Chapter 2029: Undying Blood Silkworm
The scenery within the palace halls was extremely beautiful, with a new vista every few steps. Unfortunately, Zhang Ruochen had no mood to appreciate it.
Passing through several long corridors, an elegant courtyard came into Zhang Ruochen's view.
This courtyard was all too familiar to him, as he had grown up in such an environment in his previous life, from childhood to adulthood. Every blade of grass and every tree seemed like a replica.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's eyes brightened. His figure flickered, and he appeared in the courtyard, pulling a graceful silhouette into his embrace.
With his beloved in his arms, the heart that had been hanging finally settled completely. "Lingxi, are you alright?"
Mu Lingxi quietly nestled in Zhang Ruochen's arms, resting her head on his shoulder, and said softly, "I'm fine."
No matter when or where, Zhang Ruochen's embrace always gave her the greatest sense of security.
Seeing the intimacy between Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi, Kong Lanyou's eyes couldn't help but dim slightly. She wished she were the one held in Zhang Ruochen's arms.
Unfortunately, such words could never leave her lips.
Xue Hou walked slowly into the courtyard with a smile on her face and sat down at the jade table.
As if she had long known Zhang Ruochen would arrive soon, Xue Hou had prepared a large table of dishes in advance. Each dish was exquisitely crafted, with perfect color, aroma, and taste, making one's appetite stir just by looking.
"Everyone, sit down. Whatever matters there are, we'll discuss them after the meal," Xue Hou said gently.
Although Xue Hou's tone was gentle, it carried an undeniable authority.
Zhang Ruochen released Mu Lingxi and turned to look at Xue Hou, a complex expression in his eyes. The emotions he had barely calmed began to surge violently again.
Though unwilling to admit it, the elegant and noble woman before him was indeed his biological mother from his previous life.
For a long time, Zhang Ruochen had harbored deep hatred for the Undying Blood Clan. Yet now, he was told that in his previous life, he had carried the bloodline of the Undying Blood Clan. What irony—the heavens had played a cruel joke on him.
Zhang Ruochen was not one to escape reality, but this time, he wished his previous life's mother had truly passed away, rather than being the Xue Hou before him.
Suppressing his turbulent emotions, Zhang Ruochen tried to stay calm and sat down across from Xue Hou with Mu Lingxi and Kong Lanyou.
Seeing the three sit down, a smile appeared on Xue Hou's face. "Come, Chen'er, try your mother's cooking."
As she spoke, Xue Hou picked up her chopsticks and placed some food into the bowl in front of Zhang Ruochen.
"Lingxi, Lanyou, we're all family. Don't be shy."
Xue Hou also served some dishes to Mu Lingxi and Kong Lanyou, showing no airs at all.
But no matter how warmly Xue Hou behaved, Zhang Ruochen remained indifferent, not even touching his chopsticks.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Where is Chi Kunlun?"
He had only seen Mu Lingxi, not Chi Kunlun, which made him somewhat worried.
"Chi Kunlun doesn't want to see you. You should know the reason. But rest assured, he is fine now."
Xue Hou didn't mind Zhang Ruochen's cold attitude and still wore a smile.
At this moment, she naturally couldn't let Zhang Ruochen know that Chi Kunlun was not in the Endless Abyss but had been taken away by a Yama Clan powerhouse.
Otherwise, given Zhang Ruochen's temperament, he might immediately go after that Yama Clan expert.
That would not be a good thing, as Zhang Ruochen was not yet a match for that person.
Of course, Xue Hou wouldn't abandon her grandson. Secretly, she had already sent Xin Mo to investigate that person, hoping to find an opportunity to rescue Chi Kunlun.
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen's eyes grew even more complex. He naturally understood the rift between himself and Chi Kunlun. It was reasonable that Chi Kunlun didn't want to see him.
Just like now—did he really want to see Xue Hou?
If not for the many doubts and the fact that Chi Kunlun and Mu Lingxi had been brought into the Endless Abyss, Zhang Ruochen wouldn't have wanted to come here at all.
If forced to choose, he would rather face Chi Yao than Xue Hou.
"One day, Chi Kunlun will understand everything and appear before you," Mu Lingxi said softly, placing her hand on Zhang Ruochen's to comfort him.
Hearing Mu Lingxi's voice, Zhang Ruochen snapped back to reality. He turned his hand over, intertwining his fingers with hers.
Having Mu Lingxi by his side was perhaps the greatest blessing the heavens had given him.
"Eat first. Your mother doesn't know what you like, so I made a few random dishes. If you don't like them, I can make something else."
Xue Hou's face was full of smiles as she continued to serve Zhang Ruochen.
But faced with Xue Hou's enthusiasm, Zhang Ruochen felt extremely uncomfortable and wanted to leave immediately.
In Zhang Ruochen's eyes, Xue Hou was a complete stranger, and an Undying Blood Clan member at that. No matter how friendly she acted, he couldn't accept it.
