Night Rain Sea is an ocean formed from piled-up corpses. It is said to be eight hundred li across, but even using the divine eye one cannot see its boundary. Clearly, profound divine runes have been arranged here, the work of an immeasurable realm god.
The corpse sea is thick with yin qi, shrouded in perpetual darkness, with no daylight ever appearing.
Led by Ailian Jun, Zhang Ruochen ascends a staircase condensed from mist and arrives at a divine hall suspended in mid-air. The space around the hall is distorted, forming its own independent world. Divine lamps hang from the beams and pillars, the palace buildings appear and vanish faintly, mysterious and unfathomable.
It is said that Jade Spirit God’s cultivation has reached the Taixu realm. She is an existence standing at the peak of the great god level.
In front of such a being, Zhang Ruochen naturally would not act too rashly.
After waiting quietly for a moment, a circular space gate suddenly appears in front of the divine hall.
Ailian Jun makes a gesture of invitation and smiles. “Boundary Venerable, please. My master has a cold personality and has always ignored worldly affairs, so she may seem somewhat neglectful. If the Origin Divine Hall had not appeared a thousand years ago, and if I had not awakened her from her slumber in the Ancestral Realm, she would not have come to sit guard over Hundred Clans Royal City these years.”
Zhang Ruochen nods lightly and steps through the space gate.
Moments later, his vision brightens. He arrives in a vast and empty palace hall. The ceiling is a hundred zhang above the ground, resembling a stretch of cyan sky. Before him are all kinds of epoch-level rare flowers and strange plants, as though he has entered a sacred herb forest.
Any other god coming here would surely feel greedy and excited.
The epoch-level rare flowers and plants here all have extremely high ages. Even gods would gain great benefits from consuming them, improving cultivation and extending lifespan.
“Zhang Ruochen, this seat knows of you. You are that spacetime successor who provoked Qing Tian to personally act and cripple your cultivation, the successor of Xumi.” A melodious voice suddenly echoes through the hall.
The speaker’s true form cannot be seen.
Zhang Ruochen follows a small path paved with divine stones, walking toward the sound of flowing water. He says, “Senior’s attainments in space are also extraordinary.”
“If you live to four hundred thousand years old, then you too can dabble in all the paths of the world and reach very high levels. Why have you come to see me?” the voice asks.
Zhang Ruochen passes through the epoch sacred herb garden and finally sees Jade Spirit God.
She sits cross-legged. The surroundings are ancient and elegant, with refined decorations. Her cyan long hair spreads across the ground like a blooming cyan lotus.
With just a blink of Zhang Ruochen’s eyes, all the scenery in the hall vanishes. Only Jade Spirit God remains, floating above an empty ground in the void. Beyond that, everything is pitch-black and hollow.
Zhang Ruochen knows she is using her Dao to intimidate him. Taixu realm is indeed, for him at present, a level that can be admired but not yet reached.
Even Xue Jue and Huang Tian each spent more than a hundred thousand years before achieving Taixu.
Zhang Ruochen steadies his mind. His aura changes, becoming upright and outstanding. He says, “I wonder if Jade Spirit God can speak for the Yasha Clan?”
Jade Spirit God has her back to Zhang Ruochen. “I am neither Boundary Venerable nor clan leader, but both the Boundary Venerable and the clan leader listen to my words.”
“Then that is good!”
Zhang Ruochen says, “This Boundary Venerable has come to cooperate with the Yasha Clan.”
“Cooperate on what?”
“Finding Sword Realm.”
Jade Spirit God says, “Sword Realm is vague and illusory, existing only in ancient times. Boundary Venerable Ruochen is the most outstanding figure of this epoch, yet you actually believe it exists?”
Zhang Ruochen continues speaking calmly. “In Jiannan Realm, I obtained the Sword Ancestor’s inheritance. I am the person with the greatest hope of finding Sword Realm. The Yasha Clan has vast power and unmatched understanding of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain. If we join hands, as long as Sword Realm is not merely an empty legend, we will certainly find it.”
