Xu Tian gazed at Que with a sinister glint, then gave a chilling laugh. “Save him? This old man merely wants to see what you have come to Destiny Temple to do.”
“He has come, of course, not to destroy the Huo Ze family, but to meet Master.” Que replied.
Xu Tian deliberately tested his favoured disciple. “Then tell me, why has he come with such fanfare? With a spiritual force cultivator of flawless heavenly perfection shielding his secrets, he could have slipped in silently. Would that not spare him much trouble?”
Que said, “This disciple has heard that Zhang Ruochen met Phoenix Heaven on Ice King Star. It is also said that Phoenix Heaven wishes him to join Death Palace.”
Xu Tian asked, “Do you think he will join Death Palace?”
“Absolutely not.”
After a moment’s thought, Que added, “If he had already joined Death Palace, he would not need to risk coming to Destiny Divine Mountain. Refusing Death Palace will inevitably offend Phoenix Heaven.”
“You believe Phoenix Caiyi will kill him?” Xu Tian asked.
Que replied, “On Ice King Star, Phoenix Heaven naturally would not kill him. After all, that is Ice Emperor’s territory. Moreover, with Heavenly Grandmother and Xing Huantian’s influence, the backlash would be severe. Even Phoenix Heaven would suffer more loss than gain. She would not do something so unprofitable.”
“But if Zhang Ruochen hid his traces to reach Hell Realm, Phoenix Heaven could kill him in secret. Who would know?”
“Of course, this disciple believes Zhang Ruochen’s greater fear is Qiantian of Tiannan. Even with a flawless heavenly perfection cultivator masking his secrets, once in Hell Realm, he may not evade Qiantian, who has always watched him.”
“Thus, this disciple believes Zhang Ruochen’s brazen arrival, risking death in battle, is entirely to borrow Heavenly Grandmother’s deterrence, preventing Phoenix Heaven and Qiantian from acting. A dangerous gambit, yet effective.”
Xu Tian sneered. “You deliberately omitted this master, did you not? In truth, Zhang Ruochen’s greatest fear is arriving at Destiny Divine Mountain silently, only to be silently killed by this old man.”
“Would Master truly be so narrow-minded?” Que asked.
“Pah!”
Xu Tian glared in fury, huffing. “Narrow-minded? What use has narrow-mindedness? Because of that boy, this trip to Dark Triangle Star Domain yielded no Sword Realm, only a heap of vexing troubles. To this day, this old man has not decided whether to kill him or not.”
Que’s heart jolted. Since Xu Tian spoke thus, he clearly harboured killing intent towards Zhang Ruochen.
It made sense. A mere junior. No matter how Xu Tian cherished talent, offending him was a capital crime. Especially since that talent could not serve Destiny Temple.
If it cannot serve me, it can only be slain.
“Is that all you see?” Xu Tian asked.
Que paused slightly. “Does Master mean Zhang Ruochen has other aims?”
Xu Tian shook his head in disappointment. “Your vision remains too limited. It is my fault for focusing you solely on cultivation, lacking worldly experience and refinement.”
Que bowed humbly. “Please guide this disciple, Master.”
Xu Tian grew solemn. “Zhang Ruochen comes to Destiny Divine Mountain to meet this master. What is his purpose?”
“Naturally to explain… explain the events in Dark Triangle Star Domain, to resolve the conflict with Master.” Que said.
Xu Tian nearly yanked out a handful of beard in rage. “Purpose? Is that a purpose? This old man speaks of purpose.”
Que pondered deeply, then said at once. “To resolve the crisis in Hundred Clans King City, to avert war between Hell Realm and Xing Huantian.”
“And more?” Xu Tian pressed.
This time, Que truly could not think of it. His brows knitted tightly, silent for long.
Xu Tian sighed deeply. “In cultivation, Zhang Ruochen has strayed onto a wrong path. Yet in vision and worldly tactics, he surpasses you tenfold or more. By acting thus, is he not aiding Blood Absolute War God in breaking his crisis?”
Que frowned. “Because of Zhang Ruochen’s affairs, Blood Absolute War God appears in grave peril. Yet with many elders of the Undying Blood Race supporting him, plus recognition from many lower three clans’ forces, in truth no one can shake him.”
“This disciple believes Blood Absolute War God feigns weakness deliberately, to draw out all uncertain elements within the Undying Blood Race. He needs no aid from Zhang Ruochen to resolve his crisis.”
Xu Tian barked sternly. “Blood Absolute War God needs none. Does that mean Zhang Ruochen can do nothing?”
Que’s spirit stirred. He realised suddenly. “This disciple understands!”
Whether Blood Absolute War God needed it was one matter.
Whether Zhang Ruochen acted was quite another, of grave import.
Zhang Ruochen’s core ties in Hell Realm had always been the forces behind Blood Absolute War God in the lower three clans, including Fortune God Venerable and Tianluo Divine Kingdom.
What price had Blood Absolute War God paid for Zhang Ruochen? How many forces mobilised behind him?
If Zhang Ruochen did nothing, next crisis, even if Blood Absolute War God wished to help, those backing forces would refuse.
But if Zhang Ruochen now showed his stance, risking death to personally resolve conflict with Xu Tian at Destiny Divine Mountain, aiding Blood Absolute War God through peril.
This would surely win favour from those backing forces.
