Chapter 3399: Nineteen Layers of Heavenly Vault
Washing and refining one's foundation was not a difficult task. Spending several days, Zhang Ruochen helped all the Saint realm cultivators beneath the peach tree refine their foundations.
Figures like Xue Wuye, Han Qiu, Lidi, Beigong Lan, Murong Yue, Chen Wutian, and Pei Yutian—those standing at the absolute pinnacle of the Saint realm—all advanced to a higher level.
Among them, Xue Wuye and Han Qiu reached the level of Eon representatives.
Unless an Eon-level genius emerged, they would be invincible in the mortal world.
This was just one realm, Kunlun Realm, yet this era boasted such a wealth of talent, with mortal-world powerhouses standing tall. No realm in the Heavenly Court or any clan in the Hell Realm could compare.
In truth, Kunlun Realm still had many top-tier Great Saints with the potential to become gods, but Zhang Ruochen did not bring them all over to refine their foundations.
After all, he used the Wuji Divine Dao, but he borrowed the power of heaven and earth.
Having dozens of people improve simultaneously was already an extraordinary feat, drawing a vast amount of heaven and earth power from Kunlun Realm. If he did it on a larger scale, he would surely suffer heaven and earth backlash.
"Thank you, Realm Lord Ruochen!"
Dozens of Great Saints, including Wan Canglan, who had never shown Zhang Ruochen any reverence, bowed in unison, creating a scene reminiscent of all saints paying homage to a heavenly god.
Among friends, one could joke and tease freely.
But when a great god helped them take a step further on their path, giving them a greater chance to become gods and making their future more promising, they had to bow.
Zhang Ruochen gave the spiritual power divine pills he had refined using the Earth Cauldron to Shi Ren and Gu Songzi, among others, helping them increase their spiritual power intensity.
Then, the crowd took their leave one after another, all going into seclusion to digest what they had just gained.
"I plan to go into seclusion at the Sword Pavilion for a thousand years, to see if I can accumulate even more deeply. Even if I can't reach forty trillion Saint Dao rules, I'll try to get as close as possible," Xue Wuye said.
Zhang Ruochen replied, "I should also visit the Sword Pavilion. We'll meet again soon."
"When I break into the God realm, I'll come find you for drinks and discussion on the Dao. Right now, as a mere Great Saint, standing with you feels too pressured—hardly suitable for discussing the Dao," Xue Wuye said with a smile.
Han Qiu said, "Even after you reach the God realm, you'll still be far off. What qualification do you have to discuss the Dao with the Realm Lord?"
Xue Wuye was not angered. "That's not right! We talk about the beauties of the world and discuss the fairies and divine maidens."
Before he finished speaking, he had already flown away on his sword.
Zhang Ruochen gave a Heaven-Connecting Divine Pill to Shenba Princess. Beside her, Chi Xingtian was urging again, hoping to have his foundation repaired as soon as possible.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Not now! I just helped the saints of Kunlun Realm refine their foundations, using up a great deal of heaven and earth power and rules. Your cultivation is too high, and you would consume even more heaven and earth power and rules. If we do it now, we will surely suffer heaven and earth backlash, and both of us will be in danger."
"Then when will it be?" Chi Xingtian was anxious but understood Zhang Ruochen's difficulty.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Once I achieve the Four Symbols Great Perfection and enter the Infinite realm, repairing your foundation will be much easier. For now, if you have nothing to do, you can reopen Heavenly Demon Mountain and spread the way of the Heavenly Demon again, to revitalize the demonic path."
Compared to the Confucian path, Taiji path, Buddhist path, and Sword path, the demonic path indeed had many drawbacks, easily giving rise to extreme cultivators.
But good and evil were never caused by the path itself. Chi Xingtian, who cultivated the demonic path, was more worthy of respect in matters of right and wrong and his adherence to loyalty and righteousness than some gods who cultivated the path of light.
