Chapter 3914: Fortune and Misfortune Intertwine
In the vast starry sky, a divine ship flew at extreme speed.
Zhang Ruochen stood at the bow, the Kirin Fist Gloves worn on his arms. As his five fingers gently clenched, space trembled, and strands of lightning scattered from the four Thunder Beads.
Booming sounds echoed through the cosmic void.
The Kirin Fist Gloves had naturally been returned by Nutian Shenzun.
The difference was that the gloves had originally been embedded with only two Thunder Beads and the Dull Void Stone. Now, however, all four Thunder Beads—Heaven, Earth, Wind, and Fire—were present, their power increased by more than just a single level!
It was as if five divine artifacts and the Dull Void Stone had been combined into one!
Those two Thunder Beads had been obtained by Nutian Shenzun after he dismembered the Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerable during the battle at Wuding Divine Sea.
...
The reason Zhang Ruochen had left Lady Shiji's Divine Star so hastily was naturally due to the urgent situation at Wuchang Ghost City.
However, no matter how critical the situation at Wuchang Ghost City was, Zhang Ruochen was not the most anxious one.
Black and White Daoist was the most frantic!
He had repeatedly promised to gift Zhang Ruochen enormous benefits, and only then had Zhang Ruochen agreed to accompany him there. As for what those "enormous benefits" were, he hadn't said, but Zhang Ruochen wasn't afraid he would renege.
Zhang Ruochen had already handed the Mani Pearl to Nutian Shenzun, helping him completely resolve the Withering Death Art. This settled one matter weighing on his mind, so there was no urgent need to rush to the Abyss of Darkness for now.
Returning with Nutian Shenzun to the Dark Abyss camp was also Qi Tian.
Zhang Ruochen had once talked with Qi Tian through the night, hoping he would return to the Kunlun Realm. But Qi Tian believed he had no lingering attachments there anymore; he had done everything he should have done for the Kunlun Realm in this life. Now, he wanted to live for himself.
His current attachments were in the Hell Realm, in Nutian Shenzun's camp.
As a son, what more could Zhang Ruochen say?
Qi Tian's reasoning was unassailable.
He could only choose to bless his father and mother, hoping they could truly break free from race, hatred, and conflict—an undoubtedly difficult task.
Whether in the Heavenly Court or the Hell Realm, there would surely be much criticism.
Their own hearts were the same.
How to face this relationship was a tribulation they needed to overcome.
And the tribulation Zhang Ruochen needed to overcome was far more difficult than theirs.
Perhaps a man should not easily fall in love; he should control his emotions and desires, live more purely, so he could be more at ease and have more energy to pursue the eternal Dao and the vision in his heart.
This was also one of the reasons he left Lady Shiji's Divine Star without waiting for Feng Tian to return.
After experiencing these several trials of shared hardship, his feelings for Feng Tian had undergone subtle changes. Their hearts had grown closer, but he was even more afraid!
Therefore, he had to think clearly about how to face her from now on.
...
Having been attacked by thousands of stars, the northern city wall of Wuchang Ghost City had collapsed in many places. Strange blood springs continuously gushed out, causing devastating erosion to the surrounding territories.
Fortunately, Zhou Qi Ghost Emperor and Yang Yun Ghost Emperor had activated the World Tree in time, using its power to confine the strange blood springs within a radius of one hundred million li.
But this was not a long-term solution. The wider the World Tree's coverage, the weaker its power, and it would soon be corroded and penetrated by the strange blood springs.
In recent days, Zhuque Fire Dance, Black Impermanence Venerable, Soul Seven, and others had been patrolling along the array light wall formed by the World Tree's power, filled with worry.
Because strange power had already begun to seep through the array light wall.
Black Impermanence Venerable received a divine message talisman flying in from beyond the heavens, joy appearing on his face. His divine voice spread across this land: "The Clan Leader has sent word—he and Imperial Dust will arrive in a few hours. Everyone can rest assured!"
The gods stationed in the hundreds of divine temples outside the array light wall all came out.
Each one was very solemn!
"Imperial Dust has come; he will surely resolve the hidden danger at Wuchang Ghost City. We no longer have to live in fear day and night."
"That is Imperial Dust, after all."
...
Before this, they had already learned many pieces of news.
