Chapter 3351: Divine King Guo
Half a month had passed since the Battle of the Hundred Clans Royal City Star Domain.
The dust had settled, and the starry sky had returned to tranquility.
Outside the southern city gate, Zhang Ruochen saw off a large group of Ghost Clan deities and saint realm soldiers, including Zhuque Huowu and Se Jiewang.
The one who came to lead them away was a Divine King seated within a bone-white ghost carriage, referred to by the Ghost Clan deities as "Divine King Guo."
This Divine King Guo never revealed himself from start to finish, remaining very mysterious.
As he departed, Divine King Guo's voice drifted out from the ghost carriage: "The Infinite One will soon return from his northern campaign. A prodigy as brilliant as the young friend Ruochen will surely be received by the Heavenly Venerable as well. When that time comes, be sure to visit Fengdu Ghost City!"
Zhang Ruochen caught the underlying meaning and smiled. "It would not be too late for this junior to visit after Fengdu Ghost City has thoroughly investigated its members of the Quantity Organization and quelled its internal troubles."
Divine King Guo chuckled and drove the carriage away.
Zhuque Huowu spread her wings and followed closely behind.
The other Ghost Clan deities and saint realm soldiers were all in low spirits, riding ghost clouds as they vanished into the depths of the starry cosmos.
Having been taken captive, with Divine King Guo personally coming to retrieve them at a great cost to Fengdu Ghost City, they had utterly disgraced Divine King Guo, Fengdu Ghost City, and the Heavenly Venerable.
The defeat was too crushing; their morale was completely shattered.
The smile on Zhang Ruochen's face gradually faded.
Divine King Guo had made it clear before leaving: Fengdu Ghost City would not let the matter rest. Once the Infinite One returned from the northern campaign, there would surely be repercussions.
This time, to ransom the captives, Fengdu Ghost City had handed over all the wealth and resources it had plundered from the Hundred Clans Royal City Star Domain over the past century.
Of course, the wealth and resources were secondary. The real damage was to the prestige of the Heavenly Venerable and Fengdu Ghost City.
Se Jiewang caught up to the bone-white ghost city and bowed deeply. "Divine King, this deity has sinned."
"Of course you have sinned! Because of you, the reputation of Fengdu Ghost City has suffered repeated blows. I do not wish to dwell on this matter further. When the Infinite One returns, you will be punished according to the laws," Divine King Guo said.
Se Jiewang said, "This deity asks only one thing."
"Speak!"
Se Jiewang said, "This deity only wishes to die to restore the prestige of Fengdu Ghost City."
"We wish to die to atone for our mistakes!"
The deities who had been taken captive stepped forward one after another, killing intent flickering in their eyes.
Zhuque Huowu sneered coldly. "Even if you self-detonate your divine sources, you still cannot take revenge. If you are captured again, are we supposed to take out another large sum of divine stones to ransom you?"
"If we are captured again, the Divine King need not concern himself with our lives or deaths," Se Jiewang said, his gaze firm and his will resolute.
After a long silence, Divine King Guo's voice rang out: "Huowu, take them into your divine realm world. When you return to Fengdu Ghost City, do not let them go out again. From now on, they will be responsible for teaching the saint realm cultivators in their training! Fengdu Ghost City cannot afford to lose face any longer!"
The words were spoken flatly, but they shamed the Ghost Clan deities so deeply they could not lift their heads.
Se Jiewang wanted to say more, but Zhuque Huowu had already taken him into her divine realm world.
After imprisoning all the Ghost Clan deities in her divine realm world, Zhuque Huowu said, "Divine King, there is one thing I do not understand! Earlier, in the Hundred Clans Royal City, you were only a few steps away from Zhang Ruochen. If you had struck, you could have subdued him in an instant. If you had captured him, would we not have avoided paying such a heavy price?"
"When I entered the Hundred Clans Royal City, I did intend to strike. But beside Zhang Ruochen, I sensed a powerful Infinite aura."
Zhuque Huowu was secretly alarmed. "Xinghuantian and the Hundred Clans Royal City only have a few Infinite-level beings. Could there still be an Infinite who did not go to the North Marsh Great Wall?"
Divine King Guo chuckled. "The affairs of the world are never as simple as they appear on the surface. If there were no Infinite following him, would Zhang Ruochen have dared to meet a Divine King in person? When you return, focus all your efforts on breaking through to the Infinite Realm. The situation in Lihentian has stabilized! I still have some matters to attend to, so I will not return for now."
...
The Hundred Clans Royal City had grown desolate, with hardly any figures on the streets. Compared to the bustling scene Zhang Ruochen had witnessed on his first visit, it felt like a different era.
The war was over, and they had won, yet everything lay in ruin.
The thousands of divine throne planets in the sky had all disappeared.
The great worlds floating in the void outside the city had been taken away by deities half a month ago, heading into the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain.
The only reason the Hundred Clans Royal City still stood, and Zhang Ruochen remained, was to handle the aftermath.
During this time, powerful figures from various clans of the Hell Realm had come to negotiate with Zhang Ruochen, taking away their own captives.
