Chapter 3942: Tripartite Division of the World
The withdrawal of the Hell Realm army from the western shore of the Wuding Divine Sea was a lengthy process. It was precisely for this reason that Zhang Ruochen acted in advance, to prevent bloodshed and conflict when the Sword Realm was relocated.
Entering the vast and boundless sea, Zhang Ruochen explored the seabed, the Void World, secret realms, and suspended stars, clearing all hidden dangers.
At the same time, he entered the most important forbidden zone of the Wuding Divine Sea, the "Gui Xu" (Return to Ruins).
The space here was far more stable than elsewhere, the water deep and bottomless. This was once the birthplace of the Thunder Clan's Ancestor Realm and the Bronze Divine Tree. Many cosmic meridians converged here, and the concentration of Heaven and Earth Qi was extremely high.
Walking out of Gui Xu, Gai Mie said, "This is a good place. I want to claim it for myself. Why hasn't any powerful figure from the Heavenly Court or Hell Realm occupied it?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Heavenly Court and Hell Realm have been avoiding conflict in recent years. If either side occupied Gui Xu, the other would surely not let it go. It's understandable that both sides chose restraint and avoidance."
As the two walked out of Gui Xu, they immediately sensed the active fluctuations in the space around them.
On the divine ship, Chi Yao gazed at the eastern sky, watching the colorful clouds spreading across the horizon. "Chen Ge, Grandmaster and the others have begun their operation."
...
On the eastern shore of the Wuding Divine Sea, the defensive line of the Heavenly Court Universe was located. Countless sacred cities and fortresses were built on the planets by the sea.
About ten billion miles from the coastline, powerful spatial fluctuations erupted, sending fierce winds and giant waves in all directions.
The Five Dragon Divine Emperor, in his massive true form, flew at the center of the spatial storm. Golden light filled the void, accompanied by lightning, thunder, clouds, and rain.
"Whoosh!"
A corner of a great world emerged at the point of the most intense spatial fluctuation, extending outward...
Gradually, the second-ranked great world of the Southern Universe, the "Heavenly Dragon Realm," appeared on the sea surface.
Within the realm, ten thousand dragons galloped, and all the gods simultaneously released their Divine Throne Planets.
Thousands of Divine Throne Planets, blazing like stars, flew into the sky above the sea, hanging in the firmament, causing the Heavenly and Earthly Rules in the surrounding space to become increasingly active.
Not only the Heavenly Dragon Realm, but also the main planets of the Thousand Star Civilization appeared above the Wuding Divine Sea.
Originally, the Thousand Star Civilization had a thousand main planets. After suffering a heavy blow from the Nether Sea, it had lost hundreds. The living beings on those hundreds of main planets had turned into blood mist, dissolving into the Nether Sea. All matter on those planets had been devoured.
Now, the Thousand Star Civilization had only six hundred main planets remaining.
These six hundred main planets, along with the Divine Throne Planets of the Thousand Star Civilization's gods, shone upon each other, forming a bright, unique starry domain above the Wuding Divine Sea.
"Shua! Shua!"
Figures radiating powerful auras flew into the Wuding Divine Sea.
Among them were the ethereal and transcendent "Moon God," the "Xianchao Ji" from the Netherworld Evil Cult, Zhang Ruochen's disciple "Qing Su," the "Heavenly Fox Grandmother" from the Demon God Realm, "Zhuo Fang" from the Blade God Realm, "Ming Jian Shen" from the Sword God Realm, and gods from great worlds that followed the Heavenly Dragon Realm and the Thousand Star Civilization.
There were hundreds of gods. Each one fully mobilized their Divine Qi, releasing a great world from within their Divine Realm World.
In no time, hundreds of great worlds, like hundreds of magnificent continents, appeared on the sea surface, arranged according to some mysterious pattern.
What Qing Su brought was not the Imperial Dao Great World, nor did Xianchao Ji bring the Cha Realm; they brought their own territories.
Back when Zhang Ruochen activated the Sundial in the Time Divine Temple for ten thousand years, they, as top-tier Great Gods, had stepped into the Infinite Realm during that time. It was perfectly normal for an Infinite to control dozens of great worlds in the universe.
