Chapter 3482: New Situation
Hai Shangming Palace, Xu Yin Great God, and Blood Butcher entered the Past Divine Palace one after another, meeting Zhang Ruochen.
Even Blood Butcher showed a certain degree of awe in his expression.
The more distant the relationship, the stronger the reverence.
In Rakshasa Divine City, one of Zhang Ruochen's avatars had slain Nie Divine King with a sword, his true body had defeated Qi Lin and Zongmu Divine Venerable, and with the power of the Great Luo Divine Seal and Heavenly Mother's divine force, he had even suppressed Ding Ancestor!
Such feats, promoted by certain forces, were being exaggerated to an incredible degree.
After all, Zhang Ruochen had only recently broken through to the Infinite Realm. Such battle prowess was like a blazing red Ancestor sun rising, about to illuminate the entire universe.
And the refining and killing of Mofa Divine King had undoubtedly painted a bloody hue over the name "Zhang Ruochen."
Many cultivators called it: "The Ancestor's path to rise must be accompanied by seas of blood and mountains of corpses."
Not to mention Hai Shangming Palace and Xu Yin Great God; even those veteran Divine Kings and Divine Venerables would now feel a chill in their hearts when meeting Zhang Ruochen.
A great killing weapon like the Earth Cauldron could refine Mofa Divine King, so it could refine them too—who wouldn't fear?
Hai Shangming Palace was handsome and elegant, exuding a noble and unrestrained temperament.
He had once been a Divine Son, one of the most outstanding representatives cultivated by the Destiny Temple in the past hundred thousand years. Back in Xinghuantian, he had dueled with Shang Hong and lost by half a move.
Now, he had stepped into the Taiyi Realm.
His gaze fell on Hai Shang Youruo, and he bowed, saying, "Aunt!"
Hai Shang Youruo returned to her cold, icy demeanor. Her slender and delicate figure radiated the aura of a Tai Xu Great God, putting immense pressure on the three present. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
Xu Yin Great God bowed deeply. "This god sought an audience with Young Venerable Youruo and found Brother Minggong there. To be precise, I came on the orders of the Great Emperor, sincerely inviting the Young Venerable to visit Rakshasa Divine City."
Then, Xu Yin Great God explained in detail.
It turned out that the calamity in the Rakshasa Clan had not only affected Divine City and Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm but also the various great worlds and life planets in the surrounding star regions.
Whether it was an Infinite-level divine battle or a Heavenly Venerable-level divine battle, the resulting shockwaves could destroy countless planets.
However, those life planets and great worlds farther from the battlefield had managed to survive, though with heavy losses. They required gods to restore the terrain, stabilize the rules of heaven and earth, and channel life energy.
Throughout the entire Hell Realm, Hai Shang Youruo was undoubtedly one of the most exceptional in the Way of Life.
Whether it was healing the injured gods of the Rakshasa Clan or restoring the vitality of the war-ravaged wastelands, she could play a role that no other god could replace.
Although Hai Shang Youruo was the Young Venerable of the Life Divine Palace and the future master of the palace, backed by both Feng Tian and Void Heaven, she had not yet reached the Infinite Realm. If she could earn a favor from the Rakshasa Clan, it would benefit her immensely.
For the currently declining Hai Shang Clan, the advantages would be even greater.
Seeing that Hai Shang Youruo was still hesitating, Xu Yin Great God added, "The Great Emperor said he will surely present a generous gift."
"The Great Emperor is thoughtful. As for the gift, it's unnecessary. The Rakshasa Clan has suffered a calamity; as cultivators, we should naturally lend a hand. When do we depart?" Hai Shang Youruo asked.
What generous gift could compare to the favor of Luo Yan Great Emperor?
Xu Yin Great God replied, "The sooner, the better."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Xu Yin, did the Great Emperor and the Princess have no message for me?"
His calm gaze carried a sharp, imposing aura.
