# Chapter 3498: River Diagram
The gray-robed old man's intimidation this time made Zhang Ruochen vigilant, deeply realizing that the subsequent impact of the battle at Rakshasa Divine City was indeed very unfavorable to him.
He had been brilliant for a period of time, but had also pushed himself to the forefront of the storm.
It made those cultivators who were already wary of his rise even more determined to kill him.
Heavenly Mother had intimidated the vast majority, and coupled with his hiding in Fate Divine Mountain, only then did he have the current peace. These two conditions were indispensable.
He could not stay in Fate Divine Mountain for his entire life, nor could he forever remain under Heavenly Mother's wings. He must improve his combat power and cultivation as quickly as possible, not only to have the ability to protect himself, but also to participate in the cosmic chess game and compete for the right to speak in the world.
The game of the Twenty Heavens was too high-level; the heavens naturally checked and balanced each other.
And below the heavens...
Zhang Ruochen wanted to become a figure stirring the winds and clouds beneath the sky the moment he stepped out of Fate Divine Mountain, then soar upward, riding the clouds to touch the heavens. That would be the time to participate in the highest-level game.
Since the gray-robed old man was more interested in Kui Liang Huang, Zhang Ruochen was relieved of that burden and began browsing various texts and records in the Heavenly Guard Tower.
Time passed imperceptibly.
Zhang Ruochen immersed himself daily in the ocean of words, and also cultivated personally, verifying the possibilities of each path.
On this day, Yin-Yang Divine Master led Xue Tu into the Heavenly Guard Tower.
Zhang Ruochen was currently standing beneath a stone wall.
On the wall was embedded a painting.
The painting was carved on a jade stone slab, composed of fifty-five black and white dots.
Zhang Ruochen stood as still as a stone sculpture, his pupils contracted. His spirit, consciousness, divine soul, and five senses seemed to have completely left his body, merging with the scroll in his field of vision.
Xue Tu looked at the painting on the jade stone slab but did not find anything magical about it.
However, the two of them could tell that Zhang Ruochen was in the midst of studying and comprehending, so they did not disturb him. They consciously stood to the side, quietly observing.
After a long while.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes were filled with dazzling brilliance. He took a deep breath and said, "Splendid, profound, truly extraordinary!"
A painting could receive such praise from a God Venerable, which puzzled Yin-Yang Divine Master. He couldn't help but carefully observe it.
Zhang Ruochen looked at him and said, "Divine Master, do you know the origin of this painting?"
Yin-Yang Divine Master gently shook his head and said, "From the first day I entered the Heavenly Guard Tower, this painting was embedded here. Very few people have paid much attention to it. God Venerable, have you seen some mystery in it?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "May I borrow it for a period of time?"
"I'm afraid not. Feng Tian only allows God Venerables to enter the Heavenly Guard Tower for viewing, but the collections inside cannot be taken out," Yin-Yang Divine Master said.
Xue Tu said, "Can this god borrow it out?"
Yin-Yang Divine Master's gaze became much more severe as he stared at Xue Tu, all warnings contained in that look.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "Xue Tu, what business do you have at the Heavenly Guard Tower?"
"Master sent me to urge you, don't forget the proper business at the Heavenly Mandate Divine Prison," Xue Tu said, spreading his hands somewhat helplessly.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Then go back and tell Feng Tian that I want to borrow a painting. Once I borrow it, I will immediately go to the Heavenly Mandate Divine Prison."
"Alright, I'll go right away."
Xue Tu said this but did not leave. Instead, he stared straight at Yin-Yang Divine Master.
It was as if he were saying, "If you still don't agree, I'll go report to Master."
Yin-Yang Divine Master smiled bitterly and said, "Fine, take this painting away! But the painting cannot leave Fate Divine Mountain. Within a thousand years, it must be returned."
"Why would it take a thousand years? With Ruochen God Venerable's talent and comprehension, half a year... ahem, nine hundred years will be enough to fully comprehend it!"
Xue Tu took out a dagger, inserted it into the wall, and began digging.
...
Walking out of the Heavenly Fate Department, Xue Tu asked, "Senior Brother, the Heavenly Fate Department really doesn't get along with you, does it?"
