Chapter 2968: Chi Yao's Perception
From his conversation with Gai Tianjiao, Zhang Ruochen learned that yesterday, Yuanfa Daozu had failed in his divine tribulation and died from a heart tribulation.
Yuanfa Daozu was a sleeper from the Middle Ages, one of the earliest Great Saint-level powerhouses to awaken after a hundred thousand years. He was also the master of the Ming Emperor and Taiyi Patriarch.
Two thousand years ago, the apparent overlords of the Kunlun Realm were the Nine Emperors and Three Empresses.
In reality, figures like Yuanfa Daozu, among the earliest awakeners, were the ones truly orchestrating the grand scheme behind the scenes. Events such as "the Sword Emperor going to the Hell Realm," "the Azure Emperor joining the Western Buddha Realm," "the Ming Emperor slaying the Blood Queen," "Empress Chi Yao unifying the realm"...
In truth, these were all the will of these awakeners.
This was all in preparation for the time after Xumi Saint Monk's divine power dissipated—so that the Kunlun Realm could eliminate internal strife and develop rapidly, gain support from certain factions in the Heavenly Court, rescue Tai Shang, and survive more effectively... and so on, preparing for everything.
Many people shed blood and tears.
Many died in foreign lands.
Many suffered their entire lives, carrying heavy burdens forward.
But at least now, more people in the Kunlun Realm live in a prosperous and magnificent era, without the realm being destroyed or its people perishing, without future generations being reduced to blood food and slaves.
The future is unknown, but at least they have fought for a present full of hope.
Zhang Ruochen's family endured so much pain and hardship precisely because of the Blood Queen's identity as a member of the Undying Blood Clan, and also because of the pressure from awakeners like Yuanfa Daozu.
The dead are gone; who was right and who was wrong no longer matters.
"He was, after all, my father's master. I'll burn a stick of incense for him on my father's behalf."
Zhang Ruochen walked into Shangqing Palace, lit incense and candles, bowed deeply, and placed them in the burner.
"If the Daozu knew that you would burn incense for him, he might have been able to overcome his heart tribulation." Gai Tianjiao stared at Zhang Ruochen's extraordinary figure, her beautiful eyes misty, feeling deeply impressed in her heart.
Such magnanimity—she was truly convinced in her defeat.
A figure like this—no wonder he had left her far behind.
Leaving Shangqing Palace, Zhang Ruochen said, "This time I returned to Liangyi Sect, I actually have a favor to ask. I want to borrow the sect's treasured secret manual, the *Taiji Xiantian Gong*?"
Gai Tianjiao was very generous. "As long as you promise not to pass this technique to the Hell Realm, what harm is there in letting you take a look?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Senior Sister, if you trust me, this condition is completely unnecessary."
Gai Tianjiao thought for a moment, then nodded seriously. "You're right. I was overthinking it."
If Zhang Ruochen had the intention, he would have long ago passed various powerful inheritances from the Kunlun Realm to the Undying Blood Clan, without needing to return specifically to the Kunlun Realm to obtain the *Taiji Xiantian Gong*.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on the Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron. "I'm very interested in that Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron. Senior Sister, name your price."
Gai Tianjiao's gaze sharpened as she carefully examined Zhang Ruochen. "What are you trying to do, empty out my Liangyi Sect? Although the Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron isn't some remarkable war artifact, its symbolic significance is extraordinary. Do you think I would agree to sell it to you?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "It's just a cauldron."
"Anything you, Zhang Ruochen, set your sights on must be extraordinary. Originally, I hadn't thought much about the Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron sitting there, but now that you mention it, the more I look at it, the more unusual it seems."
Gai Tianjiao continued, "The fact that it can store the sword intent of saints already proves it's no ordinary object. Moreover, legend says it's a relic left by the Sanqing Patriarch. I'll need to spend more time studying it."
As the leader of a sect, Gai Tianjiao naturally possessed sharp intelligence.
Most importantly, she trusted Zhang Ruochen enough.
