Chapter 3683: Array Extermination Palace Master
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign’s physique was as imposing as a mountain, his dragon robe bright and resplendent. Hearing Zhang Ruochen’s question, he could not help but let out a long laugh: “The Grand Elder truly lives up to his reputation as a young Primordial Ancestor, sharp and unstoppable, speaking of challenging the All Heavens with such casual ease. Unfortunately, I am no longer what I was in my youth, and my mindset has grown somewhat weary!”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Zhang Ruochen feigned surprise and said: “I see no trace of weariness in the Sovereign. On the contrary, I perceive a world-swallowing, heaven-covering heroic spirit.”
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign’s earlier words were naturally a modest remark. He said: “Only after one’s cultivation reaches a certain level does one realize the difficulty of moving forward. Before breaking through to the peak of Great Unbound Infinite, I encountered no rival within the same realm, and I believed that once I broke through, I would surely contend for the heavens.”
“But after breaking through, seeing the path ahead clearly, I understood how far I still am from the All Heavens.”
“To think of defeating one of them now and taking their place is to underestimate the All Heavens too much. When the All Heavens were at lower realms, which of them was not a chosen one capable of crossing several realms to kill their enemies?”
Zhang Ruochen, after years of arduous cultivation in the White Clothes Valley, had successfully condensed one of the Five Elements, “Earth,” which was the Divine Realm World. He considered himself to have initially reached the realm of Great Unbound Infinite.
His exchanges with Tianya Divine Venerable and Xie Tianyi had further allowed Zhang Ruochen to recognize his own strength. Within a few moves, he could handle cultivators of the same realm.
As for whether he could rely solely on his own power to defeat a cultivator at the middle stage of Great Unbound Infinite, he had not fought such a battle, but Zhang Ruochen was quite confident.
As for the peak of Great Unbound Infinite…
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign, seeing Zhang Ruochen’s curiosity about the peak of Great Unbound Infinite, explained: “I divide the peak of Great Unbound Infinite into three major levels.”
“The first level is those like myself and Yu Dongxuan, who have just broken through to the peak of Great Unbound Infinite not long ago, with relatively shallow accumulated cultivation.”
“The second level is the realm of Zhao Gongming. He spent a hundred thousand years pushing his primary Dao to its extreme, completing the path of the peak of Great Unbound Infinite. Other cultivators might take even longer—two hundred thousand, three hundred thousand years.”
“The third level is the realm of beings like the Five Dragon Divine Emperor. Not only have they completed the path of the peak of Great Unbound Infinite, but they have also found their own path leading to Indestructible Infinite.”
“In other words, as long as their lifespan has not run out, and they have not suffered severe damage to their foundation, with great fortune, they have a considerable chance of reaching the realm of Indestructible Infinite at some point in the future.”
“The vast majority of the All Heavens below Indestructible Infinite are figures of the third level.”
Pride Snow Divine Concubine asked curiously: “Senior Zhao Gongming cultivated for a hundred thousand years just to complete the path of Great Unbound Infinite. Doesn’t that mean there is a huge gap in cultivation between the first and second levels? Those who cultivated for thirty thousand or fifty thousand years must have even deeper accumulations.”
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign said: “Naturally, that is the case. But such a gap is not insurmountable. What determines combat power is not just cultivation realm, but also Dao, Esoterica, divine artifacts, divine abilities… and so on.”
“As long as one has not crossed levels, no matter how deep their accumulation or how many years they have cultivated, I am confident I can defeat them.”
“And if one has crossed levels?”
Zhang Ruochen asked tentatively.
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign smiled and said: “Then it depends on how the battle is fought. Or rather, what price one is willing to pay?”
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign exuded an invincible aura, radiating confidence from head to toe, possessing great personal charisma.
Zhang Ruochen said: “With the Sovereign’s current cultivation, unifying the Imperial Dao Great World should not be difficult, right? As far as I know, the Giant Deer Divine Dynasty and the Jade Qian Divine Dynasty do not have figures like you.”
