“Since you dare not forget the kindness Hell Realm has shown you, why then, in the Dark Triangular Star Domain, did you consort with the Wind Clan and Haotian’s daughter, sabotaging the great affairs of our Dark Temple?” God of War Muto said.
Zhang Ruochen replied, “I took the identity of Qing Pingzi for two reasons. First, to evade pursuit by Feng Yunba. Second, to rescue Xue Tu, who was imprisoned aboard the Xufeng Divine Vessel. Your Dark Temple treated me as a divine spirit of the Heavenly Court and sought to strike or slay me. How could I not defend myself and counterattack? This matter is known to many cultivators. You may investigate as you wish.”
“Moreover, even if you had known then that Qing Pingzi was me, Zhang Ruochen, you would never have shown mercy, would you? You would only have dealt with me more ruthlessly.”
“With your Dark Temple, there is truly nothing more to explain.”
A gloomy, rasping laugh suddenly rang out.
The Ghost Lord said, “Zhang Ruochen, since you admit Qing Pingzi was you, then you must acknowledge what you did in the Tianchu Civilisation, must you not?”
Zhang Ruochen stared coldly at the Ghost Lord, thinking inwardly, “This old ghost truly is insidious!”
The Ghost Lord continued, “In the Dark Triangular Star Domain, you acted under duress. But in the Tianchu Civilisation, you killed Fen Xin Lord of the Death Clan and Qing Xuan Spiritual God of the Dark Temple. And you still claim innocence? Hmph! Young in years, yet heavy in killing intent. The divine spirits of Hell Realm who have died by your hand already exceed ten.”
Zhang Ruochen remained unflustered. “I have long wished to kill Qing Xuan Spiritual God! That scoundrel, in Xing Huan Tian, actually sought to murder my own child. Both Xue Tu and Gu Ya know of this.”
“As for Fen Xin Lord, he belongs to the Tian Nan faction. With Tian Nan, my enmity runs deep as the sea.”
“Silence!”
A divine voice exploded, causing the space within the temple to hum and vibrate.
It was Xu Tian who roared.
Anyone could see Xu Tian’s fury at that moment!
Luo Yi, Xue Tu, Xiao Hei, and others all paled dramatically.
The Ghost Lord, Xu Liao, Jin Jue Heavenly God, the Lord of Xuemu Hall, the Corpse Emperor, and the other divine spirits revealed cruel smiles.
Xu Tian said, “Zhang Ruochen, such audacity. Merely for a trifling personal grudge, you intend to slaughter all the divine spirits of the Dark Temple and Tian Nan before you are satisfied?”
“Xu Tian sees clearly. Initially, Ruochen bore no hostility toward any force in Hell Realm. Yet because I was too outstanding, upon successfully transcending the divine tribulation, I incurred the jealousy of Tian Nan and the Dark Temple. My cultivation was crippled, and I nearly perished tragically. This is no trifling personal grudge. It is a profound blood feud!” Zhang Ruochen said.
Worry deepened in Luo Yi’s eyes. How could Brother Chen answer thus?
No matter what, the Dark Temple and Tian Nan were foremost transcendent great forces in Hell Realm. To keep such a profound blood feud in his heart, was that not declaring he would seek revenge in future?
For the sake of Hell Realm, how could Xu Tian tolerate him?
Sure enough, murderous aura radiated from Xu Tian. Coldly he said, “So vengeful. How could this heaven accommodate you?”
“Before Xu Tian’s piercing divine gaze, Ruochen dares not falsely claim to have set aside the hatred. Yet every word spoken comes from the depths of my heart. Ruochen distinguishes clearly between gratitude and grudge. For great enmity, I must repay it. For great kindness, I must also repay it.”
Zhang Ruochen bowed deeply again. “In the Dark Triangular Star Domain, were it not for the sword Xu Tian bestowed, Ruochen would likely have fallen to Ming Jian God’s blade. This is a life-saving great kindness.”
“Truth be told, Senior Xu Tian was the lifelong rival of Saint Monk Xumi. Yet Senior Xu Tian not only harboured no hostility toward Ruochen, but bestowed a sword, saving Ruochen in a moment of mortal peril. Such breadth of spirit, neither Qing Tian nor Wubian of the Dark Temple could match even after studying for another million years.”
Nearby, Xue Tu listened in stunned disbelief.
