Chapter 886: Clan Leader
“It is indeed quite unexpected to meet you here,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Shi Ren’s appearance gradually suppressed the dissenting voices among the Zhenyu Ancient Clan members. They could all see that the Young Clan Leader seemed to have an unusual relationship with Zhang Ruochen. Even if they were dissatisfied with Zhang Ruochen, they had to at least show some respect to the Young Clan Leader.
“Young Clan Leader, this Zhang Ruochen must not be taken lightly; otherwise, he may bring endless trouble.”
Xiang Zhengfeng harbored no goodwill toward Zhang Ruochen. As he spoke, his entire body surged with sword intent, transforming into a streak of white light that flew into the Nether King Sword Tomb.
Shi Ren smiled and said, “Brother Zhang, there’s no need to mind his words. Since you are the heir of Xuanji Sword Saint, you are the most honored guest of the Zhenyu Ancient Clan. The Clan Leader is already waiting for you at the Sword Tomb Palace. Shall we go together?”
“Please.”
Zhang Ruochen extended a hand, gesturing forward.
The Sword Tomb Palace was constructed from massive boulders, shaped like a pyramid-like tomb, eight hundred meters tall and covering an area of dozens of miles.
Walking across the square outside the Sword Tomb Palace, the figures of the crowd seemed smaller than ants.
It was said that the Sword Tomb Palace was a rather powerful sacred artifact. Once activated, it could unleash a devastating sacred might that could destroy heaven and earth.
The Sword Tomb Palace was arranged with an ancient spirit-gathering formation. As soon as they stepped through the gate, they could immediately feel a dense wave of heaven and earth spiritual energy rushing toward them, as if entering a cave heaven paradise.
The Clan Leader of the Zhenyu Ancient Clan sat high above, surrounded by sixty-four sacred qi halos enveloping his entire body, like an unmoving divine mountain. He exuded a majestic and sacred aura, making him someone to be revered.
“Greetings, Clan Leader.”
Zhang Ruochen and Shi Ren clasped their hands together, bowing forward in salute.
Following that, the half-saints of the Zhenyu Ancient Clan also bowed in respect to the Clan Leader.
“No need for formalities. Everyone, take your seats.”
The Clan Leader’s voice carried a deep, resonant power, and the imposing aura it emitted placed immense pressure on all the cultivators present.
Zhang Ruochen was no exception. He felt as if the other’s cultivation was like a vast ocean, while he was merely a leaf floating on its surface. With just a single thought, the opponent could crush him into dust.
Zhang Ruochen and Shi Ren simultaneously stepped back to the right, taking the first and second seats on that side.
Only then did Zhang Ruochen begin to secretly observe the Zhenyu Ancient Clan’s Clan Leader. Unfortunately, the other’s cultivation was far too high, and the sixty-four sacred qi halos shrouded his body.
Thus, Zhang Ruochen could only make out a silhouette, enough to judge that the Clan Leader was not particularly old, appearing to be around forty or fifty years old.
Apart from the Clan Leader, there were several other sacred figures in the Sword Tomb Palace, seated within a white cloud of sacred qi, appearing profoundly unfathomable and inspiring awe.
The master of the Zhutian Sword, Xiang Zhengfeng, sat in the seat of honor on the left, his spine straight, exuding an air of righteous authority.
The Clan Leader’s gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen as he asked, “Zhang Ruochen, is your master, Xuanji Sword Saint, doing well?”
Zhang Ruochen stood up and replied, “Reporting to the Clan Leader, after surviving this deadly ordeal, my master’s cultivation has reached a higher level. However, he has gone to attend to a matter of great importance, so he sent his disciple to the Nether King Sword Tomb.”
Zhang Ruochen’s words naturally caused quite a stir.
Everyone knew that Xuanji Sword Saint’s cultivation had already reached the extreme limit of the Saint realm. If he advanced further, wouldn’t that mean he could achieve sainthood as a king?
A king among saints.
From the seat of honor on the left, Xiang Zhengfeng’s eyes flickered with a strange light.
The Clan Leader was silent for a moment but did not ask about Xuanji Sword Saint’s business. Instead, he inquired, “Do you know why Xuanji Sword Saint sent you to the Nether King Sword Tomb with the Sky-Soaring Sword?”
“This junior does not know,” Zhang Ruochen said, shaking his head.
The Clan Leader said, “In truth, Xuanji Sword Saint has already passed the Sky-Soaring Sword to you. From the moment you set foot in the Nether King Sword Tomb, it means you will become the seventeenth Sword Bearer of the Nether King Sword Tomb.”
“Once you become a Sword Bearer, it means you will have to shoulder heavy responsibilities. Of course, the Sword Bearer’s duty is not to protect the Zhenyu Ancient Clan, but to guard the Nether King Sword Tomb.”
The Zhenyu Ancient Clan did not represent the Nether King Sword Tomb itself.
In fact, the Zhenyu Ancient Clan’s responsibility, like that of the six Sword Bearers, was to guard the Nether King Sword Tomb.
The Clan Leader continued, “While you bear these responsibilities, you will naturally receive privileges that others do not have. From now on, as long as you remain in the Nether King Sword Tomb, anyone who opposes you will be opposing the entire Zhenyu Ancient Clan.”