"You noticed?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Xue Tu said, "If there weren't instructions from above, how would Yin-Yang Divine Master, a mere Great God, have the audacity to oppose you, a world-shaking God Venerable? But since you are Master's man, even if the one in the Heavenly Fate Department is unhappy with you, they can only endure it."
An ancient divine beast that Xue Tu had obtained from who knows where, a Mo, sat outside the Heavenly Fate Department, gnawing on a purple bamboo with excellent teeth, eating happily.
Its body was black and white, furry, and round like a ball.
"Let's go!"
Xue Tu kicked the bamboo out of the Mo's hand and said, "Senior Brother, please!"
The Mo carried Zhang Ruochen and Xue Tu, flying toward the Heavenly Mandate Department.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Where have you been during this period of time?"
"By Master's order, intimidating those ancient powerhouses."
Xue Tu's gaze was arrogant, his body exuding the majesty of "mountains and rivers beneath his feet."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Speak properly."
Xue Tu grinned and said, "Mainly responsible for spreading rumors... no, responsible for publicizing the miserable fates of those ancient powerhouses. For example, Lie Tian who possessed and transformed into Master Zhi Divine Venerable, the ancient demon Gu Xin, and the legendary half-ancestor Di."
"Tell the world that these ancient powerhouses are merely remnants of souls returning, nothing threatening. Moreover, facing the contemporary heavens, they have no power to resist, like prey, utterly miserable."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Fengdu Dadi was exiled into the River of Time, and ancient powerhouses frequently appear. The cultivators of the various clans in the Hell Realm will inevitably have all kinds of thoughts. Feng Tian is stabilizing the hearts of the Hell Realm's people! Her vision is greater than I imagined."
Zhang Ruochen almost said outright that she was building momentum to become the Hall Master of the Destiny Temple.
Publicizing that ancient powerhouses are powerless against contemporary heavens.
The heavens—wasn't that Feng Tian herself?
Zhang Ruochen said, "Doing this will inevitably invite backlash. She will become the thorn in the side, the dagger in the flesh of all ancient powerhouses. Can Feng Tian bear all that karma?"
Xue Tu lowered his head and dared not say a word.
How could a mere Great God dare to evaluate the heavens?
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen understood!
Feng Tian was deliberately provoking those ancient powerhouses, waiting for them to come knocking.
Moreover, the more she belittled and insulted those ancient powerhouses, the greater her momentum would become.
It was a risky move!
But in Zhang Ruochen's view, the benefits outweighed the risks.
Arriving at the Heavenly Mandate Divine Prison, Zhang Ruochen did not waste words with Xiong Hai Divine Venerable. He directly collected him into the Earth Cauldron and headed toward the Five Realms Heaven.
Clearly, in these past few years, Xue Tu had gathered quite a bit of information. He knew that Zhang Ruochen held great value to Feng Tian and was currently the top favorite by Feng Tian's side, so naturally, he no longer worried about anything.
Following along to the Five Realms Heaven, Xue Tu deliberated for a long time before lowering his voice and asking, "Senior Brother, is it true that Master gave up the Starry Sky Defense Line to save you?"
"Do you think that's possible?"
"Of course not."
"Then why isn't it possible?"
Xue Tu was stumped, then exclaimed in shock, "So it's true?"
"Of course it's false."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Just say it directly—what exactly do you want by following me up here?"
"I knew I couldn't hide it from Senior Brother."
Xue Tu looked nervous and said, "The Great Clan Elder has broken through to the Infinite Realm!"
Zhang Ruochen immediately understood and laughed, "You are Feng Tian's disciple, so why are you afraid of the Great Clan Elder?"
Xue Tu said solemnly, "As long as the Great Clan Elder doesn't beat me to death, Master will never stand up for me. Senior Brother, you know me. I am such an upright person; there's no way I'm a member of the Quantity Organization."
"If you were a member of the Quantity Organization, Feng Tian would have sent you on your way long ago!" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Exactly! But the Great Clan Elder might not be reasonable... I'm not saying the Great Clan Elder is unreasonable, but what if he takes his anger out on me? After all, that matter with my father caused heavy losses to the Blood Absolute Family."
