Chapter 2949: Burial Beneath the Flowers
"Silly girl, come with me. There's nothing worth watching here. The most important thing for you right now is to lay a solid foundation and prepare for your future assault on the God Realm. Matters of romance can wait until after you become a god."
"If you don't become a god, you only have a mere ten thousand years of lifespan."
"Ten thousand years from now, the eternal companionship you seek now will be nothing but an empty dream."
Chi Xingtian stood beneath the starry sky, rare as it was for him to speak such earnest words of advice.
He was very patient with Mu Lingxi.
Mu Lingxi spread her Phoenix wings behind her, her entire body bathed in colorful clouds. Her clear eyes were fixed on the direction of Xinghuantian, unwilling to leave.
How many years of waiting.
A brief meeting, then another parting.
Mu Lingxi quickly withdrew her gaze, her eyes resolute. "I must possess powerful cultivation. I don't seek to be invincible under heaven, only to be able to spend a lifetime with him."
"Thinking like that is exactly right. Your adoptive father will do everything in his power to help you. Your Saint Realm foundation must at least reach the peak of Half-God!"
Chi Xingtian laughed heartily, then turned serious. "Every strong person in this world must have their own path, a firm heart that pursues higher and farther goals. Your heart isn't strong enough yet; you rely too much on that brat Zhang Ruochen."
"How about this: cultivate the Demon Path with me, open the Xuanpin. Perhaps with a second Divine Source, your will can truly become independent and pursue greater visions. When we return to Kunlun this time, your adoptive father will take you to the Nine Li Divine Temple ruins. Until you become a god, you won't be allowed to leave seclusion."
Mu Lingxi nodded.
The Battle of Xinghuantian had made her realize the gap between herself and Zhang Ruochen was already enormous.
Perhaps Zhang Ruochen didn't care about her low cultivation.
But she did.
"Flower God, you've grown even more beautiful, younger than a hundred thousand years ago. Care to make a detour to Kunlun Realm as a guest? It's been years since we last met, and I miss you dearly. Let's catch up together?"
Chi Xingtian's face was flushed with enthusiasm, acting as if they were old acquaintances as he waved from afar at the Mandala Flower God.
The Mandala Flower God wore a white robe, still as a quiet orchid, her gaze deep and utterly calm. "Not interested."
Having asked on a whim while in a good mood, Chi Xingtian wasn't the least bit embarrassed. He turned his gaze to Chi Yao, clearly asking whether this rising star of Kunlun Realm, the empress with the greatest influence in the mortal world, would return with them.
Chi Yao received a divine message talisman, a barely perceptible flicker of surprise in her eyes. "I need to go to the Ancient God Nest. Farewell, two ancient gods."
She tore through the void and vanished from the spot.
Chi Xingtian looked at Mu Lingxi. "See that? That's the mindset a god should have. Never cling to romantic attachments, never become a man's appendage. Live a brilliant life of your own. Flower God, I'm off. Next time, I'll visit Thousand Stamen Realm alone to find you!"
After Chi Xingtian and Mu Lingxi left, Ji Fanxin asked, "Master, are you very familiar with that man?"
The Mandala Flower God showed no good expression, feeling offended by Chi Xingtian's familiarity. "I've met him a few times. I never expected him to still be alive and free from the Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm. Kunlun Realm's current strength is truly not to be underestimated!"
"Before long, in another eon, when the new generation of gods led by Chi Yao reach the Great God realm, the Western Universe will surely undergo a new reshuffling. I think the Paradise Realm, and even the top ten powerful realms of the Western Universe, are all under immense pressure now."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Ji Fanxin said.
The Mandala Flower God said, "Not necessarily. A hundred thousand years ago, the Yunshen Daozhu arranged the Starry Sky Grand Formation, blocking the entire Yellow Spring Star River. What a breathtaking spirit! He was rated by many gods as the number one in spiritual power. But this time, during the Heaven Sealing, he refused to accept it and yielded his Heavenly Throne."
"I heard that after being imprisoned in the Destiny Temple for a hundred thousand years, his spiritual power was worn down immensely, no longer what it once was. He himself admitted he lacked the strength to become one of the Twenty Heavens, so he refused the Heavenly Throne," Ji Fanxin said.
The Mandala Flower God said, "If his spiritual power had truly been worn down to the point where he couldn't seal the heavens, how could the twelve Divine Venerables of the Destiny Temple have failed to kill him?"
Ji Fanxin said, "Master believes the Island Lord is biding his time?"
The Mandala Flower God didn't answer that question. "The Yunshen Daozhu is just one example! A hundred thousand years ago, the Dragon Lord Jiwang was also a figure of extraordinary talent, yet now he claims severe injuries and hardly shows himself in public, keeping an extremely low profile."
"Just wait and see. When Kunlun Realm's strength is sufficient, they will surely avenge the grievances of the past. When that time comes, I only hope the conflict doesn't spread too wide or cause too much internal attrition."
"These grudges are just idle talk for us. The Heavenly Palace will step in to resolve them. For Thousand Stamen Realm, the top priority now is still finding a way to rescue the Saint Realm army trapped on Xinghuantian."
Ji Fanxin's heart was complicated. She knew her master was saying this hoping she would step in and use Zhang Ruochen's connections to plead for the Thousand Stamen Realm's Saint Realm army.
