Chapter 3954: Return to Kunlun
Zhang Ruochen brought the Truth Hall Master and the Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master to the two blocks of Absolute Self Time Divine Ice beneath the jade tree.
Inside the ice, the two severed halves of the mysterious sword cultivator's body were undergoing subtle changes at every moment.
This indicated that he had not been completely sealed in frozen time.
Of course, the Nine Heavens Celestial World left behind by the Great Venerable could even suppress half-ancestor-level ferocious beings, so there was no need to fear him breaking free.
"Greetings, Hall Master and Valley Master."
Qing Su, who had received a telepathic message, arrived and paid her respects to the two Heavenly Lords.
The sword energy that the mysterious sword cultivator had left in her divine source had already been worn away by the Zen ice.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Qing Su, tell the two Heavenly Lords everything you know."
Qing Su said, "He once said an extremely strange thing. He said that the Imperial Dust had captured his most beloved woman. I speculate that he was referring to Luo Tong Luo."
The Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master and the Truth Hall Master knew almost all the secrets of the universe, yet they were still startled by this statement.
Logically speaking, Luo Tong Luo's remnant soul had descended into the real world not long ago, making it unlikely that she had fallen in love with the mysterious sword cultivator. Moreover, the higher one's cultivation and the older one's age, the harder it was to be moved by emotion.
The Truth Hall Master found it difficult to understand. "Having reached the Heavenly Venerable level, he is still so sentimental?"
"Perhaps there are secrets here that we do not know," the Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master said, falling into thought.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Have the two of you heard the legends of Luo Shen and Luo Tong Luo?"
The Truth Hall Master narrowed his eyes. "Luo Shen's heart did not stir, but when it did, she transformed into a Shura. Legend says that Luo Tong Luo is the daughter of the Wa Huang, Luo Shen!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "I once heard from Shi Bei Ya that the Dark Weirdness, in order to deal with the Wa Huang, deceived Luo Shen's heart, causing her to gradually fall into the path of slaughter and become the Mother of Shura."
The Truth Hall Master said, "You suspect that a part of the Dark Weirdness's divine soul possessed Shang Qing, transforming into the sword cultivator of today? Then who was the Shang Qing who was slain by Bi Luo Zi back in Kunlun Realm back then?"
The Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master said, "The one killed back then was most likely just a doppelganger. That would make sense. I was very curious back then why Bi Luo Zi would kill his own disciple for no reason. What the Imperial Dust speculates might very well be the truth."
"But it is definitely not the whole truth."
Zhang Ruochen had also sensed a trace of the Sword Ancestor's aura from the mysterious sword cultivator.
From this, it could be inferred that the destruction of the Sword Realm and the end of the Sword Dao civilization were both the work of the Dark Weirdness. The Sword Ancestor had been defeated by Him back then.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It's a pity that my realm is not yet high enough, otherwise I could search his soul."
The Truth Hall Master said, "Do not do that under any circumstances. It is too risky. Once a Heavenly Venerable-level divine soul invades your body, even a half-ancestor might not be able to save you."
The Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master observed Zhang Ruochen's expression as she spoke, "The two of us have come on behalf of the Heavenly Palace. Firstly, to thank the Imperial Dust for his assistance in helping the Heavenly Court overcome this crisis. Secondly, to discuss how to properly deal with the mysterious sword cultivator. If he breaks free and retaliates with full fury, the consequences would be unimaginable."
The Truth Hall Master's expression turned somewhat unnatural.
Jie Tian, with his hands clasped behind his back, walked over with the gait of an old goose, saying, "The Chongming Old Ancestor and several other Heavenly Lords have gone to the Heavenly Palace. You should have already convened a meeting of the Heavens. What are your plans?"
The Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master hesitated for a moment, then said, "The mysterious sword cultivator must be sealed separately for the greatest safety. How about suppressing half of his body in the Heavenly Palace?"
She quickly added, "The mysterious sword cultivator was subdued by the Imperial Dust. We have absolutely no intention of taking him away. This is purely for safety considerations. The Imperial Dust may name any conditions he wishes."
