# Chapter 3704: The Identity of God Venerable Yao
In the Time Divine Temple.
Mu Ronghuan's divine body, towering eight thousand zhang tall, radiated blazing light a thousand or even ten thousand times brighter than a star. Terrifying divine power emanated from him unceasingly, exuding an overwhelming sense of oppression as he looked down at a divine shadow standing below.
That divine shadow was not human.
It resembled a donkey, a deer, a horse, and an ox, yet none of them exactly.
The divine shadow spoke in human tongue: "The Heavenly Venerable is not in the Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Court has been thrown into turmoil by a mere brat. Gods from over a hundred great worlds have been imprisoned. Billions of living beings wail in agony. Blood has stained mountains and rivers. Some clans have been exterminated. Others have had their cultivation resources change ownership. This is a butcher. This is a bandit. This is a hundred times more evil than demons and devils. This is an omen of great calamity."
"Since the chaos in the Heavenly Court all stems from Zhang Ruochen, the righteous forces of the world should naturally rise up together and draw their blades to cut him down."
"The Ancestor said that the Hall Master has this intention. This is truly a blessing for the Heavenly Court, and marks you as a great hero with great responsibility. He will certainly give you his full support. The entire Southern Universe, the myriad clans of demonic beings, will be the Hall Master's backing."
Mu Ronghuan revealed a pleased expression. "So, does this mean the Heavenly Dragon Realm will have no dissenting voices?"
The divine shadow said, "The Five Dragon Divine Emperor has already been invited by the Ancestor to Houtu."
After the divine shadow dispersed, Yu Dongxuan, Xun Yangzi, and the Fengxian Sect Leader successively emerged from the void. Smiles of ease and profound meaning appeared on their faces.
"Since the Chongming Ancestor has expressed himself thus, it seems the Heavenly Dragon Realm won't be able to interfere."
"Yan Wuque's death has undoubtedly cut off one of the Chongming Ancestor's arms. Losing face is one thing, but the Demon God Realm's power and influence in the Heavenly Court have been reduced by at least thirty percent. The losses in benefits are incalculable. Does Zhang Ruochen still think he can survive?"
...
Yu Dongxuan, elegant and composed, said, "As for the Thousand Star Civilization, the Five Elements Temple, and the Western Buddha Realm, the Hall Master has made personal arrangements. Everyone need not worry. From now on, as long as Zhang Ruochen leaves the Heavenly Court, he will be like fish on a chopping board, at our mercy."
Mu Ronghuan pondered various possibilities, checking for gaps and oversights. "Don't forget about that one at the Chixia Feixian Valley. That one has achieved Heavenly Round Without Gap! I had hoped the Chongming Ancestor would make a move to contain her, but it seems the Chongming Ancestor has no intention of directly contending with the Heavenly Venerable. He has only promised to hold back the Heavenly Dragon Realm."
"The Chongming Ancestor is too shrewd and calculating. He's sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight!" Yu Dongxuan said.
The Fengxian Sect Leader smiled faintly. "As for that one at the Chixia Feixian Valley, this Sect Leader is not worried at all. The world believes that War God Bian Zhuang is the Heavenly Court's guardian, but in this Sect Leader's view, he is merely a gatekeeper. With the Heavenly Venerable absent, the true guardian of the Heavenly Court must be the Valley Master of Chixia Feixian Valley. No matter what happens, she will never leave the Heavenly Court."
Xun Yangzi still had some concerns. "But what about the Heavenly Venerable?"
"There's even less need to worry about that. The Heavenly Venerable must definitely be in the Kunlun Realm." Yu Dongxuan seemed to know something and spoke with certainty. "With spiritual power masters like the Yama Clan's Tai Shang, Xu Fengjin, and the Kui Liang Emperor, all of whom have achieved Heavenly Round Without Gap, they have great interest in the Kunlun Realm. Once they sense the Heavenly Venerable appearing elsewhere, the Kunlun Realm will surely suffer a devastating attack in the first moment."
The Fengxian Sect Leader's smile grew wider. "Then now, only that false god remains! Is Shang Tian truly unwilling to make a move?"
Yu Dongxuan smiled meaningfully. "Shang Tian has always firmly upheld the Heavenly Venerable's will. No matter how much he wants to kill Zhang Ruochen, as long as Zhang Ruochen is working for the Heavenly Venerable, he won't act. But some things are beyond his control. He doesn't want to get involved, but there's always a way to force his hand."
Having reached their level of cultivation, able to stand as equals with the Twenty Heavens, they naturally understood Shang Tian's fearsomeness.
