Everyone under heaven knows that the Thirty-Three Heavens was a cultivation method created by the Great Venerable Immovable Bright King ten aeons ago. It is profound and unfathomable, weaving through heaven and earth, ranking second on the Taiyi Divine Merit List, and is considered the strongest in the world.
Young cultivators must surely find it strange. Why, when it clearly ranks second, is it called the strongest in the world?
The scholarly-robed elder answered his own question, stroking his beard with a smile. “It is because, from the very day the Taiyi Divine Merit List was compiled, the first place has remained forever vacant. Later generations can only compete for second.”
“First place belongs to the Heavenly Dao itself. It is the number of origin and the number of perfection.”
“No matter how powerful human strength becomes, the methods they create remain within the Heavenly Dao. Who would dare claim first place?”
…
Cultivation methods are, after all, lifeless things. They are merely tools for exploring the Heavenly Dao and pursuing immortality.
Rather than saying the Taiyi Divine Merit List ranks methods, it would be more accurate to say it ranks people.
And the ranking of people is inevitably influenced by the era.
The closer to the present age, the greater the advantage.
Because the Taiyi Divine Merit List is compiled by the present age of each era.
The scholarly-robed elder began with the Thirty-Three Heavens method and proceeded to recount the grudges and grievances between Chi Yao and Zhang Ruochen over the years. Although some details differed from the truth and contained the author’s speculations, on the whole they were surprisingly accurate.
“Star Heaven Cliff is indeed formidable. To have investigated me so thoroughly, the power behind them must be extraordinary. No wonder they can stand alongside the Peerless Tower of the Mortal World, the Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley, and the Divine Mountain Shocking Cloud Pavilion,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
His gaze fell upon Chi Kunlun, a mixture of emotions surging in his heart, bitter and indescribable.
Only now did he finally begin to understand why, in the Ancient Desolation Realm of the Mountain of Fate God, the Ming Emperor had only dared to meet him as Qi Tian. The number of times the Ming Emperor had silently watched him from the shadows was certainly not few.
It was not that he did not wish to meet.
He simply did not dare, and could not.
Only on the eve of rescuing the Supreme had the Ming Emperor, knowing he might never return, finally revealed himself, acknowledged Zhang Ruochen, and then went generously to his death.
At this moment, how could Zhang Ruochen not wish to acknowledge Chi Kunlun, to tell him that his father still lived?
To ask whether these years had been hard for him.
To say sorry, that Father had failed to guide him, failed to protect him, failed to accompany him.
But he could not!
Because Zhang Ruochen did not know how much longer he could hold on. Perhaps tonight his oil would run dry and his lamp extinguish. He did not want to die before his kin, and even less did he want those who cared for him to know he had died!
Not everyone could bear such devastating news.
That news would kill Mu Lingxi, who had placed all her heart upon him.
It would burden Chi Yao with guilt for the rest of her life, preventing her from ever reaching the level of the Great Venerable Immovable Bright King. All sacrifices would have been in vain!
It would leave the Blood Empress having lost her only son. No one knew what reckless things she might do.
And the Ming Emperor, imprisoned in the Temple of Fate, would lose his only reason to remain alive. The Temple of Fate would probably no longer spare his life.
…
Zhang Ruochen thought of the Great Venerable Immovable Bright King.
Ten aeons ago, the Great Venerable Immovable Bright King had fallen. His Heaven Venerable tomb was built deep within the ancestral ground of Mount Wang, and his divine source was later refined by the Tribulation Venerable.
Yet before his death, he had chosen to vanish.
Precisely because he vanished, Tianmu had searched for him for countless tens of thousands of years. As long as no corpse was found, hope remained. Perhaps that was the very reason she had lived on.
Only later, in the Desolate Ancient Ruined City, did Tianmu find a new meaning for living.
Life is difficult. There is no one who lives solely for themselves.
Sometimes the burdens are too heavy. Even wishing to die only for oneself is not an easy thing.
