Chapter 2148: Zhang Ruochen's Sacred Edict
After a brief moment of contemplation, Zhang Ruochen said, "The inheritance of the Kunlun Realm belongs to Kunlun Realm. No one can take it away."
"Thank you, Brother Zhang." Xue Wuye quickly expressed his gratitude.
With Zhang Ruochen's words, Xue Wuye breathed a long sigh of relief. If the "Flying Immortal Sword Technique" were to spread outside, he would undoubtedly become a sinner of the Ten Thousand Fragrance City, unworthy to face his ancestors.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen thought of something. He waved his hand and produced a corpse. "Since I've met you, I'll trouble you to take him back to Ten Thousand Fragrance City for burial."
"He is... the second disciple of the Sword Emperor Ancestor, Xue Lanshan." Xue Wuye's face showed surprise.
Although he was still very young and had never seen Xue Lanshan's true form, there were portraits of Xue Lanshan in Ten Thousand Fragrance City, so he recognized him at a glance.
Xue Wuye sighed. "Grandmaster Uncle Xue Lanshan has been missing for over three hundred years. I never thought he had already died. May I ask where Brother Zhang found his body?"
Xue Lanshan was a legendary figure, his sword dao talent rivaling that of the Sword Emperor. After the Sword Emperor disappeared, he quickly became the number one expert of Ten Thousand Fragrance City.
Just when everyone thought Xue Lanshan would comprehend Sword Nine and become the second Sword Emperor, he suddenly vanished, his fate unknown, which had a significant impact on Ten Thousand Fragrance City.
"Xue Lanshan's corpse was discovered by me years ago when I entered the Yin-Yang Sea, on an ancient ghost ship." Zhang Ruochen said.
A trace of sorrow appeared in Xue Wuye's eyes. "When Grandmaster Uncle disappeared, he was already the top expert below the Great Saint realm. His journey to the Yin-Yang Sea was undoubtedly to seek the opportunity to become a Great Saint. Unfortunately, he ultimately failed."
With Xue Lanshan's talent, if not for the limitations of the Kunlun Realm's environment, breaking through to the Great Saint realm would not have been too difficult.
Xue Wuye respectfully bowed to Xue Lanshan's corpse, then waved his hand to store it away.
Once the crisis in the Central Imperial City was resolved, he would take it back to Ten Thousand Fragrance City.
By handing Xue Lanshan's body over to Xue Wuye, Zhang Ruochen had also settled a lingering matter. After all, this was something he had promised to do, and he had to fulfill it. Only then could his state of mind be truly complete and flawless.
The door to the cultivation chamber opened, and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden, Yin Yuanchen, and the others immediately walked in.
Seeing that Xue Wuye's injuries were fully healed, everyone's eyes revealed astonishment, secretly wondering what method Zhang Ruochen had used.
But regardless, Xue Wuye's survival was a joyful thing.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden and Yin Yuanchen. "Where is Gu Xin'ao now?"
"Brother Zhang wants to deal with Gu Xin'ao?" Yin Yuanchen asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Deal with is not the right word. I just want to take back some things from him that don't belong to him."
"Gu Xin'ao should still be at the Heavenly Music Palace." Yin Yuanchen said.
The Heavenly Music Palace was a very famous restaurant, suspended above the Third City District. It was a place exclusively for Saint realm experts to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves, extremely luxurious.
Since a large number of cultivators from the various realms of the Heavenly Court had poured into the Central Imperial City, the Heavenly Music Palace had become a gathering place for important figures from all realms, even more prosperous and lively than before.
Yin Yuanchen had previously rescued Xue Wuye at the Heavenly Music Palace. Given Gu Xin'ao's temperament, he probably wouldn't leave anytime soon.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden's expression changed slightly, and she asked softly, "What do you plan to do?"
Now that Zhang Ruochen had already made many enemies, she truly didn't want him to get involved in even more trouble.
"The people of the Kunlun Realm cannot be bullied at will, and the treasures of the Kunlun Realm cannot be plundered at will. Continuing to tolerate will only make many people go further and further, becoming even more unscrupulous."
"It's time to establish rules. No matter who comes to the Kunlun Realm, they must abide by them." Zhang Ruochen said calmly.
