Chapter 3328: The Clash with Xuanyuan Lian
Xuanyuan Lian's voice drifted through the purple mist, saying, "You guessed correctly! So, do you accept my conditions?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "I also detest the Blazing Sun Clan."
"Besides, the Blazing Sun Clan is determined to conquer the Hundred Clans Royal City and establish themselves as the foundation for the eleventh clan of Hell Realm. They are already my mortal enemies. In the Hundred Clans Royal City, they are also the ones who have killed the most ruthlessly."
Zhang Ruochen looked at Xuanyuan Qing and said, "Of course, the most important reason is that the Blazing Sun Clan has angered Qingqing, so they and I share an irreconcilable enmity."
Xuanyuan Qing directly ignored Zhang Ruochen's last sentence.
Who couldn't tell he deliberately added that line?
But she had to admit, Zhang Ruochen's willingness to agree so readily exceeded her expectations.
As one of the four great ancient civilizations, the Blazing Sun Clan had a contemporary Heavenly Venerable overseeing them. Their foundation was deep, and their strength formidable. Perhaps they were not as powerful as the ten major clans of Hell Realm, but none of those ten clans could easily manipulate them.
Moreover, the Blazing Sun Clan had just defected to Hell Realm. If they encountered danger, Hell Realm would surely support them with all their might.
This was no small matter; it was a super-major event that would affect the world's pattern (geju).
Xuanyuan Lian said, "State your conditions. Let's see if I can agree to them."
Xuanyuan Lian was mentally prepared. To undertake such a major task, Zhang Ruochen's conditions would certainly be extraordinary.
She had already admitted to herself that, in terms of boldness, she was indeed inferior to Zhang Ruochen.
But as a ruler, while boldness was important, caution was even more so.
Zhang Ruochen said, "My conditions are not as difficult to fulfill as you imagine. I just want to see the true face of Lian Gongzi, and I'm also curious why you have never stepped out of this carriage."
Xuanyuan Lian fell silent.
Xuanyuan Qing was surprised.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Earlier, Lian Gongzi said that between us, there is no need for pretense or beating around the bush. But until now, I haven't even seen your true face."
"Actually, with my current cultivation, I could use the power of truth to forcefully probe and observe."
A sigh came from within the lotus. "You only make such a request? Actually, even if you asked for a divine artifact, a large amount of esoterica, or a divine medicine, I would have agreed."
"I lack none of those things," Zhang Ruochen said.
The figure within the lotus stood up and said, "Fine! Since you have agreed to such a major matter as dealing with the Blazing Sun Clan, why should I continue to hide from you?"
"Swoosh!"
Xuanyuan Lian stepped out of the lotus, dressed in women's attire. Her azure long skirt scattered light like rain, and her pure white jade-like feet trod on the purple mist as she walked forward step by step.
Although Zhang Ruochen had suspected it, his gaze still found it hard to move away from her at this moment.
She looked very similar to Xuanyuan Qing, but with a slightly different temperament. She was more spirited, her gaze sharper, and she was as noble as a nine-heavenly divine lotus.
Her aura was very similar to Chi Yao's.
But Chi Yao's strength was mixed with weakness, using strength to hide her vulnerability.
Xuanyuan Lian, however, was strong from the inside out. Her strength carried a touch of mystery, making her impossible to see through. The noble aura about her was like divine jade falling into the mortal world. Zhang Ruochen had rarely seen it in other women.
Xuanyuan Lian had already appeared before Zhang Ruochen. The divine lotus mark on her brow flickered as she said, "You don't seem surprised at all?"
This time, she spoke with a woman's voice!
It was like a heavenly sound, extremely pleasant.
"I am somewhat surprised," Zhang Ruochen said.
He couldn't help but glance at Xuanyuan Qing, silently comparing them.
Xuanyuan Qing said, "What, Realm Lord Ruochen is captivated by my sister? Are you no longer seeing her as a love rival now?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled and shook his head.
Xuanyuan Lian said, "Cultivators across the world have always held prejudices against women. To make them obey and submit, one must, like Feng Tian or Chi Yao, rely on slaughter to carve out one's own reputation."
"Otherwise, one would end up like Empress Bai, known only for her beauty. Or like the Moon God, merely a symbol of beauty."
"The identity of the Heavenly Venerable's daughter is far less useful than that of the Heavenly Venerable's son. This is why I have always hidden my female identity. Those who know this secret are all cultivators I trust absolutely. You are the only exception."
Zhang Ruochen knew very well that Xuanyuan Lian would never fully trust him.
As long as they remained in their positions, no matter how deep their friendship, it could not change that.
"Now, are you satisfied?" Xuanyuan Lian asked.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and shook his head. "Not quite yet."
Xuanyuan Lian said, "Why must you understand me?"
"You know, this Realm Lord is known as the Romantic Sword God. Before you revealed your true appearance, my desire to understand you wasn't so strong. But now, if I don't get a clear understanding, I'm afraid I won't even get off your carriage," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xuanyuan Lian knew Zhang Ruochen's words were just an excuse, but she didn't expose him. Her gaze gradually became distant, and she said, "You want to know why I have never left this carriage? Actually, you should understand that no one in this world wants to be trapped in a small world."
