Chapter 3916: The Ancient Clan Elder Emperor of the Primordial Path Clan
Sooner or later, the truth had to be laid bare.
Right there in the main hall of the White Impermanence Divine Temple, Yuan Sheng revealed everything.
Even Yuan Suyin had not known about the "Twelve Stone Men" and the "Great Venerable's Promise."
Upon learning this secret, her mind churned with shock, her eyes blazing with intensity and urgency as she fixed her gaze on Zhang Ruochen and asked, "Are the twelve elder emperors in your hands now?"
Zhang Ruochen remained silent.
But silence itself was an answer.
Jie Tian sat on the carved armchair, his earlier excitement long gone. He lifted his eyelids and shot a deep glance at Yuan Sheng, then turned his gaze to Yuan Suyin and Zhang Ruochen, his mind churning with calculations.
He was now completely caught in the fire Yuan Sheng had stoked.
Yuan Suyin, shrewd and decisive as ever, immediately saw the crux of the issue. Clearly, Zhang Ruochen had no intention of handing over the twelve elder emperors.
Given Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation level, even if she and Yuan Sheng joined forces, they might not be his match. Forcibly rescuing them was out of the question.
So, her gaze naturally fell on Jie Tian.
Jie Tian coughed dryly twice and said, "Since it was a promise made by the Great Venerable back then, if we, as descendants, fail to honor it, wouldn't that be…"
Before he could finish, Zhang Ruochen interrupted, "The Great Venerable may not have made such a promise at all. This is merely the one-sided account of the Divine Music Master and the Immortal Music Master of the Great Dark Mountain."
Jie Tian immediately shifted his tone, turning to Yuan Suyin and saying, "That's also possible!"
Yuan Suyin's gaze was resolute, her attitude cold and hard. "The elder emperor of the Primordial Path Clan is my father. Since he is still alive, no matter the cost, I will take him back today. Zhang Jie, what exactly is your stance?"
Jie Tian's head throbbed with pain. How had a father-in-law suddenly appeared out of nowhere?
Jie Tian said, "Suyin, don't get worked up. We're all family here. We can sit down and talk calmly. Zhang Ruochen, look—pity the hearts of children for their parents. You yourself are a child to your father. When he was imprisoned in the Destiny Temple, didn't you want to do everything to rescue him? Mutual understanding, mutual understanding."
Zhang Ruochen remained calm and composed. "Of course, I understand the Grand Elder's feelings. If this were truly a family matter, releasing them would be no issue. But is this really just a family matter?"
"Let me ask the Grand Elder and the Clan Emperor: when will the twelve ancient clans launch an all-out war against the upper realm?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the air in the hall seemed to freeze.
Jie Tian fully understood why Zhang Ruochen refused to release them and said, "Such a monumental matter is probably not something the Primordial Path Clan can decide alone."
On the surface, this seemed to help Yuan Suyin and Yuan Sheng out of a tight spot, but in reality, it gave Zhang Ruochen a reason not to release them.
Zhang Ruochen raised his voice and said, "I know! It will be when the twelve elder emperors return."
Jie Tian tried to smooth things over, saying, "War is bad. If an all-out war breaks out, both the upper and lower realms will suffer countless deaths. Moreover, deep in the darkness, there lurks a group of deliberate world-destroyers, just waiting for us to tear each other apart and weaken ourselves. This would only sadden our allies and delight our enemies!"
"Then are we, the twelve ancient clans, destined to live generation after generation beneath the Abyss of Darkness? To be called strange beasts?" Yuan Suyin retorted.
Divine energy surged from both Zhang Ruochen and Yuan Suyin, clashing against each other.
The atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile.
Yuan Sheng had not expected Zhang Ruochen to be so resolute, nor had she anticipated the situation to deteriorate so quickly. She quickly stepped in front of Yuan Suyin.
Jie Tian was also startled. He immediately stood up and roared, "What do you two think you're doing? I'm still here! You want to fight? Come at me! Zhang Ruochen, sit down!"
