# Chapter 3546: Wujian Ridge
"Are all cultivators from the upper realm this inexplicable?"
Yuan Sheng returned to the wooden palace, her mind still replaying Zhang Ruochen's earlier words.
She summoned the Earth Cauldron and attempted to activate it, but failed!
This cauldron was different from other divine artifacts; no matter how she refined it, there was no response.
Her thoughts unsettled, she looked outside the hall: "Yuan Jieyi!"
Yuan Jieyi's iron-tower-like figure walked in from outside, black divine light floating behind him. He clasped his hands and said, "Greetings, Clan Emperor."
"Just returned? What's the situation at the Ancient Desolate Ruins City?" Yuan Sheng asked.
Yuan Jieyi said: "An Indestructible Infinite level figure from the upper realm has returned from the Abyss of Darkness and should now be stationed in the city. I observed the Ancient Desolate Ruins City from afar—there were beams of light everywhere, and many ancient formations had been activated!"
"Forget about that matter. Go capture someone for me. Don't let him escape back to the Ancient Desolate Ruins City. I want him alive."
Yuan Sheng pushed her palm forward.
Three drops of blood flew from her palm...
The blood turned into mist, condensing into the form of Yan Wushen.
Yuan Jieyi had seen Yan Wushen in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, so without further questions, he crushed the "Yan Wushen" form, turning it back into three drops of blood, collected them in his hand, and flew out of the Divine Tree Ship, disappearing at the edge of the sky.
"Xiao Hei, tell me—we and the upper realm cultivators are already locked in an endless blood feud. When we encounter them, any means we use are justified, right?" Yuan Sheng said.
Black thorny vines extended from behind the pillar, and a voice sounded: "Has the Clan Emperor developed a soft heart?"
"I just wonder—if the other party never showed hostility from beginning to end, and even risked their life to help, yet I took all their treasures and imprisoned them. Isn't that confusing enmity and gratitude? Repaying kindness with enmity?" Yuan Sheng seemed to be asking, or perhaps talking to herself.
The thorny vines said: "If it were me, I wouldn't have such conflicted feelings. Even killing him would be justified. Upper realm cultivators entering the Abyss of Darkness are already guilty of a capital offense."
"But, Master, you are the Clan Emperor. To rule a clan, you must have convictions and principles. If the top is not upright, the bottom will be disordered."
"If Master truly believes he is not an enemy, and that he saved you when you were in danger, then there is no harm in befriending him. After all, in this world, there are not many people willing to risk their lives for another."
"Of course, this person possesses many treasures, enough to greatly increase the strength of the Primordial Path Clan. If we don't befriend him, our gains will be enormous. Moreover, his status in the upper realm is clearly extraordinary. Using him as a hostage, once we leave the Abyss of Darkness, the benefits we obtain will only be greater."
"So, whether to befriend or antagonize—it all depends on which side Master considers more important. After making one decision, will you regret it in the future?"
"If Master cannot make this decision, you can leave it entirely to the Grand Elder to decide."
"But I am the Clan Emperor of the Primordial Path Clan?" After saying this, Yuan Sheng was secretly startled, but soon the surprise faded, and her eyes became composed. "At least in this matter, I should have more say."
At that moment, the Divine Tree Ship started moving, heading south.
"Gai Mie is fleeing south!" A ghost-type ancient cultivator entered to report.
Yuan Sheng's brows furrowed slightly. "It's not just the Grand Elder and the Earth Clan Emperor who acted, is it? I also sensed the presence of the Metal Clan Emperor. Is Gai Mie that strong?"
"Gai Mie used a demonic forbidden technique, burning divine blood and divine soul. His escape speed is extremely fast. Although the Grand Elder and the others are stronger than him, subduing him without paying a price is no easy task," said the ghost-type ancient cultivator. "However, the Fire Clan Emperor is already on his way. Gai Mie cannot escape."
By burning divine blood and divine soul, Gai Mie's combat power and speed would inevitably skyrocket.
The ancient powerhouses were unwilling to burn their own divine blood or sacrifice their lifespans. To subdue Gai Mie without paying a price, they could only slowly wear him down until he became weak.
Yuan Sheng rested her chin on her fingers, her eyes narrowing. "All the Clan Emperors are intercepting Gai Mie. I find this situation somewhat wrong (bu dui jin). I hope it's not a trap set by someone else."
That ghost clan ancient cultivator said: "The Clan Emperor is overthinking, isn't she? The Clan Emperors are probably coveting Gai Mie's Indestructible Infinite peak divine source, divine soul, and divine blood, which is why they all came collectively. No one knew in advance that Gai Mie was coming to the Abyss of Darkness. How could there be a setup?"
Yuan Sheng nodded. "Any changes at Wujian Ridge?"
"No news for now."
...
The three rivers of the Abyss of Darkness are: the Flame River, the Chaos River, and the Black River.
The seven ridges are: Ba Ridge, Baicang Ridge, Time-Space Ridge, Wujian Ridge, Abi Ridge, Dragon-Slaying Ridge, and Ancestor Ridge.
Only by crossing the three rivers, passing through the seven ridges, and traversing the Ancient Plain can one reach the Great Dark Mountain.
Of the twelve ancient clans, except for the one-star ancient race "Hongmeng Clan," the other eleven are entrenched in the three rivers, seven ridges, and the Ancient Plain.
A one-star ancient race refers to the earliest race born in heaven and earth.
Two-star ancient races came later.
Three-star ancient races came even later.
Ancient races are divided into seven stars based on the time of their birth.
The earlier the birth time, the more essence of heaven and earth is gathered within their bodies, proving the superiority of that race.
