Chapter 2430: A Season of Troubles
Ling thought of something and said meaningfully, "I've received news that Zhang Ruochen and the newly appointed Fate Goddess have reconciled and are much closer than before."
"How is that possible?" Huoxing said.
Cang Baizi looked incredulous, saying, "Those two fought fiercely in the Heaven Hunting Battlefield, like fire and water."
Huoxing added, "The newly appointed Fate Goddess still relies on the support of the Upper Three Clans. Given the conflict between the Upper Three Clans and Zhang Ruochen, they can't possibly come together. That new goddess shouldn't fail to understand what's important."
Ling smiled, "Let's not worry about it for now. The new Fate Goddess has only just been enfeoffed, and with her low cultivation, she can't command respect or control the Judgment Hall. Even if Zhang Ruochen approaches her, without solid evidence, he can't do anything to us."
Cang Baizi stroked his beard and nodded, "Does Lord Ling think Zhang Ruochen will actually attack Jiannan Realm?"
"He probably will. Father God once said that Zhang Ruochen's low ranking on the Divine Reserve List is due to his deep inner demons. If he doesn't fulfill his promises, his path to becoming a god will be fraught with peril," Ling said.
Cang Baizi grinned sinisterly, "Why don't we order the release of corpse poison into Jiannan Realm right now and turn it into a ghost domain? That would surely drive Zhang Ruochen mad—just thinking about it is amusing."
Ling raised his arm and waved it, saying, "Killing shouldn't be done just for amusement—that's a poor strategy. Since Zhang Ruochen claims he wants to seize Southern Sword Realm by force, why not let him have his wish?"
"How can that be?"
Cang Baizi was taken aback, then quickly caught on, a sinister smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Excellent, excellent. If Zhang Ruochen dies in Jiannan Realm, we can hardly be blamed."
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
...
Upon receiving Ling's telepathic message, the guards of the Goddess Pavilion quickly arrived and surrounded the Phoenix Cry Pavilion.
Fifty guards, all clad in blood armor and wielding long spears, encircled the entire Phoenix Cry Pavilion. Their armor gleamed like mirrors, making the night solemn and tense.
The guard captain, Ye Fancheng, struck the ground with his spear.
"Swoosh!"
From beneath the earth, dense Great Saint inscriptions and formation inscriptions emerged. He barked, "We've received a tip that someone inside Phoenix Cry Pavilion killed three Saint-level attendants of the Goddess Tower. Will you come out and surrender, or shall we enter and take you by force?"
The mobilization of the guard force alarmed many cultivators.
Their spiritual power probed toward Phoenix Cry Pavilion.
"Who would dare kill people in the Goddess Tower, and Saint-level attendants at that?"
"The master of the Goddess Tower is no ordinary figure, deeply connected to the Death God Palace. Whoever causes trouble here won't end well."
"Creak."
The door of Phoenix Cry Pavilion opened.
Zhang Ruochen walked out, holding a black dagger.
The Cursed Dagger was temporarily suppressed by Zhang Ruochen, but it still emitted a terrifying evil power.
The fifty guards felt their vision darken as all light was devoured. They couldn't see anything, only hearing a series of cursed whispers.
Ye Fancheng, with his formidable cultivation, could withstand the evil power of the Cursed Dagger and clearly saw Zhang Ruochen's face.
His expression shifted slightly, and he quickly bowed, saying, "Greetings, Ruochen Great Saint."
Zhang Ruochen scanned the area and soon found Ling, Huoxing, and Cang Baizi on the balcony of the Returning Wild Goose Pavilion, smiling at them.
Then he turned to Ye Fancheng and said, "The three attendants weren't killed by me—they were killed by this dagger. Do you believe that?"
"If Ruochen Great Saint says so, I naturally believe it. But could the Great Saint come with me and explain it to the master in person?" Ye Fancheng said, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Sorry, I don't have time."
Zhang Ruochen walked straight outward.
Ye Fancheng stepped forward to block his path, saying, "Since the Great Saint claims they were killed by this dagger, could you hand it over to me? I need to give the master some explanation, after all."
"I can't give you this dagger. If the master wants an explanation, they can ask Ling, Cang Baizi, and Huoxing. Looking for me won't get you any answers."
Zhang Ruochen's tone was calm, but the aura he exuded made the guards present too afraid to breathe heavily.
The Goddess Tower clearly knew that Ling, Cang Baizi, and Huoxing had taken residence in Phoenix Cry Pavilion.
Now that people were dead, why were they only targeting Zhang Ruochen?
Moreover, a top-tier imperial assassin from the Heavenly Assassination Organization could swagger into the Goddess Tower, which had a powerful intelligence network. If Zhang Ruochen believed the Goddess Tower had nothing to do with it, he would be a fool.
"Move aside," Zhang Ruochen said.
Just those two words exploded like thunder in Ye Fancheng's ears, turning his face pale and making his body sway.
Finally, he stepped aside, clearing a path for Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen straightened his clothes and walked past.
