Chapter 3126: Shentu Ghost Emperor
Zhang Ruochen smiled bitterly. Could this really be considered a clean retreat?
If not for his rich combat experience and decisive abandonment of his sword at the first moment, once struck by the other party's Absolute Self-Virtual Time Domain, his injuries would have been even worse than last time.
He had to abandon even his sword just to retreat intact—this was a complete defeat.
And this time, Zhang Ruochen had clearly seen the other party's cultivation level. She had not reached the Grand Void Realm, only the Supreme White Realm.
After killing Shuangcheng Mo, Zhang Ruochen had believed that cultivators below the Grand Void Realm were no longer a threat. Only today did he realize how terribly wrong he had been, having underestimated the heroes of the world.
Shuangcheng Mo was naturally no weakling, but at that time, he was severely injured and fleeing in panic. Zhang Ruochen had only succeeded through a sneak attack. Moreover, the power of the Universe Cauldron and Earth Cauldron accounted for the vast majority of the reason.
If he truly did not rely on means like the Sword Ancestor's Sword Soul, Earth Cauldron, or God-Defying Stele, even with Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation, facing Shuangcheng Mo in his prime state head-on, his chances of victory would be extremely slim.
Zhang Ruochen naturally would not belittle himself. After all, the little girl before him, being valued by Void Heaven, was no ordinary person. And the Earth Cauldron, Sundial, and God-Defying Stele were also part of his strength, were they not?
However, from now on, he truly needed to engage in down-to-earth cultivation for a while.
Take the Absolute Self-Virtual Time Domain the little girl had just used—it was cultivated by combining the Absolute Self-Time Imprint and the Virtual Time Domain.
During combat, all time within the domain was under her control.
If she wished, she could make time stand still.
If her mastery of time was profound enough, she could even briefly reverse time within the domain.
As long as he was willing to spend time, Zhang Ruochen could also cultivate it. However, cultivating the same Absolute Self-Virtual Time Domain would undoubtedly be a step down. With his Taiji Circle, he naturally needed to cultivate Virtual Time and Absolute Self-Time on the foundation of the Taiji Circle.
Que arrived at the Five Realms Heaven and saw Zhang Ruochen, who looked somewhat dejected. "You fought again?"
Zhang Ruochen was frank. "Yes, a complete defeat. Who is she? Who taught her the Way of Time?"
Que seemed to understand Zhang Ruochen's feelings. "Besides Master, who else could it be? It seems you haven't yet witnessed her Time Sword Art."
"She is also proficient in the Time Sword Art?" Zhang Ruochen suddenly thought of something and smiled. "That's right. Senior Void Heaven fought with Saint Monk Xumi for so many years—how could he not understand the Time Sword Art?"
Zhang Ruochen sighed inwardly. It seemed that only the tip of the iceberg of her strength had been revealed.
Que said, "Actually, Brother Ruochen doesn't need to be so discouraged. At the God realm, being able to cross a major realm to defeat or even kill an enemy is already rare in the world. Master says that at the Infinite Realm, it becomes absolutely impossible to cross a realm to defeat an opponent!"
"You have only just reached the Supreme Yi Realm, while she is a top-tier expert at the Supreme White Realm. You should know that with the combat power of the Blood Absolute War God, when he was at the middle stage of the Supreme White Realm, he only barely surpassed her. And her combat power now must have improved further."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What is her name?"
"Hai Shang You Ruo," Que said.
A look of surprise appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes, and he muttered to himself, "So she is from the Hai Shang Clan."
Hai Shang was a major surname within the Destiny Temple.
The Life God Venerable from one hundred thousand years ago was the ancestor of the Hai Shang Clan. It was said that after the Life God Venerable died, the Death God Venerable Feng Caiyi protected the Hai Shang Clan.
The tragic incident that occurred in the Destiny Temple back then was indeed murky and confusing.
Zhang Ruochen could understand why Hai Shang You Ruo was so cold toward him. It was because the rumors said that the ones who killed the Life God Venerable and the Auspicious God Venerable were the Ten Calamities Wen Tianjun and Saint Monk Xumi.
