“You mustn’t do that!”
Zhang Ruochen stopped Luo Jinshu and said, “What do gods value most? Dignity! The divine realm world is a god’s privacy. Even a god venerable would not forcibly investigate it without sufficient evidence. How is that different from stripping someone of their undergarments?”
“Fellow daoist’s analogy…” Luo Jinshu smiled awkwardly.
Zhang Ruochen appeared indifferent and said, “The Tianchu Civilization still relies on gods from all realms. If God King Yu were to forcibly investigate the divine realm worlds of the Feng clan and the gods of the Qianxing Civilization, yet fail to find the Heavenly God Priest, it would undoubtedly cause strong dissatisfaction, and might even lead to internal strife.”
“This matter could indeed be big or small. We cannot act rashly.”
Luo Jinshu had clearly taken Zhang Ruochen’s words to heart.
Zhang Ruochen continued, “We should still report it to God King Yu. I believe he will have his own way of handling it. But why did the Heavenly God Priest not retreat with the Death Clan monarch, instead choosing to take great risks to remain in the Tianchu Civilization? That is worth pondering deeply!”
Luo Jinshu said, “He must want to destroy the boundary protection grand array. It is also possible that he has not given up and still intends to cut down the Divine Chun Tree again.”
“Why not test it?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Luo Jinshu understood Zhang Ruochen’s intention and nodded lightly.
Returning beneath the Divine Chun Tree, Luo Jinshu put away the cyan divine blade that God of War Qingkong had struck across the world barrier. Then, together with Zhang Ruochen, he hurried to Doushuai City.
After flying out of the sea domain forbidden zone, Luo Jinshu glanced back, his expression growing heavier. He said, “No anomalies! It seems the Heavenly God Priest is not hiding in the sea area where the Divine Chun Tree is located. Fellow daoist’s guess is very likely correct. He is concealed in the divine realm world of one of the previous gods.”
“If there truly is a traitor, once I find them out, I will tear them into ten thousand pieces.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Is Fellow Daoist Luo not returning?”
“No need to return!”
Luo Jinshu said, “Earlier, when I said I would stay to guard the Divine Chun Tree, it was only because I did not want to go back and compete with them for that fire seed quota. Nor did I wish to see them making all sorts of ugly displays to survive. In truth, once the situation stabilises, with Father Yu’s cultivation, even if the Divine Chun Tree comes under attack again, he can immediately activate the boundary protection grand array and suppress any invading enemies.”
“But now, since a traitor has appeared, and with the Heavenly God Priest lurking in secret, I must return! If the fire seed of the Tianchu Civilization falls into a traitor’s hands, would that not cut off our inheritance entirely?”
As he spoke these words, Luo Jinshu could not help but redden his eyes, his gaze growing moist.
“I have made a fool of myself in front of fellow daoist!”
Luo Jinshu shook his head with a wry smile. “I do not know why, but upon meeting Fellow Daoist Yellow Ox, I feel an instant kinship, and all my heartfelt words pour out. I only regret not having met you sooner!”
“It is not too late now!” Zhang Ruochen said.
The two looked at each other and smiled, then soared away.
They had not flown far when Zhang Ruochen stopped and said, “Fellow Daoist Luo, go ahead to Doushuai City. This poor daoist has lost his mount and must retrieve it first.”
“Very well! Once fellow daoist recovers your mount, you must come to Doushuai City as a guest.” Luo Jinshu said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Rest assured, this poor daoist will certainly pay a visit to your residence.”
Before departing, Luo Jinshu gave Zhang Ruochen a token.
Watching Luo Jinshu disappear into the horizon, Zhang Ruochen then flew in another direction. Not long after, he appeared before Old Yellow Ox.
Earlier, Zhang Ruochen had not suddenly thought of Old Yellow Ox. Rather, when passing over this sea area, he had sensed its aura.
Old Yellow Ox stood on the sea surface, its huge ox eyes filled with displeasure. It complained resentfully, “You abandoned me!”
Zhang Ruochen stared intently at the crystal crown worn on Old Yellow Ox’s head and said gravely, “Where did this crown come from?”
“You still have not explained why you left me behind and went off alone? Do you know that we have always been together? This is the first time we have been separated.” Old Yellow Ox was very unhappy.
Zhang Ruochen had no patience at that moment. He walked over, picked up the crystal crown, grasped one of its horns with his palm, and said, “If you do not tell me, I will search your soul!”
This was Luo Yi’s crystal crown. How had it appeared in the Tianchu Civilization?
How had it ended up on Old Yellow Ox’s head?
Old Yellow Ox saw that Zhang Ruochen was truly on the verge of anger. Suppressing his own dissatisfaction, he said, “True God Chi Yao gave the crown to me. She said she is waiting for you at the Divine Maiden Tower.”
Old Yellow Ox was about to say more, but discovered that its entire head had been frozen. Then, Zhang Ruochen forcibly mounted it, enveloped it with mental power, and flew towards Doushuai City.
…
The Twelve Booths of the Divine Maiden, the One Hundred and Eightieth Tower.
There was also one in the Tianchu Civilization, located in Doushuai City.
With the token given by Luo Jinshu, Zhang Ruochen passed unimpeded through array after array. He had no mood to admire the scenery of this ancient dao city and headed straight for the Divine Maiden Tower.
The current Doushuai City, though gathering powerhouses from various worlds, had no one in the mood to visit a place like the Divine Maiden Tower for pleasure.
