# Chapter 1365: The Hottest Fire, the Coldest Water
"Master, why? Why? Why...?"
Outside the Yuanchu Sacred Hall, Huang Yanchen lay prostrate on the ground, tears streaming down like rain, without even the strength to stand. In her mind, only Zhang Ruochen's indifferent gaze as he left remained.
The more indifferent that gaze, the deeper the pain in her heart.
Empress Chi Yao's voice came from within: "In one's life, one must always make choices. Since you have chosen to stand on my side, it means you must inevitably lose the other. Even gods cannot have it all, let alone you?"
"But..."
"No buts. Once a choice is made, the path ahead is one of no return."
Empress Chi Yao's voice was exceptionally ruthless, each word like an iceberg, crashing heavily onto Huang Yanchen.
Grand Chancellor Wang Shiqi, dressed in his purple roc official robe, strode quickly to the outside of Yuanchu Sacred Hall. He glanced at Huang Yanchen not far away, then knelt respectfully on the ground, saying: "Zhang Ruochen is a genius of extraordinary talent. If he were to serve the imperial court, he would surely be a hero of humanity. I greatly admire this child. However, now that he has given birth to demonic obstacles in his heart and has developed immense hatred toward Your Majesty, he will surely become a great threat in the future. For the sake of the court, for the world, and for Kunlun Realm to no longer suffer war, I believe he cannot be allowed to leave. He must be killed."
In the distance, Shengshu Cainü, Canglan Wusheng, and Qing Mo, who were kneeling on the ground, all changed expression.
Because they too were well aware that Wang Shiqi was extremely accurate in judging people, and what he said was absolutely correct. Zhang Ruochen was indeed a shocking genius, having defeated the Nine Realm Sons single-handedly, truly unparalleled under heaven. In the future, once he grew up, he would surely become a great enemy of the court.
It was precisely for this reason that they were extremely worried, worried that Zhang Ruochen would not be able to leave the imperial city today and would be eliminated.
From within Yuanchu Sacred Hall, Empress Chi Yao's voice rang out: "A great threat?"
"Indeed. This child has always been a key target of the court's attention. With his terrifying cultivation speed, I believe he could reach the Great Saint Realm in just fifty years and become a god in three hundred years. I believe Zhang Ruochen's level of danger far exceeds that of Death Zen Ancestor and Kong Lanyou. Your Majesty, you must be on guard. Kill him early if you can." Wang Shiqi said.
"Fifty years to become a Great Saint, three hundred years to become a god. Since the beginning of heaven and earth, has there ever been such a person?" Empress Chi Yao's tone was very calm, but anyone could hear the disdain in her words.
"No, but Zhang Ruochen's talent is extraordinarily high..."
Before Wang Shiqi could finish, Empress Chi Yao interrupted him, saying: "So what if his talent is extraordinarily high? Since ancient times, has there been no one whose talent could match Zhang Ruochen's?"
"That's not it... Although Zhang Ruochen's talent is rare, worthy of being called the number one since the Middle Ages, in Kunlun Realm, every hundred thousand years, or several hundred thousand years, one or two such prodigies are always born. For example, Qiangu Nüdi from a hundred thousand years ago was not inferior to him in any aspect. Going further back, all the way to the Ancient Era, Far Ancient Era, Mysterious Ancient Era... Primeval Era, there have probably been no less than eight hundred, if not a thousand, individuals like Zhang Ruochen and Qiangu Nüdi." Wang Shiqi said.
Empress Chi Yao said: "Did all these people reach the Great Saint Realm or the God Realm?"
"No. Even Qiangu Nüdi failed to become a god." Wang Shiqi said.
"In that case, why should Your Majesty fear a mere ant still living in the mud?"
Empress Chi Yao's tone was full of authority and dominance, as she declared loudly: "Beneath the ten-thousand-foot thick soil of Kunlun Realm lie countless bones of heroes. One more of him makes no difference; one less makes no difference either. Fifty years to become a Great Saint, three hundred years to become a god? Wang Shiqi, how many years have you cultivated?"
Before a god, Wang Shiqi felt an immense pressure, cold sweat forming on his forehead. His eyes fixed on the ground, he said: "One thousand two hundred and forty years."
"How is your talent?"
"I, your minister, believe I am not inferior to anyone under heaven." Wang Shiqi said.
Empress Chi Yao said: "Those who can cultivate to your level—which of them does not possess top-tier talent and comprehension? But do you know why, after cultivating for one thousand two hundred and forty years, you still have not broken through to the Great Saint Realm?"
"Please enlighten me, Your Majesty." Wang Shiqi kowtowed again.
"To reach the Great Saint Realm, or even the God Realm, it is not about how high your talent is. It is about your heart. The moment you knelt before me, it was already destined that you would never reach the Great Saint Realm." Empress Chi Yao said.
Sweat poured down Wang Shiqi's forehead like rain. "Why..."
Empress Chi Yao said: "A Great Saint is the emperor of the sacred path. One with an emperor's heart does not bow to others. One with a god's heart is indomitable. Below the Great Saint Realm, talent matters. Above the Great Saint Realm, heart refinement matters."
"One with an emperor's heart does not bow to others. One with a god's heart is indomitable."
"Does not bow to others, indomitable."
Wang Shiqi murmured these words to himself while contemplating.
"The moment you knelt before me, your path to the Great Saint was destroyed. In this regard, you are far inferior to Death Zen Ancestor and Kong Lanyou. Their future achievements are destined to far surpass yours." Empress Chi Yao said.
