Chapter 4227: Sister, Don’t Panic
Abyssal and Blooddrop had grown alongside Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao, their fame in the universe now matching their masters’. They were no longer what they once were—they had become sharp tools among divine artifacts.
After the two swords had refined and absorbed the Ancestor Matter within the Ancestor of Creation’s body, Zhang Ruochen further tempered them with Brahma Fire.
“Boom! Rumble!”
Before long, bolts of tribulation lightning streaked across the Heavenly Court’s sea of clouds, descending from a mysterious spatial dimension toward the Heavenly Palace.
This tribulation lightning was not sent down by the will of heaven and earth. Instead, it was drawn by Zhang Ruochen.
By mastering the Profound Meaning of Calamity and the Power of Calamity, he had, to a certain extent, grasped the tribulations of heaven and earth.
He used the tribulation lightning to temper Abyssal and Blooddrop.
Amid the continuous rumbling, the two swords underwent another transformation, reaching a level no less than that of a First Chapter Divine Artifact.
Abyssal and Blooddrop flew within the Dragon Lord’s Divine Realm World, with the energies of life and death circulating, the Profound Meaning of Creation and its rules surging wildly, and thousands of sword shadows accompanying them.
“Clang!”
Every time the two swords met, their blades crossing, the war swords and Sword Dao rules in the star seas and various realms trembled slightly.
Void Heaven, who had destroyed the main altar of the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom and feared retaliation from the Primordial Ancestors of the God Realm, had been hiding in the void. Sensing the changes in the Sword Dao rules, he finally revealed his true form.
“Even forging swords can cause such a commotion—no wonder he’s an Ancestor.”
Void Heaven’s eyes were filled with envy and jealousy, but he also realized that with Zhang Ruochen, an Ancestor whose every move could shake the entire universe, the Primordial Ancestors of the God Realm wouldn’t bother with a Half-Ancestor like him.
Since that was the case, he could afford to be bolder and go assist the three giants of the Undying Blood Clan in intercepting Hidden Corpse.
He had long had his eye on the Golden Staff in Hidden Corpse’s hand, considering it an extraordinary divine material for forging swords.
“With my current cultivation, trying to take another step toward Ancestor is as difficult as reaching the heavens. As for Sword Twenty-Seven, I can’t even find the path. Forging a war sword that doesn’t lose to a First Chapter Divine Artifact is my top priority. Then, I’ll head to the Void Exhaust Sea…”
Void Heaven organized his thoughts, always considering how to further enhance his combat power.
Since he had countless connections to the Void Exhaust Sea, he had to go there no matter what. Perhaps that place held opportunities to help him advance his cultivation further.
—
Watching the two swords flying together like a pair, Chi Yao’s eyes were filled with nostalgia. “Chen Ge, do you still remember the Yin-Yang Two Forms Sword Formation?”
Zhang Ruochen smiled. “How could I forget?”
The Nine Yin Sword Techniques and the Nine Yang Sword Techniques—they had cultivated them since childhood, their minds connected even in their youth, allowing them to unleash the combined power of the sword formation.
When the two swords merged, their strength combined, doubling their combat power.
“Unfortunately, there’s no time. If I had another hundred thousand years, after I break through to Ancestor, I could truly become Chen Ge’s right hand, and even an Immortal wouldn’t be undefeatable in battle.”
Chi Yao smiled bitterly, her eyes dimming. She felt she had failed the expectations of Xumi Saint Monk and Zhang Ruochen’s teachings back then.
Perhaps the Saint Monk had long foreseen today’s situation. If she had cultivated the *Bright King Sutra*, even if she couldn’t reach the Thirty-Three Heavens, reaching the Twenty-Seventh Heaven and keeping pace with Zhang Ruochen’s steps would have given her Ancestor-level cultivation.
With the two of them joining forces, they would have a greater chance of victory against an Immortal.
Zhang Ruochen had said earlier that his current achievements were bought by the sacrifices of countless people.
The same was true for her.
Zhang Ruochen had now reached the step everyone had hoped for, enough to comfort the departed. But she hadn’t. Her self-blame, pain, and guilt surged like a tide.
Ling Yanzi, Pan Yuan Ancient God, and the Dragon Lord all felt the same.
Everyone knew clearly that they could only survive to this day and possess the most top-tier combat power below Ancestor by relying solely on hard work, effort, talent, and opportunities—none of that was enough. Those were just the basics.
