In the divine temple, clusters of scarlet flames float about, illuminating the dark world in an even more eerie and sinister manner.
Many places are piled with white bones, shaped like altars, guarded by saints of the saint realm. As Gu She Jing, Zhang Ruochen, and Luo Yi pass by, they all kneel down in worship.
With Zhang Ruochen’s and Luo Yi’s cultivation and status, upon arriving at any power, they would inevitably receive the highest level of reception.
Even though the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm is known as the number one perilous land of the Rakshasa race, it dares not neglect them. Along the way, dozens of great saints rush to greet them, each with an extraordinary identity.
“Greetings to the Heavenly Pavilion Overseer.”
“Paying respects to Senior Sister.”
“Paying respects to Princess Luo Yi!”
…
Although they only bow to Gu She Jing and Luo Yi, they do not neglect Zhang Ruochen either.
With the insight of great saints, how could they fail to see that Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation is exceptionally powerful and unfathomably deep? Someone who travels alongside the Heavenly Pavilion Overseer and Princess Luo Yi cannot possibly be ordinary.
Escorted by a crowd of great saints, Zhang Ruochen and the other two enter a grand hall resplendent in gold and jade.
In the hall, black dragon candles as thick as bowl mouths are burning.
Gu She Jing’s gaze fixes on a middle-aged woman who appears to be in her forties and says, “Third Senior Sister, have you notified Fourteenth Junior Sister?”
“Master has already personally transmitted a sound to her. She should arrive soon.” Shan Hong says.
Shan Hong is the eldest among the disciples taken in by Gu She Yun Liu in this kalpa cycle, with her cultivation having reached the Supreme Realm. The two disciples ahead of her have already perished, with not a single one surviving the divine tribulation.
Gu She Jing is astonished and says, “This matter has actually alarmed Mother God?”
Shan Hong smiles and says, “Young Master Ruochen is the secular myth and the lord of the ten realms. For such a figure to grace the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm, it is entirely normal for it to alarm Master. Moreover, Princess Luo Yi has also come, has she not?”
“How did Senior Sister learn of what happened in the Ten Realms Battlefield?” Gu She Jing asks.
Shan Hong whispers something to Gu She Jing via sound transmission and then says, “At that time, I was accompanying Master and heard about it.”
Gu She Jing glances at Luo Yi, a thoughtful expression appearing in her eyes.
It seems she has indeed underestimated Zhang Ruochen’s current influence!
Zhang Ruochen and Luo Yi sit side by side, communicating via sound transmission.
Zhang Ruochen says, “This Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm is quite strange. Along the way, all those with status and position are women. Male cultivators are either servants or guards.”
“It is not that the entire Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm is like this. Only the Gu She family is rather special. The reasons behind it are not convenient to elaborate on.”
Luo Yi extends a jade finger and points towards the space above their heads.
This hints to Zhang Ruochen that this is the Yun Liu Divine Temple, and their current sound transmission will be overheard by the Liu God.
Upon arriving at the Yun Liu Divine Temple, Zhang Ruochen’s calm heart suddenly becomes eager, his gaze frequently turning towards the entrance of the grand hall. Yet he must maintain an appearance of composure and serenity, quietly waiting.
In the divine realm world, scarlet-red exotic flowers bloom in abundance.
Two beautiful palace-attired Rakshasa gods, dressed in divine robes one red and one azure, stand gracefully and elegantly, looking down upon the clouds and mists below their feet.
They are none other than Gu She Yun Liu and the Heavenly Sound Divine Mother.
Through the clouds and mists, Gu She Yun Liu can see Zhang Ruochen seated in the hall. Her tone carries a hint of disdain as she says, “So the so-called secular myth possesses only such a state of mind?”
“Among secular men and women, emotions run deep and affections are profound. After a millennium apart, with reunion imminent, how could one possibly remain indifferent and serene?” the Heavenly Sound Divine Mother says.
Gu She Yun Liu says, “So-called emotions are merely a hindrance to cultivation. If the heart is not focused, achievements will inevitably be limited. I do not see him having the potential to step into the ranks of divine lords in the future. Your expectations of him are too high!”
The Heavenly Sound Divine Mother smiles faintly and says, “Your Gu She family emphasises severing emotions and desires, viewing affection as a burden. However, for other cultivators, the seven emotions and six desires are also part of cultivation. Moreover, the expectations that the Fortune, Prosperity Divine Lord and the Great Emperor hold for him are not merely limited to becoming a divine lord.”
Gu She Yun Liu finally shows a change in expression and says, “No wonder you personally rushed to the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm to protect him. In other words, you have already selected him and plan to groom him as the future cosmic spokesperson for the lower three races?”
“The war between the Heavenly Court and the Infernal Realm will only grow more brutal. The future will inevitably bring massive upheavals. The lower three races are, after all, predominantly inhabited by living beings. Once the Heavenly Court falls, who can predict the subsequent developments?”
“The lower three races must have a reliable cosmic-level spokesperson.”
“The first choice remains Blood Absolute.”
“However, Zhang Ruochen is also a member of the Blood Absolute family and can fully serve as the second candidate.” the Heavenly Sound Divine Mother says.
Gu She Yun Liu sighs and says, “It must be admitted that the Blood Absolute family truly abounds in talents. In at most two more kalpa cycles, the格局 of the top ten clans of the Undying Blood Race will likely undergo drastic changes because of them. In the future, it is not impossible for a progenitor-level figure to emerge, like the Fengdu Great Emperor, whose words alone command the entire middle three races, with none daring to defy.”
…
In the grand hall.
Mu Lingxi has already reunited with Zhang Ruochen, and the two embrace.
