Chapter 3121: Gifting the Swords
Zhang Ruochen felt no reluctance toward the old corpse ghost.
Although its combat power was formidable, it also harbored immense hidden dangers. After all, the power that the Great Venerable had left within the Fire Source Divine Essence to suppress the old corpse ghost had already passed ten eons.
This power would continuously diminish over time!
Moreover, the old corpse ghost was not only connected to Fengdu Dadi but might also be linked to Jiusi Yitianhuang, involving a power struggle among the most formidable figures of the Hell Realm. As a junior, meddling in such matters would be nothing short of suicidal.
When Jiu Tian had Bai Qinger hand over the old corpse ghost to Zhang Ruochen to bring to the Hell Realm, it might not have been without the intention of sending away this source of calamity.
Zhang Ruochen said in a low voice, "The Earth Fiend Bell is still inside its body!"
"The Earth Fiend Bell isn't yours, so why covet it? Do you really think the Earth Fiend Ghost City is easy to provoke?" Void Heaven said irritably.
Zhang Ruochen had difficulty voicing his grievances. Fine, this old fellow had previously promised the Ghost Lord that he could seize the Earth Fiend Bell from him, and now he was pulling this trick.
Clearly, he still hadn't swallowed his anger and was deliberately setting him up.
At the same time, he had also tricked the Ghost Lord!
"If you have nothing to do, then get lost quickly. Why are you still standing there?" Void Heaven said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I wish to request a Heavenly Decree to visit my father."
"You have the Fate Heavenly Command from Fulu Divine Venerable. While it won't let you do whatever you want, who can stop you from visiting a prisoner? Get lost, get lost. Go prepare for your wedding! Damn it, I've been taken advantage of by this bastard. You're as hateful as that bald monk Xumi. Am I destined to clash with the Zhang Clan?" Void Heaven gritted his teeth, his anger flaring.
Zhang Ruochen walked out of the Destiny Temple and encountered Xiao Hei, Xue Tu, Luo Sha, along with Gu She Jing and Tianyin Shenmu waiting outside.
Xiao Hei, unusually serious, breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It seems Senior Void Heaven truly has a broad mind. Admirable."
Zhang Ruochen understood their concerns. Here, every word and action would be perceived by Void Heaven, making it unsuitable to say too much. He simply smiled and nodded.
Then, he walked up to Tianyin Shenmu, bowed deeply, and said, "Void Heaven has arranged a marriage. Ruochen cannot refuse."
Tianyin Shenmu was exquisitely dignified and beautiful to the extreme, losing little in comparison to Bai Huanghou or Yue Shen. Standing beside Luo Sha, she looked less like a mother and more like a stunning twin sister.
Her smile could topple cities, her lips red and teeth white, as she said, "This is a great opportunity for you, a tremendous favor from Senior Void Heaven. You should be happy. As a rare extraordinary man in the world, you deserve more than ordinary people. Not just three wives and four concubines, even three thousand consorts is normal. How could I and Luo Sha blame you for this?"
Zhang Ruochen truly hadn't expected his future mother-in-law to be so understanding, but he still felt a bit worried. "What about the Great Emperor...?"
"No! Since he began his cultivation, the consorts he has had number far more than three thousand," Tianyin Shenmu said.
Zhang Ruochen understood then.
But he couldn't help marveling at Tianyin Shenmu's skillful methods. Luo Yan Dadi had had so many divine consorts, inevitably with countless children. Yet, in terms of favoritism, none could compare to Luo Sheng Tian and Luo Sha.
What Zhang Ruochen didn't know was that one hundred thousand years ago, the Daluo Divine Palace had suffered a great catastrophe, and all of Luo Yan's children and divine consorts had died in that calamity.
Tianyin Shenmu added, "A man can be romantic, but he must never let it hinder his cultivation. You must understand that only a man with unparalleled talent can be called gallant and free-spirited. Only an unmatched strong one deserves to be called a heroic and passionate figure, praised and sung by the world's cultivators. Mediocre and weak men don't enjoy such a reputation... or such an outcome."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen so obedient and respectful before Tianyin Shenmu, Luo Sha chuckled, her charm tinged with playfulness.
In terms of cultivation, Zhang Ruochen had already surpassed Tianyin Shenmu.
In terms of arrogance, Zhang Ruochen could disregard powerful figures like the Ghost Lord and Mutuo War God who shook the universe.
Why was he so humble before Tianyin Shenmu?
Naturally, because he had Luo Sha in his heart, he regarded Tianyin Shenmu as an elder.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Luo Sha, smiled, and said, "The marriage between Ruochen and Luo Sha has been delayed for too long. Should we take this opportunity to hold it together?"
Luo Sha's lively eyes rolled around, and she was indeed tempted.
Although she didn't mind that Zhang Ruochen still had Chi Yao, Mu Lingxi, Bai Qinger, Luo Ji, Ji Fanxin, and other women in his heart, could she truly see them as sisters?
Chi Yao and Bai Qinger were no pushovers, and who knew what trouble they would stir up in the future.
Moreover, there was now an even more formidable Wu Yue.
If she didn't secure a dominant position in the Zhang Clan early on, how would she contend with them later?
Tianyin Shenmu considered deeper matters and asked Zhang Ruochen in return, "Do you think now is a good time for you and Luo Sha to marry?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head gently.
This marriage arranged by Void Heaven carried not only Void Heaven's wrath but also the fury of the Darkness Temple.
In truth, everyone involved was unwilling.
This was no happy occasion but a marriage of resentment!
There were too many variables.
"Since we're here at Fate Divine Mountain, Luo Sha, come with your mother to Fulu Divine Palace to pay respects to your grandmaster," Tianyin Shenmu said.
