“Don’t do anything foolish. I will find a way to handle this. Go now!” Zhang Ruochen truly did not want to face Xia Yu’s resentful eyes.
After Xia Yu withdrew, Xue Tu unfolded his divine realm world. His gaze darkened as he said in a low voice, “Senior Brother, just say the word, and I will find a way to eliminate Xue Chen.”
“Are you mad?” Zhang Ruochen said coldly.
Xue Tu replied, “Then we can only use the second plan. Senior Brother, you go directly to the great clan patriarch and declare that Xia Yu is your woman and no one can touch her.”
“Actually, there is a third option: cook the rice before it is ready,” Xiao Hei said with a sly grin.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Both of you, get out and let me have some peace.”
This matter was both difficult and simple.
In truth, it could be resolved with a single word from Zhang Ruochen.
But was it really just one word?
Zhang Ruochen pushed open the window and looked out at the starry sky beyond the divine vessel.
In the starry sky, yellowish-brown stellar mist flowed like a river from east to west. Countless stars twinkled within the misty river.
Among them, a few of the brightest stars were aligned in a straight line at the centre of the stellar river, creating an eerie and awe-inspiring sight that stirred endless imagination.
No one knew whether this was a coincidence of celestial motion or the work of some deliberate force.
Zhang Ruochen’s heart gradually calmed.
Compared to the vast starry sky, what did these romantic entanglements amount to?
In a million years, everyone from this era would turn to dust, all events would vanish like smoke, and only the starry sky would remain eternal. As he thought this, Zhang Ruochen’s mood lifted. He resolved to face all current troubles with equanimity.
“This must be the Thousand Stars Alignment, truly a spectacle that occurs once in a million years.”
Zhang Ruochen sensed that the heavenly rules of the entire universe had become more active.
Yin qi permeated the starry sky. Rules of various yin attributes completely suppressed those of yang attributes. The sense of the Dao waning and demonic forces rising seemed to foretell the arrival of a new era.
His eyes brightened. Zhang Ruochen murmured to himself, “This may be a heaven-sent opportunity!”
Whoosh!
The Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram appeared behind him. Yin and yang qi flowed ceaselessly, and billions of rules operated in perfect order.
Unlike before, the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram was unbalanced.
Yin qi overshadowed yang qi.
Under Zhang Ruochen’s control, sword dao rules and truth rules surged into the yin qi, beginning to condense Shao Yang.
Borrowing the momentum of heaven to break Tai Bai.
…
On the foremost Luoyun divine vessel, the old clan leader frowned. “I hear you intend to betroth Xia Yu to Xue Chen?”
The Blood Absolute War God, clad in armour and wearing a battle cloak, looked heroic and imposing. He smiled. “Xue Chen has decent qualifications, but he is still unworthy of Xia Yu.”
“Heh heh!”
The old clan leader gave a meaningful smile. “I knew it. You are scheming against that boy Zhang Ruochen. The boy has extraordinary talent and powerful bloodline. He should indeed leave a descendant for the Undying Blood Clan. Still, you are being far too kind to him.”
“Everything is mutual. If you give him your full heart, only then will he give you his. Zhang Ruochen values emotion deeply, which is a rare and precious quality,” the Blood Absolute War God said.
The old clan leader replied, “Yet the Ni Xuan old ghost supports you. He wants to elevate you to the height of the Fengdu Great Emperor and make you the spokesman for the lower three clans, not Zhang Ruochen.”
“You mean the matter with Bei Shi earlier?” the Blood Absolute War God asked.
The old clan leader laughed. “Wouldn’t that little lioness be more suitable for you?”
The Blood Absolute War God shook his head. “In this world, no one can marry Ni Xuan Bei Shi. She is the first heir to the future master of the Asura God Palace. My last visit was solely to fight her and gauge how far the gap still is.”
“At the early Taixu realm, you dared to challenge that little lioness. You deserved to cough blood… Hmm!”
The old clan leader reached into the void. Half his arm vanished, then he pulled out a talisman from the nothingness. After reading its contents, his turbid old eyes suddenly sharpened with intensity.
“What has happened?” the Blood Absolute War God asked.
The old clan leader’s wrinkles deepened. “The Fengdu Great Emperor has returned. He is in the Wuding Divine Sea, challenging Haotian.”
Like a thunderclap, the Blood Absolute War God shuddered.
For the Fengdu Great Emperor to return at this precise moment, anyone would connect it to Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue’s wedding, even though his challenge was to Haotian.
Who did not fear the might of a Heavenly Venerable?
The Blood Absolute War God stood. His expression flickered. “Should we cancel the wedding?”
“If the Fengdu Great Emperor truly intends harm, would cancelling the wedding save Zhang Ruochen?” The old clan leader shook his head. “We wait and see.”
News of the Fengdu Great Emperor’s return spread rapidly across the universe. Every move truly shook the entire world.
Cultivators throughout the hell realm seemed drawn by an invisible force. Like pilgrims, they hurried toward the Wuding Divine Sea by every means possible.
The gods of the Ghost Clan were especially excited, gathering to witness a battle between Heavenly Venerables.
Yet the Temple of Destiny fell into a terrifying silence. Many gods who had been invited to the wedding suddenly found excuses and hurriedly departed.
The Fengdu Great Emperor had returned on the very day of Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue’s wedding.
How could such a coincidence exist?
Swish! Swish! Swish…
Divine characters appeared before the old clan leader, transmitted from unimaginably distant places in a mysterious manner.
Words materialised directly in the air.
“The wedding proceeds as planned.”
Xu Tian’s divine characters were sharp as swords.
