Far from the Heavenly Court, arriving in the depths of the starry sky.
This place was empty and silent, as if no cultivators had come for tens of thousands of years.
The Tribulation Venerable flew down to a black rocky planet, releasing Zhang Ruochen and the White Archangel from the divine realm world and throwing them to the ground.
The White Archangel immediately distanced herself from them, on high alert and on guard, her gaze ultimately falling on the Tribulation Venerable. Without doubt, the other party must be a god.
If it were a false god, perhaps there would still be a chance to escape today.
However, this extremely dishevelled old man who could rescue Zhang Ruochen from the Flame God’s hands, how could he possibly be a false god?
The White Archangel did not act rashly. Escaping from a true god’s grasp was undoubtedly a fool’s dream. But since the other party had not killed her, it meant she was temporarily safe.
Zhang Ruochen had long known that the Tribulation Venerable had been hiding nearby earlier and was not surprised. He asked: “Did you kill Shang Zian and the Flame God?”
“This old man is a god of the Heavenly Court, how could I indiscriminately kill the innocent?” The Tribulation Venerable said, blowing his beard and glaring.
Zhang Ruochen’s heart tightened. He said: “You old fellow, what are you capturing an Archangel for? How can you not understand at all what is light and what is heavy? Shang Zian must die, otherwise the mortal world of the Kunlun Realm will suffer a severe blow.”
The Tribulation Venerable said disdainfully: “Tch! Lad, you are the one who does not understand what is light and what is heavy. Does the mortal world of the Kunlun Realm need you to worry about it? That is a small matter! The true major matter is that our Zhang family must develop and grow strong, with successors.”
“This female angel, look, she has the looks if she needs them, the figure if she needs it, and without even becoming a god, she has cultivated twelve wings. Clearly her physique is extremely powerful. If she could combine with your bloodline, the offspring born would surely be top-notch geniuses.”
The White Archangel stood to the side, her heart greatly shocked. Where would she have thought that the other party had captured her with such a mad idea in mind.
“Swish!”
Twelve feathered wings unfurled from her back, erupting with brilliant white light as she flew towards the outer heavens.
“Come back, do not go.”
The Tribulation Venerable shouted this, and without any visible action, the White Archangel who had already flown to an altitude of ten thousand zhang plummeted down, smashing heavily onto the ground like a white swan fallen into a quagmire.
The Tribulation Venerable gave Zhang Ruochen a look and stared towards the White Archangel.
“Old man, what do you mean?” Zhang Ruochen was baffled.
The Tribulation Venerable said angrily: “Hurry and go help her up. She will be our Zhang family’s wife in the future. You must care for and look after her more. Feelings need to be cultivated.”
Zhang Ruochen was stunned for a moment, then said seriously: “Stop talking nonsense. The Kunlun Realm and the Paradise Realm have irreconcilable hatred. You actually want me to marry an angel as a wife. Have you gone mad, or have I?”
The Tribulation Venerable said: “The hatred between the Kunlun Realm and the Paradise Realm, what does it have to do with you? That is our generation’s affair. Besides, the enmity between the two realms lies with the gods of the Paradise Realm and has nothing to do with her. Lad, let me tell you, the angel race’s bloodline is powerful and is the top choice for continuing the family line. Lass, what do you say?”
The Tribulation Venerable stared towards the White Archangel who had just climbed up from the ground.
The White Archangel’s heart was in turmoil. She had never imagined that one day she would encounter such an absurd matter, but the other party’s cultivation was unfathomably deep. To escape, she must plan carefully.
She bowed towards the Tribulation Venerable and said: “Greetings, Venerable.”
“You actually know who this old man is?” The Tribulation Venerable said joyfully.
The White Archangel said: “In the past ten kalpas of the Kunlun Realm’s Zhang family, apart from Emperor Ming Zhang Ling, only the Tribulation Venerable who dominated the heavens a hundred thousand years ago reached the divine realm. This is not hard to guess!”
