Chapter 2519: Zhang Ruochen Has a Favor Owed by the Destiny Temple
"Since the matter is clear, that Ji Fanxin killed Lu Baitou and Shan Qiu, the Death God Temple and the Green Deer Temple should stop pursuing this, right?"
Bore made the final decision, representing the Destiny Temple and announcing the result.
Before this, Zhang Ruochen had recounted the entire sequence of events in detail, but he had changed Bai Qinger's name to Ji Fanxin.
There was no other choice. Bai Qinger and he each held the other's secrets, so he could only let Ji Fanxin take the blame for now.
With various forces checking each other, this was a major matter. Turning a big issue into a small one, and a small one into nothing, was the best way to handle it at the moment.
Yuan Qianmo naturally could not accept this outcome and was about to speak.
But Bore stared at him first and said, "Why did the Death God Temple's End God go to intercept Ji Fanxin? Does Young Master Qianmo know about this?"
Hearing this, Yuan Qianmo finally understood why the Destiny Temple was favoring Zhang Ruochen. They were dissatisfied with the Death God Temple's actions.
Zhang Ruochen deliberately brought this matter to the table, clearly trying to slap the Death God Temple in the face.
He found Zhang Ruochen even more displeasing now.
Yuan Qianmo still maintained an elegant smile, gently shaking his head. "How would we, mere Saint Realm cultivators, know about the affairs of gods? I will immediately send a message back to the temple to confirm whether the End God truly came to this star region without authorization."
He emphasized the word "unauthorized."
None of those present were fools; they all understood the Death God Temple's intentions.
But with Yuan Qianmo's cultivation standing before them, although they were dissatisfied, no one directly exploded.
Yuan Qianmo took the initiative to move past this topic. "Zhang Ruochen, since you didn't die under the Heavenly Dao Arrow, can you repeat what you were about to say at the Divine Maiden Tower that day?"
At that time in the Divine Maiden Tower, just as Zhang Ruochen was about to reveal Bai Qinger's secret and go down fighting with her, a Heavenly Dao Arrow shot him flying. Then, the entire Divine Maiden City was destroyed under the Divine Punishment Heavenly Talisman.
The situation then and now were completely different.
Now, Zhang Ruochen had a weakness in Bai Qinger's hands and had to help her cover up the truth.
The head of the Earth Fiend Ghost City, Ghost Lord's fifth son, Ling, said, "Regarding the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal, can Young Master Ruochen give us an accurate explanation?"
At the words "top-grade Origin Divine Crystal," the eyes of the leaders from various major forces burned with fervor, all fixed on Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen remained calm and composed, spreading his hands. "What explanation? I just happened to witness in the Fate Divine Domain that Bai Qinger of the Goddess Twelve Pavilions killed Seven Hands Old Man and Xing Qian. Moreover, my cultivation is too low to confirm whether that Bai Qinger was transformed by another cultivator. Other than that, I know nothing."
Of course, no one believed him.
Immediately, several Supreme Realm Great Saints released their Saintly Might, intending to intimidate him.
"What are you doing? Trying to start a fight?"
Ni Xuan Shi sat within a hazy holy light, visible only to Supreme Realm Great Saints and those with Spiritual Power above the sixty-seventh rank.
As soon as she spoke, she suppressed those Supreme Realm Great Saints, forcing them to retract their Saintly Might.
Ni Xuan Shi continued, "Zhang Ruochen has already said he doesn't know. Do you want to suppress him and forcibly search his soul for memories? Are the disciples of the Blood Absolute Family so easy to bully?"
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Ni Xuan Shi, feeling even more uneasy.
A Supreme Realm Great Saint from the Underworld Clan forced a smile. "The top-grade Origin Divine Crystal is a matter of great importance. We just hope Young Master Ruochen can provide more details."
"Zhang Ruochen is only a Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint. What makes you think he has the power to steal the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal? If you want to frame him or use a borrowed knife to kill, at least use a less crude method," Ni Xuan Shi said.
Beside Lan Ying, a Supreme Realm powerhouse from the Green Deer Temple sneered, "Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin traveled together and killed many cultivators from the Hell Realm. That should be true, right?"
"Didn't he already explain? He was forced by Ji Fanxin to accompany her," Ni Xuan Shi said.
Ling said, "That sounds forced. But as far as I know, in the Heavenly Court, Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin had a close relationship, even calling each other confidants and red-faced friends."
Just as the crowd was arguing, a voice roared out, "Enough! I might as well tell you. That day, when the Destiny Temple fought Ji Fanxin, it was Zhang Ruochen who saved us, allowing us to escape. Otherwise, the Destiny Temple might have been completely wiped out."
The speaker was the Destiny Temple's Supreme Realm Great Saint, Four-Pupil Lord.
He was one of the four Supreme Realm Great Saints who had escaped from Bai Qinger along with Xing Luo.
