At the edge of the Boundless Divine Sea, holy cities stood one after another, grand and magnificent.
In the holy cities, numerous powerful saint-realm cultivators saw the scene that had just occurred in the cosmic space. It was as bright and stunning as a meteor streaking through the night sky.
One sword wounding a divine spirit, blood staining the divine sea.
“The mortal world myth is truly a mortal world myth!” An elder Great Saint who had lived for over ten thousand years said with a trembling voice.
“The Black Bone Holy Realm in the Boundless Divine Sea battlefield was invincible, intimidating the Heavenly Court’s various armies. Who would have thought that today it would fall into the hands of Saint Ruchen? One man against ten thousand troops.”
“Strong! The number one in the mortal world since ancient times.”
“I truly envy Princess Luo Ji, having such a peerlessly brilliant fiancé; she must incur the jealousy of women throughout the world.”
…
In the starry sky.
The Yama Clan’s cultivators stood on a silver-white divine ship, gazing from afar, all utterly dumbfounded.
Yan Huangtu’s eyes were dazed for a long time before he said somewhat desolately, “Even a divine spirit cannot withstand him. How could Zhang Ruchen be so powerful? The heroes born in this era will all live in his shadow.”
Yan Yu wore a smile, elegantly saying, “Why must you compare yourself to him? Actually, with your cultivation, you are already sufficient to support the Yama Clan in the mortal world.”
“Second Brother, are you finally about to break through to the divine realm?”
Yan Huangtu discerned the implication in his words.
Yan Yu nodded lightly and said, “Both you and Zhe Xian have already reached the pinnacle of the mortal world and can serve as the leading figures of the Yama Clan. I have no need to linger in the saint realm any longer. By the way, have you not forgotten to prepare the gift that little Ying’er wanted?”
“Of course I have not forgotten.”
Yan Huangtu’s expression suddenly shifted, and he said gravely, “Since Zhang Ruchen has returned, the matter with Zhe Xian and Ying’er cannot simply be left unresolved, can it?”
“This is nothing for us to worry about. Grandfather and the others value the Yama Clan’s reputation more than we do. Moreover, Zhang Ruchen’s return as a mortal world myth carries extraordinary significance. It is said that even figures at the Divine King level have declared that he will change the divine realm’s landscape in the future.”
Yan Yu asked in pursuit, “Do you understand the meaning of those words?”
Yan Huangtu was first stunned, then his gaze deepened as he said solemnly, “If an enemy, eliminate him immediately. If an ally, secure him immediately.”
“Let us go, back to Beyond the Heavens.” Yan Yu said.
…
Xia Yu knew that Zhang Ruchen was very strong, unbeatable in battle throughout the world.
But for him to crush an entire Holy Army branch with such overwhelming force and wound a divine spirit was still too shocking. Her mind surged with emotion as she gazed at that figure hovering above the Boundless Divine Sea, feeling that she would engrave it in her heart for the rest of her life.
Even if in the future her cultivation reached the divine realm, surpassing Zhang Ruchen as he was now, she would still be unable to forget.
“Splash!”
The Endsea Divine General flew out from the Boundless Divine Sea, his chest a mess of mangled flesh, divine qi spilling outward.
His face, larger than a hill, was hideous and terrifying, and a long howl issued from his mouth.
The divine sound shook the ears, transmitting who knew how many tens of thousands of li away, to express the boundless fury in his heart.
A lofty divine spirit, overlooking the mortal dust, regarding all beings as ants.
The earlier encounter was, for him, undoubtedly the greatest humiliation.
“This god was careless. Let us battle again.”
The wound on the Endsea Divine General’s chest healed rapidly, and beneath his feet, a vast expanse of divine qi ocean evolved, connecting the surface of the Boundless Divine Sea and the starry sky.
“I advise you, it is best not to humiliate yourself further.”
Zhang Ruchen spread his hands open, and seven supreme saint artifacts flew out, hovering at seven positions in space. The supreme power light curtains they emitted shone as brightly as seven stars.
