# Chapter 2142: Doting
Cutting off his own arm in public, Yuzhou felt nothing but shame and fury in his heart.
It was even more humiliating than the time he had suffered defeat at the Blood God Sect.
But Yuzhou had no choice. Zhang Ruochen was notorious for being ruthless toward his enemies. How many experts from Paradise Realm had died at his hands?
Poor Yuzhou—he was the leader of Paradise Realm, a Divine Son, and the object of the Radiant Divine Temple's full cultivation efforts. His status was supremely noble. And now, he had lost all face.
In the long years of history, generation after generation of Paradise Realm leaders, none had been more aggrieved than Yuzhou.
"This time, I'll spare you. But it's best if there's no next time. Remember my words well." Zhang Ruochen's voice echoed once more in Yuzhou's ears.
Though resentment burned in Yuzhou's heart, he still felt a sense of relief, as if pardoned from a great calamity.
Letting out a light breath, Yuzhou did not hesitate for a moment. He immediately took Berlan with him and, transforming into a streak of light, flew straight out of Lianzhu Mansion.
This time, Paradise Realm had lost all face. There was no way Yuzhou could stay any longer, lest he become a laughingstock.
Moreover, with Zhang Ruochen lurking in the shadows, Paradise Realm would find it difficult to gain any advantage in this council. Instead, they would be constrained at every turn.
"What just happened? Could someone have secretly coerced Yuzhou into doing this?"
"With Yuzhou's strength and status, who could possibly coerce him like that?"
"Ordinary people indeed cannot threaten Yuzhou. But there is one person who can—someone who could threaten every single one of us present here."
"Are you talking about... Zhang Ruochen?" someone exclaimed.
At the mention of the three words "Zhang Ruochen," many leaders of the great worlds in Lianzhu Mansion changed color.
No one was a fool.
The fact that Chi Kongle's Five Elements Chaos Body could shine so brilliantly, and that the Time Sword Art's power had multiplied, could only be the work of Zhang Ruochen.
Thinking more carefully, Zhang Ruochen's coercion of Yuzhou to cut off his own arm in public must have had a special purpose.
It was clearly a warning to everyone—before doing anything, they had to consider the consequences.
At this thought, countless cultivators couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath of cold air. "It seems that Zhang Ruochen, the invincible one below Great Saint, has quietly arrived at the Central Imperial City."
"We must immediately inform the cultivators from our home world to keep a low profile in the imperial city from now on. We can't end up like Yuzhou and the others, running straight into the blade." A leader of a great world thought to himself.
For a moment, the atmosphere within the Ninth Mansion became much more oppressive. Many cultivators felt as though Zhang Ruochen was pressing down on them, making it hard to breathe.
With Zhang Ruochen's unrestrained style of conduct, there weren't many who could remain unafraid. No matter how illustrious one's background, it didn't matter—Yuzhou was the best example.
"Swoosh—"
On the spiritual lake, a layer of mist emerged.
The mist, like smoke and clouds, quickly swallowed up Chi Kongle, Zhen Yuan, Cihang Fairy, and Wang Shiqi, causing them to disappear among the red walls and green tiles.
The mist could block all perception. The four of them seemed to vanish into thin air.
Zhen Yuan, Cihang Fairy, and Wang Shiqi were all top-tier experts. They sensed something and exchanged glances before sitting down at a stone table, as if waiting for something.
A tall and straight figure slowly emerged from the mist, stepping on the lake water, creating tiny ripples, and appeared in the sight of Chi Kongle and the other three.
It was none other than Zhang Ruochen, who had put away his "Thirty-Six Transformations" and returned to his original appearance.
Chi Kongle stared intently at that figure, holding her breath, biting her lower lip, her eyes turning slightly red.
Slowly, Zhang Ruochen walked up to Chi Kongle, looking at her tall and graceful figure, his eyes filled with rich and profound emotions.
Turning his hand over, Zhang Ruochen took out a transparent jade box and handed it to Chi Kongle. On his face, which would strike fear into the hearts of cultivators from both Hell Realm and Heavenly Court Realm, appeared a tender smile: "Kongle, I don't really know what gift to give you... heh... are you thirsty? I don't know if this fruit is sweet or not. Why don't you give it a try?"
Zhang Ruochen truly didn't know how to be a father. At this moment, meeting Chi Kongle, he felt somewhat at a loss.
Inside the jade box was a fist-sized fruit, emitting a faint crystalline glow, soaked in a clear liquid.