Among the negotiators were Divine Kings and Divine Venerables. The main reason they had not attacked was that most of the deities and great worlds in the Hundred Clans Royal City had already withdrawn.
Without these constraints, Zhang Ruochen could operate with full freedom.
"This time, the Hell Realm not only lost a large number of deities but also paid a huge amount of divine stones to ransom the captives. They will not let this go easily." A distant, ethereal voice suddenly rang out.
"I know."
Zhang Ruochen remained very calm. "Is it not that we have Senior Divine King here? Why should we fear them?"
Yu Divine King stood within a different space, not far from Zhang Ruochen.
Deities below the Infinite level could not see him, let alone sense his aura.
"Infinite old monsters hidden in the Ancestor Realm are emerging one after another. Do you not sense the danger?" Yu Divine King said.
"Their emergence is because of Lihentian, not because of me," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Set out for the Sword Realm as soon as possible. I have an ominous premonition," Yu Divine King said.
Now that the fate of the Heavenly Beginning Civilization was tightly bound to Zhang Ruochen, Yu Divine King had to ensure Zhang Ruochen's safety.
"There is still a small matter to take care of!"
Arriving at the Guanyun Array Tower in the heart of the Hundred Clans Royal City, Zhang Ruochen released Ming Jian Shen, the Soul Realm Lord, Huang Daozi, and the Second Elder of the Array Extermination Hall.
"Greetings, Realm Lord!"
The four ancient deities bowed to Zhang Ruochen in unison.
Even the proud Ming Jian Shen lowered his head slightly.
He had originally been unwilling to submit to Zhang Ruochen, feeling it would tarnish his reputation of hundreds of thousands of years.
But after Yu Mang Jun, Jiu Shou Gu She, Ban Zun, Mu Tuo, and other powerhouses of no lesser cultivation than himself had fallen one after another at Zhang Ruochen's hands, Ming Jian Shen had fully recognized the gap between himself and Zhang Ruochen.
Especially when Zhang Ruochen had said earlier, "Your vision is too narrow. Your heart is filled only with personal grudges, interests, and fame. My opponent is the Calamity of Quantities, the chaotic order of heaven and earth."
That single sentence had completely shattered the pride in Ming Jian Shen's heart.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Huang Daozi and the Second Elder stay. Ming Jian Shen, you and the Soul Realm Lord can return to the Heavenly Court."
"Hua!"
Two beams of soul light flew out and merged into the bodies of Ming Jian Shen and the Soul Realm Lord.
"Realm Lord, why have you returned half of my soul to... this old servant?" The Soul Realm Lord found it hard to believe and was somewhat nervous.
Ming Jian Shen's divine soul had also been restored. After a careful examination, he found that Zhang Ruochen had not left any hidden tricks.
This was not right!
Ming Jian Shen said, "Since this deity has joined Xinghuantian, I will not return to the Heavenly Court! From now on, I will devote myself to cultivation, striving to step into the Infinite Realm before the Calamity of Quantities arrives, so that I can fight for a way of survival for the living beings of heaven and earth."
The Soul Realm Lord caught on and cupped his hands. "Since I have decided to join Xinghuantian and follow the Realm Lord in doing great things, how can I go back on my word? Even if this old servant dies, I will die in Xinghuantian."
Zhang Ruochen said, "This is not a test. I am truly letting you go back. If Huang Daozi and the Second Elder were not somewhat useful, I would have sent them back as well!"
The Soul Realm Lord did not believe it at all.
If he was truly letting them go back, why would he return half of their souls?
In his mind, he pictured the scene of him and Ming Jian Shen being killed the moment they stepped out of the Hundred Clans Royal City.
The Soul Realm Lord said, "Please, Realm Lord, take back the half of my soul. Otherwise, this old servant's heart will not be at ease."
Zhang Ruochen said, "What is the point of taking half of your soul and sending you back? Once the Infinite of the Heavenly Court returns, a simple investigation will reveal the truth."
"Realm Lord, are you sending us back to accomplish something?" Ming Jian Shen asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Admit that everything in the Hundred Clans Royal City Star Domain was your doing. Do I need to teach you how to spin the story?"
Countless thoughts immediately surged through Ming Jian Shen's mind.
This task...
He was very willing to take it on.
With such a battle record, how high would the Sword God Realm's ranking on the "Myriad Realms Merit List" soar?
And as for his reputation as the number one below the Infinite, who could take it from him?
However, many people now knew that "Ming Jian Shen" was Zhang Ruochen. The story would not be easy to fabricate! He would have to think carefully.
Ming Jian Shen's demeanor remained outstanding. "Very well. Since the Realm Lord has given the order, this deity will carry it out even if it costs me my life."
Zhang Ruochen secretly transmitted a message to Ming Jian Shen: "Beixi has seized Krusa in Lihentian."
Ming Jian Shen's gaze instantly sharpened.
When Ke Yangshan had given him the precious Xitian Feather Robe, Ming Jian Shen had already suspected something was off. Zhang Ruochen's reminder now made everything clear.
(End of this chapter)