Chapter 2781: The Sword God Loves Freedom
In this space, six-colored demon butterflies fluttered about like six-colored clouds of light.
Zhang Ruochen glanced toward where Bore had been standing earlier. Where was she now?
She had concealed herself.
"Long time no see, Zhang Ruochen."
Nan Sheng held a gray bone fan in his hand, a smile on his face, appearing quite carefree and unrestrained.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Indeed, it has been a long time. As the heir of Tiannan Shengsi Ruins, your status is so noble. Why come to the Abyss of Darkness to seek death?"
"Of course, to kill you. You carry so many treasures and esotericas. Wouldn't it be a great pity if they didn't fall into my hands?" Nan Sheng said.
Kongli Canghai remained constantly vigilant, asking, "Who killed Divine General Gai Lin and Rain Heavenly Master?"
"Of course, I killed them," Zhang Ruochen said directly.
Having achieved godhood through spiritual power, the divine might of true gods no longer exerted any pressure on him.
"Just you? Junior, this god can crush you with a single finger."
Kongli Canghai extended his index finger and pressed it through the air toward him.
The rule divine patterns in the space converged above Zhang Ruochen's head, forming a fingerprint as thick as a pillar. Each whorl was clearly visible.
"Whoosh!"
A sword light shot through the air, severing countless divine patterns.
Kongli Canghai let out a muffled groan, blood splattering from his hand. The finger he had extended flew up and fell into the golden stream.
Bore, holding the Abyssal Ancient Sword, flew down beside Zhang Ruochen and Hai Shui.
The sword trembled, its ringing sound piercingly sharp.
Kongli Canghai glanced at the golden stream but dared not divert his attention to retrieve the severed finger. His divine eyes blazed with fury. "So it's you, Bore Goddess. You killed Divine General Gai Lin and Rain Heavenly Master."
Nan Sheng's face darkened. "The Goddess represents the Destiny Temple, yet you kill a god of our Death Clan. If this matter reaches the Fate Divine Mountain, aren't you afraid of being sent to the Execution God Platform?"
"Killing you all to silence you will suffice," Bore said.
Kongli Canghai said, "Goddess, you speak with great arrogance. You have only just stepped into the divine realm, not even cultivating your Divine Realm World, while I am a mid-rank god. How could you possibly kill me?"
"A mid-rank god like you? This goddess truly does not take you seriously."
"Clang!"
Bore was about to draw her sword when she suddenly sensed something. Her expression turned grave as she stared in the direction behind Nan Sheng and Kongli Canghai. "Come out. I have already sensed your aura."
"Tap, tap."
Slow footsteps sounded.
"Bore Goddess, your alertness is truly impressive. Admirable, admirable."
A god with four arms and four eyes emerged from the golden mist, his body wrapped in divine chains, towering more than three times the size of Kongli Canghai and Nan Sheng.
As he stepped out, the entire space turned gray and was filled with deathly qi.
Bore said, "Gui Si."
Gui Si said, "I have come. Can the Bore Goddess take her leave now?"
"You, Gui Si, are an upper-rank god, a senior who has cultivated for a hundred thousand years. This goddess will give you that face. Let's go!"
Bore was clearly quite wary of this newly arrived true god.
Zhang Ruochen had some understanding of the divine realm. Reaching the upper-rank god level was indeed no small feat. After all, Bore had only just stepped into the divine realm as a lower-rank god.
There was a gap of two realms.
Even an Eon-level representative figure who became a god would find it difficult to bridge a two-realm gap.
"Wait a moment. I said the Goddess may leave, but I did not say those two have the right to leave as well." Gui Si's voice was deep and carried a chill.
Bore tossed the Abyssal Ancient Sword to Zhang Ruochen and summoned the Fate Decision Staff. "What if this goddess insists on taking them with me?"
Gui Si curled his lips, a sinister smile spreading across his four eyes. "Bore Goddess, you underestimate me too much. If not for the sake of the Destiny Temple and Nutian Shenzun, how confident do you think you are in escaping?"
Kongli Canghai had already retrieved his severed finger from the golden stream, reattached it, and moved to the opposite bank of the stream, forming a pincer formation with Gui Si.
Bore said, "If I want to leave, can you stop me?"
"In another place, I would indeed find it very difficult to kill the Goddess. But here, inside the body of a Buddhist Sect God Venerable, no escape methods can be used. Escaping? Easier said than done." Gui Si's tone was filled with confidence and arrogance, as if he had already decided the fate of Bore and the other two.
If Bore were truly just Bore, she might indeed fear him somewhat.
But Bore was actually Chi Yao.
Chi Yao had become a god a thousand years ago, her cultivation fully consolidated, and she had even cultivated her Divine Realm World.
Bore said, "What if I self-detonate my divine source? Which of you can escape?"
Gui Si said, "It is precisely because I know the Goddess has this mutual destruction technique that I give you the chance to leave. Otherwise, why would I waste so many words with you?"
While Bore and Gui Si were speaking, Hai Shui transmitted a message to Zhang Ruochen: "Senior Brother Ruochen, I have heard of Gui Si's name. He is a disciple of the Death God Temple's Mofa God King, very old, and his cultivation is terrifying."
"This place is very dangerous. Other gods may arrive at any moment. Goddess, it would be best to make a decision quickly."
Gui Si did not believe that any god would use a mutual destruction technique for the sake of another cultivator's life. Especially a new god like Bore, who still had over a hundred thousand years of lifespan. How could she be willing to self-detonate her divine source?
Suddenly, from upstream of the golden stream, a melodious whistling sound arose.
It was a winding ballad, long and melodious, extremely pleasant to hear.
