Chapter 2994: Zhang Ruochen's Choice
"We can't do that!"
Zhang Ruochen stopped Luo Jinshu and said, "What do gods value most? Dignity! A divine realm is a god's privacy. Even a Heavenly God Venerable wouldn't forcibly investigate without sufficient evidence. How is that any different from stripping someone naked?"
"Fellow Daoist, that analogy..." Luo Jinshu gave an awkward laugh.
Zhang Ruochen seemed unconcerned. "Right now, Heavenly Beginning Civilization still relies on gods from all realms. If King Yu forcibly investigates the divine realms of the Wind Clan and Thousand Star Civilization's gods without finding the Heavenly God Priest, it will undoubtedly cause strong resentment, even internal conflict."
"This matter could indeed be serious or minor. We can't act rashly."
Luo Jinshu had clearly taken Zhang Ruochen's words to heart.
Zhang Ruochen continued, "We still need to report this to King Yu. I believe he will have his own way of handling it. But why didn't the Heavenly God Priest retreat with the Death Clan monarch? Why take such a great risk to stay in Heavenly Beginning Civilization? That's worth pondering!"
Luo Jinshu said, "He must want to destroy the realm-protecting formation. He might also still be unwilling to give up and wants to cut down the Divine Toon Tree again."
"How about we test him?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Luo Jinshu understood Zhang Ruochen's intent and nodded slightly.
Returning to the Divine Toon Tree, Luo Jinshu put away the cyan divine blade that Qingkong War God had struck across the world barrier. Then, together with Zhang Ruochen, he headed for Doulv City.
After flying out of the sea forbidden zone, Luo Jinshu looked back and his expression grew heavier. "No change! It seems the Heavenly God Priest isn't hiding in the sea area where the Divine Toon Tree is. Your guess, Fellow Daoist, is very likely correct. He's hidden in the divine realm of one of those gods from earlier."
"If there really is a traitor and I find him out, I'll tear him into pieces."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Fellow Daoist Luo, aren't you going back?"
"No need to go back!"
Luo Jinshu said, "The reason I said I wanted to stay and guard the Divine Toon Tree earlier was just that I didn't want to go back and fight with them over that fire seed spot. I didn't want to see them making ugly spectacles of themselves just to survive. Actually, now that the situation has stabilized, with King Yu's cultivation, even if the Divine Toon Tree is attacked again, he can activate the realm-protecting formation in time and kill the invaders."
"But now that a traitor has appeared and the Heavenly God Priest is lurking in the shadows, I have no choice but to go back. If the fire seed of Heavenly Beginning Civilization falls into the hands of a traitor, wouldn't our civilization's inheritance be cut off right here?"
As he said this, Luo Jinshu couldn't help but have red-rimmed eyes, his gaze moist.
"Forgive my display!"
Luo Jinshu shook his head with a wry smile. "I don't know why, but I feel an instant connection with Fellow Daoist Yellow Ox. All my innermost thoughts have poured out. I only regret not having met you sooner!"
"It's not too late now!" Zhang Ruochen said.
The two exchanged smiles and then broke through the air.
Not long after flying, Zhang Ruochen stopped. "Fellow Daoist Luo, go ahead to Doulv City. I seem to have lost my mount. I need to find it."
"Alright! Once you find your mount, be sure to visit Doulv City as a guest." Luo Jinshu said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Don't worry, I will definitely come to your residence to pay a visit."
Before leaving, Luo Jinshu gave Zhang Ruochen a token.
Watching Luo Jinshu disappear at the horizon, Zhang Ruochen then flew in another direction. Before long, he appeared before the old yellow ox.
Earlier, Zhang Ruochen hadn't suddenly remembered the old yellow ox. Rather, while flying over this sea area, he had sensed its aura.
The old yellow ox stood on the sea surface, its large ox eyes filled with displeasure. It said resentfully, "You lost me!"
Zhang Ruochen stared intently at the crystal crown on top of the old yellow ox's head and said in a deep voice, "Where did you get that crown?"
"You haven't explained to me why you abandoned me and left alone! Do you know, we've always been together. This is the first time we've been separated." The old yellow ox was very dissatisfied.
Zhang Ruochen had no patience right now. He walked over, picked up the crystal crown, and grabbed one of its ox horns with his hand. "If you don't tell me, I'll search your soul!"
This was Luo Sha's crystal crown. How could it appear in Heavenly Beginning Civilization?
How could it be on the old yellow ox's head?
The old yellow ox could tell that Zhang Ruochen was truly on the verge of anger. Suppressing its own dissatisfaction, it said, "True God Chi Yao gave me the crown. She said she would wait for you at the Divine Maiden Tower."
The old yellow ox was about to say something more when it found its entire head frozen. Then, Zhang Ruochen forcibly mounted it, wrapped it in spiritual power, and flew toward Doulv City.
...
Goddess Twelve Pavilions, Building One Hundred and Eighty.
There was also a building in Heavenly Beginning Civilization, located in Doulv City.
Using the token Luo Jinshu had given him, Zhang Ruochen passed through formation after formation without obstruction. He had no mood to admire the scenery of this ancient Dao city and headed straight for the Divine Maiden Tower.
Although Doulv City was now gathering strong cultivators from all major worlds, no one was in the mood to go to places like the Divine Maiden Tower for pleasure.
