# Chapter 3041: Colorful Garment Gift to a Beauty
"Even Divine Lord Xuanyuan believes Shang Hong's words and wants to investigate my divine realm world?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Still acting?
Calling her Divine Lord Xuanyuan—was this him pretending to be angry?
Did you, Zhang Ruochen, have the right to be angry?
Xuanyuan Qing said, "This matter involves enormous implications behind the scenes. It's not simply about two great gods being involved. It's better to be cautious. Fellow Daoist, rest assured. I can swear by the Heavenly Venerable's reputation that any secrets I discover will never be passed to a third person."
She did this for two reasons.
First, because Zhang Ruochen truly caused too much trouble—digging pits for her, using her as a shield, and even trying to rescue Xue Tu.
Did he really think the Heavenly Venerable's daughter was easy to bully?
Second, because Xuanyuan Qing was genuinely curious about Zhang Ruochen.
This fellow was truly unfathomable, carrying countless secrets. Why not take this opportunity to investigate a bit?
If he wanted to blame someone, he could only blame himself for insisting on rescuing Xue Tu. Otherwise, how would she have this chance?
Of course, it wasn't just curiosity.
Xuanyuan Qing was even more worried about whether Qingtian crippling Zhang Ruochen's martial cultivation was part of some huge conspiracy. Was it all an act?
After all, Zhang Ruochen had so many schemes.
After all, the one at Xinghuantian was Qingtian's senior disciple.
This concerned whether she should continue maintaining good relations with Zhang Ruochen in the future, and whether the Heavenly Court should immediately destroy Xinghuantian.
If Zhang Ruochen had truly acknowledged the enemy as father and defected to Qingtian's sect, and if the one at Xinghuantian hadn't truly turned against Qingtian, the consequences would be extremely severe.
"Fine! Very well."
Zhang Ruochen stepped forward and slightly cupped his hands toward Feng Xi, saying, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Xi, for speaking on my behalf. The pure are self-purifying; the turbid are self-turbid."
Then his gaze turned angrily toward Xuanyuan Qing. "Since even the Heavenly Venerable's daughter suspects me, if I don't open my divine realm world for you to investigate, wouldn't I truly be framed? But if you investigate my divine realm world and don't find Xue Tu, what then?"
Shang Hong knew he had no other way out. "If that's the case, I will submit to any punishment and won't say another word."
Jia Linnan stepped forward, smiling. "There's no need to take it this far. There's still another cultivator present who can serve as a witness!"
The gods' gazes finally fell upon Lian Xi.
Among a group of true gods, Lian Xi, a demigod, was far too inconspicuous.
Feng Xuan said, "This woman came together with Shang Hong. She will inevitably side with him. Can her words be trusted?"
Jia Linnan said, "I didn't say I wanted to ask her. Isn't it simpler to just conduct a soul search?"
The Feng Clan gods present all showed strange expressions, thinking to themselves that the Radiant Divine Temple's gods were truly ruthless enough.
A soul search would cause tremendous damage to a cultivator's potential.
The higher a cultivator's talent, the greater the impact after a soul search.
Lian Xi was one of the strongest secular cultivators of the Radiant Divine Temple, yet in Jia Linnan's eyes, she was no different from a mortal. He spoke of conducting a soul search so casually.
After a soul search, if her soul was damaged and she couldn't survive the divine tribulation, what then?
Zhang Ruochen snorted coldly and cursed, "A beast without a trace of human feeling, daring to target a young girl. I dare to assert that this young girl is definitely a tool you're using against me. If you have any sinister tricks, just come at me directly. Isn't it just investigating my divine realm world?"
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Ruochen stomped his foot, releasing divine qi and rule divine patterns.
Instantly, a divine realm world of green mountains and clear waters gradually took shape, extending into the distance.
Zhang Ruochen had never deliberately cultivated his divine realm world, but relying on his Taiji Two Forms, he could casually condense any form of divine realm world. After all, the paths he had comprehended numbered over ten thousand.
