Chapter 2171: Bian Zhuang War God, Tianpeng Bell
"Being able to break through the shackles and receive a reward from the Truth Divine Temple, just as the Truth Hall Master said, Zhang Ruochen is truly an extraordinary person. He will surely achieve great things in the future. The Guanghan Realm may flourish because of him. Congratulations, Moon God."
"First defeating Yan Wushen, then ascending the Truth Mountain, obtaining such a prodigy who astounds the ages is truly enviable. It seems it won't be long before a new god is born in the Guanghan Realm. Joyous news indeed!"
Immediately, many deities spoke up one after another, offering their congratulations to the Moon God.
The forces they represented had no grudges or entanglements with the Moon God or Zhang Ruochen. Regardless of the outcome, it had no bearing on them. They were merely watching the spectacle.
The Mandala Flower Goddess stepped through the air, appearing before the Moon God, and said, "Ten thousand years have passed, and the Moon God's elegance remains unchanged. Your vision is as unique as ever. To obtain a reward from the Truth Divine Temple, Zhang Ruochen is destined to rise. The Guanghan Realm will eventually see the day it regains its former glory."
She knew full well that if Zhang Ruochen had not turned the tide in the Saint Merit War, securing first place for the Guanghan Realm, it would have already been reduced to a Merit Battlefield, its situation far worse than the Kunlun Realm's.
How could it now occupy such an excellent heavenly domain, with no need to worry about becoming a Merit Battlefield for a long time?
The Moon God glanced at the Hundred Flowers Immortal, then turned to the Mandala Flower Goddess and said, "Your vision is no worse than mine."
A Primordial Illumination Lotus that had embarked on the path of cultivation possessed limitless growth potential. Its future achievements might match or even surpass those of the Mandala Flower Goddess, enough to protect the Thousand Stamen Realm for several epochs.
No matter how powerful a deity was, they all had to face the Eon Calamity. Even if they survived ten Eon Calamities, they would eventually fall. To keep one's great world prosperous and thriving, new gods had to be continuously nurtured.
"Truly remarkable, worthy of being called the number one through the ages. Unfortunately, I fear it might be cut short. After all, he is merely a Saint King. Without becoming a god, he is ultimately just an ant," the Black Heart Demon Lord said coldly and softly.
Within the Blood-colored Divine Hall, that ancient voice also rang out: "The tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind. Sometimes, being too outstanding is not a good thing."
Hearing these two statements, many deities present could not help but show expressions of surprise.
"Does the Black Heart Demon Lord and Jia Tianxia dare to say anything? Aren't they afraid of angering the Moon God?"
"The Moon God has already declared she will protect Zhang Ruochen. If anyone truly moves against him, the ensuing storm will be enormous."
"Now, the Moon God's strength has fully recovered and even increased significantly. Not long ago, the old Heavenly Lord of the Blazing Sun Civilization seemed to have suffered a loss at her hands."
"Jia Tianxia's strength is equally unfathomable, and he does not fear the Moon God. As for the Black Heart Demon Lord, backed by the Paradise Realm, he naturally has fewer scruples. Given the Paradise Realm's way of doing things, it won't be easy for the Moon God to protect Zhang Ruochen."
...
For a time, many deities were secretly communicating with each other.
Whether it was the formidable Moon God or the domineering Paradise Realm, neither was someone ordinary people could provoke. At such a time, the only option was to stand by and watch.
Before the Moon God could respond, the Black Heart Demon Lord spoke again: "I heard that Zhang Ruochen, though merely a Saint King, was once Empress Chi Yao's paramour... No, no, I misspoke. Empress, please do not overthink it. After all, it is in the past, and what is done no longer matters."
Empress Chi Yao's gaze turned as cold as frost. A myriad of divine light radiated from her body, and an icy killing intent enveloped the Black Heart Demon Lord.
The Black Heart Demon Lord's repeated provocations were unbearable even for a deity's state of mind.
Yet the Black Heart Demon Lord acted as if he felt nothing and continued, "But after all, that boy was once the Empress's man. The Moon God took him in, gave him such a high status, made him her Divine Envoy, and even the fourth giant of the Guanghan Realm. Isn't she afraid of drawing criticism?"
"Perhaps in a few days, someone will spread rumors that he is the Moon God's lover, snatched from Empress Chi Yao."
