Chapter 2243: My Senior Brother’s Woman
Great Sage Qingsheng sat in the pavilion, a smile on his face, and praised, “Ruochen, Xue Tu has just told me everything. This time, you did well. Securing the Seven Cauldron Divine Travel Pill will significantly boost the overall strength of the Blood Heaven Tribe cultivators attending the feast.”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze locked onto Xue Tu, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Xue Tu felt wronged and helpless. “Senior Brother, I had no choice. With Great Sage Qingsheng’s exceptional insight, how could I possibly hide anything from him?”
“You swore an oath to the heavens,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Great Sage Qingsheng interjected, “In the Hell Realm, no cultivator believes in the heavens. What are the heavens? Hell Realm cultivators believe in fate, darkness, slaughter, death, or the gods.”
Xue Tu was startled. He hadn’t expected Great Sage Qingsheng to throw him under the bus like this. This old man was truly wicked.
He was definitely retaliating for Xue Tu’s earlier concealment.
Who had he offended?
Before Zhang Ruochen could lose his temper, Xue Tu quickly said, “Senior Brother, let me explain. It’s not what you think. I didn’t reveal a single word to Great Sage Qingsheng. He figured it all out on his own.”
Zhang Ruochen poured a full cup of sacred spring water and handed it to Great Sage Qingsheng, speaking calmly, “Then swear another oath, this time in the name of your father god.”
“Another oath?”
Xue Tu’s heart was bitter. Here he was, a Great Saint, a powerhouse feared by cultivators across the Heavenly Court realms, yet he was living like a grandson.
Forced into a corner, Xue Tu had no choice but to swear again. Given his current situation, offending Zhang Ruochen would leave him with no place in the Fate Divine Domain.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Uncle, I’m afraid there’s a misunderstanding. I bought the Divine Travel Pill for my own use. Of course, if the Blood Heaven Tribe feast-goers are willing to pay the price, I might sell some to them.”
Great Sage Qingsheng had come to understand Zhang Ruochen’s character somewhat and didn’t press him. His eyes shifted up and down as he said, “That’s only natural. You paid a high price for them; how could you just give them away to other cultivators? Even I, your uncle, am not that generous.”
After that, Great Sage Qingsheng and Zhang Ruochen fell into silence, neither speaking.
Zhang Ruochen knew well that Great Sage Qingsheng hadn’t come to the Boundless Sea Manor just for idle chat. There was definitely something else, so he waited for him to speak first.
Great Sage Qingsheng’s gaze settled on the Sundial, and he exclaimed in admiration, “What a remarkable time treasure! Cultivating here for a year means only a day passes outside. What a pity, ah, what a pity.”
“What’s the pity?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Great Sage Qingsheng said, “It’s a pity it’s been damaged, losing its former glory. Not only has it lost its artifact spirit, but its coverage is only a radius of two hundred zhang. Its value is limited. For gods, its effect is even smaller.”
When gods enter a state of cultivation and enlightenment, they lose themselves, and their divine bodies revert to their original giant forms. A mere two hundred zhang could hardly contain them.
“The Sundial’s offensive power is still formidable. I suspect many gods would want to seize it,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Hmph! Seize it from you? Even Heavenly God Xiu Chen was taught such a harsh lesson. Who would dare?”
After a pause, Great Sage Qingsheng let out a long sigh. “Xue Chen and Xiao Xiao are both top-tier geniuses of the Blood Absolute Family in this generation. But although I’m the acting family head, I can’t provide them with the best cultivation environment and resources. Ruochen, before the Hunting Heaven Grand Banquet, why not let them cultivate within the Sundial’s coverage?”
“This… of course, it’s possible,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Great Sage Qingsheng was overjoyed and laughed, “With the Sundial’s help, gaining decades of cultivation time, they can accumulate their sacred dao rules to a higher level before the Hunting Heaven Grand Banquet. Your uncle thanks you on their behalf.”
Xue Tu stood to the side, sneering inwardly. He saw through Great Sage Qingsheng’s old fox scheme. He clearly coveted Zhang Ruochen’s abundant cultivation resources and sent his own children over to get close to him. Even a sliver of benefit from Zhang Ruochen would be immensely valuable to Xue Chen and Xue Ningxiao.
