Chapter 3175: Thirty-Six Demon Stele
Yan Liren might not know of Mu Lingxi's existence, but even if he did, he would only know her as a cultivator from the Kunlun Realm, with no way to connect her to Feng Tian.
Gradually, the darkness in Yan Liren's eyes receded, and his gaze became extremely weary. When he looked at Zhang Ruochen, his expression was complicated, as if he had no face to face this former junior.
He walked into the darkness.
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment and said, "Pavilion Master Yan, stay."
Yan Liren paused briefly without turning around. "I can't stay."
Zhang Ruochen understood that Yan Liren had been controlled by Gong Shang, even had his memories extracted, suffering irreparable damage to his divine soul, and could no longer face his own heart.
A cultivator's life is always one of advancing in progress and reflecting in confusion.
Some people can repeatedly walk out of confusion, constantly growing stronger.
Others, even if they reach the divine realm, still fall into confusion. No matter how strong the state of mind, there is a force that can shatter it. Time will corrode, darkness will devour, desire will lead astray...
If it cannot be shattered, it's only because the time isn't long enough, the darkness isn't dark enough, the desire isn't strong enough...
Yan Liren had once saved Zhang Ruochen's life, so Zhang Ruochen naturally wouldn't abandon him.
At the location of the Bodhi Tree, the demonic fire gradually dissipated. Divine light flickered around Mu Lingxi, and the rules of the sacred path continuously transformed into rule divine patterns.
Zhang Ruochen showed a delighted expression, immediately took out three divine sources, and sent them over.
The divine sources, like blazing suns, released pure and dense divine qi.
While absorbing this divine qi, the dust on the ground around Mu Lingxi slowly rose, followed by large chunks of dark matter flying up.
All the dark matter rapidly condensed, merging with the divine soul and rule divine patterns, taking the form of stone stele.
When any cultivator breaks through to the divine realm and condenses their Star Soul Divine Throne, they are influenced by their environment.
Just like when Xue Tu had condensed his Star Soul Divine Throne in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, he had only condensed one, and it was only the size of a planet.
But that single Star Soul Divine Throne, because it was condensed from the matter of the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, was actually more powerful than the combined Star Soul Divine Thrones of other gods.
Mu Lingxi's second sacred source, the "Demonic Path Sacred Source," was deeply influenced by the "Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription." Therefore, when condensing her Star Soul Divine Throne, she followed the path of the Heavenly Demon.
Instead of condensing a planet, she forged demon stele.
The demon stele forged from dark matter—one could imagine how powerful they would be.
But as the stone stele carvings took shape one by one, the strange look in Zhang Ruochen's eyes grew stronger. He couldn't tell whether it was joy or worry.
Because the carvings and patterns on the demon stele were too bizarre. Some could find traces in the thirty-six "Heavenly Demon Stone Inscriptions," but others were so mysterious that Zhang Ruochen could hardly understand them.
Among them, one depicted a dead city, with Feng Tian's true form standing in the city, worshipped by countless corpses and ghosts, like a phoenix ruling the world.
Another showed the patterns of the Santu River, with Feng Tian and the Parasol Tree appearing together on the riverbank, death qi filling the sky, and countless floating corpses in the river crawling toward the shore.
Zhang Ruochen understood that Feng Tian was imposing her own understanding of the Dao onto Mu Lingxi, trying to influence her future divine path cultivation.
A Heavenly God personally helping a new god condense their Star Soul Divine Throne, reshape their foundation, and impart cultivation insights.
For any cultivator, this was an unparalleled great opportunity.
But it also permanently branded Mu Lingxi with Feng Tian's mark, like a successor of her mantle, making it impossible for her to remain in the Heavenly Court Universe.
Moreover, the world would only speculate that Mu Lingxi's change was due to Zhang Ruochen.
A total of thirty-six demon stele carvings were forged, exactly matching the perfect number of the "Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription." Clearly, Feng Tian had done this intentionally.
No one knew how many days passed. As all the demon stele took shape, Mu Lingxi withdrew her divine might and put the three unused divine sources into her sleeve.
Her bare, jade-like feet touched the ground. The thirty-six demon stele carvings floated above her head. She exuded a peerless aura, like a phoenix empress or a seductive demon consort—radiant and looking down upon all beings.
Zhang Ruochen flew over, staring deeply at her, and said, "Feng Tian shouldn't have forcefully interfered with her cultivation path."
Even though he knew saying this might anger Feng Tian, Zhang Ruochen still spoke up. Because he was genuinely worried about Mu Lingxi.
How could Mu Lingxi's cultivation and willpower withstand Feng Tian's spiritual will?
Contrary to Zhang Ruochen's expectations, Mu Lingxi did not get angry. "I did not forcefully interfere. After communicating with her, she made this decision herself."
Then she added, "I didn't need to explain this to you, but as you said, we are now on the same boat. There's no need for discord over a misunderstanding."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Why did Senior Feng Tian do this? What benefit does it bring you?"
"For a long time to come, I will have to borrow her body as a shell. The stronger she is, the more beneficial it is for me, naturally," Mu Lingxi said.
Zhang Ruochen didn't believe this at all. If that were the only reason, would she have spent so much effort helping Mu Lingxi forge thirty-six demon stele carvings?
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's suspicious expression, Mu Lingxi snorted coldly. "I might as well tell you. After my nirvana, the power within me has turned from death to life, undergoing some incredible changes. In the future, the Death Esoterica I control might hinder my cultivation. I need to find someone to inherit it."
"You want Lingxi to inherit the Death Esoterica?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Mu Lingxi said, "I know you won't believe it, but this is truly my inner thought. Because her body has already formed a connection with my new body, planting a cause and effect. I absolutely cannot let her leave, lest my enemies find a weakness."
