Chapter 3119: The Scapegoat
Zhang Ruochen's expression shifted drastically. He truly had not expected Void Heaven to bestow a marriage between him and Wu Yue.
This move essentially completely absolved Void Heaven himself.
But for Zhang Ruochen, it was a huge pitfall. Not to mention the possible relationship between Wu Yue and Fengdu Dadi, Wu Yue herself was by no means a simple character.
Such a dangerous woman—Zhang Ruochen wanted to avoid her at all costs. How could he dare to take her as his wife?
With his current cultivation level, before Wu Yue, he was like a child, utterly powerless to fight back. Let alone hiding any secrets.
Zhang Ruochen could understand why Void Heaven was doing this. First, it was certainly meant to punish Wu Yue. Second, wasn't it also preparation for the future challenge to Fengdu Dadi's position as Heavenly Venerable?
Now, Zhang Ruochen had become a pawn in the game between Void Heaven and Fengdu Dadi. One misstep, and he would be annihilated.
Even if Zhang Ruochen was extremely unwilling, did he dare to say the word "no"?
Luo Sha also hadn't expected such a dramatic turn of events. With Void Heaven's words, whether it was Fengdu Dadi or Jiusi Yitianhuang who became enraged in the future, given their status, they would only seek out Void Heaven, not vent their anger on Zhang Ruochen.
It was as if Void Heaven was shouldering everything for Zhang Ruochen.
All Zhang Ruochen needed to do was marry Wu Yue. Although it was a difficult decision, it was a huge gain with minimal risk.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen remain silent for a long time, Luo Sha grew worried, afraid that he would be stubborn and defy Void Heaven's will.
Zhang Ruochen stepped forward and said, "Ancestor bestows a marriage—I am deeply grateful and would never be unwilling. In fact, the person who started the rumor has already been found."
"Oh? Who is it?" Void Heaven's gaze was cold and stern.
This gaze was both from his inner anger and a warning to Zhang Ruochen.
He was worried that Zhang Ruochen might blurt out that Wu Yue had started the rumor.
That would be rejecting the favor he was given.
He hadn't killed Zhang Ruochen, had taken on all the risks for him, and had resolved the crises with the Blood Heaven Tribe, Hundred Clans Royal City, and Xinghuantian. Although the Universe Cauldron was precious, it hadn't been delivered yet. How could this debt be repaid?
Void Heaven valued rules above all.
What you owe, you must repay.
Marrying Wu Yue was the repayment.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It was the Undying Divine Temple's Spiritual Power God, Mobosha. After the Ancestor bestowed the marriage in the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain, Uncle Underworld King discussed the matter with the Undying Blood Clan's gods. Unexpectedly, Mobosha turned out to be a god of the Qingtian Tribe's Great Clan Chief, Qingyun Que's faction. To deal with my maternal grandfather, they used this vicious scheme."
Mobosha was indeed a god who supported Qingyun Que.
Before coming to Fate Divine Mountain, Zhang Ruochen had already discussed this with Xue Jue War God. Because this matter required a scapegoat.
Xue Jue War God also needed a reason to clean up the uncertain elements within the Undying Blood Clan.
Of course, initially, they hadn't expected the marriage to be bestowed. They had thought Void Heaven would only deny making Wu Yue a Heavenly Maiden. Then, they could shift all the blame onto Mobosha and Qingyun Que, and even clear the Darkness Temple's name.
After all, Xue Jue War God knew very well that no one could touch the Darkness Temple.
Touching the Darkness Temple meant shaking the foundation of the Hell Realm.
Only by removing the Darkness Temple from the equation could this storm pass.
Once Void Heaven had made his decision and stood with Zhang Ruochen, the Darkness Temple knew the tide had turned. Even if they were unwilling, they could only swallow their teeth and bear it.
"Did you hear that?"
Void Heaven berated Mutuo War God, "Fools—all of you in the Darkness Temple are fools. Even though Wubian is the Hall Master of the Darkness Temple, he was toyed with by an Undying Blood Clan god, used without even realizing it."
