Chapter 2855: Stirring Again
In this world, the hardest things to let go of, besides love and hate, emotion and righteousness, are regret and guilt.
The easiest way to die is to die without regret, to leave this world without carrying guilt.
When it came to romantic feelings between Bai Qinger and Zhang Ruochen, they were far from that point—at most, there was a hint of mutual appreciation. Yet, the choice she made caused Zhang Ruochen to feel self-blame and heartache, as if he had brought it all about.
Zhang Ruochen believed that Bai Qinger's actions were not necessarily just to retaliate against him.
Perhaps she was also retaliating against Huang Tian.
He had personally experienced the hatred she held for Huang Tian and the hatred for Empress Bai. As for Zhang Ruochen, it was very possible she held no hatred at all—only seeing him as a man of extraordinary talent, sharing a similar plight, not disliking him, even somewhat admiring him, and one who was worthy of her.
Such a man, she had only encountered one: Zhang Ruochen.
After they had shared an intimate connection, she began to entertain the thought of marrying him. And she, proud and aloof, would only marry a strong man—one who had become a god, like Zhang Ruochen.
The relationship between Bai Qinger and Zhang Ruochen stemmed from her admiration for him and her belief that only he was worthy of her. If Zhang Ruochen could not reach the divine realm, what would she have to admire him for? What qualifications would he have to be worthy of her?
Even if she forced herself to marry Zhang Ruochen…
But the word "force" already revealed her true intentions.
This, too, was a kind of feeling!
However, it lacked the purity and depth of the feelings he shared with Chi Yao, Mu Lingxi, and Bore. Because no matter what Zhang Ruochen became, it could never affect the emotions in their hearts.
Perhaps Bai Qinger also had her own helplessness. She sought the Heavenly Venerable Gauze not for herself, but for the Divine Maiden First City, for Xinghuantian.
In the face of war, every cultivator is helpless, all swept along by circumstances.
Yu Chenjing observed with keen insight, saying, "Senior seems very sorrowful."
"There is nothing to be sorrowful about. When life has only its last moment left, all worldly matters have nothing to do with me," Zhang Ruochen said.
These words, over the years, Zhang Ruochen had said to himself more than once.
But never before had he felt so much like laughing.
Laughing at himself, for deceiving himself.
Laughing at himself, for surrendering to death.
Death was like an invisible sword pressed against his neck, making him know that he would surely die in the next moment. Thus, he gave up resistance, gave up everything.
Yet death deliberately toyed with him, refusing to swing the sword, keeping him in torment on the edge of life and death, making him wait in a daze every day.
Zhang Ruochen dared not harbor hope, because once a person has hope, they become greedy for life and afraid of death.
Fear of death is human nature.
But for someone like Zhang Ruochen, once he began to cling to life and fear death, he would no longer be himself. He would lose all drive and never achieve anything again.
"Whoosh!"
The Xuan Tai below his navel stirred once more.
A circular ring of light patterns spread out, surging outward rapidly.
Within the Divine Maiden Pavilion, countless Dao locks, divine patterns, and formation inscriptions all emerged. Pillars of light shot up into the sky.
The lake surface between clusters of palace complexes exploded.
The gods within the pavilion were all alarmed, flying out of their palaces to peer into the surroundings with divine eyes.
"Who was that?"
"Such a powerful surge of divine power."
"With so many gods gathered in the Divine Maiden Pavilion, who dares to cause trouble?"
…
The various palaces fell into chaos.
Roars, screams, and discussions filled the air.
Countless Saint-level cultivators were so shaken by the burst of divine power that they knelt to the ground.
It came quickly and went just as quickly—the divine power fluctuation vanished in an instant.
Although the Divine Maiden Pavilion was filled with experts and gathered gods, not one could trace where the divine power fluctuation had originated.
The commotion gradually subsided.
Zhang Ruochen sank into confusion and contemplation. The fluctuation emanating from the Xuan Tai this time was so clear, its intensity greater than the last. What was going on?
What had triggered this fluctuation?
Was it a change in his mindset?
Unfortunately, the Xuan Tai remained empty.
Yu Chenjing and Yiman were both formidable in cultivation, but the divine power fluctuation from Zhang Ruochen's Xuan Tai had been too fast—so fast that they could not tell whether it had come from outside or from Zhang Ruochen himself.
"Daring to unleash divine power in the Divine Maiden Pavilion without causing destruction—it seems that person is deliberately provoking," Yu Chenjing said.
Yiman snorted coldly, "Don't worry, the city lord has surely sensed his location. Whoever he is, the city lord will make him pay."
Zhang Ruochen, sitting nearby, remained calm and unafraid of Empress Bai coming to find him.
If she came, so much the better—he could tell her about Huang Tian taking the Heavenly Venerable Gauze.
"Continue the music, continue the dance," Yiman said.
The colorful beauties, who had been forced to kneel by the divine power fluctuation, quickly stood up and resumed playing and dancing.
Zhang Ruochen and Yu Chenjing had been waiting for Lu Yi and Shang Xia, but what arrived instead was a challenge letter.
The one delivering the challenge was a Stone Clan Great Saint.
"On the Divine Cloud Battle Platform, settle it once and for all. Only victory or defeat, no life or death. The winner gets the Heavenly Venerable Gauze.—Shi Ying Shangjun."
