The news of the Scarlet Mara King’s emergence had long been causing a tremendous stir across the universe. Many divine beings had investigated her background. How could the Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable possibly be unaware?
The Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable said, “The Scarlet Beauty Great Sage did indeed originate from the Ferocious Ominous Divine Palace, but a cultivator of mere saint realm like her, how could she enter this venerable’s sight? If I speak it out, Void Heaven might not believe it. The secrets hidden on her body, truly no one in the Ferocious Ominous Divine Palace knows them.”
Void Heaven naturally believed it. If the Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable knew that the Scarlet Beauty Great Sage was the Scarlet Mara King, he would probably have struck against Zhang Ruochen long ago.
“Did Ji Wang fight her? Was there a result?” Void Heaven asked.
The Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable shook his head. “By the time this venerable arrived, the battle had already ended. It can be confirmed that she was not subdued by Ji Wang. The seventy-two pillar demon gods have renowned prestige through the ages. How could any figure listed among them be so easily dealt with?”
“In that case, a trip to the edge regions of Hell Realm is truly necessary.”
In the world, matters that could interest Void Heaven were already few. And on the Scarlet Mara King’s body, perhaps the secret of eternal life was hidden. He must find her before she fully recovered.
“You must not take this opportunity to target Zhang Ruochen.” Void Heaven said.
Joy appeared in the Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable’s eyes. He smiled. “Since Void Heaven has explained the stakes so clearly to this venerable, how could this venerable still act rashly against him?”
As long as Void Heaven was willing to go to the edge regions of Hell Realm, he would absolutely be unable to avoid the battle of the heavens.
And the matter they had planned, the chances of success would greatly increase.
“Xu Rulai of the Heavenly Fortune Division pays respects to Void Heaven.” A divine voice came from outside the divine hall.
Void Heaven asked, “What is it?”
“The divine master says the auspicious date for the grand wedding has been divined. The best day is the Thousand Stars Alignment Day nineteen years from now.” Xu Rulai said.
“Must we wait so long?”
Void Heaven glanced at the Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable.
He knew that before coming to the Destiny Divine Hall, the Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable had first gone to the Heavenly Fortune Division.
Red fur bristled on the Ferocious Ominous Divine Venerable’s body. He smiled. “Since Void Heaven wishes to protect Zhang Ruochen, we must make use of this grand wedding to accomplish some truly major affairs.”
…
Zhang Ruochen looked at Xu Rulai and Gong Nanfeng who had come to the Five Realms Heaven. His expression was peculiar. “Must we wait so long? Nineteen years.”
“Haha! Chen, it seems you truly harbour secret affection for the Moon Goddess. That is why you are willing to marry Wu Yue. You are so impatient?” Gong Nanfeng laughed.
Zhang Ruochen said, “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“I am not spouting nonsense. Now cultivators across the world are spreading it like this! They all say Wu Yue looks exactly like the Moon Goddess. After she lost her memory, you deliberately deceived her, telling her she was the Moon Goddess. They say in the Heavenly Court, you longed bitterly for the Moon Goddess but could not have her. So when you saw Wu Yue gravely injured, you could not suppress your emotions and forcibly shared clouds and rain with her. Truly the mark of a hero.”
Gong Nanfeng gave a sly smile, clapped his hands, producing loud smacks.
If these words reached the Moon Goddess’s ears, what then?
“There are actually people who dare slander me. It seems in recent times I have not killed harshly enough, unable to deter hearts.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Gong Nanfeng said, “Chen, you are by no means narrow-minded. How could you descend divine punishment just because of their jests? Besides, they all envy you, praise you, admire you. There is absolutely no intent to belittle you!”
“Even if you were the active one at the time, Hall Master Wu Yue must surely have been willing in her heart. Thus it counts as half push half consent, mutual affection, dry wood meeting fierce fire. Otherwise, how would she agree to Void Heaven’s bestowed marriage? How would she help you reclaim the Goddess Twelve Workshops’ properties in the Destiny Divine Domain, help you reclaim the ten realms’ territories?”
“With your charm, Chen, Hall Master Wu Yue must surely have fallen completely, body and heart! Seeking the Moon Goddess but failing, yet obtaining Wu Yue. Truly an unintentional willow that shades.”
Xu Rulai stood to the side. “This marriage is bestowed by Void Heaven, with his elder’s face in it! Brother Ruochen, there is no need for any worry.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Why must we wait until the Thousand Stars Alignment Day nineteen years later?”
“The Thousand Stars Alignment Day occurs only once every twenty yuanhui. It is the time when yin qi and death qi are densest across the entire Hell Realm. At that time, in the Yellow Springs Galaxy, over a thousand main stars will align in a straight line. It is said that in those years, Star Perceive Heavenly Venerable observed this celestial phenomenon and created the heavenly venerable divine ability Thousand Stars Alignment.” Xu Rulai said.
Zhang Ruochen always felt something abnormal about this matter. Nineteen years was indeed but a flick of a finger for divine beings. Yet Void Heaven’s intent was for him and Wu Yue to marry as soon as possible.
Why would the Heavenly Fortune Division delay it so far?
Never mind. Delaying one day was one day gained. He hoped some change might occur in these nineteen years.
“I will activate the Sundial and enter secluded cultivation. If the two of you are not busy, why not join?” Zhang Ruochen invited.
A peculiar look appeared in Xu Rulai’s eyes.
When Zhang Ruochen had entered the Reverse God Stele, he had even harboured thoughts of slaying him, though stopped by Gong Nanfeng and not acted upon. Yet how could Zhang Ruochen be completely unaware?
