Chapter 3834: Control and Command
The Mani Pearl could seal a cultivator's five senses and consciousness, while the consciousness of the black giant hand was newly born and extremely weak, making it perfectly suppressed.
It was precisely because its consciousness was so weak that, despite possessing the terrifying power to defeat Void Heaven, it could not break through the Second Confucian Ancestor's seal and could only slowly erode it with dark and eerie qi.
Void Heaven cautiously walked over.
He saw Zhang Ruochen using his finger as a brush and his own blood as ink, tracing various patterns on the black giant hand.
Void Heaven circled the black giant hand, using his spiritual power to probe, and soon discovered the truth.
"So that's it! Its consciousness is so weak. If I had attacked with spiritual power earlier, I could have definitely succeeded in one strike."
Void Heaven sighed inwardly, and gradually, his gaze grew fervent.
This was the palm of an Immortal, containing the Myriad Forms Formless Seal. How many mysteries were hidden within it?
The long-lived substances within, as well as the Myriad Forms Formless Seal, would absolutely be of interest to those at the Heavenly Venerable rank and Half-Ancestors.
Of course, "long-lived substances" was merely Void Heaven's speculation.
In any case, in Void Heaven's view, the preciousness of this palm was in no way inferior to the Heavenly Mechanism Brush, possessing a value for enlightenment that no other treasure in the world could replace.
It was a path leading to immortality.
However, this palm had been suppressed by Zhang Ruochen, and Zhang Ruochen was no longer the junior who could be easily manipulated. If he forcibly seized it, it would inevitably lead to incalculable consequences.
"Such strong dark fiendish aura, its corrosive power is astonishing, even impacting the divine soul. Unless one's cultivation reaches the Indestructible Infinite realm, both the divine soul and physical body would surely be unable to withstand it and would be corrupted."
Void Heaven muttered to himself, then walked to a spot not far from Zhang Ruochen and continued, "The Immortal is most likely not dead. Once this black hand appears in the world, it will surely be sensed by him, inviting a catastrophic slaughter. That's an Immortal we're talking about. Who could withstand that?"
Zhang Ruochen continued to carve patterns, as if he couldn't hear what Void Heaven was saying.
Void Heaven walked up beside Zhang Ruochen, and his palm touched the black giant hand. His expression changed drastically. "Not good, it's the power of Fate. Such strong misfortune, calamity and disaster coexist. Once tainted, it will surely lead to the destruction of one's family and implicate one's descendants."
"Senior Void Heaven, could you please stop cursing me?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Void Heaven's face showed worry, and he said seriously, "Zhang Ruochen, this black hand is an ominous object, containing great evil. With your cultivation, you cannot seal it. If it breaks free, a single strike will kill you. You can't keep its consciousness sealed all the time, can you? What if there's a lapse?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Isn't there no other choice? If I could refine it, I would have completely annihilated it by now."
"Your cultivation is indeed far from sufficient. If you trust me, let me try," Void Heaven said with unprecedented seriousness and sincerity.
Zhang Ruochen stared at Void Heaven for a long moment, then laughed. "It's not that I don't trust you, Senior Void Heaven, but even with your level of cultivation, I'm afraid you can't annihilate it either."
Back then, without using the Jade Emperor Cauldron, Heavenly Mother still needed ten thousand years to completely annihilate Qiangshake, whose cultivation had not yet recovered.
And when killing the Punishment Heavenly Venerable, after multiple top powerhouses joined forces to dismember him, it also took ten thousand years to completely refine him.
Although this black hand had a weak consciousness, it was different from those decayed corpses of Heavenly Venerables and Half-Ancestors. It contained terrifying power, capable of casually breaking Void Heaven's strongest sword strike.
Zhang Ruochen had already tried. Although the Mani Pearl could seal its consciousness, whenever he tried to annihilate it, the Myriad Forms Formless power would always erupt, making it impossible.
In this situation, wanting to refine this black giant hand, even if he asked Heavenly Mother to help, it would not be easy.