"If it comes to that, it will greatly tarnish the Moon God's reputation. Why bother? Why not return Zhang Ruochen to Empress Chi Yao? After all, Empress Chi Yao's two children need a father. Their family has been separated for so many years; it is time for them to reunite."
The Black Heart Demon Lord spoke freely, without any restraint.
Hearing this, the expressions of many deities present changed. They all turned their gazes to the Moon God and Empress Chi Yao. The atmosphere instantly became quite tense.
Some deities showed displeasure in their eyes. The Moon God was the most beautiful woman in the Heavenly Court Realm, pure and untainted. Countless deities admired her, and no one had ever dared to blaspheme her like this.
Was the Black Heart Demon Lord deliberately provoking a divine war?
The Moon God's face was as cold as frost. A bright moon flew out from within her body, hanging in the sky, releasing an intensely frigid aura that seemed ready to freeze the entire Truth Heaven Domain.
A Chaos Space-Time Lotus appeared in Empress Chi Yao's palm, reflecting heaven and earth. An invisible, sharp killing intent was released without concealment.
Sensing the killing intent of the two goddesses, the Black Heart Demon Lord was not afraid. This was the Truth Heaven Domain, and there were deities from the Paradise Realm present. He truly did not believe that the Moon God and Empress Chi Yao could do anything to him.
"Hmph."
A heavy snort echoed through the space.
The Weak Water Armored Giant, who had come from the Heavenly River, fixed a sharp gaze on the Black Heart Demon Lord and said, "Black Heart, how do you want to die?"
"Bian Zhuang War God, what do you mean by this?"
The Black Heart Demon Lord's calm face showed a hint of wariness.
Bian Zhuang War God was responsible for guarding the Heavenly River, held a high position and great power, and possessed unmatched combat strength. He was a top-tier giant of the Heavenly Palace. When he uttered the word "die," it showed that his heart was already extremely angry.
Since words carried the force of law, now that Bian Zhuang War God had said "die," he would likely follow through with action.
Although the Weak Water Giant before them was merely a doppelganger of Bian Zhuang War God, it still put immense pressure on the Black Heart Demon Lord, who dared not underestimate him.
"What do I mean? I mean I want to kill you."
Bian Zhuang War God's doppelganger raised its hand, and the Tianpeng Bell flew in from beyond the heavens, landing in his grasp.
The Tianpeng Bell was forged from an ancient Chaos Great World. Legend had it that this Chaos World was tens of millions of miles in size, entirely condensed from metal.
Bian Zhuang War God had used supreme divine power to refine the entire great world into a bell, naming it "Tianpeng."
"Boom."
At that moment, the Tianpeng Bell gently shook, emitting a world-shaking chime.
Immediately afterward, countless Weak Water rivers converged, forming a Heavenly River tens of thousands of miles long. The water flowed mightily, covering the sky above the Truth Sea, then swept outward.
The Black Heart Demon Lord's expression changed slightly, for this Heavenly River was heading straight for him.
Without a second thought, he retreated at top speed.
But no matter how fast he moved, he could not escape the Heavenly River. In the blink of an eye, all his escape routes were sealed off by the river.
His divine power was suppressed, and space was compressed, forming a heavenly and earthly cage.
With no other choice, the Black Heart Demon Lord quickly formed hand seals, summoning countless rules and gathering vast divine power to condense a circular demon seal. Tens of millions of skulls floated within the seal.
The demon seal released overwhelming demonic might, as if it could shatter the sky, and collided with the Heavenly River.
"Boom."
The demon seal trembled, shattered into pieces, and reverted into countless rules and rolling demonic qi, which were rapidly extinguished by the Heavenly River.
Bian Zhuang War God's doppelganger stood atop the Heavenly River, took a step forward, and appeared above the Black Heart Demon Lord, throwing a fist imprint as dazzling as a star.
This punch carried unmatched momentum. In the Black Heart Demon Lord's eyes, it seemed to fill the entire sky and earth. The overwhelming heavenly might made him tremble involuntarily.
"Bian Zhuang War God, you..."
The Black Heart Demon Lord's pupils contracted sharply as he hurriedly raised his hands to defend.
Facing the legendary Bian Zhuang War God, the Black Heart Demon Lord dared not be careless. He immediately unleashed his divine power without reservation, constructing the strongest defense.
