Chapter 1763: Let Chi Yao Come and Take It
Chi Kongle wiped away her tears and said, "I'll go find my brother right now and have him come over."
"Don't."
Zhang Ruochen stopped her and said, "Don't tell him about this for now."
"Why?"
Chi Kongle was puzzled, then, as if she had guessed something, quickly added, "Actually, it's because my brother sees you as his greatest enemy that he hates you so much. If he knew the truth, his attitude toward you would definitely change."
"And then what?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Kongle said, "Then..."
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands behind his back and said, "Then would you two leave with me, or stay by Chi Yao's side?"
Chi Kongle hesitated.
Chi Kongle and Chi Kunlun had been raised by Empress Chi Yao since childhood. Although the empress was quite strict with them, she was also deeply caring and attentive in every way.
From a young age, she had them cultivate the best techniques, the most exquisite martial arts and sacred arts, consume the purest sacred pills and spiritual medicines, and often personally guided their cultivation and taught them the Dao.
Even the treatment received by the empress's direct disciples was not even a tenth of what they got.
Chi Kongle could truly feel that kind of love—it was absolutely genuine.
It could be said that the empress had always been the person Chi Kongle respected and trusted the most.
Although the empress had deceived her, Chi Kongle believed there must be other reasons behind it, and it was very likely hiding a huge secret. This secret might also be why Zhang Ruochen was unwilling to tell her the truth now.
For all these reasons, leaving the empress, leaving Kunlun Realm, and following Zhang Ruochen away—Chi Kongle was not mentally prepared for that.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Since you're unwilling to leave with me, why bother telling your brother about this? With his personality, if he finds out I'm his father and still stays in Kunlun Realm, who knows what might happen."
"No, it's not like that. It's not that I don't want to leave with you—I just... Father, can you give me some time too?" Chi Kongle said.
Zhang Ruochen could understand Chi Kongle's feelings. After all, she was just a child. Asking her to suddenly leave with a completely unfamiliar father was too much to ask. Moreover, this father was the enemy she had hated for years.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Your brother's personality is too straightforward and impulsive, and he acts rashly. Once he sets his mind on something, it's hard to change. Even if I told him I'm his father, he definitely wouldn't believe it."
Clearly, Chi Kongle knew Chi Kunlun's personality all too well. He was even more impulsive and immature than Zhang Ruochen had described, even somewhat rebellious, and not mature at all.
"Should we keep it from him forever?" Chi Kongle said.
"The truth will always come to light; it won't stay hidden for long."
Zhang Ruochen seemed thoughtful and added, "You want to know the truth, but don't I want to know it too?"
The temple fell silent. Chi Kongle and Zhang Ruochen were both lost in thought.
After a long while, Zhang Ruochen said, "You have the Time Divine Martial Mark, right?"
"Mm."
"How far have you cultivated in the Way of Time?"
Chi Kongle said, "The empress gave me a scripture on cultivating the Way of Time, but the Way of Time is too profound, full of endless variables, and requires a very high level of spiritual power. With my current spiritual power intensity and cultivation level, I've only learned a little bit of the basics."
"Show me that scripture," Zhang Ruochen said.
Without hesitation, Chi Kongle took out the scripture and handed it to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen flipped through it for a while, then shook his head, returned it to her, and said, "The Way of Time—don't even mention you; even I have only learned a little bit of the basics. However, I do know a set of sword techniques that allow one to comprehend time through swordsmanship. Combining the two yields infinite power. Do you want to learn?"
Chi Kongle's eyes lit up, and she quickly nodded.
"Over the next few days, I'll be staying at the Xumi Dao Field. At night, I'll teach you the Time Sword Art," Zhang Ruochen said.
After Chi Kongle left, Zhang Ruochen let out a long breath, a smile appearing on his face—both gratified and tinged with a faint sadness.
Then, Zhang Ruochen took out the now-lusterless lotus, held it in his hand, and probed it with his spiritual power.
This lotus was incredibly miraculous. In just a short time, it had increased Zhang Ruochen's cultivation, spiritual power, physical body, and sacred soul by more than tenfold, as if he had been reborn.
If it could also enhance other cultivators, then Zhang Ruochen could rapidly train a large number of powerful warriors in a short period.
"Oh!"
Zhang Ruochen showed a very surprised expression and smiled, "It's actually a naturally born time-space treasure. Unbelievable."
After probing, Zhang Ruochen discovered that the time flow inside the lotus was twelve times different from the outside.
That is, cultivating inside the lotus for one year equaled only one month outside.
It was even more impressive than the former Cosmic Divine Wood Map.
Zhang Ruochen counted and found that the lotus had twelve petals. He wondered if there was a connection between the two.
If the lotus grew more petals, would the time flow ratio increase?
Zhang Ruochen did not find the reason why the lotus had greatly boosted his cultivation.
Now, this lotus was no different from an ordinary one. When he probed it with his spiritual power, there was no increase.
