Chapter 2462: Entering the City Lord's Mansion
Xiao Hei hesitated for a moment, then said, "Since it's a major mistake, and even you, a peerless genius of the Blood Absolute Family, don't know about it, it's clearly top secret. Since it's top secret, naturally very few people know about it."
"Just say it."
Zhang Ruochen's curiosity was piqued.
Xiao Hei shook his head. "This emperor doesn't know either."
Zhang Ruochen could tell that Xiao Hei did know but simply didn't want to say, so he didn't press further.
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen wasn't forcing the issue, Xiao Hei actually felt a bit uncomfortable and took the initiative to say, "Actually, this emperor truly doesn't know the specifics of what happened. I've only heard some rumors, but they're all baseless, and no one can confirm their truth. Since it's uncertain, it's better not to say anything, lest I mislead you."
"Let's set that aside for now. Guye Jing's condition is very bad. I think we should treat her first," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiao Hei walked to the bedside, looking at the red-robed woman lying there with her exquisite figure and world-stunning beauty, and said, "This emperor long expected that you, Zhang Ruochen, would still save her in the end. Men are like that—as long as the woman is beautiful enough, even knowing it's a trap, they still jump in."
"Stop the nonsense. Get to work. You save her," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiao Hei shook his head. "This emperor won't fall for her trick. Her tail is so fierce; she's definitely faking her injury. If you want to save her, do it yourself. You're the one being foolish, but this emperor is still clear-headed."
With that, Xiao Hei stepped back, putting distance between itself and Guye Jing, afraid her tail might whip it again.
Zhang Ruochen sighed inwardly. He hadn't expected that a casual lie would make Xiao Hei so cautious.
What could he do?
There was no other choice. He would have to do it himself.
"Keep watch for me. I'll handle it."
Zhang Ruochen extended two fingers and pressed them against Guye Jing's brow.
Immediately, a mysterious and complex Divine Martial Mark emerged on her forehead.
Zhang Ruochen let out a soft shout, and holy light burst from his body.
A soul shadow detached from him, flowing down his fingers, through Guye Jing's Divine Martial Mark, and into her Qi Sea.
Zhang Ruochen's Saint Soul had long been split into six parts.
Even if one part were trapped in Guye Jing's Qi Sea, it would only suffer some damage. Guye Jing couldn't possibly use that to control him, let alone devour his Saint Soul and steal his memories.
"Since ancient times, heroes have always been lustful! Ah, this emperor misses Blood Lingxian, who said, 'Kill all beauties to cut through complications, focus solely on martial arts, and defy heaven.'"
Xiao Hei sighed, then took out one banner after another, hastily setting up a killing formation.
Just in case the red-robed demoness tried to drain Zhang Ruochen dry, it could still intervene in time.
...
...
Inside Guye Jing's Qi Sea, a crimson deathly demonic aura filled the space.
Only by cultivating the *Death Spirit Diagram*, the number one technique of the Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm, could one cultivate such a unique demonic aura. This technique was in no way inferior to the divine techniques and sacred scriptures on the *Taiyi Divine Technique Ranking*.
This was precisely why Zhang Ruochen somewhat doubted the legend of the "Three Demon Sources."
Was the Demon Ancestor lineage truly lacking in techniques and sacred arts?
...
As soon as he entered the Qi Sea, Zhang Ruochen felt a pang of regret and wanted to retreat.
The Saint Soul was fragile, but the deathly demonic aura was terrifying.
Zhang Ruochen estimated that he could only stay in Guye Jing's Qi Sea for ten breaths before his Saint Soul would be corroded by the deathly demonic aura and suffer damage.
Moreover, any Great Saint's Qi Sea would be heavily protected.
Breaking it was easy, but entering it was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Why was Guye Jing's Qi Sea so easy to enter?
The more Zhang Ruochen thought about it, the more something felt off. Just as he was about to withdraw from the Qi Sea, Guye Jing's voice suddenly sounded in his ear: "Zhang Ruochen, my Saint Soul was heavily damaged by Wu Ma Jiuxing's blade soul and can't reform. Help me gather my Saint Soul."
"You haven't lost consciousness?"
Zhang Ruochen grew even more alert, searching for Guye Jing's trace.
"Of course I haven't lost consciousness. Otherwise, how could you have entered my Qi Sea so easily? I let you in," Guye Jing said urgently. "Hurry and help me. I can feel Wu Ma Jiuxing's blade dao rules about to reach my Qi Sea. Once my Qi Sea is shattered, all my cultivation will be wasted."
Zhang Ruochen was silent for two breaths.
"What's wrong? What are you hesitating about? Do you think I would harm you? We just went through a life-and-death trial together. Don't we have that much trust?" Guye Jing's voice grew more anxious.
Clearly, the situation was critical.
Zhang Ruochen sighed softly. "How do I help you?"
