Chapter 3868: A Bowl of Water Held Level
At the summit of the Shura Star Pillar Realm, the Shura war qi had once been so dense it liquefied into a sea. It was not only a sacred realm for creating Shura, but also the most excellent cultivation treasure land for the Shura clan.
Now, the War Soul Sea had dried up, leaving only black mud of death, like a boundless meteorite crater.
"Hua!"
Space was torn open, revealing a gap more than ten zhang long.
Zhang Ruochen was the first to step out from the spatial rift, standing at the edge of the dried sea, gazing into the distance.
Behind him, Wu Yue, Ji Fanxin, Bai Qinger, Chi Kongle, Yan Zhexian, Yan Yu, Yan Huangtu, and others filed out.
Looking at the ruined dried sea before them, everyone sighed.
The loss of the Shura War Soul Sea was epoch-making for the Shura clan, and even for the entire Hell Realm.
...
The massive celestial body of White Desolation Star hung above the dried sea, its blood qi thick for tens of thousands of miles.
Standing on the ground, it looked like a sky-covering, earth-shrouding blood moon, exuding an oppressive pressure.
Fengchen Sword God sensed the spatial fluctuations and came to investigate. Upon discovering it was Zhang Ruochen, a relaxed smile immediately appeared on his face. He transformed into a beam of sword light and flew down.
"Imperial Dust!"
Fengchen Sword God's current cultivation level was far behind Zhang Ruochen's, but he communicated with Zhang Ruochen without any pressure, open and unrestrained.
After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Ruochen asked Fengchen Sword God about Ni Xuan Beishi's situation.
Fengchen Sword God pondered for a moment, pulled Zhang Ruochen aside, away from the crowd, and said privately, "Speaking of her, I was just about to ask you a question. Have you ever considered incorporating the Shura clan into the territory of Sword Realm?"
Zhang Ruochen did not hide anything from him, saying, "If the world is in turmoil and we need to unite all forces to face life-and-death challenges, I will definitely find a way to unite all cultivators."
"And if the life-and-death challenges are resolved in the future?" Fengchen Sword God asked.
Zhang Ruochen thought carefully, "The Shura clan is warlike; their killing intent and spirit cannot be destroyed. Sword Realm cannot accommodate so many warmongers and killers."
Fengchen Sword God nodded slightly, "That is inevitable. So, the Shura clan can only be an ally of Sword Realm in times of life and death, but cannot become a member of Sword Realm?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head, "If you put it that way, I have another perspective. Sword Realm will always be a retreat for the Shura clan. This statement also applies to the Undying Blood Clan, the Rakshasa Clan, and any clan in Hell Realm. Sword Realm can accept them all."
"I have always believed that life and death can coexist. Killing and warmongering have their meaning, but they must be controlled."
"However, the Shura clan's population is too vast. If fully accepted, should Sword Realm be called Sword Realm or Shura Realm?"
Fengchen Sword God touched the tip of his nose, "I have a constructive suggestion. What if Ni Xuan Beishi marries you, forming a marriage alliance?"
Zhang Ruochen laughed, "Can you make that decision for her? Be careful, you might get cut in half again. This matter has nothing to do with marriage alliances. Don't worry about it, and don't overthink it. The current clan leader of the Shura clan is Xiu Chen. I will not stand idly by regarding Shura clan matters; I will take responsibility to the end."
Wu Yue had been watching Zhang Ruochen and Fengchen Sword God's conversation, observing their expressions. She had her own inferences, her beautiful eyes thoughtful as she slowly walked over.
Entering Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power field, she directly said, "Why worry, Sword Emperor? The Shura clan indeed cannot fully join Sword Realm, but is Imperial Dust's ambition limited to Sword Realm?"
"When Imperial Dust attains the Ancestor Great Path and becomes invincible in the world, he will naturally become the revered master of both Heavenly Court and Hell Realm. At that time, the myriad worlds under heaven and the stars of the universe will all be Imperial Dust's territory. What difference does it make?"
Wu Yue clearly knew that Fengchen Sword God was once a cultivator of Kunlun Realm and even knew his title.
She also knew about the friendship between Sword Emperor and Ming Emperor, so she was quite polite to him.
However, Fengchen Sword God still felt the damn oppressive pressure from Wu Yue; her aura was too strong.
Fengchen Sword God looked at Zhang Ruochen and whispered, "Didn't you activate your spiritual power field? How does she know what we're talking about?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Didn't you say that women being too smart is a troublesome thing?"
Fengchen Sword God looked at the dignified and slightly smiling Wu Yue, then thought of the Wu Yue he had heard of. He shuddered involuntarily, feeling some sympathy for Zhang Ruochen. He transmitted his voice, "Ni Xuan Beishi isn't very smart; she can balance things out. If you train her well, her big iron hammer can help you sweep through the harem."
Fengchen Sword God was determined to marry off Ni Xuan Beishi; there must be a reason.
Zhang Ruochen said, "What exactly is going on?"
