Chapter 1960: A Parting in Discord
Everyone present turned their gazes toward Zhang Ruochen, wanting to see how he would react.
Many people wore cold expressions. For the sake of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, they did not care about souring relations with Zhang Ruochen.
Feng Wuxing shook his head inwardly. He wanted to speak up for Zhang Ruochen, but now that Xuan Yuan Lie Kong had stepped forward, even if he spoke, it would likely be meaningless.
Immortal Yuan also frowned slightly, not expecting things to develop this way.
After a moment of deliberation, Feng Wuxing still spoke up: "Throughout history, when collecting treasures, it has always been based on one's own ability. Since the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was obtained by Brother Zhang, it should rightfully belong to him. There is no reason to take it out and share it with everyone."
Hearing this, Bi Yunhai immediately shot Feng Wuxing a cold glare and said, "Based on one's own ability? Without everyone's help, would Zhang Ruochen have had the ability to collect the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree? If you don't want a share, no one will force you, but don't hinder others."
Feng Wuxing said nothing more. He silently walked to the side, making his stance clear.
Following him, Immortal Yuan, Ling Kongzi, and a few others also moved to the side, unwilling to get involved in this matter.
Only then did Zhang Ruochen speak: "The Sky-Connecting Divine Tree is right here. Why bother asking me?"
To anyone listening, Zhang Ruochen sounded helpless, unable to defy the will of the crowd, and had no choice but to compromise and hand over the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree.
"Smart move. Don't worry, you won't be left out," Bi Yunhai said with a smug expression.
Xuan Yuan Lie Kong also revealed a smile, clearly satisfied with Zhang Ruochen's attitude. He liked people who knew when to adapt.
In truth, he had wanted to recruit Zhang Ruochen. If not for the extreme preciousness of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, he would have chosen to help Zhang Ruochen at this moment.
"Big Brother, are we really going to give them the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree?" Xiang Chunan's eyes were wide open, filled with unwillingness and anger.
Zhang Ruochen did not speak. He simply reached out and gently patted Xiang Chunan on the shoulder, giving him a reassuring look.
Xiang Chunan's eyes showed confusion. He did not understand why Zhang Ruochen remained so calm at a time like this.
Still, he held back and did not act rashly.
Bi Yunhai approached the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree and clearly felt an extremely terrifying pressure, as if his soul would be crushed.
He could sense that the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was rejecting him, refusing to let him near.
"Already cut down and turned into dead wood, yet you still try to resist me. Using pressure to try and scare me off—how naive. Watch me shatter you," Bi Yunhai said, his eyes full of greed.
As he spoke, Bi Yunhai took out a sky-blue gourd, a Monarch Sacred Artifact, and activated it with full force.
Bi Yunhai was extremely confident in his own strength, especially with a Monarch Sacred Artifact in hand. Cutting off the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, which had been dead for a hundred thousand years, should be a simple task.
Two hundred thousand King-level inscriptions appeared on the surface of the sky-blue gourd, releasing an incredibly brilliant sacred light that shot straight toward the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree.
The sacred light possessed terrifying attack power, enough to shatter stars beyond the domain. It easily pierced through the green mist formed by the Divine Wood Qi and struck the trunk.
"Boom."
The Divine Wood Qi swirling around the trunk violently trembled and gradually dissipated, revealing more of the trunk.
However, the sacred light failed to cause any damage to the trunk—not even a single withered yellow leaf was shaken loose.
Seeing this, Bi Yunhai's brows deeply furrowed. He had not expected such an outcome.
Using a Monarch Sacred Artifact at full power and failing to damage the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree in the slightest was undoubtedly embarrassing.
"I refuse to believe this."
Bi Yunhai grew fierce and activated the sky-blue gourd once more.
Just then, Xuan Yuan Lie Kong's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Watch out, fall back!"
In an instant, Bi Yunhai felt a chilling dread and immediately tried to retreat.
But it was too late. A vast divine might erupted from the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree and slammed directly into Bi Yunhai.
"Pfft."
Bi Yunhai could not withstand this divine might, and his body instantly exploded.
"No!"
Bi Yunhai's sacred soul struggled desperately, trying to escape, but in the end, it could not avoid being shattered.
Even the sky-blue gourd shattered in an instant, turning into pieces of scrap metal, with all its King-level inscriptions erased.
Seeing this, everyone present was shocked and stepped back, treating the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree like a flood of beasts.
Bi Yunhai was a top-tier expert at the Lintao Realm, capable of defeating an Undying Great Saint. His strength was unmatched, yet he was obliterated in an instant—truly terrifying.
At this moment, even Xuan Yuan Lie Kong had horror in his eyes, filled with extreme wariness toward the trunk.
Fortunately, the divine might retracted quickly after killing Bi Yunhai and did not spread. Otherwise, few present would have survived.
"What is going on?" Lei Juexing turned his gaze to Zhang Ruochen and demanded coldly.
In his view, this matter was definitely related to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Lei Juexing indifferently and said, "The Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was once the spiritual root of the Kunlun Realm. All living beings in the Kunlun Realm, including gods, were born from it. Even though it was cut down and has been dead for a hundred thousand years, it is not something to be casually offended. Especially for beings not from the Kunlun Realm, daring to offend the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree is simply seeking death."