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign gazed at the sea of clouds outside the hall and the hazy continental mountains beneath them, saying: “The Imperial Dao Great World ranks third in the Northern Universe. It is the accumulated foundation left by ancient sages, occupying vast spatial veins, with countless Daoist inheritances and extremely abundant resources. Although it has declined since the Middle Ages, there are still many who covet it.”
Zhang Ruochen caught the underlying meaning and said: “So the Giant Deer Divine Dynasty and the Jade Qian Divine Dynasty have backing?”
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign, having come with a request, naturally did not hide anything and said: “Behind the royal clan of the Giant Deer Divine Dynasty is the support of the True Martial Great Emperor. The three successive empresses of the Giant Deer Divine Sovereign are all women from the True Martial Great Emperor’s clan.”
“The Divine Sovereign of the Jade Qian Divine Dynasty has taken refuge under Xuan Yuan Tai Zhen and is his direct disciple.”
The True Martial Realm was the second-ranked great world in the Northern Universe.
The True Martial Great Emperor was the number one powerhouse of the True Martial Realm and one of the current Twenty Heavens.
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly and said: “The name Xuan Yuan Tai Zhen…”
“Haha! The Grand Elder is young, so it is not strange that you find this name unfamiliar,” the Divine Ancestor Sovereign said.
Zhang Ruochen said: “A member of the Xuan Yuan clan?”
“The Heavenly Venerable’s younger brother! The grandfather of the current head of the Xuan Yuan clan, titled Xuan Yuan Tai Zu. Tai Zhen is his given name.”
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign continued: “Legend has it that in his youth, his talent was no less than that of the Heavenly Venerable, making them the twin prodigies of the Xuan Yuan clan. A hundred thousand years ago, when the Heavenly Venerable became the master of the Heavenly Palace, Xuan Yuan Tai Zhen retired and passed the position of clan head to his grandson.”
Zhang Ruochen had naturally heard of Xuan Yuan Tai Zu.
However, this person was too low-key. The world only knew that such a formidable figure existed, but no one truly understood his real strength.
Because of the existence of Xuan Yuan Hao Tian, “Hao Tian,” the gods did not even dare to casually discuss this person.
With these two figures in play, it was indeed not an easy matter for the Divine Ancestor Sovereign to unify the Imperial Dao Great World.
Zhang Ruochen fell into deep thought, understanding the Divine Ancestor Sovereign’s intention.
To touch the interests of Xuan Yuan Tai Zhen, and possibly even stand in opposition to the Heavenly Venerable, the Divine Ancestor Sovereign did not dare to take such a risk lightly.
Of course, if the Heavenly Venerable approved of the unification of the Imperial Dao Great World, then he would dare to go all out.
The Divine Ancestor Sovereign said: “Next, I will certainly visit the True Martial Great Emperor and inform him of my resolve. I believe the Great Emperor will weigh the gains and losses. However, visiting Xuan Yuan Tai Zhen will not be easy. Several All Heavens have tried to call on him and were turned away at the door.”
“A stable unification of the Imperial Dao Great World is definitely a good thing, and the Heavenly Venerable and the Heavenly Palace will surely support it.”
A clear voice came from outside the hall.
Immediately, Xuan Yuan Lian, dressed in a green robe and wearing a Confucian headscarf, drifted in from outside. His gaze was spirited, and his steps were steady.
Although dressed in male attire, his chest was full, his skin white as snow, his lips like rosy clouds, his eyes clear and bright, and his whole body exuded the fragrance of lotus flowers. No one would ever mistake him for a man.
Qing Yu Sheng and Chi Cha Luo both remained outside the hall.
“The Grand Elder won’t blame Lian for coming uninvited, will he?” Xuan Yuan Lian said.
Zhang Ruochen said: “Prince Lian has arrived just in time! If you can send a message to the Xuan Yuan clan, the Sovereign’s unification of the Imperial Dao Great World will become much easier!”
Xuan Yuan Lian frowned slightly, unwilling to fall into the trap Zhang Ruochen had set, and said: “The Sovereign came to visit you, not me. Besides, I don’t have that much face to command the Xuan Yuan clan.”
