# Chapter 2792: Se Hai's Mortal Heart
When Zhang Ruochen walked out of the Three-Life Gate holding the "Swallows Flying in Pair Painting," Golden Ju Great God had already left. However, the boundless golden water surface still retained a dense ghostly aura.
Fengchen Sword God and Xiao Hei sat cross-legged, breathing in pure Buddhist qi, both healing their injuries.
Earlier, one had been beaten until only white bones remained, while the other had turned into a mist of blood. Both were severely wounded. Under normal circumstances, it would take a long time to recover fully.
But this place was the divine sea of a God Venerable. Breathing in Buddhist qi here was like swallowing divine pills for healing.
Only Bore stood beneath the frozen mass that contained Kongli Canghai's body, her cold, beautiful figure reflected in over a dozen shadows on the icy surface.
Zhang Ruochen looked around but didn't see Chi Yao's figure. He walked toward Bore, putting on a confused and anxious expression. "What happened? Where is Gui Si? Who killed Kongli Canghai?"
Bore said, "Did the Sixth Patriarch not tell you?"
She had personally witnessed the Sixth Patriarch walk out of the Three-Life Gate and then return to it.
"Sixth Patriarch? What Sixth Patriarch? Didn't the Sixth Patriarch already pass away a hundred thousand years ago? Everyone in the world knows this." Zhang Ruochen said.
Bore stared at the Three-Life Gate, pondered for a moment, then nodded. "That's true. With the Sixth Patriarch's powerful cultivation, even if he was inside the Three-Life Gate, you wouldn't have been able to sense him."
"What exactly happened? Why did you suddenly mention the Sixth Patriarch?" Zhang Ruochen's eyes were filled with confusion.
Zhang Ruochen knew very well that both Chi Yao and Bore were extremely intelligent. Fooling them would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. If he directly admitted to having seen the Sixth Patriarch, it would leave many flaws.
It was better to directly deny it, which would be more believable.
"Oh my!"
Beside them, Xiao Hei let out a sigh.
There was a smug tone in its sigh. It said, "Zhang Ruochen, you missed a tremendous opportunity. Do you know, we just met the Sixth Patriarch himself? The Sixth Patriarch is indeed just like in the legends—boundless Buddhist Dharma, penetrating wisdom, yet approachable, speaking unpredictably, joyful and carefree, always wearing a childlike smile on his face."
The more it spoke, the more smug it became, as if it had a deep friendship with the Sixth Patriarch.
Zhang Ruochen was visibly moved. "Does that mean the Sixth Patriarch bestowed a great opportunity upon you?"
"Well... no. But being able to meet the Sixth Patriarch himself is already a supreme opportunity." Xiao Hei snorted lightly.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Sixth Patriarch has long since passed away, transforming into eighty-four thousand relics. Could you have mistaken someone, or been deceived?"
Xiao Hei laughed loudly. "Haha! Zhang Ruochen, you didn't get to see the Sixth Patriarch yourself... no, no, it's that the Sixth Patriarch didn't wish to see you. You think highly of yourself as a peerless prodigy who transcends the ages, so naturally you're dissatisfied in your heart, feeling overlooked. But you don't need to say such things. Deceived? We are true gods, each with heaven-penetrating abilities. Who could deceive us?"
"If you had seen how Golden Ju old ghost knelt before the Sixth Patriarch earlier, looking so cowardly and foolish, you would absolutely never think we were deceived!"
Bore said, "The Sixth Patriarch's true body is indeed inside the Three-Life Gate."
Zhang Ruochen showed an expression of surprise, shock, and awe, his face changing repeatedly.
Seeing how shaken he was, Xiao Hei wasn't surprised at all, because earlier they had been even more exaggerated than Zhang Ruochen's current expression.
Zhang Ruochen said, "So Golden Ju Great God really did come to the Abyss of Darkness. This is a huge problem. Legend says that a Great God is undefeatable, able to decide the life and death of ordinary true gods with a single thought."