From the moment she stepped into the grand hall, Mu Lingxi has been in a dazed state, her mind blank, her entire body unresponsive, allowing Zhang Ruochen to hold her in his arms without resistance.
“Let us go. We will leave first.”
Luo Yi pulls Gu She Jing along and calls upon the other Rakshasa cultivators in the hall to withdraw together.
Leaving the two of them a private space and time.
“How can you be so magnanimous? The one inside is, after all, your fiancé.” Gu She Jing feels indignant on Luo Yi’s behalf and says with resentment.
Luo Yi smiles, yet lets out a soft sigh: “What do you say can be done? Force them apart, or kill Mu Lingxi?”
“With your status, talent, and beauty, what kind of man cannot be found? Why must you…” Gu She Jing says.
Luo Yi says, “There is no second like Zhang Ruochen! In truth, I know that the woman he cares about most in his heart is not me.”
After a long silence, she continues, “But, what of it? As long as I can accommodate the women he cares about, I will inevitably become the one he needs most. As long as he is happy, I am actually quite happy too.”
With that said, Luo Yi walks away briskly.
Naturally, she cannot truly be so magnanimous.
It is just that she knows she cannot change Zhang Ruochen, nor can she change her own love for him. Thus, she can only force herself to learn to stand in Zhang Ruochen’s perspective, loving what he loves and hating what he hates.
She is betrothed by a divine lord and is the princess of the Tian Luo Divine Kingdom, destined in the future to be the principal wife.
A principal wife must possess the magnanimity of one.
Even if she does not have it now, she must learn to.
In the grand hall, the candlelight flickers and sways.
Mu Lingxi nestles in Zhang Ruochen’s embrace, the two recounting the bits and pieces of the past millennium, sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, pouring out all the longing and emotions in their hearts to each other.
Zhang Ruochen continuously wipes away the teardrops on her crystalline cheeks, telling her that from now on, he will never let her worry and suffer so again, and that they will never part.
Over one thousand years, Zhang Ruochen has lost much and does not wish to lose Mu Lingxi as well.
Over one thousand years, Mu Lingxi has lived in hatred. It is the belief in seeking revenge against the Xiu Chen Heavenly God that has sustained her, but she has lived wearily, not happy at all.
The warmth and sweetness of this moment surpass the sum of the past millennium.
“So, does that mean I must thank Xiu Chen?” Zhang Ruochen cups Mu Lingxi’s snow-white face, glowing with holy light, in both hands, gazing at her intently, as if he can never get enough.
Mu Lingxi does not resist either, pouting as she says, “Thank it for what? If thanks must be given, it should be to Elder Sister Luo Yi. It is she who always firmly believed you were still alive, so I always held onto a sliver of fantasy in my heart.”
“Luo Yi…”
Only then does Zhang Ruochen realise that Luo Yi and the cultivators of the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm have long since withdrawn from the grand hall. He cannot help but sigh inwardly.
In the end, Luo Yi is his fiancée.
Yet it is Luo Yi who accompanied him to the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm to see Mu Lingxi. A strong sense of guilt arises in Zhang Ruochen’s heart.
How could Mu Lingxi fail to see what is on Zhang Ruochen’s mind? She says softly, “Why not go and see her? I can tell that Elder Sister Luo Yi truly loves you and has been very caring towards me as well.”
Zhang Ruochen gently shakes his head and does not leave.
It is unknown how much time passes before Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi finally exit the grand hall. They do not see Gu She Jing or Luo Yi, only Shan Hong waiting outside.
Shan Hong smiles and says, “Young Master Ruochen, Master has already prepared a divine banquet. It is just waiting for the two of you to take your seats!”
“A divine banquet!”
Mu Lingxi is astonished.
Only when gods visit the Nine Demon Cavern is a divine banquet arranged. Zhang Ruochen clearly has not reached the divine realm, so how could he receive such a level of reception?
Upon arriving at the banquet, the two finally understand what is going on.
It turns out that the Heavenly Sound Divine Mother has also come to the Nine Demon Cavern.
Zhang Ruochen casts a grateful glance towards Luo Yi, assuming it is she who requested her mother to come to the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm to protect him.
Apart from Gu She Yun Liu and the Heavenly Sound Divine Mother, all the great saints of the Nine Demon Cavern are attending the divine banquet.
Just as the banquet is about to begin.
“Splash!”
Outside the hall, a brilliant light emerges, tearing through the darkness.
On the southeastern horizon, a demonic sun rises.
Di La, with her hair white and dishevelled, steps out from the demonic sun, her aura surging mightily as she walks slowly towards the divine temple.
In an instant, she has arrived at the entrance of the hall.
“Greetings to Di La.”
All the great saints bow deeply, their faces nearly touching the ground.
Upon hearing the two words “Di La”, how could Zhang Ruochen not know who has arrived? This is the master of the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm, one of the top terrifying existences in the Infernal Realm. Thus, he dares not look directly and follows suit in bowing.
The Heavenly Sound Divine Mother and Gu She Yun Liu exchange a glance and rise to their feet.
After all, they have only survived one kalpa tribulation, a vast gap compared to an ancient powerhouse like Di La, who has lived from antiquity to the present.
“All of you, sit down! This old one has emerged from seclusion this time primarily to see what the secular myth of the Eternal Return to One looks like.”
Di La’s gaze sweeps around the divine temple once, finally settling on Zhang Ruochen.
Her pair of eyes are aged and murky, yet Zhang Ruochen feels as if all his clothes have been stripped away, with no secrets able to remain hidden. His heart is naturally quite uneasy. Some secrets he fears being exposed.
Of course, his face shows no fluctuation whatsoever.
