Chapter 2502: The One They Were Waiting For Had Arrived
“Too calm!”
For several consecutive days, no cultivator had come to block their path.
It was abnormally calm.
Zhang Ruochen knew that the calmer things were, the more it signified a massive storm brewing ahead. It was highly likely that the Destiny Temple had already set up a Heaven Net Earth Trap in the Oyun Asteroid Belt.
If it were him, he certainly wouldn’t continue moving forward so conspicuously. He would turn around, return to Ice King Star, and leave from there.
No one knew just how terrifying the foundations of the Destiny Temple truly were.
If the Destiny Temple wanted to kill someone, even if that person was truly invincible below the God Realm, it would be extremely difficult for them to escape the calamity of death.
Bai Qinger was already injured, yet she still resolutely headed toward the Oyun Asteroid Belt. It was as if she were single-handedly declaring war on the Destiny Temple and all the major forces of the Hell Realm.
She wanted to make up for the flaws of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm and reach the heights that Xue Jue and Huang Tian had once achieved. This was the path she had to take.
She could only advance, not retreat.
Zhang Ruochen stepped into one of the seven palaces, the “Star Art Palace,” and saw that Bai Qinger was not cultivating or healing her injuries. Instead, she was using a bamboo knife to turn the soil of six pots of orchids.
The six orchids were planted in purple clay flowerpots, meticulously cared for, with blossoms blooming brightly.
But Zhang Ruochen knew that they fed on the Sacred Souls of Saint-realm cultivators and needed the blood of Great Saints and gods to be watered. They were six extremely evil, ferocious plants.
If they launched an attack, they might be even more terrifying than Shang Yue and Shang Xia.
Bai Qinger said, “I heard you raised a Shi Shenghua?”
Zhang Ruochen stopped five steps behind her and said, “My Shi Shenghua can’t compare to your six strange species that have lived for over an Eon, but it’s been raised quite well.”
“Do you understand how to raise flowers?” Bai Qinger asked.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and shook his head.
Ridiculous. He raised the Shi Shenghua purely to enhance his own combat power. Where did he have the leisure and elegance to truly tend to flowers?
The Shi Shenghua was also an evil, ferocious plant, but its ferocity was tightly controlled by Zhang Ruochen, preventing it from doing harm or affecting innocent beings.
Bai Qinger said to herself, “Raising flowers is good. It’s best not to cultivate a physical body. Only when one is still a flower are they most pure. You can pour out any words to them, and they will always silently listen. They won’t ask too many questions, won’t mock you, won’t argue with you, won’t betray you, and won’t abandon you.”
“What’s the difference between that and talking to yourself?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Bai Qinger turned around and said, “See? You’re arguing with me now.”
“Why can’t you accept others’ arguments? A person who is dictatorial, no matter how powerful, will never be happy,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qinger asked, “Are you happy?”
Zhang Ruochen was instantly rendered speechless.
“The world is a bitter sea. No one can truly be happy. The more unwilling one is to be ordinary, the more painful it is. Rather than saying cultivation is for immortality, it’s better to say it’s for crossing the bitter sea, searching for the possible land of ultimate joy on the other shore,” Bai Qinger said.
Zhang Ruochen noticed that Bai Qinger was very different today from usual. She was entirely relaxed and serene, without a trace of ferocity. She was so gentle that it made one involuntarily feel admiration.
Like a warm wind in winter, or cool shade in summer.
No wonder Gong Nanfeng said that no man in the world could refuse Empress Bai.
As the daughter of Empress Bai, Bai Qinger seemed to have inherited this unique temperament and charm from her mother.
A woman who killed without blinking, who was sinister and decisive, could completely restrain her ferocity. That was a very terrifying thing.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I’m not here to discuss the Dao with you. Where is the teacher? I want to see him.”
“Why should I let you see him?”
Bai Qinger was very cold, continuing to turn the soil of the orchids.
“Shang Xia and Shang Yue are both in my hands. They are Great Saints of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm. Trading them for a Spiritual Power Saint King isn’t too much, is it?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qinger said, “You’ve miscalculated this account.”
“Have I?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qinger said, “First, Teacher Shangguan is no longer a Saint King but a Spiritual Power Great Saint.”
“Second, if I wanted to take Shang Xia and Shang Yue back from you, you would have no power to resist. With our current distance, even if Zangjin Baihu helped you, it would be useless.”
“Third, I have never asked you to release Shang Yue and Shang Xia, precisely because I was waiting for you to propose exchanging hostages. Since you brought it up yourself, it shows that Teacher Shangguan’s importance to you far exceeds Shang Xia and Shang Yue’s importance to me. So, you have to pay a greater price for me to release him.”
…
“You call him teacher, so you should respect the teacher and value the Dao.”
Zhang Ruochen had long guessed that Bai Qinger’s Confucian Dao attainments were mostly taught by Shangguan Que.
The Confucian Dao had a saying: “In teaching, there should be no distinction of classes.”
A true great Confucian would not refuse to teach Confucian learning because of a person’s wealth or poverty, intelligence or stupidity, good or evil, or even if they were ghosts, monsters, birds, or beasts.
