Chapter 2265: Duel of Gifts
The dispute over seats quickly came to an end.
The ten chief seats were taken without much suspense by the top ten Great Saints on the Hundred-Shackle Great Perfection Ranking. The only variable was that the Yu Emperor had seized the seat that should have belonged to Xu.
However, she had only managed this with Zhang Ruochen's help.
This showed that the rankings established by the Star Sea World were highly accurate. The top ten experts were clearly a cut above the other Hundred-Shackle Great Perfection Great Saints.
Zhang Ruochen sat in the highest presiding seat, by the banks of the Fate Stream. Before him was a jade table.
On the table were only a three-legged cup carved from divine bone and a dish polished from sacred jade.
The Fate Stream ahead was a major tributary, a full ten zhang wide, with swift currents and a misty haze. Peering through the water vapor, Zhang Ruochen was surprised to find that the cultivator sitting opposite him was none other than the Great Senluo Emperor.
At that moment, the Great Senluo Emperor's gaze was also fixed on him, icy cold to the extreme.
Zhang Ruochen ignored him, his gaze shifting to the rushing waters of the Fate Stream. He used the divine-bone three-legged cup to scoop up a serving from a distance.
The stream water was born from within the Fate Divine Mountain, like blood-red amber, more fragrant and rich than sacred springs. It was one of the most miraculous and precious beverages in the entire universe. Outside, no amount of sacred stones could buy it.
He drank a cup, savoring it carefully.
The stream water was cool, sweet, and refreshing. Upon entering his abdomen, it was instantly digested, dispersing like silk threads throughout his body, merging into his blood, bones, sacred soul, and spiritual power thoughts.
When he had passed through the Gate of Destiny, six hundred Fate Rules had appeared in the Heavenly River within his Qi Sea.
Now, after drinking a cup of stream water, more than a dozen more had appeared.
Of course, a mere few hundred Fate Rules were negligible compared to the cultivators present, who had been comprehending the Path of Fate since childhood, let alone forming a "Gate of Destiny."
"The water of the Fate Stream can not only refine the physical body, sacred soul, and spiritual power but should be even more beneficial to those cultivators here who practice the Path of Fate," Zhang Ruochen mused.
This Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet was entirely about nurturing the most cutting-edge power of the future in the Hell Realm.
In the Heavenly Court, cultivators with high talent had to cultivate the Way of Truth.
In the Hell Realm, cultivators with high talent had to cultivate the Path of Fate.
It could be said that nearly every one of the ten thousand cultivators from the ten clans present had cultivated the Path of Fate and reached a very high level.
Otherwise, when cultivators of the same realm from the Heavenly Court unleashed the Way of Truth, instantly multiplying their attack power several times, they would be unable to withstand it.
Of course, mastering the Way of Truth or the Path of Fate did not guarantee invincibility.
This was because integrating the Way of Truth or the Path of Fate into one's sacred arts required a long time.
They were powerful but slow to unleash.
Often, when facing an evenly matched opponent, you might not have the time to mobilize the Way of Truth or the Path of Fate. Only by cultivating a "Truth Realm Form" or a "Gate of Destiny" could you shorten the integration time and gain a greater advantage.
Of course, even with a "Truth Realm Form" or a "Gate of Destiny," it still took time. If your opponent was fast enough, they could suppress you, preventing you from unleashing the power of the Way of Truth or the Path of Fate.
The other seven Eternal Paths could, to some extent, counter them.
Space could tear apart the "Truth Realm Form" and the "Gate of Destiny."
Time could prevent you from manifesting the "Truth Realm Form" and the "Gate of Destiny."
Darkness could devour the "Truth Realm Form" and the "Gate of Destiny."
...
Besides the Eternal Paths, if one cultivated the Radiant Light Sacred Path among the Seventy-Two Supreme Sacred Paths to a profound level, with sufficient speed, they could also suppress them.
Thus, no single path could be absolutely invincible.
If one cultivated Space to the "Infinite" level and Time to the "Eternal" level, even Fate and Nothingness could not shake them. Of course, such extreme levels were unattainable even for the most powerful gods.
Therefore, a cultivator's strength ultimately depended on their own realm.
A Darkness controller who did not cultivate the Path of Fate or the Way of Truth could still kill a cultivator of the same realm who practiced the Path of Fate or the Way of Truth, as long as they cultivated the Way of Darkness strongly enough.
"Hua—"
Downstream, a Stone Clan cultivator at the Saint King realm drank a large amount of stream water. Behind him, specks of light emerged, coalescing into a gate of light.
Gradually, it transformed into a Gate of Destiny.
"Success! I've finally succeeded in forming a Gate of Destiny, haha! My combat power will increase by another large margin. As expected of the Fate Stream, the foundational spring of the Destiny Temple." That Stone Clan cultivator laughed loudly.
