Chapter 3330: Tiger Emperor
"When going, roam the Northern Marsh! The Northern Expedition against the seventy-two pillar demon gods—the Heavenly Venerable actually had such a mindset, not treating it as a campaign, but as a journey. Is this absolute confidence? Or a calm and composed attitude? Or perhaps a romantic spirit of facing danger without fear and seeking joy amidst crisis?"
Looking at this piece of calligraphy, Zhang Ruochen felt he had gained a new understanding of the Heavenly Court's Heavenly Venerable.
The Heavenly Venerable is also human!
Zhang Ruochen asked curiously, "Will there be a 'When Returning, Roam the Northern Marsh' in the future?"
To be honest, if Hao Tian died in battle at the Northern Marsh Great Wall, this piece of "When Going, Roam the Northern Marsh" would become even more valuable, as the Heavenly Venerable's final calligraphic work.
But Zhang Ruochen only dared to think this thought, never daring to say it out loud.
Xuan Yuan Lian said, "If you don't want it, then return it to this young master."
"Is the Heavenly Venerable's daughter so petty? She wants back a treasure she already gave away?" Zhang Ruochen took out the calligraphy scroll and stuffed it into his sleeve.
This thing, for Zhang Ruochen at his current stage, was more valuable than a Divine Artifact!
Xuan Yuan Lian said, "The Blazing Sun Civilization has firmly secured its position among the four great ancient civilizations, with an extremely long history and having produced many All Heavens. From what I understand, the Blazing Sun Civilization even gave birth to a Primordial Ancestor and possesses an Ancestor Realm."
"God Kings and God Venerables at the Qiankun Infinite Realm might leave behind methods you can handle. But killing moves left by All Heavens can still put you to death. Especially the methods left by the current All Heavens member, the Four Yang Heavenly Venerable!"
"According to Heavenly Court intelligence, the Four Yang Heavenly Venerable has at least left behind a Heavenly Banner. Below the Infinite Realm, anyone who confronts it head-on will likely find it hard to escape doom! Don't rely on your powerful cultivation to go and clash head-on."
"So, do you understand why I gifted you this 'When Going, Roam the Northern Marsh'?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded solemnly and said, "I understand. It's because you care about my safety."
"Don't try to provoke this young master. Be careful that the Heavenly Venerable finds out about this. For the sake of the cosmic situation, the Heavenly Venerable might take it seriously. How would you handle it then?" Xuan Yuan Lian warned.
"Then I'll leave!"
Zhang Ruochen threw the earthenware bowl back to her and immediately walked away.
Just as he was about to step out of the carriage, he suddenly stopped and told her about the matters of Meila and Krusa, as well as the changes at Radiant Pure Mountain in Lihentian.
Upon hearing the first piece of news, she only showed a contemplative expression.
Upon hearing the second piece of news, there was not even a ripple of reaction.
Zhang Ruochen understood. As the current power-holder of the Heavenly Court, Xuan Yuan Lian clearly knew far more than he did.
As for the changes at Radiant Pure Mountain, it would certainly alarm the Bian Zhuang War God. Perhaps Bian Zhuang War God had already gone to Lihentian in person. It was not surprising that Xuan Yuan Lian would know.
Stepping out of the golden carriage and onto the bustling street, Zhang Ruochen once again transformed into the appearance of Master Yuan Chen, with wide sleeves, a white robe, and a youthful jade-like face.
At this moment, there was no trace of frivolity on Zhang Ruochen's face. He pondered in his heart, "She can't even step out of the golden carriage and integrate into this world. Besides prehistoric creatures and residual souls from Lihentian, there's also a layer of strange mystery shrouding her... Could it be that she has some connection to the prehistoric era and Lihentian?"
Zhang Ruochen thought of Xuan Yuan Qing.
The fact that Xuan Yuan Lian could split off an avatar like Xuan Yuan Qing to enter the current world clearly showed she wasn't completely unable to exist in it.
Forget it!
Zhang Ruochen didn't dwell on it further. Regardless, this trip had gone smoothly. For Xuan Yuan Lian to give him the Heavenly Venerable's calligraphy was already a personal favor, without any admixture of interests or schemes.
Because she could have simply refused to give it.
As for "Light Esoterica," Zhang Ruochen did not use it as a bargaining chip.
Now that the Infinite Realm cultivators had gone on the Northern Expedition, probably no one in the entire Heavenly Court possessed main god-level Light Esoterica.
Light Esoterica was hard to come by, but condensing the Sun might not necessarily require it. As long as Zhang Ruochen settled long enough and his cultivation was deep enough, he might have a chance to achieve the Four Symbols Great Perfection even without borrowing Esoterica.
Earlier, he had only wanted to elevate his cultivation as quickly as possible, so he had to borrow Esoterica and take a shortcut.
But now, Zhang Ruochen fully recognized the flaws in himself. After settling matters at the Hundred Clans Royal City, he planned to calm his mind and contemplate for a while.
...
Xuan Yuan Lian looked at the earthenware bowl in her hand and the rice porridge inside, her gaze gradually turning serious.
Since birth, she had drunk divine nectar and jade dew, absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, and consumed sacred medicine and divine springs. When had she ever tasted the food of the mortal world?
Drinking this bowl of porridge was no different from a mortal drinking muddy water.
"Perhaps he is right! Without experiencing mortal life, how can one talk about all living beings?"
