Chapter 2402: Utter Despair
“Why me?”
Yan Wushen murmured softly, then shrugged indifferently and stepped forward. The path he cultivated was destined to be devoid of desire and emotion for life; a partner was neither here nor there. However, since a God Venerable was bestowing a marriage, there must be deep meaning behind it, so naturally he had to agree.
Besides, his impression of Bore was not bad.
Those most shaken were none other than Bore and Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen showed no change in expression, but his pupils contracted rapidly, and his breath stopped for an instant. Soon, however, everything returned to normal.
Bore’s reaction was far more obvious than Zhang Ruochen’s. She abruptly raised her head, staring at the divine shadow of Fulu God Venerable with an expression of disbelief.
There were simply too many shocked cultivators; even some deities were taken aback, so no one noticed her clearly abnormal demeanor.
In the distance, Xuanji Sword Saint’s heart skipped a beat, his face turning pale. “Damn it, why would Fulu God Venerable pull this?”
Qiangu Nüdi asked, “What are you worried about?”
Both Bore and Zhang Ruochen were disciples of Xuanji Sword Saint, and he had some understanding of their personalities.
He said, “The hardest barrier to cross in this world is the barrier of love. You should know, Nüdi, that Zhang Ruochen is a man who keeps his promises. Once he agrees to something, no matter how difficult, he will do everything in his power to achieve it.”
“That is true,” Qiangu Nüdi said.
Xuanji Sword Saint continued, “In the past, when Zhang Ruochen proposed to Huang Yanchen, he said something: ‘My feelings for you, my senior sister, remain unchanged through three lifetimes, three reincarnations, and three cycles of rebirth.’ Perhaps due to all that has happened, the two have become strangers, their ties severed, but the feelings in Zhang Ruochen’s heart have never changed.”
Qiangu Nüdi asked, “Are you worried that Zhang Ruochen will lose control and stop Fulu God Venerable from bestowing the marriage?”
“I don’t know what he will do, but he will definitely do something.”
Then, Xuanji Sword Saint added, “What I’m more worried about is Bore. Her personality is even more stubborn than Zhang Ruochen’s, and her feelings run deeper than his.”
Qiangu Nüdi said, “Fulu God Venerable bestowing a marriage on Zhang Ruochen is, in a sense, an attempt to use the bond of marriage to keep him in the Hell Realm, making his ties to the Hell Realm even closer. Therefore, Zhang Ruochen absolutely cannot refuse. If he refuses, he will surely invite criticism and attacks.”
“Bore has cultivated the Gate of True Self but failed to become the Divine Maiden of the Destiny Temple, which is already very dangerous. Fulu God Venerable’s marriage bestowal is, in a sense, an attempt to protect her. If she refuses, she would be ungrateful and would only hasten her own death.”
“But she is not afraid of death at all,” Xuanji Sword Saint said.
Ordinary cultivators dared not discuss a God Venerable’s marriage bestowal, but some deities let out light snorts: “The Destiny Temple wants to subdue two Eon-level prodigies in advance!”
This deity was from the Darkness Temple, but he only dared to say this within his own divine realm.
Bore represented the Destiny Temple, and Luo Sha’s mother was the former Fate Divine Maiden. Both women were deeply connected to the Destiny Temple, so bestowing them in marriage to Yan Wushen and Zhang Ruochen was indeed an attempt to win them over.
…
After hesitating for a moment, Bore’s expression calmed, and she walked over to stand beside Yan Wushen.
Fulu God Venerable said, “I intend to bestow a marriage upon the two of you. Are you willing?”
“I am willing.”
After saying this, Yan Wushen couldn’t help but glance at Bore, only to find her expression quite strange. Her sharply defined face was as cold as an unmelting iceberg, devoid of any joy, filled instead with resistance.
“Why such an expression? Is she thinking of refusing the marriage?”
This thought arose, and Yan Wushen’s face grew grim and unpleasant.
In his view, Bore was an extremely intelligent woman who should not do something so foolish. Besides, what was wrong with him, Yan Wushen? Countless women in the Hell Realm wished to marry him but had no chance.
If Bore really refused, Yan Wushen and Fulu God Venerable would soon become a laughingstock among countless cultivators.
Perhaps cultivators of the Hell Realm would not dare to mock a God Venerable. But what about the cultivators of the Heavenly Court Realm?
Yan Wushen might not care about being humiliated by Bore. But did the Yama Clan not care either?
Seeing that Bore remained silent for a long time without agreeing, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Not only did the cultivators on the Wu Gold Plaza change color, but even the deities in the Destiny Temple wore serious expressions.
The high-ranking Black Robe High Priest was already pale with fright, sending a telepathic message to Bore: “A God Venerable bestowing a marriage is an extraordinary honor! Why not immediately kneel and thank him?”
Bore remained unmoved.
The atmosphere in heaven and earth grew heavier and heavier. All sounds vanished, leaving utter silence.
Fulu God Venerable seemed very patient, never urging, only waiting quietly.
Feng Hou’s eyes held a smile as she waited for Bore to walk into her own death trap.
