Chapter 4147: Five Hundred Years Later
The Xuan Huang Halberd and the damaged Primordial Lamp were retrieved by Zhang Ruochen from the Gray Sea.
Returning once again to Biluo Pass, Zhang Ruochen finally found the time to sit beside the Fourth Confucian Ancestor. He knew that the Fourth Confucian Ancestor was holding on with his last breath, waiting for him.
"Senior, if you have anything to say, speak now. If you have any instructions, I will do everything in my power to fulfill them." Zhang Ruochen wiped the Xuan Huang Halberd in his hand, his words resolute and firm.
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor slowly opened his eyelids and glanced at the distant crowd.
"Rest assured, they cannot hear our conversation," Zhang Ruochen said softly.
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor's chest heaved, his body even thinner and more ethereal. "The Heavenly Demon is not dead; he is sealed in the God Realm."
"I know," Zhang Ruochen said.
The wrinkles on the Fourth Confucian Ancestor's gaunt face smoothed as he smiled faintly. "It seems Wu Ying told you everything. He gave you the Heavenly Demon's Ancestor Divine Source, didn't he?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded, then asked, "Do you wish for me to go to the God Realm and rescue the Heavenly Demon?"
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor squinted his eyes like slits, raised his head with difficulty, and gazed into the distance. He sighed helplessly, "I don't know. In truth... what kind of Confucian Ancestor am I? Someone like me doesn't deserve the title. I am merely a puppet lost in the fog."
"I cannot see the truth, cannot distinguish right from wrong, cannot see the path ahead."
"Who should I trust? What should I do? Have I done the right thing?"
"All these years, aside from cultivation, everything else has been contradictory."
"The Second Confucian Ancestor is the wisest man I have ever admired. I trust every decision he made, believe in his resolve to bring peace to the ages, trust his character and the righteousness embedded in his spirit."
"But since he entered the Dao through chess, he is bound to be a master of strategy, willing to use any means to win. No one can fathom his true thoughts. I believe in his righteousness, but righteousness often struggles to uphold virtue."
The First Confucian Ancestor entered the Dao through the "zither" and established his teachings on "benevolence."
The Second Confucian Ancestor entered the Dao through "chess," prioritizing "righteousness."
The Third Confucian Ancestor entered the Dao through "calligraphy," disciplining himself with "character."
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor entered the Dao through "painting," spreading "virtue" throughout the world.
For each Confucian Ancestor to achieve great mastery in the Dao, they must have deeply understood the essence of the Dao and fully integrated their steadfast principles into their spirit. Cultivating righteousness without virtue means all beings can be forsaken. Cultivating virtue without righteousness means even close friends and family will abandon each other.
Zhang Ruochen understood in his heart that the Fourth Confucian Ancestor had said everything he should and shouldn't have.
"What about the Human Ancestor? How much do you know about him?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor gently shook his head. "I cannot give you an answer. My vision is clouded and murky. Perhaps this is why I could never cultivate the Grand Hao Ran Divine Dao to the Ancestor level. One who embodies grand righteousness should be like the blazing sun hanging high, illuminating the world, with righteousness enduring forever."
Suddenly, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor grabbed Zhang Ruochen's wrist, his eyes fixed on him, and with all his remaining strength, he squeezed out his last words: "Find a successor for the Grand Hao Ran Divine Dao. Preferably... preferably a disciple from the Kunlun Realm."
"Swoosh!"
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor's feet, legs, and waist had already dissipated, turning into specks of light rain.
Then, it spread to his chest and neck.
"Rest assured, Confucian Ancestor. Sleep peacefully. I will ensure the Grand Hao Ran Divine Dao is passed down!"
Zhang Ruochen bowed deeply.
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor's stiff face gradually softened.
With a smile, his face dissolved into particles of light.
These spiritual power particles twisted and converged, forming a grand Hao Ran scroll painting.
On the scroll, only a blazing sun hung high, with nothing but blank space below.
This suspended sun was the supreme realm of the Grand Hao Ran Divine Dao that the Fourth Confucian Ancestor had realized in his final moments—"The World Illuminated."
Whoever could comprehend this realm, whoever could paint on the blank canvas, would be qualified to inherit the Fourth Confucian Ancestor's Grand Hao Ran Divine Dao.
Zhang Ruochen sensed the Fourth Confucian Ancestor's unique attachment to the Kunlun Realm. He put away the scroll, scooped up a handful of soil imbued with the Fourth Confucian Ancestor's spiritual power, and said with immense grief, "I will take you back to the Kunlun Realm!"
The brush had shattered, impossible to find.
His blood and qi had long been burned away, leaving nothing behind.