Xiao Hei laughed again. "Why are you so scared? When Golden Ju Great God sees you, he'll probably have to call you Master."
"What do you mean?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Xiao Hei said leisurely, "He has already taken Bore as his teacher. If he doesn't call you Master, should he call you Mistress?"
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's confusion, Xiao Hei couldn't wait to embellish the story of how the Sixth Patriarch appeared, how Golden Ju Great God passed his power to Bore, and how he took her as his teacher.
When it described the Sixth Patriarch's appearance, it was utterly extravagant—Buddhist qi surging to the heavens, divine might pressing down on heaven and earth, breath forming rivers...
When it described Golden Ju Great God taking Bore as his teacher, it portrayed him as humble as a grandson.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Golden Ju Great God is a hegemon of the Ghost Clan, having lived for hundreds of thousands of years. How could he easily take a lower-ranked god as his teacher? In my opinion, he was only afraid of the Sixth Patriarch's authority and swallowed his anger. He will definitely seek revenge in the future."
Xiao Hei snorted coldly. "You simply don't understand the deterrent power of a Buddha Ancestor. As long as the Sixth Patriarch exists for one day, how would Golden Ju Great God dare to show the slightest disrespect to Bore?"
Zhang Ruochen had only casually said this, but he didn't expect Xiao Hei to get so worked up.
Xiao Hei continued, "Besides, Golden Ju Great God has offended half of the Hell Realm in the Abyss of Darkness this time. If he dares to be our enemy, even if he is a Great God, he won't escape death."
Zhang Ruochen looked as if he had been convinced. "Then where has Golden Ju Great God gone now?"
"After taking Bore as his teacher, he left, saying his cultivation had suffered a huge loss and he needed to recuperate. In my opinion, he felt that staying by Bore's side, having to call her Master all the time, would be too embarrassing for him, so he slipped away." Xiao Hei said this.
Bore asked, "What about you? Did you gain anything?"
Zhang Ruochen was about to take out the "Swallows Flying in Pair Painting," but then he thought of something and leaped up, flying toward the Golden Leaf Bodhi Forest.
Xiao Hei chuckled. "The Sixth Patriarch is inside the Three-Life Gate. Who could take the Three-Life Gate away? In this emperor's opinion, Zhang Ruochen didn't gain anything."
"No, his cultivation has increased significantly, already approaching the complete physical Dao transformation." Bore said.
Xiao Hei was surprised. "Really? This emperor didn't notice."
"Your divine soul and spiritual power aren't strong enough. And Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power is already above yours. How could you see through him?" Bore said.
Xiao Hei's face stiffened, feeling an unprecedented blow.
His spiritual power was actually inferior to Zhang Ruochen's?
It was too hard to accept this fact.
Inside the Three-Life Gate, with the help of Yunqing Ancient Buddha, Zhang Ruochen had further refined and absorbed the power of the Buddha Emperor Relic. The number of Sacred Dao Rules and Rule Divine Patterns in his body had exceeded sixty trillion.
His spiritual power had reached the early stage of the seventy-first rank.
One must know that every time spiritual power increases by one rank, combat power increases significantly.
To inherit the Three-Life Gate, Zhang Ruochen must first find the Mani Pearl and break the curse. That way, when he inherits the Three-Life Gate, he can directly break through to the realm of a true Martial God.
From Yunqing Ancient Buddha, Zhang Ruochen had obtained some clues about the Mani Pearl. But he still had concerns in his heart, so he didn't reveal them to Bore, Xiao Hei, and the others.
"Whoosh—"
Zhang Ruochen arrived beneath a Golden Leaf Bodhi tree and saw Se Hai lying unconscious at the base of the tree.
Her beautiful eyes were tightly closed, her green clothes like a lotus leaf.
Toward Se Hai, Zhang Ruochen had at least eighty percent trust. But there was still twenty percent suspicion, so he couldn't fully reveal his bottom line or open his heart when doing things or speaking.
