Chapter 2737: The Value of Yinghuo
Qi Sheng and Yinghuo’s cultivation levels were still stuck at the peak of the Immortal Realm.
Both of them had once been prominent figures in the Kunlun Realm, possessing top-tier talent and exceptional mental acuity.
A thousand years of cultivation should not have left them in such a sorry state.
It could only mean that they were neglected within the Qitian Tribe, denied the cultivation resources they deserved. If they continued to stay in the Qitian Tribe, they would have no hope of becoming gods in this lifetime. Even reaching the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm or the Supreme Realm would likely be a struggle.
It was precisely because of this that Yinghuo immediately recommended herself upon meeting Zhang Ruochen, believing he would be their benefactor—an opportunity for them, like hidden dragons emerging from the sea, to soar into the sky.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze fell on Qi Sheng. “Yinghuo holds an irreplaceable position with me. What about you?”
Qi Sheng’s handsome face remained taut. Unexpectedly, he knelt on one knee and said, “From this moment on, Qi Sheng’s life belongs to Ruochen the Great Saint.”
“I don’t want your life. What I need is talent that can be put to good use,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Qi Sheng replied, “As long as Ruochen the Great Saint is willing to nurture me, I can at least help you govern a single realm.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded. “You’re clever. You know exactly what I need. Very well, as long as you remain loyal, you won’t lack cultivation resources.”
Having obtained ten realms, he naturally needed a large number of experts to guard them.
Qi Sheng was a capable talent.
Of course, what Zhang Ruochen truly valued was Yinghuo. However, because of their special relationship, he had brought Qi Sheng along as well.
“Wait outside.”
Zhang Ruochen gave this order to Qi Sheng and led Yinghuo into the Seven Star Imperial Palace.
“Whoosh—”
The formations and divine patterns of the Seven Star Imperial Palace emerged, blocking all forms of detection.
The trump card Zhang Ruochen was about to reveal was no small matter; no other cultivator could be allowed to know about it.
Qi Sheng rose from the ground, his expression complex as he gazed at the palace before him. He initially felt a pang of worry about Zhang Ruochen and Yinghuo being alone together. But that worry lasted only a moment before he let it go.
What use was worry?
If it was meant to happen, it would happen, and he couldn’t stop it.
All he could do was wait here.
Entering the Seven Star Imperial Palace, Zhang Ruochen said, “Your spiritual power talent is quite impressive, reaching the sixty-third rank.”
“It’s all thanks to the help of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror’s artifact spirit that I’ve been able to progress so quickly,” Yinghuo said.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror and handed it to her.
A brilliant light flickered in Yinghuo’s beautiful eyes as she reached out to take it.
But Zhang Ruochen withdrew the mirror. “You should know better than I the value of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror. To control it, you must pledge complete loyalty to me.”
Yinghuo, once the Undying Divine Maiden of the Kunlun Realm, was highly intelligent and spoke calmly, “Ruochen the Great Saint is the greatest hero of all time. Who could possibly stir up trouble under your command? In the Undying Blood Clan, only by following you can I walk further on the path ahead.”
“Then you’d better remember this clearly. If you betray me, death will be the lightest consequence.”
Zhang Ruochen handed the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror to her.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror was a supreme treasure of the Kunlun Realm, belonging to the Beast-Taming Heavenly Palace.
At its peak, the Beast-Taming Heavenly Palace had dominated the Kunlun Realm, raising divine beasts and herding sacred beast herds, invincible in an ancient era.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror was a special time-space treasure. The flow of time within its internal space was nearly static.
It passed very slowly.
In other words, the savage beasts and sacred beasts that the Beast-Taming Heavenly Palace had stored in the mirror during the Middle Ages and Ancient Times were still alive, and there might even be divine beasts.
The artifact spirit of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror had recognized Yinghuo as its master back in the Kunlun Realm, merging with her sacred soul. Only she could mobilize the mirror’s power and control the savage beasts and sacred beasts imprisoned within.
