Chapter 4151: The Lower Three Clans, Women in Charge

Chapter 4151: The Lower Three Clans, Women in Charge

Zhang Ruochen, Lianxi, and Xuanyuan Second arrived at the Santu River region and entered the territory of the Bone Clan.
Although Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation was extremely high, with perception and deduction abilities comparable to an Ancestor, finding the hidden Void Heaven in the vast universe was still an incredibly difficult task.
Anyone who could cultivate to the Heavenly Venerable level was a person of extraordinary talent and superior intelligence; they all had their own ways of preserving their lives.
Moreover, Void Heaven was a Half-Ancestor who had deeply cultivated the Way of Nothingness.
Since he couldn't find Void Heaven, he might as well first come to seek his second blade. The Black and White Daoist!
He was the Clan Leader of the Ghost Clan, also the master of Wuchang Ghost City, an existence at the Indestructible Infinite level, a figure who dared to venture alone into the Abyss of Darkness, steal the treasure of the Primordial Path Clan, and return alive to the upper realm. "The toughest man of the Middle Three Clans"—that was, of course, a joke.
But the Black and White Daoist, relying on his own hard power to break through to Indestructible Infinite before the change in the rules of heaven and earth, definitely possessed talent and willpower at the level of a Heavenly Venerable.
He should not be underestimated.

The Bone God Temple stood on a vast plain spanning over a hundred million li, majestic and magnificent. The sky was shrouded in yin energy, obscuring the sun and moon. The area outside the temple was bustling with activity.
Ships as massive as mountains were parked on the ground, with cultivators from various races gathering.
Zhang Ruochen quickly located the Divine Ship where the Black and White Daoist was.
As expected of the Ghost Clan Leader, on the Divine Ship, peaks rose one after another, talisman patterns converged into a sea, and the "Wuchang" battle flag fluttered. Ordinary cultivators could not approach. One ship was a small world in itself.

Xuanyuan Second did not know Zhang Ruochen's intention and asked, "Is the Heavenly Venerable interested in Wuchang Ghost City?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Black and White Daoist is the second blade I seek."
"Him? That old ghost?"
Xuanyuan Second sneered and shook his head repeatedly.
In his view, when it came to toughness in the current universe, the Black and White Daoist definitely did not rank.
That old ghost was cunning and adept at reading the situation.

Bone fire flickered in Xuanyuan Second's eye sockets, and he said, "If the Heavenly Venerable still has great opportunities, I do have a candidate, one with a strong character, definitely more suitable than the Black and White Daoist. That person is the Heavenly Palace War God, Zhao Gongming!"
"Zhao Gongming is not bad!"
Zhang Ruochen nodded, then said, "But my opportunity can only be borne by a Ghost Clan cultivator."
"In that case… the options available to the Heavenly Venerable are indeed very few." Xuanyuan Second thought for a moment, then said, "Then let's board the ship now, and hope that old ghost knows his place."
"No rush, let's watch a good show first." Zhang Ruochen looked towards the southwest.

There, a patch of black ghost cloud flew straight towards them, heading for the Black and White Daoist's Divine Ship.
Standing atop the ghost cloud was the former City Lord of Disha Ghost City, "Ghost Lord." Since defecting to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, Ghost Lord's status had risen, and his cultivation had steadily climbed, making him a powerhouse at the Great Unbound Infinite level.
Ghost Lord held a bronze bell in his hand, his gaze cold and arrogant, and he spoke in a commanding tone, "Why haven't you opened the talisman formation?"

On the Divine Ship.
The Black and White Daoist's two great disciples, "Mingye Shenzun" and "Heqing Shenzun," changed their expressions and immediately activated the formation, opening a path through the sea of talismans.
"Hmph!"
Ghost Lord was extremely aloof, passing through the sea of talismans and entering the interior of the Divine Ship.
The sea of talismans surged again, enveloping the ship.