As long as he maintained that alliance, Zhang Ruochen’s ties to Hell Realm would not sever. They would never become utter enemies. To remain neutral in Hell Realm, without even one force to speak for you, how could neutrality hold?
Xu Tian smiled. “If that boy reaches Destiny Divine Mountain alive, this old man might grant him a chance to speak.”
Que knew well his master’s capricious nature. Actions followed whim. Mercy or wrath, life or death, all hinged on mood and fancy.
Formless heart, elusive void.
…
“What a powerful Heaven Dao Arrow!”
Heavenly Sound Goddess gazed into the spatial rift whence the Heaven Dao Arrow had flown. Within lay formless void, inscrutable.
In an instant, the rift closed. The archer’s traces vanished.
“Spiritual force profound, concealment exquisite.”
“Below Immeasurable realm, gods who cultivate Heaven Dao Arrow to this level number no more than three. It should be that one from Tiannan, dual cultivator of arrow dao and spiritual force.” Heavenly Sound Goddess thought inwardly.
Luo Yi worried deeply for Zhang Ruochen. Her gaze grew resolute. She conveyed her will. “Mother, Zhang Ruochen must not die!”
“Rest assured. Zhang Ruochen has Buddha Ancestor’s sarira protecting him, and has refined White Cang Blood Soil. He will not fall so easily. Hmm, this arrow actually aided his breakthrough!” Heavenly Sound Goddess’s phoenix eyes brightened with surprise and joy.
Zhang Ruochen was indeed no ordinary cultivator. The greater the peril, the stronger his potential erupted.
Falling from the old corpse ghost, wounds on Zhang Ruochen’s body healed rapidly. Dazzling spiritual force rays burst from him.
Suddenly, his eyes focused. He halted his descent.
Spatial shift. He flew atop the flame pillar. Divine qi surged from his soles, loosening one seal on the old corpse ghost’s spiritual consciousness.
After breaking through to seventy-eighth order spiritual force, Zhang Ruochen was confident he could withstand the old corpse ghost’s backlash.
From peak seventy-seventh to seventy-eighth order seemed a mere step.
Yet like Martial Dao’s Taiyi to Taibai realm, worlds apart.
Sensing crisis nearing, the sky turned pinkish illusory hue.
Spiritual force illusion attack!
Zhang Ruochen ignited the final segment of Heavenly Light Rainbow Candle, warding off Master Qianqian’s illusion.
“Roar!”
Grey death qi surged like waves from the old corpse ghost. It roared skyward. Strange patterns appeared on its brow. A heavenly eye slowly opened.
From the heavenly eye, divine light shot, striking the incoming Mu Tuo War God.
The “Dark Heaven Source” divine art before Mu Tuo War God, like a black hole, was pierced.
Dark forces exploded, spreading everywhere.
Previously gravely wounded Xu Liao was struck by this dark force. He grunted dully, flung away, utterly lacking the immovable majesty of a Great Void great god.
Mu Tuo War God wielded his soul-suppressing hammer, meeting the heavenly eye light head-on.
His black metal armour, forged from supreme sacred artefact materials, turned crimson under the heavenly eye light, as though melting with his bones.
“Ah…”
Mu Tuo War God roared in pain. His soul-suppressing hammer flew from his grasp.
Armour on both arms melted into droplets. Arm bones turned to ash.
Even Mu Tuo War God gravely wounded, Li Yuantian God, Xue Li, and Master Qianqian retreated at once.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes bloodshot, he roared. “Kill!”
The old corpse ghost punched, shattering Xue Li’s raised ghost city. Xue Li’s ghostly divine form exploded, turning to ghostly qi permeating shattered space.
His divine soul severely damaged. Divine substance eroded over a third.
In other words, two more punches and Xue Li would perish utterly.
Whoosh!
The old corpse ghost spat profound light, striking Li Yuantian God fleeing tens of thousands of li away.
In an instant, half Li Yuantian God’s body vanished. Only upper torso remained. He plunged into void space, concealing himself.
The second profound light targeted Master Qianqian.
She fled rapidly. Her joyous robe blazed red. Circular arrays appeared behind her.
Yet before the old corpse ghost’s profound light, these arrays shattered like paper.
Bell tolls rang.
The Earth Fiend Bell flew out, clashing with the profound light, averting Master Qianqian’s death crisis.
Master Qianqian rushed into the divine hall, joining the Ghost Lord. She gazed at Zhang Ruochen atop the flame pillar. “He is gravely wounded. This is his final struggle.”
The Ghost Lord saw Zhang Ruochen at his limit, hence facing the old corpse ghost’s dread might without fleeing.
Whoosh!
Before the old corpse ghost, over ten thousand stars manifested, forming a rotating star domain.
“Ten Thousand Stars Chaos. No!”
The Ghost Lord’s expression changed drastically. Divine qi erupted fully, surging into the Earth Fiend Bell. Simultaneously, he communed with its artefact spirit, seeking to recall it.
The Earth Fiend Bell trembled in the spiralling star domain, unable to break free.
After a brief stalemate, the old corpse ghost swallowed the ten thousand stars, Earth Fiend Bell included.
Suddenly, the boiling Kirin Star Domain fell silent.
The Ghost Lord froze, staring fixedly at the old corpse ghost’s mouth, then belly.
It directly ate a divine artefact?