This was the power of a First-Rank Divine Path. It could help top-tier Great Gods absorb the power of quantity in Lihentian.
Breaking through the Infinite Realm was naturally easier for them than for other cultivators.
Of course, the main reason was that those who could cultivate to the level of a top-tier Great God on their own already possessed talent that was one in a billion. Over ninety percent of the Divine Paths they cultivated were Third-Rank.
A storm tide of formation inscriptions surged from the eastern shore of the Wuding Divine Sea, spreading across all the great worlds on the sea surface.
Yunshen Daozhu rode an ancient ship several hundred miles long, standing at the bow with Qianxing Shenzu, Qiangu Nüdi, Chi Xingtian, the Eight-Winged Yasha Dragon, Fangcun Dashi, and other gods.
Yunshen Daozhu pushed his spiritual power to the limit, his boundless will sketching formation inscriptions in the void.
These formation inscriptions, like rays of light, illuminated the entire sea area.
When the formation was complete, the divine light on Yunshen Daozhu's body gradually faded. The gods from the various great worlds and main planets gathered on the sea surface around the divine ship.
"We pay our respects to Tai Shang, we pay our respects to Shen Zu."
...
All the gods knew that today was destined not to be an ordinary day. It would surely be recorded in history. Joyful smiles adorned everyone's faces.
Divine Kings and Divine Venerables like the Five Dragon Divine Emperor, the Moon God, Qing Su, Xianchao Ji, Ming Jian Shen, and Zhuo Fang flew onto the divine ship, intending to discuss the next steps together.
The reason so many great worlds and gods had gathered in the Wuding Divine Sea was primarily because the Starry Sky Grand Formation had been broken, and the Ghost Gate had been swept away by the Nether Sea. The Heavenly Court Universe's defenses in this direction had become extremely weak.
Naturally, it was necessary to draw power from the four directions of the universe to build a more solid defensive line.
The Dragon Clan, most adept at naval warfare, and the heavily damaged Thousand Star Civilization, took the opportunity to station themselves here.
Those with discerning eyes knew that great worlds like the Heavenly Dragon Realm and the Thousand Star Civilization were already tied to the Sword Realm's war chariot and would leave sooner or later.
Forcibly stopping them would only lead to discord.
Instead, letting them station themselves in the Wuding Divine Sea would allow them to defend against the Hell Realm, counter the uncertain threat of the Nether Prison, and maintain a mutually supportive position in the future.
After all, these people were born in the Heavenly Court Universe and had countless connections with the gods of various great worlds. As long as they didn't completely break ties, they would surely come to the Heavenly Court Universe's aid in times of trouble.
Yunshen Daozhu smiled faintly, looking into the distance. "Ruochen is back."
Hearing this, the gods present became even more excited.
Yu Chenjing, Ao Linglong, Qing Su, Chi Xingtian, and others eagerly looked forward.
"Rustle!"
Ripples spread through the space.
A divine ship flew out from the center of the ripples.
Zhang Ruochen, Chi Yao, Gai Mie, Yuan Sheng, Chan Bing, Mu Lingxi, and the three elders of the Ancient Divine Nest stood on the ship, each radiating a powerful aura.
"We pay our respects to Di Chen!"
The gods bowed and shouted in unison.
Not to mention the prestige Zhang Ruochen had accumulated as the Grand Elder of the Time Divine Temple and the Space Divine Temple, the various battle achievements that had continuously spread from the Hell Realm to the Heavenly Court were enough to make the proudest gods in the world lower their heads.
Fighting Shang Tian, battling the Kui Liang Huang, withstanding the Dark Weirdness, killing Fei Ma Wang, Wu Mu Jin Chong, and Mo Li Shi Zu, and even going head-to-head with multiple Heavenly Venerable-level beings and surviving...
In the world today, who dared to say the word "defy"?
The Zhang Ruochen of today was the sharpest and most fierce War God. So sharp that the three Half-Ancestors had to borrow his sword one after another. Wherever he passed, he could slay a Heavenly Venerable or an Indestructible.