But to his horror, his defense was like paper before Bian Zhuang War God's fist, easily shattered.
"Boom."
Bian Zhuang War God's doppelganger's fist struck the Black Heart Demon Lord squarely in the chest.
"Pfft."
The Black Heart Demon Lord spat out a large mouthful of divine blood, his body flying backward and crashing heavily into the barrier formed by the Weak Water.
Before the Black Heart Demon Lord could recover, Bian Zhuang War God was already upon him. He swung the Tianpeng Bell and smashed it down hard on his head.
The Tianpeng Bell descended, like a metal Chaos Great World, crashing onto the Black Heart Demon Lord's head.
Having survived one Eon Calamity, the Black Heart Demon Lord's strength was certainly not weak, but before Bian Zhuang War God, he was utterly helpless.
"Boom."
The Black Heart Demon Lord's divine body was broken, his skull split open, and divine blood scattered across the sky.
The demonic light-emitting divine body plummeted from the sky, creating a crater dozens of miles wide on the shore of the Truth Sea. The entire Truth Heaven Domain shook.
The divine bones in the Black Heart Demon Lord's head were nearly all shattered. He lay in the pit, struggling to get up.
Bian Zhuang War God, holding the Tianpeng Bell, descended from the sky and stepped on the Black Heart Demon Lord, pinning him down so he could not move. He roared, "Damn it, who do you think you are? Surviving one Eon Calamity makes you something special? You dare blaspheme the Moon God? Are you tired of living? Don't you know the Moon God's relationship with me?"
"You'd better not talk nonsense," the Moon God said coldly.
Bian Zhuang War God looked up and smiled at the Moon God: "Don't be angry, please don't be angry. It's because he pissed me off, and I couldn't control my mouth. It's all my fault."
The Moon God turned her eyes away, refusing to look at him.
Bian Zhuang War God stomped hard on the Black Heart Demon Lord's back, nearly crushing his body through, and said, "Blaspheming a deity—don't you know it's a capital crime? Blaspheming the Moon God is a crime worthy of ten thousand deaths."
"You..."
Initially, the Black Heart Demon Lord did not believe that with his combat power, he could not even defeat a doppelganger of Bian Zhuang War God. Nor did he think Bian Zhuang War God would dare kill him in the Heavenly Court Realm.
But he underestimated the Moon God's importance in Bian Zhuang War God's heart.
He also underestimated Bian Zhuang War God's combat power.
Deities were hard to kill, especially those who had survived an Eon Calamity. But Bian Zhuang War God clearly had the power to slay gods. And even if he killed him now, the Heavenly Palace might not do anything to him.
For the first time, the Black Heart Demon Lord felt that death was not far away.
"Knowing that Bian Zhuang War God, who guards the Heavenly River, is present, yet still speaking recklessly—truly foolish."
Many deities present could not help but think this.
Bian Zhuang War God's admiration for the Moon God was well known. Why did few dare to provoke the Moon God?
Partly because the Moon God was powerful enough, but also because of Bian Zhuang War God.
Back then, when the divine war broke out on Moon God Mountain, the storm was enormous. In the end, Bian Zhuang War God stepped in to calm it down.
At that time, Bian Zhuang War God was clearly siding with the Moon God, yet other deities dared not say a word.
"Bian Zhuang War God, you are going too far."
Just then, a slightly displeased voice came from within the Blood-colored Divine Hall.
Regardless, the Black Heart Demon Lord was a deity of their Paradise Realm faction. Now that he had been beaten to the point of having his divine body shattered by Bian Zhuang War God, it was undoubtedly a blow to the Paradise Realm's face.
Especially with so many deities present and a large number of Saint-level cultivators watching—what kind of spectacle was this?
At this moment, the Saint-level cultivators gathered on the shore of the Truth Sea were all stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing.
"What's going on? Why are deities fighting in the Truth Heaven Domain?"
"That seems to be the Black Heart Demon Lord of the Black Demon Realm. It looks like a deity wants to suppress and kill him. Am I seeing this right?"
"The Black Heart Demon Lord is a powerful deity who has survived one Eon Calamity, yet he is utterly helpless. Who is that deity?"
"Quiet! That is Bian Zhuang War God, who guards the Heavenly River. To have provoked him, the Black Heart Demon Lord is in big trouble. He might even..."
