Chapter 3938: Yuan Sheng Severely Wounded
The Immortal Music Master released strands of primordial light mist from her body, like the source of heaven and earth, spreading her spiritual power across the entire lower realm to search for traces of the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan.
The Heavenly Mechanism Clan emperor, sealed by jade inscriptions, now knelt on the ground with blood dripping from his knees, trembling under the divine might emanating from the Immortal Music Master.
He wanted to resist but could not stand up.
The Immortal Music Master did not perform a soul search, having enough patience to wait for him to confess everything.
Yuan Jieyi showed no pity on his face and said, "Divine Music Master already knows that a great upheaval has occurred at Chaotian Que. Emperor Chen and the others probably cannot leave Ba Ling."
The Immortal Music Master said calmly, "Return to Ba Ling and deliver my decree. Order the First Seven Sword Emperor, the True One Clan Emperor, the Totem Clan Emperor, and the Fire Clan Emperor to immediately bring the ancestral formations and come to the Ancient Desolate Ruins City to assist me in hunting the Nether Calamity. Those who do not come will share the same crime as the Heavenly Mechanism Clan emperor. Take one of the Heavenly Mechanism Clan emperor's hands with you!"
The Immortal Music Master brushed her fingers across the pipa strings, the sound cutting like a blade, severing the Heavenly Mechanism Clan emperor's right arm.
A drop of divine blood splattered.
Yuan Jieyi picked up the bloody severed arm, secretly admiring the Immortal Music Master's clever methods.
As long as she transferred the First Seven Sword Emperor, the True One Clan Emperor, and other clan emperors who firmly supported the Divine Music Master, the Divine Music Master would be powerless to deal with Zhang Ruochen even if he wanted to.
Moreover, the Heavenly Mechanism Clan emperor was the one the Divine Music Master trusted most. Carrying his severed arm there, how could the First Seven Clan Emperor and others continue to steadfastly support the Divine Music Master?
But Yuan Jieyi still had some concerns and asked, "Immortal Music Master, isn't this a bit too drastic? What if the Divine Music Master..."
The Immortal Music Master said, "Rest assured. The Divine Music Master is, after all, a member of the primordial beings. He will not stand by and watch the Twelve Primordial Clans split apart. This conflict is far from causing civil war. So what all primordial beings pursue is returning to the upper realm—they just use different methods."
"Understood!"
Yuan Jieyi jumped off the city wall and disappeared into the darkness.
The Nine Heavens Celestial World, along with Chaotian Que and the Blood Sea, were taken by Zhang Ruochen into his Divine Realm World. He then left the Ancient Desolate Ruins City and headed to the upper realm.
The Immortal Music Master's tall, elegant figure stood in the wind. After watching Zhang Ruochen and the others leave, she looked again at the kneeling Heavenly Mechanism Clan emperor and said, "This is your last chance to speak. Otherwise, I will perform a soul search. If you don't want dignity, I'll give it to you. When the time comes, I will certainly give you a grand burial."
...
Zhang Ruochen, wearing the face of the Sacred Music Master, flew out of the Abyss of Darkness.
As soon as he returned to the upper realm, he encountered the First Seven Sword Emperor, the True One Clan Emperor, and the other four clan emperors.
The four clan emperors naturally knew that something had happened in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, but they did not yet know that the Sacred Music Master was Zhang Ruochen. They glanced at each other without a word and went their separate ways.
"This Immortal Music Master has some skill," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Whoosh!"
Ming Gu stepped out of space and appeared before Zhang Ruochen, still in the form of Gong Nanfeng but wearing a mask. "Zhang Ruochen, things have taken a terrible turn. The Netherworld Refinement Purgatory has finally undergone a mutation. It seems the Nether Ancestor is about to emerge, and the Extinction Calamity is imminent."
Zhang Ruochen was not surprised by the mutation of the Netherworld Refinement Purgatory.
After the Life Ancestor's death attack on the Netherworld Refinement Purgatory, which deity in the world did not know that the Netherworld Refinement Purgatory had a major problem?
Once the three half-ancestors resolved the hidden danger of the Netherworld Prison, the Netherworld Refinement Purgatory would be next.