“But the Grand Elder is different. The Heavenly Venerable has placed both Calamity Emperors in your hands to deal with. It seems that all matters of the Heavenly Court have also been entrusted to you. If you and the Sovereign make a trip to the Giant Deer Divine Dynasty, you can directly sweep away all obstacles. Who would dare to challenge you?”
Zhang Ruochen looked at the Divine Ancestor Sovereign and said: “What a strong wave of resentment coming this way!”
“How would I dare to hold resentment?” Xuan Yuan Lian said.
“The Grand Elder is now a Great Unbound Infinite. With one hand, you can suppress the Vice Hall Master of the Array Extermination Palace. With a thought, you can imprison several Boundless cultivators. With a word, you can decide the rise and fall of a hundred realms. Even the All Heavens dare not act as you do.”
“Lian does not mean to blame. I only want to understand what your plan with the Heavenly Venerable is? And where is the Heavenly Venerable’s true body now?”
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment, looked at the cloudy sky outside the hall, and said: “An honored guest has arrived!”
Quan Zhong Sheng, who was guarding outside the hall, sensed it. An overwhelming and unparalleled aura pressed down on him, as if his divine soul were about to solidify.
“Swish!”
Array Extermination Palace Master Yan Wu Que descended from the sky, landing on the jade steps outside the hall.
The powerful force shook Quan Zhong Sheng, Chi Cha Luo, and Qing Yu Sheng, all top-tier great gods, forcing them to retreat.
“Palace Master Yan, please wait. The Grand Elder is meeting with an honored guest.”
Quan Zhong Sheng shifted his position, blocking Yan Wu Que’s path, and bowed forward in salute.
Yan Wu Que glared sharply at Quan Zhong Sheng and said: “As a great god of the Radiant Divine Temple, with such powerful cultivation, you have abandoned the light for the darkness, becoming a servant of a Eon-level great villain. You are a disgrace to the Heavenly Court.”
Quan Zhong Sheng’s expression remained unchanged, and he said: “I am now the Third Elder of the Space Divine Temple.”
“Get lost!”
Yan Wu Que flicked his sleeve, and a formation pattern flew out, landing on Quan Zhong Sheng.
With a “bang,” Quan Zhong Sheng flew backward, crashing into a jade pillar of the divine temple. His spine snapped, and his divine body was nearly broken in two.
Yan Wu Que strode into the Space Divine Temple, roaring in anger: “Zhang Ruochen, you little brat, what gives you the audacity to suppress my Array Extermination Palace’s Vice Hall Master? I haven’t settled accounts with you yet regarding the two elders!”
Zhang Ruochen had naturally witnessed what happened outside. He fixed his gaze on Yan Wu Que, his face cold as ice, and said in a calm tone: “Xie Tianyi conspired with others to murder me. I merely suppressed him, which is already merciful enough. Yan Wu Que, this is the Space Divine Temple. You old bastard, what gives you the audacity to speak rudely in front of me?”
Yan Wu Que was a Palace Master who had cultivated for a million years, a true giant among gods, able to sit on equal footing with the All Heavens.
How could he have expected that Zhang Ruochen, a junior, would show no fear in front of him and even directly curse him as an old bastard?
If this got out, what face would he have left?
Although the Array Extermination Palace had already lost all face.
Yan Wu Que was momentarily stunned, then released his eighty-ninth-level spiritual power, becoming more dazzling than a star, and surged toward Zhang Ruochen with overwhelming momentum, saying: “Do you think that just because the Heavenly Venerable backs you, you can do whatever you want in the Heavenly Court? The Heavenly Court has its own heavenly laws, punishing injustice and cutting down all disorder.”
“Today, I will capture you and take you to the Heavenly Palace. I will ask the Heavenly Venerable face to face whether your actions conform to the heavenly rules!”
His spiritual power condensed into a scorching and bright giant hand, with countless formation inscriptions weaving within the handprint, sealing the space, and reaching out to capture Zhang Ruochen.