So, Zhang Ruochen changed his approach, using his own blood to draw the Military Dao Nether Curse from the "Nether Soldier Scroll" on the black giant hand. This was a method for refining divine armies.
When Seal Snow Heaven had refined the Snow Domain Star Sea Divine Army, she used the Military Dao Nether Curse to control even Half-Ancestor corpses and Ancestor corpses.
At the same time, Zhang Ruochen struck out the Taiji Four Symbols Diagram Seal, sending it into the black giant hand's interior, using the secret techniques from the Soul-Controlling Clan's "Soul-Controlling Divine Classic" to control the newly born consciousness of the black giant hand.
This time, the Myriad Forms Formless power did not erupt.
Zhang Ruochen speculated that the newly born consciousness did not have the ability to control the black giant hand. Whether it was the earlier palm strike that defeated Void Heaven or its resistance against Zhang Ruochen's refinement, both were passive defenses of the Myriad Forms Formless power.
As long as he didn't try to kill it, this passive defense would not be triggered.
Void Heaven saw through Zhang Ruochen's intention and said, "Kid, you're playing with fire! You want to control an Immortal's hand? Can you handle such immense power? Aren't you afraid the Immortal will come looking for you?"
Zhang Ruochen remained very calm and retorted, "If the Immortal is truly still alive, even if I do nothing, he will still come for me. The power contained in this black hand is, at the very least, extremely important to me at this stage."
After Zhang Ruochen finished drawing all the curse patterns, he used the Military Dao Nether Curse to control it.
The black giant hand flew up, turning into a shadow, and slammed down toward Void Heaven.
Void Heaven's expression changed drastically, and he immediately activated his sword formation.
"Boom!"
The black giant hand collided with the sword formation, freezing in midair, unable to harm Void Heaven in the slightest.
Void Heaven let out a long breath and shouted, "Zhang Ruochen, have you lost your mind?"
Zhang Ruochen frowned, showing an apologetic smile, and said, "I just wanted to test its power. Please bear with me, Senior Void Heaven. The newly born consciousness of this black hand is too weak. Even when controlled, the power I can mobilize is quite limited. I need to think of a way."
Forcing the black hand into a passive counterattack every time was too unpredictable!
If Zhang Ruochen needed to use the black giant hand to face an enemy, that enemy would inevitably be at the Indestructible Infinite realm. Any slight mistake would lead to utter ruin.
Void Heaven said, "Hand it over to me. I'll trade you the Universe Cauldron for it."
Since it was unusable, Void Heaven had no use for it either.
Moreover, Void Heaven was well aware that he was currently under Zhang Ruochen's control, and getting the Universe Cauldron back would be as difficult as reaching the heavens.
"Isn't the Universe Cauldron meant to be exchanged for the Sword Source?" Zhang Ruochen said with a straight face.
Void Heaven said, "The Seven Star Divine Sword is what's for exchange."
"The Seven Star Divine Sword was borrowed from me by you, Senior," Zhang Ruochen said.
Void Heaven said angrily, "The Universe Cauldron was also borrowed by you."
Zhang Ruochen clapped his hands and said, "Let's get this straight. The Universe Cauldron is for the Seven Star Divine Sword. If you, Senior, return the divine sword, I will certainly return the cauldron."
Void Heaven's own divine sword had not yet been successfully forged. In the current situation, the Seven Star Divine Sword was of great use to him. How could he exchange it for the Universe Cauldron?
What use was the Universe Cauldron, no matter how famous it was?
Void Heaven was very tempted to use the Ming Emperor, his last trump card to control Zhang Ruochen, but doing so would undoubtedly be tearing apart their relationship.
Given Zhang Ruochen's current strength and the power behind him, making an enemy of him was by no means a wise move.
Void Heaven stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen, finally realizing that the junior from before had grown to a point where he could contend with him. Even if they weren't equals, the gap was no longer significant.
Void Heaven let out a long sigh. "Fine! But you'd better be careful. You're in the Ten Thousand Beasts World right now. If you use this black hand outside, it might be sensed by the Immortal."