Seeing this, all the cultivators were stirred, absorbing the stream water at an even faster rate.
It was important to know that the stream water could only be drunk during the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet and could not be taken away.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze shifted to Lianxi beside him.
Her expression was calm and indifferent, but there was still a hint of longing and curiosity in her eyes. From time to time, she would glance at the Fate Stream. However, in her current identity as a maidservant, she was not qualified to take the stream water on her own.
Zhang Ruochen beckoned to her. "Come here."
Lianxi looked up at the divine mirror above, but in the end, she helplessly walked over. She knew that every move she made was being watched by countless Heavenly Court cultivators, but with her current status, she had no choice but to bow her head to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen tossed the divine-bone three-legged cup to her. "Take the stream water and feed it to me."
Lianxi caught the cup, glaring at him coldly, and did not comply.
This was going too far.
If it were in the Seven Star Divine Palace, she could endure some grievances, but this was the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet.
At this moment, many Hell Realm cultivators at the banquet also noticed this scene, revealing amused expressions as pairs of eyes fixed on them.
"Zhang Ruochen really knows how to enjoy himself. Having the Wuying Fairy feed him at the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet—isn't he afraid of a united attack from the Heavenly Court cultivators?"
"In the Heavenly Court, the Wuying Fairy has countless admirers. Zhang Ruochen truly fears nothing."
"That god from the Soul Realm must be watching the banquet. I wonder if he's so angry that blood is spraying from his seven orifices? Haha!"
...
Luo Sha found Zhang Ruochen's behavior quite unusual and was pondering the reason behind it.
Was he forcing Lianxi to completely defect to him, making it impossible for her to return to the Heavenly Court?
Or was he using this method to tell the gods of the Hell Realm that he, Zhang Ruochen, had completely regarded himself as a member of the Hell Realm and no longer cared how the Heavenly Court viewed him?
Or was it simply an act of revenge?
"This guy really doesn't plan to return to the Heavenly Court?" Luo Sha frowned, always feeling that Zhang Ruochen staying in the Hell Realm had ulterior motives and was not truly joining.
Seeing Lianxi motionless, only glaring at him angrily, Zhang Ruochen's expression turned cold and stern. In a firm tone, he said, "As a maidservant, ignoring your master's orders—Lianxi, you have quite the nerve. Kneel down."
"A Great Saint cannot be humiliated," Lianxi protested.
In truth, Lianxi was already feeling extremely wronged and wished she could die. But every time this thought arose, Zhang Ruochen's words echoed in her mind: "Those with a divine heart are indomitable."
Sometimes she wondered if Zhang Ruochen had said that on purpose.
Was it to prevent her from committing suicide?
"It seems I've been too lenient with you before, not teaching you enough."
Zhang Ruochen pointed a finger, and an immensely powerful spatial force pressed down on Lianxi's slender body, causing her to tremble violently.
After resisting for only a moment, her long legs gave way, and she knelt down.
She simply could not resist.
Throughout, Zhang Ruochen's gaze was sharp and cold, devoid of any emotion.
The entire Fate Stream erupted in clamor.
"Zhang Ruochen is deliberately provoking the Heavenly Court and the Soul Realm. Hehe, I wonder how many cultivators will be so angry they spit blood."
"Who said Zhang Ruochen was a spy arranged by the Heavenly Court in the Hell Realm? With his behavior today, if he returns, he will surely die. Will that god from the Soul Realm let him off? Can the Heavenly Court's titans not see that he is deliberately humiliating the Heavenly Court? Even the Moon God cannot protect him."
"In my opinion, Zhang Ruochen is offering a 'letter of fealty,' telling the gods of the Hell Realm of his resolve. Otherwise, he will never enter the Hell Realm's core circle. Back then, the Desolate Heaven Great God was not as clever as Zhang Ruochen. No matter how high his talent, even after becoming a god, he was always ostracized and marginalized, until he killed his master, Yuanxu Ancient Buddha, to prove himself."
...
There was no shortage of clever people present, who thought they had seen through Zhang Ruochen's intentions and were chattering away.
Yan Wushen sat at the highest presiding seat of another major tributary, staring at Zhang Ruochen from afar. A smile appeared on his face as he raised his three-legged cup and took another sip.
He had long guessed that Zhang Ruochen would surely make a move at the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet to prove himself to the gods.
He just hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen to destroy his own reputation so basely.
Bullying a woman would surely be reviled by all the cultivators of the Heavenly Court, including his former friends.
"Though base, being a reviled scumbag is more likely to put the gods at ease. A rotten move, truly a rotten move." Yan Wushen shook his head slightly, but upon reflection, he felt that besides self-destruction, Zhang Ruochen seemed to have no other path.
The Great Senluo Emperor, sitting opposite Zhang Ruochen, let out a long sigh. "Wuying Fairy, how did you end up with such a master who doesn't know how to cherish a beauty? Why not defect to me? I will never make you a slave or a maid."