Instead, too many predecessors had laid plans on them, perfected them, and placed their hopes on them.
Even behind Ling Yanzi stood the figures of the Fate Ancestor and the Great Venerable.
The Dragon Lord and Pan Yuan Ancient God had even been nurtured by Zhang Ruochen, the current Ancestor, who had provided them with much assistance.
Everything was aimed at pushing them to the height of Ancestor.
Unfortunately…
“Ancestor” stood like a towering divine mountain ahead, its peak invisible.
Wasn’t this a kind of failure?
The Dragon Lord opened his palm, releasing the Ancestral Dragon Scale. “Imperial Dust, this journey is extremely perilous. I have nothing else to see you off with. This scale is the hardest piece on the Ancestral Dragon’s body. Please don’t refuse.”
“Thank you, Dragon Uncle!”
Zhang Ruochen didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted the Ancestral Dragon Scale.
The Dragon Lord said, “Earlier, I watched the Ancestor-level battle in the starry sky from afar. Actually, Imperial Dust could consider using the Witch Cauldron to absorb the power left by the several Witch Ancestors, mobilizing the Witch Dao rules in heaven and earth to condense Dao Light and complete the Heaven Mending. Perhaps this is why the Witch Ancestors sent their power to this era.”
With a wave of the Dragon Lord’s hand, space trembled.
Then, the Dragon Nest rose from the ground in the Divine Realm World, with thousands of dragon shadows and dragon souls flying about, and the dragons roaring in unison.
The Ancestral Dragon’s corpse was coiled within the Dragon Nest, releasing majestic Ancestral might.
“The Ancestral Dragon’s power is definitely enough to condense a mass of Dao Light.” The Dragon Lord knew he wasn’t qualified to go with Zhang Ruochen to battle the Immortal, so he only wanted to do his utmost to help.
When Zhang Ruochen had considered the method of Heaven Mending, he had thought of this. But it would essentially mean plundering the Ancestor opportunities of the Dragon Lord, Feng Tian, Feng Yan, Cihang Venerable, Xiang Chunan…
More importantly, Zhang Ruochen had never planned to survive this journey.
Even if he devoured all the power the Witch Ancestors had sent to this era, cultivating “Consistency from Start to Finish” would still take time, no different from absorbing the Power of Calamity to mend the heavens.
In that case, why waste the power the Witch Ancestors had sent to this era?
Zhang Ruochen smiled at the Dragon Lord. “I thought of this method long ago. But I believe that since the Great Venerable went to the past to find a way to break the Calamity of Quantities, he must have discussed it with the Witch Ancestors. So, the Witch Ancestors sending their power to this era is more likely for the matter I told you about—for the Great Calamity.”
“I’ll handle the Minor Calamity! As for the Great Calamity, I leave it to all of you!”
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands and bowed to the three of them, then, with Chi Yao carrying the two swords, walked out of the Dragon Lord’s Divine Realm World one after the other.
The Dragon Lord watched Zhang Ruochen’s retreating figure, as if seeing the Dragon Clan leaving in the same way back then. He had watched Zhang Ruochen rise from weakness to the top of the universe, becoming the backbone of heaven and earth standing before everyone.
This feeling was like a lifetime ago, stirring countless emotions in his heart.
—
Seeing Zhang Ruochen emerge from the Central Divine Hall, Jing Daoren quickly blocked his way, chuckling and bowing. “Imperial Dust, how about a deal?”
Zhang Ruochen glanced at him, then at Zhen Yuan, Feng Yan, Cihang Venerable, and Xiang Chunan approaching from the side. “For the Five Elements Ancestral Body?”
“Slap!”
Jing Daoren clapped his hands in admiration. “No wonder you’re an Ancestor—you see through human nature and know all heavenly secrets. Isn’t it just for the Five Elements Ancestral Body? This poor Daoist also wants to contribute to the world.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “After the Mother of Weak Water died, didn’t you obtain the Weak Water? Haven’t you completed the Five Elements yet?”
Jing Daoren said bitterly, “I did obtain the Weak Water and that Stone God Star from the Heavenly Man Academy, which supplemented the Water and Earth elements. But the Five Elements within my body are scattered and separate. With my own cultivation, I can’t fuse them together. Now, what Five Elements Ancestral Body? It’s more like Five Elements Five Bodies. Do you believe I can split into five and give you a performance?”
