# Chapter 3037: It Really Is You
Xuan Yuanqing wore a veil, her white divine light shining radiantly, appearing holy and flawless. She transmitted her voice: "Regarding the matter of Truth Esoterica, Shang Hong came to ask me about it. I told him that these esoterica belong to Qiuyu. Just now, he didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"
"Make things difficult for me? With my current cultivation, how could I possibly fear him?"
Zhang Ruochen noticed that Xuan Yuanqing's gaze was somewhat strange, and only then realized that the words "this poor Daoist" had already become hard to change. He smiled and said, "You'd better keep an eye on him and tell him not to provoke me. Out of respect for you, I won't take the initiative to deal with him. But if he makes the first move, I won't show any mercy."
Xuan Yuanqing's lively yet profound starry eyes showed no emotional fluctuation. "You would actually show me face?"
"I am the master of Xinghuantian, a neutral party. How would I dare offend the Heavenly Venerable?" Zhang Ruochen said with a half-smile.
This statement was naturally quite interesting.
Not daring to offend the Heavenly Venerable clearly meant he dared to offend her, Xuan Yuanqing.
Xuan Yuanqing felt that Zhang Ruochen was too arrogant. Having just entered the Great God level, he was already so disdainful of others. But this time, the Heavenly Court indeed owed him a great favor.
Suppressing her competitive spirit, Xuan Yuanqing took out a pearl and handed it to him. "The Ice King's son and that Ancestral Realm World Venerable of the Yaksha Clan are both sealed inside here."
Zhang Ruochen quickly took the pearl, sensing the spatial fluctuations on it, and said in surprise, "How did Daoist Qing manage this?"
"Before Feng Yan and Master Mo returned, I... this Venerable One had already infiltrated the Divine Prison and rescued them, making it look like they had broken free from the seals and escaped on their own."
Xuan Yuanqing spread her palm and demanded something from Zhang Ruochen, her gaze very assertive.
When encountering an arrogant person, she felt she should be even more arrogant, otherwise she would be unworthy of her identity as the Heavenly Venerable's daughter.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Chaos Bottle, released Qingkong Sword King, compressed him to the size of a pearl, and placed it on her immortal-like jade-boned hand.
Xuan Yuanqing did not withdraw her hand, her gaze slanting at him.
Zhang Ruochen had no choice but to take out Qingkong Sword King's Divine Source as well, hesitating. "Can we really not spare Xue Tu?"
Xuan Yuanqing said, "I saved Qingkong Sword King backed by the Heavenly Venerable's authority, and the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. How can you, Zhang Ruochen, be so soft-hearted, exposing your weaknesses so clearly? That Xue Tu is merely a pawn placed by Feng Tian by your side. Can't you see that?"
"Soft-hearted..."
Zhang Ruochen looked at her, and seeing her gaze suddenly turn cold, he changed his words, appearing indifferent. "How could Feng Tian take notice of a small figure like me?"
Xuan Yuanqing said, "When you were crossing the Divine Tribulation, Qingtian was already able to make a move, seeing you as a threat. That Feng Caiyi, who holds the power of life and death in the Destiny Temple, how could she be short-sighted? Your martial path is not crippled, and you have reached the Great God realm. If this news reaches her ears, do you really think she won't take action against you? Killing Xue Tu, you should be grateful to me."
Zhang Ruochen said, "After the Heavenly Venerable learned of this secret of mine, what did he say?"
Zhang Ruochen didn't believe that Xuan Yuanlian hadn't told Hao Tian about this secret.
Xuan Yuanqing's expression was somewhat unnatural. "How would this Venerable One know? My elder brother may not have told the Heavenly Venerable. He is a very independent person, always wanting to break free from the shackles of being the Heavenly Venerable's son. Matters below the Infinite Realm are not reported to the Heavenly Venerable. Going to ask for instructions or acting according to the Heavenly Venerable's will—how could one ever stand on their own?"
"If you don't know, then you don't know. I was just asking casually. Why explain so much?"
