Chapter 3022: The Sword Dao Legacy in the Universe
Entering the estate, Zhang Ruochen saw from a distance that Seven-Hand Old Man was whispering something mysteriously to Blood Radiance Divine Lord and an old man wearing a Sun-Moon Divine Robe, occasionally glancing toward the White Feather Peacock Sacred Carriage.
Blood Radiance Divine Lord and the Sun-Moon Divine Robe old man had long since restrained their terrifying Greater God-level auras, appearing like ordinary mortals. Yet their spirit and energy remained imposing, and Seven-Hand Old Man could never quite straighten his back standing before them.
Zhang Ruochen recognized Blood Radiance Divine Lord.
This god was Blood Butcher's father. In his youth, he had been on good terms with Xue Jue War God and was one of his staunchest supporters within the Blood Heaven Tribe.
As a junior, Zhang Ruochen stepped forward quickly and clasped his hands in salute. "Greetings, Divine Lord."
Blood Radiance Divine Lord smiled. "Among friends, Ruochen need not be so polite. You are now the Realm Lord of Xinghuantian, with combat power capable of contending with Taiyi Greater Gods, enough to stand as an equal with me. As for seniority, we'll handle that on our own terms."
"Let me introduce you. This is the Undying Divine Temple's Spiritual Power Ancient God, Mobosha. Old Mo has cultivated for over three hundred thousand years and has survived two Eon Calamities."
This time, Zhang Ruochen truly did not stand on ceremony. He merely nodded with a smile toward Mobosha.
There was neither respect nor arrogance.
What was an Ancient God?
What was the Undying Divine Temple?
With Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation and status, beneath the Infinite Realm, he could stand as an equal with any god. His courtesy toward Blood Radiance Divine Lord was entirely due to his connection with Xue Jue War God, regarding him as an elder.
Xue Jue War God and Blood Radiance Divine Lord had treated each other as brothers.
Otherwise, why would Xue Hou have accepted Blood Butcher as a disciple?
Everything had its cause and effect.
Mobosha was not angered by Zhang Ruochen's attitude. Instead, a kind smile appeared on his wrinkled old face. "Realm Lord Ruochen truly lives up to being Xue Jue War God's grandson. Charging alone into Seven Peaks Ring Mountain, taking away his disciple before the gods of all clans, and making the deities of Hundred Clans Royal City dare not accept the challenge. Such courage and boldness fill this old man with admiration."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Unfortunately, it has offended the Destiny Temple."
"Hardly an offense! After a thousand years of purging, the forces that the Boundless Pavilion spent a hundred thousand years building have been destroyed. The remaining cultivators no longer catch the Destiny Temple's eye. Those still targeting the Boundless Pavilion now are merely opportunists taking advantage of the chaos, or internal interest struggles within the dark forces." Mobosha said.
How could Zhang Ruochen not know this?
Regarding his relationship with the Destiny Temple, Zhang Ruochen had always been carefully balancing closeness and distance, not wanting to get too close, yet not wanting to offend too deeply.
After exchanging a few polite words with Blood Radiance Divine Lord and Mobosha, Zhang Ruochen asked, "Have you two also come for the Sword Realm?"
Blood Radiance Divine Lord nodded. "The Undying Blood Clan takes this matter very seriously. The Hall Master personally ordered Old Mo to lead the team, deploying thirty thousand Spiritual Power Saint Realm cultivators from the Blood Master Camp."
"Spiritual Power cultivators do have a greater advantage in the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain." Zhang Ruochen said.
Mobosha smiled. "We're just here to assist the Sixth Young Master. Finding the Sword Realm will mainly depend on him."
The so-called "Sixth Young Master" naturally referred to the sixth son of the Blood Absolute Grand Patriarch's family, the Underworld King.
A powerful Ancient God from the Undying Divine Temple could be so humble and low-key—this was something Zhang Ruochen had never expected.