“Heavens! Seven supreme saint artifacts, how is one supposed to fight this?”
“Zhang Ruchen today would not be planning to slaughter a god, would he?”
“You lot have too little faith in the Endsea Divine General. Are divine spirits so easy to fell?”
“We are not lacking faith in the divine spirit; it is simply that Zhang Ruchen has too many supreme saint artifacts and already possesses the possibility of refining and slaying a god.”
…
The Endsea Divine General ultimately did not continue to act, not out of fear of Zhang Ruchen, but because he saw a blood-red nebula emerge in the starry sky behind Zhang Ruchen.
Within that nebula stood the figure of the Blood Empress.
The might of a true god was naturally incomparable to that of a false god.
The Endsea Divine General, carrying his fury, cupped his hands and bowed to the Blood Empress, saying, “Blood Empress, the disciple of the Enddharma Divine King and the sole son of the Heavenly Sparrow Divine Consort have been imprisoned by Zhang Ruchen for a millennium. It is time for their release, is it not?”
“I only know that the divine realm must not interfere in the mortal world. You have broken the rules!” The Blood Empress said.
The Endsea Divine General’s expression changed slightly, and his gaze involuntarily turned towards a divine temple hovering in the distance.
Zhang Ruchen had naturally noticed that divine temple long ago and sensed the terrifying divine might permeating the starry sky. Evidently, the divine spirit within the temple was extraordinarily powerful.
A deep and muffled voice rang out from the divine temple: “Zhang Ruchen, this seat anticipates your swift entry into the divine realm. I must see if you can truly change the divine realm’s landscape. Depart!”
The Endsea Divine General vanished from above the Boundless Divine Sea.
That divine temple also disappeared without a trace.
Zhang Ruchen had not sensed how they left, realising in his heart that compared to a true god, he was still far too lacking. He asked, “Mother, who was that in the divine temple?”
“Pay him no mind. Come with me; your maternal grandfather wishes to see you.”
The Blood Empress released her divine power, enveloping Zhang Ruchen and Xia Yu into her divine realm world, departing from this starry expanse.
…
“It was the Enddharma Divine King.”
The Blood Absolute War God held a thick tome, reading it intently, and thus answered Zhang Ruchen.
“Should I return Tian Shuzi and Que Shenzi to the Death God Temple to resolve this conflict?”
Zhang Ruchen was aware of the terror of Divine King-level figures and worried about creating a powerful enemy for the Blood Absolute Family.
Hatreds in the world, if resolvable, were naturally best resolved.
Earlier, if not for the Death God Temple first dispatching the Black Bone Holy Army to seal the planet and pressure Zhang Ruchen, it would not have provoked his aversion, leading him to rise in counterattack.
“Matters of the mortal world, decide them yourself.”
The Blood Absolute War God continued flipping through the tome, occasionally making notes with a brush, saying, “Of course, if you do this with the mindset of resolving the conflict, it may well be wishful thinking on your part. The Enddharma Divine King has countless disciples. Do you think he truly cares for a single Tian Shuzi?”
“Could it be related to those words he spoke, about me becoming a god and changing the divine realm’s landscape?” Zhang Ruchen said.
“You need not concern yourself with him for now. The Enddharma Divine King has an extremely arrogant personality; before you step into the divine realm, or rather, before you truly change the divine realm’s landscape, he will not deal with you personally.”
The Blood Absolute War God closed the tome in his hand, and it flew out from between his fingers.
“Take it and have a look.”
“Swish!”
The tome spun rapidly, at an astonishing speed.
Zhang Ruchen knew that the Blood Absolute War God was intentionally testing him. He spread his arms wide, drawing upon the power of the Infinite Saint Will to condense a Yin-Yang Taiji Seal before him.
The tome collided with the Yin-Yang Taiji Seal, its speed rapidly slowing.
By the time it fell into Zhang Ruchen’s hands, it had come to a complete halt.