Xuanyuan Second grinned, showing his teeth, and said, "This Ghost Lord is now one of the Doomsday Priests of the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, carrying the World-Destroying Bell, traveling the world, and together with the other sixty-four Doomsday Priests, is specifically responsible for the construction of the 129,600 Heaven and Earth Altars. Even though the Black and White Daoist is the Ghost Clan Leader, facing this junior he once looked down upon, he probably has to bow his head three times."
There were a total of sixty-five Doomsday Priests, each holding a bronze bell.
These sixty-five bronze bells were items Zhang Ruochen had found too hot to handle after the Battle of the North Marsh Great Wall, fearing he would follow in the footsteps of the Fate Ancestor, so he had taken the initiative to hand them over to the Fourth Confucian Ancestor to be suppressed in the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
After all, these were the battle treasures of the Nether Ancestor, peerless deadly weapons that had even broken the River of Time.

Just as Xuanyuan Second finished speaking, a clear, cold female voice came, "It's more than just bowing his head three times! Most of these Doomsday Priests were once the fourth or fifth most powerful figures in various factions, always suppressed, their grievances pent up for who knows how many tens of thousands of years. Now that they have defected to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom and have an Ancestor as their backing, they naturally want to collect with interest."
Zhang Ruochen turned around and saw Zhuque Huowu standing ten zhang away from them. Her red hair was as brilliant as flames.
Her talisman robe was tight-fitting, outlining her curvaceous figure, but the cold, sharp aura about her was enough to dispel any romantic fantasies any man might have.
In her pupils, a red Vermilion Bird-shaped mark appeared, and she observed the three of them with some secret technique, asking, "You three have such impressive cultivation. Who might you be, divine beings?"

Zhuque Huowu could not see through the cultivation levels of the three before her at all.
In fact, after staring intently, she found she could not even make out their faces clearly.
She had entered the Sundial to cultivate many times, and because of her good relationship with Zhang Ruochen, she had received significant attention from Fengdu Dadi, gaining considerable resources over the years.
Now, her cultivation level was at the peak of Great Unbound Infinite, and she was one of the Five Ghost Emperors of Fengdu Ghost City.
In the current era of the Doomsday Grand Glory, where the rules of heaven and earth had long since changed, such a cultivation speed and level were unremarkable. She could not compare to contemporaries like Jue Miao Chan Nu and Hai Shang You Ruo, and had even been surpassed by rising stars like the Blood Absolute Clan Leader, Desolate Heaven, Blood Butcher, Que, and others. Before the rule change, the peak of Great Unbound Infinite was enough to be enfeoffed as a Heavenly Venerable.
But now, even those at the initial and middle stages of Indestructible Infinite faced a large number of challengers if they wanted to be listed among the Heavenly Venerables.
Fengdu Ghost City had suffered several calamities, with heavy casualties and a gap in talent. Otherwise, how could it have been her turn to take this position?

Zhang Ruochen glanced at Xuanyuan Second, signaling him to handle it.
Xuanyuan Second understood immediately and dispersed the order around him, revealing his true form. He clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha, this humble monk is Erjia."
How could Zhuque Huowu not know the fame of Erjia Tianwang?
Five hundred years ago, Erjia Tianwang was the only transcendent existence to escape from the Heavenly Wasteland and return to the Hell Realm. He was the one who exposed the Nether Ancestor's conspiracy and spread the news across the entire universe.
If not for him, how could the various powerful figures have rushed to the Heavenly Wasteland in time for the battle?
In the eyes of many cultivators, Erjia Tianwang had saved the world from crisis and was absolutely unparalleled.
Zhuque Huowu held Xuanyuan Second in considerable respect and quickly returned the greeting, saying, "I have long heard of Erjia Tianwang's great name. Is the Heavenly King also here to attend this altar-building grand gathering?"

Zhang Ruochen said, "How about we find a place to talk slowly? This poor Daoist is quite curious about the Heaven and Earth Altars that the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom wants to build."
In the short time since they had made contact, twelve divine thoughts had already swept over them.
As a dominant figure in her own right, Zhuque Huowu was naturally watched by countless powerful beings.
Zhuque Huowu cast a questioning look at Xuanyuan Second.
"They are two clan elders of the Xuanyuan family, who have been cultivating in Kongming Ruins all along and rarely travel the world. Now… Ghost Emperor Zhuque understands, Kongming Ruins has already been offered to the Eternal True Ruler!" Xuanyuan Second sighed.

