Chapter 2955: Chance Encounter
The Undying Blood Clan's deities withdrew from Xinghuantian.
The vast majority of living beings in this star domain had no idea what had happened, but they could feel that intangible oppressive aura vanish, and their minds instantly became lighter.
The Undying Blood Clan Patriarch's brow was deeply furrowed. "Using a Great God as compensation should be enough to silence the mouths of the Undying Blood Clan's deities."
Xue Jue War God said, "Patriarch, is there some misunderstanding? The Second Grade Blood Ancestor is a tribute from my grandson to me, not to them."
"If you do this, how will the deities of the other nine tribes be convinced? You need to take a longer view. Offending them will only increase the resistance when you ascend to the position of Patriarch in the future," the Undying Blood Clan Patriarch said.
Once something fell into his, Xue Jue's, hands, how could there be any reason to give it back?
Especially when it was a Great God with such abundant blood qi.
Xue Jue War God's sleeves billowed, and a divine seal bearing the character "Quantity" flew out, hovering in the void.
He said, "With this seal, should that be enough to convince them?"
The Undying Blood Clan Patriarch's aged, weathered eyes suddenly narrowed. "Inside the Second Grade Blood Ancestor?"
"Mm!"
"In that case, it's highly likely that Jia Tianxia is also a member of the Quantity Organization. Going further up, we might even have to trace back to the powerful figures within the Blood Sea Hidden Divine Temple."
Xue Jue War God released the Second Grade Blood Ancestor and handed him to the Undying Blood Clan Patriarch. "Search his soul yourself. You might find some useful clues."
At this moment, the Second Grade Blood Ancestor had already transformed into a mass of blood qi, sealed by layers of rule divine patterns. He charged left and broke right, but could not escape.
Just as the Undying Blood Clan Patriarch reached out to take him, Xue Jue War God immediately withdrew his hand and glared. "What are you doing? If you're searching his soul, then search. Why are you reaching out? Trying to snatch him?"
Xue Jue War God knew all too well what kind of person this old fellow was—not much better than himself.
Once something fell into his hands, it would be very difficult to get it back.
The Undying Blood Clan Patriarch had indeed entertained the thought of forcibly taking it, but he remembered the time when, using the excuse "possessing a treasure invites disaster, and it might bring you deadly trouble," he had forcibly taken a sub-divine-grade supreme sacred artifact from Xue Jue War God. That had provoked this bastard into nearly ransacking his entire estate! Even a valuable divine medicine had been ruined in the process.
"A mere Taiyi Great God, do you think I would take a liking to it?"
The Undying Blood Clan Patriarch snorted, and from his pupils surged strands of blood qi as fine as hair.
The Second Grade Blood Ancestor's screams rang out from within Xue Jue War God's hand.
After a moment, the Undying Blood Clan Patriarch's eyes returned to normal, his expression grave. "He knows too little. We can only trace it back to Jia Tianxia. Perhaps capturing Jia Tianxia is the only way to hook the real big fish."
"That's none of my concern! Take this divine seal and go convince the great clan leaders of the other nine tribes. Tell them that the Second Grade Blood Ancestor is a member of the Quantity Organization and cannot be handed over. They shouldn't be able to refute that reason, should they?"
Xue Jue War God immediately stowed the Second Grade Blood Ancestor away and waved his hand, sending the "Quantity" character divine seal flying out.
The Undying Blood Clan Patriarch was so angry his beard and mustache bristled. "You insolent brat, who exactly is the Patriarch? Are you ordering the Patriarch around?"
Xue Jue War God quickly soothed his temper. "Patriarch, I have deeper intentions in doing this! With this opportunity, we might be able to lure out the Quantity Organization members hidden within the Undying Blood Clan. If I handed the Second Grade Blood Ancestor over to you, even if there are Quantity Organization members among the Undying Blood Clan's high-ranking officials, they wouldn't dare to make a move!"
The Undying Blood Clan Patriarch watched Xue Jue War God teleport away, and he did indeed begin to ponder the idea.
...
Zhang Ruochen had gone to the underground of the Yuchen Divine Temple and met the Old Corpse Ghost again, but he had gained nothing and failed to resolve the doubts in his heart.
Now, he and Bai Qinger passed through a Space Teleportation Array and arrived at Star Heaven Cliff.
The Red Dust Peerless Tower, the Crimson Clouds Flying Immortal Valley.
The Sea Stone Star Beyond Heaven, the Divine Mountain Cloud-Piercing Pavilion.
These four major powers were known as the "All-Knowing Places" of the world.
The Red Dust Peerless Tower compiled the "Red Dust Peerless List," holding information on all the top experts of the mortal world, whether from the Heavenly Court's Myriad Realms, the Ten Clans of Hell, the various ancient civilizations, or the smaller clans of the Hell Realm.
Who could become a deity, who had great future potential—the Red Dust Peerless Tower knew it all clearly.
But knowing that behind the Red Dust Peerless Tower stood the Heavenly Palace, it was no wonder it possessed such energy.
"Sea Stone Star Beyond Heaven" referred precisely to "Star Heaven Cliff."
The Red Dust Tower judged the people of the red dust; Star Heaven Cliff discussed the affairs of ten thousand years.
Every ten thousand years, Star Heaven Cliff would compile a "Ten-Thousand-Year Review," chronicling all kinds of legends of beings born in the last ten thousand years.
