Chapter 3523: Borrowing the Pearl
After listening, Wu Yue smiled and said, "The one who compiled the *Strange Beast Records* was an ancient cultivator. His understanding of the Abyss of Darkness is probably inferior to mine. How could he know what happened before the Ancient Era?"
"In fact, records of strange beasts existed even in the Ancient Era. I once entered the tomb of a great Qi Refining cultivator and saw a description of strange beasts on a jade slip."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Could there be some connection between those primordial beings and the strange beasts?"
Wu Yue said, "Who knows? The Ancient Era alone spanned thousands of eons. The Qi Refining cultivators, once at their peak, vanished completely during that time. Our current cultivation framework also gradually took shape at the end of the Ancient Era, continuing and developing until now."
"During this period, countless eras have passed. Heroes beyond burial, beauties beyond interment—generation after generation, along with their stories, have all dissipated like smoke. What remains are only legends, true or false, and a few traces buried beneath the earth."
Nutian Shenzun did not refute any of Wu Yue's words, clearly indicating that this was also his understanding of the Abyss of Darkness.
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment and said, "Time has buried the truth. No matter how magnificent the past, it is merely a shadow in the long river of time."
"Not necessarily! Haven't those ancient powerhouses returned? Even the Yellow Spring Great Emperor has shown traces. Myths and legends are overlapping with this era. All our various mystical fantasies about the ancients will likely shatter one by one. Actually, that's quite good—a chaotic era to look forward to!" Wu Yue said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I suddenly believe that the Abyss of Darkness might be a relic of prehistoric civilization."
"What makes you say that?" Wu Yue asked curiously.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The few legendary prehistoric civilization relics currently known actually share a common trait. They possess a wondrous power that breaks the laws of life, even the rules of heaven and earth!"
Nutian Shenzun, walking ahead, showed a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
Wu Yue said, "Now that you mention it, that's true."
"The Jade Desolate Realm contains secret medicines that help gods survive the Eon Calamity."
"The Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods awakened in the North Marsh Great Wall."
"As for Lihentian, needless to say, as long as the residual thoughts of gods are not hunted, they can exist there eternally, completely free from the constraints of heaven and earth rules."
"As for the Divine Ancient Nest, even prehistoric remnant species have appeared. I heard that the Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerable once attacked the Divine Ancient Nest, seemingly determined to obtain some life secret treasure. I don't know what he encountered, but he failed to break into the Divine Ancient Nest."
"And the Abyss of Darkness, by allowing primordial beings to avoid extinction and find ways to reproduce, clearly possesses extraordinary power."
Nutian Shenzun said, "If the five prehistoric civilization relics truly withstood the Calamity of Quantities from fifty thousand eons ago, that itself breaks the laws of heaven and earth. No matter how miraculous their power, it would not be surprising."
Zhang Ruochen sincerely sighed, "The universe is vast. The places I have visited are less than one percent of it."
Wu Yue said, "The Heavenly Mother has left the Ancient Desolate Ruins City. The Abyss of Darkness will definitely be overrun with strange beasts, becoming extremely dangerous. It is no longer a place you can go to as you please. Unless necessary, it's best not to go. Moreover..."
Seeing her suddenly fall silent, Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "Are you worried that I won't even reach the Abyss of Darkness before Jiusi Yitianhuang deals with me?"
"If you enter the star domain where the Darkness Temple is located, that possibility is definitely not small," Wu Yue said.
Zhang Ruochen put away his smile, his eyes resolute, and said, "How much do you know about the Chaotian Que?"
"During the most prosperous period of the ancient Qi Refining cultivators, the Chaotian Que was the number one sacred land, like the current Heavenly Palace and the Destiny Temple," Wu Yue said.
"You want to go to the Chaotian Que in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City?" Nutian Shenzun said.
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen knew that Nutian Shenzun had definitely been to the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, so he told the truth, "I need to go to the Chaotian Que to retrieve the Udumbara Flower, and I also want to borrow the Mani Pearl from you, Shenzun."
Back then, Yinshui Tian had taken the Udumbara Flower into the Abyss of Darkness, intending to go to the Great Dark Mountain to find the Mani Pearl.
She wanted to use the Mani Pearl to hasten the maturity of the Udumbara Flower, extending her life by three hundred thousand years.
Nutian Shenzun remained silent, walking forward.
Only when they reached outside the White Clothes Valley did he finally speak, "You should know that the Udumbara Flower belongs to Yinshui Tian?"
"I know," Zhang Ruochen said.
Nutian Shenzun said, "I can lend you the Mani Pearl, but relying solely on the Mani Pearl may not be enough to quickly mature the Udumbara Flower. Time is likely insufficient."
How could Nutian Shenzun not know the reason for Zhang Ruochen's urgency to go to the Ancient Desolate Ruins City?
