Chapter 3896: Life Bone
In the sky, gray clouds raced swiftly, obscuring the stars.
All around the Bone Sea, the undead howled, and corpse crows wailed, creating a grim atmosphere as if a storm was about to break.
Yuan Sheng did not hide the truth from Zhang Ruochen and said, "Using royal blood can break the stone skin. Zhang Ruochen, if you think handing over all twelve old clan emperors to me poses too great a threat to the upper realm, you can first let me use blood to awaken the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan. The old clan emperor is Da Zhanglao's father!"
Zhang Ruochen stared intently into her eyes and said, "With the old clan emperor's cultivation, if he is awakened, can I still hold on to the remaining eleven stone figures?"
"So the twelve stone figures are indeed with you."
Yuan Sheng said with some irritation, "We've come to this point, and you're still hiding things. If we don't awaken the old clan emperor, when a Heavenly Venerable-rank expert arrives, we'll all die."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Everything you've said is just your side of the story. How do I know that the Great Venerable really made such a promise back then?"
Yuan Sheng was so angry she rolled her eyes, her chest heaving. For the first time, she realized how suspicious Zhang Ruochen was. She said, "I can swear an oath..."
Zhang Ruochen raised his hand to stop her from swearing and said, "I naturally trust you! But the Divine Music Master and Immortal Music Master you mentioned might be using your relationship with me to trick me into returning the twelve stone figures. Even... whether the twelve stone figures are really the old clan emperors of the twelve clans is still unknown."
The last sentence was purely to block Yuan Sheng's upcoming rebuttal. In fact, he was almost certain that the twelve stone figures were indeed the old clan emperors of the twelve ancient clans.
Their aura could not be faked.
It was also impossible for twelve top-tier powerhouses to suddenly appear out of nowhere in the world.
Zhang Ruochen was naturally grateful to the twelve stone figures, after all, they had saved his life.
But the twelve stone figures were too powerful, so powerful that no one in this era could suppress them.
The ancient creatures of this era were themselves exceptionally strong, with over ten Indestructible Infinite-level beings, and existences like the Head Seven Sword Emperor and the Three Music Masters of Great Dark Mountain.
The Life Ancestor was also suspected to be an ancient creature of the Hongmeng Clan.
If the twelve old clan emperors really returned at this point in time, they would surely sweep across the universe and trample all the stars.
It could be said that Zhang Ruochen's decision now could lead to the destruction of the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm's myriad realms, and the extinction of all races. Therefore, he absolutely could not act on emotion.
Perhaps the Divine Music Master and Immortal Music Master had not deceived Yuan Sheng, and the Great Venerable had indeed made a promise back then.
Cracks had already appeared on the twelve stone figures, and perhaps one day they would break free on their own, and Zhang Ruochen could not directly control that. But at least for now, Zhang Ruochen felt he could not hand them over to Yuan Sheng.
"Ancient creatures were born from heaven and earth, and were once the rulers of the upper realm, but we have been suppressed in the lower realm, living in darkness. We are even called strange beasts, subjected to humiliation and belittlement. On what grounds?" Yuan Sheng said with intense emotion and sharp eyes.
She naturally trusted the Divine Music Master and Immortal Music Master, and like other ancient creatures, she wanted to walk out of the lower realm, launch an attack, fulfill the unfinished wishes of past ancestors, end the humiliation of the ancient creatures, and once again rule the universe.
She summoned the Blue Sea Mixed Yuan Spear, already intending to take it by force.
The cold wind howled, stirring mountains and rivers.
Their relationship, due to their differing stances, had developed a serious rift.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You are no match for me, and this is the upper realm. Once you are exposed, you will face certain death. Leave now, quickly."
"Fine! Zhang Ruochen, remember this. The powerhouses of the twelve ancient clans will definitely come looking for you again. You'd better stay alive and not let the twelve old clan emperors fall into someone else's hands, or else the first person you will have wronged is the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable, causing him to break his promise. Hmph!"
Yuan Sheng flicked her ponytail, charged forward, her form dissolving into strands of glowing heavenly and earthly rules, disappearing into the bone-covered land.
Zhang Ruochen let out a long sigh, finally understanding why Jie Laotou had told Yuan Sheng that he was the current head of the Zhang Clan. It was purely to pass this troublesome matter to him.