Fengchen Sword God said solemnly, "Now that the Shura clan is weak, the Shura War Soul Sea has become White Desolation Star, and the clan leader has become Xiu Chen. Naturally, the hearts of the Shura clan will change."
"Ni Xuan Beishi has been training desperately under the sundial, swallowing large amounts of precious medicines for thirty years. I'm worried that her cultivation might go wrong, and even more worried that she might seek out Qinglu God King."
Zhang Ruochen understood, "Ni Xuan Beishi is worried that the interests of the Shura clan will be eroded by the Undying Blood Clan and Sword Realm?"
"As a descendant of the clan leader, her racial consciousness is extremely strong. How could she not have such worries? The weak have the strongest sense of crisis," Fengchen Sword God said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I will find time to talk to her."
"It might be more appropriate for me to go," Wu Yue said.
Fengchen Sword God's expression turned strange.
Wu Yue said, "It's still the strategy I mentioned earlier. Transport large amounts of cultivation resources from Sword Realm to White Desolation Star, demonstrating the husband's magnanimity while telling the gods of the Shura clan that we have no intention of eroding their interests. Then promise Ni Xuan Beishi that she will be the future clan leader of the Shura clan, and everything will fall into place."
Zhang Ruochen trusted Wu Yue's understanding of human hearts and nodded in agreement.
Fengchen Sword God sighed, "I always feel that a promise is not as good as a marriage alliance. How about pushing for Blood Jue War God... forget it... By the way, Zhang Ruochen, there's another thing you might not know. Void Heaven has issued a decree, restoring Abandoned Heaven's freedom. Blood Butcher and Gong Nanfeng rushed to follow Que to Destiny Temple to welcome him, but something happened on the way back."
Abandoned Heaven was Ming Emperor.
Both Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue's expressions changed.
But seeing Fengchen Sword God's relaxed and casual demeanor, it didn't seem like something major had happened.
Zhang Ruochen used his spiritual power to calculate.
Fengchen Sword God said slowly, "Abandoned Heaven was detained by Feng Tian. Truly a twist and turn. Destiny Temple has many factions: Nutian Shenzun, Void Heaven, and Feng Tian each have their own mountain. You bypass one, but you can't bypass the second."
Upon hearing this result, Zhang Ruochen felt speechless.
What medicine had Feng Tian taken wrong?
He, Zhang Ruochen, had rendered both meritorious service and hard work to her, yet she intervened like this?
Was she trying to continue controlling him through Ming Emperor? Or did she want to demand benefits?
He was now Tianyuan Wuque. If Feng Tian continued to be so tough, wasn't she afraid of backlash?
Wu Yue said, "Feng Tian is trying to force you to go to Fengdu Ghost City to see her."
Zhang Ruochen nodded. He wasn't worried about his father's safety, so he led the group toward White Desolation Star first.
Upon arriving at White Desolation Star, Yan Yu, Yan Huangtu, and Yan Zhexian went to cultivate under the sundial.
After the battle at Shura Star Pillar Realm, the buried corpse's lifespan had further withered, reaching the brink of life and death. Zhang Ruochen met with him, then successively saw Hai Shang Youruo, Xia Yu, and others.
Zhang Ruochen wouldn't stay on White Desolation Star for long. With Xiu Chen's current cultivation, the sundial couldn't support his training. Zhang Ruochen had no shortage of various cultivation resources, most of which he no longer needed himself. So, he handed over the resources from two Divine Realm worlds he had hoarded to Wu Yue and Ji Fanxin, letting them refine and distribute them.
This was in preparation for training a divine army in the future.
Both Divine Realm worlds belonged to Infinite Realm experts, and the worlds themselves were treasures.
Then, Zhang Ruochen released the Alchemy Realm and handed it to Bai Qinger for distribution.
Seeing the three women relatively harmonious, Zhang Ruochen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This time, he had held the bowl level.
"Master!"
Mo Yin entered the hall like a fragrant breeze, dressed in colorful clothes with large areas of skin exposed, her beautiful figure fully displayed, her beauty not inferior to the three women in the hall.
As soon as she entered, she clung to Zhang Ruochen, overjoyed.
Then, she complained bitterly, claiming she never wanted to leave Zhang Ruochen's side again.
Mo Yin had been left by Zhang Ruochen with Bore at Destiny Temple to protect her safety.
Bore, wearing a wide lake-green divine robe and holding a divine staff, stood coldly at the hall entrance, her shimmering eyes gazing at everything inside.
Everything seemed to have become unfamiliar.
Zhang Ruochen quickly walked over and stopped at the hall entrance. The two stared at each other in silence.
Seeing this scene, Wu Yue, Ji Fanxin, and Bai Qinger examined Bore while secretly paying attention to this woman, who wasn't very advanced in cultivation. They took her seriously.
Because Zhang Ruochen valued her too much.
Blood Butcher and Gong Nanfeng, who had come together, glanced into the hall and immediately turned around to leave.
The atmosphere inside was too strange; they didn't want to help Zhang Ruochen bear it.
