Chapter 3736: The Grand Divine Feast

A large number of Kunlun Realm cultivators arrived at the Time Divine Temple together with the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden. They were all top-tier prodigies with immense potential, having undergone rigorous selection. Some could cultivate within the Sundial, while others could seclude themselves in the special time environment of the temple.

Half of them were acquaintances of Zhang Ruochen, or had some connection to him.

Zhang Ruochen had seized the Time Divine Temple and invited Kunlun Realm cultivators to enter and receive his full support in cultivation—this was only natural.

Just as Murong Huan, after becoming the Temple Master of the Time Divine Temple, had heavily installed Murong Clan cultivators and tilted resources toward the Murong family.

Cultivators from other major worlds could only envy.

They could either pledge allegiance, engage in barter exchanges, or seize power through strength.

Not everyone was as selfless as the Truth Temple Master, who could share the resources of the Truth Divine Temple without reservation. Even so, the best resources of the Truth Divine Temple were still controlled by the powerful worlds.

Absolute fairness did not exist anywhere.

That day, Zhang Ruochen produced many rare ingredients and instructed the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden to prepare a divine feast. He also appeared in person to host the group of Kunlun Realm cultivators.

Many of these ingredients were unheard of even among gods. Some could enhance cultivation, some could boost spiritual power, and others could strengthen the physical body.

Zhang Ruochen did this deliberately—to send a message to the outside world: those who befriended him could obtain everything they desired. Those who opposed him—the fates of Xie Tianyi, Yan Wuque, Murong Huan, Yu Dongxuan, Fengxian Cult Leader, and Xun Yangzi—were the best examples.

Under the night sky, voices rose in lively chatter and laughter.

"We thank the Grand Elder Ruochen for this feast!"

Luo Xu was the first to stand, raising his bronze wine cup.

Following him, Xue Wuye, Chen Wutian, Han Qiu, Murong Yue, Lidi Heshang, Shi Ren, Hanxue, Zhang Hongchen, Zhang Yuyan, Pei Yutian, Xue Lingxian, Luo Shuihan, Ling Feiyu, and over a hundred other cultivators all rose together, raising their cups.

The Dragon Lord, seated at the head, suddenly stood as well, raising his cup. "Let us all toast the Grand Elder Ruochen!"

Qiangu Nüdi, Shenba Princess, Chi Yao, Xuanji Sword God, and others also rose with smiles.

Among the many cultivators present, most had stepped into the Divine Realm. Some were spirited and vigorous, some radiated soaring ambition, some were as beautiful as celestial maidens, and some were as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.

Each of them brimmed with youthful vitality, their eyes filled with anticipation for the future. They embodied the spirit of Kunlun Realm climbing out of darkness and welcoming dawn and sunlight.

Zhang Ruochen rose with a smile, raising his cup above his head, and declared in a loud voice: "Today, I hold this divine feast to tell the Heavenly Court and all realms: Kunlun Realm has risen again! Kunlun Realm has returned! We have emerged from the most painful and darkest valley. We strive unceasingly to strengthen ourselves and are invincible. From now on, no one may look down on us!"

"Strive unceasingly to strengthen ourselves, invincible!"

...

Divine voices spread from this garden, echoing throughout the Time Divine Temple.

Every cultivator was deeply moved.

They had experienced the Kunlun Realm Merit Battlefield, suffered humiliation and plunder at the hands of the powerful worlds of the Heavenly Court, and been slaughtered by cultivators from the Hell Realm. There was too much bitterness and bloodshed in that.

In that darkest era, only Chi Yao, a new god, had held up the situation in Kunlun Realm.

It was not until the Dragon Lord stopped hiding, made a surprise incursion into the Hell Realm, and rescued the Supreme One that the precarious and desperate situation began to improve.