Only after Zhang Ruochen had gone did the fifty guards feel the pressure lift, letting out long sighs of relief.
One guard, displeased, said coldly, "Captain, are we just letting him go? Killing someone in the Goddess Tower should be punished, no matter who it is."
"Many cultivators are watching. If Zhang Ruochen leaves like this, where will the Goddess Tower's authority be? How can we continue to stand in the Fate Divine Domain?" another guard added.
Ye Fancheng wanted nothing more than to arrest Zhang Ruochen and take him to the master.
But the master had personally sent a telepathic message telling him to let Zhang Ruochen go, so he had no choice but to comply. After all, the Goddess Tower was a dark force that couldn't operate in the shadows too openly in the Fate Divine Domain.
Given Zhang Ruochen's status, if the matter escalated, the Goddess Tower would be the one to suffer in the end.
In the Returning Wild Goose Pavilion.
Cang Baizi laughed heartily, "Lord Ling's move was brilliant. Zhang Ruochen is so unruly that the Goddess Tower can't do anything to him, but he's also offended them. Offending the Goddess Tower means offending the Death God Palace."
"Zhang Ruochen had no choice. If he had compromised with the Goddess Tower, the Eon-level genius would have lost his prestige. It wouldn't just be his face at stake, but also that of Xue Jue War God and Fulu God Venerable. Better to let the Goddess Tower lose face than to lose his own," Huoxing said.
Ling leaned on the railing, gazing into the distance at the departing Zhang Ruochen, and said, "Fighting against an Eon-level genius is endlessly entertaining."
...
Leaving Phoenix Cry Pavilion, Zhang Ruochen pondered whether he could use the assassin incident from the Heavenly Assassination Organization to eliminate Ling, Cang Baizi, and Huoxing in one fell swoop.
But he ultimately realized that Ling was too cautious, having erased almost all evidence.
A single Cursed Dagger wouldn't be enough to bring them down.
Zhang Ruochen let out a long breath. As his gaze swept forward, he saw a burly old man in his sixties standing there.
The old man stood by the water, nodding and smiling at him, sending a telepathic message, "This old man, Yan Hanyi, greets the Consort."
Zhang Ruochen had seen Yan Hanyi before—he had come to the Goddess Tower with Luo Sheng Tian.
"A cultivator from the Yama Clan?"
Yan Hanyi nodded, "Consort, don't be so surprised. The Yama Clan is vast, with countless cultivators, and not all of them serve the Yama Clan exclusively. I am one of the teachers of the Divine Prince and Princess, responsible for teaching movement techniques, specifically the Path of Flowing Light."
Being a teacher to Luo Sheng Tian and Luo Sha meant he was no ordinary figure.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Senior, don't call me Consort. I have no intention of marrying your princess—she's the one marrying me."
"It's all the same, all the same."
Yan Hanyi seemed easygoing, at least with Zhang Ruochen, always wearing a smile. "The Divine Prince wishes to see you."
The commotion at Phoenix Cry Pavilion had been loud enough to reach Luo Sheng Tian's ears, which wasn't surprising.
Zhang Ruochen didn't need to guess why Luo Sheng Tian wanted to see him. That Divine Prince already disliked him, and now that he had a handle on something, he wouldn't let it go easily.
Unable to refuse outright, Zhang Ruochen said, "I have other urgent matters to attend to. How about this: you tell me where the Imperial Brother is staying, and I'll visit him when I'm done."
"Oh..."
Yan Hanyi looked troubled but knew he couldn't force Zhang Ruochen, so he agreed, "Alright. The Divine Prince is staying at the First-Rank Red Pavilion."
"First-Rank Red."
A strange glint flashed in Zhang Ruochen's eyes.
"First-Rank Red" was a flower name—had Luo Sheng Tian called for a courtesan?
He hadn't expected that beneath the Divine Prince's stern exterior lay such a wanton heart.
"Consort, I take my leave."
Yan Hanyi's figure vanished instantly.
Zhang Ruochen was astonished. Yan Hanyi's speed was incredibly fast, seemingly even faster than spatial displacement. After all, spatial displacement required a process of mobilizing Saint Qi.
"Is this the pinnacle of speed among Saint realm cultivators? Even Que seems far inferior in comparison."
Zhang Ruochen had been very confident that he could escape from any Saint realm cultivator.
But faced with someone like Yan Hanyi, could he really get away?
Yan Hanyi left silently, and Guye Jing appeared just as silently.
She stood in the shadow of a broad-leaved silver maple tree by the water, like a ghost of the night, saying, "You're weaker than I thought. I warned you, yet you still fell into Ling's trap."
Zhang Ruochen smiled, "Really? Didn't I get away unscathed?"
"Your ambition is just to get away unscathed? Do you realize you've offended the Goddess Tower and made its master lose face?"
"I know, of course I know."
"The master of the Goddess Tower is a woman, a formidable one."
"Mm."
"And do you know that women generally have small hearts? Formidable women have even smaller hearts. If you make her lose face, she'll dare to take your life."
