Chapter 4086: The Seed
Above True Reed Island, a patch of seven-colored clouds coalesced.
A spatial chaos insect, resembling a true dragon, its body sinuous, flew out from the rainbow-hued clouds. When it landed on the ground, it transformed into a maiden shrouded in colorful mist.
Xiao Qi ran barefoot, arriving outside the divine temple. Paying no heed to the Sword God and the Sword Realm cultivators guarding the entrance, she barged straight in.
"Greetings, Imperial Dust! News has come from Thousand Stamen Realm—the Mandala Flower God's final day has arrived. It is today."
Upon seeing Zhang Ruochen, Xiao Qi finally showed some respect, but her eyes still darted around, extremely curious about Yuan Sheng standing beside him.
Was this the legendary Ancient Life Empress said to be under house arrest by Imperial Dust?
She was indeed beautiful.
Zhang Ruochen seemed to have known this all along, remaining very calm. "Who sent you to report this?"
"I myself..."
Feeling Zhang Ruochen's gaze was penetrating, as if it could see through her heart, Xiao Qi dared not lie. "It was that Zhang Gushen kid! He was probably afraid you'd beat him, but he still hoped you could go to Thousand Stamen Realm, so he tricked me into coming."
"Since you knew he was tricking you, why did you still come?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Xiao Qi's eyes darted around, unsure how to answer.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Let me answer for you! You also think I should go to Thousand Stamen Realm, that I should bid farewell to the Mandala Flower God. You think I'm staying on True Reed Island, indulging in sensual pleasures, wasting time, becoming foolish and cold-blooded."
Xiao Qi quickly waved her hands, flustered. "No, absolutely not! How could Imperial Dust be such a person? However, many deities have already gone to Thousand Stamen Realm. If Imperial Dust could go, at least it would show that he still has human feelings, not as the rumors say."
Xiao Qi felt she might have said something wrong again.
"What do the rumors say?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Xiao Qi cursed Zhang Gushen's ancestors for eighteen generations in her heart. She shouldn't have listened to him. She was clearly bad with words, so why did she take this job?
Zhang Ruochen said, "Open a spatial passage and come with me to Thousand Stamen Realm."
"Excellent!"
Xiao Qi leaped up joyfully, transforming into a spatial chaos insect, and flew into the air.
In moments, a spatial passage leading to Thousand Stamen Realm was born.
...
The exposure of the Starsea Angler's identity had a tremendous impact on the entire Sword Realm, like a great earthquake.
Fortunately, with Old Wine Ghost and Bai Qinger present at the time, coupled with Zhang Ruochen's protection, the cultivators of the Xinghuantian and Star Heaven Cliff factions were not purged.
However, as news spread that Old Wine Ghost from eighty thousand years ago was the Nether Ancestor, and with Bai Qinger being distanced by Zhang Ruochen, the cultivators of Xinghuantian and Star Heaven Cliff naturally had a hard time, facing suspicion and exclusion.
The Mandala Flower God could be considered a half-disciple of the Starsea Angler. It was because of him that she led Thousand Stamen Realm to join the Sword Realm.
In this storm, she and Thousand Stamen Realm naturally bore the brunt.
For eighty thousand years, few deities dared to associate with Thousand Stamen Realm, fearing that one day it would defect to the Nether Ancestor faction and they would be implicated.
It was only when news of the Mandala Flower God's impending death spread that some deities who had previously been friendly with her began to come for a final meeting.
Among them, the leaders were the Five Dragon God Emperor and the Moon God.
Zhang Ruochen's arrival exceeded all cultivators' expectations. They were all fearful, worried about future purges.
"Greetings, Lord Imperial Dust!"
"Greetings, Imperial Dust!"
...
The deities bowed one after another, lowering their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
"What are you all afraid of? I am here to bid farewell to the Mandala Flower God, with no other intentions."
Zhang Ruochen smiled and, led by two Heavenly Fire Demon Butterflies, walked towards the towering Mandala Flower God Tree, tens of thousands of feet high.
The more he said this, the more the deities overthought, feeling that Zhang Ruochen's smile hid a knife.
The Mandala Flower God had long lost her former peerless elegance. Her hair was white, and although the skin on her face showed no signs of age, it had lost its luster, appearing dull.
She had a good attitude, without the despair and fear of the dying. She sat at a stone table with the Moon God and the Five Dragon God Emperor, drinking and chatting happily, reminiscing about the past.
Deities like Danling King and the Demon Butterfly Empress of Thousand Stamen Realm stood by, their hearts heavy with sorrow.