Watching Xuanyuan Qing and Qing Pingzi enter the divine realm world, Shang Hong's gaze turned toward Lian Xi, a cold smile appearing on his face. It seemed this servant had considerable weight in Zhang Ruochen's heart!
If Xuanyuan Qing found Xue Tu in the divine realm world, Zhang Ruochen would surely fight to the death with her.
At that moment, he could immediately capture Lian Xi and throw her into the battlefield of the great gods' confrontation, which should have some effect on Zhang Ruochen.
Lian Xi's gaze was calm as still water, but in her heart, she had seen through the true faces of these Radiant Divine Temple gods. Jia Linnan wanted to conduct a soul search, sacrificing her to deal with Zhang Ruochen, yet no one spoke up for her.
Instead, it was Zhang Ruochen who stepped forward to protect her.
This man who had once disgusted her, treated her as a servant, and constantly tormented her—how could he be so protective of her?
Still as domineering as in the Hell Realm...
But she liked it!
Lian Xi had always had a nearly twisted affection for Zhang Ruochen, but now she felt an additional sincere gratitude.
It was like a lamb that had run away from home, bullied everywhere outside—anyone could kick it, anyone wanted to stew it and eat it, everyone mocked it—yet only the old sheep at home that had often scolded it could stand up to shelter it from wind and rain, treating it as a sheep, not as food.
In truth, Lian Xi understood very well that in what happened in the Hell Realm, neither she nor Zhang Ruochen had a choice. They were merely protecting each other and using each other.
If she hadn't used Zhang Ruochen's identity to protect herself, she would have been devoured alive in the Hell Realm long ago.
As a woman who had once wanted to kill Zhang Ruochen and was captured by him, she couldn't hope for more.
And Zhang Ruochen had still released her, given her the Judgment Sword, and now protected her. Could it be that in his heart, she wasn't just a lamb? A servant?
Ripples of joy spread across the lake of Lian Xi's heart.
Entering the divine realm world, Xuanyuan Qing first glanced at the space ring on Zhang Ruochen's hand, seeing through its contents in one look—all sorts of miscellaneous items.
A town-suppressing level supreme sacred artifact? So what?
Xuanyuan Qing couldn't be bothered with it.
The truly good things, the great secrets, must all be hidden in the divine realm world.
But after investigating a full circle, Xuanyuan Qing didn't find anything valuable in Zhang Ruochen's divine realm world—just treasures already known to cultivators throughout the world. She couldn't help feeling disappointed.
Xuanyuan Qing said irritably, "Speak. Where exactly is Xue Tu hidden?"
"Released by Shang Hong," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Still pretending?"
Xuanyuan Qing shot him a cold glare, then suddenly noticed something. "Take off your clothes!"
"You've already investigated my divine realm world and know all my secrets. Even the last secret, you won't let go?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Xuanyuan Qing's forehead showed black lines. "I'm talking about the Seven Source Colorful Garment."
"Fine!"
Zhang Ruochen took off the Seven Source Colorful Garment and handed it to her.
Xuanyuan Qing carefully examined the divine formation and hidden space within the Seven Source Colorful Garment, but only found the bead containing the Ice Emperor's Son and the Ancestral Realm World Lord that she had given Zhang Ruochen. She couldn't help feeling secretly alarmed.
Because she was certain that Xue Tu had been rescued by Zhang Ruochen.
Where had he hidden him?
"Can you return it now?"
Zhang Ruochen reached out his hand.
"This precious garment belongs to the Heavenly Court and should be returned to the Yin-Yang Realm. Since you rescued Xue Tu, you must pay some price," Xuanyuan Qing said.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze darkened. "If you say that, then take the Seven Source Colorful Garment. But Shang Hong and Jia Linnan's lives—I want them. Even the Heavenly Venerable can't keep them."
"Are you threatening me?"
Under her veil, Xuanyuan Qing's bright eyes, clear as black and white, gradually sharpened as she met his gaze.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Of course not! Divine Lord Xuanyuan only needs to expose my identity, then personally take action, joining forces with the gods on the Xufeng Divine Ship—that would be enough to kill me."