Now, not only were the Dragon Lord and the Supreme One present, but Qiangu Nüdi and Fangcun Dashi had also returned, Shenba Princess and Chi Xingtian had been rescued, Jie Zunzhe had sealed the heavens, and Zhang Ruochen possessed strength rivaling the Twenty Heavens. The older generation had pillars holding up the sky, and the new generation of prodigies was rising together—a prosperous era was arriving.

Kunlun Realm no longer needed to fear any major world!

Once the Supreme One's spiritual power recovered, Kunlun Realm would become the strongest major world.

The eight words "strive unceasingly to strengthen ourselves, invincible" touched many cultivators. Some wept silently, some were so excited their blood boiled, and some, thinking of close friends and family who had died tragically in those days, broke down in sobs.

"Father, if you could see this day, you would surely be moved to tears too! I really wish you were here today," Wan Huayu murmured, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Luo Xu poured a cup of wine onto the ground and sighed. "Siyuan, this toast is for you! Isn't the splendor of Kunlun Realm today exactly the painting you always wanted to create?"

...

Zhang Ruochen summoned the Earth Cauldron. Its massive body hovered above the garden, manifesting a corner of the primordial world.

"Don't dwell on sorrow—let the past be the past. The future holds even more promise. I bestow divine pills—everyone gets one today!"

Pills flew out from the cauldron, each radiating dazzling divine light like stars.

The Kunlun Realm cultivators' nostalgic emotions were soon dispelled. They flew into that corner of the primordial world, seizing divine pills that matched their own Dao.

The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden stood behind Zhang Ruochen without moving. They had already received the Nine Radiance Divine Pills and were in the process of refining and absorbing them. Gazing at Zhang Ruochen's towering and heroic back, they all showed expressions of admiration and reverence.

This was a true towering hero, a man with the bold and generous spirit befitting a male.

Revered by all gods, magnanimous and selfless.

Zhang Ruochen had slain countless top-tier gods. Within their space treasures and divine realm worlds were vast amounts of top-tier resources. Refining them with the Earth Cauldron made it easy to produce divine pills.

Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on Zhang Yuyan. "Yan'er, everyone is taking pills. Why aren't you going?"

Zhang Yuyan was extremely reserved, gentle and refined. She performed a Confucian salute to Zhang Ruochen and said softly, "Reporting to Father God, Yan'er does not lack these. Just being able to see Father God makes me extremely happy!"

Facing his youngest daughter, all the pain in Zhang Ruochen's heart seemed to heal. A gentle smile appeared on his face. "Cultivate well with your master. Don't worry too much about the strength of your spiritual power. Your father will surely protect you for life."

Within the Time Divine Temple, many cultivators were gazing into that garden from afar, their hearts filled with envy.

"This is the benefit of being born into a powerful world. The cultivation resources we can only dream of and the opportunities we must risk our lives for—they obtain them effortlessly."

"But not every powerful world is like this. The key is whether the top figures are willing to spend time and sacrifice their own resources and wealth. A figure like Grand Elder Ruochen is unique in the entire Heavenly Court Universe."

"If I had been born in Kunlun Realm..."

"If you had been born in Kunlun Realm, you would most likely have died during the Merit Battlefield back then!"

...

The momentum generated by this divine feast quickly spread throughout the Heavenly Court.

Upon learning of it, Jie Tian arrived at the Time Divine Temple in person to further elevate Kunlun Realm's prestige.

"Zhang Ruochen, I just found out you obtained the shell of the True Ancestor Black Tortoise—an absolute top-tier defensive treasure. You know, I'm very vulnerable..." Jie Tian said.

Zhang Ruochen replied, "How many treasures have you inherited from the Zhang Clan? As an ancestor, do you have the face to beg for things from your own descendant?"

"Everyone gets something—why not me?"

Jie Tian was unabashed and continued, "Have you forgotten? When Murong Tailai had you pinned to the ground and beaten, who rushed over from the Heavenly Court to save you? No gratitude."

