Chapter 2732: Three Thousand Concubines
Tianlin Ancient City was a magnificent metropolis closest to the Blood Absolute Clan's territory, reaching the level of a sacred city.
Looking into the distance, the pavilions, towers, and terraces within the city were layered and stacked, stretching beyond the horizon.
The Wujian Pavilion had a secret stronghold within the city, located underground.
In the top-secret underground space.
Zhang Ruochen and Xuanji Sword Saint stood facing each other, both with grave expressions, discussing matters that could shake the entire universe. Even gods would change color upon hearing their conversation.
The current leader of the Wujian Pavilion was none other than Xuanji Sword Saint.
"This matter is no small affair. I must immediately send word back to the Kunlun Realm and inform Tai Shang," Xuanji Sword Saint said, his heart shaken, his face ashen like iron skin, feeling as if a great disaster was imminent.
Zhang Ruochen cautioned, "The war between the Heavenly Court and Hell has already begun. The winds and clouds are shifting, and heaven and earth are in turmoil."
"Master! Be careful in all things."
"Ruochen, you are now at the center of the storm and must be even more cautious. Before breaking through to become a god, try not to leave the Blood Absolute Clan."
Just as Xuanji Sword Saint was about to leave, he suddenly thought of something and stopped, asking, "If we seize the Xingtian Cauldron, does the Great God Xingtian really have a chance to escape from the Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm?"
If a great god like Chi Xingtian could return to the Kunlun Realm, the Kunlun Realm would have a greater voice in the Heavenly Court.
"There's no rush for this matter. The Wujian Pavilion must not get involved. Leave it to me to handle," Zhang Ruochen said, worried that Xuanji Sword Saint might take reckless risks to rescue Chi Xingtian.
For now, letting Tai Shang know about the Kunlun Realm's predicament was the top priority, to avoid being caught off guard in the future.
As for rescuing Chi Xingtian...
Zhang Ruochen felt that waiting until he stepped into the God Realm to slowly figure out a plan would not be too late.
Leaving the underground space, Zhang Ruochen returned to the bustling streets of Tianlin Ancient City. There were many cultivators coming and going, but most were young juniors, and it was rare to see a Great Saint-level powerhouse.
Zhang Ruochen quietly followed behind Xuanji Sword Saint until he personally saw him safely leave Tianlin Ancient City.
"It seems I was overthinking. With Master's current cultivation, even though Tianlin Ancient City is full of experts, none can match him. Trying to detect him is harder than reaching the heavens."
This thought had just crossed Zhang Ruochen's mind.
From a pavilion shrouded in faint blood mist beside him, a clear voice rang out: "Ifeng Great Saint, worldly myth, romantic Sword God, unmatched under heaven. Meeting you today, you are indeed spirited and handsome, extraordinary."
Zhang Ruochen was secretly startled and looked toward the third floor of the pavilion.
The pavilion was built like a rockery, over a hundred meters tall, lush green on the outside, covered with exotic flowers and rare plants, making it quite unique.
Standing on the street, one could smell the fragrance of tea wafting from within.
Such tea pavilions were rare among the Undying Blood Clan.
Zhang Ruochen did not see who was speaking, but with his spiritual power at the sixty-ninth level and a half, the fact that the other party could see his true form indicated they were no ordinary being.
What worried Zhang Ruochen even more was whether that person had discovered his relationship with Xuanji Sword Saint.
"Would the Great Saint like to come up for a cup of tea? The tea here is purchased from the Heavenly Court, rare and fragrant. In the Hell Realm, it's not something you can drink just anywhere."
The voice was warm and pleasant, as if magnetic.
"So, he's definitely here for me."
Fearless, Zhang Ruochen entered this tea pavilion named "Heaven Comes and Earth Goes."
There were very few cultivators drinking tea inside.
After all, the Undying Blood Clan preferred drinking blood.
Ascending to the third floor, Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on a man in red robes sitting by the window. He was certain that this was the one who had spoken to him.
Because Zhang Ruochen could sense no fluctuation of power from him at all.
The man in red looked to be in his twenties, with neatly combed black long hair, delicate features, a straight nose, elegant and heroic, possessing a captivating handsomeness.
Zhang Ruochen had seen countless handsome men—gentle ones like Shang Zihong, cold ones like Yin Yuanchen, ethereal ones like Zhen Yuan, refined ones like Nan Sheng and Yan Yu, and domineering ones like Yan Wushen.
But compared to the man in red before him, they all seemed to fall short.
This was someone who could make proud daughters of heaven willingly lie down on his bed just by his face.
Zhang Ruochen walked over and sat down opposite him, asking, "How should I address you?"
"Three Thousand Concubines."
The man in red was very elegant, pointing to the clay teapot on the table and making a gesture of invitation, a faint smile on his face.
That smile was enough to make all the women in the world swoon.
Zhang Ruochen did not stand on ceremony. He picked up the clay pot and poured himself a full cup.
Tianlin Ancient City was the Blood Absolute Clan's territory, so Zhang Ruochen was not afraid of anyone daring to harm him.
Taking a sip, Zhang Ruochen frowned and said, "This doesn't seem like very good tea. The tea tree probably hasn't even grown for an eon."
"Being able to drink tea in the Hell Realm is already good enough," Three Thousand Concubines said, looking quite pleased. He poured another cup, brought it to his nose, and gently sniffed, intoxicated by the tea's fragrance.
Zhang Ruochen observed him carefully.
Suddenly, by the wall beside him, he noticed a gaudily decorated sword leaning there.
The scabbard was flashy, appearing ornate but impractical.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Did you come to Tianlin Ancient City specifically to find me?"
