Chapter 3070: Clues to the Sword Realm
Zhang Ruochen stepped down from the White Feather Sacred Peacock Saint Chariot, raised his head, and looked into the distant void. There, divine power fluctuations were intense, light flickered, and a deafening, muffled roar continuously echoed.
For the sake of the Universe Cauldron, these top-tier powerhouses of the Grand Void Realm were utterly insane, fighting to the death without cease.
How could a result be reached in such a short time?
"What's on your face... who wrote that?"
Xiao Hei had been very serious at first, but when he clearly saw the two characters on Zhang Ruochen's face, his round cat eyes narrowed into slits as he laughed.
"What?"
Zhang Ruochen clearly had no idea what had happened. He spread his palm and condensed a mirror with divine light.
On his left and right cheeks, there was one character each, together reading "Moon Envoy."
"Really knows how to play, huh? Moon Envoy? Why not write Sun Envoy?" Xiao Hei laughed so hard he nearly collapsed to the ground, tears streaming from his eyes.
Zhang Ruochen wiped his hand across his face. Divine light flashed, and the two characters vanished, as if nothing had ever happened. He said calmly, "Do you have any classics on the Rune Path and Illusion Path? The extremely profound kind."
Xiao Hei asked casually, "How profound?"
"The more profound, the better. It would be best if it could satisfy the cultivation needs of gods with a Spiritual Power above the eightieth rank," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiao Hei was moved, unable to figure out what Zhang Ruochen intended, and said, "I don't have any."
Existence with a Spiritual Power above the eightieth rank were countable throughout the entire universe. Trying to find classics cultivated by figures of that level—even in the Undying Blood Clan, one would probably have to go to the Undying Divine Temple.
Xiao Hei thought for a moment and said, "I do have one formation classic of that level."
"What use is formation... no, wait. Lend it to me." A strange smile appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes.
Zhang Ruochen had probed and found that although Wu Yue's soul and spirit were severely traumatized, her Spiritual Power had already recovered to about seventy or eighty percent, astonishingly powerful.
But after all, she had lost her memory, to the point where even Xiu Chen at his peak could capture her alive.
With such strength, how could she possibly seize the Universe Cauldron?
That was why Zhang Ruochen, after earnest persuasion in the chariot, had finally gotten Wu Yue to agree to first peruse some classics on the Rune Path and Illusion Path. Once she had offensive means, she could act later.
Wu Yue's learning ability was extremely strong. In less than an hour, she had flipped through all the various Rune Path and Illusion Path classics Zhang Ruochen had on him, reaching a level where she could wield them freely.
Even ordinary rune patterns and illusion techniques, in her hands, could unleash bizarre and extraordinary power.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen, caught off guard, had already fallen victim to her illusion technique. Otherwise, how could the words "Moon Envoy" have inexplicably appeared on his face?
It was even possible that Zhang Ruochen had written those two characters on his own face.
"This 'Formation Classic' was given by the Grandmaster. Don't lose it!"
Xiao Hei gave a warning and handed the book to Zhang Ruochen.
Such a classic was extraordinarily precious, enough to serve as a clan's treasured heirloom. The reason Xiao Hei could take it out so easily was because their relationship had long since reached a level that ordinary friends could not match.
Zhang Ruochen took the "Formation Classic" and flipped through a few pages, discovering it was Xiao Hei's transcribed copy. He felt relieved.
Returning to the chariot, Zhang Ruochen immediately mobilized the power of the Way of Truth to avoid falling into another illusion, and handed the "Formation Classic" to Wu Yue.
A moment later, Zhang Ruochen stepped out of the Saint Chariot again.
He gave Xiao Hei an instruction to guard the chariot, then went to find Xue Jue War God.
Xue Jue War God, Xue Yao Divine Lord, Xue Tu, and the Underworld King stood together, all watching the divine battle in the distant void while also discussing something.
Xue Yao Divine Lord said, "This starry sky of the Lost Paradise is probably about to turn into a dead, desolate wasteland."
"Destroying it is one thing, but it's a pity about all that blood Qi," Xue Tu said with a long sigh, looking at the star fragments in the void.
Xue Jue War God's eyes were deep and profound. "I always feel that a place as vibrant as the Lost Paradise appearing in the deep space of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain is far too unreasonable. Unless, this place is connected to the legendary Sword Realm!"
Xue Yao Divine Lord and Xue Tu's gazes both turned to the Underworld King.
The Underworld King shook his head. "The Sword Gall and the Eternal Star Divine Sword show no abnormal fluctuations."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen approach, Xue Tu excitedly asked, "Senior Brother, what did the Heavenly Mother say? Could it be that even the emergence of the legendary Universe Cauldron cannot lure her out of seclusion?"
Zhang Ruochen countered, "The Universe Cauldron has already appeared, so why are you still here? Shouldn't you immediately leave the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain and rush back to the Destiny Temple to inform your master? This is definitely a great merit!"
A bitter expression appeared on Xue Tu's face. "It took several years of sailing on a Divine Ship just to get here. If I go out alone, how many years would that take? What if something goes wrong and I get lost in the darkness?"
The cultivators of the various major forces had all followed the route explored by the Yaksha Clan to its end, experienced some twists and turns, and then found this place one after another.
Zhang Ruochen looked at Xue Jue War God. "Grandfather, I need to go to the Continent of Gods."
Xue Jue War God understood his purpose and nodded. "Be careful. Many powerhouses have come to this star domain."
