Chapter 3381: Encountering Radiance
"Whoosh!"
Bai Qinger moved like a streak of white light, teleporting in front of Zhang Ruochen.
Her spirit and divine soul had long since fully recovered. Having inherited the Divine Heart of the Grand Elder of the God-Defying Clan, her spiritual power had advanced at an inconceivable speed.
In just ten thousand years, she had reached the eightieth rank, possessing strength no less than a Grand God of the Grand Void Realm.
Other spiritual power gods would need hundreds of thousands of years of arduous cultivation to reach this step.
She said, "Master and Senior Jiutian, though they possess the ability of Heavenly Roundness Without Flaw, they may not necessarily know the exact location of the Sword Realm. Someone needs to go and guide them."
"I don't think so! They are both above the ninetieth rank of spiritual power; there are few things in this world they cannot accomplish."
Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly, then added, "We have taken the entire Xinghuantian with us. This aura cannot be completely concealed. To put it another way, if we had taken Fengdu Ghost City, do you think Fengdu Dadi would be unable to find where it was hidden? There would inevitably be a leak of heavenly secrets!"
"That old drunkard's sensitivity to the aura of Xinghuantian and heavenly secrets is probably even sharper than his sensitivity to wine."
Chi Yao walked over, saying, "Then there is only one possibility: something must have happened outside, and they are being held back."
She moved like an immortal walking through the mortal world, with fifteen layers of heavenly realms faintly visible above her head. Chaotic qi mist swirled around her, and every inch of her skin radiated a jade-white luster.
A goddess like colored glaze, each step blooming a lotus.
In ten thousand years of cultivation, Chi Yao's cultivation had greatly advanced, and condensing the fifteenth layer of heavenly realms was a clear sign.
Zangjin Baihu followed behind Chi Yao, their auras perfectly combined. Their imposing might was so formidable that it was no weaker than those universe-dominating kings and venerables.
Clearly, as Chi Yao's cultivation improved, the suppression of heaven and earth rules on Zangjin Baihu grew weaker and weaker. It would soon be able to fully integrate into this era.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I plan to return to the Kunlun Realm and seek a method to break through the realm there."
"I will go with you," Chi Yao said.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Not continuing to go into seclusion?"
"To pursue, and even surpass, the achievements of the Great Venerable in the past cannot be accomplished by seclusion alone." Chi Yao's temperament was transcendent, increasingly carrying a cold and ethereal quality, her gaze exceptionally firm.
Zangjin Baihu said, "Time is not the only shortcut to cultivation in this world. The Path of Zangjin also has its shortcuts. There is a prehistoric secret realm within the Divine Ancient Nest. Zhang Ruochen, would you like to explore it together?"
This was a formal invitation, not treating Zhang Ruochen as an outsider.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I will definitely go to the Divine Ancient Nest! If the timing is right, I will accompany you."
During these ten thousand years of seclusion, Zhang Ruochen had cultivated the Way of Light and the Way of Space to an extremely profound level, certainly no weaker than any Grand God.
But his many attempts to condense the Sun had all ended in failure.
This made Zhang Ruochen realize that the Great Perfection of the Four Symbols was more difficult than he had imagined, requiring a deeper accumulation.
Relying solely on seclusion could no longer bring improvement.
He had truly reached the limit below the Infinite Realm, like a bowl full of water, unable to hold another drop.
To break through the realm, he must either expand the bowl's capacity or make the bowl stronger to hold heavier liquid.
This required both comprehension, enhancing his understanding of the Heavenly Dao and Nature.
And it required an opportunity!
Furthermore, he needed to enter Lihentian, to absorb the power of "Quantity," to comprehend "Quantity," and to understand "Infinite."
Perhaps it was precisely because his understanding of "Quantity" was too shallow, and his knowledge of "Infinite" was nonexistent, that his cultivation bowl could not hold more, leading to this bottleneck.
In the Sword Realm, Zhang Ruochen did not dare to rashly open a passage to Lihentian.