"Brother Que, you didn't come just to see me, did you?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Que said, "The Shentu Ghost Emperor has come to the Fate Divine Mountain and wants to see you."
Zhang Ruochen was slightly moved. He didn't expect that the Shentu Ghost Emperor, ranked first among the Five Ghost Emperors of Fengdu Ghost City, had actually come.
After Zhang Ruochen and Que left, Hai Shang You Ruo, who was fishing, muttered, "As expected of the heir of Saint Monk Xumi. In just a hundred years of cultivation, his progress is so remarkable. No wonder Void Heaven made him my whetstone to help me break through to the Grand Void Realm."
...
The Five Ghost Emperors of Fengdu Ghost City were all transcendent beings who had stepped into the Infinite Realm one hundred thousand years ago. Among them, the Eastern Ghost Emperor Shentu was the most powerful, having cultivated for a million years, standing shoulder to shoulder with the clan leaders of various races.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the Nutian God Palace ahead and was slightly surprised. "A powerful figure like the Shentu Ghost Emperor has come to the Divine Mountain. Even if Void Heaven doesn't personally receive him, at least a God Venerable should be hosting him, right? As far as I know, the Nutian God Venerable is not on the Divine Mountain."
"Since you know what level of existence the Shentu Ghost Emperor is, how dare you be so presumptuous in the Hundred Clans Royal City?" Xue Li walked out of the Nutian God Palace and said coldly.
Zhang Ruochen looked at Xue Li. "I thought that Senior Xue Li had misunderstood me and would definitely apologize when we met again. It seems I overestimated your character."
"Do you think that just because Void Heaven came forward to arrange the marriage, this matter is over?" Xue Li said.
A deep voice came from within the Nutian God Palace. "Xue Li, do not be disrespectful."
Xue Li suppressed his anger and snorted.
Que said softly to Zhang Ruochen, "The Ghost Emperor has already met with Master. He came here to heal Bore. Earlier, in front of the gods of the Nutian God Palace, Xue Li has already apologized to Bore."
Zhang Ruochen was secretly shocked. This Shentu Ghost Emperor was actually a figure who could humble himself so much. It seemed he was not to be trifled with.
It should be noted that the one who injured Bore was Pu Chuanqi.
Although Xue Li had participated in that battle, he had never attacked Bore.
How could a transcendent figure like the Shentu Ghost Emperor go to such lengths for a Superior God?
Zhang Ruochen was not afraid of a straightforward god like Xue Li. Even if his cultivation was high, at least he was transparent and predictable. What he feared was an opponent who didn't play by the rules.
"Has the Green Deer God King come?" Zhang Ruochen suddenly asked.
Que shook his head. "The Green Deer God King is still on the Starry Sky Battlefield. He only sent a letter to Master, severely reprimanding Pu Chuanqi. He claimed that even if the Destiny Temple wanted to execute Pu Chuanqi, it would be deserved."
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "What a cunning old fox. The Nutian God Venerable is on the Starry Sky Battlefield, yet he doesn't go to apologize in person but writes to Void Heaven instead. This way, no one on the Fate Divine Mountain dares to kill Pu Chuanqi!"
Zhang Ruochen walked into the Nutian God Palace and saw Bore. He found that although her hair was still white, her spirit and energy were far better than before, full of sharpness.
"Thank you, Ghost Emperor, for the ten thousand years of lifespan."
Bore bowed to the Shentu Ghost Emperor.
The Shentu Ghost Emperor wore silver armor, his narrow eyes connected to his ears. His bearing was extraordinary. Just standing in the courtyard gave one the feeling that heaven and earth were spinning.
And he stood at the center of heaven and earth, like a divine pillar holding up the universe.
His ghostly aura was thick, as if he only had an upper body, with his lower body entirely in a misty state. He smiled. "This Emperor has a deep friendship with your master. Giving you ten thousand years of lifespan to help restore your foundation is nothing. Besides, Fengdu Ghost City bears some responsibility in this matter. Realm Lord Ruochen, I have been waiting for you for a long time!"
Zhang Ruochen steadied his mind, facing the emperor's might, and walked over. "Ghost Emperor must be here for Xiang Ruyue's Divine Source, right?"
