Chapter 2854: So That's How It Is
Zhang Ruochen said, "I have heard that Shangqiu possesses a divine ability that is peerless and unmatched, the essence of Shang Tian's lifelong cultivation, called the Eight Techniques of Desolate Heaven. If the Heavenly Grandson could deliver the complete cultivation method of the Eight Techniques of Desolate Heaven, then this Heavenly Venerable Gauze, I might consider giving it to you."
"How dare you!"
A deity from Paradise Realm shouted, his divine voice carrying sound waves infused with rule divine patterns.
This deity was no ordinary being. A pair of white wings on his back radiated dazzling light, containing endless divine qi, while flames and colorful clouds emanated outward. He was a mid-rank god with profound foundations.
Unfortunately, an invisible wall seemed to stand before Zhang Ruochen. The divine sound attack struck three feet away from him and vanished entirely.
Even Yu Chenjing, Lu Yi, and Shang Xia, who were standing close by, remained unaffected, unaware that if Zhang Ruochen had not blocked the attack, they would have been reduced to three piles of bones.
The deity who had unleashed the divine sound showed a flicker of surprise in his eyes and dared not act rashly again.
When gods clashed, a single exchange revealed their depth.
The divine sound he had just released, whether in its control over the range of the sound waves or its sheer power, far exceeded that of an ordinary mid-rank god. Yet it was like a stone thrown into an abyss—no echo returned, unfathomably deep.
Shang Hong possessed extraordinary composure. His divine eyes narrowed slightly as he said, "This condition, I cannot fulfill."
Shang Hong turned and walked away, directly ascending the white jade steps and entering the Divine Maiden Tower of the World.
The cultivators of the Paradise Realm faction all showed hostile expressions. Some snorted softly, others chuckled darkly, before following closely behind Shang Hong.
Lu Yi breathed a quiet sigh of relief and remarked, "Shang Hong truly lives up to his reputation as the Heavenly Grandson. His bearing and restraint are admirable. No wonder he has so many followers."
Yu Chenjing said, "First he called you 'senior,' then 'sir.' First he referred to himself as 'I, the humble one,' then 'I, the master.'"
"Shang Hong is already angry," Shang Xia said.
Yu Chenjing asked, "Senior, why must you provoke him? If you had just said the Heavenly Venerable Gauze wasn't on you, the two sides wouldn't have ended up in such enmity."
Everyone knew that the Eight Techniques of Desolate Heaven were Shangqiu's ultimate martial art, the very foundation of their heritage. How could it be passed to an outsider?
Proposing such a condition was essentially mocking Shang Hong.
How could Shang Hong not be angry?
"It was he who said I could ask for whatever I wanted. In the end, he couldn't deliver, and he got angry himself. It shows that Yi Tianjun's teachings were lacking—his temperament is too poor!"
Zhang Ruochen knew Shang Hong hadn't gone far and could still hear him, so he deliberately said this.
He couldn't help it. Whenever he encountered cultivators from Paradise Realm, it always stirred up the painful memories in Zhang Ruochen's heart. The two sides had long since forged a death feud. No matter how calm his heart, the hatred could not be forgotten.
The blood debt owed by Paradise Realm was unforgettable.
To dare evaluate Shang Hong like this?
To even dare criticize Yi Tianjun?
Lu Yi and Shang Xia's faces turned pale, and they dared not respond.
The Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden, however, silently pondered whether she had spoken too boldly earlier. This old senior appeared harmless, but she felt he was no easy character.
Zhang Ruochen stood beneath the tiers of jade steps, gazing up at the five gleaming golden characters: "Divine Maiden Tower of the World." He said, "Divine Maiden Tower of the World! Such imposing momentum. No wonder there are thoughts of refining the First Divine Maiden City into a divine city. Unfortunately, this ambition is destined to remain unfulfilled."
Zhang Ruochen led the old yellow ox and walked upward.