The hall fell completely silent.
Four-Pupil Lord continued, "It's indeed shameful, and I don't want to say it, but it's the truth. Ji Fanxin is far more powerful than you imagine. This seemingly harmless Flower Fairy can already be called an Eon-level genius of the Supreme Realm. Zhang Ruochen has a favor owed by the Destiny Temple!"
No one questioned Zhang Ruochen anymore.
It wasn't that they believed him, but with Ni Xuan Shi backing the Blood Absolute Family and the Destiny Temple supporting Zhang Ruochen, even if they questioned him, they couldn't harm a single hair on his head.
Next, the hall focused on discussing how to deal with Ji Fanxin.
What would Ji Fanxin's next move be?
How to rescue the Minister of Works and retrieve the Celestial Pivot Needle?
...
...
Half a day later.
Zhang Ruochen stood on a small rocky asteroid, gazing at the space wormhole in the distant void, also pondering Bai Qinger's next move.
After fighting with Mo Yun, she must have been severely injured.
Otherwise, she would have already come here and forcefully broken through.
Killing Lu Baitou and Shan Qiu and capturing Gong Nanfeng were likely the work of the space-emerald turtle beside her.
Sensing someone approaching behind him, Zhang Ruochen quickly collected his thoughts. "Divine Son, are you looking for me alone because you still have doubts?"
Xing Luo clasped his hands behind his back, walked to Zhang Ruochen's left, and looked at the space wormhole. He smiled, "I came specifically to thank you. And don't call me Divine Son; I'm no longer one."
Xing Luo didn't have the extreme arrogance of Yuan Qianmo or the cold indifference of Zhuo Yunong. He was somewhat of an anomaly among the top powerhouses of the Hell Realm.
Zhang Ruochen didn't dislike him. "It's rare for someone like you to say 'thank you.' I thought the Hell Realm valued strength above all, and the strong looked down on weaklings like us."
"Everywhere, strength is what matters. There's no true equality in the world. There's a natural chasm between the weak and the strong," Xing Luo said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is that so?"
"If you didn't have exceptional talent and the identity of Zangjin Baihu's guide, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you. That's reality," Xing Luo said.
Zhang Ruochen silently accepted this. "Alright. At least you're telling the truth."
Suddenly, Xing Luo said, "I investigated Bai Qinger and found some interesting things. Want to know?"
"No."
Zhang Ruochen turned and walked away.
Xing Luo looked surprised and caught up. "Why?"
"My cultivation is still too low. I don't want to know the secrets of powerhouses at your level. Even if I knew, it wouldn't do me any good," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xing Luo said, "The Heavenly Realm's Kailuo Dishi and the Klaphilin who shot you with the Heavenly Dao Arrow both used the Goddess Twelve Pavilions' channels to sneak into Ice King Star. Moreover, Bai Qinger has disappeared. I followed her trail and happened to encounter you, Gong Nanfeng, and Ji Fanxin in the starry sky."
Xing Luo had suspected Ji Fanxin was Bai Qinger.
But he later dismissed that idea.
First, Zhang Ruochen and Bai Qinger were enemies, while he had a close relationship with Ji Fanxin. If Ji Fanxin were Bai Qinger, how could Zhang Ruochen not see through it? And if he did, why wouldn't he expose her true identity?
Second, Bai Qinger had no reason to go on such a high-profile killing spree in the Hell Realm.
Third, he didn't believe a woman from the Divine Maiden Tower would dare to do something so crazy and bold.
"Kailuo Dishi came to Ice King Star?" Zhang Ruochen's expression turned cold.
Xing Luo's last trace of doubt vanished. If Bai Qinger were Ji Fanxin, hearing that, Zhang Ruochen's first reaction would have revealed some flaw.
Xing Luo smiled. "Why are you concerned about him?"
"I have an irreconcilable enmity with the Heavenly Realm," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xing Luo had clearly checked Zhang Ruochen's information and nodded knowingly. "The Half-God God Yan Yu personally saw a group of Heavenly Realm cultivators, led by Kailuo Dishi and Klaphilin, appear in Ice King Star's Divine Maiden City. Whether it's the theft of the Celestial Pivot Needle or the loss of the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal, the Goddess Twelve Pavilions is highly suspicious. That's why, between you and Bai Qinger, I'm more inclined to believe she's lying."
Zhang Ruochen hadn't expected Xing Luo to be so alert, actively investigating Bai Qinger. "Why bother with so much suspicion? With the Destiny Temple's strength, just destroy the Goddess Twelve Pavilions directly."
"It's not that simple."
Xing Luo shook his head with a smile. "Behind the Goddess Twelve Pavilions, there are various forces with complex connections, even backers within the Destiny Temple. Just because Kailuo Dishi and the others sneaked into Ice King Star, how could we destroy them? Unless we can prove that the Heavenly Realm controls the Goddess Twelve Pavilions and used their power to steal the top-grade Origin Divine Crystal and the Celestial Pivot Needle."