She trusted that, given Zhang Ruochen's discernment, anything he found valuable was absolutely not for sale.
Even if he desperately wanted this bronze cauldron, Zhang Ruochen wouldn't resort to robbery. He could only smile helplessly. "It's really hard to get any advantage out of you, Senior Sister."
Chi Kongle, standing behind Zhang Ruochen, cast a deep glance at the Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron.
Walking side by side with Gai Tianjiao along the ancient path he had once traveled, Zhang Ruochen fell into thought. Suddenly, she asked, "Since I've agreed to lend you the *Taiji Xiantian Gong* for reading, shouldn't you, in the spirit of reciprocity, tell me why you want the Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron?"
Gai Tianjiao had examined the Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron several times but had never found anything remarkable about it.
Even if it had the ability to store the sword intent of saint-level cultivators, it shouldn't be enough to move a god like Zhang Ruochen, who possessed six divine swords.
Zhang Ruochen said, "What I value is precisely its ability to store the sword intent of saint-level cultivators. To be honest, I made a promise to the Sword Ancestor, and I bear the heavy responsibility of revitalizing the Sword Dao."
Zhang Ruochen didn't reveal everything, only stating one of the reasons.
Gai Tianjiao didn't suspect anything. After all, since the Battle of Xinghuantian, major figures in the Heavenly Court had speculated that Zhang Ruochen had inherited the Sword Ancestor's legacy and mastered the cultivation method of the Sword Soul.
Some even claimed that Zhang Ruochen had grasped a vast amount of Sword Dao Essence.
Although Liangyi Sect was a branch of the Taiji Dao, belonging to the Daoist lineage, it was renowned throughout the world for its Sword Dao. A thousand years ago, it was even the foremost of the four Sword Dao sacred lands in the Kunlun Realm, housing the Sword Pavilion and famous across the world.
Did Gai Tianjiao want to obtain the cultivation method of the Sword Soul from Zhang Ruochen?
Of course she did.
As the sect leader, she wanted more than anyone for Liangyi Sect's Sword Dao to reach new heights.
A Sword Dao without the Sword Soul was an incomplete Sword Dao.
The Dao within, grand and natural.
The Sword Dao without, invincible and unstoppable.
Inner sage and outer king—this was the path to being unmatched under heaven.
But it was very difficult for her to bring up the subject.
Countless cultivators practiced the *Taiji Xiantian Gong* across the world, and all the saint-level cultivators of Liangyi Sect trained in it. Even if she didn't lend it to Zhang Ruochen, he could find another way to obtain it.
But aside from Zhang Ruochen, who else in the world cultivated the Sword Soul?
Zhang Ruochen likely regarded the cultivation method of the Sword Soul as a trump card.
With this trump card, he could attract all the sword fanatics under heaven to his banner, making them serve him.
How could he possibly pass the cultivation method of the Sword Soul to Liangyi Sect?
Gai Tianjiao asked, "Isn't your martial cultivation already... why do you still want to read the *Taiji Xiantian Gong*?"
"Every technique under heaven has its unique merits. Who says it can only be used for cultivation? Using it to comprehend heaven and earth, to understand the origin of the Dao, is also feasible."
Zhang Ruochen took out a large amount of Life Spring and placed it into a space jade box, handing it to Gai Tianjiao. "I won't take advantage of you, Senior Sister. This Life Spring flows from beneath the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, and Liangyi Sect will definitely find it useful."
The Starry Sky Battlefield had been fought with extreme brutality, with countless cultivators falling. Even Taiyi Patriarch was still on the battlefield, unaware that his master had already fallen.
Life Spring was incredibly precious.
"There are rumors that you're richer than even a God Venerable. I won't stand on ceremony with you." Gai Tianjiao accepted the Life Spring.
As they spoke, the two arrived at an open area.
Zhang Ruochen stopped and looked toward the distant ancient divine mountain.
The ancient divine mountain was originally under the jurisdiction of Shangqing Palace.