“See, how clever. The little angels born will surely be very clever too.” The Tribulation Venerable said.
The White Archangel’s heart was immensely shocked, far from the calm she showed on the surface. Apart from the Fallen God Island Master, the Kunlun Realm had actually produced another Tribulation Venerable. This information must be reported to the Temple of Light no matter what.
The Kunlun Realm was hiding too deeply. If the Temple of Light had no defences, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Zhang Ruochen removed the Confucian Ancestor’s mask, revealing his handsome and free-spirited true appearance. He said: “If you like her, then you can have children with her yourself. Do not cause me trouble.”
The identity of Shu Qianchi had already been exposed, so this face could not be used temporarily anymore.
The Tribulation Venerable grew anxious and said: “If it were a hundred thousand years ago, this old man would certainly not be as hesitant as you. I would step up without hesitation. But this old man’s body still has death qi that has not been fully refined. This is a case of having the will but not the strength!”
“I am leaving. As for her, dispose of her yourself. Best to kill her and silence her.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Hearing this, the White Archangel’s heart tightened.
The Tribulation Venerable blocked Zhang Ruochen’s path. Two pools of tears welled up in his pair of old eyes as he pleaded bitterly: “Ruochen, just take pity on this old man. I really do not have much lifespan left!”
“You are going to the Infernal Realm to save your father. I will not stop you. That is your filial duty.”
“But the Infernal Realm is too dangerous. What if something happens to you… Would not our Zhang family then completely decline?”
“You can go. But at least leave this old man with a memento, leave a hope?”
Zhang Ruochen really could not stand his pitiful appearance and said: “What memento do you want? What hope?”
The tears in the Tribulation Venerable’s eyes vanished instantly. His spirits lifted greatly as he said: “At least leave a few children? That way this old man can properly cultivate them in the limited time ahead. Even if you die in the Infernal Realm, at least the Zhang family will still have him.”
“Kunlun has already returned to the Kunlun Realm. Take good care of him.” Zhang Ruochen said.
The Tribulation Venerable shook his head vigorously and said: “The Zhang family was once such a prosperous clan. Our ancestor was a Heavenly Venerable. How can all hope be pinned on a single sapling?”
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen’s mind was entirely occupied with thoughts of how Shang Zian would retaliate against his relatives and friends. Hearing the Tribulation Venerable’s words, an idea suddenly struck him. He sighed and said: “Old man, actually after hearing your words in the ancestral land, I was deeply moved. I understand your good intentions and have deeply realised the responsibility on my shoulders. The Zhang family cannot decline like this. It must branch out, scatter leaves, develop and grow strong.”
Hearing these words from Zhang Ruochen, the Tribulation Venerable, who had already taken out a secret medicine in his hand, put it away. He said gravely: “You are serious?”
Zhang Ruochen nodded deeply and said: “So, after arriving in the Heavenly Court, during the time you were absent, I did not idle. I have already made outstanding contributions to the family. There are several women. Remember their names. They are all the Zhang family’s wives and very likely already pregnant.”
The Tribulation Venerable immediately straightened his back, overjoyed beyond measure. He felt that Zhang Ruochen had not let him down and was a good son of the Zhang family. He said: “Tell me. Who are they?”
Zhang Ruochen said: “The leader of the Moon Worshipping Demonic Sect, Ling Feiyu.”
“The heavenly daughter of the Heavenly Initial Civilisation, Luo Ji.”
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen did not seem to be making it up, the Tribulation Venerable sincerely sighed: “You lad do have some ability. Even a heavenly daughter of an ancient civilisation is willing to bear children for you.”
Zhang Ruochen continued: “There is also Nalan Danqing of the Confucian Path in the Kunlun Realm, the Grand Palace Master of the Trial Palace in the Temple of Light, Lian Xi, the Hundred Flowers Fairy Ji Fanchen of the Thousand Petal Realm…”
The Tribulation Venerable noted down each name Zhang Ruochen mentioned, totalling thirteen in all, including not only the Canglan Martial Saint but even Gai Tianjiao.