“No need to worry.”
Feng Tian’s divine characters burned like flames.
“Marry!”
The Nine Deaths Anomalous Heavenly Emperor’s divine characters twisted like dark runes.
“No fear, no retreat.”
These four words came from the Furious Heaven God Venerable.
The Blood Absolute War God gazed at the divine characters before him. Intense emotion surged within him, but the worry on his face faded. He laughed. “It seems this wedding between Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue is far more complicated than I imagined! I never expected even the Nine Deaths Anomalous Heavenly Emperor to speak out!”
The old clan leader relaxed as well. “What surprises me most is the Furious Heaven God Venerable. He actually took a stance!”
The Blood Absolute War God said, “It is quite simple. This is a contest between the Temple of Destiny and the Fengdu Great Emperor for dominance over the hell realm. Whether the hell realm is ruled by the Temple of Destiny or by a Heavenly Venerable, there must be a clear hierarchy.”
“If we cancel Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue’s wedding simply because the Fengdu Great Emperor has returned, who would heed the Temple of Destiny’s commands in future?”
“The heavens are fighting their battles. Why should we concern ourselves? The celebratory wine continues.” The old clan leader raised his cup, narrowed his eyes, and drained it in one gulp.
“Alas, it is all your fault for being so useless. If you had sealed the heavens, we would not have been so anxious before,” the Blood Absolute War God said.
“Pfft!”
The old clan leader spat wine at the Blood Absolute War God and roared, “Who was anxious? I did not seal the heavens not because I lacked strength, but because I did not wish to compete with the young.”
“Among the Undying Blood Clan, can you rank in the top three?” the Blood Absolute War God asked.
“You think only you can? In my day, I too shook the universe and covered the heavens with one hand. I fought side by side with the Goddess Tianzu. I am merely old now, my blood qi declining, not what I once was!”
“The goddess remains a goddess, but sadly, someone’s teeth are nearly all gone!” the Blood Absolute War God said.
Enraged, the old clan leader prepared to teach the Blood Absolute War God a proper lesson, but at that moment, a powerful divine fluctuation emanated from the Xue Cai divine centipede vessel.
The Blood Absolute War God stepped out first, reaching the deck. The entire starry sky had transformed into a vast Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, spanning trillions of miles, like the imprint of the Heavenly Dao upon the mortal world.
“Haha! The boy actually breaks through today. Truly joy upon joy,” the Blood Absolute War God laughed heartily.
The old clan leader gazed at the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram. His expression turned peculiar as he looked toward the Xue Cai divine centipede vessel. A faint smile appeared on his lips, as if he had glimpsed some truth.
“Keep laughing. Continue laughing. When your grandson surpasses you, you will not be laughing then!” The old clan leader returned to the divine vessel and slammed the wooden door shut.
The Taiji Yin-Yang Imprint rapidly contracted, returning to an area eighteen zhang around Zhang Ruochen.
Within the black yin qi, a white divine mountain manifested. Shaped like a sword, majestic and imposing, it radiated the brilliance of truth.
This white divine mountain was formed from truth rules, sword dao rules, and yang qi. It was the tangible manifestation of Shao Yang.
As for why it appeared as a “mountain”, Zhang Ruochen believed it was because his encounters with sword dao and the path of truth were both inextricably linked to mountains.
Thus, Shao Yang naturally took the form of a mountain.
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged, consolidating Shao Yang, inhaling and exhaling yin and yang qi.
Divine qi, saint qi, and spiritual qi from the heavens and earth continuously gathered. With every moment, his aura grew significantly stronger.
The fleet reached the Seven Wrongs Ferry in the Star of Life-Death Realm.
The wedding procession was blocked on the Three Ways River by a vast expanse of ghostly clouds.
The Blood Absolute War God’s explosive shout rang out. “Ghost Master, if you dare cause trouble today, this seat will make you pay a heavy price.”
“Great Clan Patriarch, do not be angry. Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue’s marriage was decreed by Xu Tian. Who would dare obstruct it? We are here merely to ask for some wedding money,” the Ghost Master’s voice carried laughter, stirring waves that reached the heavens.
Another divine voice drifted over. “Since ancient times, wedding processions stopped on the Three Ways River have never been limited to your family alone. The Xue Jue family is an ancestral lineage, and Zhang Ruochen is wealthy as a god venerable. Will you truly withhold wedding money from us?”
On the river surface, tens of thousands of ghosts clamoured.
Zhang Ruochen stepped out and looked toward the distant black mass of ghostly clouds. Divine vessels loomed faintly within, and more than a dozen great god-level divine mights emanated.
“Senior Brother, the visitors come with ill intent!” Xue Tu said.
Xiao Hei’s expression grew grave. “The Fengdu Great Emperor has returned. The Ghost Master and his ilk no longer have any restraint. Crossing the Three Ways River today will not be easy.”
The joy of his recent breakthrough was shattered by this shocking news. Zhang Ruochen furrowed his brows tightly. “The Fengdu Great Emperor has returned?”
Xue Tu grimaced. “Yes! We only just received the news. The Fengdu Great Emperor has returned and challenged Haotian in the Wuding Divine Sea. He truly seeks to claim the title of number one in the universe! Still, Senior Brother need not worry. The great clan patriarch sent word that both Xu Tian and the Nine Deaths Anomalous Heavenly Emperor have declared their stance. This wedding cannot be ruined!”
Zhang Ruochen murmured to himself, “Xu Tian is truly resolute, daring to confront a Heavenly Venerable. But what does the Nine Deaths Anomalous Heavenly Emperor mean by this?”