“No need, no need…”
Zhang Ruochen gestured for him to stop, observed his physical body for a moment, and said, “The Five Elements Earth, the Bronze Divine Tree, the Ten Golden Crow Sun Stars of the Blazing Sun Ancestor, the Stone God Star, the Weak Water—these ultimate substances of the Five Elements are indeed not something your Heavenly Venerable-level cultivation can fully refine. I can help you…”
“Excellent! This poor Daoist said that Imperial Dust is selfless for the world, the most righteous Ancestor in history, and would definitely help.”
Jing Daoren quickly bowed, afraid Zhang Ruochen would change his mind.
Having a peerless Ancestor personally help refine the Five Elements Ancestral Body—throughout history, few had enjoyed such treatment.
Legend had it that the Five Elements Ancestral Body could rival the physical strength of an Ancestor.
Cultivating the Five Elements Ancestral Body would definitely allow him to break through to Half-Ancestor, and then he could go head-to-head with that old ghost Void Heaven.
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand. “Don’t get too happy. Even if I help you refine and fuse, you probably won’t be able to cultivate the Five Elements Ancestral Body. It’ll be a fake ancestral body at best.”
“I know, I know. The quality and quantity of these Five Elements substances are still lacking. Cultivating a Five Elements Fake Ancestral Body is enough to satisfy this poor Daoist!”
Jing Daoren was in a great mood, his eyebrows dancing with joy. “Actually, the Blazing Sun Ancestor’s corpse is with Hongchen. If Imperial Dust could grant it to this poor Daoist, that would be even better! Don’t worry, I won’t take it for nothing. From now on, the Zhang family’s affairs are the Five Elements Temple’s affairs.”
“What are you saying? Does the Zhang family need your protection?”
Zhang Hongchen’s eyes were sharp, her tone laced with cold laughter, feeling that Jing Daoren was cursing Zhang Ruochen for not returning.
Jing Daoren quickly said, “Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! What this poor Daoist means is that having received Imperial Dust’s favor, the Five Elements Temple will definitely follow the Zhang family’s lead from now on.”
Zhang Ruochen looked at Zhang Hongchen on the square below and said in a calm tone, “Hongchen, hand over the Blazing Sun Ancestor’s corpse to the Temple Master. Also, hand over the Divine Ancestor Lord’s corpse to Qing Su, to be taken back to the Imperial Dao Great World for burial.”
He still remembered his first meeting with the Divine Ancestor Lord in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City. With that bond, how could Zhang Ruochen bear to see him humiliated after death?
The Blazing Sun Ancestor’s corpse and the Divine Ancestor Lord’s corpse were both among Zhang Hongchen’s Nine Sword Slaves.
Facing Zhang Ruochen’s gaze, even someone as arrogant as Zhang Hongchen dared not utter a single word of defiance.
“Thank you, Imperial Dust!” “Kowtow to Master!”
Qing Su and Zhuo Aozhen stepped forward, kowtowed to Zhang Ruochen, and took away the Divine Ancestor Lord’s corpse.
In the crowd.
Zhang Nihe had the least reverence. From the first moment she saw Zhang Ruochen, she had been sizing up this father she had never met, both excited and curious.
She whispered to Yan Ying’er, “You said earlier, wasn’t she so arrogant? Where’s that pride now? She doesn’t dare say a word and obediently handed over the two sword slaves.”
Yan Ying’er didn’t dare speak as directly as she did, still standing straight, secretly transmitting her voice: “Who dares to be arrogant before an Ancestor? Do you think Father is really that good-tempered and always so gentle?”
“You haven’t seen Father angry.”
“Back then, when she and Xingchen caused trouble, it was a huge mess. How many people pleaded for mercy, but it was useless. I remember Father took her and Xingchen to that planet and made them see with their own eyes the various tragic scenes they had caused. Can you believe someone as proud as Zhang Hongchen actually knelt down and cried, asking Father to kill her?”
“She has such a dark history? Hehe!” Zhang Nihe’s eyes lit up, then she showed a playful smile of “so that’s all.”
Regardless, among all the siblings, Zhang Hongchen’s cultivation and strength were recognized by Zhang Nihe, whose subjective impression was “arrogant and domineering,” “cold and ruthless,” “sharp-tongued,” and “peerless talent.”
She was vaguely the number one cultivator among all the siblings!
She even felt that Zhang Hongchen might be strong enough to fight their father.
