Chapter 3293: Honored Guest
What the Moon God spoke of, though she herself could not confirm it and it differed greatly from what Wu Yue had said, carried a powerful impact that plunged Zhang Ruochen into deep thought.
Wu Yue had once told Xue Jue War God a different version of historical tales concerning Xinghuan Heavenly Venerable, the Ancient Moon God, and Jiusi Yitianhuang.
She claimed that Xinghuan Heavenly Venerable had killed the sixth life of Jiusi Yitianhuang and seized the secret of her immortality. But Jiusi Yitianhuang was not truly slain; she lived on to a seventh life and informed Xinghuan Heavenly Venerable's four disciples that he had obtained the secret of immortality.
Thus came the tale of the "Four Disciples Dismembering the Body."
She further stated that the seventh life of Jiusi Yitianhuang took away Xinghuan Heavenly Venerable's wife, the Ancient Moon God, as revenge.
At the time, Zhang Ruochen had judged that Wu Yue's words contained many flaws and might not be the truth. Moreover, her agreement to marry him surely hid other schemes.
Now, hearing the Moon God's account, many previously puzzling points became clear, and Zhang Ruochen believed this was very likely the truth.
Figures like Xinghuan Heavenly Venerable and the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable, even if they had passed away a million or even several million years ago, left behind inheritances and traces that still wielded immense influence in later ages.
Jiusi Yitianhuang had been a powerhouse for nine lives. Why did the first eight lives leave no trace at all?
That was too abnormal.
Bai Qinger pondered and said, "This Jiusi Yitianhuang is far too dangerous. Anyone who gets even slightly involved with her likely cannot escape death."
Why did the sixth life of Jiusi Yitianhuang refine the entire Moon Tribe's people?
It was because the blood and souls of the Moon Tribe had some connection to her. Only such cultivators had refining value. Perhaps they were of the same clan, or perhaps they cultivated the same techniques.
As for the specifics of how she lived into the next life, this secret of longevity was probably known only to her alone.
Was the Jiusi Yitianhuang who lived to the ninth life still truly "her"? Perhaps it was a "him," or maybe an "it."
In the end, she had not mastered the true secret of immortality; each life was a rebirth.
Zhang Ruochen gazed into the distance at the high mountains, shrouded in mysterious power and imbued with an ancient aura. He said, "So the Ancient Moon God refined the entire Moon Tribe and lived to the seventh life right here? Did she use a Witch Clan secret technique?"
"I cannot answer that question for you. However..."
Pausing, the Moon God did not hide anything from Zhang Ruochen and continued, "Using the Jade Emperor Cauldron here makes it easier to communicate with the power of the ancient ancestral witches. For this reason, my cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the Heart-Stopping level."
Bai Qinger was moved and said, "Legend has it that the Witch Cauldron among the Nine Cauldrons can channel the power of the nine ancestral witches, embodying the supreme witchcraft that spans past and present. Hence, it is called the Witch Cauldron, representing the eternal existence of the witch path."
The Moon God's sleeves fluttered lightly, as if a single breeze could lift her away from this defiled mortal world. She said, "Currently, my understanding of the Jade Emperor Cauldron is still very limited. I do not know if it can truly span past and present or channel the power of the nine ancestral witches."
"But when activated here, it can awaken the witch path rules within heaven and earth, alter the natural laws of this era, summon the mysterious power of the witch path, and even sense a powerful aura from the depths of time and space."
Zhang Ruochen was not surprised at all.
After all, when any cultivator dies, the rules they cultivated within their bodies return to heaven and earth.
The witch path was once so glorious. The ancestral witches fell, and all the witch path gods turned to dust of history. Yet the witch path rules they cultivated are eternal, still present in heaven and earth after hundreds of millions of years.
As the Witch Cauldron, being able to mobilize witch path rules was within Zhang Ruochen's understanding.
Every one of the Nine Cauldrons was extraordinary!
Zhang Ruochen said, "Let me try activating it. I might be able to uncover the true great secret of the Jade Emperor Cauldron. If we can summon the nine ancestral witches, your Holy Clan will surely flourish!"
"Alright!" said the Moon God.
Before Zhang Ruochen could be pleased, the Moon God added, "Once I break through to the Infinite Realm, I will let you try."