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment and said, "You're wasting my time over such a trivial matter? Don't worry, I'll plead for you with Grandfather. The debtor is clear, the creditor is clear. But you have to show your attitude yourself!"
"Understood! Send gifts! I'll also take care of Blood Queen Master! Senior Brother, please accept Xue Tu's bow."
Xue Tu bowed respectfully, then turned to leave.
"Wait a moment."
Zhang Ruochen took out a five-colored Tai Zhen level Divine Communication Divine Pill and tossed it to Xue Tu.
Xue Tu naturally knew about Zhang Ruochen's refining of divine pills, but he had never been too embarrassed to ask. Seeing Zhang Ruochen gift it to him proactively, he was moved from the bottom of his heart and momentarily speechless.
Seeing that he was about to bow again, Zhang Ruochen said, "No need to bow. Take these two pills to the Great Calamity Palace for me. Remember, the medicinal power of this pill is fierce. Only Great Gods and above can take it directly."
"Senior Brother, rest assured. From now on, big or small matters, just leave them to Xue Tu. I will handle them beautifully."
Xue Tu carried the wooden box containing two Divine Communication Divine Pills and headed happily toward the Great Calamity Palace.
Zhang Ruochen took out the jade stone slab, holding it with both hands, his gaze gradually becoming sharp.
This diagram was by no means simple. He had only glimpsed it briefly earlier, and his entire being had sunk into it, as if entering another universe.
That universe also had boundless starry skies, with every star operating according to some specific law, the changes of heaven and earth all contained within.
From this diagram, Zhang Ruochen saw a certain possibility of the Four Symbols' evolution.
On the diagram, there were fifty-five dots in total. The white dots could be considered Yang, and the black dots could be considered Yin.
The sum of Yang numbers was twenty-five, and the sum of Yin numbers was thirty.
Arranged according to the five directions of East, South, West, North, and Center, corresponding to the numbers of the Five Elements, it could be described as ingeniously crafted, profound beyond words.
The Five Elements were the Five Directions, and the Five Directions corresponded to Heaven and Earth.
It appeared to be evolving the Five Elements and Five Directions, but in reality, it was evolving the self-contained world.
In comparison, the Four Symbols were only external, lacking the inner self. And cultivation ultimately cultivates the self. If the self is not strong enough, how can one command the Four Symbols to revolve around it?
"One and six share the same lineage, water dwells in the north."
"Two and seven walk the same path, fire dwells in the south."
"Three and eight are companions, wood dwells in the east."
"Four and nine are friends, metal dwells in the west."
"Five and ten share the same journey, earth dwells in the center."
These five verses automatically surfaced in Zhang Ruochen's mind.
At this moment, another voice sounded: "The great evolution's number is fifty, the number of heaven and earth is fifty-five. This is the 'River Diagram'!"
"Who is there?"
Zhang Ruochen woke up as if from a dream, looking around but seeing no one.
For a moment, he couldn't tell whether the voice just now was something he had comprehended from the diagram or if an outsider was speaking.
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes and carefully recalled, but he couldn't remember whether that voice was male or female.
"Feeling arises from the heart; truth does not confuse."
Zhang Ruochen emptied his mind, using only his intuitive thoughts to control himself. He rummaged through his belongings and finally grasped a painting in his hand.
Opening the painting, the woman depicted wore a light blue dress, with a butterfly-shaped vermillion floral ornament between her eyebrows. She was lifelike, indescribably wonderful, beautiful as a celestial maiden.
It was the one that Stone Axe Lord had given him.
The Lady Shiji in the painting seemed as if she could step out of the paper, agile and elegant, yet also carrying a majestic momentum that intimidated past and present, trampling all beings underfoot.
Zhang Ruochen laughed bitterly: "It seems that in my subconscious, I am still worried that Lady Shiji is hiding somewhere on my body."
Suddenly, the smile on his face gradually faded as he thought of a possibility, and his scalp began to tingle.
The spiritual power of the Star Sea Angler was, of course, beyond doubt. He had personally investigated, and there was absolutely no problem.
But the question was, was there a possibility that when the Star Sea Angler investigated him, he had reached some agreement with Lady Shiji? He had been kept in the dark?
(Chapter End)