Lianxi glanced at the Great Senluo Emperor across the stream but said nothing, silently enduring Zhang Ruochen's spatial suppression.
Zhang Ruochen coldly stared at the Great Senluo Emperor. "Trying to take my person? Are you looking for death?"
The Great Senluo Emperor's gaze turned even colder, but he quickly restrained it and smiled. "The Ruochen Great Saint has quite the imposing manner. How would I dare to forcibly take from you? However, there is an interesting segment at the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet called the 'Duel of Gifts.'"
"Duel of Gifts?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The Great Senluo Emperor said, "To us, what is the most precious treasure at the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet? The Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit."
"But the Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit is too precious. Each Great Saint can only receive one. If you want to eat more, you have to duel for gifts, winning the Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruits from others."
"The so-called 'Duel of Gifts' means that if you win, you get a great gift. If you lose, you have to give a gift."
"The gift given is the Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit."
"According to what I know, at previous Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquets, a Great Saint once won eight Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruits, enjoying nine alone. That instantly increased his sacred dao rules by nine hundred million and his lifespan by twenty-seven thousand years."
"There was also a Saint King realm cultivator who won four Mysterious Extreme Sacred Fruits, enjoying five alone. That instantly perfected five sacred paths."
"This is the true joy of the grand banquet. I wonder if the Ruochen Great Saint is willing to duel for gifts with me?"
Whether it was the Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit or the Mysterious Extreme Sacred Fruit, they were the main courses of the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet, far more precious than the water of the Fate Stream.
The Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit could instantly increase sacred dao rules by one hundred million, but that was secondary. It could also extend a cultivator's lifespan by three thousand years and help them cultivate high-rank sacred arts at the fastest speed.
It was a treasure that all Great Saints below the Thousand Questions Realm had to consume.
Precisely because it was so precious, no Great Saint would dare to use it for a duel without sufficient confidence. Losing it would make even a Great Saint weep.
Feng Hou's voice transmitted into Zhang Ruochen's ear. "Don't duel with him. Be careful, it's a trap. Generally, duels at the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet are initiated by the weak against the strong."
"One is to win Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruits; the other is to step on the strong to gain fame."
"The Great Senluo Emperor's cultivation far surpasses yours, yet he challenges you to a duel. He's completely taking advantage of your ignorance of the rules. If you act impulsively, you'll fall right into his trap."
"You must know that the rules of the duel are set by the challenger. It doesn't have to be a fight; it can be chess, painting, a contest of speed, sword techniques..."
"Once you agree, he will surely use what he is best at to compete with you."
"Therefore, among the ten thousand cultivators at the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet, very few agree to duels."
"The Great Saint who won eight times back then is now the Fengchen Sword God, who shakes the universe. He was a miracle, known as the most perfect cultivator of the last millennium, with no weaknesses, the best at everything, and learning anything instantly to its peak."
As Zhang Ruochen listened to Feng Hou's transmission, the Great Senluo Emperor spoke again, taunting, "The Ruochen Great Saint isn't afraid, is he? Don't worry, I don't want your Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit. If you lose, just give me the Wuying Fairy."
"So it's her you're after."
Zhang Ruochen extended a finger, lifting Lianxi's snow-white chin, and looked at her jade-like face. "Fine, I agree to the duel."
The Great Senluo Emperor was overjoyed.
Fear appeared in Lianxi's eyes.
Staying by Zhang Ruochen's side was not pleasant, but falling into the hands of the Great Senluo Emperor would undoubtedly be worse. Was this her fate?
Her heart was filled with resentment and despair.
Resentful that Zhang Ruochen was so heartless.
Despairing that if the Great Senluo Emperor really won her, she felt she could not hold on and would choose to end herself. What indomitable spirit? What divine heart? It was all Zhang Ruochen's deliberate scheming.
The venue of the Heaven-Hunting Grand Banquet erupted again, with all cultivators excited, ready to watch the show.
Zhang Ruochen's tone shifted. "But betting just one Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit is boring. If we're going to bet, let's bet three."
"If the Wuying Fairy were still a virgin, it might not matter. But she's already your woman. Is she worth three Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruits?" the Great Senluo Emperor said with a mocking laugh.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Of course, she's only worth one Dao-Evolution Sacred Fruit. But I still have one more."
"That's only two," the Great Senluo Emperor said.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze swept downstream, locking onto Xue Tu, and pointed at him. "Xue Tu is my junior brother. He'll support me with one."
Xue Tu had been watching the excitement, thinking Zhang Ruochen would surely suffer a great loss at the hands of the Great Senluo Emperor, and was secretly laughing.
Having been tricked by Zhang Ruochen many times, he was eager to see Zhang Ruochen get a taste of his own medicine.
Hearing this, Xue Tu felt as if struck by lightning, his face losing color. Disaster had truly fallen from the sky.