Chapter 2244: Friends and Enemies
"Still pretending to be pure, turns out she's already a worn-out piece of goods."
"The Shadowless Fairy is one of the most beautiful female beings in the Heavenly Court. Even if she's been deflowered by Ruochen the Great Saint, she's still worth a taste."
…
Hearing all kinds of filthy words, sarcasm, and teasing, Lianxi's heart nearly shattered from humiliation. She wished she could immediately self-detonate her Sacred Source and perish together with these Undying Blood Clan Great Saints.
However, Blood Qi the Great Saint, Canghu the Emperor Lord, and Bei the Emperor were all Hundred Shackles Realm experts. While using Blood Fiend Qi to condense chains that bound her, they also suppressed the circulation of Saint Qi within her body and sealed her Spiritual Power.
Even death had become a luxury.
She finally understood why it was said that falling into the hands of Hell Realm cultivators meant a fate worse than death. Looking at these Undying Blood Clan Great Saints before her, each one seemed eager to devour her, their eyes filled with naked desire.
Although Blood Butcher's words were harsh, they might very well be the dark and cruel reality she was about to face.
If she truly became a bed toy passed around by Hell Realm Great Saints, unable to die or escape, she dared not imagine the uproar it would cause among the cultivators of the Heavenly Court's myriad realms.
If the cultivators of the Nether Realm learned of this, how would they view her?
"Why, why…"
Lianxi's heart was filled with bitterness and confusion. At the same time, she was puzzled—how could so many Undying Blood Clan Great Saints be gathered in just one district of Hell Realm?
Was the true strength of Hell Realm already so terrifying?
If she admitted to being Zhang Ruochen's woman, could she truly avoid all this?
But Zhang Ruochen had only recently broken through to the Great Saint realm. Even if he had defected to Hell Realm and become one of its members, he would only be the lowest-ranking Great Saint. He couldn't possibly sway the will of three Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saints.
After the earlier clash, Lianxi clearly realized that no matter how powerful one was at the Saint King realm, after becoming a Great Saint, it was impossible to cross realms and defeat a Hundred Shackles Realm expert with Immortal Realm cultivation.
Even if she admitted to being Zhang Ruochen's woman, it probably wouldn't change her situation.
Zhang Ruochen stood at the periphery, his gaze indifferent, silently watching everything without stepping forward to stop it.
He had long anticipated that Blood Butcher alone couldn't suppress four Great Saints. The reason he left Blood Butcher to guard them was deliberate.
He wanted them to escape from the Hanhai Manor.
Zhou Zhen and Shentu Yun Kong carried secrets Zhang Ruochen wanted to know. If Zhang Ruochen interrogated them himself, with their Great Saint-level Spiritual Will, they would surely rather die than submit.
Only by letting the Undying Blood Clan Great Saints teach them a harsh lesson would they deeply understand their current predicament and the bloody reality.
Only then would they become more obedient.
Whether Great Saint or God, few truly fear death.
The key lies in whether death is worth it.
If there's still hope to live, even just a sliver, who would choose to die?
Moreover, what's more terrifying than death is a fate worse than death.
Blood Butcher's eyes turned cold. "You three, why are you still restraining the Shadowless Fairy? Do you think my senior brother is so gentle that he won't hold a grudge? Bullying his woman—do you still want to participate in the Heaven Hunting Grand Banquet?"
After defeating the Blood Heaven Three Absolutes and suppressing the six Great Saints of the Moro Clan, Zhang Ruochen's reputation had soared.
In the Blood Heaven Tribe, who dared not submit?
Who dared not fear?
Canghu the Emperor Lord no longer maintained his earlier tough tone, softening slightly. "A Heavenly Court Great Saint who intrudes into the Fate Divine Domain naturally belongs to whoever captures them. Of course, if the Shadowless Fairy truly is Ruochen the Great Saint's woman, I would certainly give him face. But as you can see, the Shadowless Fairy hasn't admitted to this."
