“A divine venerable has actually fallen already!”
Hai Shang You Ruo’s eyes held neither sorrow nor joy. Then she asked, “The Scarlet Mara King? I recall that among the seventy-two pillar demon gods of the chaotic ancient era, there was only one Scarlet Mara King.”
“Correct, it is her. Speaking of which, this Scarlet Mara King has some connections with the Destiny Divine Hall, and even with me…”
Zhang Ruochen felt a touch of sympathy for Hai Shang You Ruo, so he began to recount the major events unfolding outside, along with various tales of human interest. He started with the Scarlet Mara King, then moved to the turbulent disputes in the Dark Grand Triangle Star Domain.
From the Heavenly Court army’s assault on Star Perceive Heaven, to the emergence of the Origin Divine Hall.
From the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm each enshrining twenty heavens, to what he himself had witnessed in the Abyss of Darkness.
Hai Shang You Ruo sat back down on the steps, listening entranced, her gaze distant and dreamy. She truly seemed like a little girl hearing stories.
Suddenly she said, “Zhang Ruochen, why do I feel as though you are boasting of your own glorious deeds, and greatly exaggerating them at that?”
Zhang Ruochen replied, “Where is the exaggeration?”
“You claimed to have severely wounded the Famous Sword God multiple times.”
“That is fact!”
“You claimed to have defeated the entire Heavenly Court army single-handedly.”
“That one is indeed slightly exaggerated!”
“You claimed to have travelled along the long river of time to the distant ancient past? Yet the long river of time underwent a great upheaval previously. Now no one can reach the past. No matter how profound the cultivation.”
“Is that so? Perhaps I meant that I visited the ancient past in a dream.” Zhang Ruochen said.
“I thought you were a steadfast, grounded cultivator. I never imagined you so childish, your mindset far from steady.”
Hai Shang You Ruo picked up her purple bamboo, rose, and walked towards the gate of the Future Divine Palace. She said, “Do not follow.”
“If the heart is too steady, how much joy is lost?”
Zhang Ruochen murmured to himself, then asked, “As a descendant of the Life Divine Venerable, have you cultivated the paths of life and destiny?”
“Your cultivation is too weak. I cannot be bothered to discuss it with you.”
Hai Shang You Ruo closed the palace gate, forming a time barrier.
“You have been stuck at the peak of Tai Bai Realm for sixty thousand years, yet you dare call me weak? Wait until I successfully cultivate Shao Yang. Then you will see who is truly weak!”
Zhang Ruochen lifted the Abyssal Ancient Sword and walked towards the Sundial.
Over these several thousand years, after refining several supreme saint artefacts from his body, the Abyssal Ancient Sword had reached the grade of a Primordial Level supreme saint artefact.
“I must hurry. I will strive to condense Shao Yang before the Thousand Stars Alignment Day.”
Following the ideas of Daoist sages, Zhang Ruochen named the next evolution after the Tai Chi Yin Yang Two Forms the Four Images.
The so-called Four Images are Shao Yang, Shao Yin, Tai Yang, and Tai Yin.
Now the number of rule divine patterns in Zhang Ruochen’s body exceeded twenty times that of mid-Tai Yi Realm. Moreover, his foundation from the Bu Tian Realm far surpassed other divinities in rule divine pattern quantity.
In terms of sheer number of rule divine patterns alone, few Tai Yi Realm divinities could surpass Zhang Ruochen.
The next step was naturally to pursue the transformation into the Four Images.
Zhang Ruochen had already attempted to evolve Yin Yang directly into the Four Images all at once. It was simply impossible. Even if achievable, the time required would span tens of millions, or hundreds of millions, of years.
From the birth of Yin Yang qi in heaven and earth to the derivation of the Four Images, the time taken far exceeded one hundred million years.
Zhang Ruochen could not live that long.
Therefore, he had to intervene artificially, first cultivating one image as the breakthrough point.
Through repeated failures over these years, Zhang Ruochen had gained experience. He believed cultivating “Shao Yang” offered the greatest chance of success. Once achieved, his combat strength would surge, and his cultivation would rival that of a Tai Bai Realm great divinity.
Shao Yang meant cultivating a small strand of yang qi within the yin qi of the Yin Yang pair.
This was no simple task, for the Yin Yang qi in his body were now fully separated. Though cycling endlessly, they repelled each other and refused to fuse.
Cultivating yang qi within yin qi was as difficult as preserving a flame in water, while ensuring the flame did not extinguish and even formed a connection with the water, allowing the water to fuel the burning.
Zhang Ruochen’s solution was to isolate the yang-attribute sword dao and truth dao. The rule divine patterns of these two daos would each carry a strand of primordial yang qi into the yin qi of the Two Forms, thereby deriving Shao Yang.
He chose sword dao and truth dao because he had mastered the Time Sword Technique, binding two utterly opposite attributes tightly together.
Thus, the yin-attribute time dao could nourish the sword dao.
With his vast truth profound meanings and possession of the Truth Heart, Zhang Ruochen could rely on absolute mastery of the truth dao to stabilise Shao Yang.
Over the next three thousand years, Zhang Ruochen persisted in condensing Shao Yang amid failures, while continuing to cultivate rule divine patterns.
“Condense!”
Zhang Ruochen began his one hundred and thirty-eight thousand five hundred and first attempt. A Tai Chi circle thirty-six zhang in diameter appeared. Yin Yang qi flowed, black and white in colour, shaped like a teardrop, broad at the head and tapering to a tail.
Within the white yang qi, sword dao rules and truth rules each carried a strand of yang qi. Entwined, they surged into the black yin qi.
