Chapter 2852: Divine Maiden First City
A great saint-level white lion beast pulled an ancient carriage of purple jade and red silk, traveling through Divine Maiden Garment City.
On the carriage, the words "First City" were marked.
Cultivators on the ancient long street all knew that the person in the carriage must be a major figure from Divine Maiden First City, and they stepped back one after another, clearing the central path.
Inside the carriage sat three women, all of national beauty and heavenly fragrance, capable of captivating cultivators across the world, and possessing top-tier mortal realm cultivation.
One of them was Lu Yi, the building master of one of the one hundred and eighty buildings of Goddess Twelve Pavilions.
Sitting beside Lu Yi was Shang Xia.
As a former disciple of Bai Qinger, she had cultivated in the Qiankun Realm for a thousand years, later joined the Guanghan Realm, and became a disciple of the Moon God. Now, her cultivation was increasingly profound.
"Xiao Xia, you are now the number one figure in the mortal world of the Guanghan Realm, an expert on the *Red Dust Peerless List*. The Moon God actually let you return. This time, don't go back!"
Lu Yi's temperament was seductive, and when she smiled, her lips were red and teeth white, as if she could steal a woman's soul.
Sitting opposite Shang Xia was a beauty dressed as a man, her skin white as fine jade, eyebrows like willow leaves, holding a folding fan, pretending to be a dashing young man.
She said, "The Moon God has already survived the fourth Eon Calamity, and in the future, she may become a God Venerable. Shang Xia, having become her disciple, has a bright future ahead. Why abandon the light and return to the darkness of Goddess Twelve Pavilions?"
"Returning to Goddess Twelve Pavilions—how is that abandoning the light for darkness?" Lu Yi showed displeasure.
The beauty dressed as a man was skilled in argument and wanted to say something offensive.
But Shang Xia tugged at her clothes and gently shook her head, feeling that this Heavenly Maiden was too arrogant. Having come to Xinghuantian, she still wanted to offend the master here. Did she really think Goddess Twelve Pavilions was just a lowly place?
The beauty dressed as a man thought it over, swallowed the words at her lips, closed her mouth, and said nothing more.
But the dispute between women was not so easily stopped.
One word offended her, and she would throw ten words back.
Lu Yi sneered, "Your Heavenly Court and Hell Realm have been fighting for fifty years, losing for fifty years. One ancient civilization after another, one cultivation planet after another—destroyed or retreated."
"How many cultivators have been captured by the Hell Realm army and turned into slaves? Their fate isn't exactly good, is it?"
"How much territory of your ancient civilization faction has now become Hell Realm's domain? How many cultivators have turned into Corpse Clan, vengeful ghosts, white bones, and blood food?"
"Let me ask, Heavenly Maiden, what do you have to be proud of?"
"Everyone knows your purpose for coming to Xinghuantian."
The beauty dressed as a man closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, unwilling to argue with her. If it weren't for the gravity of the matter, which might even determine the direction of the entire Heavenly Court and Hell battlefield, she truly wouldn't want to come to Xinghuantian.
Even less did she want to use Shang Xia's connections.
But proud as she was, facing the Hell Realm army's sweeping attacks like a whirlwind, and the life-and-death crisis of the ancient civilization faction, she had to lower her proud head and work for a purpose she despised.
Such was the helplessness!
The three women in the carriage had different personalities.
Shang Xia was quiet as water, quickly persuading Lu Yi and calming her emotions, saying, "Our purpose in coming to Divine Maiden First City this time is actually to see Master before the Linglong Assembly."
"She wants to see the Young Master?"
Lu Yi showed a puzzled expression, staring at the beauty dressed as a man.
Shang Xia shook her head, "It's Tai Zhenjun."
Lu Yi showed a look of understanding. Given Tai Zhenjun's reputation and talent, he was qualified to see the Young Master. But the Young Master also had high standards—whether he would meet Tai Zhenjun was still unknown.
Lu Yi didn't dare make a decision for Bai Qinger.
But Bai Qinger only had two disciples, Shang Xia and Shang Yue. Since Shang Xia had returned to pay respects, she would most likely agree to meet.
The beauty dressed as a man lifted the carriage curtain with her jade-like hand and looked outside.
The towering city wall of Divine Maiden First City was already before her eyes, built of giant stones, reaching up to the clouds.
In her pupils, Origin Divine Light flowed as she observed carefully, and she couldn't help but sigh, "Truly a city left by a Heavenly Venerable. No wonder Goddess Twelve Pavilions has the ambition to refine this city into a Divine City. Perhaps they might actually succeed."
This city, in its earliest days, was not called Divine Maiden First City.
It was called Xinghuan City.
It was a city that Xinghuan Heavenly Venerable had helped build.
Unfortunately, in ancient times, Xinghuan City was destroyed and became a ruin.
Divine Maiden First City was built from the ruins of Xinghuan City, which is why there are still some forbidden areas within the city. Even ordinary gods dare not act recklessly here.
The current city wall was partly made from the remnants of the old Xinghuan City. Using the Origin Divine Eye, one could see Heavenly Venerable divine patterns hidden within the wall. If triggered, the consequences would be unpredictable.
At the city gate, Zhang Ruochen, leading the old yellow ox, was also gazing at the wall, feeling the ancient charm and the lingering might of the Heavenly Venerable.
What lay before him was not like a wall, but like millions of gods standing side by side. Anyone who dared to force their way in would invite a deadly calamity.
