Chapter 3728: Battling the Heavens
How dare he directly call a Heavenly Venerable by name?
Zhang Ruochen’s divine voice startled many deities who had gathered at the periphery of this star domain.
In recent years, Zhang Ruochen had risen too quickly. Every so often, terrifying battle records that shocked the gods would spread. Without seeing it with their own eyes, no one would believe that in just a few thousand years of cultivation, someone could defeat Xie Tianyi and Yan Wuque.
And now, this brightest rising star of the era, right before their eyes, had defeated the Time Divine Temple’s hall master, Murong Huan, and with an arrogant posture, directly faced one of the Heavenly Court’s Twenty Heavens, Tailai Tian!
What kind of boldness was this?
A Heavenly Venerable was the most powerful figure of the current age, the goal pursued by all deities.
Who didn’t wish to be ranked among the Heavens?
Who didn’t want to look down upon all living beings and wield authority over one corner of the universe?
At this moment, the name “Zhang Ruochen” blazed with unparalleled brilliance. Many people seemed to see a Primordial Ancestor rising. The title of “Young Ancestor” was no longer an empty boast.
“Boom!”
The rift radiating blue divine light shattered completely.
Light cascaded down, and a cyan figure, stepping on auspicious clouds, slowly descended.
Murong Tailai inherited the martial path of the Murong Clan, walking the Daoist lineage. He appeared to be around forty years old, with long sideburns reaching his waist, eyebrows like cyan peaks, and a nose like a hanging gallbladder. He possessed both the fierce, domineering aura of a Heavenly Venerable and the immortal, refined bearing of a Daoist cultivator.
Of course, only Zhang Ruochen and the Dragon Lord could clearly see his appearance.
The deities outside the star domain could only see a divine cloud of powerful aura, and then they immediately bowed in reverence.
Zhang Ruochen and the Dragon Lord naturally had their own pride. Both released their auras, opposing the Heavenly Venerable’s might, unwilling to be suppressed.
The Dragon Lord stood straight as a pine, his back erect, and said loudly, “As far as I know, the Heavens have their own tacit understanding. Even internal matters of the Heavenly Court should not be easily meddled with.”
Above Murong Tailai’s head floated blue divine radiance, dispelling the nothingness of the Void World. With an expression neither sad nor joyful, he said, “Jiwang, I have a deep friendship with the Five Dragons Divine Emperor. The Murong Clan has always been on good terms with the Dragon Realm and the Kunlun Realm. Why do you two disregard past friendship and the righteousness of the Heavenly Court alliance, insisting on driving Murong Huan to his death?”
Murong Huan was older than Murong Tailai and held a higher seniority, being his uncle.
Yet Murong Tailai addressed him directly by name.
This was the bearing of a Heavenly Venerable, the heart of a strong one.
The Dragon Lord said, “Does Tailai Tian truly not know? I dare ask Tailai Tian, has the remnant spiritual will of the Bu Huo Ancestor already descended into this era? Was it brought back from the Time Divine Temple?”
The blood mist and spiritual power soul mist quickly condensed, and Murong Huan’s body gradually took shape.
Murong Tailai was silent for a moment, then said, “That’s right. The Bu Huo Ancestor has already returned. This is a great blessing for the myriad worlds of the Heavenly Court.”
“In chaotic times, the world is in turmoil. A single realm can be destroyed overnight, billions of living beings turn to ash, and all beings suffer. The Heavenly Court needs more strong ones to protect it. We should unite all forces that can be united to deal with the Hell Realm, the Chaos Ancient Demon Gods, the Quantity Organization, and even the coming Calamity of Quantities.”
“The Heavens of the Heavenly Court may have differing philosophies and hold skeptical attitudes towards the ancient strong ones who have descended, but they are not blindly hostile. Even the Heavenly Venerable has never said that all descended ancient strong ones must be killed. What right do you two have to judge this matter?”
Zhang Ruochen and the Dragon Lord did not react much, but the other deities in this star domain were already in an uproar.
This was because the Bu Huo Ancestor’s reputation was too great.
Especially for spiritual power cultivators, they regarded him as the supreme true ancestor, wishing they could immediately rush to the Murong Clan to pay homage.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I dare ask Tailai Tian, did Murong Huan lend the Eternal Spear to Yu Dongxuan to set up a trap in the Soul Realm, intending to kill me? Were you aware of this?”