The others were extremely curious about what means Yu Dongxuan had used to force Shang Tian to act.
Though they appeared to be allies, each harbored their own schemes. Yu Dongxuan clearly had no intention of revealing the secret to them. "Now, the only variable is Zhang Ruochen's side. Whether he truly values friendship and loyalty as the rumors say? If he has already patched this flaw in his character, then he truly is indestructible, and we will have no way to deal with him."
Xinghuantian, Hundred Clans Royal City, Rakshasa Divine City... including this time with Chi Kunlun's death, had proven time and again that the words "values friendship and loyalty" were absolutely Zhang Ruochen's fatal weakness.
Mu Ronghuan said, "With the cultivation levels of you several, dealing with a Zhang Ruochen is more than enough. This Hall Master will not go."
Yu Dongxuan, the Fengxian Sect Leader, and Xun Yangzi all showed suspicious expressions.
Mu Ronghuan quickly explained, "This Hall Master must go to the Pangu Realm. Don't forget that the Wind Clan might also get involved. We must guard against that. This time, Zhang Ruochen must die. There can be no mistakes."
Xun Yangzi's expression relaxed. "In any other place, Zhang Ruochen might have a chance to escape. But in the Soul Realm... heh heh..."
...
In the Space Divine Temple, a thunderous roar echoed.
It was not actual thunder.
It was the destructive sound formed by the collision of heaven and earth's energy caused by Zhang Ruochen's fury, like a dragon's roar or a tiger's howl.
God Venerable Yao had reached the peak of Qiankun Boundless, yet under Zhang Ruochen's vast and mighty divine might pressing down on her, she felt a suffocating sensation, as if an invisible hand was gripping her throat.
Zhang Ruochen said coldly, "God Venerable Yao, are you threatening this Elder?"
God Venerable Yao, after all, had profound cultivation. She quickly dispelled the effect of the divine might on her divine soul. "That is not my intention. The Grand Elder must have misunderstood, yes? Realm Master Lianxi is a god of the Judgment Hall. With her ten souls and ten spirits, her potential is immense. If she becomes the master of the Soul Realm, it would greatly increase the Judgment Hall's power. Naturally, this Venerable does not wish to see her fall, which is why I specially came to beg the Grand Elder."
Zhang Ruochen said meaningfully, "Why didn't you go to Xuanyuan Lian? She is Lianxi's master."
Anyone could hear that Zhang Ruochen was telling God Venerable Yao that killing Lianxi would offend Xuanyuan Lian.
Zhao Gongming's dark face was stern. "Lian Gongzi's disciple is the Heavenly Venerable's grand-disciple. Whoever dares to touch her, the War Gods of the Heavenly Palace will certainly not spare the culprit."
God Venerable Yao looked at Zhao Gongming, showing no fear on her face. "The Soul Realm is too special. If someone dies there, the truth might never be uncovered. After all, it connects to Lihentian and the Santu River. Ah, if I had known the Grand Elder was so heartless, I wouldn't have made this trip. I've merely been an unwelcome guest."
She rose, her long legs striding as she prepared to leave.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, God Venerable Yao said, "Fortunately, the Wind Clan's Clan Leader heard about this matter and felt that Lianxi might be in danger. He has already rushed to the Soul Realm. Now that is a person of true friendship and loyalty!"
The Wind Clan's Clan Leader she referred to was obviously Feng Yan.
When Feng Yan went to the Time Divine Temple to speak with Mu Ronghuan, he "happened" to encounter Lianxi, who had been summoned by Yu Dongxuan, and learned of the Soul Realm Master's death. He realized this was a poisonous scheme by Yu Dongxuan and Mu Ronghuan to lure Zhang Ruochen away from the Heavenly Court to the Soul Realm.
Therefore, he chose to escort Lianxi.
Zhang Ruochen instantly understood that Feng Yan must have been schemed against by Yu Dongxuan and the others.
In their eyes, Lianxi's value was too low. Zhang Ruochen might not go to the Soul Realm for her sake.
But Feng Yan, as both the Wind Clan's Clan Leader and the bearer of the Pure Yang Divine Sword, was worth countless times more than Lianxi. In the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain, Zhang Ruochen had nearly died in battle to protect Feng Yan's path.
Zhang Ruochen sighed. "Feng Yan still underestimates how audacious you people are. He thought that with his status as the Wind Clan's Clan Leader, he could ward off this calamity for me. He doesn't realize that this is a life-or-death struggle. Even the Twenty Heavens might fall, let alone him."