At the same time, Kunlun Realm could not be entirely peaceful, with everyone gentle and refined. It needed disruptors. Otherwise, cultivators raised in a greenhouse, once they left Kunlun Realm, would be no match for cultivators from other realms.
The demonic path was the disruptor.
Shenba Princess said, "I think Zhang Ruochen is right. Now that the demonic path rules of the entire universe have revived, the emergence of Heavenly Demon Mountain is a sign of the demonic path's rise in Kunlun Realm. You must take on this responsibility."
Chi Xingtian felt like tearing his hair out. Having him spread the Dao was worse than killing him.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If you find rebuilding the sect too troublesome and spreading the teachings too tedious, I can give you two people. Han Qiu, Murong Yue, why haven't you paid respects to your master?"
"Greetings, Master."
Han Qiu and Murong Yue bowed to Chi Xingtian.
Before Chi Xingtian could react, Zhang Ruochen continued, "Han Qiu is a Darkness Controller, sharing the same origin as the demonic path. Murong Yue has been cultivating the Heavenly Demon Nether Moon Diagram from the Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription. You can pass on your ancestral insights and the true interpretations of the thirty-six Heavenly Demon Diagrams to them, and also let them handle the mundane affairs."
"You two hear that? From now on, follow Lord Chi Xingtian diligently in your cultivation. The demonic path of Heavenly Demon Mountain is inherited from the Heavenly Demon Ancestor and will bring you endless benefits."
How could Han Qiu and Murong Yue not know the benefits of following a top-tier great god in cultivation? Such an opportunity was rare for Saint realm cultivators, and it might allow them to accumulate even more deeply in the Saint realm through the demonic path.
Han Qiu naturally wanted to cultivate by Zhang Ruochen's side, but she could see that he was at a critical stage in breaking through his realm and could not possibly attend to her.
Then she recalled Xue Wuye's parting words: without reaching the God realm, what qualification did she have to stand with Zhang Ruochen?
"Thank you, Lord Chi Xingtian, for passing down the Dao. We will strive to cultivate and spread the demonic path far and wide," they said.
Chi Xingtian looked at them, then at Zhang Ruochen and Shenba Princess. What was going on? He hadn't said a single word from start to finish, and yet he had been arranged so thoroughly?
Just as he was about to voice his opinion, Zhang Ruochen and Shenba Princess had already vanished into the void.
Shenba Princess went to the Starry Sky Defense Line, planning to join Chi Yao in supporting Kunlun Realm's position there.
Zhang Ruochen, taking Qingqing and Zhang Hongchen, entered the Central Imperial City. He stayed at Ziyu Palace for a few days, meeting Ling Feiyu, Nalan Danqing, Chi Kunlun, Zhang Yuyan, and other relatives and friends.
Chi Kongle had already crossed the divine tribulation and left Kunlun Realm.
Her cultivation had already reached the absolute peak below the God realm before this, so crossing the tribulation to break through was within Zhang Ruochen's expectations. Given her personality, it was unlikely she would stay in one realm for long.
Ling Feiyu had also entered the God realm and spent her days comprehending the sword at the Sword Pavilion.
Before Kunlun Realm revived, she was already the most talented existence of an era, no less than Luo Xu, and should have entered the God realm long ago. She had only delayed because she feared falling in the divine tribulation, choosing to consolidate and accumulate instead.
From Ling Feiyu, Zhang Ruochen learned that Jie Zunzhe had returned from the North Marsh Great Wall and was recuperating at the Sword Pavilion.
The Sword Pavilion was undoubtedly the number one sacred ground for sword cultivation in Kunlun Realm. After transforming into a divine artifact and opening to all, it had become even more transcendent, seemingly on the verge of surpassing the three paths in Kunlun Realm's status.
The Wordless Sword Manual had been moved to the ninth floor of the Sword Pavilion, where the time ratio was one to ten.