Given his sensitive identity, he needed someone to protect his path before he could safely cultivate in Lihentian.
Bai Qinger looked thoughtful, saying, "When we go out this time, we must be extremely careful. With the Infinite returning, this universe will become incredibly dangerous for you. Every move you make could attract great terror!"
"Don't worry! I am merely a junior. If any of the Twenty Heavens come after me, there will naturally be other Heavens to counter them. As for the gods among the juniors, who among them is my match?"
Zhang Ruochen already possessed combat power no weaker than a God Venerable, yet he still referred to himself as a junior, appearing overly modest.
He raised his hand, his five fingers forming a loose grip.
"Whoosh!"
The Abyssal Ancient Sword, far away in the Sword Mountain, flew over, its sword cry resounding through the clouds, landing in his hand.
A feeling of flesh-and-blood connection spread through his entire body.
Countless sword shadows appeared between heaven and earth.
The Abyssal Ancient Sword had refined countless billions of war swords, as well as countless fragments of Supreme Sacred Artifacts and Divine Artifacts. Now, it had reached the level of a Sub-Divine-level Supreme Sacred Artifact.
Zhang Ruochen sheathed the sword, and the sharp aura on his body also converged. He said, "Rest assured, the Sword Realm is a neutral force. If I can avoid participating in conflicts, I will not actively provoke trouble. This time out, cultivation is my primary goal."
Naturally, Zhang Ruochen harbored a sense of pride, eager to compete with those God Kings and God Venerables who dominated star regions. With his current cultivation, it was clearly insufficient. He must quickly achieve the Great Perfection of the Four Symbols and truly step into the Infinite Realm.
...
Zhang Ruochen, along with Chi Yao, Zangjin Baihu, and the three gods of the Divine Ancient Nest, left the Sword Realm together.
As for the Sword God Hall, Zhang Ruochen did not bother with it. That was not something his current cultivation could meddle in; at the very least, it required figures of the caliber of the Dragon Lord or the Old Woodcutter to investigate.
Zangjin Baihu said, "The Sword Realm is rich in resources, comparable to a mini Heavenly Court. It is indeed a treasure land for cultivation. However, in the near future, cultivators from the Divine Ancient Nest should not be stationed there on a large scale."
Yi Mu Laoren, representing the Wood Clan, said, "A batch of Saint Realm cultivators from the five clans should enter the Sword Realm for cultivation. But for now, the spatial coordinates of the Sword Realm must be kept secret. Once they enter, they cannot leave."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What kind of existence is the master of the Divine Ancient Nest?"
Yi Mu Laoren pondered for a moment, then said, "The Sword Venerable should personally visit and pay respects to the Ancestral God once! Although many matters have been settled by the Starry Sea Angler, Jiutian, and the Tai Shang of the Kunlun Realm, the Sword Venerable is the future master of the Sword Realm and a key figure for the Sword Realm's ability to stand independently. There must be communication between the Sword Venerable and the Ancestral God."
Yan Huo Yi, from the Yan Clan, was in a liquid state, his form ever-changing. He said, "The Sword Venerable possesses combat power no less than a God Venerable and is already qualified to meet the Ancestral God. Although the Sword Venerable has the potential of an Ancestor, he is still a junior and still young. Showing some humility before the sages will surely be fine."
"If the Sword Venerable comes to the Divine Ancient Nest, the Sheng Clan will receive him with the highest specifications." Sheng Wu Can said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Thank you for the guidance, three elders."
"Sword Venerable, there is no need to be so polite. We will all be under your command in the future." The three Grand Gods said in unison.
Zhang Ruochen understood very well that the reason the Divine Ancient Nest would not station on a large scale in the Sword Realm for now was ultimately because the Sword Realm was not strong enough, and he, as its future master, had not yet shone brilliantly enough to illuminate the world.
At present, he was at best a rising star, formally entering the grand pattern of the universe, but still far from reaching his zenith.