Among the words spoken, neither the Ghost Lord, God of War Muto, Jin Jue Heavenly God, nor any of the great gods who had lived hundreds of thousands of years could find a retort.
Though Xu Tian cared nothing for breadth of spirit or virtuous conduct, having endured all manner of criticism throughout his life, to be so fiercely praised today by a junior, and praised with sound reasoning, how could his mood not improve?
The murderous aura about him dissipated. He snorted. “Rare that you still know the four words ‘distinguish gratitude and grudge’. It shows there is hope for you.”
Then Xu Tian’s gaze swept over the assembled gods. “Truth be told, this heaven shares some connection with this boy Zhang Ruochen. Long ago, to study the sword, this heaven quietly took mortal form and entered the Liangyi Sect as a disciple. After mastering the sword path, to settle that karmic tie, I forged the Qing Ping Sword and left it with the Liangyi Sect. Hmph, this heaven too distinguishes gratitude and grudge!”
“Who would have thought that, after all the twists and turns, the Qing Ping Sword would end up in his hands. Zhang Ruochen, you could rightly address this heaven as Ancestral Master!”
Ancestral Master?
Was this taking advantage of Saint Monk Xumi?
Zhang Ruochen finally glimpsed a ray of hope. He bowed a third time. “Ancestral Master remembers only the Qing Ping Sword. Does he also recall the Universe Cauldron left behind in the cultivation cave of the Liangyi Sect?”
Xu Tian had not expected Zhang Ruochen to play along so well. His brows lifted, a glint of amusement flashed in his eyes. Then he sighed. “You obtained the Universe Cauldron from Linlang Cave, did you not?”
“Precisely,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Xu Tian smiled at the gods, whose expressions varied greatly. “Back then, this heaven was obsessed with the sword path, mad for it. I felt that keeping the Universe Cauldron at my side would only make me lazy in cultivation, so I sealed it in Linlang Cave and abandoned it. Who would have thought this boy would have such fortune, stumbling into Linlang Cave and carrying it away.”
“Speaking of which, as Ancestral Master, I ought to remind you. Zhang Ruochen, the Sword Ancestor bestowed ancestral soul swords upon you not for you to rely on them, but to guide you in cultivating your own soul sword. Have you grown lazy in cultivation? How powerful is your own soul sword?”
The words struck like divine thunder. Zhang Ruochen trembled all over.
Indeed. With the Sword Ancestor’s soul swords, he could battle Taixu Realm great gods. They were simply too useful!
Yet no matter how strong the Sword Ancestor’s soul swords, how could they slay an Immeasurable Realm divine spirit?
If, upon reaching the Immeasurable Realm, he discovered this flaw and only then devoted himself fully to cultivating his own sword soul, how could it ever be perfect? Countless regrets would remain.
Moreover, after obtaining the six divine swords, his tempering of the Chen Yuan Ancient Sword had also slowed!
Even if the six divine swords were fully restored in future and regained their divine artefact might, their most fitting master remained the Sword Ancestor.
A weapon perfectly suited to oneself might show no disparity at the great god realm, nor at the Immeasurable Realm. Yet at the level of the heavens, every tiny flaw would be infinitely magnified, determining the height of battle power.
Even what was not originally a flaw could become one.
Just like Xu Tian, who cultivated the sword path.
Was the sword path a flaw?
No.
At least for Xu Tian, at the great god and Immeasurable levels, cultivating the sword path had been an advantage.
Yet at his current level, as master of nothingness, cultivating the sword path had become a fatal weakness. Until reaching that level, one could never realise what had limited one’s ceiling, or when one had embarked on a mistaken path.
Xu Tian’s reminder jolted Zhang Ruochen awake, as if pulling his foot back from a cliff’s edge. He let out a long breath.
This time, completely sincere, he bowed a fourth time to Xu Tian. “Many thanks for Ancestral Master’s guidance. The kindness of this day, Ruochen shall remember all his life.”
God of War Muto, the Ghost Lord, God of War Li Yuan, and others sensed the shifting atmosphere. Their expressions grew increasingly grave.
Xu Tian seemed to have no intention of killing Zhang Ruochen at all.
Moreover, what was the situation with the Universe Cauldron?
The Universe Cauldron’s master was Xu Tian?
Naturally they would not believe Xu Tian would seal away such a supreme treasure as the Universe Cauldron in Kunlun Realm merely to focus on the sword path. Yet who dared refute him?