Zhang Ruochen held the Divine Source above her palm, pausing. "How about Daoist Qing helps this poor Daoist with another favor?"
"What favor?"
Xuan Yuanqing felt that Zhang Ruochen had too many conditions.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I need a reason to leave, don't I? How about we have a fight? I'll say that Qingkong Sword King must die, that I absolutely cannot give him to you. You'll say that Qingkong Sword King must live, that you have to take him back to be dealt with by Senior Zhao Gongming. Then the argument escalates, and I throw the Divine Source to you, storming off in anger... Hey, snatching it is wrong..."
Xuan Yuanqing snatched the Divine Source away. "Figure out how to leave on your own. Two Great Gods having a fight? You may not care about face, but this Venerable One does."
In the distance, Feng Xi watched as Qing Pingzi and Xuan Yuanqing stood side by side in an open area at the bow of the ship. She couldn't hear what they were discussing, but they seemed to have grown quite close, even exchanging tokens of trust. Especially when they were snatching things from each other, their intimacy was almost unbelievable.
Was this the bond forged through life-and-death struggles?
How aloof and proud was the Heavenly Venerable's daughter? Which ordinary god would dare to be so presumptuous before her?
But then again, who wouldn't value a friend who fought side by side in such a life-or-death crisis?
Xuan Yuanqing gave Zhang Ruochen a cold glare. "The Romantic Sword God should go comfort her. Don't rush to leave. Although Fourth Master is not her biological father, you should understand this kind of bond."
Xuan Yuanqing walked away directly.
Zhang Ruochen turned around, glanced at her with a sly smile, then walked toward Feng Xi, who was standing by the ship's railing. He found this extremely troublesome.
Comforting people was truly not his forte.
Especially someone as special as Feng Xi.
Zhang Ruochen wanted to avoid her, so how could he dare to comfort her?
But Feng Yunba's death must have hit her hard. As a fellow Daoist, would it be too cruel not to say a single word of comfort?
Many words of comfort, Zhang Ruochen could say to Luo Ji, to Mu Lingxi, to Bai Qinger, but saying them to Feng Xi would be inappropriate.
"Daoist Xi... please accept my condolences... Fourth Master actually..." Zhang Ruochen said.
Feng Xi saw how difficult it was for him to force out words and interrupted him. "Daoist need not be like this. Xi has long grown accustomed to life and death, having endured countless hardships. I am not some delicate young girl who needs comforting. As for my father's death, the Wind Clan will surely have a reckoning with the Darkness Temple in the future. What were you and Miss Qing discussing just now?"
"Naturally, it was about Qingkong Sword King." Zhang Ruochen said.
Feng Xi's gaze turned cold.
Zhang Ruochen put on an angry expression. "We had a disagreement on how to deal with Qingkong Sword King. But I couldn't argue with her—after all, she is the Heavenly Venerable's daughter—so I handed Qingkong Sword King over to her."
"Qingkong Sword King must die, to pay for the Wind Clan's fallen. If not for him, Father... how could Father have fallen?" Feng Xi said, claiming to be accustomed to life and death, yet her eyes reddened, her emotional turmoil showing on her face.
Zhang Ruochen said, "This poor Daoist also thinks so, but it seems Xuan Yuanqing wants to spare Qingkong Sword King's life."
Saying this, he took out the Chaos Bottle and handed it to Feng Xi. "Zhao Wuyan's Divine Source has been shattered, but his ghostly body and divine soul are still intact. I'll leave them to the Wind Clan to deal with. Consider this compensation for handing over Qingkong Sword King. Alas, this poor Daoist has no face left to stay on the Xufeng Divine Ship. I have failed Fourth Master and let down all this blood on the ground."
Feng Xi's gaze was stunned. This was a Great God! Even if his Divine Source was shattered, he still held extraordinary value. And he was simply handing it over to her?
She quickly said, "What does this matter have to do with you, Daoist? It's all because the Heavenly Venerable's daughter is too overbearing. Anyone else would have been crushed by the Heavenly Venerable's authority."