Jie Tian burst into laughter, then said sternly, "If that's not taking him away, what is? Suppressing him in the Heavenly Palace? Clearly, Xuan Yuan Tai Zhen and the Chongming Old Ancestor want to study the dark force within him, right? Twenty thousand years ago, Shang Qing was merely a Great God, yet now he is at the Heavenly Venerable level. Who wouldn't want to uncover the secret within? Who wouldn't want to obtain that power?"
Jie Tian, being thick-skinned and blunt, said unceremoniously, "To tell you the truth, with the Nine Heavens Celestial World suppressing him, nothing will go wrong. It's more likely to cause trouble if you take him!"
The Truth Hall Master and the Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master had not held out much hope to begin with. The Heavenly Palace had sent them to negotiate because they were closer to Zhang Ruochen.
The Truth Hall Master, usually quick-tempered, could not flare up at Jie Tian's mockery because she knew she was in the wrong.
There was nothing else to it; this trip had simply cost them their dignity.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If any other cultivator had come, this matter would be non-negotiable. But since the Hall Master and the Valley Master have spoken, I will certainly give you this face. Ruochen owes the Hall Master a debt of gratitude, more than once. Back then at the Space Divine Temple, I also had the Valley Master to thank for her assistance."
"Moreover, the mysterious sword cultivator was not subdued by me alone. Cultivators from the Truth Divine Temple, the Five Elements Temple, and the Time Divine Temple also contributed."
The Truth Hall Master breathed a silent sigh of relief. "If the mysterious sword cultivator is truly a possessed body of a part of the Dark Weirdness's divine soul, then He will certainly try every means to rescue him. Suppressing half of his body in the Heavenly Palace is by no means an act of selfishness by any individual. It can share the danger you face."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I have conditions."
The Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master said, "The Imperial Dust may speak freely."
Zhang Ruochen said, "First, the cultivators from the great worlds that were moved to the Wuding Divine Sea still have many cultivating in the Heavenly Court and still occupy some heavenly domains. I hope the Heavenly Palace can give them fair treatment. They will gradually withdraw later."
The Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master said, "There is no need for them to withdraw. They are originally cultivators of the Heavenly Court Universe. I can vouch for this matter!"
The Truth Hall Master nodded inwardly. Zhang Ruochen's mind was far more mature than before. He not only focused on the conflicts at the Heavenly Venerable level but also saw the interests and safety of the ordinary cultivators under the Sword Realm's banner, thinking of what they needed.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Second, this battle was won only through the joint efforts of the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm. The dangers we will face in the future will only increase and become more perilous. I hope the Heavenly Court can take this opportunity to return half of the Shura Star Pillar Realm to the Hell Realm, in order to ease the conflict between the two sides."
The Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master said, "During the previous meeting of the Heavens, Xuan Yuan Tai Zhen had already raised this matter. With the two of us pushing for it, I believe the resistance will not be too great."
The Truth Hall Master, who harbored a deep hatred for the Hell Realm, chose to remain silent. After a long while, she still nodded, agreeing.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Finally, I want to take the Heavenly Academy away from the Heavenly Court."
To take the Heavenly Academy away naturally meant taking the Nine Heavens Celestial World and the Second Confucian Ancestor's Ancestor Realm along with it.
Although this was a loss for the Heavenly Court, it also had its benefits. After all, with a part of the Dark Weirdness's body remaining in the Heavenly Court, they would constantly worry about an attack on the Heavenly Academy. Therefore, the Truth Hall Master and the Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master quickly agreed.
Jie Tian naturally raised both hands in approval.
In his view, this Nine Heavens Celestial World was originally an asset of the Zhang Clan, a foundation left by the Great Venerable for the Zhang Clan. How could it be handed over to the Heavenly Court?
After everything was settled, the Truth Hall Master and the Crimson Cloud Flying Immortal Valley Valley Master took away half of the mysterious sword cultivator's body. Soon after, the sacred domain where the Heavenly Academy was located erupted with powerful energy fluctuations.
Zhang Ruochen used his own Divine Realm World to carry the Second Confucian Ancestor's Ancestor Realm and the Nine Heavens Celestial World, then left the Heavenly Court and headed for the Kunlun Realm.
Xuan Yuan Lian watched the figure disappearing into the sky, knowing that Zhang Ruochen was gradually severing his ties with the Heavenly Court Universe. She wondered if he would ever come to the Heavenly Court again.
She was, of course, aware of the situation in the Kunlun Realm.