Mobosha tested the waters. "If Realm Lord Ruochen were to join us, the Undying Blood Clan's chances of finding the Sword Realm would be much greater."
Zhang Ruochen was seeking the Sword Realm largely for the sake of Heavenly Beginning Civilization. How could he dare cooperate with the Undying Blood Clan?
Even if Xue Jue War God were here and said such words, Zhang Ruochen would have to refuse.
Zhang Ruochen showed a troubled expression.
Blood Radiance Divine Lord helped him out. "Before departure, the Grand Patriarch instructed that Ruochen is now the master of Xinghuantian. All interests should prioritize Xinghuantian first. It's enough to be advancing and retreating allies with the Undying Blood Clan."
Zhang Ruochen sighed. "Only my maternal grandfather can understand the awkwardness of my position. Xinghuantian is, after all, a neutral force. If I get too close to the Undying Blood Clan, sharing interests, the Heavenly Court will inevitably have concerns."
Mobosha did not pressure Zhang Ruochen and settled for the next best option. "Being advancing and retreating allies, exchanging information, is also quite good. The Goddess Twelve Pavilions is a first-rate intelligence organization. Regarding the disputes over the Sword Realm this time, does Realm Lord Ruochen have any guidance to offer us?"
"Let this old man go first. According to information obtained by the Undying Blood Clan, the Shura Clan's gods have already arrived at Hundred Clans Royal City. They are mainly divided into two groups, from the Shura Divine Temple and the Green Deer Divine Temple."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Lan Ying is arrogant by nature, claiming to be a divine fetus of the universe, looking down on all cultivators under heaven. Unfortunately, in this era, he has been suppressed by Yan Wushen and me, unable to lift his head. In swordsmanship, he was also defeated by Que."
"He will certainly seek the Sword Realm to repair the Asura Sword and restore this divine sword's killing power. Because he himself is the Asura Sword!"
Blood Radiance Divine Lord said, "Since the Sword Ancestor, divine swords and powerful sword dao legacies have emerged endlessly. Although the sword dao has its flaws, its powerful offensive power has attracted cultivators from all over the world to compete, making the sword the number one weapon in the world."
"Behind every divine sword lies a powerful sword dao legacy."
"The Shura Clan's Asura Sword!"
"The Darkness Temple's Darkness Divine Sword!"
"The Radiant Divine Temple's Radiant Divine Sword!"
"The Kunlun Realm's Stellar Divine Sword and Boundless Divine Sword!"
"Cultivators of these sword dao legacies will inevitably participate in this sword tide. Seeking the Sword Realm is like seeking a holy land of pilgrimage, enough to drive all sword cultivators under heaven mad."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Actually, there are three more divine swords! The Mingjun Sword of the Sword God Realm is the sword of the imperial path."
"The Thirteen Coin Sword in the hands of Zhao Gongming, the Second War God of the Heavenly Palace, can turn stone into gold, transform decay into magic, and also cut down star rivers, shatter the void—it is an ultimate mortal sword."
"The Wind Clan, which has produced two Heavenly Venerables, possesses the Pure Yang Sword, left behind by the ancient Pure Yang Heavenly Venerable—it is a Dao sword."
"According to intelligence received by the Goddess Twelve Pavilions, both the Sword God Realm and the Wind Clan have sword dao experts crossing the void to the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain."
Earlier, Zhang Ruochen had secretly contacted the Goddess Twelve Pavilions' Divine Maiden Tower in Hundred Clans Royal City and learned quite a bit of information.
Mobosha said, "Even if the Wind Clan and the Radiant Divine Temple have come to this star domain, they would never dare to act openly and boldly. Unless the Sword God Realm's Mingjian God personally comes, they are nothing but chickens and dogs, not worth mentioning. Our biggest competitor is only the Darkness Temple."