"You cannot leave the world inside the carriage?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Xuanyuan Lian said, "From the day I was born, I have never left this carriage. I can see the outside world, but I can never truly be a part of it."
Zhang Ruochen wanted to use the power of truth to investigate but held back, saying, "I can tell that this golden carriage is an ancient divine artifact. The rules within the carriage world are somewhat different from the heaven and earth rules outside..."
"If you keep asking and learn all my secrets, aren't you afraid that one day I will kill you to silence me?" Xuanyuan Lian's gaze suddenly shot at him like a sharp sword.
Zhang Ruochen met her gaze and said, "Honestly, even now, I am not afraid of you."
This was a sentence full of provocation!
Sure enough, Xuanyuan Lian's expression turned serious. She said, "I've heard that you can cross a stretch of starry sky and injure the Blazing Sun Clan Lord. But that is no reason for you to be arrogant."
"Swoosh!"
Time imprint light points burst out from Xuanyuan Lian like an explosion.
She struck with lightning speed, pressing a palm toward Zhang Ruochen's chest.
Electric light flowed between her fingers.
Her palm contained a soul-snatching power, as if it had turned into a five-fingered palm-shaped world.
Zhang Ruochen held a bowl of rice porridge in one hand and formed a fist with the other, thrusting it out.
"Bang!"
Fist and palm met.
Two streams of overwhelmingly powerful divine energy surged outward.
"Qingqing is still in the carriage! How can you just attack like that? What if she gets hurt?"
A Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram appeared on Zhang Ruochen's body, spinning rapidly, pulling back the divine energy that had leaked out from the two of them. At the same time, these two streams of divine energy transformed into Zhang Ruochen's power, rebounding outward.
Xuanyuan Lian felt a mountain-overturning force coming from her palm.
The force was far stronger than she had anticipated.
Xuanyuan Lian dared not hold back any longer. She retreated three steps to dissipate Zhang Ruochen's fist force, then shot forward like an arrow from a bowstring, unleashing eight types of close-combat divine abilities in succession.
Some were finger techniques, some palm seals, some spatial impacts, some time divine dragons...
Zhang Ruochen manifested the Shaoyang Divine Mountain above his head and slammed it forward.
One strike to break all techniques!
All of Xuanyuan Lian's attacks were annihilated. Her body was knocked back by the divine mountain to the edge of the purple divine spring, her arms aching as if they were about to split.
In contrast, Zhang Ruochen remained as immovable as a mountain, not even spilling a drop of his rice porridge.
Although their earlier clash had been restrained, the fact that Zhang Ruochen could repel her so easily dealt an unprecedented shock to Xuanyuan Lian's heart.
This clash had been destined from the moment Zhang Ruochen stepped into the golden carriage.
Zhang Ruochen was full of curiosity about her and intended to use this battle to verify the conjectures in his mind.
Xuanyuan Lian was equally curious about Zhang Ruochen's cultivation. Her sudden attack was meant to see how many of her moves he could withstand and whether he truly had the strength to deal with the Blazing Sun Clan.
This attack startled Xuanyuan Lian greatly.
But it also stirred her competitive spirit. She said, "No wonder you didn't take Ke Yangshan and the Blazing Sun Clan seriously. It turns out the most formidable figure in Xinghuantian is you."
"What? Not convinced? Want to fight again?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Xuanyuan Lian's surrounding rule divine marks flickered between light and dark. "Of course I'm not convinced. This is nothing yet."
Zhang Ruochen laughed. "Honestly, you are very strong, almost reaching the limit below the Infinite Realm. Your only flaw is that you haven't cultivated a perfect second-rank divine path. But even with one hand, you can't beat me. Because my path is beyond your understanding!"
Xuanyuan Lian's competitive spirit was pushed to its peak. She said, "You'd better use both hands, or you'll lose badly."
"If you want me to use my second hand, you'll have to use all your strength," Zhang Ruochen said, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward Xuanyuan Qing.
Xuanyuan Qing trembled slightly, secretly shocked. Could it be... he already knew!
"Let's make a bet! If you lose, drink this bowl of porridge and, using a doppelganger, sell porridge in this city for a hundred years, truly experiencing the joys and sorrows of the mortal world," Zhang Ruochen said.
"If you lose, you'll drive my carriage for a hundred years."
Dense patterns appeared beneath Xuanyuan Lian's feet, and the space stretched continuously, as if the inner world of the golden carriage was unfolding, or perhaps her divine realm world.
"Boom!"
The next moment, Xuanyuan Lian formed a Boundless divine ability hand seal and clashed with Zhang Ruochen's fist. The speed was so fast it surpassed the eye's ability to capture.
The two rose from the ground, time seeming to stand still, space constantly flipping.
Zhang Ruochen still countered with one hand.
But this time, the rice porridge in his other hand began to ripple.
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