Then, he glared at Yuan Suyin and said, "Zhang Ruochen and I have never said that the twelve ancient clans should live generation after generation beneath the Abyss of Darkness, nor have we ever regarded you as strange beasts."
"Zhang Ruochen is right. If the twelve elder emperors return, the lower realm will inevitably launch an all-out war. Can the two of you stop the tide then? The Zhang Clan of the Kunlun Realm will not bear the eternal infamy of starting this war."
"Fine! Zhang Jie, remember your words today. We'll meet on the battlefield another day. Let's go!"
Yuan Suyin was fierce and unyielding. Knowing she was no match for Zhang Ruochen and Jie Tian, staying here was pointless. Was she really supposed to attack at all costs?
Yuan Sheng breathed a silent sigh of relief. She had been genuinely afraid that the Grand Elder would lose control and start a fight.
That would have been more than just a falling out—it would have been a life-or-death struggle.
She already regretted her earlier actions.
"Wait!"
Zhang Ruochen suddenly spoke.
The three people at the temple entrance stopped. Yuan Suyin turned her head slightly and said, "Does the Imperial Dust intend to keep us from returning to the lower realm? I suppose that makes sense. Letting a tiger return to the mountain only brings endless trouble—that is not the way of a true overlord."
"Whoosh!"
Countless streams of divine energy began to flow around Yuan Suyin's body.
Yuan Sheng and Yuan Jieyi knew that Zhang Ruochen was not that kind of person, but they still couldn't help feeling tense. After all, this was the upper realm, and Fengdu Ghost City was nearby, filled with countless experts.
Jie Tian, full of helplessness, was about to speak up to mediate.
But then, Zhang Ruochen summoned a stone man covered in cracks from his spatial realm.
The stone man stood thousands of feet tall, holding a bronze pillar, towering like a mountain, exuding a faint aura of the Primordial Path Clan.
Seeing this stone man, Yuan Suyin's sharp gaze gradually softened, and a layer of mist formed in her eyes.
It was her father's aura.
It was as if she had been pulled back to that night ten eons ago, when her father lifted her up, spun her around once, then waved and walked away, gradually disappearing into the mist.
The figure from her distant memories overlapped with the towering stone man before her.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I cannot hand over all twelve stone men to you. But since Elder Jie is my clan's ancestor, I must give him face. Since the elder emperor of the Primordial Path Clan is the Grand Elder's father, I will entrust him to you, to honor the Grand Elder's filial piety."
Yuan Jieyi nodded deeply, his respect for Zhang Ruochen growing even stronger. He clasped his hands and bowed to him in gratitude.
Zhang Ruochen might not be a ruthless and merciless overlord, but he was definitely a loyal and righteous friend worth knowing.
But the one even more excited was Jie Tian.
He puffed out his chest, full of self-satisfaction, and thought to himself, "This kid Zhang Ruochen has finally started treating me like an ancestor. He knows how difficult my position is, and this time, he's given me plenty of face."
Jie Tian strode over to Yuan Suyin with an imposing air and said coldly, "See that? See that? Look at the magnanimity of my Zhang Clan descendants! All you know is to throw a tantrum, and at the slightest disagreement, you want to fight or leave. If this happens again, I won't put up with it!"
Seeing that Yuan Suyin remained silent, Jie Tian snorted, turned around, walked back to his seat, pointed at the stone man, and said, "Take your elder emperor and leave immediately. From now on, we are done!"
Yuan Sheng and Yuan Jieyi exchanged glances, feeling that Jie Tian was genuinely angry.
Yuan Sheng was about to step forward to say something when she saw Yuan Suyin walk over first, a hint of guilt in her eyes. "I'm sorry… I was only thinking from my own perspective and didn't consider yours."
Jie Tian sat firmly in his seat, but his eyes were tightly shut, showing a cold indifference, as if unwilling to acknowledge her.