At any other time, Jie Laotou would have been the first to fight for the position of family head.
"The higher the cultivation, the greater the responsibility." Zhang Ruochen deeply understood the meaning of this saying.
"Fallen out? Did you get back that half of my divine soul?"
Xiao Hei's voice came from the gray, hazy death mist.
Zhang Ruochen was not surprised and replied calmly, "We've fallen out, how can I get it back?"
The White-Haired Skeleton and Xiao Hei, one white and one black, walked out of the death mist.
Zhang Ruochen stood tall and imposing, glancing sideways at the White-Haired Skeleton, and said, "Senior, have you finally decided to have a proper talk with me?"
The White-Haired Skeleton clasped his bone arms behind his back, snorted, and said, "Tell me, did you deliberately kill the White Jade Red-Eyed Lion?"
Zhang Ruochen countered, "Did Senior deliberately lead me to the Bone God Temple to die?"
"Nonsense!"
The White-Haired Skeleton's voice was as harsh as bone scraping, saying, "Gu Yanluo's cultivation was so high, and he was hiding in the Bone God Temple. Even the current Half-Ancestors didn't know, how could I?"
"I only discovered that Zhuque Fire Dance might be in danger and led you to rescue her. Sigh, after all, the Middle Three Clans are united. The Bone God Temple was suspicious, and I was anxious. I had to find a way to investigate, right?"
"So noble? Why didn't you go rescue her yourself?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The White-Haired Skeleton spread his two bone arms, shrugged, and said, "That was the Bone God Temple, and the White Jade Red-Eyed Lion was at the peak of Great Unbound Infinite. With my meager cultivation, how would I dare? You are different. You are a Heavenly Circle Without Deficiency, and you have a good relationship with Zhuque Fire Dance. You are more suitable. You should go."
Time was pressing, and Zhang Ruochen did not want to waste time bickering with the White-Haired Skeleton. He got straight to the point, "Since Senior has come, you should at least show some sincerity. Continuing to play games like this is meaningless. Are you the Life Bone?"
"Yes!"
The White-Haired Skeleton said, "Is that candid enough?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "Who is the host of the Life Ancestor's remnant soul's possession?"
The White-Haired Skeleton shook his head like a rattle-drum, saying, "I don't know! His best target for possession would certainly be me, but now it's you, since you have cultivated a First-Rank Divine Path and have the potential to become an Ancestor. You are much stronger than this old bone."
"How could you not know?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The White-Haired Skeleton said, "I have been hiding from him my entire life. I have encountered him, but I fled from afar, so I don't know his true identity. As for his appearance... when his cultivation reaches that level, with the blessing of fate, his form is ever-changing, so there is no point in discussing it."
"So you know nothing?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"No, I know the most crucial point. The time of his Eon Calamity is the same as mine. This might be fate."
The White-Haired Skeleton continued, "If he wants to possess you, he will definitely choose the eve of the Eon Calamity's arrival."
"When is your next Eon Calamity due?"
"Eighteen days from now."
Zhang Ruochen drew in a cold breath, looked around, and used the Heart of Truth and the Wuji Divine Dao to sense.
The White-Haired Skeleton said, "Don't bother sensing. He's not here! If I'm not mistaken, he has gone to deal with Feng Caiyi first! Feng Caiyi is an important part of his plan for a new life, which can greatly increase his cultivation in a short time."
Xiao Hei sneered, "Feng Tian controls fifty percent of the Death Esoterica, and her combat power is comparable to the peak of Indestructible Infinite. For the Life Ancestor to deal with Feng Tian without the knowledge of the Hell Realm's Heavens is no easy task."
But Zhang Ruochen was not so optimistic, because Feng Tian's Gate of Death was with him, and she was currently in her weakest state.
If the Life Ancestor had been scheming against Feng Tian for a long time, he might have left some hidden means on her. With the Celestial Pivot Needle's enhancement, it was possible to find the location of the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation.
The White-Haired Skeleton said, "Don't worry about Feng Caiyi for now! Before you are possessed, she won't have any problems. She is just a bonus in the Life Ancestor's plan for a new life. You are the main event."
Zhang Ruochen said, "If the Life Ancestor needs a bonus for his new life, wouldn't Senior be a more suitable candidate than Feng Tian? You might not be outside his plan."