"She is not suited to cultivate the path of death, and the Death Esoterica is not something anyone can control," Zhang Ruochen said.
Mu Lingxi shook her head. "You don't get to decide. Moreover, you know nothing about the path of death. I say she can master the Death Esoterica, so she can. She has only been cultivating for a little over a thousand years. In the hundreds of thousands, even millions of years of cultivation ahead, she can completely walk another path. The demonic path is about to flourish. I have to set up a chess piece, don't I?"
Zhang Ruochen stared intently at Mu Lingxi, but ultimately lacked the trump cards to oppose Feng Tian, and the deed was done, unchangeable.
Truly, blessings and misfortunes are intertwined.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's gaze gradually lose its sharpness, Mu Lingxi revealed a victorious sneer and taunted, "If you, Zhang Ruochen, were willing to sincerely submit, leaving the Death Esoterica to you would be the best choice. Then you would become the sharpest blade under my command."
"Unfortunately, you, Zhang Ruochen, have ambitions higher than the sky and will not submit to anyone. You are a cultivator I cannot control. What a pity."
"Gong Shang is coming."
Zhang Ruochen also sensed Gong Shang's aura and immediately became alert, hiding the God Venerable Talisman in his hand.
Even if Gong Shang wasn't the type to hold grudges and didn't care about being injured by the God Venerable Talisman, Zhang Ruochen had exposed the Six Divine Swords and the Bodhi Tree, and his cultivation was weaker. How could the other party not develop greed?
Moreover, wasn't Gong Shang worried that Zhang Ruochen would kill him?
With such concerns, he would surely strike first.
Gong Shang walked into the area covered by the Bodhi Tree's Buddha light, wearing a black robe and carrying no war weapons. A smile spread across his face. "Brother Ruochen, congratulations. Congratulations to your senior sister for successfully crossing the tribulation. The Hell Realm gains another god."
Although it was their first meeting, the two were already calling each other brothers, as if they had truly turned hostility into friendship.
Zhang Ruochen sensed no dangerous aura from Gong Shang and even began to wonder if he was being too sensitive and suspicious.
But he dared not relax his vigilance. Zhang Ruochen smiled. "My senior sister is not a god of the Hell Realm."
"Why not? Once she marries you, won't she become a member of the Hell Realm? If Xue Jue objects, I'll go talk to him myself," Gong Shang said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Brother Gong knows my maternal grandfather?"
"Haha! Xue Jue is a peerless genius, the leading figure of the new generation in the Hell Realm. I have met him," Gong Shang said, sparing no praise. Then he looked at Mu Lingxi. "Impressive! Your senior sister cultivates the 'Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription,' doesn't she? Condensing eighteen demon stele—her future achievements will be limitless."
Earlier, when Mu Lingxi was crossing the divine tribulation, Zhang Ruochen had been using his spiritual power to conceal the area, so Gong Shang didn't know the process of the tribulation.
By the time he arrived, Mu Lingxi had already put away eighteen demon stele, only revealing half of them.
Clearly, Feng Tian was also wary of this Hell Realm Great God and wouldn't reveal her secrets as openly as she did with Zhang Ruochen. Because she knew that with Mu Lingxi, she could make Zhang Ruochen hesitate and unable to defy her will.
Gong Shang didn't truly take Mu Lingxi to heart. She was just a new god.
After some pleasantries, Zhang Ruochen asked, "Brother Gong, why have you been here for a hundred thousand years? Can't you get out?"
"A hundred thousand years ago, I followed my father on an expedition to attack the Kunlun Realm. But in that divine battle, my divine body exploded into blood mist and dust, falling into a space-time vortex. It took over a thousand years to reconstitute my divine body and escape. But then I was trapped and died in this dark void."
Gong Shang sighed with emotion. "My father probably thought I had fallen a hundred thousand years ago."
"Isn't there an exit here? How did you come from the Hell Realm to this place back then, and then attack the Kunlun Realm?" Zhang Ruochen pressed.
Gong Shang said, "The entrance is very secret, known only to Jiusi Yitianhuang, my father, and the Three Evil Emperors. By the way, you came from the Kunlun Realm, right? Where is the entrance you came in from?"
Zhang Ruochen looked up.
Then, Gong Shang and Zhang Ruochen both flew up, charging out of the darkness into the void, but after flying ten thousand miles, they could no longer find the space rift zone they had fallen into.
"How can this be? That vast space rift zone—how could it have disappeared?" Zhang Ruochen was puzzled.
"Brother Ruochen, this is very normal! Back then, after I escaped from the space-time vortex, the vortex also disappeared! It seems we can't get out."
Gong Shang showed a bitter smile, as if he had accepted the reality.
This result disappointed him.
But at least there was a result.
Now, Zhang Ruochen had lost his only value to him. He no longer waited and struck decisively. Black divine light appeared on his arm, like a blade or sword, slashing straight at Zhang Ruochen's hand holding the God Venerable Talisman.
To kill a man, first take his talisman.
...
In the previous chapter, as everyone could see, Yan Liren was a completely dispensable character, written only to fill a plot hole. In the end, I dug myself into a hole!
It turns out that this plot hole had already been filled earlier, just mentioned in passing, and I forgot about it myself!
This is the consequence of having too many character threads and too many characters. This writing style is very thankless and unappealing. Almost no one would, after a year or two, or even several years, go back to explain such a long-marginalized minor character.
It's just that I like writing this way. Ah, what can I do?
Of course, the biggest reason is that the book has been written for too long. By the end of this year, I have to finish it no matter what.
(End of Chapter)