"Those powerhouses are currently all drawn to the Universe Cauldron. Who would care about a small fry like me, whose martial arts cultivation is completely crippled?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Senior Brother, I'll go with you."
Xue Tu tried to follow.
Although the Continent of Gods had been severely ravaged by Fei Mawang, it was vast and boundless. The areas truly completely destroyed were less than a tenth.
Xue Yao Divine Lord's face turned cold and stern. He shouted, "Come back! How dangerous is the Lost Paradise now? You're just an Upper-Level God—do you want to die?"
Xue Tu was restrained by Xue Yao Divine Lord's Rule Divine Patterns, feeling miserable inside.
Just an Upper-Level God?
Was an Upper-Level God weak?
If it were any other Taiyi Realm Great God who said that, Xue Tu would have definitely snapped back, spitting out harsh words like "After one eon, I'll beat you so hard even your mother won't recognize you." But facing Xue Yao Divine Lord, he couldn't.
After all, Xue Yao Divine Lord was his father.
Zhang Ruochen stepped on the Divine Spirit Step, walking through the void, seeing fragments of stars everywhere.
This star domain was vast beyond measure, spanning over a hundred billion miles. More than a thousand life-bearing planets had been largely destroyed, with fireballs frequently flying overhead.
The ten suns above the Continent of Gods had all collapsed.
Fortunately, protected by the world-protecting formation and divine patterns, those star fragments were blocked outside the realm. But the creatures on the continent were still plunged into misery—volcanoes erupting, tsunamis and floods, the earth shaking and mountains cracking...
Any slight fluctuation of divine power was a catastrophic disaster for these mortals, beasts, fish, insects, and birds.
Zhang Ruochen descended to that vast area of shattered space, released Xiu Chen, and let it absorb the Shura Fiend Qi and Rule Divine Patterns of the Shura Great Yi Realm, as well as the soul fragments scattered across the land.
Since Xiu Chen had become the artifact spirit of the Sundial, the stronger its cultivation, the better.
Zhang Ruochen sensed the surroundings and found no trace of divine aura. Even the Xufeng Divine Ship outside the sky had already left.
"If anyone asks, say you joined Xinghuantian. Do not let anyone know that you have become the artifact spirit of the Sundial," Zhang Ruochen instructed.
"Do I need you to tell me that?"
Xiu Chen ignored Zhang Ruochen, flew into the chaotic space-time, and began to breathe and absorb.
Zhang Ruochen knew that some gazes from the starry sky were surely watching the Continent of Gods. Therefore, he draped himself with the Heavenly Venerable Treasure Gauze, concealed his aura, hid his form, and headed toward the Eternal Divine Temple.
Earlier, Wu Yue had asked whether the Rain Master imprisoned in the underground of the Eternal Divine Temple was her disciple, and Zhang Ruochen had brushed it off.
Now, he had to go and eliminate this lingering threat.
The Eternal Divine Temple had already been reduced to ruins. Zhang Ruochen entered the underground world, but the Rain Master, who had been bound to the bronze pillar, had disappeared.
Zhang Ruochen was not surprised. After all, so much time had passed; some god was bound to have come here to check.
The question was, had the Rain Master been rescued or captured?
Which faction had taken him?
As Zhang Ruochen examined the traces on the ground, he suddenly sensed a fluctuation. His form flickered, and he appeared on the surface. His gaze fixed on a ten-thousand-jin block of bluish-gray stone, and he said coldly, "Still not showing yourself?"
"Great God, spare my life!"
The stone transformed into an Upper-Level God of the Demon Clan with three tails, who bowed deeply, his face nearly touching the ground.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Why are you still at the Eternal Divine Temple? Do you know who rescued the Rain Master?"
"Does the Great God know this minor god?"
The Upper-Level God of the Demon Clan slightly raised his head and glanced at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen was not in the appearance of Shu Qianchi, so the demon naturally did not recognize him. But he noticed some clues and tentatively asked, "Is the Great God the Confucian-robed scholar who wielded the Green Duckweed Sword?"
A strange look appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes. He thought to himself, What a cunning old demon. His cultivation isn't high, but his eyesight is sharp.
I didn't restrain my gaze earlier, and he saw through me.
"Are you looking for me?" Zhang Ruochen said.
A flicker of surprise passed through the depths of the Upper-Level God of the Demon Clan's pupils.
Zhang Ruochen said, "No need to be so surprised. If you weren't looking for me, why would you test my identity? Any other Upper-Level God, encountering a strange Great God, even if they had a guess, would not voice it."
The Upper-Level God of the Demon Clan quickly said, "This minor god was just asking casually."
Zhang Ruochen stared at him intently. "You don't need to deny it. Let me guess again. Twenty thousand years ago, you saw the wielder of the Green Duckweed Sword, Shangqing, and so, after seeing the Green Duckweed Sword in the underground world, you have been keeping an eye on me, right?"
This Upper-Level God of the Demon Clan was a native of the Continent of Gods and had survived one Eon Calamity. Judging by his age, he was indeed about two hundred thousand years old, and it was very possible he had crossed paths with Shangqing back then.
"Impressive. As expected of a Great God. Nothing escapes your blazing divine eyes."
The Upper-Level God of the Demon Clan smiled bitterly and asked, "What is the Great God's relationship with Lord Shangqing?"
Zhang Ruochen felt a surge of intense excitement, countless thoughts racing through his mind, but he showed none of it on his face. He took out the Green Duckweed Sword to prove his identity.
"Shangqing can be considered my ancestral master. How should I address you, sir?"
"Lan Wuteng!"