Luo Sha couldn’t help but look at Bore, finding it hard to understand why she was so resistant to the God Venerable’s marriage bestowal.
Could it be because she failed to become the Divine Maiden of the Destiny Temple and was dissatisfied?
That shouldn’t be the case.
Bore was not such a short-sighted woman.
Zhang Ruochen did not look at Bore, but he felt an inexplicable sensation, as if Bore was waiting for him to make a move, or waiting for him to protect her.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen let out a long breath.
Because of the extreme silence, even the sound of his exhalation was unusually clear, drawing the attention of many cultivators.
“A God Venerable bestowing a marriage is the highest honor. I will guard Luo Sha for my entire life and will never betray her.”
Zhang Ruochen spoke these words loudly, then, under the gaze of countless eyes, he stretched out his arm and embraced Luo Sha, kissing her on her fair forehead.
Luo Shengtian’s eyes bulged like copper bells, gritting his teeth, feeling that Zhang Ruochen was utterly lawless, daring to be so intimate with his sister in front of so many cultivators.
Luo Sha was initially a bit flustered, but soon the corners of her mouth curled up, and she lowered her head, looking extremely sweet and happy.
Any intelligent person could see that Zhang Ruochen’s move was meant to break the oppressive atmosphere and also to remind Bore not to defy Fulu God Venerable’s marriage bestowal.
After all, this concerned the face of Fulu God Venerable, the face of the Destiny Temple, the face of the Yama Clan, and even the face of the Hell Realm.
Bore understood Zhang Ruochen’s intent. A feeling of utter despair washed over her, and the coldness in her eyes finally melted. “Thank you, God Venerable, for bestowing this marriage. Bore is deeply grateful.”
Then she knelt and prostrated herself, her nose touching the ground, so no one could see her expression at that moment.
Fulu God Venerable’s divine shadow finally dissipated.
The Black Robe High Priest shot Zhang Ruochen a grateful look, then continued to announce some matters regarding the Heaven Hunting Battle, making final remarks.
When everything was over, the cultivators who had attended the Heaven Hunting Banquet left the Fate Divine Mountain one after another.
Zhang Ruochen, along with Zangjin Baihu, Xue Ningxiao, Xue Tu, Xue Chen, and other cultivators of the Blood Heaven Tribe, as well as Lian Xi, Hong, Zhou Zhen, and Shen Tu Yun Kong, walked out of the Wu Gold Plaza and boarded the Seven Star Imperial Palace.
Turning back to look, he saw that Bore was still kneeling on the plaza.
Beside her stood only Yan Wushen.
Xue Tu said with a hint of disdain, “This Bore Dianxia is really hard to understand. Even a God Venerable bestowing a marriage, and she agrees so reluctantly.”
“If a God Venerable bestowed a marriage on me, I could walk sideways in the Hell Realm from now on!” Yi Xuan Great Saint said enviously.
Gu Chenzi’s face was solemn. “Fortunately, she agreed. Otherwise, it would have caused a huge uproar.”
Xue Tu chuckled. “She should thank my senior brother. If not for him knocking some sense into her at the critical moment, she might have lost her life because of her stubbornness.”
“Shut up,” Zhang Ruochen said coldly.
Xue Tu immediately felt a wave of icy coldness, couldn’t help but shiver, and dared not say another word.
Eighteen Six-Calamity Ghost Kings carried the Seven Star Imperial Palace and departed straight away.
In the Bing Si City District of the Han Ye City Domain, tens of thousands of Blood Heaven Tribe cultivators had gathered. Seeing the Seven Star Imperial Palace and Yi Xuan Great Saint and the others, they erupted in deafening cheers, lining the way to welcome them with great joy.
In a manor within the city district, a sacred feast had long been prepared.
One by one, the great figures of the Blood Heaven Tribe walked out of the banquet venue and came to the main entrance to personally welcome the triumphant Yi Xuan Great Saint and Gu Chenzi.
The three great ancestral clans, the six blood seas, the seven ridges, and the twelve cities—these top forces of the Blood Heaven Tribe—all had peak experts in attendance, bringing with them the most beautiful women of their forces, clearly intending to build connections.
The strength of each force was at least comparable to a major world ranked in the top four thousand of the Heavenly Court.
For example, the Xia Clan, to which Yu Huang belonged, had 340 billion members and had once been home to deities. But the Xia Clan was merely a force under the “Southern Ridge” among the seven ridges.
The envoy of the Undying Divine Temple, Huo Yuan Da Jun, searched the crowd repeatedly, asking, “Where is Zhang Ruochen?”
Zhang Ruochen was the main protagonist of tonight’s sacred feast. All the major forces wanted to befriend him, and they were vying to marry off the most beautiful sacred realm heirs of their forces to him.
After all, the news that Xue Jue War God wanted to form alliances through marriage had already been released.
Xue Chen stepped forward, bowed to Huo Yuan Da Jun with cupped fists, and said, “Cousin Ruochen has injuries and is not fit to attend the sacred feast. He has returned to the Hanhai Manor to rest.”
