Chapter 3543: Tai Shang's Scheme
"One hundred thousand years ago, I had just left the Abyss of Darkness. On my way back to the Kunlun Realm, I encountered a powerful enemy from the Underworld Clan and nearly died. In the Kunlun Realm, I slept for one hundred thousand years, a full one hundred thousand years, and only recently recovered from my injuries and awakened."
"After awakening, the first person I thought of was you. I thought of our past."
"Even if the Wuding Divine Sea is dangerous, so what? Even if the Yellow Spring Star River is difficult to cross, so what? Even if there are a thousand obstacles and ten thousand barriers, even if it means crossing a mountain of blades and a sea of flames, I absolutely had to come. I was just afraid…"
The Calamity Venerable closed his eyes, and two lines of clear tears fell. "In this life, I have never been afraid of anything. Only of you. Afraid that you might misunderstand that I violated the oath we made back then. In these one hundred thousand years, if I had even a shred of strength left, even if I had to crawl, I would have crawled to the Abyss of Darkness, crawled to the Chaos River. If you don't believe me, you can ask him. He can testify for me!"
Zhang Ruochen was just pondering what kind of oath could exist between the Calamity Venerable and the Great Elder of the Primordial Path Clan, when the Calamity Venerable suddenly dragged him out to play the villain.
Zhang Ruochen knew all too well how fickle the Calamity Venerable was with his affections and really didn't want to help him deceive anyone.
But under these circumstances, could he possibly say no?
Zhang Ruochen coughed dryly twice, put on a solemn expression, and nodded. "The Ancestor was indeed severely injured one hundred thousand years ago. Moreover, the Kunlun Realm underwent a massive upheaval, and the entire great world entered a state of sealing."
The divine power airflow that had enveloped Yuan Suyin had long since dissipated, revealing her true form.
Like Yuan Sheng, she had four star marks on her forehead. She appeared to be in her thirties, dressed in a light blue palace gown, with a colorful ribbon draped over her arm. Her skin was snow-white, and she exuded a noble and beautiful aura, with an irresistible mature charm.
It was easy to imagine that in her youth, she must have possessed a beauty no less than Yuan Sheng's.
Even now, her allure was a peerless beauty of the mortal world. Elegant and noble, yet not in the least vulgar. Voluptuous and radiant, yet not in the least seductive.
Zhang Ruochen found it hard to imagine how such a stunningly beautiful woman, of such high status and supreme cultivation, could have fallen in love with the Calamity Venerable? Was it just based on those nauseating sweet nothings he spouted?
Or perhaps it was just a one-sided infatuation on the Calamity Venerable's part?
Yuan Suyin was communicating with the Earth Clan Clan King through voice transmission.
"Alright, we'll take our leave first!"
The Earth Clan Clan King, along with seven humanoid Primordial Beings, had their bodies collapse directly, turning into dust and sand, disappearing into the ground.
Only then did Yuan Suyin look squarely at the Calamity Venerable. A hint of a smile appeared in her beautiful eyes. "Why do the two of us need so many explanations? Just by seeing how much you've aged in these one hundred thousand years, I knew you must have been seriously injured. You've lost a lot of your lifespan, haven't you?"
The Calamity Venerable finally revealed a carefree smile. "I originally wanted to transform into my appearance from one hundred thousand years ago to see you. But I knew that with your cultivation, you would see through it at a glance. So I came like this instead!"
"It's your sincerity that I like! Appearance is the most illusory thing in the world. A mere mortal shell, how could it compare to a true heart?" Yuan Suyin said.
…
Zhang Ruochen couldn't bear to listen any longer. As he averted his gaze, he caught sight of Yuan Sheng.
Yuan Sheng was also lost in thought. She was thinking, the always strict and stern Great Elder is actually smiling? One hundred thousand years isn't that far away. The Great Elder actually fell in love with a human man? How come I didn't know? Didn't she hate humans the most?
Just then, Yuan Sheng sensed Zhang Ruochen's gaze and looked over, meeting his eyes. She immediately let out a cold snort.