"You two will cultivate under the Wordless Sword Manual from now on," Zhang Ruochen said, looking at Zhang Hongchen and Qingqing.
Zhang Hongchen said, "Father, I can already cultivate on higher floors of the Sword Pavilion."
"I want you to stay and teach Qingqing some things. First, pass on the *Innate Dao Method* to her," Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhang Hongchen lowered her voice, "My cultivation is shallow. What qualification do I have to teach Junior Sister Qingqing?"
Zhang Ruochen could clearly see Zhang Hongchen's reluctance. His gaze suddenly turned sharp, filled with an unyielding will.
It was as if a hundred thousand mountains pressed down on her, far exceeding what her current cultivation could bear. She dropped to one knee.
"Let's go!"
Zhang Ruochen had already made his stance clear and did not want to say more. He took Ling Feiyu and went to the tenth floor of the Sword Pavilion.
"Don't defy your father. He is already angered," Ling Feiyu secretly transmitted to Zhang Hongchen as she left.
Entering the tenth floor of the Sword Pavilion, Ling Feiyu said, "You could have spoken to her gently."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Do you know why I did this? I could have easily sent a doppelganger to teach Qingqing."
"You want to temper her character, thinking she is too rebellious?" Ling Feiyu asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I missed the best time to teach Kongle and Kunlun, leaving flaws in their cultivation. Among everyone, Hongchen has the highest talent. That's why she could find nine swords in the Sword Mountain and receive the inheritance of nine Sword Gods."
"At the same time, she is more malleable and has high enough comprehension. That's why I didn't teach her the Sword Ancestor's Soul Sword but instead taught her how to cultivate her own sword soul and passed on the One-Word Sword Dao to her. I have high hopes for her."
"In cultivation, I also told her to perfect every realm to its utmost and not to pursue speed. Because I hope she can reach the level of an Eon-level genius. In today's world, among the new generation of cultivators from all realms and clans, she has the best chance."
"But her personality is too proud! As a genius, being proud is not wrong. But she must understand when to be proud and when to be reserved. Once she understands this, her mind will be complete, and an Eon-level genius is within reach!"
Ling Feiyu had not expected Zhang Ruochen to have considered so much for Hongchen. She was deeply moved. "In the future, I will tell her about your efforts. By the way, can simply making her a teacher to teach a student temper her character?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and smiled. "To temper her pride, I must cultivate a junior talented enough. If she wants to strive for an Eon-level genius, she also needs someone to pressure her, to force her to work harder."
Ling Feiyu said, "You mean Qingqing?"
"I plan to pass the Wuji Divine Dao to Qingqing. It just depends on how far she can go," Zhang Ruochen said calmly.
Ling Feiyu was stunned, finding it hard to believe.
So, having Zhang Hongchen teach Qingqing the *Innate Dao Method* was only to cultivate Qingqing's understanding of Daoist thought. The real big move was yet to come.
Zhang Ruochen walked upward, seeing several Kunlun Realm sword cultivators training on different floors. Without disturbing them, he climbed all the way to the seventeenth floor of the Sword Pavilion, where he finally saw Jie Zunzhe.
This old fellow was nowhere near looking like he was recovering from injuries. He was full of vitality, with layers of heavenly vaults above his head emitting nine-colored divine light. With every breath, he created storms of air, as if heaven and earth themselves were breathing.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes narrowed sharply. He noticed that the heavenly vaults above Jie Zunzhe's head had increased by one, reaching nineteen layers.
...
Today is September 9th, Public Welfare Day. The website has invited eighteen authors to each write a story for the children. I am one of them... no, I mean one of the authors.
For those interested, you can search for "A Storybook for Children" on QQ Book City or Qidian. One of the stories, "Grandpa Pumpkin," is written by me. See if Little Fish has the potential to write urban life stories!
Additionally, all tips from this event will be used to build book corners for the children. Readers with the means and the heart can support this. Thank you!
There will be another chapter tonight.