How could Mutuo War God not know what was really going on?
But at this moment, even if Wu Yue stood up and said, "You, Void Heaven, did make me a Heavenly Maiden," no one would believe her.
Because Wu Yue had lost her memory!
Wu Yue didn't know what had happened!
Void Heaven, Que, Underworld King, and Zhang Ruochen were the ones who knew the truth. The scapegoat Mobosha had likely already fallen into Xue Jue War God's hands. As soon as news came from Fate Divine Mountain, he would be killed to silence him.
"Brilliant—what a formidable Xue Jue. This move resolves the crisis, wins over Void Heaven, and seizes the opportunity to cripple the last obstacle to ascending to the Clan Leader position." Mutuo War God didn't believe this strategy could have come from Zhang Ruochen, because Zhang Ruochen would never miss a chance to strike at the Darkness Temple.
Only someone like Xue Jue War God knew that the Darkness Temple couldn't be touched.
In the current situation, even if it were the Darkness Temple Hall Master, Wubian Shenzun himself, he could only grit his teeth and accept it.
Who could have imagined that the unrestrained Void Heaven would spare a junior who had touched his woman?
"Go, immediately go to the Undying Blood Clan and bring Mobosha to Fate Divine Mountain. Alive!" Void Heaven said.
Tingyunsheng led several gods of the Destiny Temple and immediately flew out of the temple.
"Yunsheng Great God!"
The Spiritual Power Incarnation of Yin-Yang Divine Master appeared in the starry sky, blocking Tingyunsheng and the others' path.
Tingyunsheng was curious. "Divine Master, what does this mean?"
Yin-Yang Divine Master smiled. "I just wanted to remind the Great God to be cautious on this trip."
"A mere Mobosha—he has committed such a heinous crime. Would the Undying Divine Temple dare to stop us? It's not like we're arresting Qingyun Que." Tingyunsheng was full of disdain.
Yin-Yang Divine Master said, "A mere Mobosha is indeed nothing. But you must remember Void Heaven's last three words: 'Alive.'"
With that, Yin-Yang Divine Master smiled faintly, and his incarnation dissipated.
Tingyunsheng's expression changed.
If Void Heaven truly wanted him alive, why would Yin-Yang Divine Master come to remind him of this?
The Heavenly Heart was unfathomable—the waters here were far too deep.
Inside the hall.
Void Heaven withdrew the divine might that had been suppressing Mutuo War God, looking weary as he waved his sleeve. "Forget it. Considering you were also schemed against, I, with my great magnanimity, will not hold it against you. Go back and tell Wubian: don't make the same stupid mistake twice. Greed must have a limit. If the Universe Cauldron is not returned within three days, I will have no choice but to invite Nutian Shenzun and Fulu Shenzun to personally come and demand it."
"It's a pity that Bore, with such excellent talent, was severely injured by your Darkness Temple. It's a pity that Wolf Ancestor followed Nutian Shenzun for a hundred thousand years, willingly serving as a mount, yet the Demon Wolf Clan was bullied by your Darkness Temple to such an extent. It's a pity that Fulu, though a Shenzun, couldn't even protect a junior—utterly disgraced."
Void Heaven sighed with emotion, but every word was filled with threatening implications. Finally, he said, "As for the marriage between Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue, the Fate Calculation Department will find an auspicious day and hold it as soon as possible. It will be held at the Destiny Temple, and I will personally officiate."
"Yes!" Yin-Yang Divine Master bowed in acknowledgment.
Void Heaven looked around and said, "Is there anything else? If not, this meeting is adjourned."
Ghost Lord immediately stepped forward and said, "Reporting to Void Heaven, the ancestral artifact of the Earth Fiend Ghost City is still in Zhang Ruochen's hands."
"What trivial matter is this to bring up here? If your things were stolen, go take them back yourself! In the future, if you lose your wife, do you want me to find her for you too?" Void Heaven said coldly.
Xue Mu Hall Master and Huang Huang, who had been about to step forward to demand the Divine Source, immediately stopped in their tracks.