"Since you knew, why didn't you say so earlier?" Lei Juexing's gaze grew even colder.
Zhang Ruochen gave a cold laugh and said, "From start to finish, I did exactly what you all asked. If a problem arises, how is it my fault? Do you think I should have divided the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree for you and handed it to each of you personally?"
"Hmph, it's your lack of brains, not my big brother's fault. Attacking the body of a god—only a fool would do that. Bi Yunhai was arrogant and deserved to die," Feng Yan said coldly, showing no sympathy for Bi Yunhai.
He had long disliked Bi Yunhai, and now that the man had courted death and been killed by the divine power released from the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree trunk, it was truly satisfying.
Hearing this, Lei Juexing's face turned extremely ugly, but he could not find a way to refute it.
After seeing the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, they had indeed been blinded by greed, forgetting many important things, and had recklessly attacked it.
At this moment, Lei Juexing was actually very grateful that he had not struck earlier. Otherwise, he would have been the one dead.
On the other side, Xuan Yuan Lie Kong's expression also darkened. Even he had been careless, thinking similarly to Bi Yunhai that the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree would no longer be dangerous.
Now it was clear that the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was still extremely dangerous, having not lost its divine might despite the passage of time.
Zhang Ruochen stepped closer to the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and asked, "Does anyone else want the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree?"
Those who had been eager earlier were now silent. It was not that they did not want the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, but they simply did not dare.
With Bi Yunhai's fate as a warning, who would still dare to covet the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree?
Even Xuan Yuan Lie Kong remained silent. Though he was stronger than Bi Yunhai, if he attacked the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, he would likely meet the same end.
He had completely miscalculated this time, failing to obtain the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree and souring his relationship with Zhang Ruochen.
"Since no one wants the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, I will put it away," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Qiankun Realm opened, and a tremendous suction force appeared, instantly drawing the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree inside.
If it were him, without the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree sapling, he would likely have had no hope of collecting the trunk either.
The next moment, Zhang Ruochen turned around, cupped his hands, and said, "Senior Brother Zhen Yuan, Senior Brother Lu, Brother Feng, Immortal Yuan, Daoist Ling Kongzi, I still have matters to attend to and must take my leave. Until we meet again."
"Brother Zhang, take care," Feng Wuxing said, cupping his hands.
Immortal Yuan also cupped her hands: "Young Master Ruochen, until we meet again."
"Daoist Zhang, take care. If you have time, we must have a good discussion on the way of the sword," Ling Kongzi said with a smile, cupping his hands.
Zhen Yuan sighed softly and said, "Junior Brother Zhang, if anything comes up, you can send me a message at any time."
After such an unpleasant incident, it was clearly impossible for Zhang Ruochen to stay in the Northern Domain. Zhen Yuan felt a bit guilty about how things had turned out.
Lu Baiming walked over, reached out, and patted Zhang Ruochen on the shoulder, smiling. "The matter in the Northern Domain is settled, and there's nothing left for me here. I'll go with you, Junior Brother Zhang."
Nodding slightly to Zhen Yuan and the others, Zhang Ruochen said, "Let's go."
Immediately, Zhang Ruochen, Ji Fanxin, Feng Yan, Xiang Chunan, Pei Yutian, and Lu Baiming rose into the air together. Using their movement techniques, they turned into six streaks of light and, in the blink of an eye, left the Northern Domain camp.
Although some were unwilling, they did not dare to stop them at this moment, deeply wary. With Lu Baiming traveling alongside Zhang Ruochen and the others, even fewer dared to act rashly.
"Let's end today's celebration here. I am a bit tired. Everyone, please return," Zhen Yuan said, issuing a dismissal.
With things having come to such a state, the crowd had little interest in staying. They took their leave one after another.
It was likely that once news of what happened here spread, Zhang Ruochen's reputation would grow even stronger, and many top experts of the Heavenly Court Realm would become laughingstocks.
Additionally, Bi Yunhai's death would likely cause quite a stir, especially on the Tianhai Realm side, which might make some moves.
After leaving the Northern Domain camp, Zhang Ruochen and the others went to the nearest Merit Branch Station and headed straight for the Merit General Station on Tianquan Star.
Having killed so many Death Clan members at Xianji Mountain, they naturally needed to exchange for merit points.
"Junior Brother Zhang, I'll head back to the Five Elements Temple first. If you have time, you can come find me there," Lu Baiming said, bidding farewell as soon as they arrived at the Merit General Station.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Senior Brother Lu, take care."
Lu Baiming nodded, mounted the Primordial Demon Flood Dragon, and slowly flew toward the Teleportation Hall.
Through the Space Teleportation Array at the Merit General Station, traveling to the various heavens of the Heavenly Court Realm was very convenient.
"Come on, let's go exchange for merit points."
Watching Lu Baiming disappear into the distance, Zhang Ruochen turned and said.
He was looking forward to this merit exchange, wondering what surprise awaited him once he entered the top ten thousand of the Saint King Merit Ranking.
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