It was my carelessness. This boy even possesses a God King Talisman. How could he possibly lack a talisman for escaping and fleeing? That one from Xinghuan Heaven has spiritual power reaching the ninetieth rank.
Feng Yun Ba used his divine sense to probe the chaotic ruined heaven and earth but found nothing. A slight regret rose in his heart.
If he had known he should have directly activated the Pure Yang Divine Sword and slain him with one strike.
Now the tiger had been released back into the mountains. There would surely be endless trouble in the future.
Zhang Ruochen looked toward the tall figure standing like a mountain at the bow of the ship. There were no myriad rays of divine light only an overwhelming domineering aura radiating from within giving an invisible pressure that made breathing difficult.
Feng Yun Ba’s armour was ancient yet bright. A dragon-head heart-protecting shield was cast on his chest. He turned and looked toward Zhang Ruochen.
Feng Xuan quickly stepped forward and conveyed something to Feng Yun Ba through divine sense.
After a long while Feng Yun Ba nodded. The imposing aura around him eased slightly. He said “I have long known about this matter! Since Daoist Qingping is a true god of our Daoist sect and has shown kindness to the Feng Clan you are naturally an honoured guest.”
Zhang Ruochen said “Feng Clan Fourth Master is indeed majestic and unparalleled truly worthy of being called the number one war god of the Daoist sect. However this poor Daoist has one thing to say. I wonder if it should be spoken.”
Feng Yun Ba knew the Daoist before him was also someone who hated evil as his personal enemy. In the Tianchu civilisation he had done several shocking things that shook Heaven Court. He quite admired this person’s character.
He said “Before Feng someone speak freely Daoist friend.”
Zhang Ruochen said “Earlier this poor Daoist saw from afar Fourth Master using peerless sword light intending to slay Zhang Ruochen. But does Fourth Master know that before departing the Supreme Elder instructed this poor Daoist to be sure to spare his life and capture him alive to bring back to Kunlun Realm?”
For someone like Feng Yun Ba he only respected those of high moral character. Mere powerful cultivation might not enter his eyes.
Hearing Zhang Ruochen mention that Supreme One from Kunlun Realm Feng Yun Ba’s gaze became deep and restrained. He said “The Supreme believes he can still turn back from the wrong path?”
“The Supreme does this actually because of Zhang Ruochen’s father. He feels guilt in his heart and wishes to preserve his life.” Feng Xuan said with a sigh.
Zhang Ruochen said “Zhang Ruochen is ultimately young. He was bewitched by gods of Hell Realm tempted by demonesses of the Rakshasa Clan Undying Blood Clan and Nether Clan. It is inevitable he went astray. But the Supreme is a being of great wisdom. He may yet be able to guide him back onto the upright great path.”
Facing someone like Feng Yun Ba Zhang Ruochen truly had no other way. He could only bring out the Supreme.
If he deliberately tried to explain it would only provoke displeasure and even arouse Feng Yun Ba’s suspicion. Better to self-deprecate instead.
Feng Yun Ba said “Logically speaking since Zhang Ruochen was born in Kunlun Realm even if it comes to purging a traitor it should not fall to this seat to act. Very well. If we encounter him again this seat will capture him alive and send him to Kunlun Realm to be dealt with by the Supreme Elder.”
Zhang Ruochen cupped his fists. “Many thanks to Fourth Master for your understanding.”
“No need for politeness Daoist friend. We Daoist cultivators address each other as Dao friends. The title Fourth Master is merely something the world gives the Feng Clan face with.”
Feng Yun Ba was full of heroic spirit and personally led Zhang Ruochen into an ancient hall on the third level of the Rising Wind Divine Ship.
The three-thousand-li-long bronze ship was astonishingly vast practically a small world.
The difference was that those who could board this divine ship were at least saints. Each wore saint armour held long spears and carried an iron-blooded cold sternness.
There were no serving maidens no banquets.
Even though various flowers and plants grew on the divine ship they were all healing sacred herbs.
Along the way Zhang Ruochen noticed countless arrays on the divine ship. Some forbidden zones were inscribed with extremely profound divine runes. The atmosphere was quite heavy almost like an iron-blooded military camp.
Entering the ancient hall the gods of the Feng Clan along with some supreme realm great saints had already gathered inside.
Zhang Ruochen saw Feng Xi. The two exchanged glances and nodded to each other.
“Mr Mo how far is this place from the outside?” Feng Yun Ba asked.
A white-robed elder sat beneath a bronze pillar. A wine gourd hung at his waist. His head resembled a peach enormous forehead with his face and chin rapidly contracting.
The peach-head elder stroked his sparse beard. He said “Roughly five hundred thousand steps!”
Feng Yun Ba said “A star domain spatial transmission array can be arranged here!”
The peach-head elder stood up. The wine gourd swayed at his waist. He said “All spiritual power cultivators follow this old man.”
Four cultivators in succession followed him out of the ancient hall.
Zhang Ruochen knew very well that arranging a star domain spatial transmission array spanning five hundred thousand steps was not something an ordinary array master could achieve. It would also take considerable time.
That peach-head elder must be an extraordinary spiritual power powerhouse.
Feng Yun Ba ordered again “Bring up the Boundary Venerable of the Yasha Clan’s ancestral realm.”
Zhang Ruochen’s heart sank slightly. Even the ancestral realm Boundary Venerable had been captured. Little Black and Xue Tu were probably in grave danger.
Soon the ancestral realm Boundary Venerable imprisoned in a divine wind cage was brought into the hall by a Feng Clan divine general.
Feng Yun Ba stood at the top of eighteen steps looking down. He said “Hand over the star map of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain!”