Even Yunshen Daozhu, known as the number one spiritual power user in the world, could not overshadow his brilliance. He was undoubtedly the most dazzling banner of the Sword Realm.
"Grandmaster, Dragon Emperor, Shen Zu."
Zhang Ruochen led the group onto the ship where Yunshen Daozhu was. "The Hell Realm army on the western shore of the Wuding Divine Sea has been driven away by me. From today, this starry domain is ours to command."
"Haha! Coming back with such a grand gesture, worthy of the Di Chen who can fight Gu Yanluo." Qianxing Shenzu laughed.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on Zhuo Fang and Ming Jian Shen. There was both amusement and curiosity in his eyes. "The Blade Venerable actually allowed you to come to the Wuding Divine Sea to garrison?"
Zhuo Fang bowed first. "This is exactly the Blade Venerable's intention."
Zhang Ruochen said, "And what are Ming Jian Zun's plans for coming to the Wuding Divine Sea?"
Before Ming Jian Shen could speak, Chi Xingtian interjected, "This guy went and knelt to beg Wen Tianjun. He said that all sword techniques in the world originate from Kunlun, and that anyone who wishes to cultivate the sword must apprentice themselves to Kunlun. He is willing to swear loyalty to the Kunlun Realm and make amends for his past mistakes."
Zhang Ruochen found it hard to believe that someone as proud as Ming Jian Shen would do something like "kneeling to beg."
Ming Jian Shen remained neither humble nor arrogant, speaking calmly, "Is it wrong to recognize a mistake and correct it? In the past, I was too obsessed with fame and fortune, and I did things I regret for life. Fortunately, Di Chen did not hold a grudge and gave me a chance to reform, repeatedly entrusting me with important tasks, which made me see the light. Wen Tianjun is the elder I respect most in this life. Seeking the Dao from him is my lifelong wish."
Zhang Ruochen could see that the current Ming Jian Shen was unperturbed by favor or disgrace, having truly let go of his pursuit of fame and fortune. As a cultivator at the Infinite Realm, facing Chi Xingtian's mockery without a ripple of emotion, this state of mind was enough to prove everything.
Since the topic of the sword had come up, Zhang Ruochen asked, "Grandmaster, is the Sword Pavilion still safe?"
Yunshen Daozhu said, "Gu Yanluo once infiltrated the Kunlun Realm, intending to take the Sword Pavilion. He was ambushed and wounded by Wen Tianjun. However, he was well-prepared, and we were unable to keep him there."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Where are Wen Tianjun, Uncle Long, and Jie Tian? Why haven't I seen them?"
"Come, let's talk in detail inside the hall."
The Five Dragon Divine Emperor gave Gai Mie a deep look, clearly recognizing him.
Only gods at the level of Divine Kings, Divine Venerables, and some important Great Gods could participate in this top-level council.
Entering the hall, Zhang Ruochen and Yunshen Daozhu sat in the first seats on the left and right. Below them were Qianxing Shenzu and the Five Dragon Divine Emperor. Further down were Chi Yao and Qiangu Nüdi.
Yunshen Daozhu said, "Wen Tianjun and Jiwang have already gone ahead to the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain."
Zhang Ruochen said, "That's too dangerous! The Dark Weirdness is extremely terrifying. Only a Half-Ancestor can fight it."
Yunshen Daozhu said, "They should be fine. They are carrying the Darkness Temple, which can hide them in the darkness. Moreover, they won't enter the Dark Great Triangle Star Domain. They will only investigate the periphery to determine if the thing devouring the darkness is indeed the Dark Weirdness, and at the same time, find the safest path to the Sword Realm."
"Ruochen, you must understand that you are not fighting alone. We old fellows are still here. When facing challenges from Half-Ancestors and Heavenly Venerables, it is definitely up to us to handle them. What you need to do now is to properly manage the Wuding Divine Sea and the surrounding starry domains. I believe this is the best place for the Sword Realm to settle."
"Grandmaster, our thoughts align perfectly."
Zhang Ruochen felt an inexplicable surge of emotion, like a wanderer returning home. After fighting until he was battered and bruised outside, there was always someone to rely on when he came back.
While he was racking his brains to find a way to rescue the Sword Realm, there was a group of people doing the same thing.
