Chapter 4180: Zhang Ruochen Is Still Alive
After relocating to the North Marsh Great Wall, the Kunlun Realm winters became much colder.
Just after the Cold Dew solar term, the Painting Sect’s mountain ranges were already draped in silver white, with snow accumulating knee-deep on the ancient paths carved along the steep cliffs. The cinnabar summit had lost its vibrant red, and only occasionally could the sound of Confucian scholars reciting be heard in the cold wind.
Perhaps because she had spent too long in the White Clothes Valley, Bore was accustomed to wearing pure white.
She walked along the ancient path, blending into the wind and snow, encountering no other travelers along the way.
Ascending the Painting Sect’s highest peak, “Cinnabar Summit,” she finally saw the ancient Sacred Dao tea tree that had weathered many calamities. It remained un-withered in the harsh winter, its tea fragrance drifting across heaven and earth. Every leaf was as green as jade, radiating the brilliance of divine crystals and sacred jade.
This ancient Sacred Dao tea tree was planted by the Second Confucian Ancestor in his youth. After a million years, it had transformed into a divine wood, serving as the spiritual symbol of the Confucian path.
Brushing aside the thick snow, Bore took out the handful of soil she had brought back from the Gray Sea and buried it beneath the ancient tea tree.
Sensing the aura of the Second Confucian Ancestor, the tea tree’s leaves trembled, scattering a rain of light and emitting a mournful, sobbing sound.
The cold wind grew even more biting. “Born here, buried here, the Confucian Ancestor’s Dao seed is immortal.” A voice carried on the wind.
Chi Yao walked out from the Danqing Pavilion behind her, followed by Luo Shuihan and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden.
Bore turned around, her expression very calm. “Master is also at the Painting Sect?”
“The Life-Death Daoist gave me the ‘World White Painting,’ asking me to find a successor for the Second Confucian Ancestor,” Chi Yao said, stepping into the snow and standing opposite Bore. “It’s good that you came back alive. Tell me in detail about what happened at the Gray Sea.”
Bore asked, “Is the Kunlun Realm… or rather, the Sword Realm, a place where we can speak freely?”
After the incident with the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, everyone knew that the Sword Realm was unsafe, hiding a transcendent powerhouse.
“Hoo!”
Standing on Cinnabar Summit, one could see all the other mountains at a glance.
In the vastness, on the distant land, snow-covered hills of varying heights stretched to the horizon.
Chi Yao naturally understood the terror of an Ancestor.
Even the dragon scales hidden within the Divine Realm World of the Imperial Ancestor God Lord had been seen through by the Life-Death Daoist.
The fragments of the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, scattered across the boundless star sea and hidden or suppressed by powerful figures from all sides, had still been forcibly taken away by an invisible force.
All theories and rules seemed to lose meaning in the face of an Ancestor.
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh…”
Layer upon layer of celestial worlds formed above Chi Yao’s head, interweaving chaotic divine qi of various lights.
Twenty-six layers in total!
This was the Half-Ancestor realm.
Bore must have known some secrets and wanted to tell her, but she had many concerns.
What Chi Yao could do was to dispel her worries.
Bore followed Chi Yao into the celestial world and only then realized that there were heavens within heavens.
It was the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable’s twenty-seven-layer celestial world.
To the left and right of this twenty-seven-layer Ancestor celestial world were Zangjin Baihu and the Golden Lion Ancestor.
Entering the twenty-seven-layer Ancestor celestial world, they arrived at the ancient building preserved from ancient times, “Chaotian Que,” the foremost sacred ground for Qi cultivators.
As Chi Yao walked forward, she said, “The Sword Realm is very dangerous, with hidden currents surging. Many top cultivators have left and gone into hiding. But I cannot leave, because Imperial Dust entrusted the Sword Realm to me.”
“He said that if he died, it would break the situation and disrupt the Immortal’s plans. At that time, the Immortal would have no choice but to shift the bets originally placed on him onto me. I am the Immortal’s second choice, and also the safest person in the entire Sword Realm.”
“Facts have proven him right! How many years has it been since his death? Look at me, I’ve already reached the Half-Ancestor realm. Someone is eager for me to grow quickly.”