Zhuque Huowu showed a look of sudden understanding and secretly marveled that the Xuanyuan family, as the number one family in the universe, had an extraordinary foundation. Any two random members who appeared were top-tier experts.
Presumably, it was these two who had invited Erjia Tianwang back from the Earth Wasteland Universe.
Zhuque Huowu invited Xuanyuan Second, Zhang Ruochen, and Lianxi onto her Ghost Emperor Divine Ship.
She hosted a banquet on the Azure Jade Platform at the very top of the ship.
The Azure Jade Platform was several dozen zhang in length and width, offering an excellent view. One could look down upon the massive ships of various divine beings from all directions, even seeing the maids and guards walking on the decks.

Zhuque Huowu sat in the main seat at the top and said, "The Ancestral Decree issued by the Eternal True Ruler thirty years ago stated that we must spare no resources to build 129,600 Heaven and Earth Altars across the entire universe."
"There are two purposes."
"First, after the Entropy Radiance, the number of Divine Martial Marks born from the God Realm has further decreased. The number of younger generation who can embark on the path of martial cultivation is less than one-tenth of before. The vast majority can only be forced to cultivate spiritual power, and the talent for spiritual power cultivation is extremely important—this path is not one everyone can walk."
"The True Ruler said that once the Heaven and Earth Altars are built, the problem of Divine Martial Marks can be solved."
"Second, the greater role of the Heaven and Earth Altars, and their main purpose, is to resist the future Great Calamity."
"According to the Ancestral Decree, the 129,600 Heaven and Earth Altars can tightly bind the power of the entire universe together, far surpassing the Doomsday Fortresses built by the Heavenly Court and the Sword Realm. This is the only way to resist the Great Calamity!"

Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment, then asked, "To resist the Great Calamity, how large must these Heaven and Earth Altars be? Who will provide the resources consumed?"
"Does the Daoist not even know this?"
Zhuque Huowu began to doubt Zhang Ruochen's identity. Was he really a clan elder of the Xuanyuan family?
Zhang Ruochen certainly had the ability to deduce all things in the world, but once he did, it would inevitably leak his own heavenly secrets. He did not want to be targeted by Ancestor-level existences for now.
If he could avoid leaking his heavenly secrets, he would keep them hidden.

Xuanyuan Second laughed heartily, "Our clan elder here is a cultivation maniac who has been in seclusion for years, rarely concerning himself with worldly affairs. In the current situation where everyone is on edge, how dare the clan elder casually release his divine soul thoughts to investigate and deduce?"
Then, Xuanyuan Second took over from Zhuque Huowu and began to explain, "Clan elder, you may not know, but the Heaven and Earth Altars designed by the Eternal True Ruler are each comparable to a main star, requiring a massive amount of resources. The Eternal Heavenly Kingdom will send priests to guide the construction by various factions, but the resources still have to come from us."

Zhuque Huowu, having some trust in Xuanyuan Second, no longer doubted and said, "The Eternal True Ruler intends to use the universe as a chessboard and the 129,600 Heaven and Earth Altars as pieces, to play a game against the heavens. If we withstand the Great Calamity, we win. If we can't… we all die together!"
A planet at least at the seventh level could be called a main star.
Such a planet would have a diameter of a million li.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Even the resources needed to build just one Heaven and Earth Altar could drain a superpower. 129,600… All the top resources of the universe would probably be sunk into them!"
Zhuque Huowu said calmly, "The Great Calamity is only 120,000 years away, and it is imminent. Even the Doomsday Fortresses built on the ruins of prehistoric civilizations are far inferior to the method proposed by the Eternal True Ruler. We have no other choice!"