“By nature, near together; by practice, far apart.”
All living beings share the same good nature.
Bai Qinger said, “Where do you see that I don’t respect the teacher and value the Dao? Besides, you call me a demoness, so why should I respect the teacher and value the Dao? Isn’t it fine to deviate from the classics and rebel against the Dao?”
Zhang Ruochen had long known that Bai Qinger’s words were sharp, so he stopped arguing with her and said, “What price do you want me to pay?”
“I haven’t thought of it yet. How about promising to do one thing for me?” Bai Qinger said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “What thing?”
“I haven’t thought of that either. When I do, I’ll definitely tell you,” Bai Qinger said.
Zhang Ruochen decisively refused, saying, “No.”
“Then there’s nothing to discuss. Shang Yue and Shang Xia are both women of great beauty. You can do whatever you want with them, just don’t kill them,” Bai Qinger said.
Zhang Ruochen knew very well how difficult it was to cultivate two Great Saints of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm. They couldn’t be compared to those Great Saint slaves she controlled through dreams.
He never expected Bai Qinger to discard them like worn-out sandals.
Or…
Was she pretending?
Bai Qinger seemed to see through Zhang Ruochen’s thoughts and said, “The girls you raise will eventually grow up and fly away. Shang Xia’s heart is no longer with me; she has already developed feelings for a man. As for Shang Yue… her character is a bit lacking. Since you captured her, she probably can’t outwit you and has already submitted to you, right?”
“Teacher Shangguan said that the hardest thing in the world is not fighting with people, but educating people.”
“I agree with that.”
“Even gods can be killed, but to shape a person’s character or influence the character of people in the world is harder than killing a god. What is good, what is evil, what is right, what is wrong—there are no answers.”
“It’s good for them to stay by your side! Zhang Ruochen, I’ve seen quite a bit of you. Your heart is softer than mine; you should treat them well.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “You’re talking too much today.”
“Because there are too few people qualified to stand before me and speak with me. There are some words in my heart that I really want to say to someone, but no one is qualified to hear them. In the end, I can only say them to them,” Bai Qinger said, looking at the six pots of orchids.
Clearly, Bai Qinger had acknowledged Zhang Ruochen’s strength and no longer looked down on him as before.
The “strength” here referred not only to cultivation and talent but also to character, spirit, and wisdom.
Zhang Ruochen said, “But I feel like you’re leaving a last testament.”
“The road to the Origin Divine Temple is a dead end, and I must walk through it to survive. Who can see the future clearly? What if I can’t survive?”
A hint of gloom appeared in Bai Qinger’s breathtakingly beautiful eyes, then quickly disappeared.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Aren’t you always confident?”
“Only those who are less confident show more confidence. To be honest, I have no confidence at all in reaching the heights of Xue Jue and Huang Tian,” Bai Qinger said.
Zhang Ruochen looked at her with a somewhat strange expression, not expecting Bai Qinger to say such a thing.
Was this the real her?
Only through deep contact could one truly understand a person. Otherwise, what you saw might just be the surface.
“Creating this chaotic situation is like dancing on the edge of a blade. One wrong move, and you’ll be crushed to dust. But I must have confidence, and I must keep telling myself to be confident. ‘Man can conquer heaven,’ right? Compared to death, I’d rather not be a timid mediocrity. Compared to having my life controlled by others, I’d rather control theirs. Even if a god stands before me, I must move forward and never retreat.”
Gradually, the gloom and decadence on Bai Qinger’s body disappeared, replaced by a rising sharpness, like a rusty sword being sharpened to pierce the clouds. She said coldly, “Since you’re already here, please come in!”
Her voice spread out from the Seven Star Divine Palace, extending into the vast universe.
Bai Qinger walked out of the Star Art Palace and went to the main hall of the Seven Star Divine Palace.
Zhang Ruochen’s Heart of Truth also sensed something, and a complex light flickered in his eyes as he quickly followed.
“Brother Ruochen, what’s happening? Has the Destiny Temple’s army arrived?” Gong Nanfeng asked joyfully.
Zhang Ruochen originally didn’t want to bother with him, but then he thought of something and quickly grabbed him, saying with concern, “It’s not the Destiny Temple’s army, but the person coming is no small matter. If a battle breaks out, the aftermath alone could kill you without a burial place.”
“Then what should I do?” Gong Nanfeng asked in alarm.
“Don’t panic. I’ve got this.”
Zhang Ruochen took out the Purple Gold Gourd and said, “This is a Supreme Sacred Artifact. Enter it first, and I’ll ensure your safety.”
“Good! Brother Ruochen, you are truly righteous and chivalrous. I, Gong Nanfeng, will never be able to repay your kindness in this lifetime!” Gong Nanfeng’s eyes reddened, almost moved to tears.
After putting Gong Nanfeng into the Purple Gold Gourd, Zhang Ruochen arrived at the main hall.
He saw Fei Zhong holding a war axe, standing to Bai Qinger’s right, his eyes blazing as he stared straight at the direction of the palace gate.
