Chapter 2381: Treating Yu Huang
Ordinary gods dared not involve themselves in this matter.
However, Green Deer God King was extraordinary, a top-tier titan of the Shura Clan. Four eons ago, he single-handedly founded the Green Deer Divine Temple. At that time, no one believed the temple could stand for long.
In the Shura Clan, a realm filled with slaughter and war, the founding and collapse of temples were nothing unusual.
Yet the Green Deer Divine Temple not only did not fall, but trampled one ancient temple after another beneath its feet, becoming the second-ranked temple in the Shura Clan.
Even Blood Absolute War God could not claim that he could lead the Blood Absolute Family to become the second-largest force in the Undying Blood Clan in just four eons.
Moreover, Green Deer God King had started from scratch, without a clan of his own.
In terms of cultivation, Blood Absolute War God was confident he could surpass Green Deer God King. However, when it came to managing and expanding a faction, he fell far short.
Ghost Lord claimed that all Great Saints listed on the *Divine Reserve Scroll* would receive his attention. In reality, he spent very little effort and did not take it seriously.
But Green Deer God King truly placed immense importance on nurturing younger talents, handling many matters personally. He would carefully follow every Great Saint with the potential to become a god, sparing no expense to recruit them. If they belonged to an enemy faction, he would have them assassinated directly.
Beyond Great Saints with god-making potential, the Green Deer Divine Temple had also established specialized departments targeting half-saints, saints, and saint kings of extraordinary talent, formulating tailored recruitment plans.
Since the beginning of this eon, the number of new-generation experts cultivated by the Green Deer Divine Temple had nearly surpassed that of the Shura Divine Temple.
Lan Ying and Hong Futu were both young geniuses personally recruited by Green Deer God King. In this millennium, they had become top-tier experts of the Shura Clan.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God was another target Green Deer God King had spent enormous effort to win over.
These were merely the tip of the iceberg of Green Deer God King's actions.
Throughout the entire Hell Realm, Green Deer God King was one of the few figures Blood Absolute War God deeply feared—not only for his exceptional cultivation but also for his extraordinary methods.
As Blood Absolute War God and Green Deer God King locked eyes, a voice rang out.
"Green Deer, do you believe that Fengdu Dadi cannot survive his tenth eon calamity? Or do you think Blood Absolute would joke about Fengdu Dadi's matter?"
Luo Yan's mighty divine shadow manifested, his voice authoritative.
Green Deer God King smiled faintly: "Great Emperor, you misunderstand. Of course, I believe Blood Absolute War God, and I am even more certain that Fengdu Dadi will surely overcome his tenth eon calamity. I am merely curious."
"Every god has their own secrets. Why press so hard? If Blood Absolute's words prove false, Fengdu Dadi will settle the matter himself in the future. Interfering now would not be wise, would it? After all, we are all of the Lower Three Clans," Luo Yan said.
Green Deer God King's eyes flickered, and he cupped his hands: "The Great Emperor speaks rightly."
With that, Green Deer God King withdrew, his divine shadow dissipating.
The reason Green Deer God King stopped his relentless questioning was precisely Luo Yan's final words: "We are all of the Lower Three Clans."
Conflicts among the ten clans of the Hell Realm were numerous.
Especially the life-and-death contradictions between the Lower Three Clans and the Middle Three Clans.
For this reason, the Lower Three Clans absolutely could not afford to fight among themselves first.
Luo Yan's intervention at this moment was primarily for this reason.
Secondarily, it was because Zhang Ruochen's talent had earned Luo Yan's deep admiration, filling him with expectations for Zhang Ruochen's future. If Luo Sha could marry Zhang Ruochen as his principal wife, it would undoubtedly pull him into the Tianluo Divine Kingdom's camp.
"Since Tianyin said she saw the fate trajectories of Luo Sha and Zhang Ruochen, whether their future brings fortune or misfortune, I must lend a hand now," Luo Yan thought to himself.
Blood Absolute War God retreated into his divine realm world, lost in thought.
