Chapter 3538: The Grudge Between Primordial Gods and the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods
The soul, formless, is condensed by spirit.
To perform a soul search, one must first break the spiritual will.
Precisely for this reason, cultivators who undergo a soul search suffer damage to their spiritual will, diminishing their future cultivation achievements. Only by personally slaying the one who performed the soul search can their state of mind be restored to perfection, allowing the possibility of recovering their spiritual will.
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual will was immensely powerful; even Qiu Liang Huang found it difficult to break.
At the same time, he had no divine source, and his divine soul was hidden within Wuji.
No matter how high Yuan Sheng's cultivation was, if she could not break his spiritual will, she would have no hope of finding his divine soul.
Yuan Sheng withdrew her five fingers, looking at Zhang Ruochen with an incredulous expression. "You actually have no divine source?"
"What's so surprising about having no divine source? Many gods in the upper realm have long since stopped cultivating divine sources."
The spiritual will struggle had left Zhang Ruochen quite strained. He took a deep breath and quickly changed the subject. "Actually, I bear no hostility toward primordial beings. In fact, I myself have a certain connection to them."
"What connection?" Yuan Sheng asked.
Zhang Ruochen was eager to bring up the matter of the Great Venerable and Ling Yanzi.
But he suddenly became alert.
Feng Tian had once said that the reason the Great Dark Mountain and the Abyss of Darkness had not been leveled by the Great Venerable was largely due to Ling Yanzi.
Would the primordial beings consider this an honor?
More likely, they would see it as a humiliating marriage alliance.
Even if the Great Venerable and Ling Yanzi truly loved each other.
First, did Yuan Sheng even know the truth of it?
Second, with Yuan Sheng's pride, could she accept this fact?
If she learned that Zhang Ruochen was the bloodline descendant of Ling Yanzi and a human, would she, in a fit of rage, kill this lowly human who had defiled the bloodline of the primordial beings?
Seeing Zhang Ruochen suddenly fall silent, Yuan Sheng smiled. "Haven't thought of a good story yet, have you? If you want to live, manifest your Dao techniques. If you help this Emperor break through to a higher realm, I might spare your life."
Zhang Ruochen said, "My Dao techniques are not something you can learn."
"Is that so?"
Yuan Sheng stood tall and graceful by the River of Radiant Flame, her demeanor enchanting.
Her right index finger was like a sword, its nail sharp, as she slashed toward Zhang Ruochen's abdomen.
She had discerned that Zhang Ruochen's "Divine Sea" was in his Xuan Tai, and she intended to force him to submit.
"Oh!"
The sharpness of her nail was blocked by the Ancestor Divine Travel Cloak.
Yuan Sheng quickly stepped forward, grabbed the corner of Zhang Ruochen's cloak, and examined it closely. Layers of Ancestor Rule divine patterns emerged on the Travel Cloak.
A gleam of brilliance appeared in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth lifted. "Excellent treasure! It simultaneously possesses concealment, speed, and defensive attributes, and can even reflect some attacks back. Marvelous, truly marvelous."
Moments later, Zhang Ruochen's Ancestor Divine Travel Cloak was removed, revealing the Flame God Armor beneath.
Yuan Sheng saw that the Flame God Armor was also extraordinary and promptly took it as well.
By now, Zhang Ruochen's upper body was left with only a painting.
Wrapped around him was the portrait of Lady Shiji.
"Stop, if you take any more, there'll be nothing left! If you just want to observe my Dao, I'll show you."
Zhang Ruochen was well aware of Yuan Sheng's intentions. If she were to probe his Xuan Tai, the more important treasures hidden within might not be safe. He absolutely could not let her discover that he was a walking treasure trove, or he would be stripped clean.
He had no choice but to compromise for now.
Fortunately, Yuan Sheng was captivated by the portrait of Lady Shiji, momentarily distracted, and did not dwell on the reason for Zhang Ruochen's concession.
She considered herself quite beautiful, but compared to the woman in the painting, she was ultimately three points inferior.
"Who is she?" Yuan Sheng asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You don't even know her?"
"No matter how famous she is in the upper realm, this is the lower realm," Yuan Sheng said.
Zhang Ruochen realized that the Abyss of Darkness indeed had very little understanding of the real world. Just as he knew little about the Abyss of Darkness.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Her name is Shiji. She is a Half-Ancestor and also the most beautiful woman in the upper realm."