The ancestral realm Boundary Venerable said “Fourth Master Feng your words are hard to understand! What star map is there in the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain?”
Feng Xuan said “Without a star map how could you arrange a Heaven Collapse Divine Array five hundred thousand steps from the outside? Your Yasha Clan must have been exploring the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain for a very long time right? If Boundary Venerable does not speak we can only blindly advance in the darkness. If we get lost we all die together.”
The ancestral realm Boundary Venerable sighed. “The Yasha Clan does indeed have some understanding of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain. But our path may very well be wrong. We have explored three million steps along this current route yet found nothing.”
The Feng Clan gods did not know whether the ancestral realm Boundary Venerable’s words were true or false but they were still shocked.
Three million steps even if the Rising Wind Divine Ship advanced at full speed it would take a full year to reach.
In this endless darkness there were too many variables. Who dared venture so far?
Feng Yun Ba said “It is said that in ancient times the Yasha Clan was originally one of the clans of Sword Realm.”
The ancestral realm Boundary Venerable gave a bitter smile. “Merely legend! The ancient era is too distant so distant that everything that happened back then feels unreal.”
“Your Yasha Clan has invested countless manpower and resources continuously exploring along this path. This seat believes there must be some unknown reason. Boundary Venerable from now on you will lead the way. Three million steps then we will first walk these three million steps.” Feng Yun Ba said.
The ancestral realm Boundary Venerable’s face tightened but he knew there was no other choice. He could only nod.
Feng Yun Ba waved his hand. The cage that had confined the ancestral realm Boundary Venerable turned into a clear breeze and dispersed. He said “Since Boundary Venerable is willing to cooperate you are a guest of the Feng Clan. Xi’er take good care of our guest.”
Though the cage vanished the ancestral realm Boundary Venerable found he could not mobilise his divine qi or spiritual power at all. His heart trembled inwardly. The gap between Taiyi realm and Taixu realm was indeed too great.
Feng Yun Ba’s gaze fell on Zhang Ruochen lingering on the Qingping Sword carried on his back. He said “Two hundred thousand years ago this seat had some dealings with Shangqing. Yet I never heard that he had a disciple like Daoist friend Qingping Zi?”
Zhang Ruochen said “In truth my master only taught me for three years before disappearing! The next time I heard news of him was when he had already perished.”
“Was it truly Biluo Zi who killed him?” Feng Yun Ba asked.
Zhang Ruochen remained silent.
Feng Yun Ba said frankly “This seat was presumptuous. Daoist friend please do not take offence! It is only because this seat knows Shangqing was a righteous sword dao true god of the Daoist sect while Senior Biluo Zi was a remarkable figure of his generation. When Shangqing perished it shook the entire Daoist sect. Yet he did not die at the hands of Hell Realm but fell in Kunlun Realm. It is truly baffling.”
Zhang Ruochen said “This poor Daoist is also puzzled by this matter.”
A Feng Clan upper god in cyan Daoist robes said “The world says Senior Shangqing once went to Sword Realm and broke through to the immeasurable realm there. Since Daoist friend Qingping Zi has appeared here do you know some hidden secrets?”
Feng Xuan stood up and said coldly “Feng Xu Daoist friend Qingping Zi is an honoured guest of the Feng Clan and a senior I respect. Your words are somewhat rude!”
Feng Xi also showed displeasure. “The Feng Clan treats guests with sincerity not by forcing them away.”
Zhang Ruochen said “Daoist friend Xuan and Daoist friend Xi need not blame him. It is normal for him to have such doubts. In truth this poor Daoist does not know whether my master’s breakthrough to the immeasurable realm is related to Sword Realm but it cannot be ruled out.”
“It is precisely because of this possibility that this poor Daoist must come to the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain to seek answers. At the same time it is to find the truth behind my master’s fall and clear his name. Farewell!”
As Zhang Ruochen had just stepped out of the ancient hall Feng Xi chased after him.
“Daoist friend please wait!”
She blocked his path. A faint fragrant breeze drifted over.
Today Feng Xi wore a Daoist robe very plain and elegant giving a pure holy and transcendent feeling.
She said “Where is Daoist friend going?”
Zhang Ruochen walked step by step to the yellow ox at the edge of the plaza untied the rope and said “Meeting by chance is fate but everyone is merely a passer-by. In the end each must walk their own path.”
Zhang Ruochen was no longer the youth he once was. Now he could be considered to have seen countless women. He noticed the change in Feng Xi but had no intention of getting involved with her.
That was why he spoke these words to send her off.
Yet Feng Xi did not catch the deeper meaning. She said “Is Daoist friend so easily angered? Back in Doushuai City because of Xuanyuan Lian’s misunderstanding Daoist friend nearly turned against Xi. Today just because of Feng Xu’s rudeness you are leaving in anger? But besides Feng Xu the Feng Clan still has Feng Xi.”
She added “Seventh Uncle also greatly admires Daoist friend.”
Zhang Ruochen said “This poor Daoist and Fourth Master Feng are Dao friends. In the future please address this poor Daoist as Daoist Master Miss Xi. We differ in seniority!”
Feng Xi was perceptive and intelligent. She said “So Daoist friend is not leaving in anger because of Feng Xu but avoiding Feng Xi.”
In truth Zhang Ruochen very much wanted to say this poor Daoist is avoiding your father.
Feng Yun Ba’s cultivation was too high. His gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen felt like it could pierce through a person.
Earlier when Feng Yun Ba questioned Zhang Ruochen’s identity it had startled him quite badly. Fortunately he had encountered such scenes enough times to remain calm and composed without revealing any flaws.
How could Zhang Ruochen dare stay? If he did not leave sooner or later he would be exposed.
