Chapter 4173: The Person in the Coffin
The vast starry sea stretched endlessly, boundless and without edges.
The heaven and earth rules of the Nine Eternal Paths continuously converged toward the nine divine ropes.
They coiled, merged, solidified, and finally became visible to the naked eye.
In the form of chains.
A carriage built from divine wood, shimmering with particles of light, was pulled by two white dragons tens of thousands of meters long, racing at extreme speed through the starry sky.
Xiao Hei and A Le each stood atop one of the white dragon heads, their figures tall and imposing, their aura vigorous. Yet their gazes were not fixed ahead but instead turned to the right, filled with shock and awe.
To the right, a heaven-earth divine rope stretched across the starry sea, immensely grand. The light rules of the universe, like fine drizzle, surged from all directions and merged with the divine rope.
The divine rope was indestructible, thicker than dozens of planets piled together.
The radiance it emitted plunged the surrounding star domain into darkness.
Only with Xiao Hei and A Le's cultivation could they remain unaffected and see the other scenes beyond the star domain.
But the suffocating pressure constantly intimidated their souls, making them want to flee immediately.
Though it was trillions of miles away, it felt as close as if it were right before their eyes.
A Le followed this light heaven-earth divine rope all the way to Lihentian, to the highest Colorless Realm of Lihentian, and saw that vast Hongmeng Sea, the faintly visible Seventy-Two Layer Tower, and the Divine Realm Gate.
He seemed deeply shaken, yet also as if he had long been frozen to indifference toward everything in the world, unafraid of death, ignorant of fear, and murmured, "Even the Primordial Ancestors are chained. These chains are like the power of the heavens themselves. Could there exist beings in the universe more terrifying than the Primordial Ancestors?"
"This world is becoming harder and harder to understand! In the past, with spiritual power reaching the Heaven Round No Gap level, one could roam freely, visiting friends in the Heavenly Court at dawn and touring the Hell Realm at dusk. Now, one can only move low-key and stealthily. The moment you show your head, you might be killed. What difference is there from the legendary Primordial Chaos World?" Xiao Hei wore a black mysterious robe, a talisman whip at his waist, and a dark red cape fluttering behind him, exuding a mysterious and steady aura of a strong cultivator.
But his furry cat face greatly undermined his image as a Heaven Round No Gap master.
A Le said, "Haven't you noticed that the universe itself is evolving toward the Primordial Chaos?"
Xiao Hei sighed deeply, "The existence behind the Seventy-Two Layer Tower has supreme Dao techniques, turning the Nine Eternal Paths into divine ropes. This Sect Master predicts that the universe will inevitably undergo a new round of drastic changes. Tell me, where is the way out for the Sword Realm?"
A Le remained silent.
The massive extraction of heaven and earth rules from the Nine Eternal Paths would inevitably greatly affect the cultivation speed of all cultivators.
The future living environment would only become more difficult. Perhaps joining the Divine Realm, trusting the Divine Realm, and submitting to the Divine Realm had already become the only choice for all cultivators in the universe.
"Whoosh!" The carriage raced at high speed, and a jade battle sword flew back from behind, charging into the carriage.
Xiao Hei and A Le only glanced at it, their minds not on that battle sword, but both thinking of Zhang Hongchen, who was still alive in the world.
Zhang Hongchen being alive was great news.
But her becoming a member of the Doomsday Sacrificers and a cultivator under the Divine Realm filled them with worry.
Involuntarily, they both looked again at the nine divine ropes piercing the starry sea and the Seventy-Two Layer Tower at their center.
That tower now clearly represented the most supreme and tyrannical power in the universe, no different from "Heaven" and "Earth." Zhang Hongchen following the master of the Seventy-Two Layer Tower might actually be safer.
What they didn't know was that Zhang Ruochen had already quietly followed Ling Feiyu's jade battle sword into the carriage.
Seeing the scene inside the carriage, Zhang Ruochen's heart sank further.
Inside the carriage, which was less than a zhang wide, lay a Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin.
Through the coffin, he could see Ling Feiyu lying inside, completely frozen by ice crystals.
"Bold indeed, daring to break in here." A voice came from within the coffin.
The battle sword suspended above the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin was driven by her sword intent, slashing straight at Zhang Ruochen's neck.
But the battle sword was controlled by an invisible force, suspended in midair.
Zhang Ruochen gently pushed with his finger, moving the battle sword aside. He wiped the coffin lid with his hand, making the figure inside clearer, and said with deep pain, "Who? Who did this to you?"
In the coffin, Ling Feiyu's body was withered like a corpse, her white hair like straw.
There was no blood energy, no life force.
If not for the ice crystals formed by time imprints and time rules freezing her, making the time flow inside the coffin nearly stop, she wouldn't have lasted until now. Sealed in time, neither alive nor dead—wasn't this another form of torment?
Ling Feiyu had a sliver of consciousness in a clear state, able to penetrate the time ice crystals and the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin.
She sensed something, feeling that the eyes of this person before her were so familiar, and that voice just now...
It was him.
No!
How could it be him? He had long fallen.
Ling Feiyu's emotions fluctuated violently, her tone as calm as possible, but full of probing, "You... is it you?"