Without a doubt, the distance between her and Zhang Ruochen was growing ever wider.
After returning to the Heavenly Palace, the Truth Hall Master immediately instructed Xiang Chunan, "Go at once to the Feng Clan in the Pangu Realm and investigate all the secrets concerning the Wa Huang, Luo Tong Luo, and the Dark Weirdness. If possible, ask the Feng Clan's Clan Leader to move the Wa Huang Palace to the Heavenly Court. It must not be lost."
...
Half a month had passed, yet the dust over the Eastern Domain was still dark and oppressive, blocking the sunlight and slow to disperse.
Most of the commanderies and prefectures had completely vanished from the surface, leaving no trace behind.
Even the sects, clans, and cities that had been preserved were draped in white mourning silk. The entire realm was in mourning, and the roads were filled with funeral processions.
More than seventy percent of the Kunlun Realm's deities had gathered in the Eastern Domain.
The more powerful cultivators were refining the residual power left by the Heavenly Venerable-level being. The weaker ones were restoring the terrain, bringing rain, and settling the dust.
Although the Eastern Domain Sacred City had suffered the destructive force of Xuanji Sword God's self-detonation of his divine source, it had fortunately withstood the first wave of the attack.
Before the Qishier Pin Lian made her move, Chen Wutian had taken the Eastern Domain Sacred City and fled into the desolate wilderness, thus preserving this city built on a planet.
After returning to the Kunlun Realm, Jie Tian was so angry that his entire head seemed to swell. Without a word, he first rushed towards the ancestral land of the Kunlun Realm Zhang Clan at Wang Shan.
After toiling for tens of thousands of years and exhausting all his efforts, he had finally managed to help the Zhang Clan flourish and restore some of the glory of an ancestral clan. And now, another great destruction had come.
Counting the one from an eon ago, how many times had this been?
Who could endure it?
Zhang Ruochen arrived at the wilderness outside the Eastern Domain Sacred City. Yellow sand filled the sky, and no sign of life could be seen.
The eight former ferry cities had all been reduced to ashes. No one knew how many cultivators had died in the power of Xuanji Sword God's self-detonation of his divine source.
"Shua!"
A flash of divine light, and Chi Yao landed beside Zhang Ruochen. "More than a dozen ancient Hall Masters of the Space Divine Temple are still alive, and all of them have transformed into Nether beings. Interestingly, some of their bodies are made of five-colored clay."
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
Chi Yao could see that Zhang Ruochen's mood was heavy. "I should have personally guarded the Fallen God Burial Forest."
"It's not your fault," Zhang Ruochen said. "Facing the Qishier Pin Lian and more than a dozen ancient Hall Masters, it wouldn't have mattered who guarded the Fallen God Burial Forest. Besides, no one knew where they would attack the Kunlun Realm from. Facing a Heavenly Venerable-level being, no place is safe."
Zhang Ruochen added, "I heard that the Qishier Pin Lian retreated voluntarily? What happened?"
Chi Yao gently shook her head. "At the time, the realm-protecting grand formation had not yet been fully activated. The Qishier Pin Lian and Gai Mie fought while retreating, trying to draw the battle to Wang Shan. But when they were not far from Wang Shan, she suddenly led her people away, leaving in a very strange manner."
Zhang Ruochen murmured, "Wang Shan."
"Perhaps Gai Mie knows something," Chi Yao said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I have another matter to ask you. Was it your order for Taiyi Ancestor to take the Sacred Altar to the Ancient God Nest?"
"Did Na Lan tell you?" Chi Yao asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "What was the purpose?"
Chi Yao pondered for a moment, then said, "The Sacred Altar has been refined into a Divine Altar, capable of preserving the remnant souls of deities. Coincidentally, the Ancient God Nest has moved to Lihentian, replacing the position once occupied by the Yan Land. So why not use the Divine Altar to create a backup plan for the deities of the Kunlun Realm faction?"
"Only by protecting the remnant souls can they be saved from being cursed to death."
"In this battle, Xuanji Sword God, Han Qiu, and many other Kunlun Realm deities fell, but their remnant souls in Lihentian have been preserved. They have a chance to return by seizing new bodies."