From the very beginning, he had been full of confidence in Zhang Ruochen's pursuit of a first-rank sacred intent, eager for Zhang Ruochen to walk the path he himself had failed to tread.
But the fusion of a sixth sacred intent, triggering an anomaly from the Fate Divine Mountain, far exceeded his expectations.
Because the one overseeing the Fate Divine Mountain was Fortune God Venerable, and with Luo Yan Great Emperor stepping forward, the adverse effects on Zhang Ruochen were temporarily suppressed. However, this matter would not end there; a fierce backlash was sure to follow.
"After this incident, those gods will find it impossible not to pay attention to Zhang Ruochen. Especially those with grudges against him—previously, because they had many offspring, losing one or two to Zhang Ruochen seemed trivial. Growth cannot be smooth sailing. But now... their resolve will likely become extremely aggressive."
"And those gods and Great Saints who believe in fate will surely act, preferring to kill the wrong person rather than let him slip."
Blood Absolute War God was indeed powerful, but he had only cultivated for a little over a hundred thousand years.
Just like Desolate Heaven, who, when facing the Truth Hall Master, had no power to resist.
The Hell Realm also had experts of the Truth Hall Master's caliber, such as Luo Yan Great Emperor.
Luo Yan could exchange blows with the Heavenly Court's number one war god, Bian Zhuang, only losing slightly—a testament to his extraordinary cultivation realm. Even Green Deer God King had to tread carefully around him.
Blood Absolute War God sought a marriage alliance with Luo Yan precisely to secure a protective talisman for Zhang Ruochen.
"In the end, Luo Yan only cares about his daughter. If the situation spirals out of control, he may not step in again. It seems I must ask that old immortal to come forward. No, wait—for now, I should not disturb him. Let Zhang Ruochen cross the thresholds of the Thousand Questions Realm and the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm first. Once it is certain he can cultivate to godhood, I will disturb him then."
Blood Absolute War God understood that although Zhang Ruochen had performed admirably so far, his chances of becoming a god were too low, and his enemies' attention to him was limited. For now, they still focused on Blood Absolute himself.
Only when Zhang Ruochen's path to godhood was assured would the earth-shattering storm truly arrive.
"Since he has performed so brilliantly, many factions should be willing to stake their chips on him. Marriage alliances—many marriage alliances are needed. As long as the web of interests is large enough, even the Destiny Temple will not dare to touch him easily."
The gravity on Blood Absolute War God's face vanished, replaced by a faint smile as he thought of his younger self.
With his unyielding, masculine nature, he had managed to grow to where he was today and ascend to the position of Grand Clan Chief, thanks in large part to the web of interests formed through marriage alliances.
Zhang Ruochen's situation was even more dire than his own had been, so he naturally needed to form alliances with even more factions.
Blood Absolute War God immediately sent a divine thought to Qingsheng Great Saint, instructing: "Compile a roster of all unmarried goddesses in the Hell Realm, or female disciples directly descended from gods."
Upon receiving the divine thought, Qingsheng Great Saint's expression turned extremely strange. He muttered to himself: "What is Father God planning? Could it be that, after becoming Grand Clan Chief, he intends to select some younger companions to flaunt his status? Or is he planning to arrange a marriage for Sixth Brother, Nether King?"
Qingsheng Great Saint did not think of Zhang Ruochen, as he had only recently received a divine thought from Blood Absolute War God instructing him to prepare for Zhang Ruochen and Princess Luo Sha's wedding, claiming it was seventy to eighty percent settled.
Another divine thought from Blood Absolute War God arrived: "Also, prepare a roster of all unmarried Fate Goddesses from the past hundred thousand years."
"Should I include those who have already become gods?" Qingsheng Great Saint asked.
"Yes," Blood Absolute War God replied.
Qingsheng Great Saint was now certain: Father God must be planning to arrange a marriage for Sixth Brother, Nether King.
What Blood Absolute War God was actually thinking was: if Zhang Ruochen could marry a former Fate Goddess, it would be a gesture of goodwill toward the Destiny Temple. If the Destiny Temple valued Zhang Ruochen's talent and potential, they might very well accept such an overture.