Zhang Ruochen said, "After the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom emerged, the Divine Martial Marks in the God Realm began to decrease. At that time, the Eternal True Ruler claimed it was due to the change in the rules of heaven and earth."
"Now, less than one in ten Divine Martial Marks remain, limiting the qualifications for martial cultivation. Isn't this also a means to force everyone to build the Heaven and Earth Altars?"
Xuanyuan Second said, "Does the clan elder believe there is something fishy here?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Altars are used for sacrifice. Just like every winter solstice, various factions must perform sacrifices to obtain the Divine Martial Marks needed for their children from the God Realm."
"Sacrifices always require offerings."
"With such a massive network of Heaven and Earth Altars, what kind of offerings do you think are needed, and how many, to initiate the sacrifice?"

Lianxi, who had been silent all along, said, "Sacrificing the entire universe! Just like the Minor Calamity initiated by the Nether Ancestor, the purpose is the same."
Zhuque Huowu said, "The Eternal True Ruler is the Second Confucian Ancestor, of high virtue and prestige. How can you maliciously speculate like this?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled, "Does the Ghost Emperor truly trust the Eternal True Ruler completely? I think, Ghost Emperor Zhuque, you have just been on guard against us, afraid that we might inform the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom. In fact, we can be completely open and honest…"

Zhuque Huowu interrupted Zhang Ruochen, saying, "I am indeed quite dissatisfied with those arrogant Doomsday Priests. But I have the utmost respect for the True Ruler and have no doubt whatsoever."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Are you afraid that our conversation will be heard by the Eternal True Ruler?"
Zhuque Huowu stood up to see them off, saying, "There is no point in continuing this conversation. Please, everyone, leave!"
How could she not be wary of the Eternal True Ruler?
She felt that this clan elder of the Xuanyuan family was simply courting death, and she did not want to be involved.

Seeing that Zhang Ruochen remained seated, Xuanyuan Second naturally did not get up either. He laughed, "The clan elder was just joking. Ghost Emperor, please do not be angry. Rest assured, this poor monk has released his rules and order; even an Ancestor cannot hear our conversation."
Zhuque Huowu was not buying it, saying, "Does Erjia Tianwang truly understand the height of an Ancestor's cultivation? The Eternal True Ruler is a Spiritual Power Ancestor, and his spiritual power is called Heavenly Will. Can Heavenly Will be isolated by the rules and order of Indestructible Infinite? Everyone, please be careful with your words."

A figure formed from ghost fire walked onto the Azure Jade Platform and reported, "Luo Yi Nüdi, Gushe Tianjun, Yu Huang, and Ni Xuan Bei Shi have come to pay their respects."
"The representatives of the Lower Three Clans have all arrived!"
Zhuque Huowu muttered to herself, then looked at Xuanyuan Second, saying, "Erjia Tianwang, please open your rules and order. You have sealed off this Emperor's perception!"
Xuanyuan Second smiled awkwardly, raised his arms, and the rules and order that had enveloped the entire Divine Ship were all withdrawn into his body.
The real scene outside the ship then became visible.
Luo Yi, Gushe Jing, Xia Yu, and Ni Xuan Bei Shi were seen below the ship, stepping on a cloud bridge, heading towards the Azure Jade Platform at the top.
"Should we avoid them?" Xuanyuan Second asked.
This question seemed to be directed at Zhuque Huowu, but it was actually aimed at Zhang Ruochen.
He really couldn't make the decision.

"Erjia Tianwang, there is no need to avoid us! This Emperor sensed the rules and order belonging to you enveloping this place, which is why I came to pay my respects."
Luo Yi's cheerful voice rang out, extremely pleasant to the ear.
A moment later, her tall, exquisitely beautiful figure appeared on the Azure Jade Platform, walking towards them.
Gushe Jing, Xia Yu, and Ni Xuan Bei Shi followed closely behind.
It seemed they had come prepared! Withdrawing the rules and order had instead exposed their presence. "Luo Yi Nüdi, your spiritual power has reached the ninetieth step, hasn't it?" Xuanyuan Second asked.