"Also, Senior probably has no confidence in surviving the Eon Calamity in eighteen days, right? What is Senior planning?"
"Haha, what could I be planning?"
The White-Haired Skeleton's smile immediately faded, and he said solemnly, "Originally, I had given up and was ready to spend my old age peacefully, facing the Eon Calamity as it comes."
"But the appearance of the Immortal gave me new hope. By using the Immortal's blood to refine my bone body, I might be able to withstand this Eon Calamity."
"Is it that simple?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The White-Haired Skeleton clicked his bony jaw twice and said, "With one more Eon, I will have enough time to comprehend the Immortal's blood. Maybe I can even usher in a second spring?"
"Cultivation is, after all, a struggle against heaven for one's life."
"Giving up is only when there is no other way. When there is an opportunity, one must fight for it."
"I said that a lot of the strange blood spring in Wuchang Ghost City had disappeared. So you took it!" Zhang Ruochen thought of something and said suspiciously, "No, that's not right! Since you already have the Immortal's blood, why are you causing so much trouble? Can't you refine the strange power in the blood spring?"
The White-Haired Skeleton puffed out his rows of snow-white ribs, proudly saying, "I am the Life Bone. Can't I withstand that bit of strange power? However, Gu Yanluo staying in the Bone God Temple was quite troublesome."
Zhang Ruochen rolled his eyes, too lazy to expose the contradictions in the old bone's words, and said, "You want to use the strange blood spring to refine your bone body to survive the Eon Calamity. Do you need other conditions? Must it be done in the Bone God Temple?"
The White-Haired Skeleton's white hair was three zhang long, fluffy on top of his head like a dandelion. He lowered his voice and said, "Not the Bone God Temple, but the Ten Thousand Bone Cave. Do you know the Ten Thousand Flow Ravine?"
"The strange blood spring can only change the bone body, but the divine soul cannot withstand the Eon Calamity."
"The mysterious power in the Ten Thousand Flow Ravine is extremely beneficial to the Bone Clan. At the critical moment, it can be used to strengthen the divine soul. Why do most Bone Clan members gain intelligence in the Ten Thousand Bone Cave? There is a reason for that."
Zhang Ruochen felt that the White-Haired Skeleton had not told the whole truth, but he did not continue to press.
At this moment, Xiao Hei finally reacted and said, "I understand! You old fellow, in order to restrain Gu Yanluo, you deliberately used me to lure Zhang Ruochen to the Bone God Temple. Your intentions are malicious, truly malicious."
The White-Haired Skeleton decided not to pretend anymore and came clean, saying, "Yes, that was my purpose. But that was because I thought Nutian Shenzun had really come to the Santu River region. Nutian Shenzun, Zhang Ruochen, and Feng Caiyi would be more than enough to deal with Gu Yanluo."
"If it weren't for me, would Zhang Ruochen have discovered Gu Yanluo's whereabouts? Would he have successfully foiled Gu Yanluo's plan? I have merit. I have merit, not fault, towards the Hell Realm."
"Besides, this is my retaliation! Earlier in Wuchang Ghost City, I did nothing wrong, but Zhang Ruochen and Feng Caiyi falsely accused the Bone Clan of being traitors, making me a target for everyone. How unjust was that? Zhang Ruochen, I even told you the secret of the Life Ancestor's arrival and warned you to be careful, yet you repay kindness with enmity. Where is heavenly justice? Where is fairness?"
Xiao Hei was stunned by the White-Haired Skeleton's roar, and for a moment felt awkward, saying, "Zhang Ruochen, this was indeed your fault first. It was not honorable. Was it Feng Tian who ordered you to do this?"
Xiao Hei winked vigorously at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Alright, let's call it even. We fought but now know each other. Deal?"
The White-Haired Skeleton instantly changed his expression and smiled, "This old man holds no grudges!"
"Slap!"
Xiao Hei clapped his hands and said, "That's right! We are all top figures in the world. We should be magnanimous. Actually, I am very curious. The person Gu Yanluo is chasing is Zhang Ruochen. Why did we come to meet up with Zhang Ruochen? Wouldn't it be better to escape elsewhere?"
The White-Haired Skeleton chuckled.
Zhang Ruochen spoke for him, "Because once the White Jade Red-Eyed Lion died, Gu Yanluo's divine thought would have already covered the territory near the Bone God Temple. He would definitely conduct a thorough investigation. You couldn't hide."