"My Saint Soul is too weak to reform right now. Let me absorb some of your soul power, and my Saint Soul will be able to condense into form. Once my Saint Soul is formed, I can naturally mobilize the deathly demonic aura to suppress Wu Ma Jiuxing's blade dao rules," Guye Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You want to absorb my Saint Soul?"
"Don't worry, I'll only absorb a portion. Once I recover, I'll definitely give you a quasi-emperor-grade Saint Soul Pill to help restore your soul power. Consider this a favor I owe you. I'll definitely help you resolve your inner demon," Guye Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen had just refined the Divine Star Soul, and his Saint Soul was at its peak. Letting Guye Jing absorb some wasn't a big deal.
However, a Saint Soul was no small matter for a cultivator. It was tied to emotions, joy, anger, luck, talent, knowledge, memory, fate, and more.
Who wouldn't want the Saint Soul of an Eon-level genius?
If Guye Jing absorbed part of his Saint Soul, it would have significant implications for Zhang Ruochen. Even after becoming a god, it would still affect him.
Was Guye Jing after the *Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription* or his Saint Soul?
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Can I trust you?"
"Why are you so suspicious? Xiao Xiao and I are like sisters. If I harmed you, she would never forgive me for the rest of her life. Besides, this is my Qi Sea. If I wanted to forcibly devour your Saint Soul, I wouldn't need to discuss it with you," Guye Jing said.
Ten breaths had passed.
Zhang Ruochen's Saint Soul withdrew from Guye Jing's Qi Sea.
There was no obstruction.
"How is she? What's her condition now?" Xiao Hei asked, holding a white banner.
Zhang Ruochen didn't answer. His expression was unusually serious. Using his Truth Heart, he carefully sensed the blessings and misfortunes in the unseen.
He didn't sense any danger.
"If I still had the Fate Esoterica on me, it would be better. The Way of Fate gives a more accurate premonition of fortune and misfortune."
Zhang Ruochen was conflicted. Given the current dangerous situation and emotional considerations, he should indeed save Guye Jing. But he didn't want to get too entangled with this demoness.
Unfortunately, even if he gave her a Saint Soul Pill now, she couldn't refine it, and there was no time.
It seemed there was no other way.
"Swoosh!"
Zhang Ruochen's Saint Soul entered Guye Jing's Qi Sea again. "I can agree, but I have one condition."
"What condition?" Guye Jing asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I don't want your quasi-emperor-grade Saint Soul Pill. But today, however much soul power you absorb from me, once you recover, I will absorb the same amount from you."
This was an unfair deal.
After all, Guye Jing's Saint Soul was far stronger than Zhang Ruochen's.
"Fine, I agree." Guye Jing didn't hesitate.
She had no time to hesitate.
"Remember your promise. If you break it in the future, I can assure you that even if you are the heir of the Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm, I will make you pay a heavy price," Zhang Ruochen said.
"We cultivators who aspire to become gods take our promises very seriously. You should rest assured. After today, we will be the closest of allies, with no more suspicion between us," Guye Jing's voice came from within the deathly demonic aura.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Ruochen became decisive. He extended his arm and opened his palm.
The crimson demonic aura, like silk and gauze, gathered around his arm, drawing strands of soul power away.
Ten breaths later.
Zhang Ruochen's Saint Soul withdrew from the Qi Sea and returned to his body.
Xiao Hei asked, "What's going on? Why are you out again? I feel like your Saint Soul has weakened a bit."
Without answering, Zhang Ruochen entered Guye Jing's Qi Sea again.
...
Ten breaths later, Zhang Ruochen's Saint Soul withdrew again.
Xiao Hei couldn't be bothered to ask anymore. It knew Zhang Ruochen had been blinded by the beauty and had fallen for the demoness's trick. It sneered, "Why not just finish it all at once? Going in and out of her body—is that fun?"
Zhang Ruochen's Saint Soul entered Guye Jing's brow Qi Sea again.
...
After countless times of going in and out, Guye Jing, who had been lying on the bed, suddenly opened her starry eyes. A brilliant light burst forth, and in an instant, the room was filled with demonic aura.
Xiao Hei, who had been dozing off, jolted awake and shouted, "Bold demoness! Watch as this emperor suppresses you!"
The banner in its claw lit up with dense inscriptions.
Zhang Ruochen stepped back three paces and grabbed the banner, gently shaking his head. "She's awake. Let her handle the rest of the healing herself."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's pale face, Xiao Hei asked quietly, "She didn't drain you dry, did she?"
"She only absorbed some of my Saint Soul, and it was just the soul power from one of my six Saint Souls. It's nothing serious. Of course, she doesn't know I have six Saint Souls. She thinks she absorbed about thirty percent of my soul power."
Zhang Ruochen's pale face was entirely feigned.
Xiao Hei thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, it's not so bad. At least it shows she doesn't intend to devour your Saint Soul or kill you. Heh heh, it seems you've made some secret deal with her. Are you planning to take this heir of the Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm as a concubine?"
"Don't talk nonsense."
"Let me help her a bit."
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Sundial, placed it in the center of the room, and activated it.