Jade Spirit God is silent for a moment, then says, “It is said that in First Divine Daughter City, you relied on Sword Ancestor’s seven soul swords and advanced to within ten zhang of Famous Sword God?”
This matter is not some great secret. Zhang Ruochen answers frankly, “The seven soul swords were indeed inherited from Sword Ancestor, but how could such powerful force be wielded at will?”
Jade Spirit God believes these words.
So does nearly everyone in the world.
Jade Spirit God says, “Boundary Venerable Ruochen should know that Blood Radiance Divine Lord and Mopo Sha have already come, yet this god politely refused them. Why do you think the Yasha Clan would cooperate with you?”
Zhang Ruochen smiles. “The Undying Blood Clan is immensely powerful. If the Yasha Clan cooperates with them, you will only become pawns to be used. Even if Sword Realm is found, the Yasha Clan would gain nothing and might even invite disaster.”
“But cooperating with Xinghuan Heaven is equal. Neither the Yasha Clan nor Xinghuan Heaven can monopolise Sword Realm alone. Both sides must join forces to hold it. That is the first reason!”
“Second, the war between Heaven Court and Hell Realm has already lasted a hundred years. Hundred Clans Royal City’s position is as sensitive as Xinghuan Heaven’s. Sooner or later it will be uprooted by either Heaven Court or Hell Realm. Xinghuan Heaven has already suffered calamity. How much longer can Hundred Clans Royal City remain peaceful?”
“This time the Dark Divine Hall intervened on a large scale and bypassed the Yasha Clan, Demon Wolf Clan, and Fire Ghost Clan, mobilising more than ten minor clans’ cultivators to explore the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain. That is clearly a signal.”
“If Hundred Clans Royal City cannot unite, when Hell Realm truly acts, you will quickly fracture and be defeated one by one.”
“But this time, if we give the Dark Divine Hall a heavy blow, they will instead become wary and hesitate to act lightly against Hundred Clans Royal City.”
“I know you dare not openly oppose the Dark Divine Hall, but I do.”
“So this cooperation is not only about finding Sword Realm, but also about dealing with the Dark Divine Hall together. Our interests are the same!”
The Yasha Clan already harbours extreme dissatisfaction toward the Dark Divine Hall and has long wanted to borrow someone’s hand to teach them a lesson.
Hearing Zhang Ruochen speak this way, Jade Spirit God only pretends to hesitate for a moment before saying, “Do you know the Dark Divine Hall has sent at least three great gods? Li Xiao is merely the weakest among them.”
Zhang Ruochen says, “Although my soul swords cannot be wielded at will, at critical moments they can still slay gods. Moreover, if I could confront the Dark Divine Hall alone, why would I come to ally with the Yasha Clan?”
Jade Spirit God asks, “Very well, you have courage. This point is quite similar to Xue Jue. Speak then, what are your plans?”
Zhang Ruochen says, “Enter the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain, first destroy the Dark Divine Hall, then search for Sword Realm. The Yasha Clan cannot possibly have no understanding of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain. You should know the best places to set traps. I will personally lure them in.”
Finally, Zhang Ruochen adds, “After success, the Dark Divine Sword goes to the Yasha Clan. The corpses and divine sources of the three great gods belong to me. I want to use them to refine war corpses.”
A divine artefact, who would not be moved?
Jade Spirit God truly cannot find a reason to refuse Zhang Ruochen. She says, “Speak then, how do you plan to lure the great gods of the Dark Divine Hall?”
After discussing various details with Jade Spirit God, Zhang Ruochen leaves the divine hall. From beginning to end, he never saw Jade Spirit God’s true appearance, but he remembered her aura.
A cold laugh suddenly echoes in the divine hall. “This boy’s spiritual power is only at the seventy-sixth rank, yet he dares dream of killing great gods. Does he not know that in our eyes, the urge to kill him far exceeds the urge to kill the Dark Divine Hall’s great gods?”