"If you didn't hide and chose to escape early, you would have exposed your heavenly secrets. Even if you hid in the divine realm world of the Guan brothers, you would still be conspicuous and would be targeted. Guess whether Gu Yanluo would chase me or you?"
Xiao Hei said without thinking, "He would definitely chase you. What value is there in chasing us? The Life Bone Senior's method of concealing aura is superb. Even if Gu Yanluo targets the Guan brothers and senses something is wrong, he won't know who we are. Why would he chase us?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Precisely because the Life Bone Senior's method of concealing aura and heavenly secrets is superb, Gu Yanluo would definitely chase you. The traces I left in the direction I went were too many and too obvious. Instead, they would be suspected to be from a doppelganger, a cicada shedding its shell strategy."
Xiao Hei now fully understood and said, "No wonder the Life Bone Senior said you deliberately killed the White Jade Red-Eyed Lion. You used Gu Yanluo to force him to reveal himself and meet you."
The White-Haired Skeleton said, "Tell me the plan! You, Zhang Ruochen, are still so calm and composed at this moment. Who have you invited? Heavenly Mother or Yan Huanyu?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and said, "Heavenly Mother is still fighting the dark strange being, and Huan Yu Clan Leader simply cannot get away. In the current situation, we can only handle it ourselves."
"What?"
The White-Haired Skeleton regretted coming to find Zhang Ruochen. He should have gambled that Gu Yanluo would not thoroughly investigate the Bone God Temple.
He had thought that Zhang Ruochen dared to kill the White Jade Red-Eyed Lion because he had someone backing him. Now it seemed he was simply courting death.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Senior, how long can you hold off Gu Yanluo?"
"What? He is a Heavenly Venerable-rank expert." The White-Haired Skeleton shook his head vigorously.
Zhang Ruochen said, "How long can you hold him off?"
"At most a quarter of an hour! If you lend me a suitable weapon, I might be able to last longer." The White-Haired Skeleton said.
Xiao Hei was dumbfounded. It seemed these two never spoke a word of truth.
Zhang Ruochen said, "What do you want to borrow?"
"The Fate Cauldron, the Heaven Cauldron." The White-Haired Skeleton said.
"I can't lend that. I can lend you the Wu Cauldron."
Zhang Ruochen was using the Heaven Cauldron to forge swords, so naturally he could not lend it to the White-Haired Skeleton.
But at this critical moment, since the White-Haired Skeleton had agreed to help hold off Gu Yanluo, Zhang Ruochen would not be stingy and could lend him the Wu Cauldron.
The Wu Cauldron, also known as the Jade Emperor Cauldron, had been refined by the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable using his own Ancestor blood. As long as the blood of a Zhang Clan disciple was used, any cultivator could activate part of its power.
Zhang Ruochen cut his wrist, and divine blood continuously flowed into the Jade Emperor Cauldron.
The White-Haired Skeleton's eyes widened, and he kept stroking the Jade Emperor Cauldron, as if an old pervert was groping a young girl's body.
Xiao Hei was somewhat worried and said, "Think it over again. This is one of the Nine Cauldrons. What if the Life Bone Senior runs away with it?"
"Is a cauldron more important than life? The Life Bone Senior only has eighteen days left to live, but I can help him. The possibility of him surviving the Eon Calamity should increase greatly." Zhang Ruochen said.
The White-Haired Skeleton had indeed planned to take the Jade Emperor Cauldron and flee when Gu Yanluo arrived. But now his heart stirred, and he asked, "What method do you have?"
"I have the Immortal's palm! The blood in this palm is at least ten times purer than the blood springs in Wuchang Ghost City. I cultivate the First-Rank Divine Path and can refine the strange power, leaving only the pure Immortal blood. Do you want it?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Yes!"
The White-Haired Skeleton's interest greatly increased and said, "Let's plan this carefully. You say, if we join forces, can we be a match for Gu Yanluo?"
"We probably can't win. A single rank difference in cultivation is a world of difference. But it won't be easy for him to deal with us either. He has far more things to worry about than we do. If he can't win quickly, he will have to retreat."
Zhang Ruochen continued, "The key now is Luo Tong Luo! If you, Senior, can hold off Gu Yanluo for a while, allowing me to suppress Luo Tong Luo first, things will be much easier today!"