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen changed his tone. "But there are no walls that don't let wind through. As long as this matter leaks out, Xinghuantian and the Star Heaven Cliff will immediately defect to the Hell Realm."
Saying he didn't dare, yet every sentence was a threat.
Only when each side held trump cards could they be equal in status, confront each other, and bargain.
In the past, when had Zhang Ruochen ever had the qualifications to bargain in front of Xuanyuan Qing?
Xuanyuan Qing glared at him. "Hmph! Even if I return the Seven Source Colorful Garment to you, you still won't let Shang Hong and Jia Linnan go."
"Correct!"
Zhang Ruochen said frankly, "Knowing that my martial cultivation is still intact and that I've stepped into the great god level, how could I possibly let them live? But there's a difference!"
"What difference?" Xuanyuan Qing asked.
Zhang Ruochen stared at the Seven Source Colorful Garment in Xuanyuan Qing's hand, smiling. "If Divine Lord Xuanyuan insists on taking back this piece of junk, then I'll find a way to force you to kill Shang Hong. I believe Xinghuantian's weight far exceeds that of a Shang Hong. You won't break with me!"
"You're too arrogant. I will never compromise with you, or you'll only become more aggressive," Xuanyuan Qing said with a cold laugh.
"Let me finish!"
Zhang Ruochen continued, "If Divine Lord Xuanyuan returns this piece of junk to me, I won't pursue the matter today! Whether I can kill Shang Hong and Jia Linnan in the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain later will depend entirely on my own ability. What do you think?"
Xuanyuan Qing's snow-white teeth bit out cold starlight. "Fine, fine, very well! Saying you'll kill whoever you want—I'll just watch and see how capable you, Zhang Ruochen, really are. Take it! Who wants your piece of junk!"
Zhang Ruochen picked up the Seven Source Colorful Garment, his eyelids drooping as he pondered for a moment. Then he handed this precious garment, close to sub-divine rank supreme sacred artifact, back to Xuanyuan Qing.
"What are you doing?" Xuanyuan Qing was puzzled.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Naturally, I'm giving it to Miss Qing! A colorful garment gifted to a beauty; a precious sword sent to a hero. Back then, Miss Qing intended to give me the Radiant Divine Sword. Although I refused, I've kept that sentiment in my heart."
Xuanyuan Qing was stunned, truly unable to understand Zhang Ruochen's maneuver.
Earlier, for the sake of the Seven Source Colorful Garment, he had been on the verge of breaking with her completely.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "A precious garment being taken by force and being given voluntarily have completely different meanings. Moreover, earlier Miss Qing wanted to return it to the Yin-Yang Realm, which naturally made me even more unwilling."
Xuanyuan Qing was amused by his words and showed a smile. "Aren't you afraid I'll still return it to the Yin-Yang Realm?"
"It doesn't matter! My intentions have been conveyed. If Miss Qing doesn't appreciate them, there's nothing I can do." Zhang Ruochen shrugged.
Xuanyuan Qing naturally wouldn't be polite. She took the Seven Source Colorful Garment in one hand. "Speak! What do you want to ask of me?"
"Lian Xi's situation will inevitably be difficult from now on. Help me look after her a bit," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xuanyuan Qing found this even harder to understand. She looked at Zhang Ruochen as if he were a monster. "Everyone in the world knows she's just your servant, and she even stole your Judgment Sword and returned to the Heavenly Court... I understand now. Back then, you deliberately gave her the Judgment Sword and let her return to the Heavenly Court. You, Zhang Ruochen, really are a romantic. The title of Romantic Sword God is well-deserved—provoking one after another, leaving feelings everywhere..."
At this point, she couldn't continue, feeling something was off.
She looked at the Seven Source Colorful Garment in her hand.
That was it. Leaving feelings everywhere—had he left them here with her?
Unfortunately, she, Xuanyuan Qing, didn't fall for such tricks. Even if he sent ten Seven Source Colorful Garments, it would be useless.