Bei the Emperor added, "Exactly. If she were truly Ruochen the Great Saint's woman, we would naturally give face and release her as a matter of course. But we've been arguing here for so long, and neither Ruochen the Great Saint nor the Shadowless Fairy has taken a clear stance. If we just let her go, where would our dignity go?"
Canghu the Emperor Lord and Blood Qi the Great Saint both nodded.
Lianxi was quite surprised. She hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen to have such influence in Hell Realm that even three Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saints would defer to him.
But admitting to being Zhang Ruochen's woman was something she couldn't bring herself to do. Moreover, if she admitted it and Zhang Ruochen denied it, wouldn't she become a laughingstock among Hell Realm cultivators?
Zhou Zhen, unable to bear the pain, said weakly and sorrowfully, "I am… I am Zhang Ruochen's brother. We have a deep friendship… you can't… you can't treat me like this…"
The Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint who had twisted Zhou Zhen into a pretzel and was drinking his Saint Blood was named Huo Duan. Hearing this, he was startled.
If Zhou Zhen was Zhang Ruochen's brother, that was no small matter. Huo Duan withdrew some of his power and asked, "Are you truly Ruochen the Great Saint's brother?"
"Yes, truly." Zhou Zhen said.
Seeing Zhou Zhen yield, a hint of a smile appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes as he stepped out from the crowd.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen appear, the several Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saints present were visibly shaken, their expressions turning uneasy, worried that Zhou Zhen and Lianxi truly had a close relationship with him.
Huo Duan withdrew all his Blood Fiend Qi and set Zhou Zhen back on the ground.
Zhou Zhen, after all, had profound cultivation. His battered body quickly recovered with the help of his sixty-level Spiritual Power. However, he had lost a significant amount of Saint Blood, leaving him pale and weak.
When he saw Zhang Ruochen, his gaze was evasive, unable to meet his eyes.
He had only mentioned Zhang Ruochen's name because he was on the verge of collapse from torture, naturally fearing that Zhang Ruochen would expose him publicly.
But contrary to his expectations, Zhang Ruochen extended both hands to help him up, asking with concern, "Brother Zhou Zhen, are you alright? Are you badly injured? Here's a Earth-rank healing pill. Take it for now."
Zhou Zhen was suspicious, unsure what Zhang Ruochen was plotting.
But he had no other choice. He took the Earth-rank healing pill, hesitated for a moment, and swallowed it.
Huo Duan's heart was extremely uneasy. He quickly stepped forward and said cautiously, "Ruochen the Great Saint, I didn't know he was your brother. I only saw him disrupting order in the Bingsi District, so I…"
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand. "No need to explain. This time, it's not your fault. But remember from now on, this Spiritual Power Great Saint is the current leader of the Array Destruction Array lineage, named Zhou Zhen, and he is my sworn brother."
Gasps of surprise arose from all around.
"The Array Destruction Palace is a sacred ground for formations in the Heavenly Court, producing many formation masters and formation grandmasters. I didn't expect him to be the current leader of that lineage. No wonder he was so hard to capture."
"Zhou Zhen—I've heard of him. A prodigy of his generation."
"To be sworn brothers with Ruochen the Great Saint, how could he be mediocre?"
…
Hearing the crowd's murmurs, Zhou Zhen showed no trace of a smile. Instead, he felt like crying.
He now understood that this was Zhang Ruochen's scheme.
Soon, this matter would surely spread back to the Heavenly Court and the Array Destruction Palace.
By then, no matter how he explained, it would be useless. He could never return.
Even if he did return, he would likely be imprisoned, with no hope of ever rising again.
Hong, who was being dragged by the neck, roared in fury, "Zhou Zhen, so you really have long since defected to Zhang Ruochen! No wonder he let you go in the Central Imperial City. You were the one who leaked our plan to him, weren't you?"
Shentu Yun, cut in half, said coldly, "Traitor. Coward."
