Zhang Ruochen once again entered the ruins of the Venerable Heavenly Palace deep within the Heavenly Goddess Tower. The place had changed beyond recognition. Amidst the broken walls and rubble, spiritual flowers and rare grasses now flourished. Their leaves glistened like emerald, their petals vivid and fragrant.
On the thousand-zhang-high stone walls, white mist flowed and divine light flickered. The murals seemed alive.
The ruins remained dilapidated and filled with countless unknown dangers, yet they now brimmed with the breath of life.
One could foresee that, in time, this place would evolve into sacred divine ground and the splendour of the Venerable Heavenly Palace would be reborn.
All of this was surely connected to the awakening of the World Spirit.
Zhang Ruochen walked onward until he reached the base of the Venerable Haoyue Platform.
The Master of the Nether Flower Workshop, Yu Qiancheng, and the Master of the Snow Domain Workshop, Liu Qingcheng, were leading numerous great saints and saint kings in clearing the surrounding area and repairing the damaged sections of the Haoyue Platform.
“Greetings, Realm Venerable!”
Upon seeing Zhang Ruochen, all the women straightened respectfully and stepped forward to bow.
Beneath Yu Qiancheng’s black lace, her snow-white skin showed faintly. She walked over but deliberately restrained her seductive aura. “Realm Venerable, we have received the divine oracle from Divine Master Yu Rumors. From this moment onward, you may command all cultivators of Xinghuan Heaven, including every workshop master of the Twelve Goddess Workshops.”
“The palace ruins are vast and extremely dangerous. Be very careful,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Yu Qiancheng replied, “Before Divine Master entered seclusion to heal, she cleared the region from the Heavenly Goddess Tower to the Venerable Haoyue Platform and laid down divine arrays. For now, at least, there is no need to worry about safety.”
Zhang Ruochen took out a Yuanhui-grade sacred herb, White Tortoise Mysterious Grass, which was excellent for healing injuries, and handed it to her. “You are gravely injured yourself. Do not delay your cultivation.”
“Thank you, Realm Venerable.”
Joy flashed unmistakably across Yu Qiancheng’s face as she gracefully curtsied.
This White Tortoise Mysterious Grass had absorbed the medicinal power of at least five Yuanhui. It was exceedingly rare and precious even to gods.
She knew that her earlier initiative in befriending Zhang Ruochen, studying music under him, and delivering his letters had, without her realising it, brought her closer to him than the other goddess workshop masters. This would bring her boundless benefits when it came to her future standing among the gods of Xinghuan Heaven.
Liu Qingcheng, also a workshop master, watched and felt a trace of envy.
When an external enemy appeared, they could indeed join hands to face it. But when there was no external enemy, competition between the workshop masters far outweighed cooperation.
Zhang Ruochen ascended the Venerable Haoyue Platform, as though climbing step by step into the vast ninth heaven.
Amidst the drifting clouds, he saw Bai Qing’er sitting alone in mid-air, her black hair hanging in the void. Countless beautiful projections of herself extended from her, repairing the array inscriptions.
The Venerable Haoyue Platform, forged from white jade, rose straight into the clouds.
From its summit, one could gaze upon the starry sky where a thousand stars aligned.
Below lay an endless sea of white clouds.
At the centre of the platform was a circular groove. The bracelet that had once adorned Bai Qing’er’s wrist was now embedded there, emitting grains of dazzling starlight.
Zhang Ruochen looked up at the starry sky and thought to himself, “So the Venerable World is that unfamiliar starry expanse we saw underground. Only by placing your bracelet on the Venerable Haoyue Platform can it be activated and merge completely with the Thousand Stars Xinghuan Heaven Array. With this array guarding us, not even a Divine Venerable could force their way into Xinghuan Heaven.”
He had thought that such a devastating blow would be enough to crush Bai Qing’er’s spirit.
Yet at this moment, she showed no trace of sorrow or pain.
The calmer she appeared, the more worried Zhang Ruochen became. “I have agreed to Divine Master Yu Rumors’ request to become Realm Venerable of Xinghuan Heaven and help you handle everything that follows.”
Bai Qing’er opened her eyes. Her myriad projections returned to her true body. “You are the Realm Venerable. At most, I am merely the City Lord of Heavenly Goddess City. It is I who should be assisting you.”
“Do you care about such titles?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Bai Qing’er replied, “You know I have always been strong-willed. I dislike being beneath anyone.”
“Once I have dealt with the armies of the thirteen realms and the gods of Hell Realm, I will yield the position of Realm Venerable to you,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qing’er showed no joy at all. Her jade feet stepped lightly through the void, sending out rings of light that fell to the ground. “If one dislikes being beneath others, must one necessarily stand above them? Zhang Ruochen, to be perfectly honest, when I truly came to know you in the Sealed Saint Mansion on Ice King Planet, I never imagined our relationship would reach this point.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “I will be equally honest. Back then, you were ruthless, unpredictable, and overwhelmingly dominant. You truly left people breathless.”
“Yet the fate of this world is wonderfully strange.”
After saying this, Bai Qing’er gazed at him for a long while before continuing, “I will not fight you for the position of Realm Venerable, but you must grant me the title of Realm Venerable’s wife. I do not wish to follow in my mother’s footsteps, to die with nothing to my name, leaving behind only a notorious reputation for beauty that the whole world mocks. I do not want the man I love to become another Duotian Divine Emperor, or another Huang Tian.”
As she reached the end, her calm composure broke. Her eyes reddened and she turned her face away.
Clearly, she had already learned a great deal of the truth.