Ji Fanxin did not sit down. Instead, she stood alone fifty steps away by a stream, her back to everyone, hiding her emotions.
She was a Heaven Round No Lack, a top-tier existence in the universe, having long lost the right to grieve. Even if she had tears, they could only flow inward.
Everyone knew she was the most heartbroken, because to her, the Mandala Flower God was both teacher and mother.
Zhang Ruochen's arrival broke the harmonious atmosphere here.
The Mandala Flower God, the Moon God, and the Five Dragon God Emperor all stood up to bow.
Except for Ji Fanxin, all other deities present bowed deeply.
"Everyone, there's no need for this. I have come as a friend to bid farewell to the Mandala Flower God."
Zhang Ruochen observed the Mandala Flower God's condition. She was at the end of her rope, with no way to extend her life. "Flower God, your state of mind is profound, viewing death as nothing. Few deities in the world can match this. This calmness, naturalness, and peace are admirable."
The Mandala Flower God said, "The calmness comes from being able to accept everything after death. But I am not that calm. I still have one request of Imperial Dust, hoping he will grant it."
The Moon God and the Five Dragon God Emperor took the opportunity to take their leave.
The deities of Thousand Stamen Realm also withdrew.
Except for Ji Fanxin.
A distant thought appeared in the Mandala Flower God's dim eyes. She glanced at Ji Fanxin by the stream. "Back then, when I discovered the Primordial Illuminating Spirit Lotus, I indeed felt greed and wanted to claim it for myself."
"The Primordial Illuminating Spirit Lotus could have become the new heavenly spiritual root of Thousand Stamen Realm. Its special abilities in aiding cultivation, extending life, and creating new life might even have helped Thousand Stamen Realm become a top-tier demon realm."
"But the spiritual power fluctuations emitted by the Primordial Illuminating Spirit Lotus were too strong, far beyond my cultivation to collect. That's why I went to Star Heaven Cliff to ask the Starsea Angler for help."
"I swear on the lives of all living beings in Thousand Stamen Realm that I truly did not know he was Corpse Nightmare back then."
"Imperial Dust, I ask for nothing else. I only beg that you do not suspect Fanxin because of my past selfish desires, because of the inadvertent connection to Corpse Nightmare. She is innocent! You met and knew each other when you were young. You have gone through so many hardships, dangers, and life-and-death trials together. You can absolutely trust each other, right?"
The Mandala Flower God grabbed Zhang Ruochen's hand, tears in her eyes, pleading like an old mother about to leave the world.
Her legs began to dissipate, turning into specks of light.
Her body was disappearing, but her eyes still stared at Zhang Ruochen with longing, not moving for a moment.
Ji Fanxin and Thousand Stamen Realm were what she worried about most before death.
At some point, Ji Fanxin came to her side, reached out, and gently embraced her, whispering calmly, "Master, you have done nothing wrong. This world will eventually be destroyed. You are just leaving a step ahead. After one eon, we will all become the same dust."
Zhang Ruochen looked at the Mandala Flower God's already dissipated hands. "Flower God, rest assured. I will protect Fanxin and Thousand Stamen Realm. We will emerge from the shadows of Corpse Nightmare and the Nether Ancestor faction. The day will come when sunlight shines everywhere and flowers bloom across all realms."
With a smile, the Mandala Flower God's body completely dissipated, including the towering Mandala Flower God Tree behind her.
Ji Fanxin held a seed that fell from the rain of light in her hands, feeling lost, her expression pitiable.
Zhang Ruochen patted her fragrant shoulder. "This seed is the continuation of the Mandala Flower God's life, the beginning of a new life. Only plant-type cultivators have this chance for rebirth. You should be happy for her."
Ji Fanxin looked at his handsome and gentle face, a layer of mist forming in her eyes. "Does Imperial Dust know how many tens of thousands of years it has been since you last touched my shoulder or spoke to me in such a gentle tone?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was deep. He pulled her soft, fragrant body into his embrace. "Fanxin, we should also have a child."
"If we don't have a child, will you always suspect me? That's not fair!"
Ji Fanxin rested her cheek on his chest, her eyelashes lowered, her gaze even deeper than Zhang Ruochen's, as if hiding endless secrets.
Zhang Ruochen gently stroked her snow-white, smooth-skinned cheek. "Everyone asks me for fairness, yet everyone hides their own weight from me. How can I balance this scale? Fanxin, what is your weight?"
...
The Divine Ancient Nest, one of the five prehistoric civilizations, few know its exact location.
Only that it is a cosmic secret realm.
Even knowing the general location of the Divine Ancient Nest is useless; its entrance changes constantly.