"Could that be the legendary... Great Saint Dao Fruit!"
Beside them, Wang Shiqi suddenly widened his eyes.
As a Confucian Saint Teacher, Wang Shiqi was well-traveled and knowledgeable. He recognized at a glance that the fruit Zhang Ruochen had taken out was the extremely precious Great Saint Dao Fruit, which possessed the miraculous effect of seizing the wonders of heaven and earth.
Such a precious treasure, and Zhang Ruochen was giving it to Chi Kongle to quench her thirst. He had never seen anything more insane than this.
This was a Great Saint Dao Fruit. According to legend, if one refined even a single one, it wouldn't guarantee a hundred percent success in reaching the Great Saint Realm, but it would come close.
Wang Shiqi's talent was no less than anyone else's, yet he lacked a Great Saint Heart, which had always prevented him from breaking through to the Great Saint Realm.
And the Great Saint Dao Fruit had a peculiar effect—it could compensate for the missing Great Saint Heart, paving the way to becoming a Great Saint.
Thus, in Wang Shiqi's eyes, an intense longing appeared at this moment.
Zhen Yuan and Cihang Fairy also showed a hint of surprise, not expecting Zhang Ruochen to be able to produce such a rare treasure.
Chi Kongle didn't take the jade box. Instead, she threw herself directly into Zhang Ruochen's arms, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances she had suffered.
"Father, I've missed you so much. Why haven't you come to see me all this time? Didn't you promise me that when you returned to Kunlun Realm, you would take me to Kongle Mountain, to see the lights of ten thousand homes, to see the mountains and rivers..."
Chi Kongle sobbed continuously, large teardrops falling to the ground, her slender body trembling gently.
Hearing Chi Kongle's sobs, Zhang Ruochen's heart was filled with guilt. He was truly an unworthy father, having failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a father.
Zhang Ruochen's heart trembled. Even though he tried hard to hold himself together, standing straight with a back as firm as a mountain, his eyes still reddened, tears swirling within them. He couldn't help but raise his hands and tightly embrace Chi Kongle.
"Kongle, don't cry. It's all Father's fault. I will definitely fulfill the promises I made to you."
Zhang Ruochen reached out and gently stroked Chi Kongle's head, softly comforting her.
But Chi Kongle's emotions remained very agitated. "Father, I'm so scared. I'm afraid I'll never see you again. Please don't leave me anymore, okay?"
"Don't be afraid. Father will always be by your side. No one can bully you." Zhang Ruochen's voice trembled slightly, carrying an indescribable emotion.
Seeing Chi Kongle's tearful appearance, his heart felt like it was about to shatter.
After all, Chi Kongle was still just a child. She shouldn't have to bear so many worries.
No matter what, from now on, he would never let Chi Kongle suffer even the slightest grievance. Not even a god could do that.
Wang Shiqi stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen, his expression very complicated.
Once, he had regarded Zhang Ruochen as a rebellious minister and villain. He had repeatedly advised Empress Chi Yao, strongly advocating for Zhang Ruochen's death to eliminate future troubles.
But he never expected that today, Kunlun Realm would need Zhang Ruochen to hold up a piece of the sky. Their Confucian path had even received a great favor from Zhang Ruochen.
Without Zhang Ruochen, Kunlun Realm's situation would certainly be much more difficult. At the very least, the various great worlds would plunder without restraint, and no one could stop them.
In the Sword Grave battle, Zhang Ruochen had guarded the Nether Prison, preventing the Undying Blood Clan from releasing the imprisoned Underworld King.
In the Northern Domain's Xianji Mountain battle, Zhang Ruochen had thwarted the Death Clan's conspiracy, preventing them from continuing to absorb the revival power of the Northern Domain. He had also sealed the world passage, making it harder for the Death Clan to enter Kunlun Realm.
And in the True Dragon Island battle, Zhang Ruochen had not only protected the World Gate Key but also greatly dampened the morale of Hell Realm.
It could be said that since Zhang Ruochen's return to Kunlun Realm, almost everything he had done had had an extremely significant impact on Kunlun Realm, repeatedly changing the direction of the overall situation.
"Was my vision too narrow?" Wang Shiqi asked himself.
After a long time, Chi Kongle's emotions gradually calmed down, and she left Zhang Ruochen's embrace.
Zhang Ruochen gently touched Chi Kongle's head and stuffed the jade box containing the Great Saint Dao Fruit into her hand.
