# Chapter 3689: Beauty Under the Moon
Yan Wushen sent word from Lihentian that he had found Chi Kunlun's remnant soul.
Finding the remnant soul meant at least the possibility of a "false resurrection."
If Chi Kunlun could comprehend the true essence of Six Paths Reincarnation, he might even defy fate and truly come back to life.
Regardless, this was the best outcome possible under the circumstances.
Zhang Ruochen relayed this news to Chi Yao, then personally sent a doppelganger carrying Chi Kunlun's head to Lihentian, handing it over to Yan Wushen.
...
Chi Yao stood by the vermilion window frame.
Beside her, from a hollow golden incense burner, wisps of fragrant smoke drifted upward.
Her temperament had always been resolute, her countenance cold and distant, lacking the pitiable fragility of mortal women or the melancholy grief of a mother who had lost her son. She had learned to control her emotions and expressions countless years ago.
There were very few forces in this world capable of breaking that resilient heart of hers.
Zhang Ruochen came up behind Chi Yao, looking at her slightly slender, sloping shoulders. He could imagine that her inner self was far from as invulnerable as her outward appearance suggested. "Everything will be alright," he said.
Chi Yao's red lips parted slightly, a hint of weariness in her voice. "We are always surviving in the cracks, walking on the sharpest blades. Not only must we endure the relentless winds that lash against us, but we must also withstand all kinds of open attacks and hidden arrows. One misstep, and we die without a burial place."
"We have grown accustomed to seeing families destroyed, have experienced heaven-shattering destruction, and have witnessed great worlds reduced to ashes and dust in an instant. Countless races either become food or are reduced to slavery."
"Will there come a day when all of this happens to us as well?"
Zhang Ruochen understood her concerns. In this era of great cosmic upheaval, was he himself not treading on thin ice?
How many times had he narrowly escaped death?
Good fortune would not favor him every time.
Chi Yao's gaze fixed on the flame-like crimson clouds outside the window. "Against our enemies, we must be ruthless! Since we cannot beg for a peaceful era, we can only kill—kill for Kong Le, Yu Yan, Hong Chen... kill to carve out a safe cultivation environment for them. The enemy must either be completely wiped out, or we must make them too afraid to oppose us."
Zhang Ruochen reached out from behind, wrapping his arms around Chi Yao's fragrant jade-like body. "Don't worry, I have everything under control. With the power we now command, anyone who tries to destroy our family will have to pay a corresponding price. No, an even more brutal price."
"How is Kong Le?" Chi Yao asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "She went with Ying'er to the Yama Clan to cultivate. There will be no danger."
"The Yama Clan!" Chi Yao uttered these three words.
Clearly, she was not at ease.
Her concerns extended not only to the Tiantian Yan Clan and the Lihentian Yan Clan but also to Yan Wushen, who was closely related to the Lihentian Yan Clan.
First, because of the collective return of ancient powerhouses, the Lihentian Yan Clan could not escape involvement.
Second, Yan Wushen and Zhang Ruochen had once been mortal enemies, yet he had accepted Zhang Ruochen's son as his disciple. There might be deeper schemes behind this. A mountain cannot accommodate two tigers; how could an era accommodate two young Primordial Ancestors?
Even though Yan Wushen was now making every effort to help revive Chi Kunlun, it still did not dispel Chi Yao's wariness toward him.
Thinking too ill of others would certainly offend many.
But thinking too well of others could lead to death without a burial place.
Did Zhang Ruochen not share the same concerns?
Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen had fought fiercely countless times. On the day of his engagement to Bore, he had even slain Yan Wushen once. That time, although it was a fair duel both sides had anticipated, was there not hidden selfishness behind it?
Did Yan Wushen truly not care at all?
Both were heavenly prodigies. Could he truly accept being surpassed by Zhang Ruochen?
If he could accept it, he would not be Yan Wushen.
No one would be unconditionally good to another person. If they were, the condition might be too great to reveal.
It was precisely because of this wariness toward Yan Wushen that Zhang Ruochen had stopped Chi Kunlun from going to the Abyss of Darkness back then.
Chi Yao said, "If the Quantity Organization wanted to completely kill Kunlun, they could have directly cursed his remnant soul in Lihentian. Why did they leave his remnant soul behind? Perhaps you and Yan Wushen share a deep friendship, and perhaps this person is indeed worth befriending. But have you considered this—you yourself are often not in control of your own circumstances. What about him? What about the people behind him?"
"In any case, one must be wary of him. The more you owe, the more you may have to repay in the future."
Zhang Ruochen said, "No matter where our relationship goes in the future, at least this time I can see that he genuinely wants to save Kunlun."
"Then find an opportunity to repay his kindness," Chi Yao said.
The clouds on the horizon gradually darkened.
A bright moon rose, suspended above the sea of clouds, bathing the sky in silver light.
Under the moonlight, Chi Yao's skin was like solidified fat, her beauty rivaling that of the Moon God, showing no signs of age.
Among top-tier great gods, she was considered quite young.
Although the cultivation environment within the Sword Pavilion was not as good as the Sundial, over these two thousand years, Chi Yao's cultivation had advanced rapidly. She had not fallen behind and had already condensed seventeen layers of heavenly domains. One more step, and she would reach the Infinite Realm.
In fact, when she fought alongside Zangjin Baihu, her combat power was already comparable to that of a Qiankun Infinite realm existence.
As a prehistoric remnant, Zangjin Baihu's cultivation speed needed no mention. Ordinary god kings and god venerables were no match for it.