Ancient deities have heard that the entrance to the Divine Ancient Nest is a structure built from countless divine trees, shaped like a divine bird's nest, hence its name.
The Divine Ancient Nest hangs in the universe, moving irregularly, often jumping through space. It has even appeared in the Void World and Lihentian.
At this moment.
Immortal Music Master and the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan stood at the edge of this divine tree nest. Above them was the vast starry sea, below them seemed like a bottomless abyss.
The nest was enormous, hundreds of miles long.
But placed in the infinitely vast universe, it appeared extremely small, like a speck of dust.
Those divine trees had existed for who knows how many eons, already petrified, leaving only the wood grain.
Yuan Suyin and Yuan Jieyi appeared at the edge of the divine tree nest and stopped.
They had discovered extremely profound formation traces. Going further might trigger formation attacks.
Facing the famous Divine Ancient Nest, even an Indestructible Infinite had to be cautious.
The true bodies of Immortal Music Master and the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan had long entered the secret realm gate at the center of the divine tree nest, going to the real Divine Ancient Nest.
What remained outside were two projection avatars.
After listening to Yuan Jieyi's report, there was no significant fluctuation in Immortal Music Master's eyes. "The ancestor had long calculated various possibilities. This is the worst-case scenario, but the Ancient Life are not without ways to deal with it."
"My visit to the Divine Ancient Nest with the old clan emperor is to invite a sage of the Hongmeng Clan with unparalleled cultivation back to discuss great plans. Once she emerges, the Divine Realm and the Nether Ancestor faction will not dare to act rashly."
"Furthermore, since Zhang Ruochen revealed this information to you, it shows he does not wish for the Ancient Life to be destroyed. He will definitely help. In the end, we are in a relationship where if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. He is still far from strong enough to confront the Divine Realm or the Nether Ancestor faction alone."
Yuan Suyin wanted to speak but hesitated, wanting to state Zhang Ruochen's conditions but fearing Immortal Music Master's wrath would ruin things.
The consciousness curse of the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan was personally resolved by the Hongmeng Black Dragon.
He said, "Suyin, did Zhang Ruochen not pursue the matter from back then? What about Yuan Sheng?"
Yuan Jieyi's face was stiff, but his voice was full of confidence. "Old clan emperor, rest assured. I know Imperial Dust's character well. He has a deep friendship with the clan emperor. Even if he detains her, he will not harm a single hair on her head."
Immortal Music Master's green brows under the veil slightly furrowed. She knew that after Zhang Ruochen's cultivation had succeeded, he could no longer be as submissive as before.
She said, "For the sake of the Abyss of Darkness, once this matter is settled, I will personally go to Wuding Divine Sea to apologize in person. Regardless, with Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation and the forces he controls, he can help stabilize the Hell Realm and the Heavenly Court Universe."
"Chirp!"
Suddenly, an eagle cry resounded through the starry sky.
The sound contained unparalleled tearing power, causing the surrounding heaven and earth rules to boil.
The formation inscriptions at the edge of the divine tree nest, impacted by the sound waves, immediately manifested, like billions of golden light talisman patterns.
Yuan Jieyi, who had weaker cultivation, had his eardrums shattered, bleeding profusely.
"He's here!"
Immortal Music Master released her spiritual power, but could not open the defensive formation of the Divine Ancient Nest. She could only watch helplessly as the black shadow walking out of the starry sky approached Yuan Suyin and Yuan Jieyi step by step.
It was none other than Divine Music Master.
The Divine Eagle!
Yuan Suyin was naturally no match for Divine Music Master. Just as she unleashed a divine ability, Divine Music Master pointed a finger, trapping her in a space of illusion and reality.
Yuan Jieyi was also included.
Immortal Music Master said softly, "Senior Brother, long time no see. I didn't expect you to find your way here."
"Is the Divine Ancient Nest hard to find?"
Another voice sounded from the depths of the starry sky.
Yan Wushen, with a golden body nine zhang and six feet tall, flew over on a vast, boundless Buddha cloud, laughing. "Coming to the Divine Ancient Nest is like coming home for me."
"Roar!"
A cyan dragon shadow swam through the universe.
It was so enormous that its body seemed billions of miles thick, with no planet as large as a single dragon scale. Immortal Music Master and the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan could only see a small section of the Swastika Azure Dragon's body, with hundreds of dragon scales blocking the entire universe's view.
Divine Music Master walked forward step by step, reaching the edge of the formation talisman patterns, locking eyes with Immortal Music Master. "Senior Brother never thought of coming to the Divine Ancient Nest, but because Junior Sister came, I came to see why. Could it be that Little Junior Sister is hiding in the Divine Ancient Nest?"