If the Netherworld Refinement Purgatory had not mutated at this time, Zhang Ruochen would have been even more afraid. Because no mutation meant no fear—no fear of the three half-ancestors, no fear of all the power of this era.
Zhang Ruochen said calmly, "Your identity has probably been exposed to the Divine Music Master. Come with me."
Ming Gu shook his head like a rattle-drum and said, "It's too dangerous to go with you. There's no safe place in the Heavenly Court or the Hell Realm right now. I think it's calmer here in the Abyss of Darkness. The Divine Music Master is still only at the Heavenly Venerable level, so I can handle him."
Zhang Ruochen said, "You can handle him? Then why did you flee Ba Ling?"
Ming Gu paused for a moment, then said mysteriously, "Didn't I recover some memories from my past life? It's as if some force is guiding me to return to the lower realm and find the ultimate secret left by the Life Ancestor. I have ambitions too, you know. I want to charge toward half-ancestor, to restore the glory of my past life. Once I reach half-ancestor... no, ancestor, I will surely face all enemies in the world. But for now, I'm still too weak, so I need to hide. Understanding when to avoid danger—that's the true path of fate!"
Zhang Ruochen knew that everything the old man said before was just an excuse; the last sentence was the truth.
Of the twelve aspects of fate, had he only cultivated the two aspects of fortune and misfortune?
Whenever trouble arose, he hid. Which of the three giants of the Destiny Temple acted like this?
Zhang Ruochen still preferred the fighting spirit of Void Heaven, Feng Tian, and Nutian Shenzun. Working with this old man required at least half the time to calm his emotions and encourage him to move forward; otherwise, in the end, Zhang Ruochen would likely be the one bearing the brunt.
A thought flashed through Zhang Ruochen's mind, and he said, "It's good that you're staying in the Abyss of Darkness. Do me a favor."
Ming Gu narrowed his eyes warily, not daring to agree immediately. "I don't know... if it's dangerous..."
"Don't worry, it's not dangerous. This is a great deal with no risk and pure profit."
Zhang Ruochen continued, "At Chaotian Que, I was schemed against by an old fellow. He took the Victory Crown, the Yellow Spring Seal, the Ancestor Divine Source, the Life-Death Double Coffin, the Radiant War Halberd... and many other treasures that even the Twenty Heavens covet. But now that the universe is undergoing great changes, I must rush back to the Hell Realm and the Heavenly Court Universe. I don't have time to chase him down."
"I have time—plenty of time. But how strong is this old fellow?" Ming Gu asked cautiously again.
Zhang Ruochen's expression was grave. "Extremely strong. You must be very careful. However, I have already severely wounded him. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deal with him."
Hearing the first part, Ming Gu was already backing out.
But hearing the latter part, his expression immediately relaxed.
If even Zhang Ruochen could severely wound him, how strong could he be?
Those legendary battle weapons were practically free for the taking!
Zhang Ruochen said, "However, the Immortal Music Master has already set her sights on him. She summoned the four clan emperors back to hunt him down."
Ming Gu snorted coldly. "What a big deal, making such a fuss. I think there's no one capable among the Twelve Primordial Clans. It seems this Mountain Lord has to step in. I won't talk anymore—leave this to me. When it's done, the Radiant War Halberd is yours. You're practically getting a divine artifact for free!"
Ming Gu rushed into the Abyss of Darkness in a hurry, as if afraid the Immortal Music Master would snatch the prize first.
Chi Yao's voice sounded from within the Divine Realm World. "This senior doesn't seem very reliable. Won't he mess things up in the lower realm?"
"No, this old man is very shrewd."
Zhang Ruochen had tricked Ming Gu into going because he was worried that the Immortal Music Master alone could not suppress the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan, and also worried that the Divine Music Master's people would cause trouble.
With Ming Gu's involvement, the Immortal Music Master would have an easier time handling the situation with the Twelve Primordial Clans.
Leaving Ba Ling, Zhang Ruochen did not encounter any interception from the Divine Music Master.
Of course, even if the Divine Music Master had intercepted him, Zhang Ruochen and his group had the strength to deal with it.
