Chapter 1706: Big Brother
Before heading to the Truth Divine Temple, Zhang Ruochen met with the Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden.
They met in a maple forest three thousand miles away from the Truth Divine Temple. It was late autumn, and the crimson maple leaves were as bright as flowers, exceptionally beautiful.
The Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden wore an immaculate white robe, standing among the maple leaves like a divine maiden from a painting, extraordinarily pure and lovely.
Zhang Ruochen handed her one hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring and the scroll, saying, "This is my promise to you. I have fulfilled it."
The Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden did not look at the scroll. She destroyed it directly. After receiving the one hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring, her clear, water-like eyes stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen.
"What are you looking at me for?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden said, "If you were to propose to me right now, I might agree."
To her surprise, Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a smile and said, "Why would you agree? Because of your vow? Or because of that twist of fate between us?"
"Does the reason matter?"
"Of course it matters."
After a pause, Zhang Ruochen continued, "The bond between us is not yet deep enough. Even if I proposed to you now, it would not be my true inner desire. I do not wish to go against my heart."
The Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden suddenly felt that she could not see through this man before her.
One hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring were incredibly precious. He could have used them himself or traded them with other cultivators for cultivation resources. Yet, because of a promise, he had truly handed over the one hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring to her.
Moreover, how many men in the world wished to marry the Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden? Not only for her peerless beauty but also for her formidable strength and the backing of the Heavenly Beginning Civilization.
But he did not seize this opportunity to make her fulfill her vow and marry him.
"What kind of person is he?"
The Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden pondered this in her heart.
Zhang Ruochen left silently, never revealing his true identity to her from beginning to end.
The True Marvel Little Daoist wore an expression of extreme pain, muttering all the way, "One hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring, that's one hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring, given away just like that. Zhang Ruochen, doesn't your heart ache? If you had given those one hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring to me, I might have had a chance to transform into a divine medicine."
Zhang Ruochen smiled nonchalantly, "The Heavenly Beginning Celestial Maiden swore before all the cultivators in the world that whoever helped her obtain one hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring, she would marry. If someone else brought one hundred thousand drops of Divine Spring to marry her, she might actually agree. After all, she is my woman, Zhang Ruochen's woman. If she married someone else, I would definitely regret it."
Then, Zhang Ruochen asked, "True Marvel, now that we've left the God-Sealing Platform, why haven't you left?"
The True Marvel Little Daoist let out a long sigh, "The world is so vast, I don't know where to go. Besides, I am a one hundred thousand year old ancient sacred medicine. If my true form is recognized, countless people will come to capture me. What do you think I should do now?"
"I'll introduce you to a great power. Perhaps it can help you," Zhang Ruochen said.
"What great power?"
The True Marvel Little Daoist's eyes lit up, "Could it be that True God who manifested an incarnation earlier?"
"Not exactly... but I have already sent a message to it. I believe it will soon come to meet me," Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhang Ruochen took the True Marvel Little Daoist to Kongling Island, the cultivation ground of the Divine Heir disciple Feng Xi. Feng Yan had already returned to the island, and Xiang Chunan and Mu Lingxi were also there.
"Haha! Third brother, you've finally arrived. Hurry up and call me second brother," Xiang Chunan laughed loudly.
Zhang Ruochen smiled, "How did you become second brother?"
Xiang Chunan's expression turned serious, "Before entering the God-Sealing Platform, the three of us agreed to decide the ranking based on the value of the treasures we obtained. Are you trying to go back on your word?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "So, you and Brother Feng have already compared?"
Feng Yan sat in the pavilion, a smile on his face, "Indeed, we have compared. That's why he calls himself second. Otherwise, he would definitely call himself big brother."
"At least I'm not last," Xiang Chunan laughed.
Zhang Ruochen coughed twice, "Do you think the treasures I obtained are not as many or as valuable as yours?"
Xiang Chunan said smugly, "Your cultivation has broken through to the Four-Step Saint King realm. It's obvious you consumed a large number of sacred fruits and sacred medicines. The sacred fruits and medicines you still have on you now are probably not many, right? Hehe."
Mu Lingxi walked over to Zhang Ruochen and took out all the treasures she had obtained from the God-Sealing Platform, handing them to him.
Seeing this, Xiang Chunan became anxious, "No, no, no, sister-in-law, this is a fair and just competition between the three of us. How can you give him the treasures you collected?"
Mu Lingxi said, "What's mine is his. Why can't I give it to him?"
"Yes, why can't she?" Feng Yan echoed.
Xiang Chunan was so anxious his head hurt, but in the end, he compromised, "Fine, even if I add sister-in-law's share, you still can't surpass me."
Zhang Ruochen smiled and gently shook his head at Mu Lingxi. Then, he pulled out the True Marvel Little Daoist and placed it in front of Xiang Chunan, "With this one hundred thousand year old ancient sacred medicine, I should have surpassed you, right?"
Xiang Chunan's expression changed, "Does that old fellow True Marvel count?"
The True Marvel Little Daoist sat cross-legged in Zhang Ruochen's palm, looking disdainfully at Xiang Chunan, "Why wouldn't I count?"
Mu Lingxi giggled, "Brother Xiang, you're not going to admit defeat, are you?"
"I..."
Xiang Chunan gritted his teeth, his hair standing on end, but in the end, he let out a long sigh, "Fine, the treasures I have on me really can't compare to yours."