“Even Great Sage Qingsheng has set aside his pride and dignity to curry favor with Zhang Ruochen. Should I be more proactive?” Xue Tu thought to himself.
“No need to thank me, Uncle. Just help me test the power of the Purple Gold Gourd again,” Zhang Ruochen said, summoning the Purple Gold Gourd from the Qiankun Realm.
At the same time, Lian Xi, Hong, Shen Tu Yun Kong, and Zhou Zhen stepped out of the World Gate, appearing in the Boundless Sea Manor.
The four Great Saints were all shocked and wary, observing their surroundings while keeping a close eye on Xue Tu and Great Sage Qingsheng.
“They are Great Saints of the Undying Blood Clan, and one of them has unfathomable cultivation. Where is this place?” Zhou Zhen was extremely alarmed, cold sweat running down his back.
Could this really be the Hell Realm?
For cultivators from the Heavenly Court realms, the Hell Realm represented death and darkness. Falling into the hands of Hell Realm cultivators meant a fate worse than death, so their hearts were filled with intense fear.
“It’s Xue Tu! How is he with Zhang Ruochen? And they seem close?”
Lian Xi recognized this infamous figure from the Merit Battlefield. She couldn’t understand how Zhang Ruochen could address him as “senior brother.”
Could Zhang Ruochen be a spy sent by the Hell Realm to the Heavenly Court?
Lian Xi’s heart sank. She looked up at the sky but felt she couldn’t see a glimmer of light, as if she had been locked in a dark prison, unsure of what torture and abuse awaited her next.
Shen Tu Yun Kong, Hong, and Zhou Zhen also felt a wave of sorrow.
Zhang Ruochen ignored their feelings and instructed Xue Tu, “Watch them. We’ll be back soon.”
Zhang Ruochen and Great Sage Qingsheng entered the jungle small world to test the Purple Gold Gourd’s power.
Great Sage Qingsheng intended to send his children to cultivate beside Zhang Ruochen, which put him in Zhang Ruochen’s debt, so he naturally didn’t refuse.
The test results came quickly.
“The Purple Gold Gourd’s suction power has increased by about twenty percent,” Great Sage Qingsheng concluded.
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Can it threaten those Great Saints ranked in the top ten of the Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection?”
“Them? Each of them has the strength to defeat or kill a Thousand Questions Realm Great Saint. Your gourd poses a threat to them, but capturing them inside won’t be easy. Unless you can further enhance the gourd’s suction power,” Great Sage Qingsheng said.
Zhang Ruochen nodded. Suddenly, he thought of something and asked curiously, “Uncle, what rank is the Sacred Intent you condensed?”
Great Sage Qingsheng was somewhat proud and said, “Fourth rank.”
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly. “Only fourth rank?”
Great Sage Qingsheng caught the hint of disdain in Zhang Ruochen’s tone and his face darkened. “Fourth-rank Sacred Intent is already top-tier, offering a chance to become a god. Go ask around the entire Blood Heaven Tribe. The number of Supreme Realm Great Saints who have cultivated fifth-rank or higher Sacred Intent can be counted on one hand.”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “What rank is the Sacred Intent that Xue Jue War God cultivated?”
“As far as I know, the War God cultivated nine types of Sacred Intent. After multiple fusions, they transformed into two second-rank Sacred Intents,” Great Sage Qingsheng said, his eyes filled with reverence and awe.
Xue Jue War God was an insurmountable divine mountain in his heart, worthy of lifelong worship.
That Xue Jue War God could cultivate nine types of Sacred Intent amazed Zhang Ruochen. But given that even someone with the talent of one in an eon could only produce two second-rank Sacred Intents, Zhang Ruochen felt somewhat disappointed.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Has there never been a Great Saint who cultivated a first-rank Sacred Intent?”
“First-rank Sacred Intent?”
Great Sage Qingsheng coughed dryly and said earnestly, “Ruochen, your uncle knows your talent is extraordinary, but you can’t set your sights too high. You need to understand that in the Hell Realm, sometimes an entire eon of 129,600 years passes without a single Great Saint cultivating a second-rank Sacred Intent.”
