Chapter 3835: Ordering a Flower
Six snow deer pulled a luxurious carriage as it sped along a hundred-zhang-wide street, passing through space teleportation arrays at three consecutive crossroads before finally arriving at the city district where the Divine Maiden Tower was located.
The Goddess Twelve Pavilions, with its one hundred and eighty towers, had branches spread across both the Heavenly Court and Hell Realms.
After White Queen's death, the Goddess Twelve Pavilions had been taken over by Zhang Ruochen and Bai Qinger. Over ten thousand years of development, its strength had increased by more than tenfold compared to before.
Even though chaos reigned across the world, with gods in conflict and endless slaughter, the Divine Maiden Tower flourished more than ever.
Zhang Ruochen sat inside the carriage, his mind spreading outward, sensing the changes in heavenly mechanisms within the formless void of time and space.
So much time had passed, yet Ji Fanxin had not arrived at Undying Divine City to rendezvous with him. How could Zhang Ruochen not feel worried? However, if something truly had happened, Zhang Ruochen would have sensed some omen of fortune or misfortune; his mind would not be completely undisturbed.
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his thoughts and muttered to himself, "Could something have gone wrong? With that piece of jade leaf given by Grandmaster, nothing should happen. Besides, given Fanxin's spiritual power, capturing her silently would be no easy task. If something truly had occurred, Void Heaven and Heavenly Mother would surely know."
Zhang Ruochen felt somewhat reassured.
The Divine Maiden Tower in Undying Divine City was built atop a seven-thousand-meter-tall divine mountain. The mountain was majestic, brightly lit, with hundred-zhang waterfalls and blood-colored sacred trees visible everywhere.
On various suspended platforms, singing and dancing filled the air, string instruments played, red makeup adorned beauties, and colorful garments concealed charm and allure.
As Zhang Ruochen entered the divine mountain, he saw the Nether Flower Workshop Master Yu Qiancheng.
"Greetings, Master!"
Yu Qiancheng wore a sexy black lace dress, her figure slightly full, with snow-white skin faintly visible beneath the skirt. Her long, straight legs stood beneath a long-life blood tree hung with spiritual lanterns as she respectfully bowed to Zhang Ruochen.
She used the zhu as her instrument, cultivating through music, and had once studied music theory under Zhang Ruochen as his disciple.
However, at that time, she did not know that her teacher was Zhang Ruochen.
This serendipitous opportunity had directly propelled her to the position of deputy city lord of the Divine Maiden City of the World, bringing her endless benefits.
Zhang Ruochen concealed his aura and changed his appearance, taking on the form of the old man he had been when Yu Qiancheng first became his disciple.
He said, "Qiancheng, you have been too deeply involved in worldly affairs, neglecting your cultivation. At your current level of an upper-level god, I fear it will be difficult to hold onto the position of deputy city lord."
In the past, Yu Qiancheng would have boldly thrown herself into Zhang Ruochen's arms, using her seductive charm or pretending to be pitiful, doing whatever it took to keep her deputy city lord authority.
With authority came more cultivation resources.
But now, Zhang Ruochen's reputation was so formidable that he could even slay heavenly lords. In Yu Qiancheng's eyes, this master was no different from the cosmic titans who had cultivated for millions of years. How could she still dare to act so recklessly?
Yu Qiancheng, filled with fear and trepidation, said, "Your disciple will immediately resign from the deputy city lord position to the Divine Lord Bai and focus on cultivation, so as not to tarnish Master's reputation."
"Without reaching the great god realm, you can live at most two eons. In the way of music, I am far inferior to you, so I can teach you little. But since I agreed to take you as a disciple back then, I must fulfill my responsibilities as a master. Take this divine pill; use it when you attempt to break through to the great god realm in the future."
Zhang Ruochen selected a divine pill from the pill realm that was most suitable for her. The pill's energy was dense, containing countless insights and knowledge of great gods.
"Thank you for the generous gift, Master."
Yu Qiancheng was overwhelmed by the favor, her beautiful eyes shimmering, her heart stirred with emotion.
Given the height at which her master now stood, she still held a place in his heart.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Lead the way."