Zhang Ruochen sighed inwardly. This Divine Son Xing Luo was sharp enough, but his imagination still wasn't bold enough, and he didn't fully understand Bai Qinger's cunning.
Controlled by the Heavenly Realm?
Those Heavenly Realm cultivators were probably being toyed with by Bai Qinger.
Thinking of this, Zhang Ruochen felt a pang of sorrow. He himself was now under that demoness's control, forced to help her cover up the truth.
The more he learned about Bai Qinger, the less he specifically wanted to kill her, but his desire to defeat her grew stronger.
If one day, with his own true strength, he could defeat her and make her say, "Great Saint Ruochen, I am defeated, thoroughly convinced. You are the number one of this Eon, the strongest I most admire. Even Blood Absolute War God and Desolate Heaven cannot earn such respect from me."
That would be the greatest joy in life!
Besides Chi Yao, few had stirred such a strong competitive spirit in Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Where are Kailuo Dishi and the others now?"
Xing Luo pointed to the distant space wormhole. "Through this wormhole, they fled to the Hundred Clans Royal City. Yan Yu and Zhuo Yunong have gone after them."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze deepened.
Kailuo Dishi was Zhou Zhen's uncle, a world-hand of the Heavenly Court's Array-Destroying Palace.
Zhou Zhen had told Zhang Ruochen that the cultivator who planned to destroy the Zifu Palace, colluded with the Hell Realm, and wanted to cut off the Kunlun Realm's new Heavenly Earth Spiritual Root, the Peach Tree, was Kailuo Dishi.
Kailuo Dishi certainly wasn't the mastermind; with Zhou Zhen's cultivation, he could only know up to this level.
To uncover the true giant behind the scenes and dig out the entire conspiracy, he had to capture Kailuo Dishi.
To take revenge on the Heavenly Realm, this was a huge breakthrough.
The crime of colluding with the Hell Realm was too great, enough to topple the gods behind Kailuo Dishi, and possibly even multiple gods. Thinking of this, Zhang Ruochen's blood boiled.
...
Zhang Ruochen arrived beneath the White Deer Sacred Chariot, bathed in soft holy light.
Inside the chariot, Ni Xuan Shi's voice was quite young and pleasant. "At the Great Perfection of the Hundred Shackles Realm, you can fight evenly with Lan Ying, who is at the peak of the Thousand Questions Realm. The War God didn't misjudge you."
"Why did you help me?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Ni Xuan Shi laughed. "Because you are a disciple of the Blood Absolute Family."
"I don't want to hear empty words," Zhang Ruochen said.
Ni Xuan Shi's tone turned serious. "Because the War God values you. He sees you as the future of the Blood Absolute Family. If the world undergoes a great upheaval and something happens to him, you, your mother, and the Sixth Prince can still support the Blood Absolute Family."
"If we lose you, we lose your mother as well. The Blood Absolute Family cannot withstand such a blow."
"Moreover, the War God truly likes you. His affection for you exceeds that for any of his sons. He has great expectations for your future, believing you can fill the void in his heart and achieve what he couldn't in his time."
"In the Blood Absolute Family, the War God is the heavens, the only faith. If I go against his will, do you think I would have any place in the Blood Absolute Family?"
Zhang Ruochen believed Ni Xuan Shi's words and smiled. "So, you're doing this to resolve the conflict with my mother?"
There was no direct conflict or hatred between Zhang Ruochen and Ni Xuan Shi; the conflict lay between the Blood Queen and Ni Xuan Shi.
Ni Xuan Shi said, "You're very smart, so I won't beat around the bush. You are the best person to resolve the conflict between us. What happened back then was indeed my fault toward your mother. I have already apologized to your mother and the Sixth Prince in front of the War God, willingly giving up all my power. My son has also gone to the Merit Battlefield."
"Really gave up all power?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Ni Xuan Shi sighed. "You mean Ice King Star?"
"The family head has announced that all assets on Ice King Star now belong to me. If you hand over the assets on Ice King Star, I might consider persuading my mother," Zhang Ruochen said.
Ni Xuan Shi said, "I cannot give them to you."
"Why?"
Zhang Ruochen was puzzled. With Ni Xuan Shi's cultivation, she was only one step away from the God Realm. Why was she so fixated on the wealth of Ice King Star?
Ni Xuan Shi said, "Your purpose in wanting the assets of Ice King Star—the Third Prince may not see it, but it doesn't fool me. You're leaving yourself a way out to escape the Hell Realm and return to Kunlun in the future, right? I'm sorry, but the War God doesn't want you to leave. So, I cannot give you this place. Instead, I will monitor you and cut off all your connections to the Kunlun Realm."