Zhang Ruochen turned a deaf ear. The truth was that Jie Tian couldn't hold onto wealth—he had even given away the Jade Emperor Cauldron and his own divine blood to the Moon God.

Although Zhang Ruochen was also a scatterer of wealth, he scattered his own.

"I won't take it for nothing!"

Jie Tian secretly pulled out a pill and stuffed it into Zhang Ruochen's hand, lowering his voice. "A top-grade pill just refined—the only one of its kind. Even a Dao Supreme in alchemy might not be able to refine it. Just a shell—you're getting the better deal!"

Zhang Ruochen didn't dare accept Jie Zunzhe's pill and tried to return it.

Qiangu Nüdi's voice came over: "Jie Tian, Grand Elder Ruochen, what are you doing here? An uninvited guest has arrived up front."

Zhang Ruochen didn't know why, but he felt a bit guilty. He quickly hid the hand holding the pill behind his back and looked at Qiangu Nüdi and Hanxue approaching. "I was just discussing important matters with Jie Tian!"

Jie Tian immediately resumed the appearance of a peerless master, immortal-like and elegant, stroking his beard with a smile. "Yes, Ruochen previously entrusted all matters of marriage alliances to me. Not long ago, the Thousand Star Divine Ancestor and the Five Dragon Divine Emperor came to see me specially. The wedding can't be delayed any longer! Any more delay, and I'll lose credibility."

Qiangu Nüdi said, "This is a good thing. Grand Elder Ruochen has offended too many forces and needs to use this opportunity to unite some allies. No matter how strong Kunlun Realm is, it cannot fight alone."

"Exactly. My Zhang Clan's ancestral family now has a young ancestral prodigy again. Naturally, countless major worlds and forces want to attach themselves. Not just the Thousand Star Civilization and the Heavenly Dragon Realm—the Fox Clan of the Demon God Realm, the Yuan Realm, the Imperial Dao Great World, the True Martial Realm, the Beginning Realm... dozens of powerful worlds and ancient civilizations have come to see me," Jie Tian said.

Zhang Ruochen's expression darkened. "Did you accept gifts from all of them?"

"How could that be? Entering the ancestral family's gate isn't that easy! Besides, it still needs your approval. Take the two heavenly proud daughters from the Thousand Star Civilization and the Heavenly Dragon Realm—you agreed to those," Jie Tian said.

Zhang Ruochen knew Jie Tian must have taken benefits again and was pressuring him. "Rest assured, I will keep the promises I've made. Hanxue, go meet Liu Qingyu on your master's behalf!"

"Me?"

Hanxue was puzzled.

Liu Qingyu was the Third Elder of the Space Divine Temple and the direct disciple of the Space Divine Temple Master. Previously, Zhang Ruochen had ordered her to imprison herself in the divine prison.

The uninvited guest Qiangu Nüdi had mentioned was her.

Zhang Ruochen said, "Of course, it's you. That Temple Master sent a disciple here. If I receive her in person, wouldn't that make me seem weaker?"

"Disciple understands! But how should I handle it?" Hanxue asked.

Zhang Ruochen said, "That's for you to figure out. You're already capable of standing on your own."

After Hanxue left, Qiangu Nüdi said, "After that Temple Master emerged from seclusion, he released all the cultivators you had ordered imprisoned in the divine prison. It seems he intends to set things right."

"You had Quanzhongsheng and Dai Xue Queen replace Liu Qingyu and Xiahou Jie as elders of the Space Divine Temple. But now, with Liu Qingyu and Xiahou Jie released from the divine prison, the two have returned to their elder positions."

"Quanzhongsheng and Dai Xue Queen, who are still in the Space Divine Temple, are likely in a very difficult position. I'm worried that Temple Master will send them back to the Paradise Realm for trial, to undermine the momentum you've built up recently."

Zhang Ruochen said, "Wouldn't that be even better? I'm just looking for a reason to make a move."

(End of chapter)