Bone Clinger’s concealment techniques were extraordinarily sophisticated, and his speed was unmatched. In certain environments, he might truly have a chance to escape from a pseudo-god.
Unfortunately, he encountered Zhang Ruochen.
No matter how brilliant his concealment, it became utterly ineffective.
In short distances, Zhang Ruochen’s speed, amplified by spatial powers, surpassed even that of a pseudo-god, for he had mastered the profound meaning of space, which pseudo-gods lacked.
In a long chase, a pseudo-god would undoubtedly have the advantage, as Zhang Ruochen, merely a Great Sage, had limited saintly energy and couldn’t sustain it for long.
Soon after, Zhang Ruochen descended from the air, carrying the lifeless body of Bone Clinger, whose soul had been obliterated, and landed beside Ink Ocean’s corpse.
Bone Clinger had been struck by Zhang Ruochen’s Soul Sword seven times, his soul annihilated.
Wan Canglan and Xian Feizi, the two stunningly beautiful Mysterious Maidens, stood nearby, having waited for some time.
One wore phoenix-flame armour year-round, her long legs and full figure accentuated by faint fiery patterns flowing around her, her crimson hair cascading, eyes like lightning, and lips vividly red.
The other was shrouded in white mist, exuding a mysterious aura, her graceful figure ethereal, like a celestial sprite.
Their gazes, however, were fixed on the man before them with astonishment, clearly having guessed his identity. Yet, it was hard to believe that he, who had vanished for a thousand years, had returned.
“I should have known. Who else but you, the cunning genius of an era, could win Danqing’s heart and grow so close to Ling Feiyu?” Wan Canglan said with a scornful expression, though her phoenix-like eyes held a glint of joy, not truly viewing him as a villain.
Back then, in Immortal Machine Mountain, Zhang Ruochen had saved her life.
When the Merit Battlefield of Kunlun Realm opened, cultivators from various realms plundered its resources, treating Kunlun’s cultivators as slaves. It was Zhang Ruochen who issued a decree, suppressing the myriad realms’ cultivators, an act of awe-inspiring charisma.
When the Paradise Realm faction attacked Kunlun Realm, assaulting the Ziwei Palace of the First Central Empire, Zhang Ruochen arrived in time to save them, displaying divine might and rescuing all the palace cultivators, including the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens.
Through countless battles, Zhang Ruochen’s deeds had long earned the admiration, recognition, and even reverence of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens.
Though he later went to the Hell Realm, many knew the reasons why.
Especially the image of Zhang Ruochen, alone, charging into the Hell Realm’s army to save Chi Kongle, was profoundly striking, heroic, and moving, deeply etched in the hearts of those like Wan Canglan who knew the truth.
“I thought you had already guessed my identity, which is why you followed me,” Zhang Ruochen said.
He held no ill will towards the Wan family.
The cultivators of this clan were full of courage.
“Who could have guessed it was you, you dead man? It’s been a thousand years. This Martial Saint thought you died a thousand years ago!” Wan Canglan said, her valiant figure exuding energy. She thrust her sword into the ground and strode towards Zhang Ruochen, embracing him, saying, “Welcome back!”
Her chest, accentuated by the armour, pressed against Zhang Ruochen, causing him discomfort.
“There should be some distance between men and women, this isn’t quite proper…” Zhang Ruochen’s words faltered as a lip print appeared on his face.
Hugged and kissed, he felt as if Wan Canglan had taken advantage of him. Was such excitement necessary? Was this woman not too unrestrained? Were they really that close?
Honestly, Wan Canglan’s kiss caught Zhang Ruochen completely off guard.
Wan Canglan turned away, saying, “During the upheaval at Ziwei Palace, we were all forced by the Paradise Realm faction’s cultivators to hide in the Primordial Divine Hall, waiting for death in despair. Back then, I swore in my heart that if someone descended from the heavens, saved my sisters, and็ ็ taught those arrogant invaders a lesson, I would give them my most precious possession. Now, I’ve fulfilled that vow.”
Zhang Ruochen rubbed the spot she kissed, saying, “So your most precious possession is this kiss?”
“My first kiss, isn’t that precious enough? I kept it for you for a thousand years. If you want to go further, that’s possible too. Back then, we Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens privately discussed that if we had to choose one man in this lifetime, who would earn the approval of all nine of us? In the end, we realised only you were qualified,” Wan Canglan said.
Xian Feizi, blushing with embarrassment, tugged at Wan Canglan, urging her to stop. This Martial Saint sister was far too bold, saying such things aloud.
How could such private jests be taken seriously?
Even Zhang Ruochen was flustered, slightly awkward. Wasn’t she too direct? Did she really think they were so close that she could speak without restraint?
He was at a loss for words, completely unable to respond.
Wan Canglan, entirely serious, waved her slender arm, saying breezily, “Of course, we’d have to wait until we all reach the divine realm. Otherwise, if the Empress found out, there’d be big trouble.”
Fearing she’d continue, Zhang Ruochen quickly unleashed his spiritual power, erasing her and Xian Feizi’s memories. Then, he gathered the corpses of Ink Ocean and Bone Clinger and crossed the void, departing.
In the desert, only the two bewildered Mysterious Maidens remained, completely forgetting what had just happened.
Far from the Golden Tree Holy Domain, beyond the desert, Zhang Ruochen landed.
