# Chapter 3261: Kong Faning
This time, Xue Jue War God had another purpose for going.
Desolate Heaven had only absorbed part of Liang Mu's divine soul and blood energy. The rest, including the divine source, Zhang Ruochen had already handed over to him earlier.
Xue Jue War God already knew Liang Mu's identity, and with this clue, it would be enough to completely eliminate all members of the Quantity Organization within the Undying Blood Clan.
...
Xiu Chen Heavenly God did not attack again, patiently listening to Zhang Ruochen's persuasion.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Isn't it just Time Divine Liquid? What's the big deal? Don't you just want to recondense your divine source? But a recondensed divine source—how could it compare to your original one? Rest assured, when the opportunity arises in the future, I will go find Qiangu Nüdi and ask her for the Time Source Pearl."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God was suppressed by layers of Space Divine Formations, her slender figure appearing very frail. She looked at the Soul-Severing Whip in Zhang Ruochen's hand, still maintaining a Heavenly God's final stubbornness. She snorted coldly, "Not a single promise you and Xue Jue made can be trusted."
The Soul-Severing Whip in Zhang Ruochen's hand flickered with electric light. "Trust me. There are very few promises I, Zhang Ruochen, have made that I haven't kept. If I can't obtain the Time Source Pearl, I will at least give you one-tenth of the Slaughter Dao Esoterica, making you the Slaughter Dao Lord God."
Zhang Ruochen's cultivation speed had far exceeded Xiu Chen Heavenly God's expectations.
Now, even if Zhang Ruochen didn't use divine soul suppression against her, she was no match for him.
In the past, she could still contend with Zhang Ruochen, but now, she truly had no confidence.
As an artifact spirit, for her master to speak with her calmly and rationally was already giving her great face.
Thinking of this, Xiu Chen Heavenly God felt a surge of sorrow. She compromised, "The divine soul of Xuan Yi that you collected—you have to give it to me too. I must recover my strength as quickly as possible. Only then can we become stronger."
Zhang Ruochen naturally wanted Xiu Chen to be as strong as possible. "Why didn't you say so earlier? If you had, I would have left the divine souls of Liang Nan and Liang Mu for you! But I did refine Huang E Divine Lord's Yin Corpse and obtained quite a few Divine Soul Divine Pills. Do you want them?"
Xiu Chen Heavenly God's heart stirred greatly. She knew Zhang Ruochen had accomplished many great deeds and knew he possessed the Earth Cauldron. So Zhang Ruochen must have a large number of Divine Soul Divine Pills on him.
But the way Zhang Ruochen asked, "Do you want them?" was quite meaningful.
It meant he had conditions.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God answered cautiously, "Anyway, I am now the artifact spirit of the Sundial. The stronger I am, the stronger your combat power."
"Fine, then I'll first improve my own divine soul." After that, Zhang Ruochen sighed, "Improving one's own strength is true power."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God grew anxious. "State your conditions!"
"From now on, be a woman," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God was stunned for a moment, then her eyes turned dark and gloomy.
Her original form was the Time Divine Jade, born of heaven and earth. Therefore, she had never cared about her gender, nor had she deliberately shaped her appearance.
Because time belonged to the yin attribute, her divine soul had gradually taken on a woman's appearance—a beautiful face and long legs.
But it had all formed naturally. She herself had no gender.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God ultimately did not explode. When under someone's roof, one had to lower one's head. "I am now just a soul body, and my appearance is already that of a woman. What more do you want?"
Zhang Ruochen looked at her chest area—very flat. "A soul body can be shaped, reaching the same level as a flesh-and-blood body."
"Zhang Ruochen, don't go too far!"
Xiu Chen Heavenly God gnashed her teeth, on the verge of exploding, feeling that Zhang Ruochen had ulterior motives and other designs on her.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Don't misunderstand! I simply don't like having someone who is neither yin nor yang around me—it's disgusting. Anyway, it's decided. From now on, be a woman. Your character 'Chen' is taboo. How about changing it to something more pleasant, something more celestial?"
Xiu Chen Heavenly God was too proud, always immersed in her former glory. Zhang Ruochen had to gradually tame her, making her clearly understand her current situation.
She was no longer the lofty Heavenly God, but the artifact spirit of the Sundial.
And Zhang Ruochen now had the strength to do this.
If he didn't tame her now, when he later gave her enough benefits, even helped her reclaim the Time Source Pearl, she would surely be arrogant to the heavens. How could she be willing to be an artifact spirit? How could she be willing to submit to Zhang Ruochen?
Zhang Ruochen saw Jue Miao Zen Maiden approaching from the side. "Zen Maiden, perfect timing. Come help Xiu Chen think of a new name. From now on, Xiu Chen Heavenly God must cut off her old self and welcome new life."
"Zhang Ruochen, I've truly come to say goodbye this time. I must go to Lihentian," Jue Miao Zen Maiden said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Good, good name. Xiu Chen, from now on you will be called Miao Li, using your name to record the parting feelings between Zen Maiden and me."
Xiu Chen wished she could use her gaze to shatter Zhang Ruochen into pieces.
To please Jue Miao Zen Maiden, he would sacrifice her like this.
Zhang Ruochen stopped joking and became very serious. "Zen Maiden is leaving. I have one question. Do you know who Faning is?"
This name, after hearing it from Feng Tian, had been lingering in Zhang Ruochen's mind.
He very much wanted to know what had happened back then.
Why was Feng Tian so indignant when speaking of this matter? Why did Xiu Chen Heavenly God curse Xumi Saint Monk as worse than a beast?