Zhou Zhen's face was bitter. He wanted to deny it, but seeing the ferocious expressions of the Undying Blood Clan cultivators around him, he swallowed his retort.
Lianxi was shocked. Zhang Ruochen seemed to hold a very high status in Hell Realm, with even Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saints bowing to him.
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on her, meeting her eyes.
Lianxi wanted to follow Zhou Zhen's example and admit she was Zhang Ruochen's woman, perhaps to suffer less torment. But her inner dignity and unyielding will resisted her consciousness.
Some words, even in death, she couldn't bring herself to say.
Zhang Ruochen clearly saw this. His gaze swept over Blood Qi the Great Saint, Bei the Emperor, and Canghu the Emperor Lord. A powerful Saintly Might erupted from his body, and he snorted coldly, "How dare you! Release Lianxi immediately!"
Blood Qi the Great Saint, Bei the Emperor, and Canghu the Emperor Lord all thought Zhang Ruochen was truly angered. Frightened, they quickly withdrew their Blood Fiend Qi chains and stepped aside.
The moment the three Blood Fiend Qi chains disappeared, Lianxi immediately mobilized her Saint Qi, intending to self-detonate her Sacred Source.
But in the next instant, Zhang Ruochen had already pulled her delicate body tightly into his embrace, one hand around her slender waist, the other gently stroking her jade-like face.
His tender demeanor made all the cultivators present believe that the Shadowless Fairy was truly Zhang Ruochen's lover.
But Lianxi was in great pain. The Saint Qi she had mobilized was forcibly suppressed by Zhang Ruochen. At the same time, an even stronger force surged from within him, completely sealing her Qi Sea and Sacred Heart.
Hong was furious to the extreme, howling, "I knew it, I knew it… You slut, you've succumbed to Zhang Ruochen's tyranny! Otherwise, how could it have been such a coincidence in the Central Imperial City? It was you, you and Zhou Zhen, who betrayed us!"
Lianxi's ethereally beautiful face showed a struggle, but under Zhang Ruochen's suppression, she couldn't utter a single word.
Although she was unwilling to be schemed against by Zhang Ruochen, deep down, she felt a sense of relief.
This contradictory psychology arose mainly because falling into Zhang Ruochen's hands was at least better than falling into the hands of those Undying Blood Clan Great Saints.
Moreover, this was Hell Realm.
She probably couldn't find a safer place than Zhang Ruochen's embrace.
Of course, this thought had barely surfaced in her mind when it startled her, and she quickly cleared it away.
She was the noble fairy on the Nine Immortal Beauties Chart, the divine daughter blessed with beauty and talent, the future ruler of the Soul Realm. How could she have such a self-deprecating thought?
"If you're unwilling and still want to live, come with me. In Hell Realm, only I can save you and give you basic dignity. You're a clever woman; you should know how to choose."
Zhang Ruochen held Lianxi's slender waist, his gaze fixed on her.
Meeting Zhang Ruochen's eyes, Lianxi's heart trembled slightly. She felt a majestic and overwhelming pressure in his gaze, suffocating her.
In the end, she could only close her eyes and lean into Zhang Ruochen's embrace.
Zhang Ruochen nodded in satisfaction and walked toward the Hanhai Manor. Suddenly, he turned and looked at Blood Butcher. "Hong and Shentu Yun Kong are not my friends; in fact, we have deep grudges. Give them a good lesson. When they've calmed down, bring them to me. Remember, I want them alive."
Blood Butcher's face lit up with joy. "Can I suck their Saint Blood?"
"You have full authority to handle it." Zhang Ruochen said.
"Rest assured, senior brother. Leave it to me."
Recently, Blood Butcher had been too stifled. Finally, he had a chance to vent properly and display the dignity and style befitting a Great Saint.
