Feng Qi’s expression was grave as he said, “This Yin Shang corpse poison is no trivial matter. It originates from the corpse clan’s leader, the Three Evils Emperor Lord. This god has some familiarity with the divine abilities of the Taoist lineage, yet I have never heard of any power that can resolve Yin Shang corpse poison!”
The Nine-Tailed Heart Fox, her seductive charm like drifting smoke, said, “Lord Feng Qi is far too modest. You are the disciple of Yu God King from the Tianchu Civilisation. If you merely have some familiarity, how many in the world would dare claim to be Taoist cultivators?”
The Feng clan, like the Tianchu Civilisation, was also a sacred ground of Taoism.
Although Feng Xi had cultivated in the Temple of Truth, her knowledge of Taoist divine abilities was as extensive as Feng Qi’s. Seeing this Taoist so confident, a trace of curiosity arose in her heart.
Could Taoism truly have some secret method to break Yin Shang?
Zhang Ruochen approached the Feng clan Great Saint who was most deeply poisoned, extending two fingers to press on his brow.
“Whoosh!”
A white ring of light manifested centred on his fingertips, hovering in the void.
Zhang Ruochen intoned, “The so-called three evils are Yin Shang, Yang Calamity, and Huang E. Heaven and earth divide into yin and yang. Yin Shang belongs to yin, and harmonising yin and yang can resolve it. As it is said, yang qi circulates through the spirit and returns to the beginning, with things continuing their convergence.”
His finger seal changed.
Strands of yang qi emerged in the white ring of light, surging into the brow of that Feng clan Great Saint.
“There was a Taoist sage who authored the Constant Clarity and Stillness Scripture, no less than Buddhist classics.”
“When Shang evil invades the soul, this scripture can break it.”
Zhang Ruochen’s lips moved, uttering divine characters one by one, which fell onto the body of the Feng clan Great Saint.
The yin-cold corrupting qi on the body of that Great Saint lying on the ground gradually disappeared. It was not expelled from the body, but fused with profound yang qi, becoming harmless to the body.
On the contrary, it brought boundless benefits.
After all, this profound yang qi originated from a powerful god.
Feng Qi stared intently at the various techniques Zhang Ruochen displayed, sighing, “Friend Yellow Ox’s understanding and control of yin and yang qi have reached an exquisite level. But fusing such powerful dual forces within a Great Saint’s body. Can that Feng clan Great Saint withstand it?”
The Feng clan Great Saints who could still suppress the corpse poison held their breath, all very tense, filled with worry and hope.
As if responding to Feng Qi, Zhang Ruochen said, “Borrowing a bit of life qi!”
Instantly, the vast life qi of the divine wood warship was mobilised by him, surging into that Feng clan Great Saint’s body like thousands of streams.
With the support of this continuous flow of life qi, that Feng clan Great Saint successfully endured.
Moments later, the Yin Shang corpse poison in his body was completely resolved. Colour returned to his face. Saint light radiated from his skin, healing the mangled flesh.
Feng Xi’s tense nerves relaxed. Though veiled, preventing sight of her peerless immortal beauty, it was evident she smiled. She said, “Many thanks to senior for your aid. The Feng clan will remember this favour!”
Saving one meant saving all.
More than twenty Great Saints represented a force in the Feng clan that could not be ignored.
The recovered Feng clan Great Saint thanked Zhang Ruochen, then bowed deeply.
Zhang Ruochen used the same method to resolve the corpse poison for the other Feng clan Great Saints one by one.
Time passed quietly. The divine wood warship had already left the previous star region, speeding rapidly towards the starry defence line.
Without the old yellow ox causing trouble, and with the Feng clan Great Saints freed from corpse poison, everyone rejoiced. The atmosphere became harmonious and joyful. Even the usually aloof Feng Xi drank several cups of demon clan divine brew at the banquet.
After several rounds of drinks, Zhang Ruochen voiced his inner doubt, saying, “The phoenix clan is a top-tier great clan in the Demon God Realm, with ancient inheritance and countless powerhouses. Why did Mr Feng Qi take a master under Yu God King?”
Feng Qi smiled and said, “Though of the phoenix clan, not every phoenix is born noble or receives the best nurturing. Especially one like this god with impure bloodline. In my youth, I was not highly regarded in the clan and could only strive on my own, killing enemies on the merit battlefield to seize cultivation resources.”
“Fortunately, by chance on the merit battlefield, I gained the appreciation of Yu God King and became his disciple. Otherwise, relying solely on myself, stepping into the Divine Realm would have been far from easy.”
“Friend Yellow Ox’s Taoist arts are profound. From which master did you inherit them?”
The gazes of Lord Jiaoyu, the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox, and Feng Xi all turned towards him.
Zhang Ruochen did not answer directly, saying, “Speaking of it, this poor Taoist’s cultivation has great connection to the Tianchu Civilisation.”
Everyone understood tacitly.
After all, there were only a few sacred grounds of Taoist cultivation in the world.
A figure reaching the level of Yellow Ox Taoist must have ties to one of these sacred grounds. Originating from the Tianchu Civilisation was quite normal.
Since the other party did not wish to continue, clearly there were inconveniences, they naturally refrained from pressing.
Lord Jiaoyu laughed heartily, “This lord is also heading to the Tianchu Civilisation this time, representing the Demon God Realm to invite the fire seed. To think we travel together. What a coincidence!”
After the drinks, led by demon clan cultivators, Zhang Ruochen and the Feng clan cultivators settled into cultivation cave mansions on the divine wood warship.
The divine wood warship was vast, with countless cave mansions.
In the grand hall, only Lord Jiaoyu, Feng Qi, and the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox remained.