Earlier, when she was severely injured and being hunted, Zhang Ruochen had returned to help her hold off the Life and Death Double Coffins. It had truly baffled her, and she didn't know what his intentions were.
But now Yuan Sheng understood. That old human man must have ordered him to do it.
Otherwise, with Zhang Ruochen's lowly cultivation, where would he get the courage to challenge an Indestructible Infinite?
She just didn't know what these two humans, one old and one young, were plotting.
The fact that two humans had entered the Abyss of Darkness was abnormal in itself.
That old human man was full of lies. It was obvious he was deceiving the Great Elder, and he must have ulterior motives. Yuan Sheng became inwardly vigilant.
Before long, Zhang Ruochen and the Calamity Venerable boarded the divine ship transformed from the Yinhuai Divine Tree, leaving with the experts of the Primordial Path Clan.
Seeing the cultivators of the Primordial Path Clan gathered together discussing secret matters, Zhang Ruochen pulled the beaming Calamity Venerable into a cultivation chamber and immediately unfolded the Taiji Four Symbols Diagram. "Where are we going?"
"To suppress Gai Mie, of course," the Calamity Venerable said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Suppress Gai Mie? Earlier, Feng Tian and Huangquan Great Emperor were right there, and they didn't make a move."
"What do you know?"
The Calamity Venerable said, "Feng Caiyi and that Ancestor-level Corpse Ghost combined are still far inferior to Gai Mie. Gai Mie is a genuine Indestructible Infinite Peak, a figure on the front line below the Half-Ancestor. As long as he has a steady supply of blood and soul food, within a thousand years at most, his cultivation can reach its peak."
"Even if you gave Feng Caiyi and that Ancestor-level Corpse Ghost another million years, they might not necessarily reach the Indestructible Infinite Peak. Besides, can they live another million years?"
Zhang Ruochen naturally understood the threat posed by figures like Qiangshake and Gai Mie. The prestige of the Four Supreme Pillars was still ringing in his ears. But since the Primordial Beings had their sights set on him, Gai Mie probably couldn't escape.
The Calamity Venerable said, "Besides, the grievances between the Great Demon God and Gai Mie, and the Primordial Beings, run deep! If the Nether Ancestor is ranked first, then those two would be ranked second and third. 'Abnormal Beasts'—that's the title the Great Demon God bestowed upon them, full of insult."
Zhang Ruochen wasn't very interested in Gai Mie. He asked, "Given Tai Shang's current situation, why aren't you guarding the Kunlun Realm, and instead came to the Abyss of Darkness?"
"Coming to the Abyss of Darkness was Tai Shang's intention," the Calamity Venerable said.
Zhang Ruochen was puzzled. "You?"
The Calamity Venerable took out the Sword Pavilion and held it in his palm.
At the tower gate of the Sword Pavilion, space rippled, and Chi Yao appeared before Zhang Ruochen.
Upon seeing the Sword Pavilion, Zhang Ruochen's face lit up with joy. "Tai Shang has come too?"
The Calamity Venerable shook his head. "No!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Isn't Tai Shang in the Sword Ancestor's Ancestor Realm on the eighteenth floor of the Sword Pavilion?"
"Only a small number of exceptionally talented disciples from the Kunlun Realm are cultivating in the Ancestor Realm," Chi Yao said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "But in Tai Shang's current state, how can he leave the Ancestor Realm?"
"Oh, why are you in such a hurry!"
The Calamity Venerable said, "During that battle between Fengdu Dadi, Di, Qiangshake, Kui Liang Huang, and Lei Fa Tianzun, your Tai Shang sensed the aura of the Qishier Pin Lian. He's worried that the Qishier Pin Lian has been subdued by the Quantity Organization, or has been possessed by an ancient powerhouse. In short, the Qishier Pin Lian might make a move against Chi Yao to seize the Space-Time Chaos Lotus."
"That old bald Xumi left the Space-Time Chaos Lotus behind for a reason."
"It's very possible that the Space-Time Chaos Lotus can counterbalance or restrain the Qishier Pin Lian, suppressing it."