"The upper realm has produced a Half-Ancestor?"
Yuan Sheng was visibly moved, then she smiled charmingly. "You haven't spoken a single truthful word. You're trying to scare this Emperor, aren't you?"
"Why would I scare you? The upper realm not only has Half-Ancestors, but more than one. If you primordial beings intend to attack the upper realm, you'd best think twice."
Yuan Sheng fell into thought but ultimately did not take the painting. Her gaze then shifted to Zhang Ruochen's arm, and she pulled off the Kirin Fist Gloves.
"You... you are a clan emperor, yet you act like a bandit?"
Zhang Ruochen feigned anger to lull her into complacency.
Yuan Sheng draped the Ancestor Divine Travel Cloak over herself. The black robe was wide, her graceful figure faintly visible.
Then, she toyed with the Kirin Fist Gloves, her fingers gliding over the two Thunder Pearls and the Blunt Void Stone, sealing their artifact spirits before putting them on her hands.
"This Emperor may be a bandit, but I am ten times, a hundred times better than a lecherous Sword God like you."
Zhang Ruochen said, "It's the Romantic Sword God... Ah, my name is Zhang Ruochen. You may also call me Ruochen Shenzun. Please don't casually change my title."
Yuan Sheng looked at him with disdain. "Wrapping a portrait of a stunning woman around your body—how perverted is that? And you still claim not to be lecherous?"
"Swoosh!"
With a thought from Yuan Sheng, the thorny vines binding Zhang Ruochen's legs receded.
Zhang Ruochen stood up, straining his arms, but found the thorny vines terrifyingly tough and impossible to break.
Yuan Sheng said coldly, "Manifest your Dao."
Zhang Ruochen found her personality utterly unpredictable. When she smiled, she seemed like a mischievous young girl. When she was cold, she was like Feng Tian, utterly devoid of emotion.
She had the charm and cunning of a demon, yet also the tendency to show her emotions plainly.
Zhang Ruochen stood tall and said solemnly, "Comprehending Dao techniques is not something achieved overnight. Many powerful figures from the upper realm have come. The Abyss of Darkness faces a great crisis. As a clan emperor, you must understand the urgency."
Yuan Sheng couldn't help but laugh. "So, an upper realm cultivator wants to leak secrets to help the lower realm against the upper realm? Do you think this Emperor would fall for your scheme? Liar! Lecherous liar!"
Zhang Ruochen was not angered. "Do you think the upper realm is a monolithic bloc? You need to understand that wherever there are people, there are conflicts and killings. To put it bluntly, not many in the upper realm even take your Abyss of Darkness seriously."
"Then they will surely pay for their contempt and arrogance," Yuan Sheng said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It's not contempt or arrogance. It's just that the Abyss of Darkness has been quiet for ten epochs, and many have forgotten you. After ten epochs of recuperation, your strength should be even greater than before, right?"
"Don't try to extract information from this Emperor."
Yuan Sheng lifted her chin. "Of course, if you want to tell me about the upper realm cultivators who have entered the Abyss of Darkness, this Emperor is willing to listen."
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment and came up with a plan. "Even if you've been isolated, you must have heard of the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods, right?"
Yuan Sheng's expression darkened instantly, and a chill swept through the world. "What do you mean?"
"One of the Supreme Four Pillars, Gai Mie, has entered the Abyss of Darkness," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yuan Sheng said, "That's impossible! The era of the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods ended over ten million years ago. Who can live for over ten million years? Even primordial beings cannot."
"He swallowed Huang Yue in one gulp."
Zhang Ruochen was now certain that a conflict had occurred between the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods and the primordial beings.
It made sense. Under the leadership of the Great Demon God, the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods had swept across the universe, causing all races to tremble. How could they not have entered the Abyss of Darkness?
"It seems the grudge between the primordial gods and the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods runs deep. This works in my favor."
Zhang Ruochen immediately began to narrate, starting from the emergence of Fei Ma Wang, the changes at the North Marsh Great Wall, and Gai Mie's escape from Fengdu Ghost City, providing all the details.
To make Yuan Sheng believe him, Zhang Ruochen took out Fei Ma Wang's rib and handed it to her.
"It does have life fluctuations, and it contains the divine patterns of Indestructible Infinite rules."