Lord Jiaoyu activated the hall’s arrays. The smile on his face vanished as he said, “What exactly is the background of this Yellow Ox Taoist? Have you seen any clues?”
Feng Qi’s expression darkened as he said, “His Taoist arts are profound. He must hail from the Taoist lineage. He said his cultivation is connected to the Tianchu Civilisation, but this seat has spent many years there and never heard of such a figure. He did not speak the truth!”
The Nine-Tailed Heart Fox sat in a chair, crossing her snow-white jade legs. The skin of her thighs was as delicate and smooth as egg white. She said, “From his appearance, he should not know Feng Xi previously, so not from the Feng clan! Then there is only one possibility. He is a hidden cultivator from the Five Elements Temple.”
Lord Jiaoyu’s eyes turned fierce as he said, “Is it possible he comes from the Kunlun Realm? The Taiji Taoism of the Kunlun Realm was once at its peak and cannot be underestimated.”
Feng Qi said, “One hundred thousand years ago, the Kunlun Realm was known as the foremost of ten thousand realms, with experts as numerous as clouds. Even now, it lingers without perishing, occasionally producing an ancient god. The god lord’s guess has some possibility.”
“But this seat believes there is another possibility.”
“This Yellow Ox Taoist is actually a god of the Feng clan.”
Hearing this, the expressions of Lord Jiaoyu and the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox both froze.
The grand hall fell silent for a long while.
The Nine-Tailed Heart Fox’s slender fingers stroked her alluring cheek as she said, “If this is the possibility, does it not mean they already know we are controlling those corpse clan armies? Deliberately putting on a show.”
Chill light flickered in Lord Jiaoyu’s pupils as he said, “If so, we cannot let them reach the starry defence line alive.”
Feng Qi’s expression changed in shock. Looking at Lord Jiaoyu, he said, “We are already not far from the starry defence line. To silently kill two gods, even a great god of the Taiyi Realm might not succeed.”
The Nine-Tailed Heart Fox asked, “Feng Xi is merely a lower god. With Lord Feng Qi’s and the god lord’s cultivation, killing her is not difficult. But that Yellow Ox Taoist gives me a feeling of unfathomable depth. As a Truth Emissary, god lord, can you discern his cultivation level?”
Lord Jiaoyu said, “The strangeness lies here. Even with the Path of Truth, this lord cannot see through him. There are only two possibilities. Either his cultivation is terrifyingly high, or he carries a supreme treasure that conceals his cultivation.”
“The latter is more likely.”
“If he were truly a formidable great god powerhouse and knew we control those corpse clans, he would likely suppress us directly. Why cooperate with Feng Xi in acting?”
Feng Qi said, “In any case, this Yellow Ox Taoist is no simple figure. We cannot act rashly. Just look at his mount. If not for great backing, how dare a Semi-Divine little demon show such disrespect to a demon clan god lord?”
The Nine-Tailed Heart Fox nodded deeply in agreement, saying, “That yellow ox indeed acts with fearless confidence, carrying an aura unafraid of anything in the world. Without a great power backing it, impossible. In my view, they should truly be from the Five Elements Temple.”
“This makes things difficult!” Lord Jiaoyu said.
The Nine-Tailed Heart Fox said, “Now we can only hope the matter has not been exposed. The reason Yellow Ox Taoist expended great effort to save those Feng clan Great Saints was merely to curry favour with Feng Xi and befriend the Feng clan.”
Most gods would not care about the life or death of Great Saints.
Their earlier attempts to resolve the poison for the Feng clan Great Saints were actually because Feng Xi was present.
“Why not let me probe him?” The Nine-Tailed Heart Fox’s enchanting eyes gleamed like silk, her jade fingers tracing along her leg.
Feng Qi snorted coldly, “Your seductive arts work on ordinary gods. But what kind of figure is he? A Taoist expert with a heart like still water. Probing like that would not only yield nothing, but arouse his suspicion. Better this seat goes!”
…
In the cave mansion, Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged. Invisible Taiji light rings returned from heaven and earth into his body, entering the profound embryo.
Every word spoken by Lord Jiaoyu, Feng Qi, and the Nine-Tailed Heart Fox in the grand hall earlier had been fully perceived by him.
This was the Boundless Divine Way!
Boundless, present everywhere.
At least the arrays set by Lord Jiaoyu could not block Zhang Ruochen’s perception, nor detect his spying through space. A Truth Emissary, so what?
In Zhang Ruochen’s eyes, a Truth Emissary was just that.
Unless the opponent was a great god!
“Indeed, neither Heavenly Court nor hell lacks such self-serving individuals. No matter the situation, they only think of secretly seizing benefits.”
A knot of frustration filled Zhang Ruochen’s heart. Gods who pitied all beings under heaven were truly few.
The destruction of a realm, what did it matter to gods? Gods traversed the starry sky, free in heaven and earth.
Moreover, it was not even their own native realm being destroyed.
Outside the cave mansion, a voice as pleasant as wind chimes rang out, “This junior Feng Xi comes to pay respects to senior Yellow Ox.”
“Why has she come?” Zhang Ruochen wondered inwardly.
The cave mansion doors opened.
A strand of divine qi flew out from the cave mansion, condensing into an avatar at the entrance.
Feng Xi held a jade box in her hands, saying, “This junior comes specifically to thank senior.”
“Have you not already thanked me?” Zhang Ruochen said.
“This junior has prepared a thank-you gift. Please, senior must accept it. However, this gift is rather special and can only be opened after entering the cave mansion.”
Feng Xi looked towards the cave mansion behind Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen had some understanding in his heart. He invited Feng Xi into the cave mansion, then activated the arrays.