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Darkness Temple holds the reins of the Upper Three Clans. In recent years, Fengdu Heavenly Venerable has been indifferent to worldly affairs, and their influence among the Middle Three Clans has also grown enormously. Even in Hundred Clans Royal City, they can freely dispatch cultivators from small clans. With such emphasis on the Sword Realm, no other party can compete with them."
Mobosha snorted coldly. "Darkness is the greatest faith of all the undead clans. Fortunately, we of the Lower Three Clans and the Yama Clan keep them in check; otherwise, even the Destiny Temple might not be able to suppress them."
The faith in Darkness was as fanatical as the faith in Destiny.
The followers of Darkness mainly came from the Middle Three Clans and the Upper Three Clans.
But the followers of Destiny came from all ten clans, as well as various small clans and cultivators from the Heavenly Court.
Zhang Ruochen said, "We need more allies."
Blood Radiance Divine Lord said, "Does Ruochen mean the forces within Hundred Clans Royal City?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Who knows the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain better than these small clans in Hundred Clans Royal City? That's why the Darkness Temple has recruited cultivators from these small clans! The Yaksha Clan, as the largest clan in Hundred Clans Royal City and the closest to the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain, should know even more."
"Actually, before this departure, the Hall Master revealed a secret. There are rumors that the Yaksha Clan was born in the Sword Realm, and that the Yaksha Clan's ancestral realm might even be a fragment of the Sword Realm." Mobosha's eyes held a playful glint, concealing a sharp edge.
Zhang Ruochen said, "In that case, we must have a good talk with the Yaksha Clan."
Blood Radiance Divine Lord's gaze turned cautious as he looked toward the White Feather Peacock Sacred Carriage. "Do we need to go pay respects to the senior inside the carriage?"
Mobosha also grew serious, straightening his divine robe.
Originally, Mobosha had prepared many methods for this visit, planning to bind Zhang Ruochen to the Undying Blood Clan's war chariot no matter what, even using some small tricks to make Xinghuantian completely break with the Heavenly Court.
But after hearing Seven-Hand Old Man's description, Mobosha was trembling with fear. How could he still dare to play tricks?
That was why he had been showing Zhang Ruochen all kinds of goodwill earlier.
Zhang Ruochen hadn't expected such a misunderstanding. Seven-Hand Old Man, that coward, had led even two Greater God-level experts down the wrong path.
Zhang Ruochen still couldn't determine the Undying Divine Temple's attitude toward him, so he didn't deliberately clarify, speaking ambiguously. "You two need not trouble yourselves. Just don't deliberately disturb them."
"How would we dare?" Mobosha laughed.
Both Blood Radiance Divine Lord and Mobosha understood that some levels of existence were beyond their reach. Even paying respects required qualification.
The more Zhang Ruochen said this, the more they felt the person in the carriage was extraordinary.
Under the envious gazes of Blood Radiance Divine Lord, Mobosha, and Seven-Hand Old Man, Zhang Ruochen boarded the White Feather Peacock Sacred Carriage and saw Luo Ji sitting inside.
The sacred carriage was a world unto itself, far more spacious inside than it appeared from outside.
The floor was covered with flawless white sacred beast hide. On the red wooden table, a Honghua Vine Sacred Lamp was lit.
A faint fragrance floated in the air.
On the four walls of the carriage hung calligraphy and paintings, engraved with divine patterns, as well as formations personally arranged by Zhang Ruochen.
Luo Ji was surrounded by drifting light rain, specks of white light making her appear holy and flawless, truly with immortal skin and jade bones.
She opened her eyes and cast a reproachful glance at Zhang Ruochen. "If you keep deceiving like this, you'll eventually be exposed."
Zhang Ruochen sat down by the wooden table and pulled out a jar of divine brew given by Luo Jinshu before his departure. "I didn't deceive them. They guessed all this on their own. Now it seems, letting them guess this way isn't a bad thing. It's enough to intimidate quite a few enemies."
"I'm not afraid of obvious enemies like the Darkness Temple. What's most terrifying are those who haven't yet surfaced."