Zhang Ruochen didn't take it to heart and asked, "You're a formidable woman too—is your heart also small?"
Guye Jing's gaze was icy cold, "You're very lucky. Something major has happened at the Goddess Tower recently, so the master probably won't have time to deal with you."
"What major event?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"This isn't the place to talk. Follow me."
Guye Jing's body dissipated, turning into wisps of crimson mist that wrapped around Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen remained on guard while observing.
Gradually, his vision was completely covered by the red mist, and he could see nothing else.
"What is she trying to do?"
Zhang Ruochen felt uneasy. He gathered Purifying Divine Flame at his fingertips, ready to break through the mist.
Suddenly, the mist dispersed on its own.
Zhang Ruochen found himself in an antique room, its walls adorned with calligraphy and famous paintings. In the northeast corner stood a fan-shaped screen.
Guye Jing stood by the window, looking out at the scenery.
Zhang Ruochen said, "What technique did you just use? How did I end up here after being wrapped by you? I clearly sensed no spatial fluctuations."
"If you lend me the Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription to study, I'll tell you the secret," Guye Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen sat down at the table and said, "First, tell me what major event happened at the Goddess Tower."
Guye Jing was straightforward, "About a month ago, the Shura Clan's Great Saint, Tan Fei, won five top-grade Divine Crystals at the gambling city of the Goddess Tower on Ice King Star."
"An ordinary Divine Crystal can be exchanged for ten Divine Stones."
"But a top-grade Divine Crystal can be exchanged for a thousand Divine Stones."
"At the time, someone recognized that the five crystals were top-grade Origin Divine Crystals."
Zhang Ruochen couldn't maintain his relaxed demeanor and said seriously, "How is that possible? Since the Origin Divine Temple disappeared, no cultivator has been able to master the Path of Origin and become a god. Even those gods who dabble in the Path of Origin can't condense top-grade Origin Divine Crystals."
Guye Jing said, "That's why it caused a huge stir. Some speculate that the Origin Divine Temple has already emerged."
"Such a big event would surely alarm the gods of both the Heavenly Court and Hell, wouldn't it?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The emergence of an ancient temple would inevitably draw the gods' attention, potentially sparking a large-scale divine war.
Guye Jing said, "Exactly. If the Heavenly Court learns of the Origin Divine Temple's emergence, a large-scale divine war is unavoidable. But there's no proof yet that the temple has emerged. Moreover, news of the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals has been tightly sealed—everyone who needed to be silenced is dead."
Zhang Ruochen chuckled lightly, "If the news reached you, I doubt it can be contained."
"In all of Hell, fewer than twenty major powers know of this. They know because when the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals appeared, cultivators from these powers immediately sent messages to their gods," Guye Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm one of them?"
"In Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm, below the god realm, only I know," Guye Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Then why did you so easily tell me?"
"Because finding the Origin Divine Temple requires your help."
Before Zhang Ruochen could speak, Guye Jing continued, "To find the Origin Divine Temple, the five top-grade Origin Divine Crystals are the key."
Zhang Ruochen said, "To deduce the location of the Origin Divine Temple through the five top-grade Origin Divine Crystals?"
Guye Jing nodded, then shook her head, "Relying solely on the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals won't allow us to deduce the temple's location. We also need the blood of an Origin Master as a catalyst."
"Do you know why the gods believe the Origin Divine Temple may have already emerged? Because in the last ten thousand years, nine Origin Masters have suddenly appeared in both the Heavenly Court and Hell."
"In the past, not even that many would appear in an entire eon. Moreover, there are probably some cultivators who haven't revealed their identity as Origin Masters."
"Some gods speculate that the Origin Divine Temple is actively choosing its future master."
Zhang Ruochen shrugged, "Such a big matter—I don't seem to be of much help."
"You can't help, but you know an Origin Master," Guye Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I do, but I've already killed him."
"I'm not referring to Yan Wushen." Guye Jing had turned around, her eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen, sharper than a blade.
Zhang Ruochen knew exactly who Guye Jing meant. After a long silence, he said, "I have two questions."
"Ask."
"First, over a dozen powers know about this, but there are only five top-grade Origin Divine Crystals. How will you divide them?"
Guye Jing said, "Tonight, the various powers are gathering at the Goddess Tower to compete for the ownership of the five top-grade Origin Divine Crystals."
"Second question. This involves an ancient temple. Even if it's still speculation, shouldn't the gods handle it personally? Why are you Saint realm cultivators the ones here?" Zhang Ruochen found it somewhat amusing.
Guye Jing said, "As I said earlier, once the gods of the Heavenly Court catch wind of this, a large-scale divine war is inevitable. This is a critical time. The gods of the Heavenly Court and Hell are monitoring each other's movements. Any unusual activity from Hell's gods would be detected by the Heavenly Court's gods."
"What critical time?" Zhang Ruochen asked curiously.
Guye Jing said, "You don't know that the Jade Desolate Realm is about to open?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head, indicating he truly didn't know.