Adjusting his own emotions, Zhang Ruochen walked over to Zhen Yuan and Cihang Fairy, smiling, "Senior Brother Zhen Yuan, Senior Sister Cihang, long time no see."
Although his strength now surpassed that of Zhen Yuan and Cihang Fairy, he showed no arrogance, appearing very approachable.
"Junior Brother Zhang, your growth rate truly amazes me. It hasn't been long since we parted at Xianji Mountain, and your strength has already reached the invincible level below Great Saint. Even Yan Wushen has been defeated by you. Only your deterrent power could force that Yuzhou to cut off his own arm." Zhen Yuan said with great emotion.
From the time Zhang Ruochen set foot in Truth Heaven Domain, Zhen Yuan had begun to pay attention to him. It could be said that he had watched Zhang Ruochen grow step by step.
With Zhang Ruochen's current strength, he had undoubtedly gained the recognition of the Daoist lineage.
Chi Kongle stepped forward. Although her eyes were still red, she still bowed politely and said, "Thank you, Uncle-Master Zhen Yuan, for stepping in to help me out."
Zhen Yuan waved his hand and said, "It's just a small matter. No need to be so polite. Even if I hadn't stepped in, Junior Brother Zhang would surely have had a way to resolve it."
"To be honest, it was only because Senior Sister Cihang and I accidentally discovered Junior Brother Zhang's trail that we followed him to the spiritual lake. We just happened to encounter these matters."
If they hadn't discovered Zhang Ruochen, with their status, why would Zhen Yuan and Cihang Fairy have deliberately stayed in a place where juniors were interacting?
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen turned his gaze to Cihang Fairy and said seriously, "Senior Sister Cihang, can you tell me which emperor became a Buddha in the Western Buddha Realm?"
At first, Zhang Ruochen had subjectively assumed that since the Eight Dragon Umbrella was involved, that emperor must be Ming Emperor.
But after thinking it over carefully, he had come up with a different idea.
Eight hundred years ago, Kunlun Realm's human race had a total of nine emperors. Although Buddha Emperor and Demon Emperor had died, there were still seven left. Apart from Wen Emperor, the other six emperors had all vanished without a trace. So the one who became a Buddha in the Western Buddha Realm might not necessarily be Ming Emperor.
However, since the other party possessed the Eight Dragon Umbrella, they must have a deep connection with Ming Emperor. Through him, Zhang Ruochen might be able to find clues about Ming Emperor.
Therefore, no matter what, Zhang Ruochen wanted to find out the identity of that emperor.
Unexpectedly, Cihang Fairy shook her head and said, "Even in the Western Buddha Realm, not many people know the identity of that emperor. I'm afraid I cannot tell you."
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen's heart stirred. He hadn't expected that emperor's identity to be so mysterious. Was he worried about something?
Ever since Kunlun Realm began the process of unification, Ming Emperor, Wu Emperor, Dao Emperor, Sword Emperor, Evil Emperor, Wen Emperor, and Qing Emperor had all disappeared one after another. No one knew where they had gone. It was only in recent years that Wen Emperor had reappeared.
And then there were the three empresses of the past—Xue Hou, Hun Hou, and Huan Hou. Xue Hou was said to have been killed, but she was alive and well in the second gradient of the Endless Abyss. As for Hun Hou and Huan Hou, their whereabouts were unknown.
Thinking about it carefully, all of this was too strange. Where had the six emperors and two empresses gone? Were they secretly planning something?
Zhang Ruochen thought it over but found no answers. Perhaps only when he met the emperor who became a Buddha in the Western Buddha Realm would he be able to unravel some of the mysteries.
After chatting with Zhen Yuan and Cihang Fairy about the Hell Realm army for a while, Zhang Ruochen took Chi Kongle and left Lianzhu Mansion. He didn't want to step into the open just yet.
Chi Kongle tightly held onto Zhang Ruochen's arm, her face beaming with a pure and bright smile, casting aside all the oppression and worries.
"Father, is the empress really my mother?"
Although she already had the answer in her heart, Chi Kongle still wanted Zhang Ruochen to tell her himself.
Hearing this question, Zhang Ruochen's steps faltered, and his calm emotions experienced a great upheaval.
Empress Chi Yao's deception back then had been a very difficult hurdle for Zhang Ruochen to overcome.
But now, Zhang Ruochen naturally wouldn't hide it anymore. Chi Kongle had the right to know.
After a moment of silence, Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "Yes."