Zhang Ruochen knew this old man too well. He was probably overjoyed inside right now.
According to Jie Tian's philosophy, women like strong men. You can't just keep appeasing them; you have to be tough when necessary. Especially when you have the moral high ground!
"Clan Emperor, I would like to speak with you alone," Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhang Ruochen and Yuan Sheng walked deep into the temple. Yuan Jieyi and Xiao Hei tactfully stepped out of the main hall, leaving Jie Tian and Yuan Suyin alone.
The White Impermanence Divine Temple was a world unto itself, growing deeper and more profound the further one went.
Arriving at the foot of a black mountain, Yuan Sheng, who was walking behind, suddenly spoke up. "I know you're very angry. I can apologize to you."
Zhang Ruochen stopped and shook his head. "No need. You helped me greatly when I suppressed Luo Tuoluo, when I broke through to the Indestructible Infinite realm, and even when I dealt with the Life Ancestor. I remember all of that."
Yuan Sheng quickly said, "But you also helped me seize the Yinhuai Divine Tree twice, and you paid a huge price to Lady Shiji to save Yuan Jieyi…"
Zhang Ruochen gestured for her to stop. "After this, let's call it even, shall we?"
Yuan Sheng stepped forward, anxious. "Can't we even be friends anymore?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "The conflict between the upper and lower realms is irreconcilable. War is inevitable. I think it's best if we don't be friends. Otherwise, when the time comes, it will be bad for both of us. I have a question for you. You can choose not to answer."
Yuan Sheng could feel the suppressed anger in Zhang Ruochen's words. Seeing him so cold, her heart ached, and she said softly, "Go ahead."
"Why did you help me instead of the Mountain Lord of the Great Dark Mountain? I want to hear the truth," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yuan Sheng regained her composure as a Clan Emperor and said, "If the Life Ancestor were a true Hongmeng clansman, even if he hadn't returned to the Great Dark Mountain for many years, I would still have helped him. But a remnant soul of an ancient strongman seizing a body to return—can he still be considered a true Hongmeng clansman? Would he truly work for the benefit of the ancient creatures? He was the artifact spirit of the Celestial Pivot Needle, a cultivator of the Destiny Temple, and the founder of the Quantity Organization, always working for the Nether Ancestor."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is all of this just your subjective opinion?"
"The Mountain Lord is in the upper realm. If you encounter him, do not believe everything he says." This was the secret message the Divine Music Master had given Yuan Sheng before she left.
Seeing Yuan Sheng's hesitation, Zhang Ruochen said, "Forget it. You can go. Let me warn you: the other identity of the Quantity Emperor is the Sacred Music Master of the Great Dark Mountain. As for the secret that the Life Ancestor is the Mountain Lord and the Quantity Emperor is the Sacred Music Master, it's best you don't tell anyone."
Yuan Sheng nodded. "I'll remember. Thank you."
"And also, since the Sacred Music Master can be the Quantity Emperor, the internal ranks of the twelve ancient clans may not be clean. If the Nether Ancestor is truly still alive, would he give up controlling the ancient creatures? Don't trust anyone. Trust yourself," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Mm."
Yuan Sheng acknowledged and, staring at Zhang Ruochen's back, said, "Take care of yourself too."
…
Nine hundred years later.
With the Wuchang Ghost City as the center, over a hundred million miles of wilderness had been cleansed of all strange energy by Zhang Ruochen's Taiji Four Symbols Diagram Seal. The hidden danger was completely resolved, and the strange blood springs no longer existed.
Meanwhile, the Santu River basin and Fengdu Ghost City had undergone earth-shaking changes.
…
What I talked about today on the public account came from the heart. Everyone might think it's filler, but I've really glossed over the unimportant parts. The timeline has jumped many times, hasn't it? But there are too many characters and too many threads—I can't just skip everything. I believe that even in the later stages, the parts that need detailed writing should still be steadily and slowly laid out.