This handful of soil, Zhang Ruochen intended to bring back to the Kunlun Realm and bury it in the Painting Sect, allowing it to return to its roots.
"Let me take it back to the Kunlun Realm. My identity is more suitable."
Bore stepped behind Zhang Ruochen, removed her outer robe, and placed it over her arms.
Zhang Ruochen nodded, placing the soil inside. "Many will be curious about what happened in the Gray Sea. The secrets here must not be known to anyone."
The Green Deer Divine King laughed. "We certainly won't reveal anything, but some cultivators of lower cultivation levels might risk being subjected to soul searches."
"Whether one can be soul-searched has nothing to do with cultivation level, does it? Spiritual will is the key," Shang Tian said.
The Green Deer Divine King's smile froze. "Facing a being far above your cultivation level, your spiritual will is a joke. You can't even self-destruct your divine source, let alone guard your consciousness."
"Stop arguing."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I will leave a mark in each of your consciousness seas. This mark will not erase your memories of the Gray Sea, but if anyone forcibly attempts a soul search, your memories of the Gray Sea will burn away."
Desolate Heaven said, "That's good! If the information leaks, it can only be someone's doing."
They were naturally dissatisfied and distrustful of the Green Deer Divine King, Shang Tian, and Desolate Heaven.
He could betray the Hell Realm for the Nether Ancestor Faction.
He could betray the Nether Ancestor Faction for Zhang Ruochen. It wouldn't be surprising if he betrayed Zhang Ruochen in the future.
The Green Deer Divine King wasn't angry. He shook his head and sighed, "You two have cultivated for so many years, yet you still can't see as clearly as Emperor Dust. In the Gray Sea battle, if I hadn't held back and secretly helped, you would have long turned to ashes. You could say the Nether Ancestor calculated everything, but ultimately fell because of me."
"Besides, the Nether Ancestor sought me out, and I was forced into becoming the leader of the Asura Multitude. That's called biding one's time, waiting for the right moment, not betrayal."
"In the face of life and death, one must learn to compromise. Too rigid, and you break."
Desolate Heaven and Shang Tian had no intention of continuing the argument. After all, it was Zhang Ruochen's decision. They believed Zhang Ruochen had a deeper purpose in sparing the Green Deer Divine King's life.
The Green Deer Divine King said, "Emperor Dust, do you have confidence in crossing the Ancestral Flames and Destruction Storm outside the Gray Sea? With the Nether Ancestor fallen, the Heavenly Court Universe is leaderless. The situation outside must have undergone earth-shaking changes. If possible, we should return as soon as possible to firmly control the situation."
"No rush!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Don't you want to wait until the Nether Ancestor is thoroughly burned before leaving?"
The Green Deer Divine King looked cautious. "That is indeed extremely important."
Zhang Ruochen was more concerned than anyone about the movements of the fire domain outside.
First, he worried that the Nether Ancestor had hidden tricks and wouldn't die completely. Second, he waited to see who would be the first to enter the fire domain to investigate.
The first to investigate would undoubtedly be the one most concerned about the Nether Ancestor's life or death.
Most likely, it would be the Immortal who truly made the Nether Ancestor wary.
"What about Er Jun Tian and the Soul Mother? How do you plan to deal with them, Emperor Dust?" Shang Tian asked.
He truly couldn't understand Zhang Ruochen. Half-Ancestors like the Green Deer Divine King, Er Jun Tian, and the Soul Mother should be decisively refined and killed to eliminate future troubles. But Zhang Ruochen didn't seem intent on killing them.
Zhang Ruochen looked at Fan Chen.
Fan Chen pressed his palms together and bowed. "He can be sealed in the Saha World and imprisoned in the Western Buddha Realm. I will do everything possible to guide him toward goodness, to jointly confront the future Great Calamity."
Doubtful gazes fixed on him!
Fan Chen said, "If he escapes and brings disaster to the world, I will self-destruct my divine source to take his life, giving everyone an explanation."
"I trust Master Fan Chen!"
Zhang Ruochen decided Er Jun Tian's fate with one word, then said, "Bore, bring her and follow me into the Life-and-Death Realm. Her Dao techniques cannot go to waste!"
After Zhang Ruochen, Bore, and the Soul Mother entered the Life-and-Death Realm, the Green Deer Divine King smiled mysteriously. "You still don't see it, do you? I told you, you're far inferior to Emperor Dust."
"Killing the Half-Ancestors of the Nether Ancestor Faction eliminates the hidden dangers, once and for all. But the situation has changed. Our greatest opponent now is the God Realm. I have value, and the Soul Mother has value. Even if Er Jun Tian escapes control in the future, he still has value."