Zhang Ruochen held the True Marvel Little Daoist and looked at Feng Yan, "Can I be the big brother?"
"If it's just based on a one hundred thousand year old ancient sacred medicine, it's not enough," Feng Yan shook his head.
"It seems Brother Feng obtained quite a lot of good things in the God-Sealing Platform."
Zhang Ruochen took out the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror and asked, "Is this enough now?"
Feng Yan abruptly stood up from the stone bench, took the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror, and carefully ran his fingers over it, his eyes wide, "This is... Luo Tian True Lord's Purple Gold Bagua Mirror..."
"Brother Feng actually recognizes it," Zhang Ruochen said with some surprise.
Feng Yan said, "A Divine Heir disciple once saw it in the God-Sealing Platform and drew a picture of it. Many Divine Heir disciples entered the God-Sealing Platform searching for the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror, but none found it. I never expected Big Brother to have such good luck as to find it."
Since Zhang Ruochen had brought out a Supreme Sacred Artifact, he naturally became the big brother among the three.
That night, Zhang Ruochen, Feng Yan, and Xiang Chunan drank until they were thoroughly drunk.
The next day, under Feng Yan's arrangements, Xiang Chunan and Mu Lingxi entered the Truth Divine Temple to go into seclusion for cultivation. Zhang Ruochen, however, continued to wait.
It wasn't until the fourth day that Xiao Hei arrived at Kongling Island to meet with Zhang Ruochen.
As soon as he arrived, Xiao Hei began complaining incessantly, "Such an important event as the God-Sealing Platform Assembly, and you didn't call me? What do you mean by that? What treasures did you get? Hurry up and take them out so I can take a look for you."
Zhang Ruochen summoned the True Marvel Little Daoist and introduced it to Xiao Hei, "This Daoist is named True Marvel, and his cultivation is quite profound. True Marvel Daoist is currently at a bottleneck in his cultivation and needs to undergo worldly training. During the time I'm away, I'll leave the matter of his training to you."
Xiao Hei's bell-sized eyes stared at the True Marvel Little Daoist for a long time before he secretly transmitted a message to Zhang Ruochen, "Are you giving this one hundred thousand year old ancient sacred medicine to me to eat? If I eat it, maybe I can fully recover my cultivation."
Zhang Ruochen rolled his eyes and said seriously, "This old Daoist is not simple. He can control a Supreme Sacred Artifact."
Zhang Ruochen had examined the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror and discovered a rather frustrating fact: no matter how much sacred qi he poured into the mirror, he couldn't activate its supreme power.
It seemed only the True Marvel Little Daoist could use special means to make the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror unleash the power of a Supreme Sacred Artifact.
"Supreme Sacred Artifact!"
Xiao Hei was extremely excited and quickly reached out with both claws to grab the True Marvel Little Daoist, "You have a Supreme Sacred Artifact? Why didn't you say so earlier? Hurry up and take it out so I can verify if it's real."
The True Marvel Little Daoist felt that this owl was looking at him with a very strange expression, as if it wanted to eat him.
"Zhang Ruochen, you're not really asking me to train with this owl, are you?" The True Marvel Little Daoist's eyes showed contempt.
Xiao Hei slapped the True Marvel Little Daoist on the head with a claw and scolded, "Little fellow, what kind of look is that? Just because you have a Supreme Sacred Artifact doesn't mean you're all that. I can eat you clean in no time."
The True Marvel Little Daoist's anger flared, "You dare eat me? Do you believe I'll use the Supreme Sacred Artifact to beat you so badly your own mother won't recognize you?"
In an instant, Xiao Hei and the True Marvel Little Daoist started fighting, rolling around on the ground.
"Stop."
Zhang Ruochen tried to stop them, but it had no effect. Instead, they fought even more fiercely.
Xiao Hei's cultivation had recovered quite a bit, and in the fight, he gained the upper hand, pinning the True Marvel Little Daoist down and rubbing him against the ground.
"I'll use the Supreme Sacred Artifact now and beat you to death, you big-faced owl," the True Marvel Little Daoist said, pulling out the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror and preparing to activate its supreme power.
Just then, Xiao Hei stepped back, releasing a terrifying Great Saint-level sacred might that stunned the True Marvel Little Daoist.
"G-Great Saint..."
The True Marvel Little Daoist's expression changed drastically, and he almost dropped the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror in his hand.
Xiao Hei puffed out his thick chest and let out a domineering laugh, "Now you know how powerful I am! Zhang Ruochen asked you to follow me because my cultivation is strong and I can teach you something. What reason do you have to be unconvinced? Even if you have a Supreme Sacred Artifact, I only need to speak one word to reduce you to ashes."
The True Marvel Little Daoist put away the Purple Gold Bagua Mirror, his expression solemn. He did not dare to make a move in front of a Great Saint.
Xiao Hei continued, "That's right! As a Saint King, you should know your place in front of a Great Saint. I didn't make you kneel and pay respects, which is already giving face to Zhang Ruochen."
Then, Xiao Hei secretly transmitted a message to Zhang Ruochen, "What exactly do you want me to do with him in training? Are you sure he's not meant to be eaten? How about just one leg?"
Zhang Ruochen gave Xiao Hei a cold look, "I'm going into seclusion in the Truth Divine Temple for the next year or so. You take him and conquer all those Daoist fields in the Guanghan Realm. That should count as training."
[Recommended reading: The new book by the urban god-level master, "The Strongest Divine Doctor"]