Among the Ten Dark Powers of Hell Realm, only Goddess Twelve Pavilions dared to open its one hundred and eighty buildings in the open. Only Goddess Twelve Pavilions' headquarters could be openly established in a place known to all, and even occupy the former site of a Heavenly Venerable.
Zhang Ruochen roughly understood the reason.
With the defense of this Divine Maiden First City alone, as long as Goddess Twelve Pavilions didn't provoke an enemy at the God Venerable level, any other cultivator who came to cause trouble would be seeking their own death.
He wondered what major event was happening in Divine Maiden First City recently. The one guarding the city gate was actually a Great Saint-level expert.
Moreover, only cultivators who had reached at least the Saint King realm could enter the city.
Even so, the stream of cultivators entering the city was endless.
Could a single Xinghuantian have so many Saint King and Great Saint-level experts?
Zhang Ruochen stood at the city gate for a moment, growing more and more surprised. The cultivators entering the city included not only strong members of the Hell Realm clans but also cultivators from various Heavenly Court realms, each with an imposing air, clearly from deep backgrounds.
He even saw the figures of gods.
Zhang Ruochen led the ox and walked over.
As expected, he was stopped by the Great Saint guarding the city gate. This Great Saint's gaze fell on the ox behind Zhang Ruochen, sensing that the old yellow ox's aura was only at the Saint level.
This Great Saint was still polite, saying, "Old sir, during the Linglong Assembly, only cultivators who have reached the Saint King realm can enter the First City."
"Are there no exceptions?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
A mocking laugh came from the side: "If you were a god, of course, you'd be an exception."
More than ten demon clan Great Saints, having transformed into human form, walked over grandly.
The one who had spoken was a young man with a red mole between his eyebrows, looking less than thirty years old, with a domineering air. But his cultivation was strong, having reached the Great Saint Supreme Realm.
Zhang Ruochen turned to look.
He saw through his true form—it was a Blood Hou.
"Blood Hou Divine Son."
The Great Saint of Goddess Twelve Pavilions bowed to the Blood Hou Divine Son and the other demon clan Great Saints one by one.
This group of cultivators were top-tier experts of the demon clan's mortal world—how could he not treat them with caution?
Another demon clan Great Saint with an eagle-like nose laughed, "Old man, your lifespan is almost gone, your life force withered. Why come to a place like Divine Maiden First City? Hurry up and lead your ox away, so you don't invite more ridicule."
Another laugh sounded: "Even if you want to come to Goddess Twelve Pavilions, at least change your appearance to look younger, right? Otherwise, which woman would take a liking to you?"
"This ox—I initially thought it was a member of the demon clan, but looking closely, it's just an ordinary Saint-level barbarian beast with a common bloodline."
...
The nature of demon clan cultivators was clearly different from that of human cultivators. They didn't focus on cultivating the heart but emphasized following their desires and natural instincts.
Eat when hungry, kill when needed, flee when necessary, laugh when amused.
These demon clan Great Saints all had extraordinary origins and top-tier cultivation. Wherever they went, they were worshipped by billions of living beings. Coming to Xinghuantian naturally gave them a sense of superiority.
Deep down, they looked down on Xinghuantian and Goddess Twelve Pavilions.
Yet they flocked to the women of Goddess Twelve Pavilions.
Lu Yi, who had been sitting on the carriage, saw Zhang Ruochen's aged figure at the city gate. She was first startled, then showed joy, immediately getting off the carriage and walking over.
"Senior!" she called out excitedly from afar.
The Great Saint guarding the city gate saw Lu Yi and immediately went over to bow: "Greetings, Building Master Lu."
The group of demon clan Great Saints saw Lu Yi, and each showed looks of astonishment, their eyes fixed on her.
When these cultivators saw Lu Yi bow respectfully to Zhang Ruochen, they were all stunned.
"Senior, why have you come to Xinghuantian?" Lu Yi was delighted, but her face always showed reverence, knowing how powerful the senior before her was.
"I want to enter Divine Maiden First City to handle a matter. This is one of the few things I want to do before I die," Zhang Ruochen said.
Lu Yi looked around, understanding what had happened, and said, "Come in with me!"
"Thank you," Zhang Ruochen said.
Hearing this "thank you," Lu Yi was secretly startled.
A god actually said "thank you" to her, a Great Saint—it was beyond her understanding.
She could only sigh inwardly, thinking that the senior was truly the most approachable person she had ever met.
Lu Yi didn't return to the carriage but, like a maidservant, accompanied Zhang Ruochen as they entered Divine Maiden First City.
Behind them, the great saint-level white lion beast followed closely. The beauty dressed as a man in the carriage curiously asked Shang Xia, "Who is that old man leading the ox? Is he a master from your Goddess Twelve Pavilions?"
"I've never seen him before," Shang Xia said.
The beauty dressed as a man said, "He is at least a Spiritual Power god, very extraordinary. It seems this Linglong Assembly will indeed attract many gods. A great storm is coming!"
Zhang Ruochen heard her voice, turned to look into the carriage, and met the eyes of the beauty dressed as a man, recognizing her as Qianxing Tiannu Yu Chenjing.
"Why is she here?"
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his gaze, muttering to himself, very surprised.
It seemed that something major was indeed happening in Xinghuantian. Otherwise, why would the various forces of Heavenly Court and Hell Realm set aside the Starry Sky Battlefield and gather their experts in Divine Maiden First City?
At the city gate, the group of demon clan Great Saints were asking the guards of Goddess Twelve Pavilions about Lu Yi, full of interest in this beautiful building master.