Chapter 3879: Impulsive
Zhang Ruochen and Gai Mie leaped through space, continuously crossing territories until they arrived at Wangming Bone Ridge in the Santu River region before stopping.
The mountain ridge before them resembled an ancestral dragon lying horizontally from north to south, its peaks connected to the sky above, giving even gods a suffocating sense of oppression.
The mountain was deep and dark, filled with gray mist, hiding countless evil ghosts and undead spirits.
No bones were visible, but legend had it that this mountain ridge was formed by the accumulation of bones over a hundred million years.
For some reason, both Zhang Ruochen and Gai Mie sensed a strong danger alert and dared not proceed further.
Logically speaking, there were few cultivators in the world today who could stop them, and it was even more difficult to trap them both at the same time.
"Beyond Wangming Bone Ridge lies the end of the Santu River region. Further ahead is the Netherworld Purgatory," Zhang Ruochen said.
Gai Mie's giant demon body rapidly contracted, returning to normal human size. "You seem afraid to go further. Are you afraid of Wangming Bone Ridge, or the Netherworld Purgatory?"
Zhang Ruochen naturally had reservations about the Netherworld Purgatory.
Back when Nutian Shenzun told Zhang Ruochen about the origins of the Netherworld Purgatory and the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, he mentioned that Yinshuetian had warned him before going to the Abyss of Darkness never to set foot in the Netherworld Purgatory.
The Netherworld Purgatory was definitely not a good place. Huangquan Great Emperor fleeing here must have had his reasons. The sense of crisis in his heart could not have appeared out of nowhere.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the smiling Gai Mie. "Why hide your fear, Supreme Pillar? If you dared to charge in, why would you stop here?"
"It's not fear, just no need to take this risk."
Gai Mie continued, "Huangquan Great Emperor is an unprecedented existence among all undead cultivators from ancient times to the present. If he set up a Burial God Formation based on the terrain of Wangming Bone Ridge in advance, wouldn't we be quite passive if we rashly charged in?"
"Furthermore, since Huangquan Great Emperor has been in contact with Qishier Pin Lian and Luo Tuluo, who can be sure there aren't other powerful beings lying in ambush in Wangming Bone Ridge? Easy to enter, hard to leave!"
"As for the Netherworld Purgatory, it's even more bizarre. When Tianmu returns, you should suggest she lead the heavens of Hell Realm to clean it up early."
"Of course, the current Hell Realm may not have the spare capacity for that."
Zhang Ruochen showed a strange expression. "From what Supreme Pillar says, you don't plan to return to Wuchang Ghost City?"
"Return for what? With Corpse Ancestor captured, Huangquan Great Emperor is the only threat left in the Santu River region. You no longer need me. No... what if you and Feng Caiyi set your sights on my cultivation? Returning would be walking into a trap. Who in the world doesn't know that Feng Caiyi's rapid cultivation progress is all because she has you, the master of the Earth Cauldron, as her source chef?" Gai Mie said.
Zhang Ruochen laughed dryly, thought for a moment, and said, "That does make some sense."
"I devoured Moli City and billions of Corpse Clan cultivators. I need to find a place to refine and absorb them. My cultivation might recover to the peak of Indestructible Infinite."
Then, Gai Mie lowered his voice, "With this act, how could Feng Caiyi tolerate me? If she tolerates me, she can't explain to the Corpse Clan gods."
Zhang Ruochen's eyes moved. He had to admit that Gai Mie, though seemingly bold and unrestrained, was actually meticulous. It was even possible that he had set his sights on Moli City from the very beginning.
Although the strange blood spring in Wuchang Ghost City was good, snatching food from the mouths of the Hell Realm gods was like reaching for chestnuts from the fire.
Faced with the beauty delivered to his doorstep, he could release his desires without restraint. Faced with the blood spring that could restore his cultivation, he could restrain his desires.
Such a person would surely live a long time, and live well.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is Supreme Pillar going to the Abyss of Darkness next?"