But now it seemed that Father didn’t even need to release Ancestral might—just his bloodline was enough to suppress her.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen’s voice sounded in Zhang Nihe’s and Yan Ying’er’s ears, as if right beside them: “What are you two muttering about?”
Although Yan Ying’er was already a giant with ninetieth-level spiritual power, her expression changed slightly, and she moved a few steps behind Chi Kongle, hiding half her body.
She knew that among all the siblings, only the eldest sister carried the most weight with their father.
Zhang Nihe’s crisp voice rang out: “Ying’er Jie and I were saying that Zhang Hongchen is very arrogant. Earlier, she directly called Imperial Dust by name, bearing a deep grudge against you, the elder.”
Yan Ying’er muttered softly, “Why are you dragging me into this?”
“Sister, what are you afraid of? We haven’t done anything wrong. We haven’t defected to the God Realm or become Doomsday Priests. Sister, don’t panic!” Zhang Nihe comforted Yan Ying’er, speaking very confidently.
Zhang Hongchen turned to look at Zhang Nihe, her eyes narrowing.
Zhang Nihe clasped her hands behind her back, not backing down as she met her gaze, her smile curving her eyes into crescents.
“Elderly person?”
Zhang Ruochen looked Zhang Nihe up and down, then touched his face. “You must be Nihe, right? I heard you once went to the ancestral land to dig up the Great Venerable’s tomb?”
Zhang Nihe had more dark history than anyone. Remembering Yan Ying’er’s earlier warning, she immediately stopped smiling and also hid behind Chi Kongle.
In appearance, Zhang Nihe was five or six parts similar to Ji Fanxin, but her personality was completely different—very lively and active.
Zhang Ruochen naturally understood why Zhang Nihe didn’t call him father. Over thirty thousand years, she was no longer a child. Asking her to call a stranger “father” was too difficult.
For hundreds of thousands of years, he had been rushing around, always wandering on the edge of life and death. He had indeed shown too little care for the younger generation.
If the younger generation had no feelings for him, who could he blame?
There were some things he had to make clear to Zhang Hongchen today. He said, “Hongchen, you’ve always felt that I favor Kongle more and have given you too little care, right?”
Zhang Hongchen answered with silence.
Zhang Ruochen nodded and walked step by step down the jade stone steps.
Zhang Hongchen clenched her fists, her nails almost piercing her palms. She knew that she was about to be severely punished by her father. After struggling for a moment, she decided to explain what needed to be explained: “Yes, I’ve said such things and thought them in my heart. But it’s not to the point of being twisted by jealousy. Hongchen can understand Father’s debt to Eldest Sister and knows that you two have been through hardships together. That day, I said those things only to numb the Eternal True Ruler, because he was hiding in my Divine Realm World.”
“Also, refining the Divine Ancestor Lord into a sword slave was the Eternal True Ruler’s order, not my intention.”
“After joining the God Realm, I did do some things that were…”
Chi Kongle quickly stepped forward, interrupting Zhang Hongchen’s continued words: “Father, I believe in Hongchen! The Divine Ancestor Lord was the Eternal True Ruler’s disciple. Without his consent, who would dare refine his disciple into a sword slave? Although Hongchen defected to the God Realm, she must have her own plans. I am willing to vouch for her.”
Zhang Hongchen wanted to continue.
Chi Kongle stopped her again: “How could a junior resist the will of the God Realm’s Immortal and the Eternal True Ruler? I believe that even if Father were in your situation, you would have to go with the flow.”
Zhang Ruochen came to about two zhang in front of Chi Kongle and Zhang Hongchen, looking at Zhang Hongchen’s still proud and upright posture, his expression complex. He said slowly, “Back then, in the Earth Desolate Universe, when the Nether Ancestor and the Seventy-Two Layer Tower were destroyed in the Ancestor Divine Source’s self-destruction, I couldn’t feel the slightest joy. My heart was only filled with self-blame. At that moment, I deeply regretted locking you inside! I… I was so afraid you had died in the calamity. I repeatedly asked myself if I had done wrong…”
“If that day, you had really turned to ashes with the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, I would have lived in regret for the rest of my life.”
Zhang Hongchen’s proud posture collapsed, and she struggled to control her emotions.
Given Zhang Ruochen’s current status, he could no longer show grief or emotional weakness in front of others.
He quickly regained his Ancestral dignity, his eyes very sharp: “Given your situation at the time, defecting to the Immortal and joining the God Realm was the right choice, beyond reproach. But do you know where you went wrong?”