Wang Shiqi grasped the key point and asked: "I beg Your Majesty to instruct me on how to refine the heart."
"Refining the heart is like refining a weapon. Only by using the hottest fire to forge, the coldest water to quench, and the best craftsman to work, can one forge an invincible divine weapon. To withstand the hottest fire and the coldest water, one must first find the best iron in heaven and earth. These four essentials are indispensable."
"What is the hottest fire, and what is the coldest water?" Wang Shiqi asked.
"The fire that refines the heart—the hottest is the fire of rage. As for the coldest water..." Empress Chi Yao paused for a moment, then said: "Figure it out yourself."
From within Yuanchu Sacred Hall, the Empress's muttering could be heard: "Fifty years to become a Great Saint, three hundred years to become a god—easier said than done. I'm afraid even using the hottest fire and the coldest water would not be enough to temper such a one."
"In that case, Zhang Ruochen is nothing to fear."
Wang Shiqi thought for a moment, then said: "There is another matter. The Heavenly Chessboard shows that the ten Blood Emperors of the Undying Blood Clan and the Hall Master of the Undying Divine Temple have all escaped from the Northern Domain and are heading toward Manji Island."
Empress Chi Yao's tone showed some disdain: "The ten Blood Emperors are nothing but ten frogs at the bottom of a well who think too highly of themselves. In the Undying Blood Clan, even the Underworld King only dares to call himself king, yet they dare to call themselves emperors. Well, since they dare to claim the title of emperor, at least they have a heart that does not bow to others. A frog at the bottom of a well is still stronger than an ant. I shall personally send them on their way."
"Hua—"
The next moment, a multicolored divine cloud flew out of the Central Imperial City, heading straight north.
"Didn't the Empress say she didn't want to kill anyone today? The heart of a god is truly unfathomable." Wang Shiqi gazed at the departing divine cloud, gently shaking his head, then recited again: "One with an emperor's heart does not bow to others. One with a god's heart is indomitable."
...
...
Defeating the Nine Realm Sons single-handedly—this battle left the cultivators in the imperial city utterly stunned.
Watching Zhang Ruochen's expressionless face as he walked step by step toward the city gates, no one dared to act rashly. They were not the Nine Realm Sons. The Nine Realm Sons all possessed powerful constitutions and strong vitality; even if their bodies were severed, they would not die.
If their bodies were severed, they would surely die.
"No need to act hastily. After his blood has completely drained, he will die naturally. Once he falls, we can seize the treasures on his body."
Many ill-intentioned cultivators followed behind Zhang Ruochen, waiting only for him to collapse before swarming in.
Those who held goodwill toward Zhang Ruochen did not dare to help him, only showing expressions of sympathy. After all, the person Zhang Ruochen had offended was the Empress, the entire imperial court, and even the whole world.
Who could bear the terrible consequences of helping him?
In the wind and snow, with every step Zhang Ruochen took, large amounts of blood spilled from his chest. His face grew paler and paler, his entire body turning cold. The snowflakes landing on his face did not melt but condensed into a layer of ice crystals.
The cultivators following behind Zhang Ruochen grew more and more numerous, yet Zhang Ruochen simply refused to fall, walking all the way out of the Central Imperial City.
"Watching him look like he's about to die but won't—it's really annoying."
"If you're going to die, just die quickly. With such severe injuries, a pierced heart, and all your blood drained, why won't you just fall?"
Some had already grown impatient, itching to make a move.
Two old men rushed down from the clouds and landed before Zhang Ruochen.
One of the old men immediately grabbed Zhang Ruochen's shoulder, saying: "Finally found you, boy. Hurry up and give me back my Thousand Leaf Sacred Heart Grass. If it weren't for Drunkard's keen nose catching your scent, you really would have slipped away... My heavens... how are you injured so badly? Your blood has all drained..."
"Really? Is he dead or not?"
Drunkard's expression tightened as he leaned in, looking at the frozen wound on Zhang Ruochen's heart, then sucked in a breath of cold air.
Both old men had just arrived at the imperial city and had no idea what had happened.
After escaping from Xianji Mountain, Gusongzi and Drunkard had been searching for Zhang Ruochen. After all, Zhang Ruochen possessed the recipe for Six Saints Ascending Heaven Wine and the Thousand Leaf Sacred Heart Grass, things they desperately wanted, so they were very afraid that Zhang Ruochen would embezzle them.
"How strange, how strange. After all his blood has drained, he should have died, yet he still has a breath left." Gusongzi stroked his beard, shaking his head, finding it unbelievable.
"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and save him." Drunkard urged.
Drunkard extended a palm and struck Zhang Ruochen's back, sending a surge of thick sacred energy flowing continuously into Zhang Ruochen's body.
In an instant, the ice on Zhang Ruochen's body completely melted.
At the same time, Gusongzi took out three sacred pills in succession: a Blood Qi Sacred Pill, a Healing Sacred Pill, and a Life-Extending Sacred Pill, all fed into Zhang Ruochen's mouth.
In all the world, probably only a sacred alchemy master like Gusongzi could produce three different kinds of sacred pills in succession.
Seeing Drunkard and Gusongzi actually saving Zhang Ruochen, the cultivators who had followed him all the way were naturally quite furious.
"Where did these two old bastards come from, daring to save Zhang Ruochen? Are you tired of living?"
"Anyone who offends the Empress, you dare to save? Today, I'll kill you on behalf of the Empress."
The cultivators who had been itching to act no longer waited. They rushed forward, attacking Drunkard, Gusongzi, and Zhang Ruochen, intending to kill first, then seize the treasures.