# Chapter 3368: Gifts
Zhang Ruochen recounted the proposal he had made earlier on the divine steps outside the temple.
"They want to cooperate?"
Supreme Elder Taiqing pondered this.
Supreme Elder Yuqing said, "Hmph, if they truly wished to cooperate, why would they have launched a sneak attack on you?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "That is my thinking as well! The Sword Soul Marsh is already extremely dangerous. If this is a trap set by the Divine Steps, the Blood Mud Man, and those sinister beings, then going there would mean certain annihilation for all of us. It's far too dangerous!"
"More importantly, there's no need to take that risk. When Senior Nine Heavens and the others return, they will be more than capable of sweeping away all threats within the Sword God Temple."
Supreme Elder Taiqing asked, "What kind of people are Nine Heavens and the Starry Sea Angler, really?"
The atmosphere suddenly became much more solemn.
For Supreme Elders Taiqing and Yuqing, they could trust Zhang Ruochen because he was the heir of Xumi Saint Monk, a descendant of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable, and a junior of the Liangyi Sect.
But regarding Nine Heavens and the Starry Sea Angler, whose cultivation and strength far surpassed their own, they were not so familiar and clearly harbored caution and vigilance.
As for Nine Heavens, Zhang Ruochen had some understanding, but to say he fully understood him—that was another matter entirely.
This was an existence whose spiritual power had reached the ninetieth level, the former senior brother of Tiannan. Was he really just a drunkard?
As for the Starry Sea Angler, it was even more like looking at flowers through a fog.
Supreme Elder Taiqing's question had stumped Zhang Ruochen.
Supreme Elder Yuqing said, "When the Infinite Realm expedition returns from the north, Tai Shang will certainly be kept by Hao Tian in the Heavenly Court. At this critical juncture, there's no way they'll let him leave. Whether the Dragon Lord can extricate himself is also uncertain."
"Nine Heavens and the Starry Sea Angler both have long lifespans and must have their own plans and arrangements for the universe. Ruochen, if you place all your hopes on them and trust them completely, what if—I'm speaking of that one-in-ten-thousand possibility—can you bear the consequences of losing everything?"
Supreme Elder Taiqing smiled and said, "Ruochen, your Supreme Elder Yuqing has always been suspicious by nature. You can listen to his words, but there's no need to take them too seriously. Just have your own scale of judgment in your heart."
Zhang Ruochen had always understood why only he could become the master of the Sword Realm. It was because he was the link connecting all parties.
The senior figures from all sides did not fully trust each other, and there was much suspicion in their hearts.
But they could fully trust him!
Because he was young, and his growth trajectory had been observed by these senior figures. They could see through him, understand his character and flaws.
More importantly, his potential was great enough that he had a chance to surpass everyone and would not be controlled by any single party.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Do the two Supreme Elders believe we should hide the secrets of the Sword God Temple from Nine Heavens and the Starry Sea Angler?"
"Make your own decision," Supreme Elder Taiqing said.
Supreme Elder Yuqing said, "We should hide them. King Yu has the same idea, believing that the Sword Realm cannot become the Sword Realm of Xinghuantian and Starry Sky Cliff. At least until the Kunlun Realm enters the Sword Realm, we need to keep some things to ourselves. This isn't distrust; it's about better protecting ourselves."
"The Dragon Lord should be on his way, depending on whether he can break free."
Zhang Ruochen could understand Supreme Elder Yuqing's concerns. It seemed that when the Starry Sky Angler returned, he would need to pay a visit.
The barriers, concerns, and suspicions between all parties could only be balanced and eliminated by him.
Suddenly, he understood Xuanyuan Lian a little better. As the ruler of a major power, there were too many things to consider. Hao Tian and Xuanyuan Lian's cultivation was unmatched in their respective domains, yet they were still constrained on all sides.
Supreme Elders Taiqing and Yuqing walked out of the formation and went closer to the Sword Source Divine Tree to continue their cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen had wanted to give them the two complete Six-Color Tai Zhen Tong Tian Divine Pills, but they smiled and declined, saying that these divine pills would have some effect on their physical bodies, but the effect was limited. For them to take them would be a waste.