Zhang Ruochen could feel the pain in her heart. He walked over, opened his arms, and gently drew her slender, soft body into his embrace, breathing in the faint fragrance of her hair.
Bai Qing’er did not push him away. She closed her eyes, leaving only two rows of long, delicate lashes. She seemed to savour this broad, gentle embrace, as safe, comfortable, and warm as being in a mother’s womb.
The wind lifted their white sleeves. The starry river blazed brilliantly above them. They looked like a pair of divine lovers standing on a cloud terrace.
“Zhang Ruochen, will you ever think less of me, believing I will stop at nothing to achieve my goals?” she suddenly whispered.
Zhang Ruochen knew exactly what she meant.
Given her usual indifference to the world and her bold, forceful personality, for her to ask such an insecure question showed that after experiencing the extremes of joy and sorrow, her state of mind was at its lowest ebb.
And because she truly felt love for Zhang Ruochen, she cared about his opinion.
Not wishing to let this melancholy linger, Zhang Ruochen smiled. “As long as you do not use any means necessary against me, that will be enough.”
Bai Qing’er clenched her pink fist and struck his chest hard. Then she pushed him away, gathered her emotions, and said, “I also wish to hand the position of City Lord of the First Goddess City over to you.”
“Why?” Zhang Ruochen asked, puzzled.
Bai Qing’er’s eyes turned sharp and piercing. “I want to focus entirely on cultivation. I do not wish to be held back by worldly affairs. Otherwise, when will I ever catch up to Xuan Yi?”
There was one more reason she left unsaid.
The Twelve Goddess Workshops were, after all, places of romance and pleasure. Although Queen Bai had been renowned for both power and beauty, whenever cultivators spoke her name, there was never any reverence, only drooling desire for her looks and boundless lust.
It had even turned Huang Tian into a laughing stock for countless people.
She did not want Zhang Ruochen to face mockery and criticism because of her.
Zhang Ruochen nodded gently. “For us, cultivation truly is the most important thing. I will select suitable people to manage the Twelve Goddess Workshops and the secular affairs of Xinghuan Heaven.”
Bai Qing’er said, “At present, the Sundial can only support one god in cultivation?”
“That is correct. A hundred thousand years ago it was severely damaged and has not yet fully recovered,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Bai Qing’er said, “Once everything in Xinghuan Heaven is completely stabilised, I will take you to meet someone. He may be able to repair the Sundial. Then we can activate it and cultivate together. Our cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds. Catching up to Xuan Yi will be only a matter of time.”
“That would be excellent.”
Zhang Ruochen had long intended to enter secluded cultivation. After a moment’s thought, he took out a box and offered it to Bai Qing’er. “Venerable Treasure Gauze. For you.”
Bai Qing’er glanced at the box and looked away. “It is no longer of any use.”
“Someone once told me that when giving a woman a gift, treasure clothing is the best choice. Consider this my betrothal gift for marrying you,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“If it is to be a betrothal gift, it is rather insufficient.”
Bai Qing’er accepted the box, looked once at the Venerable Treasure Gauze inside, then returned it to Zhang Ruochen. “Give it to me on the day you decide to marry me. I want the entire universe to know how much I mean to you, Zhang Ruochen.”
Hearing these words, Zhang Ruochen already began to feel pained inside.
This was a trap!
After all, the women he had promised to marry were not limited to Bai Qing’er alone. Where on earth was he supposed to find betrothal gifts as precious as Venerable Treasure Gauze for each of them?
Every woman, after all, liked to compare.
And clever women were not limited to Bai Qing’er alone.
Very soon, inside the Heavenly Goddess Tower, Zhang Ruochen met the second one.
Luo Yi had entered Goddess City together with the ancient Rakshasa god Yu Ying. The moment she saw Zhang Ruochen, she spoke without the slightest courtesy. “Ten million! Lord of the Realm, give me ten million units of saint food and I will persuade my imperial father to lead the Rakshasa gods away.”
By “saint food”, she naturally meant the saint-realm armies of Heaven.
Zhang Ruochen said, “You knew I had become Realm Venerable the moment you entered the city. It seems the Heavenly Luo Divine Kingdom has people stationed in Xinghuan Heaven.”
Luo Yi was direct. “Will you agree or not?”
“If I handed over ten million saint-realm cultivators from Heaven’s various realms to your Rakshasa clan, Xinghuan Heaven would suffer insane retaliation,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Luo Yi held her staff. Her pale-green divine robe trailed behind her like flowing water-silk. She walked straight to the highest seat in the Goddess Queen Palace and sat down. Wearing her silver-white crystal crown, she looked noble and elegant, as though she were the true master of Xinghuan Heaven.
She stared at Zhang Ruochen and asked with mock seriousness, “This Realm Venerable of yours isn’t just a puppet, is he? If you cannot make the decision, call Bai Qing’er out. This princess will negotiate with her.”
The thirteen realms of Heaven together had only a few tens of millions of saint-realm cultivators in total.
If he really gave the Rakshasa clan ten million as saint food, it would be a miracle if Xinghuan Heaven were not annihilated. Did they think that possessing the Thousand Stars Xinghuan Heaven Array meant they could do whatever they wished?
“The number you want is far too large. I would like to remain Realm Venerable for a few more years,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Luo Yi replied, “You should understand that if the Rakshasa gods had not arrived, the gods of Heaven would never have withdrawn. But mobilising gods requires giving them sufficient benefits, does it not? Ten million units of saint food is not too much! Where is Bai Qing’er? Tell her to come out. She is the future master of both the Twelve Goddess Workshops and Xinghuan Heaven. What kind of ability is it to hide behind a man?”