Murong Huan, Yu Dongxuan, the Immortal-Worshipping Cult Leader, and Xun Yangzi had secretly discussed for many days in the Time Divine Temple. As a Heavenly Venerable, if Murong Tailai was completely unaware, Zhang Ruochen simply wouldn’t believe it.
Murong Huan had fully condensed his physical body and said in a deep voice, “Zhang Ruochen, you use the Heavenly Venerable’s name to act recklessly in the Heavenly Court, eliminating dissidents and killing innocents. I wanted to kill you. I, the doer, take responsibility for my actions. This has nothing to do with the Murong Clan. Tailai Tian was not aware.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Hall Master, you are quite the responsible man. The Feng Clan and the Murong Clan have been marriage allies for generations. Feng Yan is the Feng Clan’s clan leader. Why did you scheme against him, lure him to the Soul Realm, and bring him to his death?”
Murong Huan naturally wouldn’t admit it. Admitting it would mean a complete fallout between the Murong Clan and the Feng Clan.
Murong Huan said, “I warned Yu Dongxuan to protect Yan’er well. I never intended to kill him. Zhang Ruochen, stop trying to sow discord between the Murong Clan and the Feng Clan.”
“You wash your hands cleanly, but will the gods of the Feng Clan believe it?”
Zhang Ruochen didn’t bother arguing with him over this matter and instead looked at Murong Tailai, saying, “Does Tailai Tian know the Blood Talisman Evil Emperor?”
“Of course I know his name. Great Elder Ruochen, what do you mean by this?” Murong Tailai said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “The Blood Talisman Evil Emperor appeared in the Soul Realm and was suppressed by us. He carried a divine talisman refined by the Bu Huo Ancestor. Can I consider him a cultivator under the Murong Clan?”
Murong Tailai’s gaze narrowed as he looked at Murong Huan.
Murong Huan glared at Zhang Ruochen and said, “Everyone knows that the Blood Talisman Evil Emperor hails from the Cha Realm and is an ancient giant. How could someone like him willingly submit to another? Zhang Ruochen, what malicious intent are you harboring?”
The Dragon Lord, who had known Murong Tailai for a long time, secretly transmitted the events of the Soul Realm to him.
Murong Tailai’s expression instantly turned grave, clearly realizing that this matter was no small thing. With one misstep, the entire Murong Clan could face annihilation.
The Dragon Lord said, “If Tailai Tian doesn’t believe it, you can go and verify it with the Truth Divine Temple’s Hall Master.”
The Dragon Lord’s words were undoubtedly telling Murong Tailai not to have any wishful thinking or thoughts of killing to silence others. If his and Zhang Ruochen’s weight wasn’t enough, the Truth Divine Temple’s Hall Master would step in. By then, there would be no room for turning back.
The divine movement talismans on Murong Huan’s back and chest flickered. His spiritual power burned, unleashing unparalleled speed as he fled.
“Still trying to escape?”
Zhang Ruochen activated the Earth Cauldron, shattering Murong Tailai’s divine aura suppression. Then, leaping through the starry sky, he quickly caught up to Murong Huan.
“Zhang Ruochen, even if Murong Huan has committed a grave crime, he should be dealt with by the Murong Clan’s family law or judged by the Heavenly Court’s heavenly laws.”
A Daoist hand, dozens of feet long, reached across the void and grabbed the Earth Cauldron, preventing Zhang Ruochen from attacking Murong Huan.
Zhang Ruochen watched Murong Huan fleeing farther and farther away, then looked at Murong Tailai and said, “Is Tailai Tian determined to shield Murong Huan?”
“The Murong Clan has stood proudly in the universe for millennia, never falling. It is respected by cultivators from countless great worlds. You have no right to judge a cultivator of the Murong Clan!” Murong Tailai’s voice boomed across the star domain, making every deity hear it clearly. He was extremely forceful.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes grew colder and colder, and he laughed: “Tailai Tian misunderstands. This is not a judgment; it’s a personal vendetta. Uncle Dragon, don’t let Murong Huan escape.”
