Chapter 3875: "Void Heaven" Makes a Move
Feng Tian was enraged. The numerous yin realms on the leaves of the World Tree shook violently, and the thunderous sounds emanating from the Ancestor Realm spread across the entire Santu River region, startling many ignorant prowlers into retreat.
Within the Ghost City, several powerful auras rushed toward the Central Ghost Emperor's Mansion, believing a powerful enemy was attacking.
Qi Tian, who could have left together with Mu Lingxi, was detained once again.
Some cultivators saw the charred, coal-like Great Slaughter War God Emperor being thrown out of the Central Ghost Emperor's Mansion, adding to the sense of eeriness.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen, who was inside the White Impermanence Divine Temple, was unaware of all this and couldn't be bothered to care.
A person's energy is limited. Not only did he have to forge the sword, but he also had to split his spiritual power and divine soul to sense the movements of He Qing, Gai Mie, and others. Moreover, he had to remain vigilant within time and space, watching the cultivators in the areas surrounding Wuchang Ghost City, to prevent enemies from sneaking up and launching a surprise attack on the Ghost City.
Under Zhang Ruochen's control, the operation speed of the fire source of the Black and White Yin-Yang Divine Flame became faster. However, the volume of the two black and white flame mountains decreased, and the distance between them narrowed to less than ten li.
The Heavenly Cauldron hovered above the black flame mountain, ten thousand zhang high.
The surface of the cauldron was engraved with various ancient patterns, such as herding cattle and farming, heavenly fire sweeping the plains, blessings and divine light, corpse ghosts and hell...
Among them, the "Heavenly Fire Sweeping the Plains" pattern, under the refining of the divine flame below, became increasingly lifelike, and gradually began to release flames of its own.
Zhang Ruochen used the Heavenly Cauldron as the main cauldron for reforging the Abyssal Sword.
Inside the cauldron, the fragments of the Abyssal Ancient Sword had already turned into a liquid state.
The broken Seven Star Divine Sword and the God-Defying Stele were also thrown in by Zhang Ruochen. These two items were the most important auxiliary materials for forging the new sword.
The Seven Star Divine Sword was a combination of seven swords into one.
In the past, each of the seven swords was a divine artifact. The materials used for their forging were the finest sword-forging treasures in heaven and earth. Even after being eroded by the dark and strange for endless ages, they had not completely decayed, showing their excellence.
As for the God-Defying Stele, it was less of a stele and more of a very special material.
Merging these two into the Creation Divine Iron to forge a divine sword was truly extravagant.
It would even be enough to forge a cauldron!
But Zhang Ruochen was not satisfied with this.
Beneath his feet, he stood on a corner of the Divine Realm World, where the ground was piled high with mountains of various forging materials, war implements, and secret treasures.
Over the years, Zhang Ruochen had slain countless gods, including even some Heavenly Lords.
The Divine Realm Worlds of these gods contained countless treasures, representing the accumulation of hundreds of thousands or even millions of years.
At the same time, when he was stationed at the Space Divine Temple and the Time Divine Temple, the gods from all realms had presented him with rare and exotic treasures.
It could be said that although Zhang Ruochen had given Wu Yue and Ji Fanxin the resources of two Divine Realm Worlds on Baicang Star, the materials he kept for forging his own sword were still abundant.
With Zhang Ruochen's help, the sword spirit of the Abyssal Sword had long ago crossed the divine tribulation at the Time Divine Temple, reaching the realm of a Mid-Rank God.
The sword spirit sifted through the mountains of various materials and artifacts, throwing them into the Earth Cauldron for smelting, discarding the dross and retaining the essence.
The Earth Cauldron hovered above the white flame mountain, serving as the auxiliary cauldron for forging the sword.
...
A floating island drifted a hundred li away from the black and white flame mountains, shrouded by a dense layer of sword qi, so strong that no flame could enter.
This floating island was a piece of land dug out from the eighteenth floor of the Sword Pavilion, surrounding the Sword Ancestor Divine Tree.
The Sword Ancestor Divine Tree grew at the center of the floating island. Its trunk was covered in scales, and from its branches hung countless dragon-like roots, while its leaves were as translucent and crystalline as rubies.
The Sword Bone, clad in silver-white divine garments, sat cross-legged beneath the tree.
This was the skeleton of the Sword Ancestor!
It contained the Ancestor Divine Patterns within and was surrounded by the order of the Sword Dao.
When he was stretched thin and couldn't be in multiple places at once, Zhang Ruochen had more than once used his own blood and sword soul to merge with the Sword Bone, using it as an avatar to carry out tasks. With the enhancement of the Sword Bone, the combat power of the avatar was extraordinary.
