewell to Yan Liren, then approached Ji Shui, intending to say something but finding himself at a loss for words.
Finally, Zhang Ruochen took out a divine wooden box and handed it to her, saying, “Uncle-Master, before I leave, I give you this gift, to settle a bond.”
With that, Zhang Ruochen and Kong Lanyou mounted the peacock transformed by Kong Xuan and soared into the clouds.
“Uncle-Master?”
Ji Shui was slightly surprised and casually opened the box.
“Whoosh—”
A dazzling white source light burst from the box, enveloping the entire Guiyuan Divine Palace in a layer of white mist.
Inside the box lay a silver-white human-shaped blood-patterned ginseng, emitting an intensely fragrant medicinal aroma. Sun Jueduan, standing nearby, felt his cultivation surge just from inhaling it.
It was a high-grade epoch-level saint medicine.
Its medicinal spirit was sealed; otherwise, it could unleash the power of an Immortal Realm great saint, beyond Ji Shui’s ability to suppress.
This gift was far too precious, exceeding Ji Shui’s expectations. With this epoch-level saint medicine, her chances of reaching the great saint realm would greatly increase.
Who was this person, so generous with such a gift?
Could they have mistaken her for someone else?
Ji Shui quickly closed the divine wooden box. Such a treasure did not belong to her, and it would be better to return it, lest the great figure later realize the mistake and unleash their anger on her.
She intended to hand the box to Sect Leader Yan for him to return.
Yan Liren smiled, saying, “If he gave it to you, just accept it.”
With a slight movement, Yan Liren vanished from the Guiyuan Divine Palace.
Ji Shui, holding the divine wooden box, still felt uneasy and asked Sun Jueduan, “Who was that person?”
Sun Jueduan, seeing that Elder Ji had a past with the man, did not hide the truth, transmitting, “If I’m not mistaken, it was the sect leader of our Blood God Sect from a thousand years ago. Huh…”
Sun Jueduan noticed that Elder Ji had vanished before him.
Ji Shui chased out of the Guiyuan Divine Palace, out of the Blood God Sect, pursuing for thousands of miles, but she could not catch up with Zhang Ruochen, who had already left.
Gazing at the sky, then at the wooden box in her hand, she knew their bond was truly over. She couldn’t help but recall past moments, murmuring to herself, “From now on, we may never meet again. Why, after a thousand years, do those moments together still feel as vivid as if they happened yesterday?”
…
Kong Lanyou sat leisurely among the seven-colored peacock feathers, her snow-white, slender legs dangling in the air, playing a bamboo flute.
Above was a clear blue sky, below were clouds and dark green mountains.
Her white hair fluttered, her black eyes bright, but the flute’s tune was deep and desolate, as if lamenting a parting.
Zhang Ruochen sat behind her, arms crossed, knowing why she played this piece, “Red Dust Farewell,” saying, “Uncle-Master Ji is a good person, but everyone has their own path. If those paths cannot align, there will come a time to part ways. What banquet in this world never ends?”
The flute stopped.
Kong Lanyou turned her fair, radiant face, saying, “I am your cousin, and you are my cousin. Our paths can align until one of us dies.”
“As a cultivator, if you cannot let go of emotions, you are destined for great pain. No one can truly stay together forever. Lanyou, why haven’t you thought of seeking your own life?” Zhang Ruochen said.
A thousand years ago, Kong Lanyou lived for revenge.
This past millennium, she stayed in the Endless Abyss.
How much youth had she lost?
Kong Lanyou’s eyes blinked, saying, “You are my life. Where else would I go?”
Zhang Ruochen said no more, retrieving Da Sikong and Er Sikong from the Qiankun Realm.
The peacock swooped down, landing at the foot of a holy mountain shaped like a reclining ox.
The mountain was rich with holy qi, covered in oak trees.
Halfway up the mountain sat a blue-gray Zen temple.
Da Sikong’s eyes lit up, saying, “Sikong Zen Temple! Uncle-Master, why are we returning to Sikong Zen Temple?”
Sikong Zen Temple, also located in Tiantai Prefecture, was not far from the Blood God Sect.
“Of course, to find your master, Master Yintuoluo,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Master should be at the Brahma Path in the Western Region,” Da Sikong said.
“If I say he’s here, he’s here.”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze fixed on a holy carriage parked by the oak grove, with two zither attendants standing by the carriage, though Suihan was nowhere to be seen.
Er Sikong looked toward the Sikong Zen Temple halfway up the mountain, excitement on his face, saying, “I think I really sense Master’s presence.”
“Haha! Wonderful! We’re finally back at Sikong Zen Temple, and we can see Master again!”
Da Sikong laughed heartily, sprinting up the mountain without a trace of the demeanor expected of a demi-god.
Er Sikong followed closely.
Having grown up in Sikong Zen Temple, they held deep affection for this place.