“What about the imperial court?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“Even the imperial court cannot interfere with matters inside the Nether King Sword Tomb. Of course, if you leave the Nether King Sword Tomb and the imperial court tries to capture you, the Zhenyu Ancient Clan cannot save you,” the Clan Leader said.
Zhang Ruochen nodded, finally beginning to understand.
His master must have known the rules of the Nether King Sword Tomb, which was why he sent him here. At least within the Nether King Sword Tomb, the imperial court’s power could not touch Zhang Ruochen, buying him some time to grow.
The Clan Leader continued, “Since you have already arrived at the Nether King Sword Tomb, you should visit the tombs of the past Sword Bearers of the Sky-Soaring Sword lineage. You may find unexpected gains there. Shi Ren, all matters concerning Zhang Ruochen in the Nether King Sword Tomb will be handled and arranged by you.”
Shi Ren, seated in his place, nodded lightly and let out an “Mm,” indicating his agreement.
Zhang Ruochen’s observation was very keen. Based on his understanding of Shi Ren, he was definitely not someone who would be so rude.
So why was he so indifferent to the Clan Leader?
Everything about the Zhenyu Ancient Clan seemed to carry an eerie atmosphere.
Zhang Ruochen had originally wanted to reveal the secret he held, but he held back for now, deciding to observe further and understand the situation of the Zhenyu Ancient Clan before speaking.
Next, the discussion turned to the issue of the Undying Blood Clan.
The faction advocating for war petitioned the Clan Leader to drive the Undying Blood Clan out of Yuan Mansion.
The conservative faction, however, earnestly advised against it, listing various risks and concerns. The two sides argued fiercely, and if the Clan Leader had not been presiding over the meeting, they might have come to blows.
Zhang Ruochen did not get involved and remained silent.
His gaze shifted to Shi Ren, but he noticed that the Young Clan Leader had his eyes closed in meditation, showing no intention of joining the debate.
This argument ultimately ended without any conclusion.
Leaving the Sword Tomb Palace, Shi Ren led Zhang Ruochen toward the residential area of the Zhenyu Ancient Clan.
The Nether King Sword Tomb was like a vast paradise, with green mountains and clear waters, beautiful scenery, pavilions and towers, and a new view at every step.
Over countless millennia of development, the population of the three great clans had grown to an enormous size.
Each clan had over ten million members.
However, this region was shrouded by formations from the Middle Ages, making it impossible for outsiders to break in.
Thus, few people knew that deep within these rugged mountains, there was such a hidden paradise.
Shi Ren looked into the distance, where a group of children sat under a tree, learning about formations. He said meaningfully, “Brother Zhang, do you think the Zhenyu Ancient Clan should take the initiative to attack, or continue to shrink its forces and hold the Nether King Sword Tomb?”
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, “I’ve only just arrived and don’t know much yet, so it’s not convenient for me to express an opinion.”
“Brother Zhang is an exceptionally intelligent man; why be so modest?”
Shi Ren let out a long sigh and continued, “To be honest, I do not advocate taking the initiative to attack.”
“Why?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Shi Ren said, “First, the Undying Blood Clan’s gathering in Yuan Mansion must have been carefully planned. No one knows how many of them have come or what their specific plans are. Under such circumstances, even if the Zhenyu Ancient Clan wins a battle, it would be a pyrrhic victory, with countless clansmen dying in the war.”
“Second, I think Brother Zhang must have noticed that the Zhenyu Ancient Clan is not a monolithic entity; in fact, it shows signs of fragmentation. Once war breaks out, there are too many variables, and it could truly collapse from within, with consequences too dire to imagine.”
Pausing, Shi Ren’s expression grew very serious as he said, “Even if the Zhenyu Ancient Clan is destroyed, it might not matter much. But if the evil beings and fierce beasts imprisoned in the sword tomb, or even the Nether King himself, were to escape, no one could imagine the terrible disaster that would follow.”
Any cultivator or barbarian beast imprisoned in the Nether King Sword Tomb was no ordinary existence. If even one escaped, it would cause catastrophic turmoil.
“Do you really want to hear my opinion?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“Of course,” Shi Ren said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Actually, I would advocate taking the initiative to attack the Undying Blood Clan, driving them back first to eliminate future trouble.”
“Why?”
Shi Ren frowned, surprised, clearly not expecting Zhang Ruochen to be such an aggressive person.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Because continuing to wait will only make things worse for the Zhenyu Ancient Clan.”
“First, the Undying Blood Clan excels at disguise and can easily transform into another person. Since they came prepared, I am certain that there are already Undying Blood Clan members lurking among the Zhenyu Ancient Clan, and definitely more than one.”
“Second, now that the Zhenyu Ancient Clan is recalling elites from the outer branches back to the Nether King Sword Tomb, how could the Undying Blood Clan miss such a perfect opportunity? More Undying Blood Clan members will surely infiltrate the Nether King Sword Tomb. This will intensify the internal conflicts of the Zhenyu Ancient Clan, and civil war will eventually break out.”
“Rather than waiting to be destroyed, it is better to immediately engage the Undying Blood Clan in battle. This might even provide an opportunity to root out the infiltrators.”
Shi Ren’s expression turned quite grave.
He had to admit that some of the points Zhang Ruochen raised were things he had not considered before. (To be continued.)