Ji Fanxin said, "Xinghuantian suffered heavy losses. Entire nations turned to ash. Even the White Queen fell. Moreover, the gods of the Hell Realm are right outside Xinghuantian, eyeing the thirteen realms' armies covetously. It won't be easy for the Saint Realm army to retreat unscathed."
Hearing this, the Mandala Flower God understood her intentions and didn't press further. "Defeated, after all, one must pay the price."
...
At the Yuchen Divine Temple, the hibiscus tree stood like a towering divine tree, its roots like coiled dragons, its branches like an umbrella, its red blossoms blooming exceptionally brilliantly.
Beneath the tree.
Desolate Heaven's body was as tall and straight as before, but his temples had turned white, giving him an infinite sense of sorrow.
He held the White Queen's withered, skeletal corpse, sitting on the earth as if he couldn't see Zhang Ruochen standing there. After an unknown amount of time, he finally touched the White Queen's cheek one last time and buried her body in the grave that had once held Yulongxian.
The soil was scooped into the pit by his hands, one handful at a time, with extreme tenderness, as if afraid of hurting the White Queen.
Zhang Ruochen understood why Desolate Heaven had brought the White Queen here. It was precisely because he understood that, upon discovering the White Queen's corpse had gone missing, he could find this place first.
When the soil had completely covered the body, Zhang Ruochen wanted to offer some words of comfort but couldn't help saying, "In the end, people must die..."
"Shut up!" Desolate Heaven said.
Zhang Ruochen said no more.
Once obsession takes root in a person's heart, how can words move them?
Only when the fresh soil on the grave was covered with a thick layer of red petals did Desolate Heaven finally speak. "Leave. I want to stay here alone for a while."
The "while" he mentioned would surely not be short.
Zhang Ruochen knew that Desolate Heaven's wounds were not only physical but even deeper within his heart. So he slightly cupped his hands. "Farewell!"
"Don't tell them I'm here," Desolate Heaven said.
Just as Zhang Ruochen stepped out of the Yuchen Divine Temple's gate, a vast amount of Death Divine Patterns emerged behind him, and gray mist rose from the ground, shrouding the entire temple ruins.
Vaguely, chains and lightning intertwined within the gray mist, sending chills through the heart.
"I wonder how long it will take for this knot in his heart to unravel."
Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but extend a finger forward.
"Clatter!"
A wisp of gray mist escaped and landed on Zhang Ruochen, carrying a power as if it could shatter heaven and earth, sending him flying backward.
"Why provoke a man whose heart is as dead as ashes?" a gentle voice came from behind.
Zhang Ruochen rubbed his aching chest and turned around. He saw the Absolute Zen Nun standing on the gravel-strewn Gobi, dressed in green like a lotus leaf after rain, her snow-white skin like a newly bloomed sacred lotus, flawless and pure.
She remained as calm as an ancient well, as if nothing in the world could stir joy or sorrow within her.
Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly. "I wanted to persuade him."
"His heart is stronger than anyone's. He doesn't need your persuasion," the Absolute Zen Nun said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "So, I was meddling?"
"Your meddling has indeed been too broad. It nearly cost me my life," she said.
Zhang Ruochen walked up to her, his eyes sincere. "Thank you for your help, Zen Nun. If you hadn't held back Xuan Yi, the Battle of Xinghuantian would have been fraught with peril."
The Absolute Zen Nun said, "I acted for the 'Underworld Soldier Scroll,' not for you."
As she spoke, she extended a slender, soft jade hand, clearly demanding payment.
Back then, Zhang Ruochen had sent the Underworld Flower Pavilion Master to deliver a letter to the Absolute Zen Nun, intending to use the "Underworld Soldier Scroll" to lure her to Xinghuantian. At the time, he only wanted her help against the Old Corpse Ghost and Shang Hong.
He never imagined that the situation on Xinghuantian would spiral out of control, nearly leading to the realm's destruction.
Zhang Ruochen was a man who distinguished between kindness and enmity. This time, he owed the Absolute Zen Nun a significant debt. Therefore, he directly transmitted the cultivation method of the "Underworld Soldier Scroll" to her.
The Absolute Zen Nun closed her eyes and meditated for a moment, confirming the authenticity of the "Underworld Soldier Scroll." "It is indeed the 'Underworld Soldier Scroll,' but only the cultivation method and some incantations. It's not the complete version. Still, it's enough for forging Underworld Soldiers and controlling divine armies. Where did you get it?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "I can't say."
"Fine, don't say then. But using the techniques from the 'Underworld Soldier Scroll' to control Yulongxian's divine corpse will surely not escape the notice of the gods from the Nether Hall and the Darkness Temple. They will definitely come for you. Be careful yourself," the Absolute Zen Nun said.
Zhang Ruochen hadn't expected such a cold woman as the Absolute Zen Nun to show concern for him.
He said, "With my current reputation, even if they come for me, I can handle it. When are you returning to the Nether Hall?"
"What a grand reputation. You're just borrowing the power of the Heavenly Mother to bluff," the Absolute Zen Nun said.
She turned and walked away, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips.
Zhang Ruochen couldn't see that smile.
He caught up. "If you say that, you're being too harsh. How many years have I been cultivating? Give me a hundred thousand years, and I will surely defeat you with my own strength."
"A hundred thousand years from now, I'll probably have reached the Infinite Realm. Take your time catching up."
The Absolute Zen Nun transformed into a bright pillar of light, breaking through the air and disappearing into the depths of the universe. The Thousand Star Barrier Formation did not stop her.
...
Will the next chapter be a hundred thousand years later?