...
Yu Huang's body, except for her head and saint source, had almost entirely turned into jade-like bones, heavily fractured, with bones scattered like loose gems.
However, her shattered body had not flown apart.
Instead, it was wrapped in wisps of five-colored radiance, drifting down from above, all the way to the roots of the jade tree, into Zhang Ruochen's hands.
Zhang Ruochen cut open his own wrist, letting his blood drip onto her.
The blood was red but emitted a five-colored mist.
It contained not only the abundant life essence of the divine wood's heart but also White Pale Blood Soil, capable of reviving the dead and regenerating bones.
"Sizzle."
The broken saint bones began to reform.
On the bones, blood vessels, meridians, and saint veins grew, with strands of life force gestating within the marrow, merging with Zhang Ruochen's blood.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze swept across ten thousand miles, locking onto a Yama Clan Great Saint at the Great Perfection of the Hundred Shackles Realm. He reached out with one hand through the void, and before that Great Saint could react, a spatial wormhole mirror surface appeared, pulling her in.
"Not good..."
Just as she tried to resist, she found herself already before Zhang Ruochen.
"Lend me the blood in your body," Zhang Ruochen said.
This Great Saint was one of the Eight Life-and-Death Disciples.
She glanced at Yu Huang floating in midair and guessed Zhang Ruochen's intent. She clasped her hands together, summoning a shadow of the Death Heavenly Scripture.
"Boom!"
Zhang Ruochen shattered the Death Heavenly Scripture shadow with a single palm strike.
At the same time, a spatial confinement force pressed in from all directions, immobilizing her. She wanted to resist but could not even muster her strength.
Zhang Ruochen cut open the blood vessels in her wrist, drawing out her Great Saint blood and channeling it toward Yu Huang's skeletal form.
Flesh and skin immediately grew over the translucent bones.
"How dare you!"
"Attack together! Suppress Zhang Ruochen and save Wufei!"
...
The other seven of the Eight Life-and-Death Disciples each summoned Life Heavenly Scripture or Death Heavenly Scripture shadows, launching attacks at Zhang Ruochen simultaneously.
The saintly might of seven Great Perfection Hundred Shackles Realm experts dispersed the five-colored radiance in the sky. Countless heavenly and earthly rules converged toward them, forming seven massive rule vortexes.
The surviving cultivators of the Undying Blood Clan worried for Zhang Ruochen, doubting he could fend off seven Great Perfection experts while treating Yu Huang.
Unfortunately, their cultivation was too low to help.
"Perfect timing. With your blood added, it should be enough."
Zhang Ruochen left a spiritual power clone to support Yu Huang's body while his true form shot like a beam of light, instantly appearing before the first Great Perfection Great Saint.
That Great Saint reacted swiftly, striking first with the Life Heavenly Scripture shadow, manifesting a Life Treasure Tree that swept toward Zhang Ruochen.
"Boom."
Zhang Ruochen's palm sliced down like a blade.
The Life Treasure Tree snapped in two, and the first Great Perfection Great Saint was sent flying backward, a foot-long bloody gash across his chest.
In the next instant, Zhang Ruochen appeared diagonally above the second Great Perfection Great Saint, kicking out with the Blazing God Leg, crushing his undying saint body and breaking numerous bones.
The third Great Perfection Great Saint was struck in the back by Zhang Ruochen's palm, a basin-sized hole blasted through his chest.
...
The seventh Great Perfection Great Saint, fully prepared, exchanged a punch with Zhang Ruochen head-on.
The result: the saint bones in his entire arm turned to powder.
In a single breath, Zhang Ruochen unleashed seven moves, severely wounding seven Great Perfection Great Saints.
Even more terrifying, from start to finish, Zhang Ruochen had only used his physical strength.
He wanted to test just how powerful his current physical body had become.
After all, he had broken sixty-eight shackles, further loosening the restraints of his half-god body. Moreover, his Five Elements Chaos Undying Saint Body had improved, and he had absorbed a large amount of White Pale Blood Soil.
