Chapter 2712: Danger
The grand feast was set up on the divine ship.
Not only were the Great Saints of the Tianluo Divine Kingdom gathered together, but strong individuals from other clans also heard the news and came to pay their respects, all hoping to make Zhang Ruochen's acquaintance. Among them, the Undying Blood Clan made up the majority.
At the banquet, Zhang Ruochen caught sight of Guye Jing's figure, but the two had no exchange, treating each other like strangers.
The feast ended.
Zhang Ruochen and Luo Sha held a private, closed-door discussion.
In the room, a piece of Blue Min Stone was placed, wrapped with golden threads, emitting a faint, ethereal glow.
"This divine ship was once my father's possession. Speaking here, there's no need to worry about being eavesdropped upon by other gods," Luo Sha said, her figure graceful and alluring, appearing hazy and exceptionally tempting under the pale blue light.
Zhang Ruochen found an ancient-looking chair and sat down. "I want to see Lingxi."
"She didn't come to the Wuding Divine Sea," Luo Sha replied.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Are you certain she is still alive and well?"
Luo Sha stared at Zhang Ruochen for a long moment, a slight pain in her heart. "You don't trust me?"
"I…"
How could Zhang Ruochen not be worried?
A thousand years ago, Luo Sha might have treated Mu Lingxi well out of consideration for Zhang Ruochen's feelings.
But Zhang Ruochen had been missing for a thousand years, and the entire Hell Realm believed he was dead. As a human living among the Rakshasa Clan, a race famous throughout the universe for devouring people, could Luo Sha, as a romantic rival, truly tolerate her?
Zhang Ruochen stared into Luo Sha's eyes for a long time, then sighed. "I do trust you. Tell me, where is she?"
Luo Sha grew somewhat angry, turning away so she wouldn't have to look at him, and snorted delicately, "You don't trust me at all! Since that's the case, this princess simply won't tell you."
"I have many things to do now that I'm back. Don't waste time. This isn't the moment for petty squabbles over such trivial matters."
Zhang Ruochen tapped his fingers on the table.
Luo Sha said, "Is it so unbearable for you to be alone with this princess? Do you realize how infuriating it is that your fiancé, missing for a thousand years, returns after a millennium, and the first thing he does is talk about another woman? If you want to know where Mu Lingxi is, you'd better make this princess happy first."
Zhang Ruochen frowned, realizing he might indeed be treating Luo Sha unfairly.
But deliberately saying cloying, sweet words was something he absolutely could not do.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen remain silent for so long, Luo Sha grew even angrier. She deliberately bared her snow-white teeth and said, "Actually, I've already eaten her. Her flesh was quite delicious. It's a pity you came back too late—you didn't even get a sip of the soup."
As she spoke, she watched Zhang Ruochen's expression.
Zhang Ruochen remained very calm. "Actually, one of the main reasons I came back is because of our marriage contract. A thousand years have passed—it's time we truly consummated it."
Luo Sha was stunned.
Her anger and resentment vanished in an instant.
Her eyes, beautiful as stars, became misty. Her voice was soft and coquettish as she complained, "If you had said that earlier, would this princess have quarreled with you? Actually, I never believed you were dead. I knew you would return one day, radiating brilliance, shaking the universe, and putting all the heroes of the world to shame."
Her soft, fragrant body leaned into Zhang Ruochen's embrace, her jade-like arms tightly wrapping around his neck.
Zhang Ruochen's hand slowly stroked her slender, supple waist, as flexible as a water snake, while his other hand touched her hair. "Who would have thought that the esteemed Princess Luo Sha, one of the top experts below the divine realm, could be so clinging and gentle?"
"They could never know, because they don't deserve this princess."
Luo Sha smiled seductively.
Just her smile was enough to captivate anyone's heart.
Luo Sha's cultivation was very high. In Zhang Ruochen's estimation, she was not much weaker than Bore. Yet she was not one of the ten Eon-level representatives of the Hell Realm. This showed that the universe was vast and concealed countless secrets.
What was visible on the surface might not be the truth.
"Can you please sit down properly? I really do have many important matters to discuss with you."
Luo Sha's long, shapely legs straddled Zhang Ruochen's thighs, her upper body pressing against his chest. The sensation was intense, and with her stunning, world-toppling beauty, it stirred wicked thoughts within Zhang Ruochen.
Even a Buddha would find such temptation irresistible.
Luo Sha's boneless hand moved like a snake, sliding down Zhang Ruochen's body. "This princess is a Rakshasa woman, a demoness. I'm not some fairy or holy maiden from the Heavenly Court. Why should I sit properly? I like sitting on you. Don't you like it?"
Suddenly, Luo Sha's hand grabbed Zhang Ruochen's handle.
Zhang Ruochen was certainly no upright gentleman, and Luo Sha was his fiancée, so there was nothing wrong with it.
Footsteps sounded outside the door.
Guye Jing's voice rang out: "Zhang Ruochen, do you still remember an old acquaintance from a thousand years ago?"
Luo Sha's hand stopped. Her phoenix-like eyes widened slightly, and she looked at Zhang Ruochen with a questioning gaze.
Zhang Ruochen remained unflustered. "Does Miss Guye have some business?"
"Are you going to shut me out like this? Won't you invite me into the room so we can talk in detail?"
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Luo Sha in his arms, unsure whether the person outside was Guye Jing or Guye Huanhuan. "That might not be appropriate. How about another day?"
"Another day? Don't you want to know about Mu Lingxi's current situation?"
Zhang Ruochen's heart stirred, and he was about to speak.