Who could produce evidence to refute him?
Xu Tian smiled. “Now that this heaven’s sword path is complete and I no longer fear influence from external objects, it is time to reclaim the Universe Cauldron. Zhang Ruochen, return the Universe Cauldron!”
Zhang Ruochen said, “The Universe Cauldron was seized by the lord of the Dark Temple, Wubian!”
Xu Tian’s brows furrowed.
God of War Muto had long sensed trouble. He stepped forward at once. At this point, he could not worry about offending Xu Tian. “Zhang Ruochen intends to use the Universe Cauldron to sow discord between the Temple of Destiny and the Dark Temple. I beseech Xu Tian to consider carefully.”
How could God of War Muto not see that Zhang Ruochen and Xu Tian were putting on an act?
One sought Xu Tian’s forgiveness, the other coveted the Dark Temple’s Universe Cauldron.
Since that was the case, he could only expose it all, lay everything bare. Though it would offend Xu Tian, at worst it was the crime of impudence, not punishable by death.
Xu Tian could not kill him for it.
He was a war god of the Dark Temple. To offend even Xu Tian for the temple’s benefit would surely earn the Nine-Death Heterodox Emperor’s regard upon his return.
That was far more important!
Xu Tian’s expression darkened. “What do you mean by this?”
God of War Muto stood neither servile nor overbearing. “Xu Tian sealed our Dark Temple’s Spiritual God Hall Lord Wuyue as Heavenly Concubine, yet she was defiled by this boy Zhang Ruochen. Zhang Ruochen knows death is certain, so he offers the Universe Cauldron to buy his life. But he harbours malice. His true aim is to provoke conflict between the Temple of Destiny and the Dark Temple. His heart deserves punishment.”
Including the Ghost Lord and God of War Li Yuan, these Taixu Realm powerhouses, all the gods in the hall were stunned. One by one they fell silent as cicadas in cold weather, hardly daring to breathe.
God of War Muto was courting death!
The Yin-Yang Divine Master shouted coldly, “Insolence! Muto, are you saying the Universe Cauldron is not Xu Tian’s? Do you think a mere Zhang Ruochen could possess such a supreme treasure?”
“For the Universe Cauldron, some truly spare no thought for their lives!” Jin Jue Heavenly God laughed.
Xu Tian waved his hand, dismissing the Temple of Destiny gods who wished to punish God of War Muto. Calmly he said, “It is human nature for the Dark Temple, newly obtaining the Universe Cauldron, to wish to claim it for yourselves. Nothing blameworthy. Muto, you say Zhang Ruochen, having offended this heaven, offers the Universe Cauldron to avert mortal peril?”
“This heaven can tell you plainly. The recent actions of your Dark Temple, this heaven has seen them all and burns with anger. How you deal with Zhang Ruochen is your affair. Whatever means you use to take the Royal City of the Hundred Clans is acceptable. But to make use of this heaven, you have provoked the wrong person!”
With the final word, overwhelming divine might pressed down. God of War Muto, at the pinnacle of Taixu Realm, went “bang” and knelt directly, his bones cracking like frying beans.
Xu Tian said coldly, “What sealing Wuyue as Heavenly Concubine? There was never such a thing. You dare spread such rumours? Zhang Ruochen, tell him the truth.”
Zhang Ruochen stood stunned.
“Have you, like Wuyue, lost your memory, boy?”
Xu Tian pointed at Que. “You tell them.”
Que stepped forward. “At that time, in the Dark Triangular Star Domain, my master saw that Zhang Ruochen’s martial talent was extraordinary and he would surely become a great figure in future. Master was very fond of him. Yet his enmity with the Dark Temple ran too deep, and with Grandmother Tian standing behind him, should those two forces clash in future, all Hell Realm would shake.”
“Hell Realm must not fall into chaos!”
“To resolve the enmity between the two sides, Master took charge and betrothed Wuyue to Zhang Ruochen. Through marriage alliance, future crisis could be averted. Both Zhang Ruochen and Wuyue agreed.”
“Only five people were present. Who knows which one, with treacherous intent, spread the rumour that Master had sealed Wuyue as Heavenly Concubine, stirring unrest throughout Hell Realm. Such a person truly deserves death!”
Xu Tian roared in fury, “Zhang Ruochen, was it you who, unwilling to marry Wuyue, deliberately spread the rumour? Do you wish to die?”