For this reason, Zhang Ruochen had gained many insights from the Sword Bone. After reaching the ninetieth level of spiritual power, he could even see the lingering Sword Dao order on the Sword Bone's body.
Only by seeing it could one comprehend it.
Only by comprehending it could one make it one's own.
After bowing deeply to the Sword Bone, Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged opposite it, observing and comprehending the Sword Dao order and the Sword Dao Ancestor Divine Patterns on the Sword Bone.
Forging a sword requires patience.
Cultivating the Sword Dao requires taking it one step at a time.
Compared to Zhang Ruochen's inner calm, He Qing found it difficult to remain composed. However, knowing full well the power of a spiritually perfect being, she dared not contact Gai Mie again, nor did she dare to pass the message to the Yellow Spring Great Emperor.
"Void Heaven has hidden himself in the White Impermanence Divine Temple, undoubtedly to ambush the Great Emperor. The rumors and gossip outside might very well be his means to cover up the truth."
He Qing developed a hatred for Mingye Shenzun, believing that all of this was pre-arranged between Void Heaven and Mingye Shenzun, without any regard for her reputation as a regional Divine Venerable.
Furthermore, He Qing speculated that Mingye Shenzun might have already given her to Void Heaven.
After all, according to legend, Void Heaven was once a wild and unrestrained figure.
Recalling Mingye Shenzun's earlier words, the more He Qing thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
"Even if Gai Mie doesn't act, the city body and formations of Wuchang Ghost City probably won't hold out much longer. Once the city falls, the Great Emperor will surely attack Fengdu Ghost City. If Void Heaven launches a surprise attack at that time..."
He Qing's brow furrowed deeply, unsure of how to respond.
Days passed one after another...
"Crack!"
On the southern side of Wuchang Ghost City, large sections of the city wall shattered, and blood springs surged out wildly. The formations set up by the cultivators of the Hell Realm, along with the formation towers and halls they had built, could barely hold for even an hour before quickly turning into bloody sand.
"Wuchang Ghost City can't hold out any longer. Retreat immediately! If we don't leave now, we'll all die here."
"The defensive divine formations we spent thirty years setting up have decayed and dissolved in an instant. Report to Feng Tian immediately and go to the Southern Heaven Life-and-Death Wasteland to invite Qing Tian. There might still be time."
Chaos reigned outside the city, and cultivators had already begun to flee.
Some rushed to Fengdu Ghost City to report to Feng Tian.
Others went to the White Impermanence Divine Temple to invite the two venerable masters, Black and White Impermanence.
Mingye Shenzun paced back and forth in the Black Impermanence Divine Temple, but dared not step out of the temple to show himself publicly. He said urgently, "It's been half a month. Why hasn't Imperial Dust broken through yet? If he doesn't come out soon, Wuchang Ghost City will surely fall. Once the strange blood springs surge into the Santu River, the Middle Three Clans, and even the Underworld Clan, will suffer devastating losses. Go and invite him immediately!"
Gong Nanfeng appeared very calm, saying, "What's the rush, Divine Venerable? Is the matter of Wuchang Ghost City something you can manage? This is a problem that only Feng Tian and Imperial Dust can solve. Someone has already gone to report it. Don't worry."
Mingye Shenzun calmed down and sighed, "Compared to letting Feng Tian go and invite Qing Tian, I would rather Imperial Dust make a move in time."
"Then it depends on who compromises first!"
Gong Nanfeng muttered to himself in a low voice.
...
He Qing was the first to rush to the depths of the temple and report to the unknown void: "Lord Void Heaven, Wuchang Ghost City is about to fall. He Qing implores you to make a move and save the Santu River region."
After a long while.
From the void came Void Heaven's voice: "This matter is under Feng Tian's jurisdiction."
Just as He Qing was unsure how to respond, a divine voice sounded from outside the hall: "Hun Qi, on the orders of Feng Tian, requests an audience with Divine Venerable He Qing and Lord Imperial Dust!"
Hun Qi's voice was loud and clear, heard by many cultivators.
A single stone stirred up a thousand waves!
"Imperial Dust is actually in the White Impermanence Divine Temple?"
"Does that mean the cultivator who has been in the White Impermanence Divine Temple all these days isn't Mingye Shenzun?"
"Hun Qi is the successor of Fengdu Dadi and a newly promoted Divine King of the Ghost Clan. There's no way he would speak without basis. Moreover, he is acting on Feng Tian's orders."