“But he also miscalculated! He said that the Nether Ancestor had also placed bets on him, and the Nether Ancestor’s second choice was Yan Wushen. Yet the Nether Ancestor is dead, and Yan Wushen is still alive. Doesn’t that prove that behind Yan Wushen, there is another transcendent existence supporting him?”
Entering the Qingxu Hall, Chi Yao stopped and said, “If our conversation here can be seen through, then to Him, there are no secrets in the universe! Whether you speak or not, it won’t make any difference.”
Bore nodded. “If He is that powerful, why would He need to set up so many schemes? Most importantly, if someone truly reached that level, what meaning would His life have?”
“Who exactly is the Life-Death Daoist?” Chi Yao asked.
Bore said, “What is Master suspecting?”
Chi Yao let out a long sigh. “So the Life-Death Daoist indeed has another identity.”
If the Life-Death Daoist were truly the returning remnant soul of the Life-Death Elder, Bore would have said so directly, not asked a counter-question.
A counter-question meant she was unwilling to say, or unable to say.
That was Bore!
Bore had absolute trust in her and would not deliberately hide things.
Bore could tell that Chi Yao had not seen through Zhang Ruochen’s identity. She had been deliberately misled by the “Life-Death Daoist” and had guessed it was Hao Tian!
Zhang Ruochen was unwilling to tell Chi Yao, and there must be a reason for it. Naturally, Bore could not leak the secret.
This had nothing to do with trust.
Bore said, “Imperial Dust should have died at the hands of the Nether Ancestor faction.”
It was like thunder striking beside her ear.
Chi Yao’s eyes instantly sharpened. “Any clues?”
“The Abyssal Sword has appeared. It was found in the Divine Realm World of a Nether Envoy.”
“Where is the Abyssal Sword?”
“In the hands of the Life-Death Daoist,” Bore said.
Chi Yao said, “I need to go to the Heavenly Court again. Imperial Dust’s sword must be retrieved. The Nether Ancestor is dead, but Corpse Nightmare is still alive, and A Fuya and the Mother of Weak Water are still breathing. This blood-deep hatred must be avenged. As for the participants, I will kill them myself.”
In her calmness, there was infinite killing intent.
One could imagine the murderous intent in Chi Yao’s heart at this moment. Even if the opponent were an Ancestor, she showed no fear.
Bore sidestepped and appeared at the entrance of Qingxu Hall, blocking Chi Yao’s path. “This secret is known to many, and it might spread one day. Master should consider Kunlun’s situation. If he learns that his father died at the hands of the Nether Ancestor faction, he might do anything.”
The emotional turmoil in Chi Yao’s heart was hard to calm, but she always restrained herself.
She knew better than anyone that in today’s world, the Divine Realm was powerful, and only by uniting all forces could they barely contend.
Once the news that Zhang Ruochen had died at the hands of the Nether Ancestor faction spread, it would inevitably ignite the vengeful emotions of many cultivators. At that point, the situation would definitely spiral out of control.
The Divine Realm would become the biggest winner!
All forces would be consumed by hatred and conflict, completely losing the power to oppose the Divine Realm.
Perhaps this was why the Life-Death Daoist and the Compassionate Navigation Venerable had hidden it from her.
From the age of fourteen, when she faced a life-changing catastrophe, Chi Yao’s will had been tempered through countless trials. She knew how to restrain and endure, using reason to control her emotions.
“There is one more important thing! That Nether Envoy was the Soul Mother,” Bore said.
No matter how calm Chi Yao was, her eyes showed disbelief. “The Soul Mother… Do you mean Lian Xi? No, there’s also Lady Shiji. Lian Xi was saved by her and absorbed the Soul Mother’s divine soul with her help.”
Bore continued, telling Chi Yao most of what had happened at the Gray Sea.
She mentioned that the Green Deer God King was one of the Eight Divisions Followers, the leader of the Asura Division, and that the Green Deer God King had confirmed that Lady Shiji was a cultivator of the Nether Ancestor faction.
But she concealed the parts about Zhang Ruochen and Hao Tian.