In fact, the Hongmeng Clan, Chaos Clan, and Taichu Clan were not born in the ancient era, but in the even earlier Taichu era. Therefore, they are the three most noble clans among the twelve ancient clans!
Next are the Primordial Path Clan, True One Clan, Heavenly Mechanism Clan, and Totem Clan, born in the early ancient era—the second tier of the twelve clans.
Below the seven stars are the Five Elements Five Clans.
The Five Elements Five Clans were born in the middle ancient era, even later.
As for dragons, phoenixes, humans... and all other beings of the myriad heavens, they were born in the late ancient era, or even later in the desolate ancient era, as post-natal beings. In the eyes of ancient beings, they are all low-blooded ants.
Because all beings originally evolved step by step from ants, mayflies, and single-celled organisms.
Some ancient beings dripped a drop of blood into the sea, and after hundreds of millions of years, living beings gradually emerged in the sea.
The Primordial Path Clan, led by Yuan Sheng, is a four-star ancient race, with territory on the Chaos River.
The Chaos River lies between the third ridge "Time-Space Ridge" and the fourth ridge "Wujian Ridge."
Time-Space refers to time and space.
Wujian refers to the absence of time and space.
It can be said that only after crossing the Chaos River does one truly enter the heartland of the Abyss of Darkness.
For upper realm cultivators to cross Time-Space Ridge is already as difficult as ascending to heaven.
But to cross Wujian Ridge is ten times more difficult.
Because the lord of Wujian Ridge is the two-star ancient race, the Chaos Clan. The Chaos Clan is so powerful that they have taken half of the Chaos River, forcing the Primordial Path Clan to occupy only half of the river's territory.
The reason Yuan Sheng entered the Ancient Desolate Ruins City to investigate was that, although the covenant had not yet ended, she discovered that the Chaos Clan Emperor had rarely left Wujian Ridge and visited the Ancient Desolate Ruins City. She wanted to understand the reason.
The Chaos Clan Emperor, Yun Hunxuan, was one of the few top-tier powerhouses in the entire Abyss of Darkness.
But at this moment, he stood respectfully beneath two sharp peaks.
The two peaks were equally tall, both rising ten thousand zhang, sharp as swords.
The sky and earth were dim, except for the area between the two mountains where light flickered and divine radiance shone brilliantly. Faintly, a spatial gate could be seen suspended in the divine light.
From within the gate, a hoarse rebuke sounded: "The Udumbara Flower hasn't matured at all. It can't extend life. Are you mocking me?"
Yun Hunxuan closed his eyes, trying hard to hear another voice.
But with his Indestructible Infinite initial stage cultivation, he heard nothing.
The rebuke sounded again: "What did you say? You need the Mani Pearl to accelerate the growth of the Udumbara Flower? The Mani Pearl is at the Great Dark Mountain?"
...
A moment later, a black shadowy figure floated out from the spatial gate.
The shadow had no physical body but twisted time and space.
Even with Yun Hunxuan's cultivation, he could only see a spiral-shaped black hole, unable to see the shadow's true face. Yet he felt tremendous pressure, as if the entire universe was pressing down on his head. He quickly bowed and said, "Ancestor, what did she say?"
The shadow hovered in the air, snorting coldly. "From the very beginning, she had no good intentions. She wanted to use me to fight against the Great Dark Mountain. She even intended to use the Great Dark Mountain's hand to kill me."
Yun Hunxuan's eyes turned cold. "Why not take this opportunity to probe the Great Dark Mountain's strength? If that one is truly not at the Great Dark Mountain, our Chaos Clan can take its place."
"If the Mani Pearl is truly at the Great Dark Mountain, I must go on this trip." The shadow's voice floated out, filled with killing intent.
At that moment, a black shadow walked out from behind Yun Hunxuan.
More precisely, he was a shadow stuck to the ground.
The shadow made a cupped-hand gesture and said: "The covenant is about to expire. When it does, the Great Dark Mountain's strength will naturally be laid bare. There's no need to take this risk."
"I don't have that much time to wait!" The shadow said in a deep voice.
The shadow said: "The Mani Pearl is not at the Great Dark Mountain. It is in the hands of an upper realm cultivator named Zhang Ruochen. That cultivator has now come to the Abyss of Darkness."
The shadow released terrifying divine might and said coldly: "Yi, although you are only a projection sent to the lower realm, if you dare deceive me or use me, I will surely find your true body and tear you into pieces."
The shadow said: "The Ancestor's cultivation is peerless. If not for the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable's covenant being too powerful, with the Ancestor's cultivation, you would have already left the Abyss of Darkness and swept through the Heavenly Court and Hell. How would Yi dare deceive the Ancestor?"
"That Zhang Ruochen is a descendant of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable. His natural talent surpasses even the young Immovable Bright King Great Venerable. His achievements rely on the Mani Pearl."
The shadow said: "Hunxuan, go investigate this Zhang Ruochen. Find out where he is now. You must bring him and the Mani Pearl to Wujian Ridge!"
Yun Hunxuan looked at the spatial gate between the two mountains. "What about her? The Ancestor promised that once you obtained the Udumbara Flower, you would release her from the Wujian World."
The shadow sneered: "She had ill intentions. Why would I keep my promise? Hmph, all these years, we've been enduring, seeing who can outlast the other. With her here, I cannot leave Wujian Ridge. But clearly, she can't hold on any longer, which is why she revealed the secret of the Udumbara Flower. Once I successfully extend my life, I will have enough strength to refine and kill her. After refining her, my cultivation might even advance another step."
(This chapter ends)