"I'll hide first," Luo Sha transmitted to him.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Why? There's no need, is there?"
Luo Sha stood up from Zhang Ruochen, smiling with a hundred charms and a thousand graces. "I just want to know what happened between you two a thousand years ago. Did you hide something from me? Don't tell her I'm here, or the consequences will be severe."
"Whoosh!"
Luo Sha waved her hand in the room, erasing all traces of her scent. Then, using some secret technique, her body turned into a beam of light and flew into the Blue Min Stone.
Zhang Ruochen's mood was quite uneasy as he opened the door.
Guye Jing was also a Rakshasa woman, dressed in men's clothing, yet still strikingly beautiful, with a sharp, cold gaze.
Seeing her expression, Zhang Ruochen breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"Close the door. I have important matters to discuss with you," she said.
The door was inscribed with profound divine patterns. Once closed, even divine thoughts could not penetrate.
Guye Jing's face was cold and stern as she sat in the spot Zhang Ruochen had just occupied. Deathly demonic qi naturally emanated from her. "You're not a god?"
A flicker of surprise passed through Zhang Ruochen's eyes. "Of course, I haven't stepped into the divine realm yet."
"A thousand years ago, in the Origin Divine Temple, a god appeared who claimed to be you. You should know his true identity, right?" Guye Jing certainly believed Zhang Ruochen was not a god; otherwise, how could the gods have allowed him to participate in the Ten Realms Battle?
But that person from a thousand years ago was utterly detestable. Guye Jing still remembered the humiliation of that day.
Zhang Ruochen grew even more puzzled. "Could it be that some god transformed into my likeness and did something hateful?"
"Hateful is an understatement—it was damnable." Guye Jing's eyes blazed with murderous intent.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I know nothing of this. Perhaps it was a god from the Paradise Realm trying to stir up conflict between me and the major powers of the Hell Realm, using such a venomous scheme."
"He was wielding your Abyssal Ancient Sword at the time," Guye Jing said, with pointed implication.
Zhang Ruochen's heart stirred, and he immediately understood what had happened.
A thousand years ago, not only had a god from the Paradise Realm infiltrated the Origin Divine Temple.
Chi Yao was also inside.
Since she was wielding the Abyssal Ancient Sword, the god who had transformed into his likeness must have been Chi Yao.
Why had she done that?
Zhang Ruochen quickly asked, "What did she say or do at the time?"
Guye Jing stared at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "You need to tell me more so I can identify her. I only recovered the Abyssal Ancient Sword by chance. Who stole it remains a mystery to this day."
Guye Jing thought for a moment. "When he appeared, it was to deal with Wuma Jiuxing…"
Then, Guye Jing roughly recounted what had happened.
After listening, Zhang Ruochen fell silent.
What was Chi Yao's intention?
Deliberately setting him up?
Trying to force him back to the Kunlun Realm?
Women's thoughts were truly unfathomable.
Guye Jing said, "That god who transformed into your likeness was a woman, wasn't she?"
Zhang Ruochen unconsciously nodded.
"Who is she? Is it Ji Fanxin of the Qianrui Realm?" Guye Jing asked coldly.
She naturally couldn't have guessed it was Chi Yao, given that Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao's entanglement of love and hate was known throughout the world.
Zhang Ruochen snapped out of his thoughts. "What meaning is there in knowing who she is?"
"Can I let go of the humiliation from back then?" Guye Jing snorted. Then, seeing his expression, she added, "From your look, I know I guessed right. It is indeed Ji Fanxin. I will have my revenge!"
Ji Fanxin had already broken through to become a god, so Zhang Ruochen wasn't worried about Guye Jing causing her trouble. Thus, he didn't explain.
He asked, "You said earlier that you know where Lingxi is now?"
"Of course I do. She is now a disciple of our Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm, and even my junior sister."
"How did she become a disciple of Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Guye Jing's face, usually as unyielding as a thousand-year-old iceberg, suddenly broke into a familiar, beautiful smile. Her voice was like silver bells. "Why don't you take a guess?"
Seeing her smile, Zhang Ruochen's heart tightened. He couldn't help but glance at the glowing Blue Min Stone not far away and slowly backed toward the door. "Did Lingxi's entry into Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm have something to do with you?"
The more Zhang Ruochen retreated, the more Guye Jing pursued him, smiling. "Why are you backing away? We went through life-and-death situations together a thousand years ago. Why have we become so distant now?"
"Are you… Guye Huanhuan now?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Guye Jing had already cornered Zhang Ruochen against the wall, seemingly enjoying his current flustered state, which contrasted sharply with his heroic bearing when he had fought the crowd at sea.
Her hand pressed against Zhang Ruochen's chest. Her pretty face tilted up, her eyes sparkling with electricity, and her voice soft. "What does it matter if I'm Huanhuan or Jingjing? Aren't I still the same person? Have you forgotten that a thousand years ago, you gave me thirty percent of your soul power to help heal my injuries?"
Zhang Ruochen took a deep breath, steadying himself, and patiently explained, "That was a necessity at the time. I had to help you recover so we could overcome the crisis together. The situation on Ice King Star was so perilous back then; only by restoring your cultivation could we cope."
"But I've always remembered that kindness. I just never found a chance to repay it." Guye Jing rested her head against Zhang Ruochen's chest, her fragrance alluring.
Zhang Ruochen held his hands out, not daring to touch her, feeling that women were more dangerous than Eon-level enemies. "Miss Guye, just say what you have to say. Given our friendship, and your relationship with Luo Sha, if I can help, I certainly won't refuse."