Immortal Music Master did not respond to Divine Music Master. Instead, she turned to Yan Wushen. "Do you think you can still enter the Divine Ancient Nest?"
"If I'm not entering the Divine Ancient Nest, why am I here? In the post-Entropy Era, every moment of cultivation is precious. I won't waste it." Yan Wushen laughed.
The old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan said, "Just the two of you?"
"Of course not. There are also a few friends of yours, Elder." Yan Wushen said.
A spatial rift opened!
The old clan emperor of the Hongmeng Clan, the old clan emperor of the Chaos Clan, the old clan emperor of the Primordial Beginning Clan, and the old clan emperor of the Heavenly Mechanism Clan emerged one after another, all in black robes, adorned with endless rule divine patterns.
A Fuya's hair was far longer than her body, floating in the void like a waterfall, spiritual light like rain, beautiful and ethereal, exuding the aura of an ancestor.
She took down her divine bow, Heaven-Slaying Arrow in hand, elegantly and gracefully nocking it onto the bowstring. "Let's begin! If we wait any longer, Zhang Ruochen will arrive!"
"You're afraid to see him, but I'm not."
Even as Yan Wushen said this, he still summoned the Nether City. The majestic city body, with vast nether energy, was even larger than the divine tree nest, crashing down heavily.
...
Zhang Ruochen accompanied Ji Fanxin to plant the Mandala Flower's seed and also planted his own seed in Ji Fanxin's belly. These past few days, he stayed in Thousand Stamen Realm.
The divine power fluctuations from the Divine Ancient Nest spread throughout the universe, sensed by the divine thoughts of many deities.
"They've made their move indeed!"
Zhang Ruochen gazed at the starry sea, seemingly able to see through infinite space to the battle at the Divine Ancient Nest.
Ji Fanxin wore only a single garment, plain and clear, like a divine fairy. "The ones making a move are the Nether Ancestor faction, with experts like clouds. Aren't you worried?"
"With Ancestor God, Immortal Music Master, and the old clan emperor of the Primordial Path Clan there, as long as the ancestor doesn't act, how easily can the Divine Ancient Nest be breached?" Zhang Ruochen said. "The Nether Ancestor faction's goal is to test whether Ling Yanzi is in the Divine Ancient Nest, not to destroy it. At the very least, Yan Wushen doesn't want to destroy the Divine Ancient Nest!"
Ji Fanxin said, "Ling Yanzi? She's still alive?"
Zhang Ruochen gently shook his head. "Who knows? This might just be Immortal Music Master's strategy to divert trouble, forcing me to help the Abyss of Darkness resist the Nether Ancestor faction and the Divine Realm. If I go, I'll have fallen right into her trap!"
"Hua!"
Divine light flashed.
Chi Yao and Zangjin Baihu appeared before the two.
"Chen Ge, if we don't go now, it will be too late!" Chi Yao said.
Zangjin Baihu was very blunt. "Zhang Ruochen, the Divine Ancient Nest absolutely cannot be destroyed. It is very likely my parents' nest and my future residence."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Isn't your parents' nest at the North Marsh Great Wall?"
"North Marsh Great Wall is my father's nest; the Divine Ancient Nest is my mother's nest." Zangjin Baihu added, "It's very likely."
Zhang Ruochen cast a helpless look at Ji Fanxin and disappeared with Chi Yao and Zangjin Baihu into the space teleportation array.
"I went to True Reed Island. Yuan Sheng seems to be pregnant!" Chi Yao said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Not just her, but Fanxin too."
Chi Yao showed an extremely puzzled expression. "Why?"
"People's thoughts change! When I was young, I always felt I was still a hot-blooded youth, liking to explore the future, travel the world, unrestrained. No matter how the calamity elder advised, I found him so annoying and wouldn't listen. Now that I'm older, I find nothing more joyful and satisfying than having children and grandchildren." Zhang Ruochen said.
Zangjin Baihu's huge tiger eyes glanced at Zhang Ruochen, surprised and somewhat disdainful.
Chi Yao said, "Do you think you can fool me with that? It's just us here. You can tell the truth."
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Don't be jealous! Yuan Sheng has high cultivation and will be your helper in the future. As for Fanxin... her spiritual power is now no weaker than mine. In short, you must get along well with them."
Chi Yao felt Zhang Ruochen had another deeper meaning, but also felt it was human nature. Who wouldn't be moved by women like Yuan Sheng and Ji Fanxin? (Chapter End)