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior."
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "I might know where the Immortal's remnant body is."
"What do you mean?" Void Heaven said.
Then, Zhang Ruochen recounted the matters concerning Sword Soul Marsh, the Sword Source, and Luo Tuoluo.
There was no longer any need to hide it. Since the Sword God Temple had been taken over by the dark and eerie envoy, the situation there must have worsened. It had to be resolved quickly, or it would endanger the Sword Realm.
The threat Luo Tuoluo posed to the Shura Clan and the Hell Realm also had to be explained to Void Heaven.
Thus, through Void Heaven, he could inform the Heavenly Venerables of the Hell Realm that Luo Tuoluo was not merely a returning ancient powerhouse but that behind her lay a terrifying, world-destroying horror.
Indeed, after hearing Zhang Ruochen's account, Void Heaven's expression became uncertain. "I never expected Luo Tuoluo to be connected to the Immortal. This threat is too great. It seems that before going to the Sword God Temple, she must be eliminated first."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Senior Void Heaven still intends to go to the Sword God Temple?"
"What is there to fear? If I don't go to the Sword God Temple, how can I break through my realm? If I don't break through, am I to just wait for death?" Void Heaven retorted with reason.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Senior Void Heaven trusts me that much? Aren't you afraid I'm using you?"
Void Heaven chuckled. "Now that you mention it, I remember. You kid are not very honest; your words may not all be true. Didn't you seize the Divine Source of Elephant Dharma Heaven? Hand it over. Let me search his soul too."
Zhang Ruochen handed over Elephant Dharma Heaven's Divine Source and then left the Ten Thousand Beasts World.
Void Heaven needed to contact the Heavenly Venerables of the Hell Realm to deal with Luo Tuoluo and attack the Sword God Temple. He needed sufficient evidence, and Elephant Dharma Heaven's Divine Source was indispensable.
Void Heaven held the Divine Source, searching the soul, and his expression gradually grew serious.
The Immortal, Sword Soul Marsh... This threat was even greater than that of Baal, Qishier Pin Lian, and the others. Once it emerged into the world, it would be like the arrival of a Calamity of Quantities, turning everything upside down.
In the following time, Void Heaven went into seclusion to refine the Heavenly Mechanism Brush.
In his view, the Heavenly Mechanism Brush could definitely restrain the Immortal. It was a crucial war artifact for attacking the Sword God Temple.
Zhang Ruochen also chose to go into seclusion, continuing to study the black giant hand, contemplating both how to use it and how to conceal its heavenly mechanism aura.
By the time Zhang Ruochen emerged from seclusion, three months had passed.
Within the clan mansion of the Undying Blood Clan, pavilions and towers stood in rows, divine temples connected one after another, and divine mountains rose high, covered with Eternal Blood Trees. A blood-red waterfall cascaded down the cliff, gathering into a lake below.
Chi Kongle was practicing swordsmanship by the blood lake. Seeing Zhang Ruochen emerge from the divine mountain, she immediately sheathed her sword and went to meet him. "Father, you've finally come out of seclusion! Aunt Bai said that a cultivator from the Kunlun Realm secretly infiltrated the Undying Divine City and contacted the Goddess Twelve Pavilions, wanting to discuss important matters with you."
"Lord Ice King also came to see you, Father, probably about the Shura Clan."
"And that Heavenly Venerable from the Yama Clan sent an avatar to the clan mansion, wanting to meet with you face to face..."
...
Chi Kongle had been guarding the entrance to Zhang Ruochen's seclusion site, turning away all cultivators.
These three months, the outside world must have been in turmoil. Who knew how many major events had occurred? Zhang Ruochen remained very calm. "You've worked hard. Go and get some rest. I'll handle these matters one by one."
"It's no trouble! I am a deity and am willing to share your burdens, Father," Chi Kongle said.
Zhang Ruochen was very gratified. "By the way, has your Aunt Ji returned?"