If it were for himself, there would be no need for such haste.
It must be to extend someone else's life.
Who else could need the Udumbara Flower to extend their life besides that Tai Shang of the Kunlun Realm?
From his own standpoint, Nutian Shenzun was very reluctant for Zhang Ruochen to take risks in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, unwilling to give away the Udumbara Flower, and even more unwilling to lend the Mani Pearl. This was because the Withering Death Art within him had not been completely resolved.
The higher one's cultivation, the harder it is to resolve the Withering Death Art, and the more time it takes.
The reason the Withering Death Art did not have such a great impact on Nutian Shenzun's cultivation was that he had been studying Buddhism under the Sixth Patriarch, who had spent immense Buddhist power to resolve it for him.
At that time, the Sixth Patriarch's cultivation was not particularly high, far inferior to his senior sister, Yinshui Tian.
It could be said that Nutian Shenzun was deeply influenced by the Sixth Patriarch.
Zhang Ruochen bowed and said, "I know I am forcing the issue. But I, Zhang Ruochen, swear here that I will do my utmost to find a divine medicine no less valuable than the Udumbara Flower to repay the White Clothes Valley."
Nutian Shenzun stared into Zhang Ruochen's eyes, then laughed heartily, looking up to the sky, and said, "Making such an oath makes me seem too petty. You can casually give away the Mani Pearl, risk your life for the survival of the White Clothes Valley, yet I, an Indestructible Infinite, still force you to swear. If this gets out, I will lose all face! I would disgrace the Great Venerable and the Sixth Patriarch."
"Well said, Benefactor Zhang. My White Clothes Valley never owes anyone a favor. Return the Mani Pearl to Zhang Ruochen!"
Yanshu Chanshi stood at the top of the stone steps, his voice resounding like a bell.
Nutian Shenzun stopped laughing, handed the Mani Pearl to Zhang Ruochen, and said solemnly, "The Destiny Temple is bound to undergo a great upheaval. The mastermind behind it has yet to reveal himself. I cannot go with you to the Ancient Desolate Ruins City. But you can take a drop of my blood. If the Udumbara Flower still retains some of Yinshui Tian's power, this drop of blood might be useful. If... if Yinshui Tian is not dead, seeing this drop of blood might save your life."
Yanshu Chanshi's voice was like a great bell, "A single drop of blood is too stingy, isn't it?"
Zhang Ruochen lowered his head, not daring to look at Nutian Shenzun's expression.
Just how much resentment was there between this father and son?
He had never seen a son, especially one at the Infinite Realm level, undermine his own father like this in front of an outsider.
Zhang Ruochen put away the Mani Pearl, bowed again, and said, "Once I retrieve the Udumbara Flower, I will definitely return the Mani Pearl."
"It doesn't matter anymore."
Nutian Shenzun walked straight up the stone steps, passed by Yanshu Chanshi without a word, and entered the temple directly.
Zhang Ruochen secretly transmitted a message to Wu Yue, "Is there some secret behind this?"
Wu Yue looked at the temple gate at the top of the stone steps and transmitted back, "Have you forgotten what Nutian Shenzun said earlier—that the heaven and earth rules of this star domain breathe with him? Transmitting here might be sensed by him."
"Then forget it!" Zhang Ruochen quickly said.
Wu Yue said, "I won't go to the Abyss of Darkness. I plan to stay in the White Clothes Valley to study Buddhism, seeking a way to break through to the eighty-seventh level of spiritual power from the Buddhist scriptures."
Zhang Ruochen naturally understood Wu Yue's intentions. Now that the White Clothes Valley had repelled both the Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerable and the Kui Liang Huang, it was arguably the safest place in the universe. Jiusi Yitianhuang would definitely not dare to come, and even if he did, he would have to show respect to Nutian Shenzun and would not harm her.
Zhang Ruochen did not immediately set off for the Abyss of Darkness but stayed in the White Clothes Valley to heal his injuries.
He would depart once he recovered.
He had waited a thousand years; there was no need to rush for a few days.
Moreover, he needed to quickly organize the insights he had gained from the next evolution of the Four Symbols. If he delayed too long, those insights might disappear.
After the great battle, gods from various clans of the Hell Realm came to the Kongming Realm one after another.
It was like a festival, with the White Clothes Valley bustling with unprecedented activity.
Some of these gods came to offer condolences on behalf of their clan's divine temples, some to gather information, and some to deliver healing treasures.
Of course, their greatest purpose was to befriend the White Clothes Valley.
A Nutian Shenzun at the peak of Great Unbound Infinite and a Nutian Shenzun who could contend with the Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerable had vastly different influences.
Moreover, the Kong family itself was one of the nine great families of the universe.
...
I will be traveling for two or three days during the New Year holiday, so I can only manage one chapter per day at most.