Through the Space Teleportation Array, Zhang Ruochen and the others arrived at the edge of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain.
This place was only a few dozen Divine Spirit Steps away from the outside world, a remote area.
Zhang Ruochen enveloped them with the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram, concealing their auras, before cautiously releasing his perception.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's strange expression, Chi Yao asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhang Ruochen found it somewhat hard to believe, and laughed, "How strange. Follow me."
Like a black curtain, it enveloped them, and they all vanished from the spot.
Moments later, they traversed billions of miles and arrived at a deep purple nebula. This place was filled with cosmic dust, with some irregular rocky asteroids floating around.
Even Chi Yao could sense the powerful divine power fluctuations here.
On one of the rocky celestial bodies, a stunningly beautiful female god of the Elf Clan and a purple-robed male god of the Angel Clan knelt on one knee, prostrate on the ground.
Their auras were both very powerful, as if they contained countless stars within them, capable of releasing energy that could destroy star domains.
But they were suppressed by streaks of white light patterns, unable to remain standing. It was easy to imagine how terrifying the cultivator suppressing them must be.
One was the Queen of the Elf Clan, the other a Grand Void peak powerhouse of the Angel Clan.
In the Heavenly Court, gods from myriad realms would have to bow before them, and the billions of beings of the Elf and Angel Clans would kneel and worship them.
"Dai Xue, Quan Zhongsheng, do you know your crimes?" A mass of Radiant Divine Light hung in the cosmic void, distorting the surrounding space, covered with Radiant Divine Patterns.
If one looked closely, they could see a white divine temple at the center of the Radiant Divine Light, as if located at the end of time and space.
Quan Zhongsheng lowered his head, enduring the suppression of the Radiant Divine Patterns, and said, "I know my crimes!"
But Dai Xue the Queen remained indifferent, not saying a word. The Radiant Divine Patterns on her body became even heavier, like a hundred thousand stars crushing her divine body.
Ke Yangshan walked out of the white divine temple, stepping on the spatial veins, his white feathered wings on his back holy and pure. He said coldly, "Betraying the Paradise Realm is a capital offense, punishable by the extermination of nine clans. However, considering that half of your divine souls have been taken, and your life and death are in the hands of others, we can give you a chance to reform. As long as you reveal the spatial coordinates of the Sword Realm, you can atone for your sins."
Quan Zhongsheng said, "We do not know the location of the Sword Realm."
Ke Yangshan said, "Rest assured, as long as you confess truthfully, the Hall Master will take action to sever your connection with the other half of your divine soul, and there will be no threat to your life. Moreover, you have rendered great service, and the Radiant Divine Temple will surely reward you heavily. Restoring your cultivation will not be difficult."
Quan Zhongsheng said, "We truly do not know the location of the Sword Realm. In fact, when we left the Paradise Realm and rushed here, Zhang Ruochen and the gods of the Hundred Clans Royal City had already disappeared. If we hadn't had no way back, we might have returned to the Paradise Realm by then."
"Bang!"
A crescent-shaped white divine light flew out from the divine temple, striking Dai Xue the Queen and Quan Zhongsheng.
The rocky celestial body beneath them instantly exploded, turning into powder.
Although both were powerful, both at the Grand Void peak, their divine bodies were still beaten until blood flowed profusely, and countless bones were broken.
A deep voice sounded from within the divine temple: "The Dwarf Clan was almost annihilated, and these two still dare to defect to the enemy. They deserve to die. Directly conduct a soul search and seize their memories."
Dai Xue the Queen and Quan Zhongsheng knew that the person in the divine temple was an ancestor of the Dwarf Clan. The other party was furious, and there was absolutely no way for them to survive today. They exchanged a glance, no longer holding back. They fully erupted their divine power, tearing apart the suppression of the Radiant Divine Patterns.
Immediately after, they burned their divine blood within their bodies and used an escape secret technique to flee deep into the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain.