Chapter 3842: The Fallen Yan Huangtu
Divine Maiden Tower.
Zhang Ruochen pushed open the door and glanced at Yan Huangtu, who was lying in a pool of wine. Frowning, he asked, "How long has he been in the Divine Maiden Tower?"
"Seventeen years," Yu Qiancheng replied.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Like this the whole time?"
"Always like this. Every day, drunk and lost in a stupor, but he spends lavishly. His reputation in this Divine Maiden Tower is even greater than mine. Moreover, he doesn't seem to care about the negative impact at all—he hasn't even hidden his identity."
Yu Qiancheng added, "He's spent considerable time in other Divine Maiden Towers as well. This proud son of the Yama Clan seems to be finished. I wonder what psychological blow he suffered."
Yan Huangtu possessed the Imperial Dao Divine Bone and was a direct descendant of the Yan Clan of the Outer Heaven. By all logic, as long as he didn't die young and continued to strive forward, he would have had a chance to inherit the position of clan leader in the future.
But at this moment, he was bare-chested, his long hair disheveled, slumped limply on the jade steps of the wine pool, unconscious from drunkenness.
"Is the wine in the Divine Maiden Tower so strong that it can get a Lower Deity this drunk?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
He sat down on a dark wooden soft chair beside the three-zhang-long wine pool. On a low couch nearby were placed fine wines, exotic divine fruits, and a beast-patterned incense cauldron.
Yu Qiancheng smiled and said, "The wine is indeed strong, but whether it can intoxicate a deity depends on whether the deity wants to be intoxicated."
"Drag him up and wake him up," Zhang Ruochen said.
Under normal circumstances, even though Yu Qiancheng was an Upper Deity, she wouldn't dare offend Yan Huangtu.
But since her master had given the order, there was nothing to hesitate about.
"Splash!"
Two strands of Nether Qi flew from Yu Qiancheng's sleeve, like vines, dragging Yan Huangtu out of the wine pool.
Lying on his back on the ground, Yan Huangtu had a full beard and a bloated belly, completely lacking the robust muscle lines he once had.
"Slap! Slap!"
Yu Qiancheng struck him twice from a distance, not holding back, leaving his face red and swollen.
"Who? Who dares strike this deity..."
Yan Huangtu suddenly opened his eyes wide, releasing Imperial Dao Divine Qi with thunderous roars.
But such might could not spread beyond a single zhang. Yan Huangtu's gaze gradually cleared from its blurriness, and he saw the heroic figure sitting by the wine pool. Then, staggering to his feet, he said, "Zhang Ruochen, long time no see! Hitting me again... Hmph, you're tough... I won't fight you, but you'd better not fucking meddle in my affairs..."
Yan Huangtu growled the last sentence, then leaned forward and fell into the wine pool.
With a splash, he sent up a large wave.
"It seems he's still not awake," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yu Qiancheng understood his meaning. With a flick of her sleeve, divine Qi surged out, lifting Yan Huangtu from the wine pool and slamming him heavily against the wall behind Zhang Ruochen with a dull thud.
That wall had long been covered with divine light, as hard as divine iron.
Yu Qiancheng walked toward Yan Huangtu, who was lying like a dead dog at the base of the wall. She put on a pair of black metal fist gloves, rolled up her scented sleeves, and streams of Nether Light flowed along her arms.
Yan Huangtu, face down, raised one hand and said, "No need, I'm awake, completely awake!"
He turned over, leaned against the wall to sit up, and said, "Give me my clothes."
Yu Qiancheng threw him the talisman-woven divine robe that was draped over a folding screen.
Yan Huangtu didn't rush to put it on. Staring at Zhang Ruochen, he said, "You're quite impressive now, truly worthy of being the Imperial Dust who can slay the Heavens. But have you ever taken care of Zhexian and Ying'er? I don't admire you at all!"
"Father!"
Chi Kongle and Yan Ying'er walked in from outside.
Seeing Yan Huangtu sitting on the ground, disheveled and filthy, Yan Ying'er was secretly shocked. "Fifth Grandfather, what happened to you?"
Yan Huangtu immediately put on the divine robe and looked at Zhang Ruochen with confusion.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Ren Huan Heavenly Venerable sent Ying'er to Baicang Star to cultivate, and she's staying with me for now. Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Yan Huangtu was now fully awake, a coldness in his eyes. "The affairs of the Yama Clan are none of your business, an outsider."
"So it really is something with the Yama Clan," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Huangtu said, "Zhang Ruochen, you'd better not be too clever. Although you now have the strength to battle the Heavens, there are still many in this world stronger than you. Since the Heavenly Venerable sent Ying'er to your side, take good care of her from now on. Whether you keep her in the Undying Blood Clan or take her to the Sword Realm, just don't let her return to the Yama Clan!"
Yan Ying'er had lost her usual optimism and cheerfulness, looking worried. "Fifth Grandfather, what exactly happened? Where have you been all these years? Tell Father—he can help you."
"Haha!"
Yan Huangtu laughed uproariously. "The Yama Clan is the Supreme Clan. Outsiders have no right to interfere."
Zhang Ruochen noticed that when he said "Supreme Clan," there was a hint of sarcasm in his eyes, unlike before when he was always proud of his status as a member of the Supreme Clan.
Zhang Ruochen stood up. "Let's go. He's already a waste—no need to bother with him. We'll go to the Yama Outer Heaven ourselves and find the answers."
"You're going to the Yama Outer Heaven?" Yan Huangtu asked.
Zhang Ruochen walked to the door, then turned back. "After all, Zhexian and I share a karmic connection, so naturally, I must go."
Yan Huangtu stared intently at Zhang Ruochen, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something.
Outside the door.
Zhang Ruochen didn't leave immediately. Instead, he stood by the misty lake, looking up at the World Tree in the starry sky, as if waiting for something.
"Ying'er, stay in Undying Divine City and wait for news from the Shura Clan. Kongle, you'll come with me to the Yama Clan. Do you dare?"
Chi Kongle said, "As long as I'm by Father's side, I fear no place."
Yan Ying'er said, "Why? The Yama Clan is my home—I should be the one accompanying Father. Sister Kongle, you stay in Undying Divine City—let's switch!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "My decision is final. Ying'er, the Corpse Burier's time is running out. You must stay and train under him."
Yan Ying'er said, "It's clearly because this trip to the Yama Clan is dangerous, and you don't want me to go."
"If it were truly that dangerous, I wouldn't let Kongle come with me," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Ying'er said, "You're taking Sister Kongle with you to throw off suspicion, to make the enemy think you know nothing. I am a deity—I'm not stupid at all."
Zhang Ruochen was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, "Have you thought it through? No more running away?"
Yan Ying'er, Chi Kongle, and Yu Qiancheng turned around to see Yan Huangtu, now neatly dressed, standing outside the door.
Yan Huangtu said, "I'll advise you once—don't go to the Yama Outer Heaven. But I know I can't stop you."
"Then why say it?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Huangtu sneered coldly. "Kongle shouldn't go back. I'll go back with you. Enter my Divine Realm World, and I'll take you into the Yama Outer Heaven. Everything will follow my arrangements."
Zhang Ruochen looked at Chi Kongle. "Tie him up."
Yan Huangtu's expression changed, and he immediately stepped back.
But he was no match for Chi Kongle. In an instant, he was knocked down and bound with divine chains, then dragged onto a Blood Wing Divine Ship.
"Zhang Ruochen, what are you doing?" Yan Huangtu roared.
Zhang Ruochen boarded the divine ship and sent a voice transmission to Ji Fanxin and Bai Qinger, who were stationed at the Undying Divine Temple: "Take care of Ying'er. Wait for me to return. Xue Tu, Bore, Hai Shang Youruo, and other cultivators from the Destiny Temple may arrive at Undying Divine City soon."
The Blood Wing Divine Ship soared into the sky, rushing out of Undying Divine City, and entered the cosmic void.
Standing within Chi Kongle's Divine Realm World, Zhang Ruochen gazed at the starry domain where the Shura Star Pillar Realm was located. He could sense that Void Heaven, Corpse Burier, Ni Xuan Bei Shi, Xiu Chen Heavenly God, Blood Absolute Clan Leader, Ice Emperor, and others had already entered the protective divine formation.
The strategy they had discussed was for Ni Xuan Bei Shi to take the lead, presenting the "posthumous edict" left by Ni Xuan Divine Venerable, and inviting Xiu Chen Heavenly God to be the new clan leader, thereby entering the Shura Star Pillar Realm first.
Given the relationship between the Blood Absolute Clan Leader and the Ni Xuan family, he naturally had to accompany them.
Meanwhile, Void Heaven and Ice Emperor would remain hidden and not show themselves.
The next step was to see whether Luo Tuluo and Green Deer Divine King would allow them to enter the Shura Star Pillar Realm. If they refused, Void Heaven would have sufficient reason to summon the Heavens of the Hell Realm and pressure them. With righteousness on their side and the balance of a new clan leader, the deities within the Shura Star Pillar Realm would certainly not fully obey Luo Tuluo and Green Deer Divine King.
As long as the Shura deities were not united, dealing with Luo Tuluo and Green Deer Divine King would be much easier.
But clearly, Luo Tuluo and Green Deer Divine King were not prepared to go to war with the Hell Realm, nor did they have the confidence for a fight to the death. They chose to compromise and allowed Xiu Chen Heavenly God and the others to enter the Star Pillar Realm.
This battle of wits had only just begun.
Entering the Shura Star Pillar Realm did not mean victory; on the contrary, it might be walking into a trap.
Now, it depended on whether Void Heaven's methods were more clever or Luo Tuluo's trump cards were stronger.
Neither side would act rashly without absolute certainty, after all, destroying the Shura Star Pillar Realm in a single battle would benefit no one.
Whether it was the Shura deities or the deities of other clans on the Starry Sky Defense Line, they all knew that it was impossible for only Ni Xuan Bei Shi, the Blood Absolute Clan Leader, and Xiu Chen Heavenly God to have entered the Shura Star Pillar Realm.
Deities from various great worlds were communicating through secret sound transmissions.
The vast majority of deities were convinced that Void Heaven and Zhang Ruochen were hiding within the Blood Absolute Clan Leader's Divine Realm World.
Some speculated that Feng Tian or Ren Huan Heavenly Venerable might be among them.
In short, the attention of all parties was focused on the Shura Star Pillar Realm.
The deities of the various Shura divine temples were also in secret discussions, deliberating their countermeasures. Some were thinking about which side to align with; others were worried about where the Shura Clan should go from here.
At that moment, a Blood Wing Divine Ship flew toward the World Tree in the starry sky.
The World Tree was seven light-years away from Undying Divine City—not too far, not too close. Deities below the Infinite Realm would find it difficult to cross that distance by flight alone.
Like the Shura Star Pillar Realm, the World Tree had a rock structure, shaped like a "tree." Each leaf was a world, a divine kingdom, inhabited by trillions of Yama Clan cultivators.
At the top of the World Tree was the Yama Outer Heaven.
The divine generals guarding the Yama Heavenly Gate recognized Chi Kongle and stepped forward to salute. "Greetings, Princess Kongle!"
Another divine general saw Yan Huangtu, who was bound, and showed surprise. "Fifth Master!"
Chi Kongle was as cold as ice. "By order of the Second Master, I am to escort the Fifth Master back to the Outer Heaven."
The two divine generals naturally knew about Yan Huangtu's fall from grace in recent years. They showed expressions of understanding and dared not ask further. "These are extraordinary times. To be safe, any cultivator entering the Outer Heaven must undergo the sensing of the Di Ting Venerable. Please understand, Princess Kongle."