"Is there a better choice than the Abyss of Darkness? I need to go to a place where I'm needed, to prove my value. With value, I can live. Coincidentally, Kong Fannu now needs me."
Gai Mie laughed, "If the Primordial Beings attack Hell Realm and war breaks out, I can use it to hunt blood food and prepare for full recovery."
Zhang Ruochen said, "After full recovery, Supreme Pillar? Will you have no more worries and no longer need to live under someone else's roof?"
"Take it one step at a time!"
Gai Mie waved his hand, about to leave.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Has Supreme Pillar forgotten something?"
"You, Zhang Ruochen, have countless treasures, even several of the Nine Cauldrons. What is the Demon Ancestor Meridian Halberd? I'll borrow it a little longer. It's all to help Kong Fannu and Hell Realm, and indirectly help you. Don't worry, I don't like owing favors. I will repay you in the future."
Gai Mie's figure disappeared into the dark depths of the universe.
"What about He Qing?" Zhang Ruochen called out.
"Someone else's Dao partner, why ask me? I don't take what others love."
...
Zhang Ruochen shook his head helplessly.
With his own strength alone, it was almost impossible to keep Gai Mie.
Forcibly taking back the Demon Ancestor Meridian Halberd would inevitably trigger a shocking battle.
Fighting in Hell Realm, Zhang Ruochen naturally wasn't afraid of having no help, but he was afraid that after taking back the halberd, he would push Gai Mie into the ranks of Ba'er, Gu Yanluo, and other chaotic ancient demon gods.
That would be a loss greater than the gain.
At least for now, Gai Mie had the spirit of a Supreme Pillar, acted independently, was unwilling to submit to others, and was indeed of considerable value to Nutian Shenzun's side.
Zhang Ruochen was about to return to Wuchang Ghost City when his gaze suddenly fell on Wangming Bone Ridge again.
After pondering for a moment, he formed a sword with his fingers.
"Whoosh!"
A bright sword light beam flew out.
His figure rapidly retreated.
Behind him, the sword light flew into Wangming Bone Ridge, was swallowed by the gray death mist, and emitted a dull, heavy sound before falling silent.
Zhang Ruochen concealed his aura and quietly returned to the star domain where Wuchang Ghost City was located. The battle had ended. The World Tree was intact and had not been breached.
In the starry sky, Ghost Clan gods were using Yin Banners to disperse the remaining destructive divine power and rules.
If these divine powers and rules were not dispersed or collected, they would not dissipate on their own for ten thousand years. The entire star domain would become a forbidden zone, unreachable for cultivators below the divine realm.
Some cultivators were also repairing the banks of the Santu River and the continental plates that had been shattered and scattered.
Everywhere were figures of undead cultivators, giving a sense of rebuilding after destruction.
The broken Wuchang Ghost City was covered by the Thunder Clan Ancestor Realm. Electric bolts like purple dragons shuttled through the city's body, firmly suppressing the strange blood spring within the realm.
Gong Nanfeng was the first to see Zhang Ruochen and quickly ran over: "Chen, what about Huangquan Great Emperor? Did he escape?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded slightly.
Feng Tian stood on a high ridge outside the south gate of Wuchang Ghost City, leisurely turning to look at Zhang Ruochen walking from the bank of the Santu River. The deathly aura from the battle still lingered on her, forming a cold pressure that silenced all the cultivators outside the city.
Yang Yun Ghost Emperor, Mingye Shenzun, Yao Guang, Xue Tu, Mu Lingxi, and dozens of powerful gods from either the Destiny Temple or the Ghost Clan stood on her left and right.
Hun Qi knelt on one knee, his ghost body broken and severely injured, as if pleading guilty.
"Gai Mie didn't come back?"
From afar, Feng Tian asked.
"He went to the Abyss of Darkness."
Zhang Ruochen strode up the high ridge. The eyes of the gods shifted between him and Feng Tian, and finally, they silently bowed in salute.
Feng Tian let out a cold snort, her red lips parting slightly: "He's shrewd, knowing that returning would mean certain death. Since Gai Mie didn't come back, there's no need to keep the World Tree lit. It consumes too many divine stones."