A god sneered, "If Imperial Dust really arrived at Wuchang Ghost City long ago but has done nothing all this time, then things are getting interesting."
...
Mingye Shenzun, in the Black Impermanence Divine Temple, changed his expression drastically. He never expected the power struggle between Feng Tian and Imperial Dust to implicate him.
It was clear that Feng Tian was forcing Imperial Dust to make a move and repair Wuchang Ghost City.
Gong Nanfeng was also surprised, never expecting Feng Tian to be so decisive, putting everything on the table and leaving Zhang Ruochen no way out.
This was good too; the conflict between the two had escalated once again.
"Feng Tian has made her move, and it's a sealing blow. I wonder how Chen will respond?" Gong Nanfeng said with a slight smile.
...
Hun Qi's towering figure knelt on one knee, his seven heads bowing simultaneously toward the White Impermanence Divine Temple: "Hun Qi implores Lord Imperial Dust to make a move and help the Ghost Clan overcome this crisis."
Even a Divine King had knelt. The Ghost Clan cultivators in the territory of Wuchang Ghost City all prostrated themselves: "We implore Lord Imperial Dust to make a move and help our Ghost Clan overcome this crisis. The Ghost Clan cultivators will forever remember this kindness!"
Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes from his sword meditation, feeling a sense of resistance toward Feng Tian's aggressive actions.
He could, of course, ignore the Ghost Clan cultivators outside. But if Wuchang Ghost City truly fell and the strange blood springs overflowed on a large scale, it would inevitably deal a heavy blow to the Hell Realm.
His inaction would invite a storm of criticism, making it difficult for him to maintain good relations with the Hell Realm in the future.
All the cultivators of the Hell Realm would hold him accountable for this.
More importantly, Zhang Ruochen himself could not allow the strange blood springs to overflow. The reason he had not acted was simply to force Feng Tian to compromise.
Now, Feng Tian was not compromising. Instead, she was using the cultivators of the Hell Realm to pressure him in return.
"Old Ghost Void, this is all your doing. You must bear this karma."
Zhang Ruochen flew out from the floating island, landed above the Heavenly Cauldron, and stood amidst the strange scene of "Heavenly Fire Sweeping the Plains." The Taiji Four Symbols Diagram Seal hovered above his head. Then, he stomped his foot, activating the Heavenly Cauldron to release the divine light of fate.
The Heavenly Cauldron was the Cauldron of Fate.
"Whoosh!"
He exhaled a breath.
In the next instant, the White Impermanence Divine Temple erupted with a brilliant radiance of fate, condensing above the temple into a ten-thousand-li-tall Dharma manifestation of the Dao.
This Dharma manifestation looked exactly like Void Heaven.
Behind the Dharma manifestation floated a Gate of Destiny. The divine light of fate emitted by both illuminated millions of li of the spectral territory.
All cultivators in this region felt their cultivation severely suppressed, as if they had fallen in realm.
"I am here. What are you panicking about?"
Void Heaven's Dharma manifestation of the Dao emitted a majestic divine voice.
Then, amidst howling winds and thunderous roars, he extended a giant hand of light, which transformed into a five-fingered cloud, hovering above Wuchang Ghost City.
Within this five-fingered cloud, countless rules of fate, sword dao, and truth flowed, firmly locking onto the strange blood springs within the Ghost City.
Everyone was stunned. Truly, one twist followed another. So the one in the White Impermanence Divine Temple was Void Heaven.
"Void Heaven... Well, that's not surprising." Someone murmured softly.
Hun Qi, kneeling on one knee outside the temple, had a look of surprise on his face, but his eyes were filled with confusion.
Originally, when Feng Tian sent him to deliver the message, he had refused. He knew some inside information and didn't want to wade into this muddy water, afraid of ending up like Xue Tu.
Xue Tu had already been sent to the front line on the southern side of Wuchang Ghost City.
To stabilize morale, Feng Tian had recently declared that in times of crisis, the cultivators of the Death Divine Palace should lead the charge. If the Ghost City fell, her disciple would be the first to perish.
"So it's not Imperial Dust, but Void Heaven."
Hun Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
He believed that the power struggle between Void Heaven and Feng Tian would remain within the bounds of reason.
But the power struggle between Imperial Dust and Feng Tian could easily spiral out of control. He had heard from Zhou Qi Ghost Emperor that there was another layer of relationship between the two.
That relationship, if harmonious, would be one of intimacy. If severed, it would be a matter of life and death.
Void Heaven's voice came from the White Impermanence Divine Temple: "Yao Guang, enter the temple and see me."
At the southern city wall of Wuchang Ghost City, the cultivators stopped panicking and returned one after another.