Xu Yin Great God immediately lowered his head, not daring to meet Zhang Ruochen's eyes. "The Great Emperor said that the God-Defying Stele is a heavy treasure, and he wouldn't feel at ease letting just anyone deliver it to the Destiny Temple. Once the Rakshasa Clan's situation stabilizes, he will personally come to the Destiny Temple to express his gratitude to Feng Tian and the Divine Venerable."
"As for the two great gods, Dai Xue Queen and Quanzhongsheng, both have considerable skill in the Way of Life. The Great Emperor has kept them in Divine City to help rebuild the ruins. They are under the command of the Princess."
These two were top-tier Tai Xu Great Gods—one from the Elf Clan, the other from the Angel Clan. Their divine realm worlds carried a large number of Elf and Angel cultivators.
If they hadn't been too disappointed in the Paradise Realm, and if Zhang Ruochen hadn't promised them territories in the Sword Realm belonging to the Elf and Angel Clans, as well as help in breaking through to the Infinite Realm, they might not have submitted.
Now that Luo Yan Great Emperor had detained them in the Rakshasa Clan, the two were undoubtedly resentful.
Zhang Ruochen said, "When you return to Rakshasa Divine City, tell them that I will honor my promises. Let them assist Princess Luo Sha well. Also..."
Zhang Ruochen opened his palm, and three clusters of soul light appeared, flying toward Xu Yin Great God.
"These are half of your souls, yours, Zhao Ge's, and Mu Wan's. I'm returning them to you now. Remember, from now on, in the Rakshasa Clan, you must obey Princess Luo Sha's orders. This is your atonement."
Xu Yin Great God was overjoyed. He knelt on one knee, pressing his hand to his chest. "The Divine Venerable and the Great Emperor not only overlook past grievances but also trust this god. How could this god not devote his life to their service!"
Zhang Ruochen turned his gaze to Hai Shang Youruo, moving his lips without letting others hear, directly transmitting his voice: "When you go there, if you have the chance, visit Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm and pay respects to Heavenly Mother or Gu Shejing. Help me inquire about something."
"What is it?" Hai Shang Youruo asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It concerns the Udumbara Flower. Heavenly Mother will understand my meaning."
Hai Shang Youruo was greatly shocked. This legendary divine medicine actually existed?
That Zhang Ruochen would entrust her with this matter was undoubtedly a sign of immense trust.
"I may not be able to see Heavenly Mother, but I'll try my best."
Hai Shang Youruo, Hai Shangming Palace, and Xu Yin Great God left the Past Divine Palace. That very day, they set off for the Rakshasa Clan star region.
Blood Butcher's expression was quite serious. He looked around, then released his divine realm world to envelop himself and Zhang Ruochen. "Senior Brother, you are Heavenly Mother's divine envoy and have a connection with Luo Yan Great Emperor. Do you think... the Master won't do anything to you, right?"
Others might not know the situation, but Blood Butcher had heard that Zhang Ruochen was imprisoned by Feng Tian on Fate Divine Mountain, unable to leave the Past Divine Palace.
He feared that Heavenly Mother might have abandoned Zhang Ruochen, and that the Destiny Temple might make an example of him to eliminate future trouble.
After all, this recent wave of rumors was too strange, pushing Zhang Ruochen to the forefront.
Having just broken through to the Infinite Realm, he was already slaughtering in all directions, defeating veteran Divine Kings and Divine Venerables, including Ding Ancestor, a clan's titan.
Blood Butcher knew Feng Tian well—decisive and ruthless. No matter what background Zhang Ruochen had, once he threatened the Destiny Temple, death was certain.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If Feng Tian wants to kill me, I can only accept my fate. Would you plead for me?"
Blood Butcher's heart skipped a beat, and his face changed dramatically. "I'm afraid my words carry little weight. How about I go to Rakshasa Divine City again and tell the Great Emperor about your dangerous situation? Or perhaps seek help from Fulushou Divine Venerable?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Forget it. By the way, you came back alone. Where is Bore?"
"She returned to Fate Divine Mountain with us, but on the way, she met an old friend and temporarily parted ways."