Yu Qiancheng exuded the faint fragrance of nether flowers, her waist slender and hips full, as she walked ahead, passing through dark paths and cliffside suspension bridges, heading toward the summit of the divine mountain.
The Divine Maiden Tower was filled with a diverse array of cultivators. Zhang Ruochen's ears and eyes were sharp, and voices came from all directions.
"Have you heard? The Corpse Ancestor has returned, sweeping away countless ancient powerhouses hiding in the Santu River. All the corpse clan gods have gone to pay homage!"
"Isn't the Corpse Ancestor also an ancient powerhouse?"
"What do you know? Although the current heavenly lords have no fondness for ancient powerhouses and are wary of them, whether they are regarded as enemies depends on their actions. How ruthless was Imperial Dust toward the Quantity Organization and ancient powerhouses? Yet he still took the Elf First Queen as his imperial consort. As for Xuan Yuan Second of the Xuan Yuan family, even the Heavenly Venerable of the Heavenly Court has acknowledged him."
"Take Blood Absolute Half-Ancestor, for example. After seizing a body and returning, his first act was to devour the clansmen of the Blood Heaven Tribe. Naturally, he could not be allowed to live. But when the Corpse Ancestor returned, his first act was to cleanse the Santu River and stabilize the chaos among the corpse clan after the death of the Three Evil Lords. How could the gods of the Hell Realm not revere him?"
...
"The Heavenly Court universe is also not peaceful. Something earth-shattering has happened."
"Are you talking about the Battle of Nuwa Palace?"
"Is there anything bigger than that? There is confirmed news that the Heavenly Lord of the Wind Clan fell in that battle!"
"Truly, this is an era of chaos unseen in ten thousand eons. Even heavenly lords are meeting with calamity one after another, and it's hard for even half of the god kings and god venerables to meet a good end."
...
Along the way, Zhang Ruochen heard many shocking pieces of news and then sought confirmation from Yu Qiancheng.
The information from the Goddess Twelve Pavilions was more accurate than these idle chats, free from hearsay.
Yu Qiancheng said, "The Corpse Ancestor has indeed emerged and has even crossed blows with the Yellow Spring Great Emperor on the Santu River. Now, the corpse clan gods have all rallied behind him, and even some gods from the ghost clan and bone clan have gone to pay their respects. His methods are far more sophisticated than those of the Shura Divine Temple's master!"
With the emergence of the twelve ancient clans and the Yellow Spring Great Emperor returning from the Abyss of Darkness to the upper realm, Zhang Ruochen was not surprised.
However, for the ghost clan, which lacked the leadership of Fengdu Dadi, the Yellow Spring Great Emperor posed a tremendous threat, making the Santu River extremely unstable.
Yet the heavenly lords of the Hell Realm had to both guard the Starry Sky Defense Line and contend with the twelve ancient clans. To restrain the Yellow Spring Great Emperor, they could only rely on the Corpse Ancestor.
Zhang Ruochen speculated that, at this stage, the Hell Realm would likely try to win over the Corpse Ancestor.
Yu Qiancheng continued, "The Heavenly Lord of the Wind Clan has likely truly fallen. The divine throne planet outside the Pangu Realm has gone dark, and the Pangu Ancient God's battle axe split the sky. It is clear that the one who attacked Nuwa Palace must be one of the few taboo figures in the universe. Who exactly it is, the Goddess Twelve Pavilions cannot determine; only the highest-level gods of the Heavenly Court know."
They were still three palace complexes away from the summit of the divine mountain.
Zhang Ruochen stopped beside a hundred-zhang-wide waterfall, staring at the opposite bank of the rushing water. He saw five women in white Daoist robes, led by a middle-aged woman at the Great Saint level, heading toward a palace complex.
The sound of water roared, and mist rose.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze, through the water mist, fixed on the woman walking at the very back. She was hazy and graceful, ethereal like an immortal.
Yu Qiancheng also looked over and smiled. "These five are indeed of the highest quality, sent over from the Heavenly Court universe. Master should know that the more chaotic the times, the more female cultivators are sold to the Goddess Twelve Pavilions. Their fates are all unfortunate. With the reputation of Master and Divine Lord Bai, for many cultivators, the Goddess Twelve Pavilions is a natural safe haven. Most of them come here willingly."
