Chapter 3129: One Day Heluo
The news of Feima Wang's emergence had already caused a stir throughout the universe. Many deities had investigated her background. How could Xionghai Shenzun not know?
Xionghai Shenzun said, "Yanhong Dasheng indeed came from Xionghai Divine Palace, but how could a Saint-realm cultivator like her be worthy of my attention? To be honest, Xutian might not believe it, but the secrets she carried were truly unknown to anyone in Xionghai Divine Palace."
Xutian naturally believed him. If Xionghai Shenzun had known that Yanhong Dasheng was Feima Wang, he would likely have made a move against Zhang Ruochen long ago.
"Did Ji Wang fight her? What was the outcome?" Xutian asked.
Xionghai Shenzun shook his head, saying, "By the time I arrived, the battle had already ended. What is certain is that she was not captured by Ji Wang. The seventy-two Demon God Pillars have been renowned for eons. How could someone listed among them be so easily dealt with?"
"In that case, I really must make a trip to the edge of the Hell Realm."
There were few things in the world that still piqued Xutian's interest. But Feima Wang might hold the secret to immortality, and he had to find her before she fully recovered.
"Don't take this opportunity to target Zhang Ruochen," Xutian said.
A gleam of joy appeared in Xionghai Shenzun's eyes as he laughed, "Now that Xutian has explained the stakes so clearly, how could I easily move against him?"
As long as Xutian was willing to go to the edge of the Hell Realm, he would inevitably be drawn into the conflict among the Heavens.
And the chance of success for their planned endeavor would greatly increase.
"Xu Rulai of the Heavenly Fate Department, requesting an audience with Xutian," a divine voice came from outside the temple.
Xutian asked, "What is it?"
"The Divine Teacher has calculated the auspicious date for the grand wedding. The best time will be the Thousand Star Alignment Day, nineteen years from now," Xu Rulai said.
"Must we wait that long?"
Xutian glanced at Xionghai Shenzun.
He knew that before coming to the Destiny Temple, Xionghai Shenzun had first visited the Heavenly Fate Department.
Xionghai Shenzun's red fur bristled as he smiled, "Since Xutian intends to protect Zhang Ruochen, we must use this grand wedding to accomplish something truly significant."
...
Zhang Ruochen looked at Xu Rulai and Gong Nanfeng, who had arrived at the Five Realms Heaven, his expression peculiar. "Must we wait that long? Nineteen years?"
"Haha! Chen, it seems you really are secretly in love with the Moon God, which is why you're so eager to marry Wu Yue. Can't wait any longer?" Gong Nanfeng laughed.
Zhang Ruochen said, "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"I'm not talking nonsense! That's what all cultivators in the world are saying now! They say Wu Yue looks exactly like the Moon God, and after she lost her memory, you deliberately deceived her, claiming she was the Moon God. They say that in the Heavenly Court, you pined for the Moon God but couldn't have her, so when you saw Wu Yue severely injured, you couldn't suppress your feelings and forcefully had your way with her. Truly the essence of a hero!"
Gong Nanfeng chuckled, clapping his hands together with a crisp sound.
If these words reached the Moon God's ears, the consequences would be dire.
"Someone dares to slander me? It seems I haven't killed enough in recent days to strike fear into people's hearts," Zhang Ruochen said.
Gong Nanfeng said, "Chen, you're certainly not a narrow-minded person. How could you inflict divine punishment just because of their idle chatter? Besides, they all admire you, praise you, and respect you. There's absolutely no intention to belittle you!"
"Even if you were the one who initiated it, Lady Wu Yue must have been willing in her heart. So, it counts as half-push, half-acceptance, mutual affection, like dry wood meeting fire. Otherwise, why would she agree to Xutian's betrothal? Why would she help you reclaim the Goddess Twelve Pavilions' properties in the Fate Divine Domain and recover the Ten Realms' territories?"
"With your charm, Chen, Lady Wu Yue must have fallen completely, body and soul! Seeking the Moon God in vain, but gaining Wu Yue instead—truly, a case of planting willows without intent, yet shade appears."
Xu Rulai stood to the side, saying, "This marriage was bestowed by Xutian, carrying his esteemed face. Brother Ruochen, you need not worry about anything."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Why must it wait until the Thousand Star Alignment Day, nineteen years from now?"
"The Thousand Star Alignment Day occurs only once every twenty eons. It is the time when the Yin Qi and Death Qi of the entire Hell Realm are at their thickest. At that time, over a thousand main stars in the Yellow Spring Star River will align in a straight line. It is said that back then, Xinghuan Tianzun observed this celestial phenomenon and created the Heavenly Venerable divine ability, Thousand Star Alignment," Xu Rulai said.
Zhang Ruochen felt something was off. Nineteen years might be a blink of an eye for deities, but Xutian's intention was for him and Wu Yue to marry as soon as possible.
Why would the Heavenly Fate Department delay it to such a late time?
Never mind. The longer the delay, the better. He hoped some variables would arise in these nineteen years.
"I'm going to activate the Sundial and go into seclusion to cultivate. If you two aren't busy, would you like to join me?" Zhang Ruochen invited.
A strange look appeared in Xu Rulai's eyes.
Back when Zhang Ruochen entered the "Reverse God Scroll," Xu Rulai had even considered killing him. Although Gong Nanfeng had stopped him from acting on it, how could Zhang Ruochen be completely unaware?
Now, Zhang Ruochen's friendly invitation surprised Xu Rulai.