A rare, moving smile appeared on God Venerable Yao's ice-cold face. "The Grand Elder cannot make baseless accusations! Even if they encounter some misfortune in the Soul Realm, it will surely be the Quantity Organization, or ancient powerhouses, taking revenge on you. Oh, and the Pure Yang Divine Sword, the Nuwa Dao Manual, and the Heavenly Venerable's Five-Colored Clay are all supreme treasures of heaven and earth, coveted by countless powerhouses."
God Venerable Yao walked straight ahead, about to step out of the Divine Temple's main gate.
Zhang Ruochen's voice came from behind her. "Does God Venerable Yao think the Time Divine Temple is a place you can come and go as you please?"
God Venerable Yao stopped and turned to look at Zhang Ruochen, her snow-white chin raised, exuding an air of nobility. "I wonder what crime the Grand Elder plans to fabricate to keep me here? War God Gongming has always been upright and just. He will not allow you to act recklessly. The Radiant Divine Temple is not the Array Extermination Hall. With this time, the Grand Elder should think more about the Soul Realm side, lest two corpses be sent back."
Jie Zunzhe transmitted to Zhang Ruochen, "Forget it. We really can't find a crime to pin on her. If we keep her here, Ke Luo will have ample reason to interfere in the Space Divine Temple. Why stir up trouble at a time like this... you..."
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Ruochen transformed into a series of flowing lights, leaving countless afterimages. In an instant, he reached God Venerable Yao.
His fingertip was like a sword, turning into an arc of light.
Too fast!
God Venerable Yao had no time to defend herself. All her protective divine light was torn apart. Her tall figure was sent flying, her long hair spreading out like a waterfall.
The next moment, still shaken, she landed on the ground and immediately spread the wings on her back. Every feather was as sharp as a blade.
Zhang Ruochen did not attack again. Instead, he held a mass of blood in his palm, analyzing it with his Heart of Truth.
Only then did God Venerable Yao notice a deep bloody wound from her collarbone to her neck.
"Zhang Ruochen, you will pay for today's rudeness!"
She merged into a burst of intense light, erupting with incredible speed as she rushed out of the Divine Temple.
"Sure enough, she is Jia Tianxia's birth mother!" Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhao Gongming blurted out, "Impossible! How could God Venerable Yao have offspring, and especially Jia Tianxia?"
"The bloodline connection between them cannot be hidden from the Heart of Truth. It seems that the Quantity Venerable behind Jia Tianxia and Bula Zhenjun is most likely her. With this crime, let's see who dares to interfere now?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhao Gongming's mouth twitched. He wanted to tell Zhang Ruochen something.
But he saw Zhang Ruochen already reaching out his hand toward the void. The entire world began to spin. The four cardinal directions—east, south, west, north—shifted.
God Venerable Yao, who had already escaped from Qicheng Heaven Domain, was forcibly pulled back toward the Space Divine Temple by spatial power.
Closer and closer...
Just as she was about to fly through the Space Divine Temple's gate—
"Boom!"
A young man with a bright star on his brow seemed to cross space itself, appearing before the Space Divine Temple's gate. The rule divine patterns emanating from his body severed the spatial connection between Zhang Ruochen and God Venerable Yao.
On the horizon, one could still see the trail of light he had left behind.
His speed had broken the speed of light.
This young man had a clear, quiet temperament but unfathomably profound cultivation. He stood seven steps away from Zhang Ruochen, locking eyes with him.
Like a divine pillar stabilizing the sea, he suppressed the spinning space.
"Flowing Light Breaks Space! Your mastery of the Flowing Light Path is truly profound. May I ask your name?"
Zhang Ruochen thought he was already familiar with all the top powerhouses of the Heavenly Court Universe, but this young man before him was a stranger.
The young man was extremely courteous. He cupped his hands and made a slight bow, smiling faintly. "Qingcheng Yun pays respects to the Grand Elder! In my urgency, I trespassed upon the Inch River. I beg the Grand Elder's forgiveness."
Qingcheng Yun, Shang Tian's second disciple, and also the most low-key one.
Zhang Ruochen had never imagined that this person, rated in the Goddess Twelve Pavilions' records as having just entered the Great Unbound Infinite realm, actually had cultivation reaching such a level.
Qingcheng Yun said, "I am here on my master's orders to take the young lady back to Shangqiu. I ask the Grand Elder to grant this convenience."
This time, Zhang Ruochen showed an expression of surprise once again. He looked at Zhao Gongming.
Zhao Gongming looked somewhat helpless and nodded to him.
God Venerable Yao's surname was not Yao. Her name was Shang Yao.
In the entire Heavenly Court, no more than ten people knew this secret.
(Chapter End)