Chapter 2645: Heavenly Daughter
Most of the ancient civilizations in the universe were once eternal undying great worlds. Although their worlds were destroyed, they still preserved their foundations, able to dwell in secret realms and continue to thrive and develop.
Their inheritances were powerful, possessing all kinds of mysteries, enough to make even the Hell Realm quite wary. Otherwise, they would not have waited until now to launch an attack.
The Thousand Star, Blazing Sun, Big Dipper, and Witch God civilizations had the longest histories, known as the four giants among the ancient civilizations, possessing the qualifications to negotiate with the Heavenly Palace.
Up to now, the Heavenly Palace and the various realms of the Heavenly Court still had very limited understanding of the ancient civilizations. They were like figures hidden in the fog, visible but not completely clear.
The envoys of the various ancient civilizations were all very enthusiastic, each with considerable cultivation, showing full sincerity.
There was no helping it. Zhang Ruochen and his three companions were all extraordinary figures.
Shu Yong was the number one expert of the Book Realm, Hua Chunqiu was the number one expert of the Painting Realm, and Zhang Ruochen, under the alias Shu Qianchi, had unfathomable cultivation.
The most formidable was Xiang Chunan. Backed by the Truth Divine Temple, he had married the only daughter of the Truth Divine Temple's Hall Master and was said to be deeply favored by him. His background was so lofty that there were hardly a few figures in the entire Heavenly Court with a higher status than him.
Although Xiang Chunan had not fought many times, he had easily neutralized the attack of the Judgment Hall's Grand Hall Master earlier. Moreover, he had revealed the realm form of "Universe Boundless," and his overall strength was already beyond doubt, reaching the pinnacle of the mortal world.
With such strength and such a background, who wouldn't want to win him over and befriend him?
Zhang Ruochen searched through the crowd but did not see any cultivators from the Heavenly Beginning Civilization.
The envoys of the various ancient civilizations issued repeated invitations. Xiang Chunan found it hard to refuse and was about to agree to one of them when Zhang Ruochen sighed beside him, "What a pity, all these treasures here haven't been sold yet."
Hua Chunqiu caught on immediately. He dug the corpse of Mo Yang out of the dirt, where it had been buried during the earlier battle. He said with a melancholy air, "The physical body of a sixty-ninth-level spiritual power Great Saint counts as a treasure, doesn't it? Why can't it be sold?"
The Witch God Civilization was wealthy and generous. Xia Jiu immediately made an offer, "Ten Divine Stones, I'll take it!"
Hua Chunqiu was overjoyed inside but did not show it on his face. He said righteously, "A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it in the proper way. I set the price of this corpse at five Divine Stones, and I will not allow anyone to drive up the price."
"Excellent! Mr. Hua is truly a modest gentleman."
Xia Jiu took out five Divine Stones and bought Mo Yang's corpse.
The Witch God Civilization was powerful and unafraid of retaliation from the Paradise Realm.
Besides, the Paradise Realm would not sour relations with the Witch God Civilization over such a trivial matter.
Xia Jiu had his eye on Mo Yang's skin, a true treasure of the Illusion Path, the life's work of an expert close to becoming a spiritual god. But when he glanced at the price on the sign, he frowned slightly.
Fifty thousand Divine Stones.
An astronomical price.
Xia Jiu frowned not because he thought Zhang Ruochen was asking too much. In fact, Mo Yang's skin was worth that price.
Rather, it was because he was merely an envoy and did not carry that many Divine Stones with him.
To mobilize such a large number of Divine Stones, only the Heavenly Son could make that decision.
The twelve wings attached to the bones, the Sacred Source, Sacred Heart, Sacred Kidneys... all these treasures were of high value, not something envoys like them could decide on.
Xia Jiu said, "Why don't the four of you come with me to the Heavenly Son's estate first? The Heavenly Son will surely give you a satisfactory price."
The envoy of the Blazing Sun Civilization said, "Better to go to the Blazing Sun Civilization first. Our Heavenly Son has always been hospitable and is very interested in demigod treasures."