"Those with value won't die."
"Do you know why the Dark Lord survived with his crippled body after his defeat? Because the Nether Ancestor and the God Realm didn't want him to die completely. Perhaps one day, he could be of use. That's the same reason we three can live today!"
"You only know how to fight and kill, being pawns for others. Emperor Dust, however, stands at the height of a chess player. The gap in realm is too great."
The Compassionate Navigation Venerable looked toward the Gray Sea.
A massive island was moving toward Biluo Pass.
Upon closer inspection, it was the Earth Treasury King's mount, the Ti Ting, carrying the Love Mountain as it swam over.
Five hundred years later.
The Ancestral Flames and Destruction Storm enveloping the Gray Sea had finally weakened somewhat. Zhang Ruochen led the group through tens of light-years of the fire domain and entered the Desolate Universe.
Over the years, Zhang Ruochen had not seen any cultivator enter the fire domain to investigate. Even the few Ancestors had not appeared, which was quite strange.
The Nether Ancestor's long-life substance and eternal divine soul had almost completely burned away, with no anomalies.
Everything was so normal!
But it was precisely this normalcy that was most abnormal.
The Desolate Universe outside the fire domain was emptier and darker than before. Within a thousand light-years, there was hardly any matter. The chaos was vast and boundless, and the rules of heaven and earth were all broken, making cultivation impossible.
Zhang Ruochen could sense that experts from the Heavenly Court Universe, the Hell Realm, and the God Realm were stationed at different positions around the fire domain. Clearly, all sides were very cautious about the "death of the Nether Ancestor."
If any remnant soul of the Nether Ancestor escaped, it would surely be annihilated.
The Jewel Earth Treasury King, wearing a Kasaya robe and holding a tin staff, bowed deeply to the group. "The Desolate Universe has suffered greatly from this calamity, with heavy casualties. Everything is in ruins. I take my leave here, hoping we may meet again in the future."
Fan Chen returned the bow. "You are too alone. Returning to the Desolate Universe's Buddhist sect like this will inevitably attract many cultivators asking about the Gray Sea. That is dangerous. Why not go to the Western Buddha Realm?"
The Compassionate Navigation Venerable also extended an invitation. "Come to the Western Buddha Realm to cultivate. You can bring the Desolate Universe's Buddhist cultivators with you. The Heavenly Court Universe is vast enough to accommodate you."
Fan Chen and the Compassionate Navigation Venerable knew that the Desolate Buddhist sect's greatest wish was to return to the Western Buddha Realm.
The world owed the Earth Treasury King a debt of gratitude, so the world could naturally accommodate the Desolate Buddhist cultivators.
The Jewel Earth Treasury King smiled, her beauty captivating the mortal world. "I will definitely go to the Western Buddha Realm in the future to discuss the Buddhist path with the Venerable. We haven't finished our debate on the Dragon Heavenly Ship! But not now."
"The Desolate Universe is vast; it cannot be left at a moment's notice. The Desolate Buddhist sect is chaotic and needs reorganization. Besides the Buddhist cultivators, there are billions of poor people and beings of all races. If we leave, who will care for their lives?"
"Everyone, you are all caught in a misconception."
"In truth, no one knows I went to the Gray Sea except you. Those who knew have all fallen. By the way, the Er Jia Heavenly King won't leak it, will he?"
Zhang Ruochen pointed at Fan Chen. "See? You think you're clever, calling yourself a high monk, yet you can't see through this. You're not as clear-headed as the Jewel Earth Treasury King. The Jewel Earth Treasury King was chosen by the Earth Treasury King; her mind and spirit can certainly support the Desolate Universe."
Fan Chen felt that Zhang Ruochen's words were familiar. When they first met the Jewel Earth Treasury King, Zhang Ruochen seemed to have said the same thing.
Indeed, fate is a circle. How you meet is how you part.
"Daoist, if you stay to help me, I would be more confident!" the Jewel Earth Treasury King said with a smile.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Does the Reverend truly think that I, the Daoist, have fallen deeply in love after drinking the Love Potion?"
This address of "Reverend" brought the Jewel Earth Treasury King back to the day they first met. Recalling those times—talking, drinking, debating scriptures, discussing the Dao—how could they have foreseen the vicissitudes of the present?
The Jewel Seal Earth Treasury King died, the Sandalwood Disciple died, the Earth Treasury King fell...
They had left casually and freely.
Now, heavy responsibilities weighed on their shoulders.
The future was like walking on thin ice.