Zhang Hongchen thought for a moment and said, “I shouldn’t have attacked the Heavenly Palace with the Ancestor of Creation and the others… No, it was that I shouldn’t have become the God Realm’s High Priest?”
“Neither.”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. “It’s that you were too self-righteous! You’re very smart, but smart people often make this mistake. Do you think you’re smarter, more cunning, and more scheming than Kong Faning back then?”
“I…” Zhang Hongchen wanted to argue.
She felt she was completely different from Kong Faning.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t give her a chance to refute and continued, “You wanted to lurk by his side, dig out Chi’s true identity, and find his weakness? But even I can see through your thoughts at a glance—how could an Immortal not see through you? Who are you fooling?”
“Do you know why the Eternal True Ruler let you refine the Divine Ancestor Lord into a sword slave? What benefit did that bring him? Was it just to punish a traitor and make an example of him?”
“Was attacking the Heavenly Palace really something only you could do?”
“No! His goal was to make you sink step by step into the abyss, completely standing against the cultivators of the world, making you lose your bottom line step by step. Weren’t you going to disguise yourself? Then let your disguise become real, making you an enemy of the world, never able to return.”
“Just like the original Kong Faning.”
“I believe that Feng Tian, Xiu Chen, Xumi Saint Monk, Nutian Shenzun, and the Sixth Patriarch definitely didn’t misjudge her at first. Kong Faning must have had her unique personal charm.”
“Back then, she probably used the Withering Death Art as an excuse, using her hatred for the Great Venerable and the Zhang family as a letter of allegiance, wanting to infiltrate the Nether Ancestor’s camp to find the Nether Ancestor’s true body and his weakness.”
“But she underestimated her opponent! Her tricks were like a child’s games in the eyes of an Immortal.”
“Then, just like you today, she was toyed with by the Immortal, sinking deeper step by step, making bigger and bigger mistakes, breaking her bottom line again and again. She thought she was getting closer to the truth, thought she was just a little more away, but in reality, she had long fallen into the abyss, losing herself. In the end, she harmed others and herself, unable to find release in her pain.”
Zhang Hongchen finally understood the gravity of the situation. Her face turned pale, and her whole body trembled. She dared not utter another word of argument.
“Thud!”
She knelt to the ground, tears in her eyes: “Father… I… I was wrong… I truly know I was wrong…”
Chi Kongle immediately helped her up.
Zhang Ruochen’s tone softened, speaking earnestly: “Hongchen, the Zhang family doesn’t need a junior to endure and take risks. Remember these words, all of you!”
“We obey Father’s command.”
Chi Kongle, Zhang Hongchen, and Yan Ying’er said in unison.
Bai Qinger, Yu Chenjing, and Wu Yue, these women who thought themselves extremely clever, were also included in Zhang Ruochen’s warning gaze. He was very worried they would act on their own and play mind games with the Immortal.
“In this doomsday era, it’s hard to have romantic feelings. These years have been filled with endless disasters and troubles. It’s been a long time since we sat down together to talk about family matters. The closest family and friends have become somewhat unfamiliar! Tonight, there will be a family banquet. You all go to the Truth Divine Hall and wait.”
Zhang Ruochen felt emotional. He didn’t know how many tens of thousands of years it had been. He was always wandering outside. The concept of “home” had become incredibly distant, like a rootless duckweed.
Occasionally, he wanted to go “home,” but he didn’t know where to return.
He could only go back to his memories—the Sacred Bright Imperial Palace where he grew up with his father the Emperor, the Ziyi Side Hall in Yunwu Commandery where Consort Lin was, the Zhang family on Wangshan where Zhang Shaochu, Zhang Yuxi, and Mingjiang Wang were still alive, the Blood Absolute Family…
All of them were getting further and further away.
Zhang Ruochen knew very well that an Ancestor didn’t deserve to have a home; he could only be someone else’s home.
For many people, where Imperial Dust was, that was home, that was their final destination. No matter how many setbacks and pains they suffered outside, as long as they returned to his side, returned home, they could be healed.
After driving everyone away, Zhang Ruochen helped Jing Daoren forge the Five Elements Fake Ancestral Body.
He used tribulation lightning.
Zhen Yuan looked at Jing Daoren, who was wailing in the tribulation lightning, and walked over to Zhang Ruochen: “Imperial Dust, have you considered using the Five Elements to mend the heavens?”