Outside the palace gate, it was pitch black and deep, an endless void.
“Thump!”
A resonant sound rang out, and the Seven Star Divine Palace shook.
“Thump!”
“Thump!”
…
The Seven Star Divine Palace shook continuously, the sound growing clearer and louder.
Outside the palace gate, an aged figure, hunched over, leaned on a wooden staff and climbed the steps, walking unsteadily toward the main hall. She wore red clothes, her body stooped.
Every time the wooden staff touched the ground, ripples of space appeared, causing the palace to shake.
Zhang Ruochen softly called out, “Grandmother.”
The person who had arrived was none other than Haitang Popo.
She was a seven-colored begonia and also the guardian of the Sword Pavilion.
Back then, when Zhang Ruochen entered the Sword Pavilion to learn swordsmanship and comprehend the “Wordless Sword Manual,” Haitang Popo had taught him the Dao for nine days and nine nights. She was a very important guide on Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation path.
In the main hall, the fragrance of flowers drifted, forming shadows of petals.
Haitang Popo’s face was full of kindness, her wrinkled old face smiling at Zhang Ruochen.
Bai Qinger could see that Haitang Popo was extraordinary and said, “Do you, a begonia, dare to break into the Seven Star Divine Palace?”
“This Seven Star Divine Palace is the palace of a junior in my family. Why wouldn’t I dare to break in?” Haitang Popo coughed twice.
Bai Qinger said, “So, you’re here as a guest?”
“You could say that.”
“Since you’re a guest, why bring a helper?”
Bai Qinger’s gaze fixed on the outside of the palace gate.
There, a tall white-robed man stood, holding a stone sword. His long hair fluttered in the wind without any breeze. It was Xue Lingxian in human form, not with a human head and snake body.
He just stood there, and ancient, primordial energy emanated from him.
His silver eyes shot out gazes like two peerless divine swords. Fei Zhong only exchanged a glance with him and felt his pupils sting, his head as if it were about to split.
“Why are so many terrifying experts suddenly appearing, each one so heaven-defying?” Fei Zhong thought helplessly, feeling deeply discouraged by this trip to the Hell Realm.
As a top figure among the Dwarf Clan, wherever he went, he felt like a king descending upon the world, worshipped by all beings, and almost never encountered cultivators who could defeat him.
But in these past few days, every cultivator he met was someone he couldn’t defeat. His pride had been worn away to nothing.
Xue Lingxian’s gaze fell on Zhang Ruochen, and he said, “What is your relationship with her?”
The person they were waiting for had arrived, so Zhang Ruochen naturally didn’t want to continue the pretense. He said, “You could say we’re enemies. A powerful enemy.”
He emphasized the word “powerful” to remind Xue Lingxian and Haitang Popo not to underestimate Bai Qinger’s strength.
A look of surprise appeared in Fei Zhong’s eyes, clearly not expecting Zhang Ruochen, who had been claiming he wanted to marry Bai Qinger, to suddenly reveal his true face.
But Bai Qinger remained calm and composed, saying, “It’s very good that you can admit this. I prefer you when you’re open and aboveboard. When you’re hypocritical, you’re really fake—fake enough to be seen through at a glance. That kind of you is very annoying.”
“Is that so? In the future… if there is a future, I’ll try to be more real in front of you, so you won’t look down on me!” Zhang Ruochen let out a laugh.
Bai Qinger said, “Since we’re enemies, there’s no need to say more. Now that two elders from your Kunlun Realm have come, someone is finally standing up for you. How about we settle things today?”
There was a hint of sarcasm and mockery in her words, which was typical of this woman.
But Zhang Ruochen seemed not to notice and said, “You’ve tried to kill me many times, but in the end, I was the one who ruined your plans first. We’ve both gained and lost. I’m still alive and well, so I don’t want to deepen the enmity with you. If possible, I hope we can turn hostility into friendship.”
No one wanted to make an enemy of an Eon-level genius, especially when the hatred wasn’t deep yet.
Just like those forces that had a blood feud with Zhang Ruochen—after he fused the sixth type of Sacred Will, many of them began to think about resolving the hatred.
At that time, Zhang Ruochen hadn’t even reached the Great Perfection of the Hundred Shackles Realm, and he was ranked very low on the “God Reserve List,” far from being comparable to Bai Qinger now.
No one wanted to be surrounded by enemies.
Bai Qinger said, “Turning hostility into friendship? I’m afraid it won’t be that easy. Don’t you want the Celestial Pivot Needle and the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal back?”
“Of course I do, and you have to release the teacher,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qinger said, “In the Fate Divine Domain, you caused me to lose hundreds of thousands of Divine Stones and killed many of my subordinates. How do we settle that account? And where is Qishou Laoren? Shouldn’t you tell me?”
“Why are you so calculating?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qinger said, “Give me the Celestial Pivot Needle and the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal, help me keep the secret, and promise to do one thing for me. Then I won’t be so calculating, and everything can be let go.”
Upon hearing the words “Celestial Pivot Needle,” Haitang Popo and Xue Lingxian were both moved and exchanged glances.
Miao Shu Wu