Blood Butcher secretly marveled at his senior brother's extraordinary composure. If he were in such a deathly predicament, he would surely be racked with worry and torment.
Yet his senior brother could laugh and talk casually—this was the gap in mental state.
Zhang Ruochen sat down. "Tell me, while I was in the Past Divine Palace, what major events happened outside?"
"How does Senior Brother know there were major events?" Blood Butcher asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Second Master, Shentu Ghost Emperor, Qiangshake, Shizhi Divine Venerable, Gu Xin—none of them are simple figures. Some are Quantity Organization's Quantity Venerables, some are Thunder Clan's Divine Venerables, some are ancient demons. Even if they could cut off part of their memories before dying, once their souls were searched, some secrets would inevitably be uncovered. Add to that the Heavenly Venerable's exile and Heavenly Mother's emergence—if the universe were still calm, that would be the real surprise."
As long as they weren't discussing heavy topics like "Feng Tian" or "life and death," Blood Butcher's spirits immediately lifted. "These days, major events have indeed come one after another. First, there's the matter of the Quantity Organization's headquarters!"
"It is said that the Quantity Organization's headquarters is in Lihentian. Void Heaven, Fulushou Divine Venerable, and several other Heavenly Venerables went there together, presumably having already destroyed it."
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen knew that Blood Butcher didn't fully understand the specifics.
However, in the battle at Rakshasa Divine City, while the Rakshasa Clan had suffered heavy losses, the Quantity Organization's losses were even greater, definitely crippling them.
Especially Second Master and Shentu Ghost Emperor—though not Quantity Emperors, they were comparable to half a Quantity Emperor.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "How did the Thunder Clan react?"
Blood Butcher said, "That's exactly the second matter I wanted to mention! First Xuan Yi, then Shizhi Divine Venerable—the Thunder Clan can't wash themselves clean anymore. Moreover, I've heard some rumors that Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerable was involved in the matter of dealing with Fengdu Dadi. It's really a battle of gods—just thinking about it is terrifying."
"Now, many people say that Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerable is the Quantity Emperor behind Xuan Yi, the leader of the four Quantity Emperors."
"Adding to that, the Thunder Clan has remained silent without a public response, which undoubtedly makes everyone more convinced."
"However, the Heavenly Court and Hell have just experienced the bloodiest war in a hundred thousand years. The battle intent and hatred on both sides haven't calmed down yet and are very unstable."
"On the Starry Sky Battlefield, more than half of the strongest from both the Heavenly Court and Hell have gathered. A universe-level divine war could erupt again at any moment—a single spark could ignite it. The mutual checks are intense."
"I think, in the short term, neither side can muster enough strength to deal with the Thunder Clan. The tacit understanding of joining forces to fight the ancient demons and conquer the North Marsh Great Wall will never return."
Zhang Ruochen frowned. "Are you saying the Heavenly Court didn't attack?"
"What?" Blood Butcher asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Fengdu Dadi was exiled to the River of Time, the Rakshasa Clan was turned upside down, and the gods of the Hell Realm were in panic. This was a golden opportunity. Why didn't the Heavenly Court gods attack?"
Blood Butcher said, "Although the Heavenly Venerable was exiled, Heavenly Mother emerged! With Heavenly Mother in charge, how could the Heavenly Court dare to act rashly? Sigh, it's fortunate that Heavenly Mother appeared, or the Hell Realm might have suffered a great defeat, and the entire universe's situation would have been turned upside down."
"This is what it means for one person to stabilize heaven and earth and suppress all directions. I have no hope of reaching that level, but Senior Brother, you might. When that time comes..."
Blood Butcher's subsequent words fell on deaf ears as Zhang Ruochen sank into deep thought.
Even if Heavenly Mother had emerged, she was tied down in the Rakshasa Clan star region and couldn't leave.
With such a golden opportunity to rewrite the universe's situation in a single battle, why had Hao Tian given it up?
No!
Something unknown must have happened, causing Hao Tian to miss this chance.
(Chapter End)