After carefully examining the rib, Yuan Sheng's expression turned unprecedentedly serious.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You primordial beings are too honest. Just because of a covenant, you truly never leave the Abyss of Darkness, unaware of the earth-shattering changes outside."
"What do you know? The covenant contains the will of the Ancestor, an oath etched into our souls that none can violate. Any being above the Dragon and Phoenix level that leaves the Abyss of Darkness will be burned to death," Yuan Sheng said.
Zhang Ruochen had finally extracted useful information, but then he frowned. "That's not right! I saw a ghost-type... ghost-type primordial being in the upper realm with my own eyes."
"That's impossible!" Yuan Sheng said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Its name is Cang Jue!"
"Cang Jue."
Yuan Sheng repeated the name, her expression turning strange.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Do you know him?"
Yuan Sheng had already realized that she had been led by this human the entire time, leaking important information about the Abyss of Darkness. She laughed. "You said the current heavens of the upper realm fought a great battle with the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods. The upper realm must have suffered heavy losses, right?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods had just awakened, their divine power not yet recovered, when they were attacked by the current powerful figures. That Gai Mie was not only severely wounded by the Heavenly Venerable but also imprisoned in Fengdu Ghost City for a thousand years, worn down to the point of being as weak as a Great Unbound Infinite."
"If the clan emperor can capture him, you will not only eliminate a major threat to the Abyss of Darkness. Moreover, he is a peak Indestructible Infinite level figure. Seizing his Dao would make it much easier for you to break through to a higher realm."
Yuan Sheng was swayed by Zhang Ruochen's words, but her expression remained calm. "What exactly are you plotting?"
Zhang Ruochen looked utterly aggrieved. "I am already your prisoner. What else can I do? Fine, I'll tell you the truth. I want to use you as a blade to eliminate Gai Mie. Because if he returns to his peak, it will be a great disaster for the upper realm."
"I suddenly understand why Gai Mie fled to the Abyss of Darkness. There are plenty of primordial beings here to serve as his blood and soul food, allowing him to quickly recover his cultivation."
Yuan Sheng said, "He wishes! The grudges from the Ancient Chaos Era are still remembered by all primordial clans. He and the Great Demon God imposed the shameful title of 'Strange Beasts' upon us. Since he has come to the Abyss of Darkness, this Emperor will personally behead him to avenge our ancestors."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I can track Gai Mie."
"Do you have such great ability?"
Yuan Sheng's eyes were filled with doubt; she did not fully trust Zhang Ruochen.
"I govern Truth and have also cultivated a special Dao. Tracking a weakened Gai Mie is no difficulty. But you must first remove the seals on me."
Even Feng Tian had said that the heavenly mechanisms in the Abyss of Darkness were chaotic and extremely difficult to calculate.
Gai Mie had already fled to who knows where. How could Zhang Ruochen find him?
However, before entering the Abyss of Darkness, Feng Tian had taken a strand of Zhang Ruochen's divine soul. This maintained a faint connection between them, allowing him to sense her general location.
Leading Yuan Sheng to Feng Tian was the true path to escape.
Yuan Sheng withdrew the thorny vines binding Zhang Ruochen and warned, "You should know the gap in our cultivation levels! If you try to escape and I catch you, I will break your legs inch by inch, make them into flesh and blood meatballs, and eat them one by one. Super cruel."
She bared her snow-white teeth, speaking in a threatening tone, looking very serious. But Zhang Ruochen did not find it particularly terrifying.
Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but wonder if she had a misunderstanding of cruelty and terror.
So, he asked, "May I ask the clan emperor, how old are you? Equivalent to how many years in human terms?"
"Why do you ask?" Yuan Sheng said warily.
"Just asking casually! You don't have to guard against me like I'm a thief. I've already said I bear no hostility toward primordial beings. By the way, can you return the Flame God Armor, the Ancestor Divine Travel Cloak, and the Kirin Fist Gloves?"
Zhang Ruochen took down the painting wrapped around him, carefully rolled it up, revealing his muscular upper body, which carried a captivating charm.
"Don't even think about it."
Yuan Sheng said coldly, "Lead the way! You'd better find Gai Mie, or this Emperor will make your life a living hell. I'll give you three days. This Emperor is in a hurry to get to Wujian Ridge!"
Zhang Ruochen was not worried at all. As long as the Xutuobai Silver Tree had not been taken from him, he always had a chance to turn the tables.
...
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(End of Chapter)