The ancient divine mountain had seven layers. Even the lowest, the first layer, was nine thousand meters high. Legend had it that this mountain was formed from the death and transformation of an ancient god of Liangyi Sect, and the sacred springs within the mountain were the god's blood.
Zhang Ruochen had once climbed the ancient divine mountain, but at most, he had only reached the third layer.
At the summit of the third layer was the Sword Pavilion.
As for the last four layers, they were always hidden within the misty sea of clouds, and even Liangyi Sect disciples couldn't enter.
Even the first three layers contained countless wonders that still amazed Zhang Ruochen to this day.
For example, the mountain could preserve the saint souls of deceased saint-level cultivators, and these saint souls retained some consciousness and combat power.
This was an ability unique to the "Saint Altar."
And the Saint Altar was built by exhausting the entire treasury of the Holy Bright Central Empire.
As for where the Ming Emperor obtained the blueprints and how he learned the cultivation method of the Biluo Dao, it remained a mystery to this day.
For these various reasons, after becoming a god and returning to Liangyi Sect, Zhang Ruochen had the idea of exploring the ancient divine mountain again. With his current cultivation and knowledge, he believed he had the ability to unravel these mysteries.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What exactly is the origin of the ancient divine mountain?"
"You can ask Granny Haitang about that. She came from that era and certainly knows more than I do. I only know that many of the sleepers from a hundred thousand years ago came down from the fourth layer." Gai Tianjiao said.
Gai Tianjiao handed the original copy of the *Taiji Xiantian Gong* to Zhang Ruochen, instructing him not to take it out of Liangyi Sect, and then left.
After leaving, she immediately went to Shangqing Palace to study the Heaven-Sacrificing Bronze Cauldron.
Zhang Ruochen, meanwhile, arrived at the summit of the third layer of the ancient divine mountain. Looking up, the mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, not only arranged with Great Saint inscriptions and formations but also some profound divine patterns.
With his divine eyes and the subtlety of the Heart of Truth, he could only part the clouds to see the fourth, fifth, and sixth layers.
The final seventh layer remained faintly visible, never clear.
"Interesting."
Zhang Ruochen smiled slightly, carrying the *Taiji Xiantian Gong* as he walked into the Sword Pavilion.
...
After the Battle of Xinghuantian, Zhang Ruochen had offended too many major figures in the Heavenly Court. Cultivators from the Kunlun Realm who had good relations with Zhang Ruochen dared not easily enter the Starry Sky Battlefield.
They feared being retaliated against or ambushed by their own side on the battlefield.
Chi Kunlun was especially cautious.
Now, Chi Kunlun sat in the First Central Imperial City, ruling as the secular emperor of the Kunlun Realm.
At the Purple Micro Palace, by the Celestial Pool.
Chi Yao wore a loose white plain robe, her jet-black hair falling naturally. Her beautiful eyes were slightly closed, her red lips crystalline, her hands like jade. She sat cross-legged, breathing in the divine energy of heaven and earth, her body radiating a splendid, dazzling glow.
Moonlight fell like water on her face, illuminating a divine, breathtakingly beautiful immortal visage.
Suddenly.
Her beautiful eyes opened, and within her pupils, a seven-colored nebula pattern evolved, as if she could see through ten thousand miles with a single glance. An invisible divine might spread outward.
Chi Kunlun sensed this aura and came to the Celestial Pool. "Mother, why have you come out of seclusion early?"
Chi Yao stood under the moonlight, gazing into the sea of clouds. "I sensed it. Your father has come to the Kunlun Realm, and your sister too."
Chi Kunlun was overjoyed. "Where are they? Have they come to the Central Imperial City? I knew Father would return. This time, he probably won't leave again, right? And my sister is back too. Our family can finally be reunited."
The four Mystic Maidens standing in the distance exchanged glances, all feeling incredulous.
Given Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation and status, if news of his return to the Kunlun Realm spread, it would surely shake the Heavenly Court Myriad Realms and the Ten Clans of Hell.
"Don't spread this matter. I'm going to Liangyi Sect."
With a flash of divine light, Chi Yao vanished.