That name, she couldn't bring herself to say.
Zhang Ruochen quickly changed his form, returning to his original appearance, his eyes soft, and said, "It's me, I'm back. Feiyu, I'm late, I'm sorry... sorry..."
The two "sorry"s were spaced far apart.
As if countless more were said in between.
Before his feigned death, Zhang Ruochen had anticipated that his loved ones and friends would surely encounter trouble and be targeted. He had long prepared himself mentally.
He thought that with his tempered heart, he could calmly face all the cruelty of the world.
But when it all happened before his eyes, he still felt a pain like ten thousand arrows piercing his heart. He couldn't accept it, nor could he face it.
"Clang!"
The jade battle sword suspended in midair trembled incessantly. The sword spirit was both extremely excited and grieving in accusation.
Zhang Ruochen reached out to soothe the battle sword and said, "Tell me, what happened?"
Zhang Ruochen remained rational, not resorting to deduction.
Because this might be a trap set for him. Once he deduced the cause and effect, he would fall into it himself, being detected by the other party.
He had to treat every matter with caution.
The sword spirit seemed to be crying, recounting the incident that occurred in the Sword Realm hundreds of years ago, saying, "The divine ability 'Years Corpse' used by Qishier Pin Lian was originally aimed at Chi Kongle, but it was the master who blocked it for her. Later, Tai Shang and Wen Tianjun arrived, repelled Qishier Pin Lian, and used time power to seal the master, barely preserving her life."
"But the power of Years Corpse, if not dissolved, constantly devours the master's lifespan. Once she leaves the time ice seal, she would instantly turn into dry bones."
Zhang Ruochen's eyes turned icy cold.
He had long heard that Qishier Pin Lian attacked Chi Yao, Chi Kongle, Zhang Gushen, and others to force him to reveal himself.
He just didn't expect that it indirectly harmed Ling Feiyu, turning her into a Years Corpse.
Zhang Ruochen could finally understand the grief and anger Desolate Heaven felt when he saw White Empress turned into a Years Corpse back then. Once, Ling Feiyu was also youthful and carefree, graceful and elegant.
That year, in the winter of the Plum Garden.
Red plums, white snow, a crimson robe dancing with a sword, teaching Zhang Ruochen what it meant to "draw the sword without regret."
That year, above the Cloud Lake.
The person and the sword like a painting, dancing in the water, teaching Zhang Ruochen how to cultivate the sword soul.
That year, before Chu Siyuan died, together with Luo Xu, they led Zhang Ruochen and Ling Feiyu along the Tongming River, entering the "Seven Lives and Seven Deaths Diagram," experiencing seven lifetimes.
Zhang Ruochen had too many beautiful memories with Ling Feiyu.
For the young Zhang Ruochen, Ling Feiyu was definitely a teacher, a friend, and a beloved. Their fates were intertwined, helping each other out of one predicament after another.
The more he recalled, the more painful his heart became.
After a long time, Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes and sighed deeply, "Why did you have to...?"
"Do you think I shouldn't have saved Kongle? Or do you think I overestimated myself?" Ling Feiyu's voice came from the coffin.
Zhang Ruochen said, "You know that's not what I meant. Whether it's you or Kongle, if either of you turned into a Years Corpse, my heart would ache deeply."
"Then why not let me, as an elder, bear all this? You know I don't care about becoming old and withered. In the 'Seven Lives and Seven Deaths Diagram,' we were gray-haired more than once." Ling Feiyu said.
"Yes, I still remember you slowly turning into an old woman, yet still so elegant and beautiful." Changing his tone, Zhang Ruochen put away his smile and asked, "Who used time power to freeze you?"
Ling Feiyu hesitated for a moment, then said, "It was Tai Shang, together with all the gods in the Sword Realm who cultivate the Way of Time, who temporarily saved my life."
"Qishier Pin Lian's time cultivation is profound and unfathomable. Below the Primordial Ancestor level, no one can dissolve the Years Corpse she cast."
"Wen Tianjun originally planned to seek out the Fourth Confucian Ancestor, to ask the Eternal True Ruler to intervene and dissolve the Years Corpse. But the Fourth Confucian Ancestor went to the Gray Sea and never returned. Wen Tianjun went alone to pay respects to the Eternal True Ruler but couldn't even enter the gate of the Tianyuan Divine Mansion."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Wen Tianjun knew full well that Qishier Pin Lian was the disciple of the Eternal True Ruler, and going to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom would most likely result in a closed door. Yet he still set aside his dignity as a Half-Ancestor to seek help. I will remember this favor."
"Ruochen!"
Ling Feiyu suddenly spoke, hesitating.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the Years Corpse in the coffin.
The sword spirit said, "Please, Emperor Dust, dissolve the Years Corpse divine ability on the master. Years devour bones, time seals forever. This is the most painful way to live!"
"No."
Ling Feiyu immediately stopped him, saying, "Although I am sealed in time ice, my consciousness has always been free. For hundreds of years, I have only pondered one thing: Why am I still alive? Ruochen, what is the meaning of my continued existence if not for you? Once you move the time ice here, many people will know that you are still alive!"