Yinghuo sat cross-legged, her hands spread apart.
The token-shaped Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror floated between her hands.
Their souls communicated with each other.
“Roar!”
“Growl!”
“Cluck!”
…
Various beast cries emerged from the mirror.
Beast shadows, clear and distinct, rushed out from the mirror, flying through the vast palace, exuding auras at the Saint level, Saint King level, and even Great Saint level.
Wielding the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror, Yinghuo’s confidence, which had been eroded over a thousand years, returned. A sinister smile appeared on her pale face.
She rose and bowed to Zhang Ruochen. “I can sense the presence of divine beasts deep within the mirror’s space—more than one. Please help me elevate my spiritual power.”
“If my spiritual power can reach the sixty-ninth rank, I might be able to summon those divine beasts.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “As long as we activate the Sundial and have sufficient cultivation resources, helping you raise your spiritual power to the sixty-ninth rank won’t be difficult. If you work hard enough and push to the seventieth rank, achieving godhood through spiritual power is within reach.”
“From now on, I will be in seclusion for a long time. You can cultivate alongside me.”
Yinghuo’s eyes were filled with joy. She thought to herself, “Zhang Ruochen is blessed with great fortune, wealthier than true gods, in possession of all kinds of cultivation resources, and he treats his subordinates with generosity and boldness. He will surely become a leader of the Undying Blood Clan. Following him is the right choice.”
Yinghuo walked out of the Seven Star Imperial Palace alone, meeting Qi Sheng head-on.
Qi Sheng looked her over from head to toe before asking, “How did it go?”
Yinghuo took out the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror. “Ruochen the Great Saint has entrusted the mirror to my control. Soon, he will activate the Sundial to help us cultivate.”
“He just handed the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror to you like that? Why does he trust you so much?” Qi Sheng was very curious.
Yinghuo said, “If you trust someone, don’t doubt them; if you doubt them, don’t use them. In the Undying Blood Clan, who would dare to oppose Ruochen the Great Saint? Not to mention us—even the Blood Butcher Divine Son and the Yu Emperor must follow his orders.”
“Ruochen the Great Saint dared to give me the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror because he is fully confident in controlling me and unafraid of betrayal. Such a figure, such boldness—no one below the divine realm can match him.”
Qi Sheng asked no more. Yes, before a figure like Zhang Ruochen, he was like an ant. Only by obeying orders could he trade for a promising future and a chance at godhood.
Zhang Ruochen handed Ye Luochen over to Xue Qingsheng, who would take him to participate in the sacrificial rites and activate his Divine Martial Mark.
At the same time, he dispatched Xue Qi to spend a large amount of divine stones to purchase various cultivation pills.
During these days, battle reports from the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm kept coming in.
Messages about Blood Butcher leading the Blood Emperor Divine Demon Camp to conquer one major world after another arrived in Zhang Ruochen’s hands every few days in the form of Message Light Talismans.
There was still no news from Yan Wushen. Since that was the case, Zhang Ruochen was in no hurry to go to the Abyss of Darkness. He activated the Sundial and focused on improving his cultivation.
Chu Han’s Divine Source was sealed by Zhang Ruochen, most of its energy contained, and handed over to Kong Xuan, who was cultivating in the Qiankun Realm, for her to slowly absorb and refine.
This was Zhang Ruochen’s promise to her.
The divine corpse was used to feed the Devouring God Insects.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
It wasn’t until Chi Kongle brought Yan Ying’er to the Blood Absolute Family that Zhang Ruochen emerged from seclusion.
…
Note: The ranking of the Sword God Realm in the previous chapter has been corrected.
Originally, in my setting table, the Sword God Realm was ranked third in the Northern Universe. However, earlier, it was mentioned that the Sword God Realm was in the top twenty of the Western Universe. I forgot to include this setting in the table, leading to an error.
It has been corrected to:
Sword God Realm, ranked twelfth in the Western Universe.
(End of chapter)