Entering the Hell Realm's defensive line, Zhang Ruochen, regardless of exposing his whereabouts or secrets, urgently released his spiritual power, wanting to immediately know how much the mutation of the Netherworld Refinement Purgatory had worsened the situation in the Hell Realm and the Heavenly Court.
Within the defensive line, information from various main stars and major worlds poured into Zhang Ruochen's ears like the voices of all living beings.
Zhang Ruochen headed toward the White Clothes Valley in the Kongming Realm, his expression growing increasingly grave.
The clan leaders and hall masters of the Upper Three Clans of the Hell Realm were all gathered in the White Clothes Valley to discuss how to deal with this great upheaval of heaven and earth.
Xue Tu, under Feng Tian's orders, had been waiting early at the stream suspension bridge outside the White Clothes Valley. Seeing Zhang Ruochen's figure, he immediately greeted him with a joyful expression. "Senior Brother, Master said that when you arrive, you should go to the Kongming Hall for discussions immediately."
"I won't participate in the high-level secret meeting of the Hell Realm. I came to see Nutian Shenzun. After I see him, I'll leave," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xue Tu naturally understood why Zhang Ruochen was so anxious. It had nothing to do with him anyway, and he believed that the big shots in the Kongming Hall had already heard Zhang Ruochen's words.
Xue Tu said, "Senior Brother, I want to go with you to the Sword Realm to see the world."
The mutation of the Netherworld Refinement Purgatory, with the Nether Sea surging out from the eighteenth layer of the Netherworld, was certainly a universe-shaking event. But the mutations in the universe were far from limited to this.
The dark power of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain was visibly disappearing.
Some deities speculated that, at this rate, within ten years at most, the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain would completely vanish from the universe.
The Sword Realm hidden inside would also be exposed.
Many cultivators guessed that the Dark Anomaly was absorbing the dark power of the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain. Only His cultivation could achieve what Jiusi Yitianhuang had failed to do back then.
This was also why Ming Gu was unwilling to leave the Abyss of Darkness with Zhang Ruochen. He knew that no matter how dangerous it was, Zhang Ruochen would definitely return to the Sword Realm.
Zhang Ruochen showed a surprised expression. "Do you know how dangerous this is?"
"Fortune favors the bold," Xue Tu said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "And fortune can also be lost in boldness."
Xue Tu laughed. "Without Senior Brother's guidance, how could I, Xue Tu, have stepped into the Infinite Realm so quickly? I know that Senior Brother has taken out a large amount of resources and had several senior sisters-in-law train the divine army in secret on White Cang Star. I am willing to be a great general in that divine army, unafraid even to face half-ancestors!"
During the nine hundred years Zhang Ruochen spent in Wuchang Ghost City, the sundial on White Cang Star had been continuously activated. Xue Tu, Xiao Hei, Xue Hou, Ming Emperor, Underworld King, Mu Lingxi, and others had all gone there to go into seclusion for at least a hundred thousand years, refining large amounts of the blood of the Immortal that Zhang Ruochen had given them.
It was during this time that Xue Tu achieved supremacy in the martial path.
Zhang Ruochen nodded. "With such fearlessness and ambition, your future holds great promise."
Mu Lingxi appeared outside the temple gate of the "White Clothes Valley," elegant and pure in white, looking at the two below the stone steps. "Are you two going to talk much longer?"
Xue Tu transmitted a message: "Master is probably urging again. Senior Brother can't avoid it. Master... is very forceful."
Zhang Ruochen sent a secret message: "Go tell Feng Tian, Nutian Shenzun, and Void Heaven that the Twelve Primordial Clans have been pacified. In the short term, they won't be able to attack the Hell Realm. Let the Upper Three Clans do whatever they want boldly."
After Xue Tu left, Zhang Ruochen climbed the stone steps, took Mu Lingxi's soft hands, and said, "Come with me to the Sword Realm. I'll handle Feng Tian."
"Mm!"
Mu Lingxi had been waiting for Zhang Ruochen to say this. Her eyes shone, and her snow-white face was full of sweet smiles, still looking like the same Senior Sister Duanmu from the Martial Market Academy.