The dishes on the table were indeed exquisite, but they couldn't stir Zhang Ruochen's appetite in the slightest.
Xue Hou sighed softly, her eyes dimming. She hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen's rejection to be so strong.
She had indeed wronged Zhang Ruochen too much. As a mother, she hadn't been by his side after his birth, never letting him experience any maternal love.
And she knew that what bothered Zhang Ruochen most was her identity as an Undying Blood Clan member, but that was an unchangeable reality.
With others, Xue Hou could use forceful methods, but with Zhang Ruochen, she was helpless.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Kong Lanyou picked up her chopsticks and placed some food in Zhang Ruochen's bowl. "Cousin, this is... Auntie's heartfelt gesture. Eat a little."
Kong Lanyou had grown up with Zhang Ruochen, so she knew how much he had longed for maternal love as a child. No matter who Xue Hou was, she was still his mother—an unchangeable fact.
Even a vicious tiger wouldn't eat its own cub.
Xue Hou at least wouldn't harm her cousin.
Xue Hou shot Kong Lanyou a grateful look, knowing that Kong Lanyou's words carried more weight than her own.
Zhang Ruochen's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. For some reason, he recalled the time when Chi Kunlun and Chi Kongle had tried to kill him. As a father, the pain had been unbearable.
He knew that Kong Lanyou wasn't trying to persuade him for Xue Hou's sake but to tell him that some feelings had to be faced. Running away was useless.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Ruochen steadied his chaotic emotions.
Without looking up at Xue Hou, he reached for his chopsticks and silently picked up the food in his bowl, putting it into his mouth.
The dishes were delicious, but to Zhang Ruochen, they tasted like wax, hard to swallow.
Seeing him eat her cooking, Xue Hou's eyes sparkled with joy and anticipation. She was about to ask, "Chen'er, is it good?" when Zhang Ruochen put down his chopsticks and stared at her coldly again.
Seeing this, the smile on Xue Hou's face vanished, replaced by bitterness. Making Zhang Ruochen accept her as his mother was no easy task.
Shaking her head helplessly, Xue Hou said softly, "Linyuan, take the Crown Prince to rest."
She knew this couldn't be rushed. She couldn't push Zhang Ruochen too hard; it had to be gradual.
If she could keep Zhang Ruochen in the Endless Abyss and give them more time together, she believed she could slowly open his tightly shut heart.
A figure appeared from the side, tall and imposing—Chi Linyuan, the former leader of the Blood God Sect.
Back then, Chi Linyuan had been chased into the Second Gradient by Yan Liren. With Xue Hou as his backing, he had escaped disaster, while Yan Liren seemed to have run into some trouble.
"Crown Prince, please."
Chi Linyuan bowed slightly.
Unwilling to face Xue Hou any longer, Zhang Ruochen followed Chi Linyuan without hesitation.
Mu Lingxi and Kong Lanyou also stood up and quickly followed.
As soon as the three left, Qiu Yichi appeared in the courtyard.
"Master, the Crown Prince doesn't seem willing to accept your kindness. Why not use other means?" Qiu Yichi asked, puzzled.
A cold light flashed in Xue Hou's eyes. "Don't you know Chen'er's temperament? If I used other means, he would never acknowledge me as his mother."
Feeling the chill emanating from Xue Hou, Qiu Yichi shuddered and quickly said, "Disciple misspoke. Please forgive me, Master."
"Find that Yama Clan person as soon as possible and rescue Chi Kunlun. He must not be harmed in any way, understand?" Xue Hou ordered coldly.
Qiu Yichi immediately replied, "Yes, Master."
Though the task was extremely difficult, since it was Xue Hou's order, she had to carry it out no matter what.
She owed everything to Xue Hou's guidance and knew Xue Hou's temperament well. If she failed, there would be no good outcome.
"Chen'er, Chen'er, how can I make you accept me?" Xue Hou sighed.
In all these years, the only person who had given her such a headache was Zhang Ruochen.
Meanwhile, Zhang Ruochen, Mu Lingxi, and Kong Lanyou followed Chi Linyuan through several corridors and finally arrived at the residence Xue Hou had arranged for them.
Chi Linyuan smiled. "Crown Prince, if you need anything, just tell me."
"Buzz."
A powerful spatial fluctuation appeared, instantly enveloping the entire room and Chi Linyuan as well.
Chi Linyuan's face changed dramatically. "Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?"
Inwardly, Chi Linyuan was shocked. He hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen to still be able to use spatial techniques even after entering the Second Gradient of the Endless Abyss, and so powerfully that even his formidable physical body was somewhat immobilized.
"I have questions for you. You'd better answer honestly, or I won't hesitate to kill you," Zhang Ruochen said coldly.
Chi Linyuan said, "Crown Prince, just ask. How could I dare deceive you?"