Far away, Gong Nanfeng held his breath, tense as if he himself were assaulting a realm.
Hai Shang You Ruo, by contrast, was long accustomed to such scenes, though she was quietly expectant. After all, a Zhang Ruochen who had not reached Tai Bai Realm lacked the qualification to serve as her whetstone.
At present, she was more like his whetstone.
This was Gong Nanfeng’s first time witnessing the phenomenon of Zhang Ruochen’s realm breakthrough. He said, “Truly strange. His advance into Tai Bai Realm differs completely from other Tai Yi great divinities. It resembles Daoist cultivation methods in some ways, ancient qi refiners in others, yet with peculiarities.”
“Are you not the artefact spirit of the Heavenly Pivot Needle? Do you not know he cultivates the Thirty-Three Heavens? Long ago, the Great Venerable drew from both Buddhism and Daoism to create this unparalleled divine merit.” Hai Shang You Ruo said.
Gong Nanfeng replied, “Cultivating the Thirty-Three Heavens should condense a heavenly universe to replace the divine seat planet. Where is his heavenly universe?”
“It was shattered by Qing Tian. Clearly he broke and then rebuilt, taking another path. Possessing a heavenly universe would be inferior. Without one, he is truly unbound.” Hai Shang You Ruo said.
Boom!
A tremendous roar came from the Sundial’s direction.
Yin Yang collapsed. Space fell into chaos.
Hai Shang You Ruo was prepared. Her hands formed seals. A gate of destiny manifested on the ground, enveloping Zhang Ruochen and containing the destructive force from spreading.
After a time, dishevelled Zhang Ruochen emerged from the turbulent rules. Blood traced the corners of his mouth. Coughing, he said, “Why have you come?”
Gong Nanfeng had ceased cultivating under the Sundial long ago. He had arrived in the Five Realms Heaven only today.
Stunned for a moment, he asked, “Are you alright?”
“Fine. Merely failed the breakthrough and suffered minor injury.” Zhang Ruochen said casually.
Gong Nanfeng said, “You spat blood!”
“The vital blood has already been reabsorbed into my body.” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Gong Nanfeng said, “In two days it will be the Thousand Stars Alignment Day. You should leave the Five Realms Heaven!”
“So soon? Nineteen years have passed already?” Zhang Ruochen was surprised.
Gong Nanfeng said, “In cultivation one loses track of time. Did you not realise seven thousand years have passed in the Five Realms Heaven? Come, because of your grand wedding to Wu Yue, many Hell Realm divinities have come in true body to the Destiny Divine Domain. It is quite lively now.”
“You are marrying Wu Yue?” Hai Shang You Ruo heard this news for the first time. Indescribable astonishment filled her eyes.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “You know Wu Yue?”
“We met once, perhaps.”
Hai Shang You Ruo’s gaze turned sympathetic as she walked towards the Future Divine Palace. She truly could not comprehend how two utterly different people could become husband and wife.
What an amusing affair!
Upon leaving the Five Realms Heaven, Zhang Ruochen intended to pay respects to Void Heaven, only to learn that Void Heaven had gone to the starry battlefield, locked in fierce combat with the Heavenly Court’s heavens.
“Master sent word earlier. He may not return in true body to preside over your wedding to Hall Master Wu Yue. If he cannot, Fortune Divine Venerable will officiate in his stead.” Que said.
Void Heaven heading to the starry battlefield and clashing so fiercely with the Heavenly Court heavens completely astonished Zhang Ruochen.
Had he become a proponent of war in Hell Realm?
Zhang Ruochen felt genuine concern for the starry battlefield. He also wondered whether the Tian Chu Civilisation had relocated to the Sword Realm.
Immersed in cultivation these years, he had truly lost all contact with the outside world.
It was not that Zhang Ruochen lacked care for the Tian Chu Civilisation, but the matter was orchestrated by Grand Master, Dragon Lord, and Yu Qing Ancestor. A junior like him had no need to meddle.
In the Destiny Divine Hall, excessive inquiries would only risk alerting Hell Realm divinities to hidden truths.
Leaving the Destiny Divine Hall, Zhang Ruochen visited the Angry Heaven Divine Palace, just in time to encounter the Blood Absolute War God emerging.
“Grandfather!”
Zhang Ruochen smiled warmly and hurried forward.
The Blood Absolute War God remained imposing, tiger-like in stature, armour gleaming, eyes sharp as lightning. He studied Zhang Ruochen closely for a long moment, then without warning threw a punch.
Before the fist power arrived, Zhang Ruochen found himself drawn into the Blood Absolute War God’s divine realm world.
Whether employing time power or space power, no matter how swiftly he retreated, the fist power approached with unmatched speed.
Whoosh!
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands. His body turned golden, like a Buddha descending. He struck out with a palm.
The palm became a dragon claw.
Boom!
The overwhelming fist force hurled Zhang Ruochen hundreds of li backward.
The divine realm world vanished. Space contracted. Zhang Ruochen stood outside the Angry Heaven Divine Palace. His arm ached unbearably, bones feeling shattered.
The Blood Absolute War God laughed heartily. “Excellent! Your cultivation has undergone another earth-shaking transformation, comparable to tens of thousands of years of bitter cultivation by other divinities. You can finally spar with Grandfather!”
Zhang Ruochen knew full well the vast gap between them. He said, “To spar with Grandfather, I am still far from ready! But I will catch up. It will not take long.”
“Haha, good! I await the day we battle freely for three thousand rounds.” Then the Blood Absolute War God’s expression grew peculiar. He said, “Suffered quite a few setbacks at Hai Shang You Ruo’s hands, have you?”