Time could not wear away the truest smile.
She said, "But you need to first deal with the problem of that fiancée of yours. She's badly injured and hasn't woken up yet."
Under Mu Lingxi's guidance, Zhang Ruochen entered the valley, followed the stream upward, and soon arrived at the Buddhist domain courtyard covered by the Sixth Patriarch's Bodhi tree.
Just as he pushed open the door, he saw Feng Xi about to walk out.
Their eyes met.
Having cultivated Buddhism for many years, Feng Xi quickly calmed the ripples in her eyes, stepped aside, clasped her hands together, lowered her head, and said with eyes watching her nose, "Greetings, Emperor Chen."
Zhang Ruochen opened his mouth but hesitated.
Although Zhang Ruochen had previously released his spiritual power to probe the cosmic situation, this heavenly secret could only be detected by at least a Twenty Heavens-level figure.
Jue Miao Chan Nu and Bore, who were in the courtyard, looked at Zhang Ruochen with surprise in their eyes.
Only Xue Hou was still under the Bodhi tree, taking care of Yuan Sheng. She smiled and said, "Emperor Chen is back. Quickly use your great divine power to save this girl."
Zhang Ruochen nodded to Jue Miao Chan Nu and Bore, then walked toward the Sarira altar under the Bodhi tree.
This altar was not large, only seven meters high, but it was built from multicolored Sarira, showing the depth of the White Clothes Valley's heritage.
"Mother!"
Zhang Ruochen bowed to Xue Hou, then looked at Yuan Sheng lying at the center of the altar. The Flame God Armor and the Ancestor Night Traveler's Robe had both been removed and placed aside. She was only wearing a blue martial divine robe.
Jue Miao Chan Nu had not taken the opportunity to retrieve the Flame God Armor, which surprised Zhang Ruochen. Perhaps it was because Xue Hou was here taking care of Yuan Sheng.
Zhang Ruochen picked up the broken divine artifact, the Blue Sea Chaos Spear.
The break was smooth and neat. Just by using his spiritual power to probe for a moment, Zhang Ruochen saw a peerless sword energy coming from across the universe.
"What a terrifying sword strike."
On Yuan Sheng's fair, jade-like neck was a black blood line.
Clearly, her head had been cut off by a sword, and external force had reattached it.
But the blood line could not be erased, and the wound could not fully heal. The powerful and terrifying sword energy and dark power continuously emanated from the blood line, accompanied by strange sounds of ten thousand evils howling in the space.
Xue Hou said, "Near the Hell Realm's defensive line, she was attacked by a mysterious sword cultivator. If Nutian Shenzun had not arrived in time, she would have fallen. Nutian Shenzun saw your mark on her palm, so he brought her back for treatment."
"But Nutian Shenzun is not proficient in the Sword Dao and cannot refine the dark sword energy that invaded her body while preserving her cultivation and divine soul. So he could only seal the area around the wound first."
"At the same time, there is a major problem within her own body, which erupted under the severe injury. It can only be suppressed with the help of the Bodhi tree and the Sarira altar's Buddhist power."
Zhang Ruochen naturally knew that the major problem within Yuan Sheng's body came from Luo Tong Luo.
Many of Luo Tong Luo's remnant ancestral souls and the essence of his divine body's fundamental matter still remained in Yuan Sheng's body, sealed in her third eye on her forehead. Even after nine hundred years, they had not been fully refined.
Zhang Ruochen gently touched the light-spot-shaped third eye on Yuan Sheng's forehead, like a stone striking a calm lake, causing countless ripples.
Yuan Sheng's forehead and face became blurry, turning into liquid and the form of heaven and earth rules. It took a long time to reform.
No wonder even Nutian Shenzun, with his cultivation, found it difficult. Yuan Sheng's condition was indeed complex and severe.
This matter had arisen because of him, so he naturally had to take full responsibility.
"This dark sword energy within her body is of the same origin as the Dark Anomaly and also of the same origin as the Sword Ancestor. The mysterious sword cultivator cut off Yuan Sheng's head, most likely for Luo Tong Luo."
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment, then took out the Sword Bone and released the Taiji Four Symbols Diagram Seal.