Zhang Ruochen took out the Sundial and placed it in Chi Yao's hands.
Chi Yao raised her eyes, full of confusion. "Ji Fanxin has left us far behind. I am also aware that Bai Qinger has broken through to the Infinite Realm. I do indeed wish to borrow the Sundial to cultivate for a while, to close the gap between us."
"But the Sundial is a great treasure coveted even by the Heavens. If something goes wrong, how can I explain it to you?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Giving you the Sundial is not just to aid your cultivation. It is also to protect you! Now that Xiu Chen Heavenly God's cultivation has nearly recovered, with her by your side, I can rest easy. Your place in my heart cannot be replaced by anyone."
Chi Yao's eyes grew misty. Her always resilient heart seemed about to melt.
Before she could refuse, Zhang Ruochen continued, "Xiu Chen Heavenly God's cultivation is indeed powerful, but it must not be exposed now. If the outside world learns that the Sundial can now support Great Unbound Infinite cultivators, the consequences would be dire."
"Temporarily entrusting it to you sends a false signal to the outside world, lulling our enemies into complacency."
"Second, the Heavenly Venerable must play chess with the Heavens to reorganize the uncertain and unstable factors within the Heavenly Court. I am now the blade the Heavenly Venerable has placed in plain sight, standing at the forefront of the storm. I must contend with all sides, expending great energy and focus, and offending many forces."
"So, you must help me. Use the Sundial to win over trustworthy cultivators and raise their cultivation."
"I cannot afford to offend the entire Heavenly Court, can I?"
Chi Yao naturally understood the grand situation of the world and nodded gently. "Now, any discerning person can see that Jie Tian has come to the Heavenly Court to sit in the Heavenly Palace on behalf of the Heavenly Venerable. Coupled with the leaked news that Tai Shang has found a life-prolonging divine medicine, the Kunlun Realm now displays a flourishing aura. Even before this, many gods from various great worlds had taken the initiative to visit me, Chi Xingtian, Shen Po Gongzhu, and Qiangu Nüdi."
"Now with the Sundial, its appeal to them will only grow."
"The Western Buddha Realm, the Divine Dragon Realm, the Thousand Star Civilization, the Imperial Ancestor Divine Dynasty, the Five Elements Temple, the Truth Divine Temple, the Guanghan Realm, and the Wind Clan—these are all forces worth cultivating ties with, and their strength is considerable. With their support, we would win over nearly half of the Heavens. Then, no matter how much noise you make or how many people you offend, at least you won't end up in a situation where the entire world is your enemy."
"Beyond that, there are some less powerful great worlds and forces we can also extend goodwill to. For example, the Fox Clan of the Demon God Realm."
Zhang Ruochen said, "You don't need to tell me these things. I trust you will handle them excellently."
Chi Yao said solemnly, "However, I do not recommend large-scale activation of the Sundial. Many ancient gods of the Heavenly Court still harbor shadows regarding the Kunlun Realm from one hundred thousand years ago."
One hundred thousand years ago, the Kunlun Realm activated the Sundial, and its strength advanced by leaps and bounds. Figures like Xumi Saint Monk, Wen Tianjun, Yunshen Daozhu, and the Fourth Confucian Ancestor even intended to establish new cosmic rules. This not only put immense pressure on the Hell Realm but also frightened many in the Heavenly Court.
When you become too powerful and intend to move against the interests of many, those who want you dead will far outnumber those who respect you.
It could be said that the Kunlun Realm had indeed reached the peak of an era at that time—a blazing fire with oil, flowers clustered in splendor. But this also laid the seeds for future calamities.
Now, if the Sundial were to be large-scale activated again, even if it were announced that it could only support cultivators below the Great Unbound Infinite realm, it would still remind many ancient gods of the Heavenly Court of the terror from one hundred thousand years ago.
"One hundred thousand years ago!"
When Zhang Ruochen uttered these words, his gaze was extremely profound.
After meeting deeply hidden figures like Qishier Pin Lian, Lei Fa Heavenly Venerable, Kui Huang, and Ba Er, Zhang Ruochen had gained new insights into everything the Kunlun Realm had suffered one hundred thousand years ago.
Especially Qishier Pin Lian—she was utterly determined to destroy the Zhang Clan and the Kunlun Realm, refusing to stop until both were annihilated.
How could she not have been involved one hundred thousand years ago?
Tai Shang had concealed many things from Zhang Ruochen, deeply afraid that he would get drawn into it. Clearly, he knew how deep the waters behind it ran.
Now that Zhang Ruochen's cultivation had reached the Great Unbound Infinite realm, he believed he was qualified to know the hidden hands behind it all. He decided that the next time he returned to the Kunlun Realm, he would ask clearly. Additionally, he planned to visit Xiang Chunan's master to learn the secrets about Ba Er.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a pleasant female voice sounded from outside: "Master, Uncle Xiang and Uncle Feng have come. They wish to see you."
"Creak!"
The door pushed open.
Qing Qing stood outside the door, wearing a veil, bathed in moonlight. Her figure was like an orchid in an empty valley, pure and moving. Because she cultivated the Wuji Divine Dao, she exuded an ethereal, hazy Dao charm.
She had not disappointed Zhang Ruochen's expectations. Her cultivation had reached the divine realm.
If not for the fact that this ten-thousand-year era had produced too many monstrous talents, she would undoubtedly have stood at the pinnacle of her generation, laughing in triumph over her peers.
Seeing her extraordinarily handsome master emerge from within, she lowered her head slightly, losing the arrogance of a peerless genius from days past.