In the following days, Zhang Ruochen successively met with the Blood Jue Clan Leader, Luo Yan Great Emperor, Ice Emperor, and visitors from other clans in Hell Realm, all of whom were older Infinite Realm experts.
Zhang Ruochen kept thinking about whether to meet Qinglu God King, but ultimately chose to leave.
Leaving with Zhang Ruochen was Bore.
Bore insisted on going to Nutian Shenzun's camp, unwilling to stay on White Desolation Star to cultivate. Zhang Ruochen didn't force her and respected her wishes.
Leaving White Desolation Star, the divine ship sailed through the starry sky. Only then did Bore say, "Do you know? White Desolation Star and Master's camp are the same; cultivation can happen anywhere. I just wanted an excuse to travel alone with you for a while. In the future... there probably won't be such an opportunity."
"I understand."
Zhang Ruochen embraced her, feeling each other's warmth as they watched the sea of stars together.
The long-lost tranquility, along with memories of the past, surged in their hearts.
Mo Yin was sensible enough not to disturb them, piloting the divine ship alone.
Their destination was Fengdu Ghost City.
"I have something to give you. Open your hand."
Zhang Ruochen raised his right hand, deliberately reaching into the starry sky, his five fingers as if grasping something.
Bore didn't know what he had grasped, frowning slightly. Under Zhang Ruochen's urging, she half-doubtfully extended her pale white palm.
Zhang Ruochen placed his clenched fist on her palm and slowly opened it.
A cluster of brilliant silver light spilled from Zhang Ruochen's hand, landing on her palm.
Bore looked curiously and found her palm seemed like a world, with a silver-white forest on it.
"Xutuohuan Silver Tree!"
Zhang Ruochen put an arm around her shoulder, laughing, "Not just the Xutuohuan Silver Tree, but also the Paradise World, Ten Thousand Buddha Array, and Gui Ruler."
For Zhang Ruochen now, the Ten Thousand Buddha Array only served a defensive purpose, and even that was minimal, barely able to block the early stage of Indestructible.
The Imperial Talisman and Myriad Forms Formless Seal could handle the middle stage of Indestructible.
As for the Paradise World's significance for cultivators at the ninetieth level of spiritual power, it was also very limited. It couldn't help Zhang Ruochen break through his spiritual power in a short time.
Bore also cultivated Buddhism. The Ten Thousand Buddha Array's significance for her cultivation and protection was enormous.
At the same time, going to Nutian Shenzun's camp, with the cultivation resources of the Paradise World, she could unite all Buddhist cultivators in White Clothes Valley around her, becoming her potential background force.
Zhang Ruochen knew he couldn't truly hold the bowl level, so he could only do his best to help Bore find a place among the women.
Otherwise, she couldn't compete with Wu Yue, Bai Qinger, and others.
The array spirit of the Ten Thousand Buddha Array was the soul of Wan Zunzhe, whose spiritual will had been erased.
Even if Bore's cultivation wasn't enough, with the array spirit, she could activate the Ten Thousand Buddha Array to a certain extent, enough to protect herself against those below Indestructible Infinite.
Bore naturally understood the value of the Xutuohuan Silver Tree in her hand. She returned it to Zhang Ruochen, saying, "An innocent man gains a crime because of his jade. Such a precious treasure is not something I can control with my current cultivation."
Zhang Ruochen closed her fingers, "I said you can, so you definitely can. Train well. The Paradise World's boost for Buddhist cultivators won't lose to the sundial."
Bore wasn't a pretentious woman. She stored the Xutuohuan Silver Tree in her Gate of Destiny, and the unfamiliar feeling dissipated, replaced by a warm current.
She could feel Zhang Ruochen's care for her and that she held an irreplaceable place in his heart.
That was enough.
Bore didn't know how to express the emotion in her heart. She gently leaned her head on Zhang Ruochen's shoulder, savoring the beauty of the moment while fearing the loss of the next.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze grew deep, his heart equally complex.
Someone always broke the beautiful atmosphere.
"Senior Brother, wait."
"Chen!"
Behind them, Blood Butcher and Gong Nanfeng caught up.
The two boarded the divine ship, panting heavily.
Bore separated from Zhang Ruochen, her cheeks slightly flushed, and walked toward Mo Yin.
Blood Butcher said loudly, "Sorry, Bore. This emperor didn't mean to disturb you."
"No, he did it on purpose. He insisted on dragging me along to catch up," Gong Nanfeng said, exhausted, sitting on the ground.
Blood Butcher angrily said, "Didn't you say we should go to Fengdu Ghost City to make up for our mistakes? At least we need to mediate, in case Senior Brother and Master fight, since we lost Abandoned Heaven Senior. Now you're saying I dragged you along?"
"What? Didn't you say following Chen guarantees great opportunities, and we can't miss out?"
"I was going to pay respects to Master."
"You clearly wanted to go to Fengdu Ghost City to plunder cultivation resources from the ghost clan cultivators. You're running low on resources!"
...
The two accused each other, shifting blame, making a mess of things.