Zhang Ruchen held the tome, sensing a trace of anomaly. In executing the Infinite Saint Will just now, he had felt a sense of exertion beyond his strength, the power unleashed extremely limited.
Perhaps it was due to being within the Blood Absolute War God’s divine realm world at present.
The Blood Absolute War God had been watching Zhang Ruchen execute his saint will all along, a contemplative look emerging in his eyes.
Zhang Ruchen opened the tome and flipped through it, immediately taken aback.
“Qu Xin Yao, Rakshasa Clan, daughter of the Heaven-Splitting Divine Lord, Myriad Deaths Rebirth Realm, one thousand eight hundred years old, Yin Sha Divine Jade Physique…”
“Hong Yi, Nether Clan, outstanding disciple of the Azure Feather Great God, peak demigod, second class in the Divine Reserves Scroll…”
“Xi Yuan Empress, Undying Blood Clan, Supreme Great Saint Realm…”
…
On the tome, every page recorded the detailed information of a woman from the Infernal Realms, condensed with shadow images.
One only needed to infuse saint qi for the shadow images to come alive, as if real persons stood before one.
Zhang Ruchen looked at two pages before quickly flipping towards the back.
He discovered, astonishingly, information on one hundred women.
Each one had an extraordinary background, either divine maidens or outstanding disciples of divine spirits, moreover beautiful in appearance, each with distinct temperaments and charms, conforming to the aesthetics of humans and the Undying Blood Clan.
Among the information on some of these women, there were traces of modifications and erasures.
“Finished looking? If they are all to your satisfaction, I shall dispatch someone this instant to deliver the betrothal gifts.” The Blood Absolute War God said.
“Deliver betrothal gifts, to whom?”
“Naturally, to all of them.” The Blood Absolute War God said.
Zhang Ruchen understood the Blood Absolute War God’s intentions but had only thought it meant for him to select from the tome. Where had he imagined that the Blood Absolute War God’s ambitions were so wildly expansive?
Zhang Ruchen was stunned for an instant and said, “This records the information of one hundred favoured daughters of heaven.”
“Precisely! One hundred, not one less.” The Blood Absolute War God was very serious, and in his eyes burned an unyielding, powerful will that brooked no defiance.
Zhang Ruchen fell silent, his gaze shifting to the side to look at the Blood Empress.
“No need to look; Xia Yu’s name is not written there, but she is the one hundred and first. Xia Yu, are you willing to marry Zhang Ruchen and become a member of the Blood Absolute Family?” The Blood Absolute War God said.
Zhang Ruchen was speechless inwardly.
He had clearly been looking at the Blood Empress, hoping she could stop the Blood Absolute War God. When had he been looking at Xia Yu?
Having been named by the Blood Absolute War God, Xia Yu, standing beside the Blood Empress with a reverent expression, walked forward, bowed deeply, and said, “Everything shall be as the Great Clan Chancellor arranges!”
Zhang Ruchen stared at Xia Yu.
But Xia Yu stared at the ground, not looking at him.
Zhang Ruchen took a deep breath to calm his emotions and said, “Delivering betrothal gifts to one hundred and one women at once is too exaggerated! If refused, the loss of face would not be mine alone but also that of the Blood Absolute Family and you, Maternal Grandfather.”
“With your talent, who would refuse? They would be scrambling to marry you, and it would not be soon enough.” The Blood Absolute War God said.
Zhang Ruchen flipped open one page of the tome and said, “Qing Fei Wei, this is the Destiny Divine Maiden from seventy thousand years ago. She has stepped into the divine realm, has she not? With her talent, her current cultivation must have reached unimaginable heights. How could she look upon a man at the saint realm?”
“You mean Qing Fei Wei? I added her deliberately. This woman can indeed be considered a first-rate figure among the Undying Blood Clan in this Yuanhui; she has reached the level of an upper god. However, in the Jade Brilliance Realm, she owes me a life debt and has already promised to repay this favour.” The Blood Absolute War God said.
