Chapter 2161: The Number One Beauty of the Heavenly Court
(Note: A bug was introduced in the previous chapter. It was mistakenly recorded that the 13 people who ascended Truth Mountain were all Great Saints. This has been corrected. Some errors in the previous few chapters have also been fixed. Tying up loose ends, flipping back through chapters one by one, is difficult to write. I hope everyone can understand.)
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Passing through the space teleportation array at the main merit post station, Zhang Ruochen spent some time and successfully arrived at the Truth Heaven Domain.
No matter the time, the Truth Heaven Domain was always bustling with activity, gathering a large number of cultivators from all heavens and myriad realms who came to comprehend the Way of Truth. These ranged from Saints to Great Saints, and even included gods.
With the miraculous nature of the Way of Truth, it could provide a considerable boost to a god's combat power and greatly aid in comprehending various other paths.
When he had left the Truth Heaven Domain before, Zhang Ruochen's cultivation was not particularly strong, merely at the Five-Step Saint King level. But now, he stood at the pinnacle of the Saint King realm, renowned throughout both the Heavenly Court and Hell realms.
Returning to the Truth Heaven Domain this time, Zhang Ruochen naturally aimed to cross the Sea of Truth to obtain more Truth Esoterica.
Only by doing so could he achieve a significant breakthrough in his strength within a short time, enabling him to engage in a life-or-death battle with Yan Wushen.
Zhang Ruochen was well aware that once Yan Wushen fully integrated good and evil, his strength would undoubtedly increase markedly. Even relying on the Yin-Yang Two Forms Sword Formation might not be enough to deal with him.
If given enough time, he was fully confident that, like Yan Wushen, he could raise his Sacred Dao rules to one hundred million and cultivate multiple paths to Great Perfection.
Zhang Ruochen never lacked confidence.
However, the biggest problem was that he didn't have that much time. He couldn't afford to accumulate slowly; he had to find another way.
Without further delay, Zhang Ruochen headed straight for the Sea of Truth.
As always, many cultivators were gathered on the shore of the Sea of Truth, all intending to cross the sea to gain more time for cultivation in the Truth Divine Temple.
Speaking of which, Zhang Ruochen had previously crossed the fifth and sixth layers of the sea, earning four years of cultivation time in the Truth Divine Temple. But due to the changing situation in the Kunlun Realm, he hadn't been able to use it.
However, even if he had cultivated in the Truth Divine Temple for four years, no matter how fast his cultivation speed, he would never have reached his current realm.
Standing on the shore, Zhang Ruochen's gaze fixed on a point beyond the tenth layer of the sea. There stood a pitch-black sacred mountain—the Truth Mountain that countless cultivators yearned for, and the goal of his journey.
"What secrets does Truth Mountain hide? What reward will the Truth Divine Temple bestow?" Zhang Ruochen was filled with curiosity.
To find out, he would probably have to personally ascend Truth Mountain.
But he understood that ascending Truth Mountain was no easy feat. Only thirteen Great Saints had succeeded, and not a single Saint King.
If it were otherwise, the Truth Divine Temple wouldn't have issued a divine oracle specifically, promising a reward for a Saint King who ascended Truth Mountain—a reward that would make even gods envious.
"Hmm? Someone is on the ninth layer of the sea."
Zhang Ruochen showed a hint of surprise.
The ninth layer of the sea was extraordinary. Anyone who could enter it was undoubtedly a truly brilliant and exceptional individual.
At this moment, the one crossing the ninth layer was a powerful Angel Clan member. His wings were unusual, platinum-white in color, entwined with countless Light rules, emitting an incomparably radiant and sacred light.
"Archangel Michael."
Zhang Ruochen squinted his eyes, revealing a faint smile.
He had long heard of this true leader of the Paradise Realm but had never had the chance to meet him. Unexpectedly, he encountered him here in the Truth Heaven Domain.
Archangel Michael had always been very mysterious, so few knew his true strength.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was pondering, Archangel Michael executed an exquisite and unparalleled Light Sacred Art, shattering the guardian of the ninth layer of the sea, allowing him to enter the tenth layer.
"Archangel Michael is truly formidable. He's the only non-disciple of the Truth Divine Temple to have crossed the ninth layer."
"Not only that, but Archangel Michael has also condensed a Truth Realm Form on his own. That's incredibly impressive. Even Zhang Ruochen can't compare."
"In terms of mastery of the Way of Truth alone, let alone Zhang Ruochen, even among the ten divine disciples of the Truth Divine Temple, few can match Archangel Michael. Perhaps Archangel Michael can create a miracle, cross the tenth layer, and become a legend."
...
On the shore, many cultivators were very excited, their eyes full of admiration.
Two streaks of light shot out from the Truth Divine Temple, arriving at the shore of the Sea of Truth in an instant. They also turned their gazes toward the Truth Boat struggling to advance through the golden sea of the tenth layer.
One of them was Nie Xiangzi, known as "Plucking Stars with One Hand."
After being defeated by Blood Chen Heavenly Lord outside the Imperial City, Nie Xiangzi had returned to the Truth Divine Temple, hoping to improve his strength in a short time.
The other person was one meter eight tall, with a handsome appearance. He wore a robe embroidered with cranes and a blue sky, a round azure sacred jade hanging from his waist, and held a jade folding fan, exuding a gentle and refined temperament.