Zhang Ruochen sensed the faint flame of life within his body. It felt like a dying candle in a storm, a wooden boat amidst giant waves, liable to extinguish or capsize at any moment.
He had tried every method to prolong life, all to no avail.
A wave of intense weakness washed over him. The flame of life grew even fainter. Breathing became difficult, darkness clouded his vision, and he collapsed into the moon boat.
The clamour around him receded, until he could hear nothing at all.
His head felt heavy as iron, his body grew ice-cold, sensation numbed. His blood seemed to turn to freezing water, thickening, ceasing to flow. He felt only that he was falling into an abyss.
At that very moment, the old yellow ox he had been holding let out a mournful bellow.
Blood seeped continuously from its hide.
Without Zhang Ruochen’s control, the immense power within the old yellow ox began to rage chaotically, threatening to tear it apart.
Hearing the ox’s mournful cry, Zhang Ruochen, who had sunk into darkness and was plummeting into the abyss, almost losing consciousness, suddenly snapped his eyes open. He struggled with all his might, fighting against the invisible force of death.
“I cannot die. If I die, the old yellow ox will die too.”
Zhang Ruochen sat up again in the moon boat. His paper-pale face remained somewhat stiff, but then he gasped heavily, heart thundering.
He opened his palm and saw the old yellow ox in his hand was still alive. Only then did a faint smile appear.
“Why? I should have died, yet I live again. Can a person truly fight against death?” Zhang Ruochen murmured to himself.
Death cannot be resisted.
From ancient times to the present, countless peerless powerhouses, Heaven Venerables, Buddhas, Ancestors… all lie buried beneath the earth. Even they could not withstand death. Zhang Ruochen was merely a grain of sand in the rolling red dust. On what basis could he?
“What, then, is the meaning of life? Is it to save other lives?”
Zhang Ruochen pondered bitterly.
A single old yellow ox could not possibly bring him back from the brink of death.
It could only be his own will that had conquered death.
And the reason he wished to live was simply because he knew that if he died, the old yellow ox would die immediately. Did the old yellow ox hold such immense significance in his life?
Clearly not.
His feelings towards the old yellow ox did not possess such tremendous power.
While Zhang Ruochen contemplated the true meaning of life and death, a commotion arose on the shore.
A scornful, mocking voice rang out. “The two most stunning figures? Zhang Ruochen had his cultivation devoured by Empress Chi Yao. He is most likely already dead without a burial place. How is such a waste fit to be called the most stunning person of this era? This divine son believes he is the shame of this era.”
The group of demon clan great saints Zhang Ruochen had encountered at the city gate forced their way through the crowd and strode towards the high platform.
The one who had just spoken was Divine Son Xue Hong.
On the platform, the scholarly-robed elder stopped, intimidated by the might of these demon clan great saints, and dared not continue.
The young woman in cyan clutching her pipa summoned her courage and said, “Who says Zhang Ruochen had his cultivation devoured by Empress Chi Yao?”
Divine Son Xue Hong stood upon the platform and laughed loudly, his voice like thunder. “If his cultivation was not devoured, could it be that Zhang Ruochen willingly transmitted it to Empress Chi Yao? Everyone, would you do such a thing? Haha!”
Laughter exploded below the platform.
The scholarly-robed elder tugged at the young woman in cyan, but she remained stubborn. She stepped forward, standing before the towering, majestic demon body of Divine Son Xue Hong, and declared, “Zhang Ruochen’s divine source and qi sea were shattered by Ancestor Qing. His martial path was completely severed. Under such circumstances, transmitting his cultivation to Empress Chi Yao is entirely possible. You cling to scraps and guard them selfishly, but that does not mean Zhang Ruochen is the same. When Zhang Ruochen first entered the divine realm, he provoked a being like Ancestor Qing to act personally. Can anyone else under heaven claim a second?”