“Do not speak carelessly. If the person in that carriage truly is extraordinary, do you think the divine runes and formations of Night Rain Sea could completely conceal themselves from his perception?” Jade Spirit God says.
That voice speaks again. “If the one in the carriage really were that level of existence, why would Zhang Ruochen still come to ally with us? In my view, Zhang Ruochen is merely laying a smokescreen.”
Jade Spirit God says, “A being of that level, even if physically in the carriage, might have their divine soul elsewhere in the world. Consider this: Zhang Ruochen’s spiritual power is only at the seventy-sixth rank. On what basis does he have the confidence to hunt the Dark Divine Hall’s great gods? Moreover, would he not know that we also covet the divine artefact on him?”
“Without a great figure sitting in guard beside him, doing this would be dancing on a knife’s edge, courting death!”
“A being of that calibre would not involve themselves in conflicts at this level. Very likely, they are using this to temper Zhang Ruochen.”
The hidden figure falls silent. After pondering Jade Spirit God’s words for a long time, he finally says, “Zhang Ruochen and the Dark Divine Hall indeed have a blood feud as deep as the sea. His determination to deal with the Dark Divine Hall is certainly genuine. On this point, there is no fear he is playing tricks.”
After leaving the divine hall, Zhang Ruochen gives Ailian Jun, who is waiting outside, a wry smile. “Your master truly is cold to the extreme. I hoped to catch a glimpse of her beauty, yet I was not granted the chance. Does she treat you the same way?”
What a romantic sword god, daring to covet a Taixu ancient god.
Ailian Jun knows Jade Spirit God can surely hear their conversation. Her heart races. With a bitter smile she says, “Boundary Venerable, this junior absolutely dares not accept such words. Come, my clan has prepared a divine banquet. Fine delicacies, fine wine, and beauties are all present.”
Zhang Ruochen shows little interest. “No matter how beautiful the women, how can they compare to a single glimpse of Jade Spirit God’s back view?”
Ailian Jun draws in a sharp breath, smiles nervously in appeasement, truly not daring to reply anymore!
After the divine banquet, the Yasha Clan offers one of their saintesses to Zhang Ruochen. Zhang Ruochen claims he remains infatuated with Jade Spirit God’s back view and cannot extricate himself, so he refuses their kindness.
When preparing to leave, Ailian Jun says, “I heard Boundary Venerable Ruochen shares a deep friendship with the Ice Emperor’s son?”
“We once shared hardship and peril,” Zhang Ruochen says.
“Excellent!”
Ailian Jun breathes a sigh of relief, bows deeply to Zhang Ruochen, and says, “I beg Boundary Venerable to step forward and ask him what demands he has. The Yasha Clan will do our utmost to satisfy them.”
Zhang Ruochen asks in confusion, “How did the Yasha Clan offend him? His temper is extremely strange. Moreover, as the Ice Emperor’s only son, he has become increasingly arrogant lately. Even I must be somewhat wary of him.”
Ailian Jun nods in deep agreement. “His temper is indeed strange and unpredictable. But the Yasha Clan has never offended him. On the contrary, after he arrived, we received him with the etiquette due a great god.”
Zhang Ruochen says, “Since that is the case, why does Brother Ailian look so worried, treating him like a plague god? Where is he now?”
“Young Master Tu Tian stayed in Night Rain Sea for a few days, then went to the Ancestral Realm. He said… he said he wanted to inspect the Yasha Clan,” Ailian Jun replies.
Zhang Ruochen says angrily, “Arrogant! What a Slaughter Heaven Kill Earth Sovereign, relying on his father’s prestige to run wild. Inspecting the Yasha Clan? What does he think he is? The master of the Yasha Clan? Sigh, who can blame the Ice Emperor for spoiling him? This is the Ice Emperor’s only son. Though I have Heavenly Matriarch supporting me from behind, I am merely a divine envoy. I cannot compare to such a blood-relative relationship.”