"Moreover, given the current situation of the Kunlun Realm, they wouldn't dare offend the Heavenly Palace either."
"Xi absolutely cannot accept Zhao Wuyan's ghostly body and divine soul. The Wind Clan already owes you too much, Daoist. Seventh Uncle has already said that I must not take back the Chaos Bottle under any circumstances. This secret treasure shall be the Wind Clan's gift of thanks."
Zhang Ruochen had taken out the Chaos Bottle precisely to put on a show, intending to divert the Wind Clan's attention toward Xuan Yuanqing and buy himself an opportunity to save Xue Tu.
Zhang Ruochen took back the Chaos Bottle and sighed deeply. "This poor Daoist doesn't have the face for this!"
"Rest assured, Daoist. Even commoners know that murder must be avenged. My father has fallen, and the Wind Clan has lost no fewer than a hundred thousand cultivators. Such a blood debt cannot be suppressed by a Heavenly Venerable's daughter. Moreover, the Radiant Divine Temple also has its grievances! Xi will go now to discuss countermeasures with the gods of the Wind Clan and the Radiant Divine Temple. We will make Xuan Yuanqing give us an explanation!"
As Feng Xi was about to leave, she hesitated for a moment. But thinking of how Daoist Qing Pingzi had fought desperately for them earlier, and had just voluntarily offered Zhao Wuyan's ghostly body and divine soul—such noble character—how could she still harbor suspicions about his identity? She was unworthy to be called his Daoist friend.
Zhang Ruochen watched Feng Xi's graceful retreating figure, feeling confused.
What did that apologetic look in her eyes mean when she left?
Had she done something to wrong him?
Little did Zhang Ruochen know that earlier, when he was protecting Feng Yan during the critical moment, he had addressed Feng Xi as "you" and "I," which was very unusual, causing Feng Xi to suspect that he might not be a cultivator of the Daoist path.
Moreover, after Zhang Ruochen broke through, the combat power he displayed was too strong, deepening Feng Xi's suspicions.
However, Zhang Ruochen's recent performance had once again made Feng Xi deeply aware of this Daoist friend's integrity. She felt self-reproach for being too suspicious and not trusting him, believing she was unworthy to be called a Daoist friend alongside someone like Qing Pingzi.
Not long after Feng Xi left, the gods on the Xufeng Divine Ship, summoned by Feng Xuan's voice transmission, began gathering in the ancient hall on the third level.
On this Xufeng Divine Ship, the only one Zhang Ruochen truly feared was Master Mo, who possessed powerful spiritual power.
But Master Mo was fully occupied repairing the ship's protective divine formation and probably didn't have much spiritual awareness focused on him. So Zhang Ruochen restrained his aura and headed straight for the Divine Prison on the ship.
To create the illusion that Xiao Hei and the Ancestral Realm World Venerable had escaped, Xuan Yuanqing had already broken the divine patterns and formations here. Zhang Ruochen entered the Divine Prison with ease.
Afraid of alerting Master Mo, he did not release his spiritual power to probe.
Just as he stepped into the Divine Prison, he saw a familiar yet unfamiliar heroic figure standing ahead, in the dark shadows, wearing a dragon-head armor, hand resting on a Pure Yang Divine Sword, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen appear at the end of the underground corridor, his gaze sharpened. "It really is you."
Zhang Ruochen remained calm. "What does Daoist Yan mean by this? This poor Daoist discovered something wrong with the Divine Prison and came in to investigate. Since you're here, this poor Daoist will take my leave."
"If you take a single step, I will cut down Xue Tu right now."
Feng Yan's voice contained an unprecedented will of determination. The Pure Yang Divine Sword in his hand had already flown out.
"Bang!"
Xue Tu, imprisoned in the Divine Prison, was so startled that his whole body trembled. The Pure Yang Divine Sword pierced into the black divine iron wall, melting the divine iron into red-hot liquid iron. Half of the sword blade exposed outside pressed against his neck.
(End of this chapter)