"Not a god, yet titled Sword God—which sword cultivator in the world wouldn't want to see you in person? Legend has it that you cultivated a third-rank Sword Dao Sacred Intent. Is that true?" Three Thousand Concubines asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Legends can be true or false."
"Ifeng Great Saint is already invincible in the mortal world, why are you still so guarded?" Three Thousand Concubines said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I still don't know your identity, nor whether you are friend or foe. How can I not be guarded?"
Three Thousand Concubines set down his teacup and laughed, "I invited you for tea, so of course I am a friend, not a foe."
"Then what kind of friend is it?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Three Thousand Concubines brushed the hair from his forehead and was about to speak when he suddenly sensed something and looked toward the stairway.
Zhang Ruochen sniffed lightly and caught a faint fragrance.
It was a woman's fragrance.
It was the scent of plants and trees. With just a light sniff, it felt like being in a vast green grassland, or an ancient forest drifting with white mist—mysterious and fresh.
A tall woman wearing a veil slowly walked up from the stairway.
At first, what was visible was her hair ornament.
She wore a cloud-like bun like a goddess, adorned with seven emerald green jade hairpins. The heads of the hairpins were carved with seven different divine beasts, crystal clear, containing starlight-like specks within.
Her veil was light, her face faintly visible.
This stirred a strong curiosity in Zhang Ruochen and Three Thousand Concubines, making them want to lift her mysterious veil and see her true face.
She wore a purple-blue long dress, paired with a moon-white inner robe and jacket. Her long, snow-white neck was as delicate as fat, pure yet with a captivating hint of allure.
In her arms, she held a strange creature that looked like a cat, a dog, a mink, and a lion all at once, with three eyes, all golden.
"Graceful as a startled swan, sleeves like a rainbow," Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but recite.
Three Thousand Concubines followed with a line: "Gently moving, how graceful and full; jade wrists congealed, moving like clouds."
The veiled woman with cloud-like hair always had wisps of mist swirling around her, making her hard to see clearly. She walked to a table next to Zhang Ruochen and Three Thousand Concubines and sat down.
"Another one whose cultivation I can't see through," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself, growing wary. This was too abnormal.
How could two such extraordinary beings suddenly appear in Tianlin Ancient City?
And both had gathered in the same tea pavilion.
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at the woman, and turned to Three Thousand Concubines, saying, "You still haven't answered my earlier question."
"What question?" Three Thousand Concubines said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If you continue to be so evasive, I will leave. I have many urgent matters to attend to."
Zhang Ruochen had just stood up when Three Thousand Concubines pressed him back down.
He laughed and said, "Both are romantic wanderers in this world; when we meet, why ask about our lives? Ifeng Great Saint, I know you have troubles in your heart, which is why I wanted to talk with you a bit more."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I am not a romantic wanderer, nor am I troubled."
"No, you are troubled. Otherwise, why would your own daughter come to fight you? You are also a romantic wanderer—every cultivator in the Hell Realm knows that. A true confidant is hard to find in life. Come, let's drink a cup together."
Three Thousand Concubines raised his teacup.
Zhang Ruochen felt quite helpless and sighed inwardly. Sure enough, the news had spread.
Good deeds don't leave the door, but jokes travel a thousand miles.
Distracted, Zhang Ruochen clinked cups with Three Thousand Concubines and drank the tea, but it had no taste at all.
Three Thousand Concubines said, "You don't have to be so bitter. The reason this happened is actually because you don't know how to manage your women. Let me teach you a few tricks of the art of controlling wives, and I guarantee that these headaches won't happen again."
"Why did your daughter speak to you so harshly, even resorting to violence?"
"It's all because of her mother's teaching."
"If her mother had told her from a young age that you were a righteous and loyal hero, how could she have treated you like that?"
"So, you need to subdue her mother to prevent such things from happening again in the future."
Zhang Ruochen looked at Three Thousand Concubines with surprise and interest, then asked, "You... do you really have an art of controlling wives?"
"Of course. Back in the day, I had three thousand concubines and still managed to keep them all obedient and submissive to me, without a single one daring to cause trouble. You only have a few women, yet you've stirred up such a mess that the whole world knows about it, making a laughingstock. I really can't stand to watch, so I wanted to teach you a few tricks to ensure you benefit endlessly." Three Thousand Concubines was extremely confident.
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen knew that "Three Thousand Concubines" was a false name.
A light snort came from beside them.
Zhang Ruochen and Three Thousand Concubines glanced at her, then clinked cups again and drank together.
Three Thousand Concubines said, "The art of controlling wives: the great path lies in the heart, next in emotion, then in righteousness, and last in law."
Zhang Ruochen pondered deeply and asked, "Heart, emotion, righteousness, and law—how should they be understood?"
"The great path lies in the heart means you must treat her with wholehearted devotion, understand her heart. When you know what she wants, what she dislikes, and what she is thinking at any moment, then naturally you can respect each other like honored guests and live in harmony." Three Thousand Concubines said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The hardest part is wholehearted devotion."
"Not hard!"
Three Thousand Concubines waved his hand and lowered his voice, saying, "When you are with someone, be wholeheartedly devoted to her. Don't think about other women. They don't exist; they are illusions, false. Only the one before you is real. Remember, never be with two women at the same time, and don't even let them meet. Your level is too low; you can't handle it."
Zhang Ruochen was stunned.
He had to admit, what Three Thousand Concubines said actually made some sense.
In the past, the conflicts between Zhang Ruochen and the women around him all stemmed from the fact that when he was with one woman, his mind was on another.
Even on his wedding night and during the bridal chamber, it was the same.