Luo Yi wore a silver-white divine crystal crown, and her height of over eight feet, along with the scepter in her hand, added to her imperial aura. Carrying thousands of talisman patterns, she naturally sat down in the seat opposite Xuanyuan Second and asked, "May I ask the Heavenly King, what is the situation in the Earth Wasteland Universe?"
With the empowerment of the imperial talisman patterns, her momentum actually surpassed Xuanyuan Second's at that moment.
Xuanyuan Second said, "Although the destructive energy of the Fire Domain has weakened, it is still impossible to penetrate deeply. Even a Half-Ancestor can do nothing about it."
Although the Life and Death Heavenly Venerable had said that Cihang Zunzhe and Shang Tian were still alive, Xuanyuan Second had not seen it with his own eyes.
Moreover, Xuanyuan Second strongly suspected that the Life and Death Heavenly Venerable beside him had fled Biluo Pass before the Ancestor self-destructed his Divine Source, and had probably not come out of the Fire Domain.

Xia Yu asked in a hoarse voice, "Is there still no news of the Desolate Heaven Hall Master?"
She was asking on behalf of the Blood Absolute Clan Leader and Bai Qinger.
Xuanyuan Second shook his head.

Since the four women had arrived at the Azure Jade Platform, Zhang Ruochen's gaze had been fixed on Xia Yu. It was not that he did not miss or care about Luo Sha, but because Xia Yu had ultimately donned the Shroud of the Ancestral Hidden, inherited the legacy of the Black Old Man, and become the new corpse-burier of Baicang.
At this moment, she no longer had the unparalleled elegance of the past, nor was she the number one beauty of the Blood Heaven Tribe. Instead, she was wrapped up like a mummy, her face unseen, her black hair gone, a sickle in place of the jade flute, and her whole body exuding the stench of corpse rot and blood fiend qi.
What had she experienced all these years?
Was there no one left in this world that she cared about?

In Zhang Ruochen's mind, the image that surfaced was their first meeting at the Blood Absolute Family's Ascension Banquet. She had come riding a green luan, wearing a purple-gold phoenix hairpin and a green-feathered celestial robe, her black hair like a waterfall, like an immortal descending to the mortal world.
At that time, he had felt that she was no less than the nine fairies in the "Nine Immortal Beauties Painting."
Xia Yu noticed Zhang Ruochen's gaze and looked back at him through the gaps in her shroud.
Zhang Ruochen had already looked away.

Luo Yi began to discuss business, saying, "Building the Heaven and Earth Altars is the True Ruler's Ancestral Decree, and we naturally dare not disobey. However, this Emperor would like to know, what is the attitude of the Xuanyuan family and the Western Buddha Realm?"
Xuanyuan Second said, "The helmsman of the Xuanyuan family is Xuanyuan Taizhen, and the Buddha Master of the Western Buddha Realm is Yuan Yi. This poor monk has just returned from the Earth Wasteland Universe and probably cannot answer the Nüdi's question."

Luo Yi felt that Xuanyuan Second was probably afraid that their conversation would be overheard by the Eternal True Ruler, so he was being evasive. She decided to be direct, saying, "This Emperor believes we should unite and put pressure on the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom."
"We can build the Heaven and Earth Altars, but the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom must contribute some resources, and the Eternal True Ruler must restrain those Doomsday Priests."
"They are becoming more and more presumptuous, each one arrogant and domineering, not only using threats and temptations to seize divine medicines, divine weapons, and divine scriptures from various factions, but have even begun to refine divine beings."
"If they are not restrained, they may do even more outrageous things in the future."
Luo Yi's gaze was sharp, and she said, "We cannot defy the will of an Ancestor, so we naturally must go all out to build the Heaven and Earth Altars. But this can also be our bargaining chip to negotiate with the Eternal True Ruler. If we negotiate as a single faction, it is like throwing an egg against a rock. But if we unite, the True Ruler will surely take us seriously."

Xuanyuan Second smacked his lips. Before he could speak,
Luo Yi continued, "This Emperor knows that Erjia Tianwang cannot make the decision, but you must convey this message to Xuanyuan Taizhen and Yuan Yi Buddha Master."
"As expected of Zhang Ruochen's woman, too domineering!" Xuanyuan Second thought to himself. Although his cultivation was higher than hers, he was completely suppressed by her momentum.
Xuanyuan Second said, "Is this the will of the Heavenly Mother? The Heavenly Mother's will should be something even the Eternal True Ruler would take seriously."