This person was also one of the ten divine disciples of the Truth Divine Temple, named Dongfang Qingyu, hailing from the Paradise Realm.
Nie Xiangzi said indifferently, "You people of the Paradise Realm certainly have your ways, helping Michael obtain the secret method to condense a Truth Realm Form, allowing him to condense the 'Thick Earth Below' realm form."
Although "Thick Earth Below" wasn't the top-tier Truth Realm Form, it was still quite rare. Even among the divine disciples of the Truth Divine Temple, very few had succeeded in condensing it.
"Senior Brother Nie seems displeased?" Dongfang Qingyu asked with a smile.
Nie Xiangzi replied, "I just don't like this kind of rule-breaking behavior."
"These matters are decided by the gods. Why should we worry about them?" Dongfang Qingyu said.
Nie Xiangzi said nothing more, simply fixing his gaze on Archangel Michael, curious to see how far he could advance in the tenth layer of the sea.
So far, the farthest distance a Saint King had traveled in the tenth layer was twelve li, a record set by Nie Xiangzi himself.
The other two divine disciples who had crossed the ninth layer were Qian Yi Silver Dragon and Dongfang Qingyu.
Dongfang Qingyu had only recently succeeded in crossing, advancing just one li into the tenth layer.
Before long, Archangel Michael fell into the golden seawater. He had performed better than Dongfang Qingyu, advancing three li into the tenth layer.
When Archangel Michael returned to the shore, many cultivators immediately surrounded him, uttering flattering words, almost prostrating themselves in worship.
Just as Archangel Michael was about to leave, his gaze shifted and landed precisely on where Zhang Ruochen was.
"Zhang Ruochen."
Encountering Zhang Ruochen in the Truth Heaven Domain was also a great surprise to Archangel Michael.
A major reason he had come to cultivate in the Truth Heaven Domain was Zhang Ruochen's battle outside the Central Imperial City against a group of top Hell realm experts.
Witnessing Zhang Ruochen's terrifying combat power had made him feel immense pressure.
Following Archangel Michael's gaze, many cultivators also noticed Zhang Ruochen's presence, revealing expressions of surprise.
"Zhang Ruochen has come to the Truth Heaven Domain too? Does he also intend to cross the Sea of Truth?"
In an instant, most cultivators shifted their attention to Zhang Ruochen.
There was no helping it. Zhang Ruochen was now an absolute figure of the moment. Every move he made would attract focused attention from all sides.
In an extremely short time, the news of Zhang Ruochen's appearance at the Sea of Truth spread like wildfire, at an astonishing speed.
Those in the Truth Heaven Domain who were even slightly interested in Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but rush to the Sea of Truth as fast as possible.
"Big Brother, it really is you!"
Suddenly, a very surprised voice rang out.
The moment Zhang Ruochen turned around, he was embraced by a burly, dark figure in a big bear hug.
The only man who would be so enthusiastic with him, besides Xiang Chunan, was hard to find a second.
Such intimacy...
It could easily be misunderstood!
Zhang Ruochen smiled, patted Xiang Chunan, and looked at the two people who had arrived with him. One of them was Feng Yan.
The other was a complete stranger but also very eye-catching.
This person was extremely burly, with a waist thicker than a water barrel and legs as thick as a bowl's opening. Her skin was dark, her neck very short, and her face enormous, paired with thick lips and protruding ears. She exuded a strong, masculine, and fierce aura, more manly than a man, yet she was unmistakably a woman.
Seeing this woman, Zhang Ruochen immediately thought of something.
Xiang Chunan released Zhang Ruochen and laughed, "Big Brother, Second Brother and I were just thinking that after crossing the Sea of Truth, we would go to the Central Imperial City to find you. I never expected to run into you here in the Truth Heaven Domain. Truly good brothers, minds think alike, hahaha!"
"Oh, right, Big Brother, let me introduce you. This is the junior sister I mentioned to you, Qing Si Xue. What do you think? Isn't she worthy of being called the number one beauty of the Heavenly Court?"
Xiang Chunan looked at Zhang Ruochen with expectant eyes, as if hoping for his approval.
The number one beauty of the Heavenly Court?
Zhang Ruochen coughed dryly twice. Sure enough, as he had guessed, this big, strong, and fierce woman was the junior sister who had captured Xiang Chunan's heart.
After all, the image before him perfectly matched Xiang Chunan's previous description.
Among all the women Zhang Ruochen had seen, probably only Gai Tianjiao could... compare in beauty...
With such a burly figure, it was truly impossible to associate it with the name "Qing Si Xue."
Zhang Ruochen rubbed the tip of his nose and said, "Mm, she indeed possesses a unique kind of beauty. Third Brother, you are truly fortunate."
He was already familiar with Xiang Chunan's aesthetic standards, so he naturally wouldn't say anything inappropriate at this moment. As long as Xiang Chunan liked her, that was all that mattered. Why care about others' opinions?
"Hahaha, I knew it! Big Brother, you are also someone who appreciates beauty." Xiang Chunan said.
After a pause, Xiang Chunan turned to his junior sister and said, "Junior Sister, this is my sworn big brother, the number one powerhouse below the Great Saint level in both the Heavenly Court and Hell realms."