"I'll handle that immediately."
Yang Yun Ghost Emperor glanced at Hun Qi and returned to Fengdu Ghost City first.
"Hun Qi, at the time, the situation in Fengdu Ghost City was critical, so it's not entirely your fault. You were already severely injured trying to stop Luo Wen from self-destructing his divine source. Go back and recover," Feng Tian said.
Hun Qi felt as if he had received a pardon, knowing that because he was a disciple of Fengdu Dadi and could never betray Fengdu Ghost City, the usually ruthless Feng Tian had let him off so easily.
For any other god who made such a mistake, they would at least have their soul searched.
The gods were successively dispatched by Feng Tian to attend to their own affairs.
On the high ridge, only Feng Tian, Mu Lingxi, and Zhang Ruochen remained. Even Xue Tu and Gong Nanfeng had found excuses to slip away.
The World Tree went dark, its brilliance greatly diminished.
The brilliant starry sky appeared above the Santu River again, the stars all yellow-brown, the yin energy far stronger than the yang energy.
A cold wind blew from the Santu River, carrying the smell of decay.
After an unknown amount of time, Feng Tian, staring at Wuchang Ghost City, spoke first, but her voice was stiff: "Wuchang Ghost City doesn't necessarily need you to defend it."
"Because of Void Heaven?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Feng Tian said, "You've seen him?"
"No."
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "I guessed. The layout of Wuchang Ghost City is too strange. The defensive formations inside the city are mediocre, but the Void World is tightly arranged, with powerful divine formations and, more importantly, Void Heaven's most proud sword formation. It's clear that Wuchang Ghost City is a complete trap!"
"Furthermore, Void Heaven wants to find a place to heal and comprehend swordsmanship in peace, which isn't easy. Ba'er has emerged, Kui Lianghuang is untraceable, and the remnant soul of Ming Ancestor may have already returned. These three are eyeing the Destiny Temple, so Void Heaven naturally dares not return there."
"Tianmu has yet to return, so Void Heaven naturally can't go to Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm either."
"With the battle in the Abyss of Darkness imminent, Nutian Shenzun's camp is not a good place for peaceful cultivation."
"Thinking it over, Wuchang Ghost City, guarded by you, the Ghost Clan gods, and the World Tree, is actually safer. But..."
Feng Tian saw Zhang Ruochen's look of seeing through everything and said, "But what?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Void Heaven is eager to heal and comprehend swordsmanship. Unless absolutely necessary, he would never be distracted to act. Earlier, in that situation, he remained as steady as an old dog. Knowing that I've arrived at Wuchang Ghost City, do you think he will personally repair the defensive divine formation of Wuchang Ghost City, or will he be a hands-off manager and throw it to me?"
Mu Lingxi said cautiously, "Senior Void Heaven's actions are indeed not to be judged by common sense."
Her words seemed to be saying that Void Heaven had stood idly by earlier, allowing Huangquan Great Emperor to escape. In reality, she was reminding Feng Tian that Void Heaven had previously tricked her out of the "Fate Heavenly Scripture" and provoked her relationship with Zhang Ruochen, making him the culprit.
In short, these two incidents showed that Void Heaven was extremely unreliable, his mind only on cultivation and breaking through realms.
For cultivation, no one was more stable than Void Heaven, a fact Feng Tian knew better than Zhang Ruochen. Back when the war between Heavenly Court and Hell Realm was at its most brutal, Void Heaven, in order to cultivate Sword Twenty-Three and defeat Xumi, went into seclusion for an eon and never left the Great Calamity Palace.
Feng Tian pondered repeatedly, remaining silent.
Mu Lingxi knew that Feng Tian must be undergoing a fierce internal struggle. She hoped Feng Tian could temporarily set aside her pride, take a step back, and voluntarily offer to give up the Heavenly position.
If so, Feng Tian and Zhang Ruochen would surely reconcile.
But such a simple sentence was incredibly difficult for Feng Tian.