An ox entering the Divine Maiden Tower of the World was nothing unusual. Inside, there were cultivators from the demon clan, beast clan, rotting corpses, skeletons—all kinds of bizarre beings.
But a white-haired old man in gray linen clothes, accompanied by three renowned and stunningly beautiful women, walking in together—that was truly an oddity, instantly drawing countless gazes.
Yet no one dared utter a disrespectful word.
Because the stranger it was, the more it indicated that the old man was not to be trifled with.
In the Reception Hall, Lu Yi had another building master-level expert take Zhang Ruochen and Yu Chenjing to a temporary resting place. She and Shang Xia went directly to pay respects to Bai Qinger.
She dared not bring Zhang Ruochen and Yu Chenjing directly to see Bai Qinger without first seeking permission.
The Linglong Assembly was held once every three thousand years, the grandest event of the Goddess Twelve Pavilions.
This year's Linglong Assembly was especially unique. All one hundred and eighty building masters had been summoned back. Each of them was a powerful figure among Great Saints, showcasing the strength of the Goddess Twelve Pavilions, far surpassing ordinary major worlds.
It was no wonder they could occupy Xinghuantian.
The building master assigned to receive Zhang Ruochen and Yu Chenjing was named Yiman, a Great Saint from the Elf Clan.
Other building masters were receiving gods like Shang Hong—either with formidable backgrounds or renowned reputations. Yiman naturally wished to meet such figures. If she caught the eye of a god and formed a bond, her status and influence within the Goddess Twelve Pavilions would rise significantly.
Of course, if it developed into true love and marriage, that would be ideal.
Thus, being assigned to receive Yu Chenjing and an obscure old man left Yiman in a foul mood, feeling she had missed an opportunity.
Opportunities to meet young and promising gods did not come often.
But Yiman did not show her displeasure. As she led the way, she explained to Zhang Ruochen and Yu Chenjing the famous stories of various halls in the Divine Maiden Tower of the World and the features of its scenic spots.
The layout and arrangement of the Divine Maiden Tower of the World were largely similar to the Divine Maiden Tower in the Fate Divine Domain—cloud towers and flying islands suspended high, with flower boats and moon lanterns floating on the lake.
Though night had not fully fallen, the entire Divine Maiden Tower of the World was already brightly lit, with lively voices rising from all directions, accompanied by the music of strings and pipes.
A vivid picture of mortal life, amidst the intoxicating splendor of the human world.
The Divine Maiden Tower in the Fate Divine Domain had only nine palace clusters, while the Divine Maiden Tower of the World had twenty-one, several times larger in scale.
Yiman walked side by side with Yu Chenjing and took the initiative to ask, "Will the Grand True Lord be attending the Linglong Assembly?"
Her eyes held a look of anticipation.
Yu Chenjing had not reached the divine realm, and despite her high talent, she could not compare to gods like Shang Hong. But the Grand True Lord of the Thousand Star Civilization was a top-tier existence, a divine powerhouse admired and fascinated by women everywhere.
Yu Chenjing smiled and said, "The Linglong Assembly is such a grand event; my tenth uncle naturally intends to come."
Yiman's discontent immediately dissipated.
The legendary Yu Taizhen, said to have the potential to become a God Venerable—if she could meet this divine powerhouse through Yu Chenjing, it would be a tremendous opportunity.
As they passed a moon-shaped arched bridge, Zhang Ruochen noticed a twenty-second palace cluster. It was pitch black, filled with ruins and broken walls, yet exuding an air of infinite mystery.
Zhang Ruochen pointed and asked, "What place is that?"
Yiman was slightly startled and said, "Senior can actually see that place?"
Yu Chenjing used her Origin Divine Eye to look, but saw only darkness, nothing at all.
"That is the site of the Star Huan Heavenly Venerable Hall."
Yiman's face was full of reverence, and she gained a new understanding of this white-haired old man. No wonder Lu Yi had insisted she receive him—he was indeed no ordinary cultivator.