Yet his tone carried an unyielding will.
Hearing this, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden fell silent. She thought of the recent situation of the imperial court, Chi Kongle's experience in Lianzhu Prefecture, and Xue Wuye's severe injury this time. Indeed, this could not continue.
Otherwise, before the Hell Realm could destroy the Kunlun Realm, it would be plundered clean by the various realms of the Heavenly Court, whether it was living beings or treasures.
Of course, people had their own aspirations. Those who were determined to defect to powerful realms could not be forced to fight for the Kunlun Realm.
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand and took out a golden scroll, made from the hide of a top-tier Sacred Beast King. Its surface was interwoven with numerous complex patterns, appearing naturally formed.
As soon as it was taken out, it emitted a powerful pressure, causing Xue Wuye's sword attendants to step back.
Using his finger as a brush and his own Sacred Blood as ink, Zhang Ruochen wrote down characters one by one on the golden scroll.
When Zhang Ruochen wrote the last character, the golden scroll immediately emitted a dazzling light, transforming into a Sacred Edict.
Anyone could sense that this Sacred Edict contained extremely terrifying sacred power. Even an ordinary Undying Great Saint might not be able to withstand it.
Since Zhang Ruochen had reached the Saint realm, this was the first time he had written a Sacred Edict, and it was a Blood Seal Sacred Edict at that.
With such a scroll in hand, one could almost act with impunity below the Great Saint realm.
With a thought, Zhang Ruochen summoned a massive creature from the Qiankun Realm—a ferocious and terrifying divine python, which was the Evil Spirit.
Recently, the Evil Spirit had devoured the sacred souls of many powerful experts and had been nourished by numerous heavenly treasures. It had become even more powerful, and its compatibility with the divine python corpse had greatly increased, unleashing even more majestic divine power.
"Master, what are your orders?"
The Evil Spirit lowered its head and asked respectfully.
Now, Zhang Ruochen had planted a Blood God Curse Seal in the Evil Spirit's sacred soul, so the Evil Spirit no longer dared to be presumptuous.
Zhang Ruochen flicked his wrist, tossing the Blood Seal Sacred Edict to the Evil Spirit, while simultaneously transmitting a message through his spiritual power.
Without hesitation, the Evil Spirit held the Sacred Edict above its head, swayed its body, and quickly left the Purple Dawn Hall, then the Violet Micro Imperial Palace.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden and the others were somewhat puzzled, not knowing what Zhang Ruochen intended to do, because none of them had seen what was written on the Blood Seal Sacred Edict.
But they could foresee that something major was about to happen, something that might shake the entire Central Imperial City.
After defeating Yan Wushen, was Zhang Ruochen finally going to establish his authority?
At the same time, a large number of cultivators from the Sword God Realm were drinking and making merry in the Heavenly Music Palace, enjoying themselves immensely.
In the most luxurious pavilion, it was very quiet. There was no scene of singing and dancing, only two people sitting facing each other.
On the left sat a cold, handsome young man with phoenix eyes and a clear sword-shaped mark on his brow. He exuded a sharp aura, like an unsheathed divine sword, unmatched in its edge.
He was none other than the Little Sword Venerable of the Sword God Realm, Gu Xin'ao.
Sitting opposite Gu Xin'ao was a slightly gaunt, gloomy man dressed in a blue-black robe. On its surface, numerous complex array patterns faintly appeared. Although he was sitting right there, he gave the feeling of not being in the same space.
This man also had an extraordinary background. He came from the Array Destruction Palace and was a terrifying Array Earth Master named Zhou Zhen.
The Array Destruction Palace was established during the Middle Ages by several Array Heavenly Masters. It was a sacred ground for the array lineage, producing many Array Saint Masters, and had a very close relationship with the Heavenly Palace.
Zhou Zhen was the most outstanding disciple of this generation from the Array Destruction Palace, possessing exceptional array talent. His fame was no less than that of Lu Baiming of the Five Elements Temple.
"Brother Zhou Zhen, your arrival in the Kunlun Realm ensures our great plan will succeed. Come, let me toast you." Gu Xin'ao raised his glass and smiled.