Divine Son Xue Hong had not expected this little girl to be so bold as to argue with him. He bared sharp teeth and sneered, “Are you lecturing this divine son?”
Fear flickered in the young woman in cyan. She took two half-steps back, yet still said, “This is the Tower of the World’s Divine Maidens!”
Seeing her timid appearance, Divine Son Xue Hong felt somewhat satisfied. He looked around and declared, “If Zhang Ruochen truly transmitted his cultivation to Empress Chi Yao, then where is Zhang Ruochen now? Let us see the living person or the corpse.”
Divine Son Luan Ying, who had come with Divine Son Xue Hong, added, “In this divine son’s view, Empress Chi Yao has probably already destroyed the body and erased all traces. So ruthless and unscrupulous. Even if her cultivation is powerful, she cannot be called stunning. On what grounds does she deserve to occupy the first chapter of Ten Thousand Years of Events?”
“One cannot say that. Empress Chi Yao killed her husband to prove the Dao. This divine son still admires her greatly. Truly worthy of being the goddess this divine son often meets in dreams. In my dreams, the Empress is exceedingly lovely.” Divine Son Xue Hong laughed mockingly.
The young woman in cyan was both shocked and afraid. “You… how bold you are to slander divinities like this. Are you not afraid of divine retribution?”
Divine Son Xue Hong was utterly arrogant. He shrugged and said, “What is there to fear? We speak only the truth. We have not insulted the Empress. Surely the hearts of divinities are not so narrow that they cannot tolerate even the truth?”
Divine Son Luan Ying smiled. “Whether Empress Chi Yao’s heart is narrow is hard to say. But I have seen her divine statue, and that chest is…”
“Zhengl!”
A piercing sword cry rang out, drowning Divine Son Luan Ying’s words.
“Court death.”
Chi Kunlun’s rage turned into tangible flames. His entire body blazed as he gripped the Chenyuan Ancient Sword with both hands and swung down towards Divine Son Luan Ying.
Divine Son Luan Ying and Divine Son Xue Hong exchanged a glance, both revealing smiles of a successful scheme.
They had long known Chi Kunlun was below. The reason they had spoken those words was precisely to provoke him.
Behind both Divine Son Luan Ying and Divine Son Xue Hong stood divinities with grand ambitions. Dealing with Chi Kunlun was merely the first step. Their greater goal was to draw out Empress Chi Yao.
Regrettably, the two of them had underestimated Chi Kunlun’s combat strength.
“Pfft!”
Divine Son Luan Ying, whose cultivation had reached the Supreme Realm, had his dao domain shattered by a single sword from Chi Kunlun. His saint armour cracked, blood sprayed, and one arm flew off.
“Dare to insult my parents. Today I will make you suffer both body and soul extinction.”
Chi Kunlun’s hair stood on end. Darkness surged like mountains and seas from his twin pupils. He swung horizontally with the second strike.
“Pfft!”
This sword cleaved Divine Son Luan Ying in two at the waist.
Dark power invaded Divine Son Luan Ying’s body, corroding his flesh and saint soul.
Intense pain shattered Divine Son Luan Ying’s will. He let out heart-rending screams. The flesh at his waist turned to black pus and blood.
“Do not kill me…”
Before Divine Son Xue Hong could come to the rescue, Chi Kunlun stomped down with a boom, crushing Divine Son Luan Ying’s head into bloody mist.
“Insolence! Chi Kunlun, you dare kill a Supreme Realm great saint of our Demon God Realm? Even the Supreme cannot protect you.” A demon clan great saint roared coldly.
Chi Kunlun spun and slashed out with his sword. Sword qi like a crescent moon forced back all the approaching demon clan great saints.
“Xue Hong!”
Chi Kunlun’s killing intent soared. Even the dense dao locks throughout the Tower of the World’s Divine Maidens could not suppress him. Sword in hand, he charged towards the retreating Divine Son Xue Hong.
“No matter who is behind you, today you will surely die. Kill!”