Ghost Lord, however, was not at all angry. At least Void Heaven was telling him that he could make a move against Zhang Ruochen. He was just afraid that Void Heaven would truly treat Zhang Ruochen as a nephew and forbid anyone from touching him.
Jin Jue Heavenly God hesitated repeatedly but ultimately did not speak.
It was clear that Zhang Ruochen and Void Heaven shared common interests. Even though Huoze Shenjun was a Great God of the Destiny Temple and had died at Zhang Ruochen's hands, Void Heaven would not severely punish Zhang Ruochen at this time.
They could only wait for Xionghai Shenzun to return and let him handle the matter.
Killing a Great God of the Destiny Temple would certainly come with a price.
...
Ghost Lord, Li Yuan Heavenly God, Xu Liao, Huang Huang, and Xue Mu Hall Master flew out of the Fate Divine Domain and entered the starry sky of the Wugui Forest.
Xu Liao was indignant. "Now that Zhang Ruochen has Void Heaven's protection and is also the Heavenly Mother's Divine Envoy, who in the Hell Realm would dare to oppose him from now on?"
"This matter is very strange..." Li Yuan Heavenly God said.
Ghost Lord made a silencing gesture to Li Yuan Heavenly God and released his Divine Realm World.
After the gods entered Ghost Lord's Divine Realm World, Ghost Lord said, "Mobosha is just a scapegoat. Void Heaven's true goal is to obtain the Universe Cauldron. For now, Zhang Ruochen still has value to Void Heaven, so he cannot be touched. Once Void Heaven gets the Universe Cauldron and everything is settled, then no matter how we deal with him, Void Heaven won't step in to help him."
"Heh, you don't really think Void Heaven never considered killing Zhang Ruochen, do you? The Heavenly Maiden he himself appointed was taken by a junior—how could he not hate it?"
"If that's the case, then Xionghai Divine Palace will be the first to strike." Xu Liao grinned viciously.
A message light talisman flew in from the starry sky and landed in Ghost Lord's hand.
After reading the contents of the light talisman, Ghost Lord was first startled, then revealed a hint of a smile. "Now it all makes sense. I was wondering why Void Heaven, with his stature, would completely break with the Darkness Temple over just a Universe Cauldron."
"What happened?" Li Yuan Heavenly God asked.
Ghost Lord said, "The Starry Sea Angler and the master of the Ancient Divine Nest went to the Starry Sky Battlefield, entered the Heavenly Court's Starry Sky Defense Line, and visited Hao Tian."
Upon hearing this news, all the gods present were shocked.
It should be noted that when both the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm appointed the Twenty Heavens, the Starry Sea Angler was included—the only one to receive such treatment.
This showed that he was a key figure both sides wanted to win over.
At that time, the news that Jiu Tian's Spiritual Power had reached Heavenly Circle Perfection was still unknown. Now, Jiu Tian and the Starry Sea Angler were on the same chariot, making their weight even greater.
The Starry Sea Angler visiting Hao Tian, regardless of his purpose, was enough to shake the entire Hell Realm.
At such a critical moment in the Starry Sky Battlefield, even just to stabilize the Starry Sea Angler and Jiu Tian, Void Heaven absolutely could not touch Zhang Ruochen. Moreover, the master of the Ancient Divine Nest had also emerged, adding more variables.
Ghost Lord laughed. "You don't need to panic. The Starry Sea Angler cannot defect to the Heavenly Court. This move of his is just a posture, a way to support Zhang Ruochen. At the same time, it's telling the war hawks of the Hell Realm: if they push too hard, they can only join the Heavenly Court."
"Void Heaven keeping Zhang Ruochen at Fate Divine Mountain and having him marry Wu Yue there is, in a way, a form of house arrest. At the same time, it's driving a wedge between Xinghuantian and the Heavenly Court, preventing them from coming together."
"Now it seems, Qingtian was truly wise. This kid Zhang Ruochen is indeed extraordinary. Amid the games of the major powers, he is gradually beginning to play a key role."