Hearing this, Chi Kongle fell into silence. Ever since she learned that Zhang Ruochen was her biological father, she had secretly investigated many things and learned about the grudges and entanglements of love and hate between Zhang Ruochen and Empress Chi Yao. But instead of clearing up her doubts, it had only increased her confusion.
What puzzled Chi Kongle the most was the meaning of her and Chi Kunlun's existence. Since Empress Chi Yao had been so heartless toward Zhang Ruochen, why had she given birth to them?
Chi Kongle believed that Zhang Ruochen truly cared for her, but Empress Chi Yao's love was also genuine.
Right now, Chi Kongle's greatest wish was for the family to be reunited, so she could enjoy both a father's and a mother's love.
But Chi Kongle also understood that this was just a wishful hope. The conflict between Zhang Ruochen and Empress Chi Yao was a knot that no one could untie. Could she untie it?
"Father, do you know where my brother is?" Chi Kongle asked.
Compared to other things, Chi Kongle was more concerned about Chi Kunlun's safety.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Mm, don't worry. Your brother will be fine. Father will soon reunite you."
One of the main reasons he had rushed to the Central Imperial City was to rescue Chi Kunlun from Yan Wushen's hands.
If he couldn't even protect the people he cared about, what was the point of talking about protecting Kunlun Realm?
Over the next three days, Chi Kongle was extremely happy because Zhang Ruochen was by her side, chatting with her, accompanying her in sword practice, allowing her to almost forget all her worries.
Although the time wasn't long, Chi Kongle was already very satisfied.
Zhang Ruochen stood under an emerald green willow tree, smiling as he watched Chi Kongle playing in the stream, his eyes filled with deep happiness.
These three days spent by Chi Kongle's side had been the most relaxed and joyful days he had experienced in many years.
"If only time could stop at this moment," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
If he had a choice, he wouldn't want to be the strongest below Great Saint. He didn't want to fight and kill. He just wanted to be an ordinary person, able to spend more time with his family and friends.
"Swish."
A slight sound pulled Zhang Ruochen back to reality.
A rabbit as fat as a pig and a tall, mighty demon ape flashed out from the forest.
They were none other than the Devouring Heaven Rabbit Guo Guo and the Demon Ape.
"Master Chen, we're here. If you have any orders, just say the word." Guo Guo ran to Zhang Ruochen's side and said very eagerly.
Zhang Ruochen reached out and grabbed the soft fur on Guo Guo's neck. Guo Guo's body immediately shrank and was gently lifted up. A smile appeared on Zhang Ruochen's face.
"Kongle, come here. Father has a gift for you."
Chi Kongle didn't hesitate. She immediately ran back to the shore, looking at Zhang Ruochen with anticipation.
Zhang Ruochen handed the fluffy Guo Guo over and said, "I'm giving these two to you. They can keep you company and play with you."
Hearing this, Guo Guo immediately widened his eyes and struggled, "What? Master Chen, you specially summoned Guo Guo and that big fool Demon Ape here just to give us to a little girl as pets?"
"What? Do you have a problem? You two take good care of Kongle from now on. If she's unhappy, I'll hold you two responsible." Zhang Ruochen said.
Guo Guo shrank his neck and quickly flattered, "How could I? I was just asking. From now on, Guo Guo will definitely be a good pet for Princess Kongle. It's my honor."
When he received Zhang Ruochen's message, he had thought there was some good news. Guo Guo had come rushing over happily, only to find this was the result. He felt like crying but had no tears.
Chi Kongle reached out and took Guo Guo, gently stroking him, smiling brightly, "What a cute rabbit, so chubby. I really like it. Thank you, Father."
"As long as you like it." Zhang Ruochen's face showed a doting smile.
The reason he had specially summoned Guo Guo and the Demon Ape from Wangshan was that he wanted them to accompany and protect Chi Kongle.
After all, he still had many things to do and couldn't always stay by Chi Kongle's side.
Actually, Zhang Ruochen wanted to put Chi Kongle into the Qiankun Realm, which would be the safest option. But Chi Kongle didn't want to. She said she didn't want to stand idly by when the Central Imperial City was at a critical juncture of life and death.
With no other choice, Zhang Ruochen had to make this arrangement.
Guo Guo and the Demon Ape were both at the Dao Domain Realm, extremely powerful. With them by Chi Kongle's side, Zhang Ruochen could feel a bit more at ease.
...
Something came up today, so the update is late. My apologies.