The Divine Maiden Tower, built in the central district of Doushuai City, remained grand and magnificent, resplendent in gold and jade, with spiritual lamps hung high. Yet it was very quiet, its gates tightly closed.
Large numbers of cultivators had long since withdrawn.
After Zhang Ruochen knocked on the gate and revealed his identity, he met the tower master.
The master of this Divine Maiden Tower was an extremely beautiful great saint of the elf clan. Upon seeing Zhang Ruochen, she immediately knelt on one knee and said respectfully, “Greetings, Realm Venerable!”
Zhang Ruochen was slightly surprised and said, “How is it you?”
This elf clan great saint, named Yiman, was someone Zhang Ruochen had seen in Xinghuantian.
Yiman said, “It was Madam Realm Venerable who sent me to assist you.”
Zhang Ruochen naturally knew who she meant by Madam Realm Venerable. It was not difficult for Bai Qing’er to guess that he would come to the Tianchu Civilization. But why did Bai Qing’er think that sending a great saint could help him?
Zhang Ruochen did not dwell on it further. He was about to ask if she had seen Chi Yao when he first sensed Chi Yao’s aura in the northeast direction of the Divine Maiden Tower.
The Divine Maiden Tower was filled with numerous arrays and densely covered in divine inscriptions. It was indeed a good place to hide.
Yiman probably had no idea that a god had quietly infiltrated the Divine Maiden Tower and was concealed in one of the palaces.
Fengxiao Palace covered several thousand acres, planted full of red-leaved phoenix trees, with red walls and glazed tiles. There were zither platforms, painting pavilions, palace halls, and cloud bridges everywhere. The environment was elegant, but unfortunately, it lacked the former bustle. In the quietude, there was a desolation of faded prosperity.
This was a small reflection of the impact of the war’s outbreak on the Tianchu Civilization.
Chi Yao sat by the lakeside at the edge of a zither platform, dressed in white with black hair, her immortal-like beauty fluttering in the wind. The blood sword leaned against a pillar, her ten fingers playing the yao zither.
The zither music was sometimes gentle and melodious, lingering and poignant.
Sometimes it was filled with murderous intent, like thunder rising from flat ground.
Zhang Ruochen walked behind her. Her ten fingers pressed the strings, and the zither music stopped abruptly, harsh as a knife scraping iron.
“Is she still alive?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
The strings vibrated, gradually falling still.
Chi Yao gazed at the pale green duckweed on the lake and said, “I thought the first thing you would say was, let her go! In your eyes, am I really so ruthless and cruel?”
“Let her go” and “Is she still alive” clearly carried different implications.
It was only because Zhang Ruochen understood Chi Yao too well. She was decisive in her actions. As long as someone was an enemy, she would never show mercy.
To her, Luo Yi was far more than just an enemy.
Zhang Ruochen said, “You know that this is the situation I least wanted to see.”
Chi Yao said, “So you blame me? When the Hell Realm invaded the Tianchu Civilization’s great world, I came to help and captured a god from the Luocha clan. Where did I go wrong?”
“Let her go!” Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Yao stood up, facing Zhang Ruochen directly. Her black-and-white eyes held an aggressive intensity. She said, “Are you begging me?”
Zhang Ruochen tried to control his emotions and said, “So, you insist that I beg you before you will release her?”
“No! What I fear most is you begging me.”
Chi Yao said, “In truth, she should have died. Any Hell Realm god who falls into my hands can only end with their soul scattered and spirit extinguished. But precisely because of you, I hesitated!”
“Then let her go.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Yao shook her head and said, “Before you arrived, I thought for a long time, but I could not think of a single reason that would allow me to release her.”
Zhang Ruochen knew this was asking too much and could see the struggle in Chi Yao’s heart.
Chi Yao said, “But later, I thought of one reason that could let her return to the Hell Realm.”
“What reason?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Chi Yao said, “Exchange her for Uncle Ling.”
Uncle Ling was naturally Emperor Ming, Zhang Ling.
Zhang Ruochen fell silent. Chi Yao had given him an unsolvable dilemma.
On one side was affection and righteousness, on the other was filial piety.
Chi Yao said, “Uncle Ling is imprisoned in the Temple of Destiny and must be suffering greatly. Do you not wish for him to escape his hardship soon?”
“The Temple of Destiny will not compromise.”
“Luo Yan will compromise! As long as Luo Yan compromises, he can certainly bring Uncle Ling out from the Temple of Destiny.”
“No!”
Chi Yao said, “What did you say?”
“I said no!”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze sharpened, his eyes like two sharp swords meeting Chi Yao’s. He said, “Luo Yi is my fiancée. All cultivators in Heaven and Hell know this. She has helped me many times, and I have always kept it in my heart. I have feelings for her. I will not use her as a bargaining chip to achieve any goal.”
“I will certainly rescue Father Emperor and do everything in my power, but not in this way.”
“If today I sacrifice Luo Yi and trample on her affection, are you not afraid that one day in the future, I might discard you like worn-out shoes?”
With each sentence, Zhang Ruochen took a step forward.
When he spoke the last sentence, he was close to Chi Yao, forcing her to step back.
This was the first time Chi Yao had retreated when facing him directly.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Tell me, what do I need to do for you to release her?”
“No need!”
Chi Yao closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling gently. Then, alone, she walked down from the zither platform, stepping on the fallen phoenix leaves, and disappeared into the corridor.
A low, resonant tiger roar sounded over the lake.
Layers of mental power barriers unfolded, revealing the figures of the Funeral Gold White Tiger and Luo Yi.
One person and one tiger stood on the water’s surface.