A dignified Death God Venerable, Death Overlord, with a solidified mindset of a million years, how could she admit fault?
Just as Feng Tian had always been clear, the biggest contradiction between her and Zhang Ruochen was actually Xumi's death.
Even though Xumi Saint Monk himself sought death at the time, and it had little to do with Feng Tian, who was only at the peak of Great Unbound Infinite, both Xiuchen Heavenly God and Feng Tian believed that besieging Xumi was to avenge Kong Fannin, and Xumi Saint Monk deserved to die.
Until Qishier Pin Lian appeared...
Feng Tian certainly did not regret besieging Xumi Saint Monk. As a god venerable of Hell Realm, even without personal enmity, she would have participated in that battle.
She could face the world with a clear conscience.
But it was hard for her to face Zhang Ruochen with a clear conscience.
Rather than saying that Void Heaven, or abandoning the Heavenly position, caused the rift between her and Zhang Ruochen, making her unwilling to meet him voluntarily, it was more accurate to say she didn't know what mindset to use when meeting him.
A tough attitude was like building a wall around her heart to prevent outsiders from seeing the truth inside.
But once that wall was pushed down, she would undoubtedly expose her most embarrassing and weakest side to the other party. How could Feng Tian, so stubborn and strong-willed, do that?
After an unknown amount of time, Feng Tian said, "Moli Corpse Ancestor has been taken into the Red Dye Tower by me, but completely refining him will take at least a thousand years."
Mu Lingxi sighed inwardly.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Feng Tian holds fifty percent of the Death Esoterica, known as the Death Overlord. Refining him would take this long?"
"It's precisely because I hold fifty percent of the Death Esoterica that it only takes a thousand years." A cold, mocking smile appeared on Feng Tian's exquisite jade-like face. "I haven't forgotten that you gave me ten percent of the Death Esoterica. What do you want? Name it."
Mu Lingxi's eyes lit up, and she frantically winked at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I won't return the Heavenly Cauldron. Consider us even."
Mu Lingxi deeply regretted not leaving earlier. These two were completely at odds, neither willing to bring it up first.
Both were waiting for the other to bring it up first.
"Fine, very well. Zhang Ruochen, you calculate your accounts very clearly."
Feng Tian turned into a blood-red stream of light, passed through the boundary wall of the Thunder Clan Ancestor Realm, and landed on the towering city wall of Wuchang Ghost City.
Under her red robe, her chest heaved violently. Her expression was unreadable—cold, angry, or perhaps pained.
"Whoosh!"
The lightning boundary wall flickered, and Zhang Ruochen landed behind her.
Feng Tian instantly restrained all her emotions. Without turning around, she said, "Why are you following me in? Wuchang Ghost City, I've decided to personally guard it. I don't need Emperor Chen's help."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I want to know information about the remnant soul of Ming Ancestor."
"I don't know," Feng Tian said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "No, you definitely know something. Every time I mention the remnant soul of Ming Ancestor, there's a subtle change in your eyes."
"Even if I know, why should I tell you?"
Feng Tian turned around, her jade neck slender, looking sideways at the void outside the city with an air of superiority.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I am more than seventy percent certain that the one trying to possess me is Ming Ancestor. Moreover, Ming Ancestor is likely related to the Celestial Pivot Needle!"
Feng Tian's expression turned serious. "How do you know?"
"Ling Yanzi left some clues," Zhang Ruochen said.
"The Celestial Pivot Needle..."
Feng Tian muttered this phrase, then said, "Some things happened an extremely long time ago. I am only guessing, not certain. Just listen."
"I was born in the Corpse Clan, gaining intelligence in the Santu River region. When I first embarked on the path of cultivation, I met a person. His mastery of the Path of Fate is something I still cannot match today. My cultivation of the Path of Fate, the Death Method, and my entry into the Destiny Temple are all greatly related to him. To be precise, he taught me for a time."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is he the Ming Ancestor whose remnant soul has returned?"
"That's my guess."