In the courtyard, Kong Daohai, Que, and Bore all had strange expressions.
Xue Li and Xiang Ruyue, however, showed anger, glaring at Zhang Ruochen with hatred.
It was because Zhang Ruochen, a mere junior, showed no respect upon meeting the Shentu Ghost Emperor, let alone bowing. What kind of attitude was this? Wasn't this arrogance taken too far?
The Shentu Ghost Emperor had already acted invisibly, suppressing Xue Li and Xiang Ruyue. He looked at Zhang Ruochen and said, "I have long heard that an extraordinary young hero has emerged in the world. Meeting you today, I see it's true. No wonder you have gained the recognition of the Heavenly Mother and Void Heaven."
Since the Shentu Ghost Emperor called him Realm Lord Ruochen, Zhang Ruochen naturally spoke to him in the capacity of a realm lord.
Why should he bow?
Moreover, Xiang Ruyue and Xue Li had successively attacked him. If there wasn't tacit approval from the Shentu Ghost Emperor behind it, Zhang Ruochen simply didn't believe it.
Zhang Ruochen didn't waste too many pleasantries. "In the Hundred Clans Royal City, Xiang Ruyue wanted to kill me without any reason. At that time, he didn't treat me as the Heavenly Mother's Divine Envoy! I only took his Divine Source and didn't take his life. Ghost Emperor, do you think I was too merciful?"
The Shentu Ghost Emperor smiled as he looked at Zhang Ruochen. "There is indeed a misunderstanding here! You two, why don't you quickly apologize to Realm Lord Ruochen?"
Xiang Ruyue and Xue Li gritted their teeth with hatred. They really didn't understand why the Ghost Emperor was so tolerant of this brat, allowing him to become even more presumptuous.
But they still gritted their teeth, suppressed their hatred, and bowed to Zhang Ruochen to apologize.
Seeing this, Kong Daohai shook his head, full of disappointment in Zhang Ruochen. In his view, Zhang Ruochen had become inflated to an unimaginable degree. How could he offend Fengdu Ghost City like this?
Today, the conflict could have been resolved.
"I wonder how Realm Lord Ruochen would be willing to return the Divine Source to Xiang Ruyue?" the Shentu Ghost Emperor asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "A Supreme White Great God's Divine Source is worth at least one million Divine Stones, right?"
A human-skin bag flew out from the Shentu Ghost Emperor's sleeve and landed at Zhang Ruochen's feet.
The next moment.
The Shentu Ghost Emperor, Xiang Ruyue, and Xue Li disappeared from the Nutian God Palace.
Zhang Ruochen checked his Space Ring and found that Xiang Ruyue's Divine Source had indeed vanished. Such terrifying methods.
Being able to silently take Xiang Ruyue's Divine Source from the Space Ring naturally meant he could silently take Zhang Ruochen's life as well.
Zhang Ruochen picked up the human-skin bag. It was full of Divine Stones. His heart relaxed. He no longer had to worry about Divine Stones and could continue cultivating peacefully on the Fate Divine Mountain.
Que said, "To be able to provoke the usually gentle and refined Shentu Ghost Emperor, Zhang Ruochen, you are truly the number one in the world today."
This was clearly not a compliment.
Zhang Ruochen remained very calm. "I just wanted to see if the Ghost Emperor's state of mind could be easily broken."
"It's not that I'm speaking for the Shentu Ghost Emperor just because I received ten thousand years of lifespan from him. But this time, you really went too far. There was no need to push it to this point," Bore said.
Zhang Ruochen smiled bitterly. "When Xue Li was scolding me outside earlier, the Shentu Ghost Emperor could have suppressed him with a single thought, but he didn't. The moment we met, he addressed me as Realm Lord Ruochen, giving me such great face. How could I not accept it?"
"Do you really think the Shentu Ghost Emperor was completely unaware of Xiang Ruyue and Xue Li's attacks on me?"
"Do you think that if I had acted like a junior today and obediently handed over the Divine Source, the Shentu Ghost Emperor would have let me off?"
(End of Chapter)