Back at the Hanhai Manor, looking at the devastation before him, Zhang Ruochen squinted and said, "Zhou Zhen, you're a skilled formation master. Restoring and repairing this environment shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Zhou Zhen didn't respond.
He was filled with resentment, his gaze cold. He was tempted to seize this opportunity to ambush Zhang Ruochen.
But the probability of success was too low, and even if he succeeded in killing Zhang Ruochen, he would surely be unable to escape.
Even if he did escape, could he still return to the Heavenly Court?
What should he do?
After hesitating for a long time, Zhou Zhen forced a smile. "A trivial matter. Leave it to me."
While Zhou Zhen repaired the environment and buildings of the Hanhai Manor, Zhang Ruochen released Lianxi. With his hands behind his back, his figure tall and resolute, he said, "Do you know why I saved you?"
Lianxi stood opposite him, her gaze as cold as ice. "I didn't ask you to save me."
"No, deep down, you longed for me to save you." Zhang Ruochen said.
Lianxi said, "You might as well kill me and give me a quick death. That way, I would be grateful to you."
"Cowardice." Zhang Ruochen said.
Lianxi said, "What did you say?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "I said your character is too cowardly, your Spiritual Will unstable. When faced with adversity, you only think of death. A cultivator like you, no matter how talented, is useless. Your future achievements are limited. Whether you live or die, it won't affect this world at all."
Lianxi was naturally dissatisfied with Zhang Ruochen's assessment of her and was about to retort.
Zhang Ruochen continued, "Those with a Divine Heart are indomitable. Even if trapped in hell, suffering a thousand tortures and ten thousand humiliations, their heart remains unmoved and unshaken, seeing it all as a trial to temper themselves. Can you do that? You cannot. You are already cowardly. You dare not face any of it."
Lianxi grew even more dissatisfied but couldn't bring herself to retort.
Zhang Ruochen pressed on, "Back to the original question. Do you know why I saved you?"
"Why?"
"Because you are my captive. Everything about you belongs to me. Including your life and death—I alone decide." Zhang Ruochen's gaze was sharp, carrying an unyielding will.
Lianxi trembled with anger, but this time, she didn't speak of death again.
Perhaps Zhang Ruochen was right. Her mental state was still not strong enough. The ordeal she had faced today was itself a trial. Only by passing the test could she achieve a more brilliant future.
When that time came, she would take revenge on Zhang Ruochen.
When that time came, she would surely bathe Hell Realm in blood.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Lianxi, a satisfied expression appearing on his face. As long as she no longer sought death, the first step was successful. Next, he would slowly conquer and control her.
Lianxi's abilities were not weak. For now, she still had some value.
"The four Great Saints of the Heavenly Realm Faction have been divided. Two of them are no longer as steadfast as before. Now, it's time to interrogate them about that matter." Zhang Ruochen's gaze deepened.
…
After carefully reading some comments, many readers are saying to hurry up and write the Heaven Hunting Grand Banquet plot, to push things forward faster. Sigh, what I want to say is, aren't we already writing the Heaven Hunting Grand Banquet plot?
It's just that I've always planned the Heaven Hunting Grand Banquet plot in two parts, each accounting for half.
One part is "Before the Banquet," and the other is "The Banquet."
Why is "Before the Banquet" also part of the Heaven Hunting Grand Banquet? Because the cultivators of the various clans in Hell Realm have all gathered. A grand feast has long since begun, with each displaying their skills, each with their own conflicts, each fighting.
Moreover, "Before the Banquet" not only resolves the lingering issues of the Kunlun Realm Merit Battlefield but also introduces the characters and writes out the conflicts. Otherwise, the so-called grand banquet simply can't be written.
Another issue is the writing style upon arriving in Hell Realm.
I feel that the overall atmosphere of the entire book is already very low. If Hell Realm is still written as dark, bloody, cruel, and oppressive, it wouldn't be very good. So, I want to remove some of the oppressive elements from the Hell Realm plot and write it more joyfully and refreshingly.