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since Zhang Ruochen was Xue Hou's son, even if he wanted to kill him, Chi Linyuan had no choice.
"Back then, when the Grand Elder chased you into the Second Gradient, what happened?" Zhang Ruochen asked gravely.
When he had seen Yan Liren in the First Gradient of the Endless Abyss, he had believed in neither gods nor fate, only himself. How spirited he had been!
Now, Yan Liren gave him a sense of decadence. He couldn't imagine what had happened to him.
Chi Linyuan paused for a moment. "Senior Uncle was already invincible, and with the Blood God Scepter in hand, I was no match. I could only flee. After barely making it back here, Senior Uncle chased me all the way, provoking Master's intervention. Master wanted Senior Uncle to submit, but he refused. Remembering some past friendship, Master didn't kill him but imprisoned him in a mysterious blood domain."
"Xue Hou imprisoned the Grand Elder? And they had a past friendship?" Zhang Ruochen frowned.
How could Yan Liren and Xue Hou have any connection?
Zhang Ruochen didn't believe Yan Liren would join the Undying Blood Clan. He trusted Ming Emperor's judgment and Yan Liren's integrity.
Yan Liren had cut off his inner faith, unaffected by the Blood God's will. Who could control him?
Chi Linyuan continued, "Master imprisoned Senior Uncle, intending to use the mysterious power of the blood domain to wear down his will and make him submit. But unexpectedly, instead of being worn down, Senior Uncle used great determination to sever a hundred thousand distracting thoughts, mending his past mental flaws. He then elevated his physical body to the Great Saint level, cultivated the Undying Blood Silkworm Immortal Sacred Body, broke through the cocoon to become a butterfly, and stepped into the Great Saint realm."
The Undying Blood Silkworm Immortal Sacred Body was created by the Blood God. Since the Blood God Sect's founding, only the Blood God and his eldest disciple, Blood Lingxian, had cultivated it.
Now, there was one more.
Legend had it that the Undying Blood Silkworm Immortal Sacred Body was extremely powerful, known as an undying body. No matter how severe the injury, it could recover quickly, and the sacred body would become even stronger.
With his physical body reaching the Great Saint level, coupled with the Undying Blood Silkworm Immortal Sacred Body, one could only imagine how powerful Yan Liren had become.
"As expected of the former Tenth Emperor, truly astonishing," Kong Lanyou said.
Such a powerful immortal sacred body made Kong Lanyou envious. Perhaps having her own immortal sacred body shattered was a good thing, giving her a chance to pursue an even stronger one.
Mu Lingxi was also surprised. "I've heard of the Undying Blood Silkworm Immortal Sacred Body. It's one of the most powerful immortal sacred bodies, comparable to the Moon Worship Cult's Taiyin Tianyue Immortal Sacred Body. But it's extremely difficult to cultivate, requiring not only exceptional talent but also special opportunities."
The Moon Worship Cult's Taiyin Tianyue Immortal Sacred Body was created by the Moon God. Throughout the cult's history, only its founder seemed to have cultivated it.
There were many types of immortal sacred bodies in the world, but few could be called top-tier. Some major worlds didn't even have one.
Only in an eternal major world like Kunlun Realm were there multiple top-tier immortal sacred body cultivation methods.
Cultivating a top-tier immortal sacred body was like laying the foundation for becoming a god, giving one a better chance of achieving godhood.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's brow furrowed deeply. "No, the Yan Liren I saw earlier wasn't at the Great Saint level at all."
"Your Highness, the Senior Uncle you saw wasn't the real one," Chi Linyuan said.
Zhang Ruochen was even more confused. "What do you mean?"
"When Senior Uncle broke through, Master felt the blood domain tremble and rushed over immediately, but she was too late. Senior Uncle had already fled deep into the blood domain, a place Master dared not tread lightly."
"All that remained in Senior Uncle's seclusion spot was a 'cocoon body' he had shed, containing the hundred thousand distracting thoughts he had severed. Master used a secret technique to fuse the 'cocoon body' with those thoughts, creating the Senior Uncle you see now," Chi Linyuan said.
Zhang Ruochen never imagined that the "Yan Liren" he had seen was merely a cocoon body.
He could clearly feel that this "Yan Liren" possessed immense power, no weaker than himself—meaning it was at the level below Great Saint.
If even the cocoon body was this strong, how powerful was the real body?
Additionally, Zhang Ruochen gleaned an important piece of information from Chi Linyuan's words: to achieve physical Great Saint status, one not only needed to temper the body to an extreme but also required a complete state of mind.
No wonder so few had managed to cultivate their physical bodies to the Great Saint level throughout history. This made Zhang Ruochen realize that his own foundation was far from sufficient for such a feat.
...
I'm sorry. Last night, I originally wrote four thousand words, but after finishing, I found the emotions expressed were off, so I deleted the second half and rewrote it this morning.