"With my current physical strength, not only can I defeat Great Perfection Hundred Shackles Great Saints, but I should also have no trouble handling Thousand Questions Realm Great Saints."
Zhang Ruochen unleashed his Space True Domain, enveloping all seven Great Perfection Great Saints.
Within the true domain, countless spatial chains condensed, binding them and dragging them beneath the jade tree.
"Fight! A Yama Clan Great Saint would rather die than be a prisoner!"
One of the Great Perfection Great Saints had just shouted this when Zhang Ruochen waved his sleeve, freezing space itself, preventing him from opening his mouth or circulating his Yama Qi.
Next, the wrists of these seven Great Perfection Great Saints were also cut, releasing their Great Saint blood to converge on Yu Huang.
Within the thick blood mist, Yu Huang's flesh quickly regenerated, her skin as white as jade and smooth as silk. The life force within her body gradually recovered, and she seemed even more radiant than before.
Yet she did not awaken.
Zhang Ruochen could not sense any fluctuation of Yu Huang's consciousness, and his brow furrowed.
What was going on?
Had most of her saint soul and spiritual power thoughts been shattered, leaving only a small remnant?
If so, even if Yu Huang came back to life, she would not wake up.
Unless a spiritual power Great Saint was willing to sacrifice their life to summon her soul. Moreover, it would have to be a spiritual power Great Saint exceeding the sixty-fifth rank.
Zhang Ruochen's swift defeat of eight Great Perfection Great Saints shocked all the cultivators present—but not Yan Huangtu.
Yan Huangtu, holding the Seven-Star Ghost Lotus aloft from afar, called out: "Before she died, Xia Yu preserved most of her saint soul and spiritual power thoughts within the Seven-Star Ghost Lotus."
Zhang Ruochen raised his gaze toward him, then to the Seven-Star Ghost Lotus, and said: "Trade! I'll exchange the Eight Life-and-Death Disciples for it."
Yan Huangtu laughed heartily: "The Eight Life-and-Death Disciples are far more valuable than Xia Yu. Only a sentimental fool like you would agree to such a trade. How about I add another condition?"
"Stop wasting words. If you don't trade, I'll come take it myself," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Huangtu shook his head: "I guarantee that before you touch the Seven-Star Ghost Lotus, Xia Yu's saint soul and spiritual power thoughts will all scatter into nothing."
Zhang Ruochen narrowed his eyes, then nodded: "Fine. I am indeed a sentimental fool who cherishes beautiful women. Speak. What is your other condition?"
"Where is Xian'er?" Yan Huangtu asked.
"You mean Yan Zhexian? She... is fine. Don't worry about her," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Where is she?" Yan Huangtu pressed.
"She is in a very safe place where no one can harm her," Zhang Ruochen said.
The more Zhang Ruochen spoke like this, the more worried Yan Huangtu became.
Yan Huangtu had tens of thousands of cousins like Yan Wushen, with distant blood ties. But Yan Zhexian was his direct niece, the only daughter of his eldest brother, and a cherished pearl doted on by the clan's ancestor.
Before the Heaven Hunting Battle, the ancestor had spoken to him alone, saying that any Yama Clan cultivator could be injured, but Yan Zhexian absolutely could not be harmed—or he would be held accountable.
"Return Xian'er and the Eight Life-and-Death Disciples, and I will immediately give you all of Xia Yu's saint soul and spiritual power thoughts," Yan Huangtu said.
Zhang Ruochen's brow was tightly knit. He looked at the unconscious Yu Huang, then finally took out the Purple Gold Gourd and released Yan Zhexian from within.
Seeing Yan Zhexian, Yan Huangtu finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself: "Zhang Ruochen has some decency, at least not laying a hand on Xian'er, a woman... This... that is..."
Yan Huangtu's gaze fell to Yan Zhexian's lower abdomen, and his eyes nearly bulged out.
Then...
A roar of fury, reaching the pinnacle of rage, resounded through heaven and earth.