Was Saint Monk's renunciation really related to this matter?
Zhang Ruochen had always deeply respected Xumi Saint Monk. He believed that everyone made mistakes, but he absolutely did not believe that Saint Monk had truly done anything heinous.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God's reaction was far more intense than Jue Miao Zen Maiden's. She said coldly, "So you already know about Faning! Then how could you not know that Faning's full name is Kong Faning?"
Jue Miao Zen Maiden's face was calm. "Kong Faning was my grandaunt. I have heard about what happened back then, but Xiu Chen Heavenly God should know better than I do. Because as far as I know, back then, the Time Divine Jade was a gift from Xumi Saint Monk to my grandaunt. It was she who helped you condense your intelligence, cultivate a complete soul, and guided you onto the path of cultivation."
Zhang Ruochen hadn't expected there to be this layer of connection. He looked at Xiu Chen Heavenly God. "Miao Li, you speak!"
Xiu Chen Heavenly God was so angry her teeth ached. She felt Zhang Ruochen was bullying her too much, but hearing the name Faning, the emotions and hatred she had suppressed for so long erupted completely.
She said, "Fan Nu and Fan Ning were full-blooded siblings, the children of Immovable Bright King Great Venerable and Yin Xue Tian."
"But when Xumi was young, he changed his form, concealed his identity, and deliberately approached Fan Ning, causing her to fall hopelessly in love with him. In the end, she died because of him."
"Tell me, isn't Xumi worse than a beast? Fan Ning was his own biological sister!"
Zhang Ruochen was deeply shaken. "I don't know exactly what happened back then, but I can be certain that your prejudice against Saint Monk is too deep. You blame all the faults on him."
"Saint Monk absolutely could not have deliberately approached Kong Faning. When the two met, they must not have known each other's identity, which led to this tragedy."
Zhang Ruochen suddenly understood somewhat why Saint Monk had renounced the world.
The blow to him must have been enormous.
The person he loved turned out to be his own biological sister, and she died because of him. At that time, he must have been overwhelmed with grief and despair.
Jue Miao Zen Maiden suddenly spoke. "Not blaming Xumi? Do you mean to say that all of this is Immovable Bright King Great Venerable's fault? He is the culprit! If he hadn't been unfaithful and played favorites, how could such a tragedy have occurred? Yin Xue Tian bore him a son and a daughter, but she couldn't enter the Zhang family's door. The threshold of the Heavenly Venerable's mansion—wasn't it too high?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "What happened back then is too far in the past. We were not the ones involved, so we simply don't know what really happened. If matters of the heart could be distinguished simply by right and wrong, things would be too simple!"
"The culprit is Xumi, and his death was not enough to atone for his crimes. Do you think we killed him outside the Kunlun Realm back then? No, he was seeking death himself. The moment he became the Buddha, the hell in his heart also expanded infinitely. I and Feng Caiyi were avenging Fan Ning. He knew his sins were unforgivable, so he chose to end himself, seeking release." Xiu Chen Heavenly God said.
Such a truth was hard for Zhang Ruochen to accept.
But it was like a sudden epiphany—many of the world's grudges and enmities originated from the word "love."
Shen Ba Princess toward Xuan Yi.
White Empress toward Desolate Heaven.
Xue Yao Divine Lord toward Tian Yin Divine Mother.
...
Too many, too numerous to count.
If one couldn't handle this word well, it would inevitably plant countless seeds of disaster.
Since ancient times, the stories of heroes and beauties often only had beautiful beginnings; the endings were never good.
Jue Miao Zen Maiden left. Her hatred for Immovable Bright King Great Venerable and the Zhang family had long been let go because of Zhang Ruochen. Whether Zhang Ruochen was romantic or not, at least he genuinely wanted to resolve the grievances between the two families and had truly helped her a great deal.
In Zhang Ruochen and herself, she seemed to see the shadows of Immovable Bright King Great Venerable and Yin Xue Tian, somewhat understanding why Yin Xue Tian had loved so deeply and hated so deeply back then.
Whether or not Immovable Bright King Great Venerable was at fault, wasn't it Yin Xue Tian's own choice back then?
But Jue Miao Zen Maiden would never walk Yin Xue Tian's old path, nor would she become a second Kong Faning.
She left, very resolutely, without looking back.
Zhang Ruochen could certainly feel that his relationship with Jue Miao Zen Maiden had become very delicate. But because he had learned of the past events between Xumi Saint Monk and Kong Faning, the two suddenly became immensely distant.
No matter how many generations had passed, the blood and tears of their predecessors were still vivid!
"None of the Zhang family are any good." Xiu Chen Heavenly God sneered coldly.
Jue Miao Zen Maiden had already disappeared from Zhang Ruochen's sight. He stared at Xiu Chen. "I've never seen such an arrogant artifact spirit. It's necessary to temper your temper a bit!"
Xuan Yi's torso, divine heart, and the divine weapon war blade stuck in his chest had been taken away by Wu Yue.
Hun Qi was negotiating with Wu Yue. He seemed to have paid some price to retrieve the war blade, then led the Ghost Clan deities away in a hurry.
Wu Yue walked over. "With the second Starry Sky Defense Line broken, the situation in the world has changed dramatically. All ancient civilizations are in jeopardy. Ruochen, what plans do you have for the next move?"
Unexpectedly, Zhang Ruochen suddenly asked a question that left her baffled.
"Wu Yue, if I didn't acknowledge you as my wife and didn't let you enter the Zhang family's door, would you hate me to the bone in the future and regard me as your lifelong enemy?"