After reading the challenge letter, Zhang Ruochen tossed it aside.
The Stone Clan Great Saint knelt below, saying, "Shangjun knows that the elder has little lifespan left and dislikes conflict, so he offers a Life-Extending Divine Pill as a gift. Regardless of the battle's outcome, the Life-Extending Divine Pill belongs to the elder."
An emperor-grade Sacred Pill was already extremely rare.
A divine pill—its value was beyond measure.
For a god nearing the end of their lifespan, nothing was more enticing than a Life-Extending Divine Pill.
If the Life-Extending Divine Pill were effective, Zhang Ruochen might have accepted Shi Ying Shangjun's challenge.
Unfortunately, he knew his own condition well. Not even a Life-Extending Divine Pill, nor a divine herb, held any meaning for him.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Go back and tell Shangjun to send the Life-Extending Divine Pill first. If it proves useful after I take it, then I will consider whether to accept his challenge."
"This… very well, this junior will relay your words to Shangjun."
The Stone Clan Great Saint withdrew and immediately went to Shi Ying Shangjun's palace, repeating Zhang Ruochen's proposal.
"Fool! Can't you tell that old thing is mocking me?"
"Boom!"
Shi Ying Shangjun flew into a rage, slapping out and shattering the Stone Clan Great Saint into a pile of stone powder. "Damn it! Even a Life-Extending Divine Pill can't move him. Is that old bastard not afraid of death?"
"If so, we'll have to use the last resort," said the Stone Clan god Hei Lin, his eyes dark.
Shi Ying Shangjun nodded. "Spread the news that the Heavenly Venerable Gauze is on him. Some gods will surely take the risk and try to seize it. As long as the gauze isn't on that old thing, it will be much easier for us to take it."
Yu Chenjing considered herself exceptionally clever, but at this moment, she could not guess whether the Heavenly Venerable Gauze was truly on this elder.
Even a Life-Extending Divine Pill couldn't move him—what could?
As for Yiman, she was in shock, never imagining that the Heavenly Venerable Gauze, which the Goddess Twelve Pavilions had sought in vain, was on this old man.
"I must leave."
Zhang Ruochen stood up, walked to the old yellow ox, and untied the rope from the pillar.
Yu Chenjing and Yiman immediately pursued him.
Yiman was overly attentive, her smile seductive, as she grabbed Zhang Ruochen's arm, her beautiful eyes shimmering. "Senior, aren't you going to see the young master? Wait a little longer—Lu Yi and Shang Xia will surely return soon."
At this point, if Zhang Ruochen would stay, she would even offer herself.
Yu Chenjing also didn't want to let Zhang Ruochen leave, quickly saying, "Senior carries a treasure that the Goddess Twelve Pavilions most desires. Young Master Bai will definitely see you."
"I can't wait for them. Big trouble will find me soon."
Zhang Ruochen led the old yellow ox out of the palace.
Yiman and Yu Chenjing tried to block him again, but found themselves unable to move, their mouths sealed shut.
Once outside the palace, Zhang Ruochen and the old yellow ox vanished into space, as if invisible.
News of the Heavenly Venerable Gauze spread rapidly through the Divine Maiden Pavilion. One god after another rushed to that palace, but all found it empty.
Zhang Ruochen, however, had not truly left. Instead, he led the old yellow ox along a lakeside path.
Earlier, he had collected a wisp of Shang Xia's aura, and now he used his spiritual power to sense its location, tracking it down.
Before leaving, he had to see Bai Qinger.
When Zhang Ruochen found Shang Xia, she was sitting in a crescent-shaped boat on the lake. Hidden within the boat was not Bai Qinger, but Luo Sheng Tian.
The two were leaning against each other, pouring out their years of longing and dreams for the future.
So beautiful.
Zhang Ruochen watched the moon boat drift past, hearing all their sweet words, and sighed deeply. "Ah, to be young."
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's gaze sharpened. On the opposite shore of the lake, he saw a figure even younger than Luo Sheng Tian and Shang Xia. An emotion surged within him, moistening his eyes.
He withdrew the old yellow ox into his palm, then leaped into the air, landing on a crescent-shaped boat in the lake, wanting to get a closer look at that figure.
It was Chi Kunlun.
Chi Kunlun was no longer a youth but a Great Saint who had cultivated for a thousand years. He stood tall among the crowd, with the broad and heavy Abyssal Ancient Sword strapped to his back.
Before him stood a high platform.
On the platform hung two lanterns. An old man in Confucian robes and a young girl in green were narrating the "Ten-Thousand-Year Review."
The old man in Confucian robes sat at a desk, took a sip of tea, and began, "The Red Dust Unrivaled Tower, beyond the Sea Stone Starry Sky. The Red Dust Tower reviews the people of the red dust; the Starry Sky Cliff discusses the affairs of ten thousand years."
"Today's first chapter is—Right and wrong over eighteen hundred years, the 'Thirty-Three Heavens' forged the two most stunning figures of this era."
At this, the young girl in green began to play the pipa.
After a few notes, she paused.
The old man continued, "When it comes to the two most stunning figures of the past ten thousand years, you probably all think of Zhang and Yan. But no—the entanglements of love and hate between Zhang Ruochen and Empress Chi Yao is the most twisted and interesting chapter of this era."