"Miaoli, take all these soul divine pills."
Zhang Ruochen handed over all the soul divine pills he had to Xiu Chen Heavenly God.
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen was no longer suppressing her, Xiu Chen Heavenly God's face rarely showed joy. She took the soul bottle, opened it to look, then frowned and said, "That's all? Not even enough to raise my soul strength to the middle stage of Qiankun Infinite!"
She transmitted to Zhang Ruochen, "Luo Ji has a lot of soul divine pills. King Yu must have given her all the divine pills refined from Feixue God King's soul!"
"You'd better not set your sights on Luo Ji."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze turned cold. "If you don't want them, give them back."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God took the soul bottle and flew into the Sundial.
Zhang Ruochen knew well that the crisis they would face next was enormous. Both the Divine Steps and the Blood Mud Man were terrifying, and they only had the power to defend themselves.
If the sinister beings in the Sword Soul Marsh were truly shrinking back because of the Sword Source Divine Tree, then what would they do if the two Supreme Elders' cultivation couldn't reach the peak of Qiankun Infinite before the Sword Source Divine Tree went out?
Should they stay in the Sword God Temple or retreat?
If they retreated, would they be able to come back in?
For now, they had to enhance their side's strength in all aspects and as quickly as possible.
Xiao Hei had already broken through to the initial stage of Taiyi Realm. His five-colored stone-like body had softened considerably, allowing him to digest the dan qi inside him more quickly.
"You want to drive me away now?" Xiao Hei bared his teeth. "I still want to use the Sword Source Light Rain to temper my soul!"
"I'm worried that if you don't leave now, you won't be able to later."
Zhang Ruochen directly told Xiao Hei that before the Sword Source Divine Tree went out, the Blood Mud Man and the Divine Steps might make a move again. And that time, it wouldn't be a probing attack like this one.
Xiao Hei was frightened and snapped out of his inflated mindset after breaking through to the God realm. "That makes sense. This kind of Infinite-level game is better left to you guys!"
"If I could, I'd leave too."
Zhang Ruochen joked, then took out several divine wood boxes and became serious. "This time when you return to the Hell Realm, you need to do a big favor for me. This matter cannot have the slightest mistake."
"What's inside?" Xiao Hei asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You don't need to know. Take it to the Starry Sky Defense Line, or to the Blood Absolute Family, and give it to Grandfather. No one else must know."
"Isn't it just the Tong Tian Divine Pills? Why all the mystery?"
Xiao Hei took the divine wood boxes and grinned slyly. "Are you afraid that Princess Shen Yao will find out and hold a grudge against you?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Princess knows I have Undying Blood Clan bloodline and still gave me the Tong Tian Divine Pill formula. That means she tacitly approves of my arrangement of the pills."
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen's gaze remained stern, Xiao Hei realized this matter was serious. "Don't worry. When it comes to big matters, I never mess around."
In the boxes, Zhang Ruochen had placed a total of eighteen Tong Tian Divine Pills.
Fifteen of them were evenly five-colored and of extremely high quality.
The other two were incomplete pills with unstable light, meant for the Underworld King and Xue Hou. Zhang Ruochen could have given them better ones, but given their current cultivation levels, this grade of Tong Tian Divine Pill was most suitable for them.
During the tens of thousands of years when Blood Jue War God had borrowed the Sundial to go into seclusion, the Underworld King and Xue Hou's cultivation had both reached the God level.
The last one was a six-colored, evenly graded, highest-quality Tai Zhen Tong Tian Divine Pill, which Zhang Ruochen was giving to Blood Jue War God.
There were only two such Tai Zhen Tong Tian Divine Pills, and Zhang Ruochen wasn't yet sure of their specific medicinal power. But he figured that with Grandfather's physical strength, he should be able to withstand it. It wouldn't be like Xiao Hei, who nearly exploded from a single pill.
But to be safe, Zhang Ruochen still wrote a letter describing the violent nature of the Tong Tian Divine Pill's power and advising caution in taking it.
Next, Zhang Ruochen took out more divine wood boxes, each engraved with a name.