Zhang Ruochen had once killed a Heavenly Son of the Blazing Sun Civilization, forging a deep enmity. Clearly, a new Heavenly Son had been born in the Blazing Sun Civilization. He wondered what kind of person it was.
"I'll take all these treasures!"
Yu Chenjing walked over with more than a dozen Great Saints of the Thousand Star Civilization.
Her eyes did not look at the goods on the ground or the prices on the signs. They were fixed solely on Zhang Ruochen, sparkling and bright. "Mr. Shu, name your price!"
"Just the prices on the signs," Zhang Ruochen said.
An elder from the Thousand Star Civilization made an inventory, then took out three chests of Divine Stones from a space secret treasure and placed them before Zhang Ruochen, totaling one hundred thirty-six thousand four hundred.
The three chests were enormous, filled with dazzling divine light.
Although Hua Chunqiu and Shu Yong were Supreme Realm Great Saints, they had never seen so many Divine Stones before. For a moment, they were stunned and somewhat lost their composure.
"Is a demigod's corpse worth that much?" Hua Chunqiu exclaimed, some thoughts stirring in his mind.
But thinking that with his cultivation, daring to target a demigod would be no different from seeking death, he quickly calmed his mind and dismissed those unrealistic notions.
Zhang Ruochen took away one hundred thousand Divine Stones and said, "The rest, you three divide among yourselves."
Hua Chunqiu rushed forward and grabbed the Divine Stones from the chest, saying, "No, no, I can't accept a reward without merit. I already got ten Divine Stones; how could I be shameless enough to take more?"
Shu Yong said, "I already got fifty Divine Stones from selling the challenge letters earlier, and I'm content. These Divine Stones have nothing to do with us, Brother Shu. I know you're generous, but we are not greedy people."
"How is it unrelated to you? If you three weren't here, I wouldn't have been able to sell these two corpses without first getting past the Judgment Hall," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiang Chunan was straightforward, "Stop your nonsense, you two. Let's split these Divine Stones together! Brother Shu can see that you two lack Divine Stones to buy cultivation resources, which is why your cultivation progress is slow. He wants to help you out but doesn't want to say it outright and hurt your pride. Why are you being so hesitant?"
With the matter laid bare, Shu Yong and Hua Chunqiu exchanged wry smiles.
Then, they bowed deeply to Zhang Ruochen and, together with Xiang Chunan, divided the remaining thirty-six thousand four hundred Divine Stones.
Xiang Chunan was right. They indeed lacked Divine Stones to buy resources. They could only silently remember this favor and repay it slowly in the future.
Yu Chenjing kept a smile on her face the whole time, saying, "The four of you, tonight I am hosting a banquet at the Rosy Cloud Villa. Would you do me the honor?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Heavenly Daughter personally invites us with such sincerity and such a generous hand. How could we have any reason to refuse?"
"Exactly! Such generosity! If I had met the Heavenly Daughter a thousand years ago, I would have definitely painted you into the 'Nine Beauties Immortal Painting.' That Lianxi Grand Hall Master shouldn't have been painted at all," Hua Chunqiu said, still holding a grudge against Lianxi for taking a sword strike.
Yu Chenjing teased, "Mr. Hua, since you're here at the Red Dust Convention, why not paint another beauty painting?"
Hua Chunqiu shook his head, "The Red Dust Convention gathers all the heroes of the world and brings out all the top experts. Painting a beauty painting is not as good as painting a 'Red Dust Supreme Painting.'"
Zhang Ruochen and his three companions left with Yu Chenjing and the cultivators of the Thousand Star Civilization.
The envoys of the other ancient civilizations were helpless but had nothing to say. After all, the Heavenly Daughter of the Thousand Star Civilization had personally come forward. The honor was too great; no cultivator could refuse.
The Red Dust Supreme Tower had arranged lodgings for cultivators from all realms.
The Thousand Star Civilization cultivators' base was on Transformation God Island.
The island was over a hundred miles long, covered with ancient pines and strange bamboos, with sacred springs flowing, Dao locks densely arranged, and divine patterns woven like silk. No matter how strong a cultivator's spiritual power, they could not use it on the island.