Xue Tu, whose legs had gone weak with fear, quickly urged, "Yao Guang Divine Master, Void Heaven is calling for you. Hurry up and go."
This time, Xue Tu was truly terrified. He never expected the power struggle between his senior brother and his master to be so dangerous.
Fortunately, his senior brother had transformed into Void Heaven, avoiding a direct confrontation with his master. There was still room for maneuver. And fortunately, his senior brother had made a move; otherwise, Xue Tu would have been forced to be the first to charge into the strange blood springs.
Xue Tu's mind raced, thinking of ways to remedy the situation.
The most important thing now was to solidify the fact that Void Heaven was in the White Impermanence Divine Temple. This would protect his senior brother's reputation and intimidate the Yellow Spring Great Emperor and the Corpse Ancestor.
Just then, Xue Tu happened to hear a reckless cultivator nearby muttering, "Hun Qi clearly said it was Imperial Dust. How did it become Void Heaven? I don't think the fate divine energy emanating from Wuchang Ghost City is that strong. It might not really be Void Heaven in the temple."
Xue Tu manifested his giant divine body, showing an expression of extreme rage and ferocity. He grabbed the white-haired Bone Clan cultivator by the hair, lifting him up like pulling a radish, and said, "Old fellow, are you saying Void Heaven isn't strong enough? Are you daring to question Void Heaven? Fine, I'll grant your wish. Let you go into Wuchang Ghost City yourself and feel whether the divine light of fate is strong enough."
"No! Great Slaughter War God Emperor, spare me..."
The white-haired skeleton cried out tearfully as Xue Tu threw him into Wuchang Ghost City, disappearing over the city wall.
His fate was predictable.
"Anyone who slanders Void Heaven dies!"
After saying this, Xue Tu followed Yao Guang to the White Impermanence Divine Temple to pay respects to Void Heaven.
Inside the temple, Zhang Ruochen met with Xue Tu and Yao Guang alone.
"My Dharma hand seal can only seal the strange blood springs temporarily, not permanently. Yao Guang Divine Master, here are eight talismans I have refined. Take them and imprint them on the eight directions of Wuchang Ghost City. Each talisman must be guarded by a Divine Master."
Zhang Ruochen possessed the Imperial Talisman. Compared to artifact refining, curses, illusions, and formations, his attainments in the talisman path were naturally higher.
Yao Guang bowed to Void Heaven's Dharma manifestation of the Dao, took the eight talismans, and left.
Seeing Yao Guang walk out of the spiritual power field, Xue Tu immediately knelt down and said, "Senior Brother, I was wrong. From now on, I will never speak carelessly again. I will keep my mouth shut about any of your secrets."
Xue Tu was a man who could get things done and dared to act. Moreover, when the world thought Zhang Ruochen was dead, Xue Tu had protected Chi Kunlun.
Zhang Ruochen only wanted to give him a minor punishment as a warning, not to kill him.
"Since you know your mistake, I will give you a chance to redeem yourself. Do one thing for me!" Zhang Ruochen said.
Xue Tu raised his fist and said, "I want to do ten!"
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand and said, "Go to Moli Territory and deliver a message to the Corpse Ancestor for me. Tell him that three days from now, I wish to meet him in Wuchang Ghost City. If you can't find a way to see the Corpse Ancestor, you can first seek out the Shivala Great Emperor. He will help you."
"In the name of Void Heaven, or in the name of Imperial Dust?" Xue Tu asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Either is fine. Remember, this matter is top secret!"
"Understood. I will not let any information leak. However, Master ordered me to guard Wuchang Ghost City..." Xue Tu showed a troubled expression.
"What you are doing is precisely guarding Wuchang Ghost City."
After Xue Tu left, Zhang Ruochen's expression became much more serious. He felt that the Yellow Spring Great Emperor might not be in the Yellow Spring Forbidden Domain, but nearby.
Because a crisis like the one that had nearly overwhelmed Wuchang Ghost City, if Zhang Ruochen had not intervened, would have caused a great upheaval.
Such an upheaval would have been the perfect opportunity for the Yellow Spring Great Emperor to storm Fengdu Ghost City.
After putting himself in the Yellow Spring Great Emperor's shoes, Zhang Ruochen found the situation increasingly dangerous. Therefore, he made up his mind to probe the Corpse Ancestor. First, he did not want the Corpse Ancestor to continue lurking in the shadows, making it impossible to guard against him.
Second, if he could use the Corpse Ancestor to deal with the Yellow Spring Great Emperor first, the situation would become vastly different.