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen’s friendly invitation surprised Xu Rulai greatly.
Gong Nanfeng, however, showed no courtesy at all. He laughed loudly. “Good! I have been quite idle lately. I shall take this chance to enter secluded cultivation and break through to divinity. Chen, you are truly my brother!”
Zhang Ruochen shoved away the approaching Gong Nanfeng. “Enough flattery. Activating the Sundial consumes vast quantities of divine stones. To cultivate inside, you must provide your own share. Not one stone less.”
Gong Nanfeng sighed to the heavens. “They say you are as wealthy as a divine venerable, yet you haggle with me, a mere saint realm cultivator, over these few divine stones. Too stingy!”
In the end, Xu Rulai paid the divine stones for Gong Nanfeng. Together they began secluded cultivation beneath the Sundial.
One more friend meant one more path. Zhang Ruochen very much liked making friends. He was never one who enjoyed making enemies everywhere.
Gong Nanfeng and Xu Rulai were no ordinary figures, and not bloodthirsty types. They were worth befriending.
…
Time flew. Three thousand years passed.
Hai Shang You Ruo had always sat by the bank of the long river of time, holding her fishing rod. Finally she hooked her first fish.
This fish had only one head yet ten tails. Its body shone bright as a lamp. Time imprint light points continually emerged from its scales, causing time in the surrounding dozens of zhang to become exceptionally chaotic.
Zhang Ruochen was startled. He gazed intently, his expression filled with surprise.
She had truly fished a fish from the long river of time!
Beside him, Gong Nanfeng’s voice sounded. “This fish is called the He Luo Fish. It lives in the long river of time. Legend says it can freely shuttle between past and future, but only one day. And after shuttling back to the present from future or past, its life will soon end. Thus it is also called the One-Day He Luo.”
Gong Nanfeng was the artefact spirit of the Heavenly Pivot Needle. Few matters in the world escaped his knowledge.
“Having fished such a divine fish of time, does that not mean she can know in advance what will happen in the future one day?” Xia Yu said.
Xia Yu was someone Zhang Ruochen had invited over.
Through these years of accumulation, the number of saint dao rules in her body had approached thirty trillion, reaching the level of a quasi-yuanhui representative figure, no weaker than the former Wu Ma Jiuxing.
But in the recent century, her cultivation speed had become very slow.
Gong Nanfeng said, “It is so! But she fished for three thousand years to catch one He Luo Fish. How precious? Tomorrow is most likely calm and uneventful. Even knowing what happens tomorrow, what meaning is there? Better to keep it there. Perhaps it can serve a great use in the future.”
Xia Yu rose, bowed to Zhang Ruochen. “I must leave to undergo the divine tribulation!”
“Will you not try again?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Though unwilling, she was frank. “My potential has reached its limit. Without a heaven-shaking great opportunity, becoming a yuanhui representative is impossible. To have cultivated to my current foundation, I am already content. In the future, at least great divinity is within reach.”
The foundation of saint realm was vitally important. The gap could even seize thirty percent of the chance to attest the heavens.
Quasi-yuanhui representative and yuanhui representative seemed a small gap, but future achievement limits might be the difference between perishing old in the Vast Emptiness Realm and having a chance to assail the Immeasurable Realm.
“If you trust me, wait five thousand years. I will grant you a heaven-shaking great opportunity.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Xia Yu was stunned. One called heaven-shaking was clearly something encountered but not sought, like the emergence of the Origin Divine Hall. Even if such an opportunity existed, she could never obtain it.
Five thousand years without breaking through divine realm, just for Zhang Ruochen’s single promise?
Xia Yu said, “Good. I will wait five thousand years for you.”
“Haha!”
Gong Nanfeng laughed until he bent over. “Chen, have you secluded too long? Is your mind already muddled? Five thousand years in the Sundial is merely thirteen years in the outside world.”
Hearing this, Xia Yu secretly breathed in relief. She too had only just realised.
Thirteen years, that she could wait.
Zhang Ruochen tapped his forehead. “Indeed. These recent years of secluded cultivation have been too long! No good. If I continue cultivating like this, something major will surely go wrong.”
Adding the secluded cultivation in Star Perceive Heaven, Kunlun Realm, and the Dark Grand Triangle Star Domain, Zhang Ruochen had already cultivated for over fifteen thousand years.
Blood Butcher, Prajna, Luo Yi, Little Black, Yan Yu, Bai Qing’er, Blood Empress, Nether King, Feng Chen Sword God… none were ordinary, yet not one dared cultivate so long in a short period.
Xia Yu took her leave.
Gong Nanfeng said, “The hardest to bear is beauty’s grace. Yet another silly girl fallen.”
“If you dare speak nonsense again?”
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
Gong Nanfeng showed no fear. He sat on the ground. “Where is the nonsense? For your single promise, she is willing to wait bitterly five thousand years. Do you truly think she waits to assail yuanhui representative? Chen, you are not the heavens of this era. Why would others believe you so? She surely did not realise at the time that your five thousand years meant five thousand years in the Sundial.”
“Sword Sixteen!”
Zhang Ruochen raised the sword and drew a circle. At once ten thousand swords issued forth. The time rules in the Five Realms Heaven were entirely displaced by sword dao rules.
Gong Nanfeng jumped in fright. He scrambled away, yet saw Zhang Ruochen’s sword was not aimed at him, but thrust towards Hai Shang You Ruo holding the fishing rod and He Luo Fish.
Whoosh!
Great accomplishment Sword Sixteen, one thrust issued.
Across heaven and earth, sword qi was everywhere, all converging towards Hai Shang You Ruo.