Even a demigod could not shake this island.
Rows of ancient buildings lined the coast, scattered in an orderly fashion.
The Thousand Star Civilization, as one of the four giants of the ancient civilization faction, had the Rosy Cloud Villa filled with the extraordinary. A divine pattern scroll hung in the air above the villa, with divine pattern chains covering all directions.
Zhang Ruochen only glanced at it a little longer, and Yu Chenjing noticed.
She said, "This divine pattern scroll was brought by me from the Thousand Star Civilization, personally inscribed by an ancient god who has survived three Eon Calamities. Any cultivator trying to force their way into the Rosy Cloud Villa will pay a heavy price."
Zhang Ruochen pretended to be puzzled, "On the Red Dust Archipelago, is there a fear of attack?"
Yu Chenjing smiled without answering and continued deeper into the villa.
Yu Chenjing seemed to be hosting them exclusively, not inviting any other cultivators.
They gathered in an ancient pavilion. There were exquisite divine brews, delicious delicacies, and beautiful female saints dancing and playing music in the courtyard. The atmosphere was not lively but gave a sense of tranquility.
After some pleasantries, Yu Chenjing suddenly asked, "Brother Shu, your mastery of the Path of Origin seems quite high?"
Zhang Ruochen understood. It must have been when he was writing the challenge letter with Shu Yong that Yu Chenjing, as an Origin Controller, had sensed something. He remained calm and smiled, "I have studied it, but I cannot compare to the Heavenly Daughter."
Yu Chenjing showed a peculiar smile, her red lips slightly curling, "May I ask a presumptuous question? Does Brother Shu possess Origin Esoterica?"
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Shu Yong, Hua Chunqiu, and Xiang Chunan, finding them still drinking and chatting merrily, unable to hear their private conversation.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen like this, Yu Chenjing knew she had guessed correctly. She said, "Actually, I also possess Origin Esoterica, and I am an Origin Controller. That's why I noticed the traces when Brother Shu used the power of Origin Esoterica to write the challenge letter."
Zhang Ruochen said, "A Great Saint possessing esoterica is a secret that cannot be casually spoken of, or it might invite deadly trouble."
Yu Chenjing, however, had no such reservations and continued, "Before the Origin Divine Temple emerged, the Origin Esoterica of the world was extremely scarce, all held by some God Venerable-level figures."
"Indeed, the esoterica of the Eternal Dao is not something ordinary gods are qualified to possess," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yu Chenjing stared intently into Zhang Ruochen's eyes, "So, I am very curious. A thousand years ago, did Brother Shu go to the Origin Divine Temple?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled, knowing that this Thousand Star Heavenly Daughter was exceptionally clever and best at unraveling clues. Any flaw exposed before her would be dug out by her to uncover the truth.
"The Heavenly Daughter can obtain Origin Esoterica from a God Venerable, so why can't I? The Kunlun Realm also has peerless gods," Zhang Ruochen said, picking up his wine glass and drinking.
Yu Chenjing said, "I have met Stone Emperor and Sword Emperor. They still carry pure Origin power on them. Others might not know their origins, but I know that a thousand years ago, they were two of the five overlords on True Dragon Island, equal to Dragon Fiend Emperor. Dragon Fiend Emperor was subdued by a friend of mine and became a mount. Brother Shu, do you know about the fierce battle on True Dragon Island back then? Do you know who subdued Dragon Fiend Emperor?"
"What exactly is the Heavenly Daughter trying to say?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Yu Chenjing rested her elbow on the table, pressing her jade-white fingers under her chin, leaning in closer to look at him, the scent of wine on her breath, "News from the Hell Realm says that Gong Nanfeng, the Minister of the Heavenly Fate Department who disappeared for a thousand years, has returned to the temple and brought back the divine artifact, the Celestial Pivot Needle."
"The Heavenly Daughter's information is truly well-informed," Zhang Ruochen praised.
Yu Chenjing said, "Don't you think it's incredible? The whole world thought he was dead, but a thousand years later, he reappeared! Isn't that strange?"
"Quite strange, and quite interesting," Zhang Ruochen said.
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