Some news claimed that the Nether Ancestor could not possess Imperial Dust; instead, Imperial Dust had broken through to the Indestructible Infinite Realm, taking a great step forward on the path to becoming an Ancestor.
There was also news that Imperial Dust and Feng Tian had joined forces to battle against a Heavenly Venerable-level opponent, fighting until the sun and moon lost their light, neither able to gain the upper hand.
Even more news said that Imperial Dust had gone to Lady Shiji's Divine Star, sitting as an equal with Lady Shiji, discussing the general trend of the world, talking about the rise and fall of ancient and modern times, and had been rated as one of the ten most influential and powerful giants of the current era.
Regardless of whether the rumors were true or false, the series of major events that had occurred recently had undoubtedly shrouded Zhang Ruochen in an even thicker layer of legendary color.
Who would still dare to show disrespect?
Who wouldn't want to pay their respects?
...
"Greetings, Imperial Dust!"
"Greetings, Clan Leader!"
The divine ship landed, and a large group of ghost clan gods came collectively to pay their respects.
In the distance, holy realm ghost cultivators knelt in a dense mass.
Zhang Ruochen left them to Black and White Daoist to handle, while he alone first entered the array light wall to investigate.
Before him stretched an endless expanse of strange territory, blood-red, devoid of life, and lacking any undead aura.
He traversed the hundred-million-li region, arriving outside Wuchang Ghost City. After spending half a day sealing the gaps in the northern city wall, he finally walked out of the array light wall.
"Senior Brother!"
Blood Butcher greeted him from afar, his expression excited. His gaze unconsciously swept over the other gods around him, and even his walking posture was different from usual, a look of smugness on his face.
Xiao Hei walked alongside Blood Butcher, but he was quite guilty, not as casual as usual. He muttered softly, "Greetings, Imperial Dust."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on Xiao Hei.
Xiao Hei looked helpless and said, "This time, I really didn't mean to mess things up. I truly did my best. I know your situation was critical, but Zhou Qi Ghost Emperor had to fully activate the World Tree's formation and couldn't go to Wuchang Ghost City. I tried to break into the strange blood spring, but the strange qi was terrifying; with my cultivation, I couldn't get in."
Zhang Ruochen extended a hand and drew out the strange qi that had invaded Xiao Hei's body. "I know you really gave it your all. Don't feel guilty. Didn't I come back safe and sound?"
Earlier, Zhang Ruochen had sent Xiao Hei back to Wuchang Ghost City to request Void Heaven's help.
It was for this matter that Xiao Hei blamed himself.
Blood Butcher suddenly asked, "Senior Brother, I heard the Nether Ancestor fell under the Eon Calamity? I also heard that the Celestial Pivot Needle was destroyed in that battle. Is that true?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
Blood Butcher immediately pressed, "Did you find Gong Nanfeng, who was captured by the Nether Ancestor? Did you rescue him?"
Zhang Ruochen could see the deep concern and worry in Blood Butcher's eyes.
Fighting and quarreling were one thing. But when life and death were at stake, it was another matter entirely.
Zhang Ruochen was silent for a long time, then shook his head.
Xiao Hei let out a long sigh. "What a pity. That kid was a good person, but he ended up being buried with the Nether Ancestor. Damn this world—no one knows whether death or tomorrow will come first."
Blood Butcher was silent for a long time, as if finding it hard to accept this fact. "So he's dead like that. After a god of the Destiny Temple dies, whether or not there is a corpse, a life-and-death stele is erected for them in the Relic Ancient Realm. I'll carve that stele for him!"
Black and White Daoist walked over, glanced at the departing Blood Butcher, and said, "This is Feng Tian's disciple, isn't it? A person from the Death God Palace, yet unexpectedly quite sentimental and righteous."
Xiao Hei showed no reverence for Black and White Daoist. "If he didn't have even a little bit of the quality recognized by Imperial Dust, do you think the Clan Leader would consider him worthy of being Imperial Dust's junior brother?"
Black and White Daoist smiled. "That's true. Birds of a feather flock together. Imperial Dust himself is that kind of person, so naturally, those around him are the same."
On Lady Shiji's Divine Star, Zhang Ruochen had already used the Mani Pearl to help Black and White Daoist break the curse.
It wasn't free of charge.
The long river of spiritual power thoughts from Kui Huang Liang that Black and White Daoist had collected, originally intended to enhance his soul power, had now all fallen into Zhang Ruochen's hands.