Fulu Divine Venerable was Tianyin Shenmu's master, and thus naturally Luo Sha's grandmaster.
Zhang Ruochen also accompanied Tianyin Shenmu, Luo Sha, and Gu She Jing to Fulu Divine Palace. After all, back when he crossed the Divine Tribulation, Fulu Divine Venerable, in his supreme divine venerable status, had protected him—a tremendous kindness.
If not for Fulu Divine Venerable's protection, how could a mere new god have provoked Qing Tian and the Darkness Temple Hall Master to act personally?
After expressing his gratitude to Fulu Divine Venerable in person, Zhang Ruochen headed to Nutian Divine Palace.
Bore had already awakened, her hair white as snow, her face pale and haggard, but she was quite calm. "Senior Void Heaven spared you, which shows he truly has the magnanimity of heaven. Now the crises of the Blood Absolute Family, Hundred Clans Royal City, and Xinghuantian must be resolved. Ruochen should be happy, so why so sorrowful?"
Zhang Ruochen watched her pretending to be strong, his heart aching. He took out a crescent-shaped space treasure filled with Life Spring and placed it in her palm.
The massive loss of blood qi and lifespan would inevitably damage her foundation, and it couldn't be healed by Life Spring alone.
"Xiao Hei, go to Xinghuantian for me. Ask Senior Jiu Tian to retrieve the divine medicine Nine-Eyed Blood Calamus from Mishan Tianzun Lake," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiao Hei didn't complain and left the Fate Divine Domain directly, heading to Xinghuantian.
Bore said, "Why must you do this? I am a true god, not a weak mortal woman. Even if I lose a great deal of lifespan and blood qi, I am still a strong one in this world. Once I break through to Tai Zhen Realm, my lifespan will naturally increase greatly."
The Tai Zhen Realm was no easy feat!
Even the most top-tier geniuses of the world, before enduring their first Eon Calamity, those who could reach the Tai Zhen Realm were few and far between.
The massive loss of lifespan meant Bore didn't have enough time to break through to the Tai Zhen Realm. Moreover, healing would consume a great deal of time.
Zhang Ruochen grasped her slender jade hand and said, "With this unwavering confidence, I will do my utmost to help you. You will surely reach the Tai Zhen Realm in the shortest time possible."
"Shua shua!"
Seven Sword Ancestor Soul Swords flew out from his body, hovering in the void.
Countless sword qi spontaneously emerged, and the sword dao rules of heaven and earth surged in, as if paying homage to the Sword Ancestor.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Besides the Path of Fate and the Buddhist Path, you also cultivate the Sword Dao. Now, I will pass on the Sword Ancestor's seven Soul Swords to you."
Hearing this, Xue Tu, standing nearby, was so envious that flames seemed to shoot from his eyes. He sighed inwardly, *Truly, only a woman who has aborted a child for the senior brother could receive such treatment.*
He completely forgot that he himself had spread this rumor.
Kong Daohai, the second disciple of Nutian Shenzun, who had always remained calm, showed a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He truly hadn't expected anyone in the world to make such a great sacrifice.
Acquiring the Sword Ancestor Soul Swords was difficult.
Giving them up was even harder.
Kong Daohai asked himself, if he were in Zhang Ruochen's position, he absolutely couldn't do it.
"No wonder this young man has a reputation for romance yet still wins Bore's true heart. This is far more precious than gifting an entire world," Kong Daohai marveled.
Bore's usually cold eyes were now slightly red as she gazed at Zhang Ruochen.
Many times, she felt that Zhang Ruochen didn't truly care about her. From the very beginning, he had treated her as a shadow of Chi Yao, a substitute.
Just like that night, when the woman lying beneath Zhang Ruochen was her, yet he called out Chi Yao's name.
Even the rift before the Ziwei Palace was mostly due to Zhang Ruochen's hatred for Chi Yao. Did his hatred for her amount to even a tenth of that for Chi Yao? If even hatred couldn't be deep and unforgettable, how much love was there?
Zhang Ruochen could regard Chi Yao as an enemy etched into his heart, yet when they met again, he treated her as a dispensable stranger.
The person Zhang Ruochen saw in the Pool of Fate was not her either.
People always want to be valued by those they care about, even if that value is enmity. They don't want to live forever in humility, as someone else's shadow.
Only now did Bore truly feel Zhang Ruochen's regard, as if she saw the Ninth Prince of Yunwu Commandery again, as if they had returned to the time before Chi Yao had intruded into their world. At least then, in her world, there was no Chi Yao.
At this moment, he was not the Crown Prince of the Holy Bright Central Empire, nor the grandson of Xue Jue War God.
Tears of clarity fell from Bore's eyes. "Put them away. With the Life Spring and divine medicine, it's enough. If I take more, I'll be envied!"
"Who would dare envy?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was forceful, pressing Bore to accept. "With my current cultivation, the Sword Ancestor Soul Swords are of little use and will only hinder my practice. From now on, I must focus on cultivating my own sword soul."
Bore said, "Among your many confidantes, Ruochen Jie Zun, quite a few cultivate the Sword Dao. Since ancient times, trouble in the inner court often arises not from scarcity but from inequality."
Xue Tu's expression turned strange, and he laughed. "By saying that, is Bore Dianxia admitting she is one of the senior brother's inner court?"
"Xue Tu, who let you into Nutian Divine Palace? Get out!" Bore shot him a cold glare.
Xue Tu knew it was no longer appropriate for him to stay, chuckled, and immediately left, while Kong Daohai had already vanished first.
(Chapter End)