Was she really that shrewd? Could he truly not deceive her?
A cold wind blew.
The wind carried a bloody scent.
Zhang Ruochen voiced a doubt that had long troubled him. "Moon God Empress, what exactly is your relationship with the Ancient Moon God? And why do you and Wu Yue look so alike? What is your relationship with her?"
The Moon God's gaze was clear as water. "Perhaps there is a connection. Do you still remember the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin? Back then, when I was still an infant, I awakened from within that coffin. And the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin was excavated from this very place, so this counts as my birthplace!"
"Who excavated you? No, I mean, who dug up the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Moon God shook her head. "I do not know. At that time, I was too young, with only vague memories. My clear memories begin from the Guanghan Realm, when I was already three years old."
Clearly, the Moon God born from the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin was no ordinary infant. She already possessed a strong consciousness, so she remembered some things.
But this was too bizarre!
From the Ancient Moon God's refinement of the entire Moon Tribe to the Moon God's birth, at least one million five hundred thousand years had passed.
The Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin had been buried underground for so long, yet it gave birth to an infant... Or perhaps this infant had already been born one million five hundred thousand years ago but was sealed in the coffin for some special reason?
Zhang Ruochen rubbed his temples.
These matters had been buried for too long. Perhaps only by finding the person who excavated the Moon God could the truth be uncovered.
While the Moon God and Zhang Ruochen were both lost in thought, Bai Qinger subtly glanced sideways and noticed that the relationship between these two was unusual.
By all logic, Zhang Ruochen's reputation in the Heavenly Court was not good. As an ancient god, the Moon God should not trust him so easily, yet she was willing to share every great secret with him.
For any other god, secrets like the "Witch Cauldron's mystery" or the "secret of birth" would not be revealed even to the closest of people.
No wonder Zhang Ruochen was willing to marry Wu Yue. There was definitely something wrong.
The Moon God gradually recovered from her contemplation. "Once I step into the Infinite Realm and my divine soul is strong enough, I should be able to look back on my infancy and retrieve my lost memories. As long as I remember who that person was and find him, I can uncover all the truth."
Zhang Ruochen could not help but feel some sympathy for the Moon God. Not knowing her parents or her origins, perhaps the aloof detachment she carried was not an act but a true reflection of her inner loneliness.
She must have all kinds of guesses about her own background.
And such guesses were, in themselves, a kind of pain.
Zhang Ruochen planned to temporarily lend her the Jade Emperor Cauldron. Just as he was about to comfort her, the Moon God suddenly asked, "Does Wu Yue really look that much like me?"
Zhang Ruochen's spirit instantly perked up. He chuckled and said, "Yes, but compared to the Moon God Empress, she falls short after all."
The Moon God was very pleased with this answer, but she felt there was a hint of guilt in Zhang Ruochen's tone. Right, Zhang Ruochen had married Wu Yue as his wife—married a woman who looked very much like her... This...
Seeing the Moon God's expression grow increasingly off, Zhang Ruochen tried to stay calm. "I sense honored guests arriving. I will take my leave first. Qing'er, the Moon God Empress is also an honored guest. Treat her well on my behalf. If you have any cultivation questions, feel free to ask her directly. If you want to use the Jade Emperor Cauldron for cultivation, just tell her without being shy. I am sure the Moon God Empress will care for you, a junior of the Holy Clan. We are all family."
"Shua!"
Space trembled, and Zhang Ruochen was already gone.
The arriving honored guests were more than one.
Zhang Ruochen first went to see Qiangu Nüdi and the four Taixu Ancient Gods from the Heavenly Beginning Civilization. In the hall, Chi Yao was already receiving them, communicating with Qiangu Nüdi through voice transmission.
As the most outstanding women of the Kunlun Realm in the previous eon and this eon—one an empress, one a female emperor—both had once dazzled their eras. They had much in common.
Chi Yao's expression gradually grew serious until Zhang Ruochen walked into the hall.
They were all great gods with close ties, so there were no pleasantries or unnecessary formalities.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "How is the situation in the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain?"
Qiangu Nüdi knew what he was referring to. "Lei Zu has not appeared. He should be lost in the endless darkness."