"Every divine war can cause hundreds of sects to decline, dynasties to rise and fall, clans to be destroyed, planets to lose their vitality, and without the protection of their mother realm's gods, their lives are as insignificant as grass. To end up in the Goddess Twelve Pavilions, their fate is already considered good."
Zhang Ruochen pointed at the woman walking last among the five Daoist-robed women. "What is her name?"
To be considered of the highest quality, her cultivation was naturally extraordinary. That Daoist-robed woman had reached the Great Saint level and had already caught Yu Qiancheng's attention.
Yu Qiancheng said, "Her name is Qing Wan. She was born on the Twilight Realm of the Heavenly Court universe. After Time Divine Temple's Hall Master Murong Huan was brought down by Master, the Twilight Realm, which had been attached to Murong Huan, was carved up by several neighboring major realms. Qing Wan was originally a princess of the Dawn Twilight Empire on the Twilight Realm. After the empire fell, she was hunted by countless enemies and, after many twists and turns, fled to the Goddess Twelve Pavilions seeking refuge."
"Master's eye is truly remarkable. Qing Wan was already known as the number one beauty on the Twilight Realm. Now that she has come to Undying Divine City, she outshines all others. She cultivates the Dao herself, with an ethereal temperament. Several Undying Blood Clan gods have taken a liking to her. But to marry a famous flower cultivated by the Goddess Twelve Pavilions—how could it be that easy? Her talent in cultivation is extremely high; I have been grooming her to become a god."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Tonight, I want to order a flower. I choose her."
Yu Qiancheng was stunned, thinking she had misheard.
Divine Lord Bai was right here in the Goddess Twelve Pavilions. How could Master be ordering a flower?
Even if Qing Wan was beautiful, could she compare to Divine Lord Bai?
Besides, Yu Qiancheng was confident in her own beauty. Could it be that she did not move Master's heart? If Master ordered her, she would be absolutely willing.
"What? Can't I order one?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Yu Qiancheng composed herself, feeling a hint of jealousy, and said, "I will go discuss it with her..."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's gaze gradually sharpen, Yu Qiancheng realized there was no room for negotiation. She added, "Your disciple guarantees that she will be sent to Master's room tonight."
The Daoist-robed woman named Qing Wan seemed to sense something and turned around, seeing Zhang Ruochen and Yu Qiancheng standing on the opposite bank of the waterfall.
A bad premonition arose in her heart. "Could I have been discovered? No, even the Undying Blood Clan's god king could not see through my transformation. How could they?"
Zhang Ruochen arrived at a seven-story lantern tower near the summit of the divine mountain, where he met A Le, who had been waiting there for some time.
Meanwhile, Qing Wan entered a secluded, quiet courtyard on the southern side of the divine mountain.
This was also part of the Divine Maiden Tower's territory, but the environment was different, catering to the needs of various cultivators.
She looked around to make sure no one was following her.
A deep voice sounded from within the bamboo courtyard: "What are you worried about? With this Emperor here, all heavenly mechanisms are isolated. Not even Xia Huangchao of the Undying Divine Temple, nor the Undying War God if he emerges from seclusion, can detect anything amiss."
Qing Wan said, "On the way here, I felt like I was being watched."
"Oh? By whom?"
Qing Wan said, "The deputy city lord of the Divine Maiden City of the World, and an old man. That old man's cultivation has reached the great god level, but he is quite unfamiliar. I don't know his background."
"A mere great god, insignificant."
The deep voice in the courtyard said calmly, "Zhang Ruochen has not shown himself; he must be conspiring with Xu Fengjin against Luo Tongluo. Heavenly Mother might even come. We cannot wait any longer. Capture Bai Qinger first, and act tonight. Hmph, the deputy city lord you mentioned is coming. Handle her carefully and don't make any mistakes. This Emperor is severely injured and would rather not act unless necessary."
Qing Wan looked toward the rustling bamboo leaves and saw Yu Qiancheng approaching with a smile on her face, her posture graceful.