Xuan Yuan Lian looked at the rice porridge again. Rejection still appeared in her eyes, but she still raised it with both hands and swallowed it mouthful by mouthful.
She drank very slowly and swallowed with difficulty.
After finishing, however, she suddenly gained some new insights, as if a lamp had been lit in her heart.
She washed the earthenware bowl clean and placed it into the divine wood box that had originally held the Heavenly Venerable's calligraphy, storing it away.
She understood Zhang Ruochen's deeper meaning!
He was telling her not to look down upon the mortal world from above, but to enter it and truly experience this world.
When she was young, she didn't have this opportunity because she couldn't leave the golden carriage.
Later, she could leave the golden carriage through an avatar, but then she no longer had the time to experience the mortal world. Her eyes were left only with the great affairs of the world.
"Perhaps this is the reason I cannot cultivate a perfect Second-Rank Divine Path!"
In terms of talent and aptitude, she believed she was not inferior to anyone.
Not cultivating a perfect Second-Rank Divine Path had always been a knot in her heart.
Xuan Yuan Lian closed her eyes, and a figure emerged from within her body, condensing into an avatar. The avatar stepped out of the golden carriage and merged into the bustling mortal market.
"Then let it be a hundred years! A hundred years of worldly experience, cultivating the heart and refining the will, and then breaking through to the Infinite Realm." She murmured to herself, as if she had never considered breaking through the Infinite Realm to be a difficult task.
...
The Heavenly Lord's Divine Mansion of the Big Dipper Civilization was brightly lit.
After years of war, this day was rare for celebration.
The strongest below the Infinite Realm of the Big Dipper Civilization, "Tiger Emperor," along with several Great Gods, gathered in the Heavenly Lord's Divine Mansion, chatting happily with Princess Shen Ba.
Tiger Emperor appeared in human form, with a sturdy build and tiger stripes on his face and arms. He said, "A hundred thousand years ago, Wen Tianjun had such a renowned reputation. Who would have known he misjudged Xuan Yi, that bastard, leading to the tragic end of the Kunlun Realm gods staining the starry sky with blood?"
"Back then, this emperor suspected Xuan Yi, but he had the support of Shang Tian behind him. Truly, no one could do anything to him."
"It was my fault. Back then, it was all my fault." Princess Shen Ba's mood was low, and she spoke bitterly.
Tiger Emperor said, "You can't blame yourself. Xuan Yi was so astonishingly talented back then. Wen Tianjun, Hao Tian, the Confucian Ancestor, and even the old Heavenly Lord—who didn't praise him highly? Who could have known he was the leader of the Heavenly Assassination Organization and a member of the Quantity Organization? The Quantity Emperor behind him must be Shang Tian without a doubt. It was Shang Tian who concealed his heavenly secrets."
The several Great Gods in the Divine Mansion were all moved and quickly urged Tiger Emperor to speak cautiously.
"Forget it, it's all in the past! Now that you're free, the Big Dipper Civilization will be your second home. With this emperor here, Ke Yangshan wouldn't dare to cause trouble." Tiger Emperor said.
"Thank you, Brother Tiger."
In the past, Princess Shen Ba had a close relationship with Tiger Emperor, always addressing each other as brother and sister.
A Great God from the Big Dipper Civilization said, "Princess, coming to the Starry Sky Defense Line this time, could it be that you want to borrow the power of the Big Dipper Civilization to oppose the Paradise Realm?"
As soon as these words were spoken, this Great God was sent flying by a palm strike from Tiger Emperor.
Tiger Emperor said with deep anger, "Sister Shen Ba, don't mind the words of this fool."
"Shen Ba only came to catch up with an old friend. I have no other intentions."
Princess Shen Ba stood up, took her leave, and left despite Tiger Emperor's repeated attempts to retain her.
Seeing that Princess Shen Ba had already left the Heavenly Lord's Divine Mansion, an elder Tai Xu Great God spoke up, "Shen Ba killed too ruthlessly in the Paradise Realm this time. Those from the Great Shang Divine Dynasty, the Dwarf Clan, and the Blood Sea Hidden Heaven Divine Temple will definitely not let this go. Tiger Emperor, we cannot wade into this muddy water!"
Another Great God said, "The most terrifying thing about the Paradise Realm is that they can command the power of over a thousand great worlds from the entire Western Universe. This god has heard that Meila, Krusa, and the Cyclops are still alive!"
"That Tai Shang from the Kunlun Realm is said to have been wounded again at the Northern Marsh Great Wall and is about to die! We need the support of the Paradise Realm faction now to oppose the Hell Realm. We cannot offend them because of a declining Kunlun Realm!" a Great God said.
"Personal friendships cannot be placed above the rise and fall of a civilization's survival."
...
Tiger Emperor's eyes were cold and sharp as he looked outside the door. "You don't need to say more! Although Wen Tianjun has fallen and the Kunlun Realm has indeed declined, the old Heavenly Lord still remembers the friendship of the past. Regardless, if the Paradise Realm wants to deal with Shen Ba, we cannot stand by and do nothing. But..."
He sighed. "Shen Ba's actions in the Paradise Realm show that the resentment in her heart is extremely deep, and she is likely to act very extremely. Our Big Dipper Civilization truly cannot become enemies with the Paradise Realm. We must carefully measure the measure of our actions."
(Chapter End)