"Since Imperial Dust has already investigated the situation at Wuchang Ghost City, do you have a plan for how to deal with it next?" Black and White Daoist had become much more humble, showing none of his former arrogance.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I've already sealed the breach at Wuchang Ghost City. With the World Tree guarding it, the strange power won't leak out in large quantities for a short time. I need to go to Wan Gu Ku first."
Black and White Daoist's heart stirred. "That side is indeed more urgent. Please, Imperial Dust, must help Ming Gu survive the Eon Calamity. The Middle Three Clans need a strong figure to sit in command."
After Zhang Ruochen left, Black and White Daoist immediately summoned Black Impermanence Venerable and White Impermanence Divine Venerable to his side. "You two go to the Ancestor Realm immediately and tell the Hall Master that I want to use the divine medicine Long Kui."
Black Impermanence Venerable said, "Long Kui is a heavy treasure of the ghost clan. It has been growing for nearly ten million years. Even the Great Emperor couldn't bear to consume it. The Hall Master probably won't allow us to pick it."
Black and White Daoist narrowed his eyes, like two sharp swords. "I am the number one strongman of the ghost clan in this era, the Clan Leader of the ghost clan. Now that the ghost clan is at a critical moment of life and death, what's wrong with picking a divine medicine? Besides, I'm not picking it for myself to consume. This is the condition for Imperial Dust to help the ghost clan resolve the crisis! This price, the ghost clan must pay!"
Zhang Ruochen had certainly never mentioned such a condition.
But Black and White Daoist had his own schemes.
Under normal circumstances, even as the Clan Leader, he had no authority to pick divine medicine from the Ancestor Realm. After all, Fengdu Dadi was not dead, so this Clan Leader could not yet dominate with an iron fist.
And by the time Fengdu Dadi returned, he would have even less opportunity!
Therefore, before that, he had to scheme as much as possible for himself.
He guessed that Zhang Ruochen's next cultivation plan would definitely be to break through to the ninety-first level of spiritual power, using the Imperial Talisman to achieve a major leap in his own combat power.
Otherwise, Zhang Ruochen wouldn't be so fixated on Kui Huang Liang's spiritual power thoughts.
The divine medicine Long Kui happened to be a top-tier divine medicine for enhancing spiritual power.
Black and White Daoist planned to use a borrowed gift to give Zhang Ruochen a strong push. This would both resolve the enmity between them and allow him to scheme for the opportunity he had long coveted.
The blood of the Immortal!
This blood was right before his eyes, yet he couldn't obtain it—how could he be willing?
If he didn't give Zhang Ruochen enough sweetness, how could Zhang Ruochen, after refining the strange power, possibly share the Immortal's blood with him?
...
On the way to Wan Gu Ku, Wu Wo Deng said, "Don't worry about Ming Gu. The Master left the Life Gate for him, intending to help him through this Eon Calamity. If he can fully merge with the Life Gate, combined with the Immortal's blood, Ming Gu might be able to use the tempering of the Eon Calamity to step into the Heavenly Venerable rank."
Zhang Ruochen was not surprised that Gong Nanfeng had made such an arrangement.
After all, Ming Gu was his past life incarnation, likely possessing fragments of the Nether Ancestor's memories and divine soul, and also harboring deep resentment toward the Nether Ancestor.
Leaving the Life Gate to Ming Gu was, in a way, another form of entrustment?
Ming Gu had been able to contend with Gu Yan Luo in a short time, his cultivation and combat power already very close to the Heavenly Venerable rank. However, the final step was extremely difficult to cross and had been delayed for too many years.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "And who are the Fortune Gate and Joy Gate left for?"
Wu Wo Deng said, "The Master said, to bless your son."
Zhang Ruochen was stunned. "Bless my son with the Fortune Gate? Which son?"
Zhang Ruochen didn't think that Chi Kunlun or Zhang Chuanzong could handle one of the Nether Ancestor's gates. At least, not within hundreds of thousands of years.
"How would I know? The Master was too good to you, even considering your son." Wu Wo Deng said.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen stopped in the void, his expression extremely grave.
Gong Nanfeng wouldn't have done this without reason.
He was blessing Chi Kunlun, most likely.
Why bestow a blessing?
What was he trying to tell him?
Fortune and misfortune intertwined?