Gong Nanfeng, however, was not the least bit reserved, laughing heartily, "Great! I've been idle lately anyway. I'll take this opportunity to go into seclusion and break through to godhood. Chen, you're truly my brother!"
Zhang Ruochen shoved Gong Nanfeng aside as he approached, saying, "Don't get too familiar. Activating the Sundial consumes a massive amount of divine stones. Anyone entering to cultivate must pay their share, not a single stone less."
Gong Nanfeng sighed to the heavens, "They say you're as wealthy as a God Venerable, yet you argue with me, a Saint-realm cultivator, over a few divine stones. So stingy!"
In the end, Xu Rulai paid the divine stones for Gong Nanfeng, and they all began cultivating beneath the Sundial.
More friends meant more paths. Zhang Ruochen enjoyed making friends and was never one to make enemies recklessly.
Gong Nanfeng and Xu Rulai were no ordinary figures, nor were they bloodthirsty killers. They were worth befriending.
...
Time flew by. Three thousand years passed.
Hai Shang Youruo had been sitting by the River of Time the entire time, holding a fishing rod. Finally, she caught her first fish.
This fish had only one head but ten tails. Its body shone brightly like a lamp, and countless Time Imprint light particles surged from its scales, causing the space within dozens of zhang to become extremely chaotic in terms of time.
Zhang Ruochen was startled and looked over, his expression filled with surprise.
She had actually caught a fish from the River of Time!
Beside him, Gong Nanfeng's voice rang out, "This fish is called a Heluo fish, born in the River of Time. Legend says it can freely travel between the past and the future, but only for one day. After traveling from the future or the past back to the present, its life quickly ends. Hence, it is also called the One Day Heluo."
Gong Nanfeng was the artifact spirit of the Celestial Pivot Needle. There was little in the world he didn't know.
"Catching such a time divine fish, wouldn't she be able to know what happens one day in advance?" Xia Yu asked.
Xia Yu had been invited by Zhang Ruochen.
Over these years of accumulation, the number of Sacred Dao Rules within her body had approached thirty trillion, reaching the level of a quasi-Eon-level representative, not inferior to the Wuma Jiuxing of old.
But in the last century, her cultivation speed had slowed significantly.
Gong Nanfeng said, "That's right! But it took her three thousand years to catch just one Heluo fish. How precious is that? Tomorrow will likely be uneventful. Even if she knows what happens tomorrow, what's the point? Better to keep it there; it might come in handy in the future."
Xia Yu stood up and bowed to Zhang Ruochen, saying, "I must leave now to undergo my Divine Tribulation."
"Don't you want to try a bit longer?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Though unwilling, she said frankly, "My potential has reached its limit. Without an earth-shattering opportunity, I cannot become an Eon-level representative. I am content with the foundation I've built. At the very least, I can look forward to becoming a Great God."
The foundation laid in the Saint realm was crucial. A deficiency could even cost one a third of the chance to attain the status of a Heavenly Venerable.
The gap between a quasi-Eon-level representative and an Eon-level representative might seem small, but the difference in ultimate achievement could be the difference between dying in the Grand Void realm and having a chance to impact the Infinite realm.
"If you trust me, wait five thousand years, and I will give you an earth-shattering opportunity," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xia Yu was taken aback. An earth-shattering opportunity was as rare as the emergence of the Origin Divine Temple. Even if such an opportunity existed, she might not be able to obtain it.
Wait five thousand years without breaking through to the Divine realm, all for Zhang Ruochen's promise?
"Alright, I'll wait five thousand years," Xia Yu said.
"Haha!"
Gong Nanfeng laughed so hard he doubled over, saying, "Chen, have you been in seclusion too long? Is your mind muddled? Five thousand years in the Sundial is only thirteen years in the outside world."
Hearing this, Xia Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She had just realized that too.
Thirteen years. She could wait.
Zhang Ruochen tapped his forehead, saying, "Right. I've been in seclusion too long in recent years. No, if I keep cultivating like this, something will definitely go wrong."
Including his seclusions in Xinghuantian, Kunlun Realm, and the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain, Zhang Ruochen had already cultivated for over fifteen thousand years.
Xue Tu, Bore, Luo Sha, Xiao Hei, Yan Yu, Bai Qinger, Xue Hou, Underworld King, Fengchen Sword God—none of them were ordinary, but none dared to cultivate for so long in such a short time.
Xia Yu took her leave.
Gong Nanfeng said, "The hardest thing to bear is a beauty's favor. Another foolish girl has fallen."
"Say that again?"
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
Gong Nanfeng was unafraid, sitting on the ground, saying, "Am I wrong? Because of your promise, she's willing to wait five thousand years. Do you really think she's waiting just to become an Eon-level representative? Chen, you're not one of the current Heavens. Why would she trust you so much? She definitely didn't realize at the time that the five thousand years you mentioned were inside the Sundial."
"Sword Sixteen!"
Zhang Ruochen raised his sword and drew a circle. Instantly, ten thousand swords emerged, and the Time Rules within the Five Realms Heaven were completely expelled by the Sword Dao Rules.
Gong Nanfeng was startled and scrambled away in panic, only to see that Zhang Ruochen's sword wasn't aimed at him but at Hai Shang Youruo, who was holding the fishing rod and the Heluo fish.
"Shua!"
The perfected Sword Sixteen thrust out.
In the space between heaven and earth, sword energy was everywhere, all converging on Hai Shang Youruo.
...
One chapter today! A total of three chapters owed...
(Chapter End)