Luo Yi's gaze swept over Ni Xuan Bei Shi, Xia Yu, and Gushe Jing, and she said, "This is the intention of the Middle Three Clans! By the way, Ghost Emperor Zhuque, what does Fengdu Ghost City say?"
"This matter will probably have to be decided by the Clan Leader."
Zhuque Huowu was very cautious; she did not dare to be as assertive as Luo Yi.
Behind Luo Yi, there was not only the backing of the Heavenly Mother but also the network of connections left by Zhang Ruochen.

"Heh!"
Zhang Ruochen sneered, drawing the attention of everyone on the Azure Jade Platform.
He said very bluntly, "Is there no one left below the Heavenly Venerable level in the Lower Three Clans? They have to send a bunch of women out to carry the burden!"
"Where are the emperors of the seven great divine kingdoms of the Rakshasa Clan? Where is Luo Yan? Where are the hall masters of the twenty-four halls of the Shura Clan? Where are Fengchen Sword God and Lan Su? Where are the great tribal leaders of the ten major tribes of the Undying Blood Clan? Where are the Nether King and the Blood Demon?"
Xia Yu had long felt that this Daoist was off, and she said, "Does the honorable one have a problem with women?"

Zhang Ruochen certainly had a problem! A big problem!
He did not think Luo Yi was wrong, but this matter was too dangerous and too likely to be targeted by the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
Such a dangerous matter should not be spearheaded by a few women.
Even if the Half-Ancestors and Heavenly Venerables had all gone into hiding, the Lower Three Clans still had many strong individuals, both from the older generation and the new.
Zhang Ruochen had tilted many resources to the Lower Three Clans back then. Top talents and promising old cultivators could freely enter the Sundial to cultivate.
He had even personally led a large number of Tai Xu Realm Great Gods into Lihentian, using the Wuji Divine Dao to help them impact the Infinite Realm.
If Zhang Ruochen did not have to hide his identity as much as possible, he would have already pulled Luo Yi over, put her over his knee, and given her a good spanking. She had no idea of the dangers of heaven and earth!

Xia Yu, Gushe Jing, and Ni Xuan Bei Shi were not easy to deal with.
Especially Ni Xuan Bei Shi, who directly summoned a war hammer larger than her own body and slammed it to the ground with a "bang."
Luo Yi, having learned from Zhuque Huowu about Zhang Ruochen's identity information, was actually the calmest among the women. She said, "The spokesperson of our Lower Three Clans, the Heavenly Mother, is a woman. Why can't a woman be in charge of the Lower Three Clans? The Daoist has high cultivation, and Luo Yi cannot see your face clearly, but your breadth of mind is truly unworthy of praise."
Still as sharp-tongued as ever.

Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to speak, a loud and deep divine voice came from outside the ship: "Luo Yi Nüdi, this seat is Murong Huan, here to retrieve the ancestral Emperor Talisman."
"Boom!"
Murong Huan, in his divine true form, crashed through the defensive divine formation of Zhuque Huowu's ship and landed on the Azure Jade Platform, hands clasped behind his back, his body flowing with overwhelmingly domineering lightning radiance.
He was the former Hall Master of the Time Divine Temple.
In the Battle of the Soul Realm, Murong Huan had nearly been killed by Zhang Ruochen. The Five Elements Temple Master had appeared to rescue him and imprisoned him in the Five Elements Temple.
With the death of the Temple Master and the situation where Murong Dui Ji represented the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom in controlling the entire universe, Murong Huan had long since been freed and had broken through to Indestructible Infinite in one go, becoming the new family head of the Murong family.
Murong Dui Ji, as a Spiritual Power Half-Ancestor and the Supreme of the Rune Path, naturally could not do everything himself. He needed people to do things for him, needed his own direct lineage and claws.
The Murong family was his best choice.