The White-Haired Skeleton clearly doubted Zhang Ruochen's strength and said, "Luo Tong Luo's combat power has definitely reached the middle stage of Indestructible Infinite. It would be difficult for you to defeat her, let alone suppress her in a very short time."
"I have help."
Zhang Ruochen spread his right hand, and a divine glow appeared in his palm, causing the space to tremble slightly.
Then, the doppelganger projection of the Black and White Daoist appeared in the divine glow in his palm: "Zhang Ruochen, are you sure you can help this clan leader retrieve the Soul-Suppressing Banner?"
"You can go and ask around. When have I, Zhang Ruochen, ever broken a promise? Besides, the biggest threat in Wuchang Ghost City is Luo Tong Luo. Suppressing her is for the benefit of your Ghost Clan. Why do you have so many conditions?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Fine, I'll trust you this time. This clan leader's true body is already on the way and will not arrive later than Luo Tong Luo."
The projection of the Black and White Daoist dissipated.
The White-Haired Skeleton was silent for a moment, then said, "The Black and White Daoist is a tough man from our Middle Three Clans. I admire him."
"He doesn't know that Gu Yanluo is also in this battle." Zhang Ruochen said.
The White-Haired Skeleton said, "You are too cunning! By the way, how will we divide the spoils after suppressing Luo Tong Luo?"
"What do you mean, divide the spoils?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The White-Haired Skeleton became anxious and said, "Her body is the Shura Battle Soul Sea, and her divine soul is the remnant soul of an Ancestor. Which of these is not a supreme treasure? Do you want to keep it all for yourself?"
Zhang Ruochen told the truth this time, saying, "I am suppressing her to analyze the 'Luo Shu' she cultivates, in order to break through to Indestructible Infinite before your Eon Calamity. Gu Yanluo is a formidable enemy, but the Life Ancestor is our mortal enemy."
"Xiao Hei, go to Wuchang Ghost City now and tell Zhou Qi Ghost Emperor that Void Heaven is hiding in the void world corresponding to Wuchang Ghost City. Have him use any means necessary to invite Void Heaven out. The battle in the Santu River region has reached its most critical moment. It's either their death or ours."
Now, all sides in the Hell Realm were under immense pressure. The pressure on Nutian Shenzun might be even greater than his own. There were not many people he could count on, so Zhang Ruochen naturally would not let go of any cultivator who might come to help.
...
After Yuan Sheng left, she quickly found Yuan Jieyi, Cang Mang, and the others.
The thirteen Ghost Clan deities had been "released" in a clever way, rescued by Zhuque Fire Dance and Hun Qi.
Yuan Jieyi said, "Clan Emperor, is something troubling you?"
"You can tell?" Yuan Sheng said.
Yuan Jieyi rubbed his round, bald head and smiled, "I can tell, which means the Clan Emperor is truly angry this time! Who is it? I, Yuan Jieyi, will risk my life to kill that villain."
Yuan Sheng shook her head and said, "Let me ask you, if someone just saved your life, and now he is in great danger, but you walk away in anger, is that righteous? Of course, he was the one who did wrong first."
"I dare to guess, is that person Di Chen?" Yuan Jieyi said.
Yuan Sheng's beautiful eyes widened, and she said, "Don't worry about who it is. I'm asking you, what should I do?"
Yuan Jieyi said, "A life-saving grace should certainly be repaid. But I think doing your best is enough. If it exceeds your ability and might even put you in mortal danger, choosing to escape is not shameful."
"So it is shameful!" Yuan Sheng said.
Yuan Jieyi said, "I didn't say that. Safety first. However, if that person is really Di Chen, we absolutely cannot stand idly by, whether for public or private reasons."
"For public reasons, Di Chen is our only retreat in the upper realm. No one can guarantee that we will win when we go to war with the upper realm. What if we lose? Shouldn't we leave ourselves a way out?"
"For private reasons, has the Clan Emperor forgotten the matter that Da Zhanglao and Jie Lao discussed?"
Yuan Sheng's snow-white cheeks flushed, and she said, "What they discussed has nothing to do with me! Alright, don't worry about this matter. I want to think it over alone."
"Hua!"
Yuan Sheng flew out, transforming into a glow of heavenly and earthly rules, disappearing at the edge of the sky.