“Among the top ten Great Saints of the Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection, they are considered the most talented cultivators of this millennium in the Hell Realm. Yet, only six of them have cultivated third-rank Sacred Intent, and the other four only have fourth-rank.”
“When the War God simultaneously cultivated two second-rank Sacred Intents, it caused a massive stir among the gods.”
“If you can cultivate even one second-rank Sacred Intent, it will solidify your status as an eon-level genius. If you can condense two second-rank Sacred Intents, heh, even those Hell Realm forces hostile to you might have to set aside their grudges. They might even take the initiative to marry their proud daughters to you to ease tensions.”
“Is it that exaggerated?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Great Sage Qingsheng said, “If the Blood Absolute Family produced another new Xue Jue War God, do you think it would be exaggerated?”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “In history, has any Great Saint ever condensed a first-rank Sacred Intent?”
“Probably not.”
After careful thought, Great Sage Qingsheng added, “Although legends speak of cultivators condensing first-rank Sacred Intent, later analysis by gods suggests it’s highly unlikely.”
“You see, Sacred Intent and Esoterica are closely related.”
“The quantity of any single Esoterica in the universe is eternally ‘one,’ or one hundred percent. If you cultivate a first-rank Sacred Intent, upon becoming a god, you could convert one hundred percent of that Esoterica, becoming its absolute master. Do you think that’s possible?”
“In reality, no cultivator can cultivate a single dao into third-rank or higher Sacred Intent. It must be fused with other Sacred Intents to have a chance.”
Zhang Ruochen pondered and said, “So, if I cultivate time dao into first-rank Sacred Intent, upon becoming a god, I could master one hundred percent of time Esoterica, becoming the absolute master of time in the universe?”
“Exactly. But that’s impossible. Even Xumi Saint Monk in his time only mastered less than fifty percent of time Esoterica, and that was after countless millennia of accumulation,” Great Sage Qingsheng said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “If I cultivate a second-rank time Sacred Intent, upon becoming a god, I could master fifty percent of time Esoterica? If I cultivate a third-rank time Sacred Intent, I could master twenty-five percent?”
Great Sage Qingsheng said, “Theoretically, yes. But no cultivator has ever cultivated a single sacred dao into third-rank Sacred Intent. So, your idea of mastering twenty-five percent of time Esoterica upon becoming a god is impossible.”
“Moreover, whether twenty-five percent of time Esoterica even exists freely in the universe is unknown. If it doesn’t, you’d have to wait for gods who control time Esoterica to fall, releasing it back into the world, before you have a chance.”
“Furthermore, the Time Divine Temple has been learning from the Truth Divine Temple and the Fate Divine Temple, trying to gather all the scattered time Esoterica in the universe.”
“If they succeed, even if you become a god through time dao, you won’t grasp any Esoterica. Unless you can storm the Time Divine Temple and forcibly seize time Esoterica.”
“In truth, I don’t know much about Esoterica. What I’ve told you is just my own speculation and what I’ve read in books. Don’t think too far ahead. For now, focus on condensing as many Sacred Intents as possible, and of higher ranks. That’s the real priority.”
After saying all this, Great Sage Qingsheng let out a long sigh.
Mentioning the word “Esoterica” gave him a headache.
His cultivated Sacred Intent was only fourth-rank. Even if he were fortunate enough to become a god, he wouldn’t be able to master any Esoterica.
Too few gods could master Esoterica.
Although six of the top ten Hundred Shackles Realm Great Perfection cultivators had third-rank Sacred Intent, they were the strongest of the Hell Realm’s millennium and the primary targets of the Heavenly Court realms. Among them, if even one could survive and grow to become a god, that would be remarkable.
In reality, most Great Saints who condensed third-rank Sacred Intent died of old age in the Supreme Realm. Others died at the hands of the Heavenly Court realms.
The step to becoming a god was too difficult to cross.
Zhang Ruochen asked Great Sage Qingsheng for some tips on condensing Sacred Intent before the two left the jungle small world and returned to the Boundless Sea Manor.
The Boundless Sea Manor was in ruins. The ground beneath their feet had turned black, once molten lava now frozen solid.