After a moment of distraction, the Jewel Earth Treasury King set aside all thoughts and asked the same question as that day: "I, the Jewel Earth Treasury King, may I be friends with you two?"
The question that had gone unanswered that day, after the twists and turns of the Gray Sea journey and their shared life-and-death experiences, finally had an answer.
Zhang Ruochen and Fan Chen exchanged glances and said in unison, "It is our honor."
"Daoist Sheng Si, I will come to the Heavenly Court Universe to find you in the future. The wine we didn't finish that day, we'll make up for it then."
The Jewel Earth Treasury King, with the Nine Spirits Buddha Child, stood on the back of the Ti Ting. She pulled the hood of her cloak, embroidered with the "卍" mark, over her head, concealing her nation-toppling beauty, and gradually disappeared into the void.
Fan Chen whispered in Zhang Ruochen's ear, "I hope she can still find the Daoist Sheng Si by then."
Meng Ershiba walked up to Zhang Ruochen and bowed. "Daoist, we should also leave."
Meng Ershiba and the Jewel Earth Treasury King had survived by hiding in the Ghost One Dwelling of the Love Mountain Inn.
This was the work of Gandharva, who had used her final life and power to protect them.
Also saved by Gandharva was part of Meng Huang'e's divine soul consciousness.
When the Earth Treasury King and the Nether Ancestor clashed, Gandharva had restrained the Nether Ancestor's avatar within Meng Huang'e.
The Nether Ancestor's projection on Meng Huang and Meng Huang'e were different. The former projected an Ancestral Soul, so Meng Huang's divine soul burned away, but her physical body was preserved.
Meng Huang'e, on the other hand, had a stronger cultivation, reaching the Heavenly Venerable level, capable of bearing the Nether Ancestor's Ancestral power.
Thus, Meng Huang'e's physical body burned first, while her divine soul consciousness was largely preserved.
At the moment of her death, Gandharva passed the Six Desires Divine Furnace and the "Love Mountain," the crystallization of her life's cultivation, to Meng Huang'e. Zhang Ruochen then helped merge Meng Huang'e's divine soul consciousness with Meng Huang's corpse.
Meng Huang's corpse had been saved and preserved by Zhang Ruochen.
In other words, the Meng Huang who now stumbled out of the crowd was not the real Meng Huang; inside, she was Meng Huang'e.
She held a wooden staff, extremely aged, with silver-white hair, slightly hunched, and spoke hoarsely, "Thank you, Daoist, for your care these past days. Thank you also for not holding grudges or pursuing past grievances. Such a broad mind, I admire and am deeply grateful."
"Seven..."
The words "Seventh Miss" were on the tip of Zhang Ruochen's tongue, but he swallowed them back.
He knew that Meng Huang'e cared most about her youthful appearance and loved being called "Seventh Miss," but now she had lost all of that forever.
She had also lost her sister and her entire family. Apart from life, she had nothing left.
Seeing her so sorrowful and mournful, Zhang Ruochen could not muster any hatred.
The once willful Seventh Miss now had no light in her eyes.
Gandharva, Meng Naihe... under the Clan Extermination Art, aside from the two of them, the entire Meng family had perished. How could Zhang Ruochen bring himself to kill?
When Gandharva was dying, she passed the Six Desires Divine Furnace and the Love Mountain to her, undoubtedly trusting her, perhaps also harboring a faint hope that she and Meng Ershiba could revive the Meng family.
"If you ever face difficulties, you can always come to me."
Zhang Ruochen had thousands of words in his heart, but in the end, they condensed into this one sentence. Then, he took out the broken Golden Thread Binding Dragon Rope and handed it over.
Meng Huang'e reached out to take it.
Whether it was an illusion or not, everyone felt that Meng Huang'e's hand was trembling, slow, hesitant, and full of pain. The way she looked at Zhang Ruochen was unusual, full of reluctance.
Zhang Ruochen seemed moved as well. "Is this how we say goodbye? How about not returning to the Desolate Universe? Come to the Heavenly Court Universe."
"Daoist, how can you be so soft-hearted? There is no longer a Seventh Miss in this world. Don't burden yourself. Meeting is already a blessing; how could I dare to hope for a lifetime of fate?"
Meng Huang'e forced a withered smile, leaning on her wooden staff, and headed toward the Desolate Universe.
Her back was aged and frail.
Meng Ershiba bid farewell to everyone one by one and followed her.
"The only one truly affected by the Love Potion is her," Fan Chen sighed, marveling at the strangeness of fate. Meng Huang'e had done wrong and would have to atone with a lifetime of sorrow and solitude.
The Compassionate Navigation Venerable said, "Another one guarding the Love Mountain for a million years!"