They were gifts!
"Hai Shang You Ruo, Zhu Que Huo Wu, Yan Wushen, Luo Sha, Bore, Gu Ye Jing, Mu Lingxi, Yan Zhe Xian, Yan Ying'er, Yan Yu, Que, Gong Nan Feng..."
Xiao Hei read the names on the boxes, his expression growing increasingly displeased. "Are you treating me like a delivery boy?"
"You have complaints?" Zhang Ruochen asked, puzzled.
"With all these names you've carved on the boxes, I'd have to travel all over the Hell Realm!"
Zhang Ruochen said earnestly, "I'm sending gifts, and you're delivering them. Think about it—won't they owe you a favor too? This kind of good fortune, others can only dream of."
"Is that so? That does make some sense."
Xiao Hei concentrated, but quickly caught on. "But I feel more like I've become your divine envoy!"
"Fine, don't go then!"
Zhang Ruochen made as if to take the boxes back.
"I'll go, I'll go. It's just delivering a few gifts."
Xiao Hei quickly gathered all the boxes, thinking that since he might become the young hall master of the Undying Divine Temple in the future, it would indeed be good to build relationships with the gods of the Hell Realm. This was a good opportunity.
Naturally, not all the boxes contained Tong Tian Divine Pills.
Mu Lingxi's body was being nurtured by Feng Tian, so she didn't need Tong Tian Divine Pills at all.
Bore and Luo Sha's current cultivation levels couldn't refine Tai Zhen Tong Tian Divine Pills.
For Yan Wushen, Zhang Ruochen sent one, hoping he could lay a firmer foundation at the God level and go further. It was also repaying a favor from back then.
For Hai Shang You Ruo, Zhang Ruochen also sent one. No other reason—she was his little sister, after all.
As for the other gods, Zhang Ruochen sent divine pills refined from the Earth Cauldron. Some could strengthen blood qi, some could enhance spiritual power, and some could improve cultivation.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God was a big consumer of divine pills, but she only consumed soul divine pills. Zhang Ruochen had many other types of divine pills left over.
Yan Zhe Xian, Yan Ying'er, and Yan Yu had a Dan Dao Tai Shang ancestor behind them, so they certainly didn't lack divine pills, nor did they lack war weapons or cultivation methods.
So Zhang Ruochen wrote each of them a letter and sent some local specialties. For example, wine brewed by the Xianyuan Clan, mulberries from the Hai Jin Divine Mulberry, and so on.
Maintaining relationships didn't necessarily require sending precious things. What mattered was showing thoughtfulness.
After sending Xiao Hei off, Zhang Ruochen found Chi Yao, Bai Qinger, and Luo Ji, intending to send them and the other cultivators below the Infinite level to the Sword Realm.
"You all know the situation. The Blood Mud Man and the Divine Steps have already made their move. The Sword God Temple is no longer safe. You need to leave as soon as possible," Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qinger said, "You're also below the Infinite level. Aren't you leaving?"
"I have my own trump cards. I can fight against an Infinite-level opponent," Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qinger said, "I also have trump cards. I can protect myself in a critical moment."
Chi Yao said, "Under the Sundial, our cultivation can improve rapidly. Among the God King battle formations we seized from the Hell Realm army, there should be one that's intact, right? With our combined strength, we can activate the God King battle formation."
She looked at Luo Ji, the four Tai Xu Ancient Gods from Heavenly Beginning Civilization, and the Thirteen Guardians following behind Zangjin Baihu.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God drifted over at some point and suddenly spoke up, "How about I try to refine the Heavenly Banner left by Si Yang Tian Jun? If successful, we could first destroy the Blood Mud City, then pacify the Sword Soul Marsh."
Zhang Ruochen looked at her. Since she became a woman, how had she developed so many schemes? Was she eyeing the Heavenly Banner?
Ji Fanxin was thinking about that mysterious summoning force and didn't want to leave just like that. "We can try! If we can control the Heavenly Banner, forget about destroying the Blood Mud City and pacifying the Sword Soul Marsh—at least we can protect ourselves."