"If they are unwilling to seize a body, they can also... walk the path of the Scattered Saint, though surviving the Eon Calamity will be difficult. They have cultivated under the Sundial for a considerable time, so the next Eon Calamity will be extremely powerful. If they cannot reach the Great God realm in a short time, they will most likely be annihilated."
"I thought this trivial matter didn't need to be mentioned to you."
Zhang Ruochen stared intently into Chi Yao's eyes. "This is certainly not a major matter. You can arrange it on your own. I trust you. But is this definitely your intention? Is Ling Yanzi really in the Ancient God Nest?"
The Sacred Altar was forged by the Ming Emperor back then, using the entire treasury of the Sacred Bright Central Empire through the Dragon-Protecting Pavilion. It could preserve the sacred souls of Saint-realm cultivators.
These sacred souls could also cultivate the Scattered Saint path and live a second life.
The reason Zhang Ruochen speculated about Ling Yanzi upon learning that the Sacred Altar had been sent to the Ancient God Nest was twofold.
First, the source of the blueprints used by the Ming Emperor to forge the Sacred Altar was worth investigating. The Bi Luo Path cultivation method that the Ming Emperor left for the sacred souls in the altar could not have been passed down by Bi Luo Zi.
Second, in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, Chi Yao had voluntarily mentioned that Ling Yanzi was in the Ancient God Nest, though it was to scare Gai Mie.
But could a single lie really frighten a supreme pillar of the demonic path?
Zhang Ruochen always felt that Chi Yao was not entirely deceiving Gai Mie.
Under Zhang Ruochen's intense gaze, Chi Yao's expression was no longer so calm. Her lips moved as if she was about to relent.
"Hua!"
Spatial fluctuations appeared around them.
Ji Fanxin, Bai Qinger, Wu Yue, and A Fuya stepped out of space rifts one after another.
With such a major upheaval occurring in the Kunlun Realm, it was natural for the Wuding Divine Sea to send powerful reinforcements. Ji Fanxin and A Fuya, who primarily cultivated the path of life, could be of great use.
Wu Yue, dressed in a black robe, saw that Zhang Ruochen's first stop upon returning was the Eastern Domain Sacred City and naturally understood everything. "Husband, please accept my condolences. Xuanji Sword God still has a remnant soul preserved in Lihentian. With the wonder of your First-rank Divine Path, you may be able to help him return."
A Fuya said meaningfully, "If he is unwilling to seize a body, he can use a five-colored clay figurine. The risk of seizing a body is too great. At their cultivation level, the failure rate may be over ninety percent. But the path of fusing with a five-colored clay figurine... the Qishier Pin Lian has already proven it to be feasible. For the deceased, this might even be an opportunity!"
Zhang Ruochen did not comment. He looked A Fuya up and down carefully.
In the past, A Fuya had descended into this era by seizing the body of the Elf Queen, Mei La, with her Ancestor remnant soul.
Now, although she wore a veil, Zhang Ruochen could still see that her appearance and temperament had changed drastically. Her brows were like paintings, her eyes shimmered like rippling waves, as if they had gathered the spiritual energy of all things in heaven and earth.
Her skin was as fair as fine jade, and at every moment, life-giving light rain fell from her.
With just this brief pause, a radius of hundreds of thousands of miles had already regained vitality. Tender green leaf tips sprouted, and colorful flowers bloomed. Even river channels appeared, and sacred springs surged from the ground.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The First Queen's comprehension is truly remarkable. It seems you have already understood the 'Undying Incantation' and fused with your former Ancestor corpse. May I ask you to remove your veil so we can see the true face of the Ancestor?"
"According to my deductions, Jiusi Yitianhuang's Corpse Transformation Forbidden Art was likely derived from the 'Undying Incantation.' The 'Undying Incantation' probably has a close connection with the 'Luo Shu,' and the 'Luo Shu' should originate from the Wa Huang, forming the foundation of the Dao method by which she could mold clay into humans. If the essence of all this can be analyzed, the Imperial Dust's path to becoming an Ancestor will surely be smoother."
A Fuya slowly removed her veil, revealing a face of peerless beauty that was no less than Wu Yue's. The exquisite spirituality unique to the Elf clan and the mysterious nobility unique to an Ancestor gave her an ethereal aura like a colorful cloud in the sky, untouched by any worldly dust.