Seeing the Dragon Lord chase after Murong Huan, Zhang Ruochen circulated his divine aura throughout his body, channeling it into the Earth Cauldron’s legs.
“Whoosh!”
The patterns on the Earth Cauldron flowed with divine light. The Primordial World burst forth, shattering Murong Tailai’s Daoist hand.
Zhang Ruochen lifted the Earth Cauldron by its leg, dragging it like a great world, and flew towards Murong Tailai, saying, “Let me experience the might of a Heavenly Venerable. Please enlighten me, Tailai Tian!”
In an instant, the Earth Cauldron had already smashed down fiercely.
As a Heavenly Venerable, Murong Tailai naturally couldn’t truly fight Zhang Ruochen. Even if he won, it would look terrible, and he would be ridiculed by countless people.
However, Zhang Ruochen’s aura was extremely strong. The power fluctuation unleashed by the Earth Cauldron was far beyond what an ordinary Great Unbound Infinite peak could compare to, forcing him to block.
Murong Tailai kept one hand behind his back, intending to let Zhang Ruochen have one hand to avoid gossip. He lightly extended his other palm, meeting the descending Earth Cauldron.
The Primordial World condensed by the Earth Cauldron was easily pierced by his hand.
But the moment his palm touched the cauldron’s body, his expression changed slightly. He felt a force that could shatter heaven and earth surging towards him.
“Boom!”
Divine light bloomed from Murong Tailai’s body. Countless rules and divine patterns burst out like a fountain, blocking Zhang Ruochen’s attack.
Zhang Ruochen’s heart sank. Were the Heavens really this strong?
In Zhang Ruochen’s view, with his recent rapid progress in both physical body and cultivation, he should be able to fight against a Heavenly Venerable who hadn’t reached the Indestructible Infinite realm.
But he had borrowed the might of the Earth Cauldron and struck with all his strength, yet it was easily blocked by someone standing still.
This naturally dealt a huge blow to his confidence.
What he didn’t know was that Murong Tailai’s shock was even greater.
Just now, Murong Tailai had intended to use only his physical strength to receive Zhang Ruochen’s Earth Cauldron, but was forced to release all his divine aura and rules and divine patterns, unleashing his full power. Even so, he was still smashed by the Earth Cauldron until his arm ached and his body swayed.
If he had reacted even a little slower, he would have been sent flying by the Earth Cauldron, losing all face.
“Again!”
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Flood Cauldron, holding one cauldron in each hand like two bronze war hammers, and smashed them alternately towards Murong Tailai.
Within eighteen zhang, Zhang Ruochen’s combat power was terrifying, as if he had an inexhaustible supply of strength.
Murong Tailai was troubled. He still kept one hand behind his back, but had already begun to condense divine abilities. One hand seal after another was struck out, clashing with the Earth Cauldron and the Flood Cauldron.
With each clash, his arm ached as if it were about to crack, and the muscles and bones of his physical body felt like they were about to shatter.
A physical body that could bear the Nine Cauldrons was certainly remarkable. But the deities gathered in this star domain thought it was only natural and didn’t find it impressive. Instead, they were all shocked by the combat power Zhang Ruochen had unleashed.
“Zhang Ruochen is actually challenging a Heavenly Venerable?”
“How dare you! You dare to directly call Great Elder Ruochen by name?”
The Divine King who had earlier tried to mediate between the Dragon Lord and Murong Huan exclaimed in amazement, “Great Elder Ruochen’s strength is truly formidable! He’s actually forced Tailai Tian to use his divine aura and rules and divine patterns, and even unleash divine abilities. I recall that a Ghost Emperor at the Great Unbound Infinite peak from the Hell Realm was once injured by Tailai Tian from across an entire star domain.”
“It’s different. Tailai Tian clearly hasn’t used his full strength. He’s only using one hand and defending passively. He obviously doesn’t want to bully the younger generation.”
…
As his divine aura circulated wildly, Zhang Ruochen absorbed the divine medicine from the Flood Cauldron he had drunk, along with the eighty-three thousand nine hundred and ninety sarira. These were rapidly being absorbed by his flesh and blood. The Shaoyang Divine Mountain was quickly evolving towards the perfection of the Five Elements Metal Path.
(End of this chapter)