Hearing this, Huo Yuan Da Jun and the cultivators of the various forces were all stunned.
…
The Hanhai Manor, after being transformed by Zhou Zhen, a formation earth master, was now a place of beautiful scenery, with birdsong and fragrant flowers, a lake of clear blue water, no different from the cultivation holy lands of the Kunlun Realm.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen sat by the lake, staring at his reflection in the water.
Outside the manor, the noise was deafening, and the lights blazed like fire, but he was completely unmoved, entirely immersed in his own inner world.
Zangjin Baihu could feel what Zhang Ruochen was thinking and said, “If you keep this up, your inner demon will grow stronger and will eventually devour you. If you want to do something, just do it. The more you go against your heart, the more calamities you will face in the future, and the path to becoming a god will be extremely difficult.”
Zhang Ruochen said nothing.
Thus, he sat by the lake all night, with no one daring to disturb him.
The next day, Yi Xuan Great Saint, Xue Chen, Xue Tu, and other cultivators who had participated in the Heaven Hunting Battle came one by one to pay their respects, but all were turned away by Zhou Zhen.
On the third day, the leaders of the six blood seas, the seven ridges, and the twelve blood god cities brought their forces’ most beautiful heirs to visit, but they too returned disappointed.
On the fourth day, Dao Yu Huang and Feng Hou came to invite Zhang Ruochen to attend the celebration sacred feast hosted by the Undying Divine Temple, but Zhang Ruochen refused.
…
A full ten days passed, and countless forces were turned away, none of them able to see Zhang Ruochen.
His reason remained the same: he was in seclusion to heal his injuries.
During this time, Xue Hou came and asked Zhang Ruochen why he was doing this. Zhang Ruochen brushed it off, saying he didn’t like such lively occasions.
Xue Hou told Zhang Ruochen that since the God Venerable had bestowed the marriage, he should go to propose as soon as possible, at least to finalize the engagement in the Fate Divine Domain, to show the importance he placed on the matter.
The preparations for the proposal and engagement did not need him to handle personally; cultivators from the Blood Absolute Family and the Tian Luo Divine Kingdom would discuss and arrange everything.
But on the day of the engagement, Zhang Ruochen had to attend.
The date for the engagement had already been announced to the public, set for five days later, to be held at the Fulu God Palace. Yan Wushen and Bore would also have their engagement on the same day.
…
In the Jia Yin City District, within a magnificent hall.
Yan Wushen stood alone at the center of the hall, his figure towering, his aura sharp and profound, with strands of Yama Qi flickering in light and shadow around him.
“Whoosh—”
Suddenly, above his head, space split open, revealing a hole three meters in diameter, as if a gate of time and space had been opened.
From the hole, ancient and astonishing divine might emanated.
A look of respect appeared in Yan Wushen’s proud eyes, and he bowed, saying, “Master, in this Heaven Hunting Battle, I have been defeated.”
“It’s not your fault. Didn’t Yan Huangtu also lose? The opponent you faced is the most outstanding prodigy of this eon. The sacred will he has cultivated is so strong that it even surpasses Xue Jue and Huang Tian. You lost to him, and it’s not shameful.” The black hole rotated, very much like a vortex.
Yan Wushen said, “But I am unwilling to accept this defeat.”
“So, this is why you wanted to see me?” the majestic voice said.
Yan Wushen said, “Even if Zhang Ruochen is walking the path of a first-rank sacred will, I am confident I can keep up with him to the end. But he is a master of time and space, and his cultivation speed is too fast. My cultivation realm has already fallen far behind his. I must catch up to him, even surpass him.”
The existence within the black hole was silent for a long time, then said, “The gap in your cultivation realms was opened at the Third Dark Star. Why don’t you go to the Third Dark Star as well? Not only does it have an astonishing time ratio, but it also holds an extraordinary opportunity. If you can walk out alive from within, your cultivation realm will surely surpass Zhang Ruochen’s.”
“I will go to the Third Dark Star now.”
Although Yan Wushen had suffered a great loss of lifespan and knew that the interior of the Dark Star was extremely dangerous, there was no fear on his face.
In this era, he was unwilling to be second to anyone.
Zhang Ruochen’s existence might just be the driving force that pushed him to become stronger, a lifelong rival.
The voice from the black hole spoke again: “I can send you to the Third Dark Star, and I believe you can return alive. But have you truly made a decision regarding your sacred will cultivation? You must know, from ancient times to the present, no cultivator has ever successfully cultivated a first-rank sacred will. At least, no records in any texts mention it.”
There was no hesitation in Yan Wushen’s eyes. “Zhang Ruochen cultivates the Yin-Yang Five Elements sacred will, walking the path of a first-rank sacred will. My Six Paths Reincarnation sacred will is also the path of a first-rank sacred will. If he dares to walk it, why shouldn’t I?”
The voice from the black hole said, “Do you truly understand what Six Paths Reincarnation means? Without experiencing it, you can never comprehend it fully. Without comprehension, you will absolutely never succeed in cultivating it.”