"Go outside and keep watch. If any Saint realm cultivator investigates this mansion, we'll have to leave immediately."
After instructing Xiao Hei, Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged and continued his cultivation.
For now, the most important thing was to break through to the Great Perfection of the Hundred Shackles Realm.
...
Two days later.
The Divine Maiden Tower on Ice King Star was smaller in scale than the one in the Fate Divine Domain. However, it was more open and exciting, with much looser rules.
Here, one could not only see cultivators from the Dark Powers coming and going openly but also cultivators from various small clans and servants from various realms of the Heavenly Court.
Information flowed freely here. Artworks, songs, and clothing from different civilizations gathered, giving one the feeling of traveling through a thousand realms in a single night.
Next to the Divine Maiden Tower stood a castle.
This castle was grand and imposing, built from massive stones. It included a plaza, a training ground, an arena, and more. Its scale was comparable to the Divine Maiden Tower.
The difference was that this place was cold and iron-blooded, while the Divine Maiden Tower was graceful and alluring.
This castle was essentially the City Lord's Mansion of Divine Maiden City, also a property of the Goddess Twelve Pavilions. Inside, eight thousand sacred soldiers were stationed, responsible for guarding Divine Maiden City and protecting the Divine Maiden Tower.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen was sitting in the castle's main hall, which was used to receive honored guests.
Seated in the place of honor was a Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint from the Goddess Twelve Pavilions named Gu Yanzhi. He came from a small clan and had married a woman from the Goddess Twelve Pavilions, becoming one of the guardians of this Divine Maiden Tower.
In the City Lord's Mansion, he held a high position and was responsible for recruiting talented individuals for the Goddess Twelve Pavilions.
Zhang Ruochen's current identity was a spiritual power expert from the Wing World of the Blood Heaven Tribe, Master Xunmu. His spiritual power had reached the fifty-eighth rank, his face was aged, and his entire body exuded an evil aura.
The person who had invited him to join the Goddess Twelve Pavilions was Ji Wenwu from the Machine Seal Saint City.
On the blood spirit ship heading to Ice King Star, Zhang Ruochen had already gotten to know Ji Wenwu as Master Xunmu and had given him a piece of jade.
What Ji Wenwu didn't know was that the jade contained a strand of Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power thought.
Using this spiritual power thought, Zhang Ruochen had easily found Ji Wenwu and orchestrated a chance encounter.
A few days earlier, in that battle, the spiritual power saints of the Goddess Twelve Pavilions had suffered heavy casualties while controlling the city's formations, leaving them short of talent.
When Ji Wenwu encountered Master Xunmu, a spiritual power expert, he naturally did everything he could to introduce him to the City Lord's Mansion.
Zhang Ruochen's goal was to enter the City Lord's Mansion. After refusing a few times, he reluctantly let Ji Wenwu drag him here.
The more dangerous a place, the safer it often was.
What place could be safer than the City Lord's Mansion of Divine Maiden City?
If he wanted to hide, he would hide right under Bai Qinger's nose.
Gu Yanzhi had already tested Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power. Now, he was reviewing the information on "Master Xunmu." After reading everything, he finally looked up and said, "You don't want to join Divine Maiden City?"
"This old man is used to being a lone wolf. I don't like being restrained."
Zhang Ruochen spoke in an old, experienced tone. Even though the other party was a Great Saint, he didn't show much deference, acting like a man of peculiar temperament.
Gu Yanzhi said, "You're already fourteen hundred years old, aren't you? If you continue to go it alone, you might never reach the sixtieth rank of spiritual power and become a Spiritual Power Great Saint. If you don't become a Great Saint, how many more years do you have to live?"
Zhang Ruochen showed a solemn expression, lowering his head in thought.
Gu Yanzhi smiled. "The City Lord's Mansion of Divine Maiden City is backed by the Goddess Twelve Pavilions. With the Goddess Twelve Pavilions as your support, they can provide you with various sacred medicines and pills to enhance your spiritual power. As long as you're ambitious enough, you might still have a chance to break through and become a Spiritual Power Great Saint."
"For free?"
A hint of joy appeared in Zhang Ruochen's aged eyes.
Gu Yanzhi had already learned from Ji Wenwu that this Master Xunmu was very stingy and tight-fisted. As long as there was a bargain to be had, he would definitely give in.
Gu Yanzhi shook his head. "Of course not for free, but it's almost the same as free. After joining the City Lord's Mansion, you'll have to help maintain the formation inscriptions in Divine Maiden City from time to time. Sometimes, you'll also have to serve as a sacred guard in the Divine Maiden Tower or carry out tasks assigned by higher-ups."
Zhang Ruochen showed a hesitant expression.
Gu Yanzhi said, "In the Hell Realm, there aren't many cultivators who dare to offend the Goddess Twelve Pavilions. The Goddess Twelve Pavilions also don't like to stir up trouble. So, working for them is actually very safe."
"Alright, I agree." Zhang Ruochen said.