Zhou Zhen was not one to smile easily. He picked up the fine wine before him and drank it in one gulp.
"The Kunlun Realm truly lives up to its reputation as an eternal, indestructible great world. Even after the Middle Ages Catastrophe, it still has a chance to turn things around." Zhou Zhen said with a grim face.
Gu Xin'ao nodded. "No one expected the Kunlun Realm to have a dual World Spirit. Originally, when the Black Heart Demon Lord led the Desolate Heaven to cut down the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, everyone thought the Kunlun Realm would completely decline. Unexpectedly, a new World Spiritual Root has now been born, reviving the withered Kunlun Realm."
"However, if that Peach Tree is cut down again, the Kunlun Realm will truly be beyond redemption."
For any great world, the World Spiritual Root was extremely important. Without it, the foundation for becoming a god would be lost.
The Kunlun Realm had once been so glorious and prosperous, but after the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was cut down, it entered a godless era that lasted for a hundred thousand years.
It was only when the Peach Tree became the new World Spiritual Root that new gods were born again.
"The gods of the Kunlun Realm must have made arrangements long ago, preparing various things in advance. They lay dormant for a hundred thousand years, waiting for the opportunity to rise again. Moreover, who dares to say that those supreme experts truly all fell in the Middle Ages Catastrophe?"
"Furthermore, during the Middle Ages, the Kunlun Realm activated the Sundial, covering the entire Central Domain, and trained how many experts? It's not certain that they have all died. The waters of the Kunlun Realm run deep, far more complex than you or I imagine." Zhou Zhen said meaningfully.
Hearing this, Gu Xin'ao's heart trembled. Although he had also come into contact with many secrets, compared to Zhou Zhen, he was still lacking.
After drinking another glass of wine, Zhou Zhen continued, "But in the end, these things are irrelevant. As long as the Peach Tree is cut down, all the arrangements of the Kunlun Realm's gods will come to nothing. At that point, no one can stop the Kunlun Realm's destruction."
"The Peach Tree is in the Central Imperial City. So, this battle is crucial for the Kunlun Realm. Once the Central Imperial City is breached, no matter how deeply the Peach Tree is hidden, it will inevitably be found. That will be the end of the Kunlun Realm."
When he said this, Zhou Zhen's eyes were full of coldness, as if he would be very pleased to see such an outcome.
"When that time comes, many of the things hidden in the Kunlun Realm might surface." Gu Xin'ao's eyes flashed with a sharp light.
What feared the Kunlun Realm's resurgence the most was not the Hell Realm, but the Paradise Realm Faction.
Who wasn't afraid of being held accountable later?
Since some dishonorable deeds had already been done, they had to be completely buried in the river of time. Whoever dared to dig them up had to be destroyed.
Just then, a slightly plump middle-aged man entered the pavilion.
Gu Xin'ao scolded, "Chu Xiangyun, what are you doing in here? Get out."
Chu Xiangyun was the master of the Heavenly Music Palace. He was a Saint of considerable cultivation and was considered a figure in the Kunlun Realm. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to establish a foothold in the Central Imperial City.
"Young Master Gu, I didn't mean to disturb you, but the envoy of the Eastern Domain King has come, asking you to..." Chu Xiangyun hesitated, sweat beading on his forehead.
Hearing the words "Eastern Domain King," Gu Xin'ao's brow furrowed slightly. "What does Zhang Ruochen want?"
Ever since Zhang Ruochen issued his decree in the Eastern Domain Sacred City, both the cultivators of the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm knew that he held the title of Eastern Domain King.
As a Domain King, Zhang Ruochen was undoubtedly one of the most powerful figures in the Kunlun Realm.
"That envoy asks you to immediately go and receive the Eastern Domain King's Sacred Edict." Chu Xiangyun said with a trembling voice.
"Slap!"
Gu Xin'ao slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, emitting an extremely terrifying aura.
Who was he? The leader of the Sword God Realm, the renowned Little Sword Venerable. Even an ordinary Great Saint was not qualified to make him receive a Sacred Edict.
As a fellow Saint King, Zhang Ruochen was ordering him to receive a Sacred Edict. It was clearly an insult.