He didn't know if doing this was the mindset of a petty person, but life and death were at stake, and he couldn't afford to be careless.
Bore followed, standing to the side, watching coldly.
Zhang Ruochen extended two fingers and pressed them against Se Hai's snow-white wrist. He mobilized strands of Buddhist qi from the Buddha Emperor Relic and injected them into her body, while also using his spiritual power to call her name.
"Se Hai! Se Hai..."
After a moment, Se Hai's long eyelashes trembled. Her eyelids, as delicate as solidified fat, opened, revealing a pair of beautiful, lively eyes. She looked at Zhang Ruochen, then glanced at Bore not far away.
"Senior Brother Ruochen!"
Se Hai sat up and, quite suddenly, hugged Zhang Ruochen, wrapping her arms around his neck. She sobbed softly, "Senior Brother Ruochen, Se Hai thought her Buddhist heart was firm, fearless and undaunted. But when I personally witnessed Kongli Canghai's divine soul being devoured by the Ghost Clan gods, I don't know why, but I was extremely afraid in my heart. Tell me, has my Buddhist heart already collapsed? Can I never become a true Buddha?"
Zhang Ruochen felt the warm, soft body in his arms and glanced at Bore beside him. He comforted her, "Having fear in your heart is only human. This is very normal."
Se Hai shook her head. "No, this is not normal. If it were before, Se Hai would never have had the slightest fear. It must be because..."
"Because of what?"
Se Hai's buried pretty face showed a hint of shyness. "It must be because Se Hai's Buddhist heart has long had a crack."
"Why would the Buddhist heart have a crack?" Zhang Ruochen asked, puzzled.
Se Hai's eyes were pitiful and delicate, tears swirling in her eye sockets. She said softly, "After coming to the Abyss of Darkness, Senior Brother Ruochen has shown Se Hai too much care and concern. Although Se Hai cultivates Buddhism, she is not without a heart. After so many life-and-death trials, no matter how firm the heart, how could it not stir up waves?"
"For a Buddhist cultivator, if the heart stirs up waves, it is on the edge of eternal damnation."
How could Zhang Ruochen not understand the meaning in her words? Feeling somewhat awkward, he quickly pushed her delicate body away and stepped back several paces. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Se Hai said, "Senior Brother Ruochen, Se Hai should not have stirred mortal feelings. I have failed the Buddhist Dharma, failed my master. I wish to stay here to mend my state of mind and repent through bitter cultivation. I hope Senior Brother will grant this wish!"
Zhang Ruochen was truly a bit afraid of her and really didn't dare to provoke this kind of relationship. "Alright, it's safer for you to stay here and cultivate. The outside world is too dangerous. When I find the Mani Pearl and Yinsnow Heaven, I'll come back to get you."
Being able to separate from Se Hai actually relieved Zhang Ruochen. He wouldn't have to be constantly on guard and suspicious everywhere. That feeling was too uncomfortable.
...
Zhang Ruochen, Bore, Xiao Hei, and Fengchen Sword God left the Golden Light Buddha Sea.
Inside the Three-Life Gate, Yunqing Ancient Buddha had not only given Zhang Ruochen the "Swallows Flying in Pair Painting" but also told him a sentence: "If you want to find the Mani Pearl, you don't necessarily have to go to the Great Dark Mountain. You can go to the western part of the city; perhaps you will find something."
When Zhang Ruochen asked what to look for in the western part of the city, Yunqing Ancient Buddha told him that every once in a while, he could sense the aura of the Udumbara Flower coming from the western part of the city.
If Yinsnow Heaven had come to the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, she would certainly have come to see Yunqing Ancient Buddha. So it wasn't strange that Yunqing Ancient Buddha knew the Udumbara Flower was related to Yinsnow Heaven.
Shortly after Zhang Ruochen and the others left, Se Hai stood up and walked into the Three-Life Gate.
...
There will be another chapter tonight.