In the Bing Si City District, where Blood Heaven Tribe cultivators gathered, top-tier Great Saint inscriptions were laid everywhere. Yet, these inscriptions had been shattered, destroying many structures.
The Sundial, guarded by Mo Yin and Zhang Ruochen’s five sacred avatars, still hovered in the air above the Boundless Sea Manor.
Great Sage Qingsheng’s eyes darkened. “Damn it.”
“I’ll handle this,” Zhang Ruochen said.
He knew exactly what had happened. It would have been strange if the four Great Saints of the Heavenly Realm Faction had stayed obediently in the Boundless Sea Manor. Xue Tu alone couldn’t have suppressed them.
With a flicker, he left the manor.
In the Bing Si City District, a large number of Blood Heaven Tribe Great Saint powerhouses had gathered. Shen Tu Yun Kong, Zhou Zhen, Lian Xi, and Hong hadn’t managed to escape.
By the time Zhang Ruochen arrived, the four Great Saints had already been subdued.
Shen Tu Yun Kong’s body had been cut in two at the waist.
He wasn’t dead.
His two halves were hung up separately, with two large cauldrons placed below to collect the sacred blood dripping from him.
“Just kill me!” Shen Tu Yun Kong roared in humiliation.
A Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint held his hands in the air, using blood fiend Qi to twist Zhou Zhen’s body into a pretzel. His skin split, bones cracked, and sacred blood flowed into the Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint’s mouth.
Zhou Zhen’s screams were relentless and pitiful.
Hong was also in a miserable state, subdued by another Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint, a chain wrapped around his neck like a leash, dragging him along the ground.
Laughter echoed all around.
Of course, most eyes were fixed on Lian Xi.
Lian Xi was bound by three blood-red chains around her hands and waist, unable to move, as if she might be torn apart.
The three chains were formed from three powerful blood fiend Qi, their other ends held by three Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saints.
There was no helping it. The nine fairies from the “Nine Immortal Beauties Painting” were famous even in the Hell Realm. Many Hell Realm cultivators participating in merit battles aimed to capture a fairy.
Now, such a stunning fairy appearing in the Hell Realm naturally became the primary target of contention among the Blood Heaven Tribe’s Great Saints.
Enjoying a fairy was secondary.
The key was face.
Taking a fairy from the “Nine Immortal Beauties Painting” as a concubine or servant would surely make countless cultivators envious.
“Cang Hu, Bei Huang, I’ll give you each one hundred divine stones. Let me have the Shadowless Fairy,” Great Saint Xue Qi said.
Lord Cang Hu laughed. “Generous offer, but I don’t lack divine stones. What I lack is a woman to bear my children. I think the Shadowless Fairy is perfect.”
“The Shadowless Fairy has a special physique and unparalleled talent. Her children would surely be exceptional. She’d be better as my concubine,” Great Saint Xue Qi said.
Bei Huang said, “Cang Hu, Xue Qi, I’ll give you each one hundred divine stones and ten saint-level beauties. Let me have the Shadowless Fairy.”
“No, I want the Shadowless Fairy. Whoever fights me for her today is my mortal enemy,” Lord Cang Hu declared.
…
Xue Tu spotted Zhang Ruochen’s figure. His eyes darted around, and he seized the opportunity to rush out, angrily shouting, “What are you three arguing about? The Shadowless Fairy has long been my senior brother’s woman. How dare you covet her? Are you all looking for death?”
Given Xue Tu’s current reputation, no cultivator dared to ignore him.
“She’s Zhang Ruochen’s woman?” Great Saint Xue Qi’s expression stiffened slightly.
Xue Tu said, “She has been for a long time.”
In Xue Tu’s view, since Zhang Ruochen had captured Lian Xi and suppressed her in his small world, any normal man would have already done what needed to be done.
Lian Xi was furious and shouted, “Xue Tu, if you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll die with you!”
“How am I spouting nonsense? Dare you deny that nothing happened between you and my senior brother?”
Xue Tu sneered and added, “Fairy, you’d better tell the truth. With my senior brother as your backing, your days in the Hell Realm will be easier. Otherwise, if you fall into their hands, they might be interested in you now, but in a few years, they’ll gift you to another Great Saint. Or hand you over to the Star Sea World to be auctioned off as a slave.”