"Impressive. The Divine Maiden Tower of the World is built outside the Heavenly Venerable Hall ruins. No wonder after entering the tower, I can sense nothing beyond a hundred steps. It must be the residual power of the Heavenly Venerable affecting my spiritual power and perception," Yu Chenjing said.
Yiman showed a hint of pride and said, "It's not built outside the ruins; in fact, the Divine Maiden Tower of the World and the Heavenly Venerable Hall ruins overlap in some areas. For example, the most lively place tonight, the Divine Cloud Battle Platform."
"Why is the Divine Cloud Battle Platform the most lively place tonight?" Yu Chenjing asked curiously.
Yiman replied, "Because tonight, an unprecedented divine battle will erupt there."
"That sounds interesting," Yu Chenjing said.
Yiman said, "The Heavenly Grandson Shang Hong challenging Hai Shang Ming Gong of the Destiny Temple's Sea Shang Ming Palace—it's more than just interesting. It's the ultimate showdown of this eon."
Zhang Ruochen had heard of Hai Shang Ming Gong.
He was a former divine son of the Destiny Temple, having become a god even earlier than the seven-thousand-year-old divine maiden Qing Feiwei.
In this eon, if one were to pick the cultivator with the highest talent, Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen were unavoidable.
But to pick the one with the highest cultivation and strongest combat power, one could not bypass Qing Feiwei, Hai Shang Ming Gong, and other older divine sons and daughters of the Destiny Temple.
The duel between Shang Hong and Hai Shang Ming Gong was indeed a clash of top-tier experts of this eon, but calling it the ultimate showdown was something Yu Chenjing could not agree with.
Yiman led Zhang Ruochen and Yu Chenjing to a palace, where various rare delicacies and fine wines were immediately served.
Of course, there were also dancing beauties and music.
Upon learning that figures like Shang Hong, Hai Shang Ming Gong, and Yu Taizhen were all coming to Xinghuantian for the Linglong Assembly, and having previously encountered Shi Ying Shangjun, Qing Xuan Lingshen, Ai Lianjun, and Wuma Jiuxing, Zhang Ruochen realized he had inadvertently stepped into another massive vortex of turmoil.
So he asked Yu Chenjing, "Little Fish, I have a question. The Linglong Assembly is held every three thousand years—nothing particularly special. How can it attract so many gods? These gods are all highly talented and have extraordinary mindsets; they don't seem like the type to be swayed by mere beauty."
Hearing this mysterious senior address her so familiarly, Yu Chenjing felt flattered and quickly replied, "Senior may not know this, but ordinary beauty naturally cannot attract figures like Shang Hong and Hai Shang Ming Gong. However, if it's Bai Qinger, that's a different story."
Zhang Ruochen's brow furrowed even more. "How so?"
Yu Chenjing's expression turned serious. "The battle between the Hell Realm and the Heavenly Court is growing increasingly brutal. A full-scale outbreak is only a matter of time. And Xinghuantian is destined to remain aloof from the conflict forever. Empress Bai is exceptionally shrewd and clearly understood this long ago. That's why, a hundred thousand years ago, she began hosting the Linglong Assembly, gathering rare treasures from across the world to repeatedly forge and refine the First Divine Maiden City."
"Only by forging the First Divine Maiden City into a divine city, using its power to envelop all of Xinghuantian, can it avoid being easily breached in the future. This both protects themselves and increases the leverage they hold."
"Facing life and death, not long ago, Bai Qinger returned from the border universe and announced that whoever could personally present the Heavenly Venerable Gauze to her at the Linglong Assembly—regardless of who they were, their appearance, their race, their cultivation, or their character—she would marry them."
"The only restriction is that they must be a cultivator born in this eon."
Zhang Ruochen's heart ached as if pierced by a knife. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
Just like her.
She truly meant what she said.
No wonder...
No wonder Desolate Heaven had personally intervened to seize the Heavenly Venerable Gauze.