The Truth Hall Master's words were only heard by the deities, so the Saint-level cultivators present had no idea what had happened.
However, deities fighting in the Truth Heaven Domain was undoubtedly a major event.
What was even more surprising was that even though the Black Heart Demon Lord had been beaten so badly, no one from the Truth Divine Temple stepped in to intervene.
On the Truth Mountain, the Truth Hall Master cast his gaze toward the shore, a faint smile in his eyes: "After all these years, Bian Zhuang hasn't changed at all. As long as it involves the Moon God, he gives no one face."
The Truth Hall Master knew Bian Zhuang War God's ways very well. Aside from guarding the Heavenly River, matters concerning the Moon God were probably the only things that could truly engage him.
Back when the Moon God went missing in the Kunlun Realm, Bian Zhuang War God had charged alone into the Hell Realm, his overwhelming killing intent staining a starry sky of the Hell Realm red.
This time, Bian Zhuang War God appeared in the Truth Heaven Domain, clearly because he knew the Moon God would be coming.
His domineering intervention was not due to a lack of wisdom or a reliance on brute force to solve problems.
Rather, he knew that because of Zhang Ruochen, the Guanghan Realm and the Moon God had been thrust into the spotlight. So, he wanted to use a tough stance to declare to all deities that anyone who dared to blaspheme or harm the Moon God would be killed.
Even in the Heavenly Court, even in the Truth Heaven Domain, he would kill without hesitation.
Bian Zhuang War God turned around, fixed his gaze on the Blood-colored Divine Hall, and said coldly, "Going too far? What I do is none of your business to criticize. Go cool off somewhere and stop being an eyesore."
With that, Bian Zhuang War God stomped hard on the Black Heart Demon Lord a few more times. Everyone clearly heard the sound of divine bones shattering.
"Go over there, kneel, and apologize to the Moon God. Otherwise, I will really kill you."
Bian Zhuang War God kicked out, sending the Black Heart Demon Lord flying.
The Black Heart Demon Lord was disheveled and utterly embarrassed. He mobilized his divine power to support his broken divine body, struggled to stand up, and roared, "Bian Zhuang, you go too far!"
At this moment, the Black Heart Demon Lord was like a mad demon. He hated this. What had happened today would become a stain on his life. Since becoming a god, he had never been so humiliated.
"Black Heart ant, how dare you shout in my presence?" Bian Zhuang War God's eyes were icy cold. He pointed a finger at the Black Heart Demon Lord, releasing a trace of terrifying killing intent.
The deities present could not help but show surprise. Only Bian Zhuang War God could be so domineering, treating a deity like an ant.
The Black Heart Demon Lord's divine soul trembled. He calmed down slightly, a strong sense of crisis rising in his heart.
"Boom."
Within the Blood-colored Divine Hall, an extremely powerful divine might erupted, generating thick blood clouds that covered the sky.
"Bian Zhuang War God, enough is enough. Do not go too far," a voice tinged with anger came from the Blood-colored Divine Hall.
Bian Zhuang War God's doppelganger stood atop the Heavenly River formed by Weak Water, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the Blood-colored Divine Hall with overbearing confidence: "Jia Tianxia, do you really think you are someone? You've been nagging in my ear this whole time. If you're not convinced, come and fight me. If you can defeat my doppelganger, I swear I will never set foot beyond the Heavenly River again."
"If you don't have the guts, then stay quietly in your Blood War Divine Hall. I can't be bothered with you."
Hearing this, Jia Tianxia was enraged: "Bian Zhuang, you are far too arrogant. Do you really think I am afraid of you?"
Who was he?
The founder of the Blood War Divine Hall, a powerful ancient deity who had mastered the Profound Meaning. No one had ever dared to underestimate him like this.
Defeat him with a doppelganger?
It was pure fantasy, even if the opponent was the legendary War God guarding the Heavenly River. It was absolutely impossible.
The deities exchanged glances, not expecting things to escalate to this point. After ten thousand years of silence, was Bian Zhuang War God about to display his divine might again?
Ten thousand years ago, he was the foremost of the nine War Gods of the Heavenly Palace.
How powerful had his cultivation become now?
He wanted to use a doppelganger to suppress Jia Tianxia?