Feng Tian continued, "Because after the Great Venerable broke into the Destiny Temple, that person disappeared. At the time, I didn't understand the connection between the two. As my cultivation grew deeper and ancient powerhouses returned one after another, many truths surfaced. Only then did I guess that the Great Venerable's breaking into the Destiny Temple back then might not have been to seize the Fate Esoterica, but to find someone, to find him."
"You said Ling Yanzi left clues about Ming Ancestor, which further confirms my guess."
"About the remnant soul of Ming Ancestor, that's all I know. Any other questions?"
Zhang Ruochen stared into her eyes. "What did that person look like? What race was he?"
"I'm not sure. Perhaps because a million years have passed, or perhaps because that person himself didn't want me to know his appearance, my memories of him are extremely vague. Oh, speaking of the Celestial Pivot Needle, he seemed to be holding it back then... but I can't be certain."
Feng Tian said, "Didn't you ask Gong Nanfeng?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head slightly.
Feng Tian immediately showed a thoughtful expression.
Earlier, Feng Tian had been sparing with words, unwilling to say another word to Zhang Ruochen, but now she had detailed everything she knew. Zhang Ruochen could feel the concern in her heart.
Her originally tough heart had softened considerably.
Perhaps because he was in Wuchang Ghost City, for some reason, Zhang Ruochen suddenly thought of Gai Mie and He Qing, and the words Gong Nanfeng had said.
Feng Tian was deep in thought, recalling if she had missed anything, when she suddenly saw Zhang Ruochen appear before her.
By the time she reacted, her red lips had been kissed by Zhang Ruochen, and her body was pressed back against the battlement wall. Zhang Ruochen's hands, one pressed against the hair at the back of her head, the other on her back, sliding down to her waist.
When had Feng Tian ever been so suddenly attacked?
Almost instinctively, she struck Zhang Ruochen in the chest, sending him crashing through the opposite battlement wall, falling into Wuchang Ghost City, smashing through a high tower, and landing in the strange blood spring.
After all, Zhang Ruochen's martial cultivation was still below Indestructible Infinite. How could he withstand that palm from Feng Tian?
Feng Tian's hand trembled slightly. She let out a long breath, then closed her eyes and bit her teeth tightly.
"Splash!"
Zhang Ruochen flew out of the strange blood spring, returned to the city wall, forced himself to walk a few steps, then spat out a mouthful of blood. Feng Tian's palm strike earlier was definitely real.
Zhang Ruochen sat down on the ground, leaning against the battlement wall.
Neither knew what to say.
After a long while, Zhang Ruochen recovered from the awkwardness and said in a half-joking tone, "Impulsive. Couldn't help it."
"I don't even know what you're doing. But it's best not to have a next time." Feng Tian turned to leave.
Zhang Ruochen finally came up with a reasonable excuse for his recklessness. "Gong Nanfeng told me that if two people keep bickering like this, it's easy for someone to take advantage of the gap."
"What do you mean?" Feng Tian said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You entered Wuchang Ghost City, wasn't it to find Void Heaven and ask him to repair Wuchang Ghost City?"
"Of course not," Feng Tian said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "But I was worried it might be. Old Ghost Void deliberately drove a wedge between you and me, perhaps not for any other reason than... you."
After saying this, Zhang Ruochen himself found it ridiculous, but he kept his face straight, showing no expression.
"If that's the case, one of us will have to die."
Feng Tian suddenly realized she had said too much, too aggressively, inadvertently exposing her inner thoughts. She immediately found an excuse to leave. "You can heal here. Shivara has arrived. I need to go see him."
Watching Feng Tian flee, Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but smile. So she wasn't always so composed. Her vehement denial of her relationship with Void Heaven made it even more interesting to Zhang Ruochen.
But after laughing, Zhang Ruochen fell silent again.
Because of her, he had so many emotional fluctuations. Did that mean his heart was moved? But the differences and contradictions between him and Feng Tian were too many. They could never be together.
Seeing the present, he could be unrestrained, three parts bitter and seven parts sweet.
Seeing his heart, he knew his own joys and sorrows, full of contradictions and unease.
(Chapter End)