Everyone's gaze turned toward the stream.
A small boat drifted down from upstream.
Half-reclining on the boat was a strikingly handsome man in red robes, his long hair flowing, his bearing heroic. On his knee rested a sword adorned with pearls and jewels.
In such an extremely dangerous place, he looked as if he were sightseeing, completely relaxed and at ease.
Zhang Ruochen stared at the red-robed man lazily lying on the small boat, utterly astonished. "Qie Sanqian!"
"Feng Chen!" Gui Si said.
The whistling stopped.
The small boat also stopped, the golden stream unable to push it forward.
The impossibly handsome red-robed man sat up straight, tightened his loose belt, and said with annoyance, "Why is it you Death Clan gods again? Is there no end to this? If you want to fight or kill, this Sword God is ready to oblige."
Kongli Canghai and Nan Sheng exchanged glances, confused by the meaning of Feng Chen Sword God's words.
At such a critical moment, Gui Si clearly did not want any complications. He forced a smile and said, "Feng Chen Sword God, there must be some misunderstanding. We have no grievances. Why would we want to fight or kill?"
"No grievances?"
Feng Chen Sword God looked bewildered. "Then you're saying Tianque Shenji is not a god of the Death God Temple? I heard you, Gui Si, and Tianque Shenji are very close, very intimate."
"What did you do to Tianque Shenji?" Gui Si's face darkened.
Feng Chen Sword God adjusted his belt again. "I met her a few days ago and gave her a ride on this boat. Then she wanted to fight and kill me. I barely managed to escape here."
Kongli Canghai said, "How could Tianque Shenji attack you for no reason, Sword God?"
"Of course, not for no reason."
Feng Chen Sword God seemed somewhat reminiscent. "We spent a wonderful night together. Afterward, I merely said, 'Forgive me for this life of unrestrained love for freedom. Let last night be nothing but a spring dream, as if nothing ever happened.' Then she became unreasonable and wanted to fight and kill me."
"Let me make it clear first—it was truly mutual consent. You all judge for yourselves. We have all lived for thousands, even tens of thousands of years. How can we still not see through these things? I thought she, having lost her husband, was just lonely for too long and wanted to have some fun. Who knew she would take it seriously?"
Gui Si was already bristling with rage, thunder and fire surging in his four eyes.
Tianque Shenji had entered the Abyss of Darkness with them. She was the woman Gui Si had always desired but could never obtain. And now, listen to what this bastard Feng Chen was saying—was it even human speech?
They had only met a few days ago, yet they had already spent a wonderful night together.
Every word stabbed like a knife.
"I will tear you apart limb from limb!"
"Whoosh!"
Gui Si spat out a mouthful of divine fire, surging toward Feng Chen Sword God in the golden stream.
In an instant, the temperature in the entire space skyrocketed.
This was a mouthful of divine fire from an upper-rank god, its power terrifying enough to refine a sea of stars. Kongli Canghai, Nan Sheng, Bore, Zhang Ruochen, and Hai Shui all fled into the distance, not daring to get contaminated.
From within the divine fire came Feng Chen Sword God's voice: "Listen to my explanation! She was the one who initiated it. It had nothing to do with me. That night was truly wonderful. In my arms, she told me many of her troubles and heartaches over the years..."
"Say no more! Die!"
Gui Si's roar followed immediately.
Zhang Ruochen fled at top speed, feeling utterly embarrassed. He also thought Qie Sanqian...
No!
It was Feng Chen Sword God...
No!
It was Xue Hongchen.
He had gone too far. How could he do such a thing?
Even if Tianque Shenji was willing, even if she initiated it, he should have kept his belt fastened. Even if Tianque Shenji was too tempting and he couldn't resist, he should have taken responsibility for what he did, shouldn't he?
"Forgive me for this life of unrestrained love for freedom."
Listen to that. Was that human speech?
Hadn't he seen how furious Gui Si, who had been so calm and composed just moments ago, had become?
After all, Tianque Shenji was the mother of Que Shenzi.
Que Shenzi still had to call him Grandmaster.
The divine fire spat out by Gui Si spread far and wide. Zhang Ruochen and the others had to rush out several hundred li before they could avoid the central area.
Kongli Canghai and Nan Sheng pursued closely behind, communicating with each other through telepathy.
"I can temporarily hold off Bore. Can you capture Zhang Ruochen?" Kongli Canghai asked.
Nan Sheng said, "I have already achieved godhood through spiritual power, and I have the divine talisman bestowed by my master. Suppressing Zhang Ruochen should not be difficult."
"Good!"
Kongli Canghai activated his Divine Realm World, forcibly pulling Bore inside.
In an instant, only Zhang Ruochen, Hai Shui, and Nan Sheng remained in this space.
"Zhang Ruochen, Zangjin Baihu did not enter the Abyss of Darkness, did he? Today, let's see who can save you."
Nan Sheng used his spiritual power to control the six-colored demon butterflies, sending them in a sky-covering swarm toward Zhang Ruochen and Hai Shui, enveloping them in a massive six-colored cloud mass.
These butterflies were Death Demon Butterflies.
Their bodies were like beautiful women, their wings like blades.
"Shashasha!"
Tens of thousands of sword qi flew out, breaking through the six-colored cloud mass, shattering countless Death Demon Butterflies into pieces.
Zhang Ruochen held his sword in one hand and grabbed Hai Shui's wrist—she was wearing the Flame God Armor—his gaze cold and sharp. "Since you insist on seeking death, I'll send you on your way. I hope the heir of Tiannan Shengsi Ruins carries quite a few valuable items on him. Otherwise, you'll have wasted my time."