Chi Yao’s gaze went from icy cold to increasingly calm. She murmured to herself, “So that’s how it is. Many things now make sense! Back then, when Imperial Dust left Fengdu Ghost City, he must have gone to Lady Shiji’s Colored Glaze Divine Temple and fallen in the starry sky. It seems the person I should find most is Shiji.”
Bore said, “This game is being played by the Life-Death Daoist. Please, Master, restrain your hatred and do not alert the enemy.”
“The Life-Death Daoist’s opponent, Corpse Nightmare, is the Divine Realm. Shiji’s life is mine.”
Chi Yao summoned the Blood Drop Sword. Strands of blood qi swirled around the blade, and the sword’s edge reflected a flawless, peerless immortal face.
Bore said, “Lady Shiji is the existence closest to the Ancestor in today’s universe.”
“So what? Right now, I only need a legitimate reason to kill her, to cover up the real reason. Where did Lady Shiji go after returning from the Desolate Universe?” Chi Yao asked.
Bore gently shook her head.
Chi Yao closed her eyes and pondered for a moment. “I know why she was so eager to return to the Hell Realm. It’s because the Hongmeng Black Dragon was suppressed, and the Twelve Ancient Clans suffered heavy losses.”
“And why is that?” Bore asked.
Chi Yao said, “She cultivates the Path of the Finite, which is finite yet tainted with darkness. So, she would think her opportunity has come. She must have gone to the Abyss of Darkness. She needs to absorb the dark matter in the Abyss of Darkness. This is the most crucial step for her to assault the Ancestor realm!”
Bore said, “If that’s the case…”
“If that’s the case, then I have a legitimate reason. Yuan Sheng and the two old clan emperors of the Primordial Beings have already gone to the starry sky. As cultivators of the Sword Realm, it’s reasonable enough for me to help them deal with Shiji, who wants to devour the Abyss of Darkness, right?” Chi Yao said.
Bore knew that once Chi Yao made a decision, no one could dissuade her. “Indeed, Lady Shiji must not be allowed to break through to the Ancestor realm. But for this trip to the Abyss of Darkness, Master must bring Zangjin Baihu and the Golden Lion Ancestor.”
Suddenly.
Chi Yao sensed something and, together with Bore, reappeared on the Cinnabar Summit of the Painting Sect.
“What happened?” she asked.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden’s expression was grave. “Something must have happened in the Paradise Realm. The Radiant Heaven and Earth Divine Rope that bound the Hongmeng Black Dragon just shook violently, with light and dark flickering.”
Chi Yao pointed a finger at the void.
“Whoosh!”
A spatial light mirror appeared in the sky, projecting the scene of the starry domain where the Paradise Realm was located.
The entire Sword Realm had been moved to the North Marsh Great Wall, too far from the Paradise Realm. Even as a Half-Ancestor, Chi Yao could only sense the faint fluctuations transmitted through heaven and earth.
In the spatial light mirror, the vast star sea was visible, with the Paradise Realm at the center, surrounded by countless shining stars and Divine Throne Planets.
An incredibly thick Radiant Heaven and Earth Divine Rope was woven from various parts of the Paradise Realm, stretching through the star sea and extending into Lihentian.
The Radiant Heaven and Earth rules that wove this divine rope were like the roots of a great tree, deeply embedded in various parts of the Paradise Realm.
In the mirror, only the Radiant Heaven and Earth Divine Rope could be seen shaking violently, causing countless stars to fall and the space of the entire starry domain to tremble.
“It’s Ruochen’s aura.”
The Yunshen Daozhu came from the sea of clouds, waving his sleeve to mobilize his immense spiritual power, which surged toward the spatial light mirror.
Instantly, the spatial light mirror’s capture of the starry domain where the Paradise Realm was located became clearer.
Chi Yao’s pupils contracted. In the star sea within the light mirror, she saw a familiar figure as tiny as a speck of dust. Who else could it be but Zhang Ruochen?
Then.
Zhang Ruochen merely took a breath, drawing the heaven and earth qi of the entire starry domain into his abdomen. He raised both hands, and instantly, billions of sword qi appeared in the universe.