Within the lotus petals, a large number of space inscriptions were interwoven, along with many time imprints resembling specks of light.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen had an idea and walked straight out of the ancient temple.
"Xumi Saint Monk left a large number of space inscriptions and time imprints in the Xumi Dao Field. Even disciples from the Time Divine Temple and Space Divine Temple come here to study and comprehend. I should study them too."
After his battle with Gongzi Yan, Zhang Ruochen clearly realized the terror of time power and space power. Mastering either one made it easy to kill enemies across realms.
For example, Gongzi Yan.
With his mastery of space power, his strength was comparable to a Nine-Step Saint King.
By sealing the space, he could even kill Zhang Ruochen, who was at the Four-Step Saint King realm.
Of course, without using time imprints to cut off a hundred years of Gongzi Yan's lifespan, crossing three realms to kill him would still not be easy.
But Zhang Ruochen happened to possess time power, so in the end, the one who died was Gongzi Yan, not him.
In the night, some Kunlun Realm cultivators were setting up defensive formations, others were cleaning the battlefield, and some were healing their injuries.
Zhang Ruochen walked through the Dao Field, occasionally stopping to press his hand to the ground to study the space inscriptions beneath, or pointing upward to reveal a time imprint and observe it closely.
When Kunlun Realm cultivators saw Zhang Ruochen, they would bow with clasped hands, their expressions filled with respect and admiration.
Clearly, this night's battle had changed the attitude of most Kunlun Realm cultivators toward Zhang Ruochen. They genuinely admired him from the bottom of their hearts.
Before he knew it, Zhang Ruochen reached the edge of the Xumi Dao Field. From afar, he heard a woman's crying.
Following the sound, he saw Wan Huayu and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden's graceful figures. Both were stunning beauties with boundless charm, their reputations spreading across Kunlun Realm.
They walked over from a distance. Wan Huayu held a wooden box in her hands, tears in her eyes.
Wan Zhaoyi had died in battle, his divine form annihilated, his body turned into bloody sand mixed with the earth. Wan Huayu had used a wooden box to collect a handful of soil, planning to take it back to Kunlun Realm so that Wan Zhaoyi could return to his roots.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, Wan Huayu and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden walked over.
"Thud."
Wan Huayu knelt directly before Zhang Ruochen, kowtowing to him, and then said in a cold voice, "I beg you, you must kill all the Paradise Realm Saint Kings imprisoned in the divine temple... kill them all... don't spare a single one..."
Zhang Ruochen quickly stepped forward to help her up and said, "My hatred is no less than yours. But these Saint Kings all have powerful backgrounds. If those behind them unite, the entire Heavenly Court would be shaken. So, I cannot kill them."
"You... don't dare?"
Wan Huayu was deeply disappointed, her heart filled with grief.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden's phoenix eyes showed a hint of disdain, and she said, "If you're afraid of death, hand them over to me. I'll kill them. I'll bear all the consequences."
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and said, "The Paradise Realm Saint Kings I've killed are already countless. Why would I be afraid of killing a few more? But I plan to hand them over to someone else for execution. Such a big thing has happened; I can't bear all the trouble myself. How can she stand by and do nothing?"
"Who do you want to hand them over to?" the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden asked, vaguely guessing.
Zhang Ruochen said, "That's none of your concern."
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden snorted coldly and said, "That divine temple belongs to me, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden. Return it to me immediately."
"If you can defeat me, I'll return it. But unfortunately, even if I use only one hand, you're no match for me," Zhang Ruochen said indifferently.
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power and sacred qi had mostly recovered, so he was not afraid of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden gritted her teeth in hatred, truly wanting to fight Zhang Ruochen.
But thinking of the terrifying scene when Zhang Ruochen had wielded the lotus and killed over a hundred Paradise Realm Saint Kings in an instant, she realized that in the Xumi Dao Field, she was definitely no match for Zhang Ruochen. So, she held back.
"Zhang Ruochen, hand over that lotus to me!" the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden said, her eyes wide with anger.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Why should I?"
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden said, "That lotus is a relic left by Xumi Saint Monk for Kunlun Realm. Our Kunlun Realm paid a huge price in casualties to capture the Xumi Dao Field and seize it. You're not a cultivator of Kunlun Realm; what right do you have to control it? You need to understand one thing: you're just a helper we invited from Kunlun Realm. The battle is over; now you should hand it over to me."
Zhang Ruochen's hands tightened slightly, then he showed a bitter smile, shook his head gently, turned around, and walked somewhat desolately into the Dao Field, saying, "If you want the lotus, let Chi Yao come and take it herself. If she comes in person, I'll give it to her."
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden frowned, realizing that her words had been too harsh and had probably hurt Zhang Ruochen. A deep sense of guilt arose in her heart. But to immediately chase after him and apologize—she simply could not bring herself to do it.
"This guy is really arrogant beyond measure, actually telling the empress to come see him," the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden said, biting her lip and stamping her foot in frustration.