"So, Tai Shang had me take Chi Yao to a safe place to lie low for a while."
Zhang Ruochen pondered deeply, then said, "You could have gone to the Sword Realm, or to the Heavenly Court. Why did you bring her to the Abyss of Darkness?"
"Am I disturbing you?" the Calamity Venerable asked.
Zhang Ruochen paused slightly. "Old man, what do you mean by that?"
The Calamity Venerable chuckled slyly, with an expression that said, "You know what I mean." Then he became serious. "The Heavenly Court might not be safe either. Don't forget, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor fell in the Heavenly Court. Besides, there might be some connection between the Qishier Pin Lian and Hao Tian."
"As for the Sword Realm, according to Tai Shang, too many people are watching us. Without a Tianyuan Wuque-level expert accompanying us, it's best not to go. It's easy to be followed without realizing it. For now, the Sword Realm's location cannot be exposed!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "No, there's a problem here."
"What problem? What problem could there be? I was very cautious. I crossed the entire Yellow Spring Star River without anyone noticing," the Calamity Venerable said with some pride.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Why is the Sword Pavilion in your hands?"
The Calamity Venerable said, "That old Huaying is dead. As the number one expert in the Kunlun Realm today, don't I have the qualifications to wield the Sword Pavilion?"
"Did you take it from Tai Shang by force?"
"How is that possible? He told me to bring the Sword Pavilion for self-defense," the Calamity Venerable said. "Honestly, I still have a lot of respect for that old Huaying. How could I do something so outrageous?"
Zhang Ruochen's face had already turned cold as ice.
Chi Yao suddenly realized something as well. "This is indeed very problematic!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Tai Shang doesn't have much time left. As long as he is alive for even one more day, what place in the world is safer than the Kunlun Realm? On the contrary, he found this excuse to make you leave, and took the seeds of the Kunlun Realm with you. He must be planning to do something big before he dies."
"What big thing?"
The smile vanished from the Calamity Venerable's face.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I don't know. Maybe he intends to self-destruct his divine heart and take some people down with him. Or maybe he wants to lure out the person who killed the Fourth Confucian Ancestor and uncover the truth of what happened back then."
Chi Yao said, "Impossible. Even if Tai Shang wants to take some people with him when he dies, he wouldn't destroy the entire Kunlun Realm."
The Calamity Venerable said, "Right. If that old Huaying had such a ruthless heart, who could have suppressed him one hundred thousand years ago?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Tai Shang naturally doesn't want to destroy the entire Kunlun Realm. But have you considered this? The enemy thinks the same way! The enemy is certain that Tai Shang won't self-destruct his divine heart in the Kunlun Realm, which is why they will take the bait."
"Tai Shang must have discussed this with the Five Dragon God Emperor, the Thousand Star Divine Ancestor, the Five Elements Temple Master, and the others. They must have a way to protect the Kunlun Realm. At the same time, they have certainly prepared for the worst."
"Where will the battlefield be? In the Kunlun Realm, but without harming the living beings of the Kunlun Realm."
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen, Chi Yao, and the Calamity Venerable's eyes all lit up at the same time, and they spoke in unison: "The Nether Prison!"
"Damn it! That old Huaying is too deep. Even someone with my intelligence was fooled by him." The Calamity Venerable stomped his foot in anger, grinding his teeth.
Zhang Ruochen wanted to rush back to the Kunlun Realm immediately, but he still hadn't found the Udumbara Flower. What use would it be to rush back now?
"I have to go to Wujian Ridge immediately. I hope it's not too late."
Immediately, Zhang Ruochen recounted the matter of the Udumbara Flower.
"Leave it to me. I'll go talk to Suyin right now. With her stepping forward, things might be easier."
Just as the Calamity Venerable finished speaking, a voice came from outside the door, belonging to a Primordial Being: "Calamity Venerable, the Great Elder requests your presence!"
The Calamity Venerable shot a glance at Zhang Ruochen, a hint of smugness in his eyes.
Then, with his sleeves billowing like clouds, he pushed open the door and stepped out, his bearing extraordinary. "Lead the way."
(End of Chapter)