Star Heaven Cliff and Star Firmament Heaven were closely linked, existing in the same star domain, able to gather intelligence from across the world through the Goddess Twelve Pavilions. Moreover, the master of Star Heaven Cliff clearly had an extraordinary connection with the Star Sea Angler.
It was no surprise that Star Heaven Cliff could compile the "Ten-Thousand-Year Review."
Zhang Ruochen and Bai Qinger walked side by side along the mountain path ascending Star Heaven Cliff.
It seemed like an endless upward road, lined with jagged rocks, mountain springs as black as ink yet emitting a fragrant scent. Other cultivators were also climbing with them, but most could not persevere and turned back midway.
These cultivators came from various realms of the Heavenly Court and some from the Hell Realm.
Remarkably, no conflicts broke out along the way.
Bai Qinger said, "Below the divine realm, anyone who can reach the top of Star Heaven Cliff can become a disciple of Star Heaven Cliff and study there. But very few succeed."
"You are one of them?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Bai Qinger smiled without answering. She stopped at a high cliff edge and gazed into the distance at the colorful, banlan starry sky. "From here, you can enter the Sea Stone Star Dock. Look, doesn't it resemble an ocean in the starry sky? Boundless, hiding countless secrets, and burying innumerable cultivators who came to seek treasures—even deities."
Zhang Ruochen, radiant and spirited, looked into the distance, his heart filled with awe.
This was a wonder of the starry sky and one of the most dangerous regions in the world. Even deities standing outside the Sea Stone Star Dock felt as insignificant as dust.
He could hardly imagine what kind of divine power would be needed to detonate the Sea Stone Star Dock.
What a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering means that would be!
"Shua! Shua! Shua..."
Countless specks of light, at every moment, rushed into the Sea Stone Star Dock from all directions, disappearing into the chaotic star mist.
Each speck of light was a cultivator.
Some came alone, some formed teams—to take risks, seek treasures, and explore. Everyone had their own story, and a few lucky ones could write their own legends here.
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes. "The space here is indeed expanding outward. Perhaps the center of the Sea Stone Star Dock truly is the birthplace of the universe. If I have time, I must go there once!"
Bai Qinger said, "You should drop that idea. Some of the dangerous places in the Sea Stone Star Dock are greatly feared even by my master. It is said that in ancient times, All Heavens-level beings fell within it."
Zhang Ruochen held reverence for the Sea Stone Star Dock, but he had not abandoned the thought of entering it.
At that moment, a pleasant pipa melody drifted over from afar.
Zhang Ruochen and Bai Qinger quickened their pace upward. On a flat stretch of ground, many cultivators had gathered, all talking among themselves. By the cliff edge grew several black trees, as hard as stone, their branches and leaves extremely rigid.
Those who could climb this far were no ordinary individuals.
Few things could attract their attention.
Zhang Ruochen and Bai Qinger walked over and saw a Confucian-robed old man sitting on a stone stool beneath a tree. "Whoever can place this chess piece onto the board, I will agree to answer one of their questions."
The green-clad girl sitting beside him plucked the pipa strings, producing a few notes.
A Corpse Clan Great Saint, exuding a rotting, foul stench, said, "Can you answer any question?"
The Confucian-robed old man smiled. "I have no other skills, but I have read many books. If there are ten books in the world, then I have probably read seven or eight. So, there are truly not many questions in this world that I cannot answer."
"You're bragging! Even the Confucian Ancestor, if he were alive, might not have read that many books," a young Daoist said.
The Confucian-robed old man turned serious. "The Confucian Ancestor naturally read more books than I."
The cultivators spoke one after another.
Bai Qinger said, "This old man is interesting. With my cultivation, I can't even sense any divine qi fluctuation or spiritual power fluctuation within him. He's almost no different from an ordinary mortal."
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "These people here probably can't see through his depth either, which is why they regard him as a master and have stopped here. Last time, I actually misjudged him!"
"What do you mean? You've seen him before?" Bai Qinger was surprised.
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
Zhang Ruochen had seen this Confucian-robed old man and the green-clad girl carrying a pipa at the Divine Maiden Tower of the World. At that time, they were on a stage reciting the "Ten-Thousand-Year Review," telling the story of Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao.
Later, some cultivators from the Demon Clan came to cause trouble, prompting Chi Kunlun to intervene and rescue the Confucian-robed old man and the green-clad girl.
Who would have thought they would meet again at Star Heaven Cliff?
Zhang Ruochen happened to have a great question in his mind, and his interest was piqued. He looked at the chess table in front of the Confucian-robed old man.
The chess table was not placed flat on the ground but was suspended upside down in the air.
The chessboard faced downward.
The board was covered with black and white pieces.
The pieces seemed stuck to the board, not falling down, which was quite peculiar.
The game on the board was a mid-game deadlock.
The Corpse Clan Great Saint took a white piece from the Confucian-robed old man. "This isn't about solving the deadlock, is it? I just need to place this piece on the board?"
The green-clad girl said, "As long as you can set the piece down steadily without it falling off."
"What's so hard about that?"
The piece transformed into a streak of white light, flying from the Corpse Clan Great Saint's hand, and under the support of saint qi, it headed toward the board.
With the Corpse Clan Great Saint's cultivation, lifting even a small planet with saint qi would be effortless, let alone a tiny chess piece.