Zhang Ruchen said, “So, does she know of this matter?”
“She does not! But I shall go personally to discuss it with her; I believe the chances are quite high.” The Blood Absolute War God said.
Chances quite high?
Zhang Ruchen rubbed his temples, truly unable to comprehend where the Blood Absolute War God’s confidence came from.
Just because he had saved someone once, must that person now marry his grandson? Unable to repay, offering herself in marriage?
Moreover, even if the Blood Absolute War God dared to propose, Zhang Ruchen would not dare to wed!
The Blood Absolute War God said, “You seem rather unconvinced? Ruchen, why do you still harbour the mindset of a saint-realm cultivator? You must re-evaluate yourself, recognise your strength and your unparalleled potential.”
“The Azure Deer Divine King said that once you become a god, you will change the divine realm’s landscape. To many divine spirits, these are alarmist words meant to intimidate.”
“But I believe you possess this capability.”
“A person who can change the divine realm’s landscape, why cannot he take a divine spirit as his wife?”
“You have cultivated a third-grade Sword Dao Saint Will and fused a first-grade Saint Will, unprecedented since ancient times. In the future, you will likely seal kings and reign supreme in the divine realm, or even become a hegemon of the universe. Those women on the tome, they have the chance to marry you now; in the future, I fear they will be unable to rise to your level.”
Zhang Ruchen smiled bitterly: “In marriage, one should prioritise emotions. If bound together with interests, it loses its meaning! Moreover, not every woman values only interests and admires the strong.”
“Among them, there must be some with loved ones of their own. Even if they yield to pressure from the divine spirits behind them and marry me, would such a forced melon be sweet?”
The Blood Absolute War God said, “You speak to me of emotions? Very well, then I shall speak to you of reality.”
“Reality is this: now, not only do many divine spirits in the Heavenly Court wish to kill you, the same holds true in the Infernal Realms. Relying solely on the Blood Absolute Family’s power may not suffice to protect you.”
“In the eyes of the various gods, you are either a future hegemon worth investing in and drawing close, or a threat that must be eliminated.”
“After the Ten Realms War concluded, already seven divine spirits have come to me, expressing intentions of marriage alliance, willing to form pacts, aid your growth, and jointly cultivate you into a future hegemon of the universe. In the days to come, more divine spirits will seek me out.”
“If I reject their overtures of goodwill, it is highly likely to push them towards the opposing faction.”
“Reality is so cruel?” Zhang Ruchen said.
The Blood Absolute War God said, “You must understand that not every cultivator possesses such qualifications. If you agree, your path ahead will be far smoother. For many factions will proactively pave the way for you.”
“Of course, should you truly become a hegemon of the universe in the future, you must also represent their interests in return, becoming their pillar of support.”
“In the face of such vast interests, do you not think a mere marriage alliance is negligible? You need only nod your head!”
Zhang Ruchen did not nod, pondering deeply for a long time before saying, “This is not merely an investment in me, is it? It should be an investment in the entire Blood Absolute Family.”
“If I am not mistaken, the factions behind those divine spirits who contacted Maternal Grandfather first invested in you a hundred thousand years ago, did they not? This is itself an interest circle centred on Maternal Grandfather, aiming to forge a Divine Venerable or hegemon of the universe.”
“My emergence was beyond their expectations and yet delighted them. Thus, they propose marriage alliances with me, seeking to bind themselves even more deeply to the Blood Absolute Family.”
The Blood Absolute Divine Temple looked deeply at Zhang Ruchen, not expecting this youth to see through this point.
“Your guess is largely correct.” He said.
Zhang Ruchen said, “Since that is the case, this matter of marriage alliances need not fall solely on me. I believe Maternal Grandfather can continue to wed. If Maternal Grandfather is concerned about face and does not wish to take many wives ostentatiously, he can entrust the duty of alliances to Uncle Nether King. As a divine spirit, he ought to make some contributions to the family.”
“As for me, the most important matter at present is to break through to the divine realm; I cannot afford distractions.”