The Divine Maiden Tower, built in the central area of Doulv City, was still imposing and magnificent, resplendent and splendid, with spirit lamps hanging high. But it was very quiet, its main gate tightly shut.
A large number of cultivators had already evacuated.
Zhang Ruochen knocked on the door and, after revealing his identity, met the building master.
The master of this Divine Maiden Tower was an extremely beautiful elf clan Great Saint. Upon seeing Zhang Ruochen, she immediately knelt on one knee and said respectfully, "Paying respects to Realm Lord!"
Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised. "Why you?"
This elf clan Great Saint, Zhang Ruochen had seen on Xinghuantian. Her name was Yiman.
Yiman said, "It was the Realm Lord's wife who sent me to assist the Realm Lord."
Zhang Ruochen naturally knew which Realm Lord's wife she was referring to. It wasn't difficult for Bai Qinger to guess that he would come to Heavenly Beginning Civilization. But what made Bai Qinger think that sending a Great Saint could help him?
Zhang Ruochen didn't dwell on it further. He was about to ask if she had seen Chi Yao when he first sensed Chi Yao's aura in the northeast part of the Divine Maiden Tower.
The Divine Maiden Tower had many formations and divine patterns densely arranged. It was indeed a good place to hide.
Yiman probably had no idea that a god had already secretly infiltrated the Divine Maiden Tower, hiding in one of its palaces.
Phoenix Soaring Palace covered several thousand acres, planted with red-leafed parasol trees. With red walls and glazed tiles, zither platforms, painting pavilions, palaces, and cloud bridges scattered throughout, the environment was elegant. Unfortunately, it had lost its former bustle. The quietness carried a desolate loneliness after the splendor had faded.
This was a small microcosm of the impact the war had on Heavenly Beginning Civilization.
Chi Yao sat by the zither platform beside the lake. White robes, black hair, a celestial face. The wind blew her sleeves. The Blood Sword leaned against a pillar. Her ten fingers plucked at a jade zither.
The zither music was sometimes melodious and lingering, tender and affectionate.
Sometimes it was filled with murderous intent, like thunder rising from flat ground.
Zhang Ruochen walked behind her. Her ten fingers pressed down on the strings, and the music abruptly stopped, harsh like a knife cutting through iron skin.
"Is she still alive?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The zither strings trembled, then gradually stilled.
Chi Yao gazed at the light green duckweed on the lake. "I thought your first words would be, 'Let her go!' In your eyes, am I really so ruthless?"
"Let her go" and "Is she still alive" clearly carried different implications.
It was because Zhang Ruochen knew Chi Yao too well. She was decisive in her actions. As long as someone was an enemy, she would never show mercy.
To her, was Luo Sha merely an enemy?
Zhang Ruochen said, "Do you know that this situation right now is what I least wanted to see."
Chi Yao said, "So you blame me? When the Hell Realm invaded Heavenly Beginning Civilization's great world, I went to help. I captured a Rakshasa clan god. What did I do wrong?"
"Let her go!" Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Yao stood up, facing Zhang Ruochen directly. Her black-and-white eyes carried an aggressive edge. "Are you begging me?"
Zhang Ruochen tried to control his emotions as much as possible. "So you insist that I beg you before you'll let her go?"
"No! What I fear most is you begging me."
Chi Yao said, "Actually, she should have died. Any Hell Realm god who falls into my hands can only end up as scattered soul and dissipated spirit. But because of you, I hesitated!"
"Then let her go." Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Yao shook her head. "Before you came, I thought for a long time. But I couldn't find a single reason to let her go."
Zhang Ruochen knew this was too much to ask and could also see Chi Yao's inner struggle.
Chi Yao said, "But later, I thought of a reason to let her return to the Hell Realm."
"What reason?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Chi Yao said, "Exchange her for Uncle Ling."
Uncle Ling naturally referred to Ming Emperor Zhang Ling.
Zhang Ruochen fell silent. Chi Yao had given him an unsolvable problem.
On one side was love and loyalty. On the other was filial piety.
Chi Yao said, "Uncle Ling is imprisoned in the Destiny Temple. He must be suffering greatly. Don't you want him to be freed from his suffering sooner?"
"The Destiny Temple won't compromise."
"Luo Yan will compromise! As long as Luo Yan compromises, he will certainly be able to bring Uncle Ling out of the Destiny Temple."
"No!"
Chi Yao said, "What did you say?"
"I said no!"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze turned sharp, his eyes like two swords locking onto Chi Yao's. "Luo Sha is my fiancée. All cultivators in the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm know this. She has helped me many times, and I have always remembered it in my heart. I have feelings for her. I will not use her as a bargaining chip to achieve any goal."
"I will definitely save Father. I will do everything in my power. But not in this way."
"Today I can sacrifice Luo Sha and trample on her feelings. Aren't you afraid that one day, I will discard you like a worn-out shoe?"
With each sentence, Zhang Ruochen took a step forward.
When he spoke the last sentence, he was inches away from Chi Yao, forcing her to step back.
This was the first time she had retreated when facing him directly.
Chi Yao said, "No need!"
She closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling gently. Then, alone, she walked down the zither platform, stepping over the fallen parasol leaves covering the ground, and disappeared into the corridor.
A low, fierce tiger roar sounded from the lake.
Layers of spiritual power barriers unfolded, revealing Zangjin Baihu and Luo Sha's figures.
One person and one tiger stood on the water's surface.