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen finally understood the doubt in his heart.
Five hundred years ago, how could Qishier Pin Lian cross the vast distance from the Life and Death Boundary Star to the center of the battlefield in such a short time?
Indeed, someone was helping her.
That person was the Eternal Life Undying One of the Divine Realm who controlled the Seventy-Two Layer Tower to suppress the Nether Ancestor.
Qishier Pin Lian had always been just a pawn of his.
Her intrusion into the Sword Realm was his doing.
Ling Feiyu turning into a Years Corpse and being sealed in time ice was also part of his scheme.
Zhang Ruochen deeply remembered this grudge against the Divine Realm.
Zhang Ruochen took one last look at Ling Feiyu and said, "Wait for me. I will definitely save you. Even if you are gray-haired by then, I will restore your youth. I will fight for your life."
Ling Feiyu said, "I don't care about youth or appearance. I have only one request. Ruochen, you must promise me, you must promise me. Hongchen must be fine. No matter what great mistake she makes, you must at least... at least let her live. My life... can be used in exchange..."
Zhang Ruochen could roughly guess what Zhang Hongchen was thinking and planning to do.
This was extremely dangerous! But she was already at the Middle Stage of Indestructible Infinite, no longer a little girl. She had to face danger and her own convictions alone.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Rest well in this coffin. Don't talk nonsense. Back then, the Moon God lay inside for a hundred thousand years. How long have you been lying there? I have full confidence in Hongchen. That girl may be willful and headstrong, but she is exceptionally intelligent. She will never go to extremes like Kong Faning."
"I have to go now! Feiyu, you must wait for me, and you must wait for Hongchen to return."
Zhang Ruochen took the jade battle sword, his heart filled with complex emotions. Without looking at the coffin again, he vanished from the carriage. If he looked even one more time, he feared his emotions would overcome his reason.
Lian Xi obediently stood within the circle. The Dragon Lord had already returned, followed by the severely injured Yin Yuanchen.
Yin Yuanchen was wounded by the dragon roar sound waves of the Hongmeng Black Dragon. The Primordial Ancestor's Qi entered his body, causing cracks all over him, like broken porcelain. Facing a Primordial Ancestor and surviving was already a credit to cultivators at the Indestructible Infinite realm.
Silently and soundlessly, Corpse Yan drove a dilapidated wooden boat, appearing within a hundred miles of them.
Although he completely restrained his aura, without a trace of Primordial Ancestor fluctuation, the Dragon Lord, Lian Xi, and Yin Yuanchen were still on high alert.
Corpse Yan glanced at the circle under Lian Xi's feet and said meaningfully, "The Life and Death Heavenly Venerable protects you so well. It seems your identity is truly extraordinary."
Lian Xi's heart tightened.
The Primordial Ancestor's eyes were sharp, and his perception keen. Had he sensed something?
She said, "If you were a woman, a beautiful woman, the Heavenly Venerable would protect you just as well."
The Dragon Lord felt that Corpse Yan seemed about to charge into the circle and tear off the purple gauze hat of the Death Great Protector.
And he was somewhat looking forward to it.
Because female cultivators in the world who were as strong as the Death Great Protector were truly rare, too intriguing.
Just then, Zhang Ruochen, in a Daoist robe, walked out from the endless darkness and said, "Well said! The Death Great Protector has both a city-toppling beauty and Half-Ancestor cultivation. Who wouldn't be enamored? Yan Ancestor, if you sent A Fuya or the Mother of Weak Water to my side, I would certainly favor them a bit too."
Corpse Yan immediately withdrew the intent to break into the circle and said solemnly, "No jokes today. We have serious matters. That Eternal Life Undying One of the Divine Realm has already made his move. When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves. We must save the Hongmeng Black Dragon. Heavenly Venerable, you must step up and take charge!"
Zhang Ruochen cursed the old fox inwardly.
Was this asking him to take charge?
No, this was asking him to be the first to jump out and fight the Eternal Life Undying One of the Divine Realm!
In the end, Corpse Yan would definitely flee faster than anyone, just like the Dark Sovereign.
If the Divine Realm wanted to launch a Minor Calamity, Zhang Ruochen would unhesitatingly face it head-on, even if it meant dying in battle. But being used by Corpse Yan to fight a desperate battle against the Divine Realm was another matter.
Zhang Ruochen sneered, "The Hongmeng Black Dragon has committed great slaughter and deserves to die."
"That may be true, but the Divine Realm is too powerful. If we don't unite, we have no power to resist. Now, the Second Confucian Ancestor is likely at a critical moment in breaking through. Before he reaches the ninety-sixth level, we can still fight. Once he breaks through and joins forces with the Eternal Life Undying One, there will truly be no power left to oppose the Divine Realm!"
Corpse Yan's face showed bitterness, and he said, "By then, you and I will be nothing but fish on the chopping block!"
My head has been hurting badly these past few days, and my condition is terrible. This chapter's plot was supposed to be important, but no matter how I wrote, it didn't come out right. Now I have no choice but to grit my teeth and post it! I've taken medicine. If I'm not better tomorrow, I'll have to go to the hospital!