“That is all?” The Tribulation Venerable asked.
“Mm!”
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said: “Shang Zian harbours hatred against me as deep as the sea. Since he knows I am still alive, he will surely go mad with revenge against those cultivators related to me.”
“With this old man here, you do not need to worry about their safety.” The Tribulation Venerable said.
How could Zhang Ruochen not feel reassured by a god’s promise?
The Tribulation Venerable sighed again and said: “This old man knows who that Shang Zian is. This junior cannot be easily touched. He is a descendant of the Merchant Ancestor, and the Merchant Ancestor was even willing to pay a price to revive him. Clearly there are major arrangements on him.”
“This old man is not afraid of the Merchant Ancestor. It is just that once Shang Zian is killed, the Merchant Ancestor will surely investigate. Once it is found out that this old man is not dead, the trouble will be great!”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze was profound. He already had a plan in his heart and said: “Even if we failed to kill him this time, there will be another opportunity next time. At that point, even the Merchant Ancestor will not be able to preserve his life.”
The Tribulation Venerable said: “Your worries are superfluous. Tonight has already turned the heavens and earth upside down. The Heavenly Court nearly erupted into internal chaos. The Heavenly Palace will not allow cultivators from various realms to continue fighting.”
The White Archangel walked over, smiling charmingly. She curtsied to the Tribulation Venerable again and said: “If I can marry a peerless heavenly pride like Young Master Ruochen, this empress would be overjoyed. As long as Young Master Ruochen is willing to accept me, this empress would even be content as a concubine.”
Earlier she had heard too many secrets and knew that the only chance to survive was to marry Zhang Ruochen.
She must live.
Only by living could she one day transmit these secrets back to the Temple of Light.
How could Zhang Ruochen not see through her intentions?
“Demonic Sound, have your injuries recovered?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“The injuries are not yet healed. But if I devour her, they should heal.”
The Sacred Devouring Flower burst out from behind Zhang Ruochen, transforming into densely packed vines that wrapped towards the White Archangel.
…
The Xuan Yi True God’s divine temple was built in the wealthiest heavenly domain of West Cow He Continent, located at the confluence of three divine veins.
The divine temple was majestic and grand, towering ten thousand zhang high, situated at the peak of an ancient desolate divine mountain.
Yin Yuanchen fled all the way back to the Xuan Yi Divine Temple. When he reached the foot of the divine mountain, he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground, weakly saying: “True God… save… save me…”
The Xuan Yi True God’s voice, ethereal and merciless, transmitted from the divine temple: “With your cultivation, to be defeated by a great saint at the Ten Thousand Deaths Rebirth Realm, what qualification do you have to continue living in this world?”
“Grandfather… I…”
“Before you reach the divine realm, you have no qualification to call me grandfather.”
Yin Yuanchen lay on the ground, his face pale, his five fingers trembling. He was already on the verge of death.
The Xuan Yi True God’s indifferent voice rang out again: “Do not blame me for being heartless. I will give you one chance. If you can climb alive up the divine mountain and into the divine temple, then you will have the qualification to continue living.”
Yin Yuanchen arduously raised his head and glanced at the majestic divine mountain that towered imposingly.
There were no paths in the mountain at all, only sheer cliffs.
A ruthless glint appeared in Yin Yuanchen’s eyes. He gritted his teeth and said: “I will climb… ah…”
He let out a miserable cry.
Because a war sword flew out from the Xuan Yi Divine Temple and plummeted from the sky, piercing through his back.
“This sword is to teach you a lesson, to firmly remember that you are a loser. Only victors can enjoy. Losers must endure the utmost pain.” The Xuan Yi True God said.
Blood continuously flowed from Yin Yuanchen’s abdomen, dripping along the sword tip.
“True God… the lesson is right… in the future, in the future I absolutely will not… fail again…”
Yin Yuanchen slowly crawled towards the top of the divine mountain.
Wherever he crawled, he left behind a blood-red trail.