These sword qi, as dense as star clouds, converged into his palm, forming a heaven-slaying divine sword.
“Shua!”
The divine sword swung out, slashing toward the Radiant Heaven and Earth Divine Rope.
“Boom!”
The brilliant light flooded the spatial light mirror above Cinnabar Summit, turning it into a blazing white.
Bore’s eyes reddened, and her voice trembled. “It’s the One-Word Sword Dao! Imperial Dust is not dead. He is still alive.”
Bore did not believe that this was the real Zhang Ruochen, nor did she believe that Zhang Ruochen would expose the secret of his survival just to save the Hongmeng Black Dragon.
No matter what was really happening, at this moment, many Kunlun Realm gods had already appeared at the Painting Sect. She had to have the most genuine reaction.
She could not reveal any flaws.
“Grandmaster, the Sword Realm is in your hands!”
Chi Yao was even more decisive. Wrapping Bore in Half-Ancestor divine qi, she shattered the spatial barrier and flew away from the North Marsh Great Wall, rushing toward the starry domain where the Paradise Realm was located.
She could feel Zhang Ruochen’s aura and heavenly secrets. Countless questions filled her heart.
But all questions could only be answered by rushing to the Paradise Realm.
With two consecutive sword strikes, the Radiant Heaven and Earth Divine Rope was cut halfway through.
The violent energy vibrations caused countless disasters across the Paradise Realm: tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.
Fortunately, this was an eternal, undying great world. The world-protecting grand formation was quickly activated, barely holding up.
If it had been any other great world, it would have already shattered into starry dust.
A Fuya stood atop the top of the Ma’er Divine Mountain, gazing into the sky. Her eyes held both disbelief and a hint of barely concealed joy.
For a figure as stunning as Zhang Ruochen, even an enemy would feel a trace of regret at his fall.
Naturally, they would also feel a subtle joy and anticipation at his survival, even knowing they might die by his hands in the future.
This feeling might be called appreciation.
The news of Imperial Dust’s emergence spread quickly, shaking the starry sky.
The Heavenly Court’s myriad realms gathered.
The Paradise Realm was not far from the Heavenly Court. Zhang Ruochen and Xuanyuan Lian, who were in the Heavenly Punishment Divine Mountain, naturally saw the scene in the starry sky at the first moment.
“He… he is actually still alive. A scourge lasts a thousand years. This guy really is just like the rumors say—clearly an Immortal!”
Xuanyuan Lian was overjoyed, but her tone carried a chill.
Clearly, in the years when Zhang Ruochen had disguised himself as being downcast and indulgent, he had offended Xuanyuan Lian quite badly.
They were supposed to be close friends who appreciated each other, but that guy had tried to possess her. In front of many people, he had pulled her into his arms and forced her to drink, and even after she became furious, he had slapped her twice on the buttocks, acting like a rogue saying, “I’m teasing you, what can you do about it?”
It was utterly lawless.
Whether he had truly sunk into pleasure or deliberately pretended to be crazy to offend her and draw a clear line, it was unclear.
If it was the latter…
Xuanyuan Lian could tell that Zhang Ruochen’s combat power after his return was extraordinary. Even from a distant starry domain, she could feel the pressure of his aura, clearly indicating that his cultivation had improved significantly.
Was this a cultivator with a downcast will?
Since he wasn’t dead, if he had been pretending to be crazy back then, she would have to find a way to make him pay for his actions.
As she thought about it, a smile appeared at the corner of Xuanyuan Lian’s mouth.
Xuanyuan Lian was not Xuanyuan Qing. She had very little interest in romantic feelings between men and women. Her heart was filled with matters of the world, the lives of all beings, and the principles of the Dao.
Xuanyuan Qing only represented one-ninth of her consciousness, embodying both the Radiant Dao and her feminine side.
Standing nearby, Zhang Ruochen saw the eerie cold smile on her face and frowned, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Was she still holding a grudge?
Weren’t they supposed to be close friends who appreciated each other? Just a hug, and she was still holding a grudge? Didn’t she consider herself a man?