Zhang Ruochen was silent for a moment. "What about Jie Tian? Did he go too?"
Qiangu Nüdi said, "Jie Tian went to the Heavenly Academy!"
The Nine Heavens Universe World of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable had appeared in the Heavenly Academy nine hundred years ago. Although this news had been suppressed, how could Zhang Ruochen not know?
What was the purpose of Jie Tian going to the Heavenly Academy? Did it need to be guessed?
Zhang Ruochen took out the Celestial Pivot Needle and handed it to Yunshen Daozhu.
Yunshen Daozhu took the pen, examined and analyzed it, and sighed, "Murong Buhuo's spiritual power attainment is truly remarkable. I am not even one percent of his equal."
"Is this the legendary number one spiritual power divine artifact, the Celestial Pivot Needle?" Qianxing Shenzu revealed a look of surprise.
The Five Dragon Divine Emperor said, "With this pen, when Tai Shang re-establishes the Starry Sky Grand Formation, its power will surely be elevated by a level."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Grandmaster intends to set up the Starry Sky Grand Formation in the Wuding Divine Sea again?"
Yunshen Daozhu nodded. "Now, the Wuding Divine Sea has gathered hundreds of great worlds, over a million life-bearing planets of various sizes, and countless secret realms and void realms. If we don't set up the Starry Sky Grand Formation, how can we protect all of this? The power of the Starry Sky Grand Formation must be enough to withstand a Half-Ancestor. This will be a massive project, not something that can be accomplished overnight."
Zhang Ruochen said, "What do you need me to do?"
"Chen Ge, didn't Grandmaster already say it earlier?" Chi Yao added, "Di Chen is the emperor of this land. What you need to do is manage all parties, govern, educate, promulgate laws and regulations, form alliances externally, and balance all sides internally. As for the matter of defense, Grandmaster will surely have a strategy. As for rescuing the Sword Realm, there is Wen Tianjun."
Zhang Ruochen laughed. "These matters are better left to a group of heavenly officials, like in the Heavenly Palace. If I spend all my energy on this, how can I cultivate?"
Chi Xingtian said, "Then why don't we select the Twenty Heavens and let the Heavens decide on major matters?"
As soon as he said this, the Eight-Winged Yasha Dragon kicked him hard, nearly sending him tumbling under his chair.
They hadn't even split from the Heavenly Court yet. How could they do such a thing? Moreover, even if they were to select the Twenty Heavens, it should be Zhang Ruochen who proposed it. How could anyone else dare to say such a thing?
This interlude quickly passed, but Zhang Ruochen could see that many people present were tempted!
As top-tier cultivators, who didn't want to be enfeoffed as a Heavenly Venerable?
Ancestor was a goal that even the Heavens dared not pursue. Only the strong among the Indestructible Infinite dared to think about it.
Heavenly Venerable was already the limit that a Divine Venerable-level cultivator could see.
Yunshen Daozhu said, "Ruochen, do you intend to use the power of the Celestial Pivot Needle to conceal your own heavenly fate, evade the perception of the Dark Weirdness, and go to the Sword Realm?"
Zhang Ruochen silently admired his Grandmaster's wisdom. "The power of the Dark Weirdness cannot be confronted head-on. This is the only way."
Yunshen Daozhu said, "However, at the moment of retrieving the Sword Realm, the spatial fluctuations will inevitably be strong, and it will still alert her."
Zhang Ruochen said, "As far as I know, the relationship between the Dark Weirdness and Luo Teli is extraordinary. At that moment, I will use Luo Teli to distract her."
Yuan Sheng and Chan Bing exchanged a glance, instantly understanding that they were both part of Zhang Ruochen's scheme.
At the same time, they understood why Zhang Ruochen had invited the Star Sea Angler to retrieve the Shura War Soul Sea. This was to use Luo Teli as a medium to engage in a battle of wits with the Dark Weirdness.
"Excellent! With the Darkness Temple and the Celestial Pivot Needle, Wen Tianjun will surely be able to conceal all heavenly fate and bring the Sword Realm to the Wuding Divine Sea." Chi Xingtian was overjoyed.