"Good, Zhang Ruochen. You go too far. Do you really think no one can deal with you?" Gu Xin'ao's eyes blazed with anger.
Chu Xiangyun's body trembled continuously, unable to withstand the powerful aura emanating from Gu Xin'ao, and nearly collapsed to the ground.
He really didn't want to deliver this message. In Gu Xin'ao's eyes, he was just an insignificant nobody.
But he had no choice. Comparatively, Zhang Ruochen, the Eastern Domain King, was undoubtedly even more unoffendable.
"Gu Xin'ao, come out quickly and receive the Eastern Domain King's Sacred Edict."
A deep, resonant voice rang out.
The voice carried a trace of divine might, shaking the heavens, causing everyone in the Heavenly Music Palace to tremble in their hearts.
Gu Xin'ao walked out of the pavilion and immediately saw the Evil Spirit with its massive divine python body. His eyes narrowed slightly. He could clearly feel the powerful strength of the Evil Spirit, which even made him sense a hint of threat.
"I am not a cultivator of the Kunlun Realm. Tell Zhang Ruochen to stop putting on the airs of his Eastern Domain King here. If he has something to say, let him come himself." Gu Xin'ao said forcefully.
Zhang Ruochen was indeed not to be trifled with, but he was no pushover either. If word got out that he had received a Sacred Edict, where would his dignity be?
The Evil Spirit coiled in mid-air, looking down at Gu Xin'ao from above. The Blood Seal Sacred Edict on its head flew out. "Gu Xin'ao, receive the edict."
The Blood Seal Sacred Edict bloomed with brilliant golden light, emitting an overwhelming pressure, like an ancient divine mountain pressing down towards Gu Xin'ao.
"Hmph."
Gu Xin'ao let out a heavy snort, raised his hand, and released a hundred-zhang-long, sharp sword light.
The sword light was indestructible, tearing through space. Even an ordinary Undying Great Saint would have to retreat.
However, before it could even get close to the Blood Seal Sacred Edict, the sword light rapidly dissipated, not causing the slightest damage to the Sacred Edict.
Seeing this, Gu Xin'ao's gaze condensed, and he truly felt immense pressure.
Turning his hand, Gu Xin'ao took out a purple-gold sacred sword, infused it with sacred qi, and slashed at the Blood Seal Sacred Edict.
Two hundred thousand King-grade inscriptions surfaced on the purple-gold sacred sword, along with hundreds of thousands of Sword Dao Rules entwined on it, erupting with rainbow-like sword qi.
The Blood Seal Sacred Edict slowly unfurled, releasing an incomparably powerful force that sealed the space and crushed everything.
Despite Gu Xin'ao's desperate resistance, the Blood Seal Sacred Edict continued to press down rapidly, shattering his proud sword technique.
"How is this possible?"
Gu Xin'ao's heart shook, unable to accept this reality.
If Zhang Ruochen had come in person, it would be one thing. But now, just a single Sacred Edict was suppressing him, making him unable to move. This was a result that no one could accept.
"The Eastern Domain King decrees: The Heavenly Palace has its Heavenly Laws, and the Kunlun Realm has its Realm Regulations. Cultivators from the various realms of the Heavenly Court who violate the Heavenly Laws will be dealt with by the Heavenly Palace. Those who violate the Realm Regulations of the Kunlun Realm will also be severely punished."
"Realm Regulation One: No bullying of native cultivators of the Kunlun Realm. No plundering of the techniques and inheritances of the Kunlun Realm."
"Realm Regulation Two..."
...
The Evil Spirit raised its head and read aloud, its voice clearly spreading throughout the entire Central Imperial City.
At the same time, the Blood Seal Sacred Edict fully unfurled. Lines of large characters emitting boundless sacred light were reflected in the sky, visible to everyone in the Imperial City.
Clearly, this Sacred Edict written by Zhang Ruochen was not just for Gu Xin'ao, but for all cultivators of the Heavenly Court in the Imperial City.
These so-called Realm Regulations were the rules that Zhang Ruochen had established.
Many cultivators, seeing the Sacred Edict reflected in the sky, all had the same thought: "Is Zhang Ruochen trying to suppress all realms with his own strength?"