He rubbed his face again, suddenly realising his perception was lacking, his vigilance flawed, or he wouldn’t have been “ambushed” by Wan Canglan.
“No! If I erased her memory, and she recognises me next time, won’t she kiss me again?”
Zhang Ruochen silently reminded himself to be more cautious in the future.
Searching Bone Clinger and Ink Ocean, Zhang Ruochen found several treasures.
Ink Ocean’s skin had been repeatedly refined, turning black with a metallic sheen, inscribed with advanced illusion inscriptions. When activated, it could conjure an endless black ocean illusion.
This illusion was indeed formidable. Without the Heart of Truth, Zhang Ruochen would not have dealt with Ink Ocean so easily.
His skin was a top-tier treasure.
Bone Clinger’s Light-Chasing Divine Needles, three thousand in total, fine as hairs, seemed crafted from a divine light substance, a set of deadly weapons. Once they struck, even the supreme body of a Paramount Realm Great Sage would partially disintegrate.
For Great Sages below the Paramount Realm, their immortal saint bodies couldn’t withstand them at all.
If used well, this set of weapons could threaten a pseudo-god’s divine body.
These were the most precious treasures on Ink Ocean and Bone Clinger.
There were other treasures too, each a rarity for ordinary Great Sages. Zhang Ruochen planned to sell them for divine stones.
Lately, he was rather poor.
…
A thousand years ago, the Guanghan Realm had moved from the Shatuo Heavenly Domain to the Purple Luo Heavenly Domain.
Though the Purple Luo Heavenly Domain was also a peripheral, lower-tier domain, its saintly energy was far denser than Shatuo’s, offering a better cultivation environment.
The three-hundred-mile-long Moon God Mountain, like a radiant crescent moon, glowed brilliantly, floating above the Purple Luo Heavenly Domain.
Zhang Ruochen concealed his aura, following a female saint servant of Moon God Mountain into the mountain, then made his way familiarly towards the Guanghan Divine Palace.
The mountain was shrouded in divine mist, with flowing spiritual springs and blooming jade trees, like a pure land in a dreamlike world.
Outside the Guanghan Divine Palace, divine inscriptions and barriers abounded.
Yet Zhang Ruochen passed through unimpeded, ascending the jade steps and pushing open the palace doors.
Boom!
At that moment, a brilliant lightning bolt streaked across the sky, followed by a thunderclap.
Zhang Ruochen stepped inside, seeing the Moon God, clad in a snow-white robe, standing at the far end of the palace, her back to him, gazing at the sky outside the window.
The Moon God was pristine and ethereal, her skin like divine jade, her aura mysterious and otherworldly.
Having recently survived her fourth cosmic tribulation, the enigmatic, unfathomable beauty she exuded was even more breathtaking, almost suffocating to behold.
Outside, dark clouds loomed, lightning flashed, and a storm seemed imminent.
Her clear, melodious voice echoed in the palace, as if speaking to herself, “The Heavenly Court is the heart of the myriad realms, typically basking in fair weather. Without divine intervention, such harsh weather is rare.”
“When the Heavenly Court’s natural climate shifts, it often foretells great upheavals in the universe. A storm is coming!”
Then, the Moon God turned, looking down from above at the white-robed figure in the centre of the palace.
Whoosh!
A faint soul shadow flew from her body.
In an instant, the shadow reached Zhang Ruochen, striking with a palm.
Unfazed, Zhang Ruochen unleashed the Yin-Yang Seal, radiating five-elemental light and chaotic energy. His hands traced a circle, forming a seal that clashed with the Moon God’s shadow.
Boom.
Zhang Ruochen was blasted out of the Guanghan Divine Palace, landing on the jade plaza outside, dropping to one knee, his palm pressed to the ground.
Another lightning bolt flashed.
Rain poured down.
The Moon God stepped out, standing under the eaves, speaking through the curtain of water, “Missing for a thousand years, and this is all you’ve achieved? With such cultivation, you dare้ฏๅ ฅ the Guanghan Divine Palace?”
Zhang Ruochen stood, flexing his aching arms, and said, “I didn’t้ฏๅ ฅ the Guanghan Divine Palace. You let me in, Moon God. With my cultivation, how could I have reached here otherwise?”
“You’re bold, returning to the Heavenly Court and daring to appear before me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?”
“If you wanted to kill me, that palm strike would have done it.”
The Moon God turned, re-entering the palace, and said, “Come in.”
Zhang Ruochen returned to the Guanghan Divine Palace.
The Moon God said, “Someone erased all traces of your fate. For a thousand years, even the gods of the Hell Realm and I thought you died in the Origin Divine Hall.”
“Weren’t you delighted, Moon God? My death would mean you wouldn’t have to repay your massive debt or have your pristine reputation tarnished by this cunning genius of an era,” Zhang Ruochen said.
The Moon God glared coldly, her tone flat, “In truth, I never intended to repay your debt, so I wasn’t particularly delighted. But seeing you return, my mood is rather poor, like the stormy skies outside, clouded and perhaps hiding a thunderous rage.”
Zhang Ruochen was speechless. This was the first time he’d met a god who, because they wanted to dodge a debt, claimed, “Seeing the creditor makes me moody and angry.”
Shouldn’t that be the creditor’s sentiment?
And how could an ancient god like you so brazenly admit to never intending to repay a debt?
