Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
Blue Jingmie Divine Fire surged over, distorting the space with the heat. It scattered the cold power around the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin.
Whoosh—
Mysterious power spread from the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin. It controlled the dozens of Death Race ancestor bones and arranged them in a starry formation. It actually formed an invisible force that blocked the Jingmie Divine Fire.
With Zhang Ruochen’s current cultivation, he could even melt some Thousand-pattern Saint Weapons with the Jingmie Divine Fire, but he couldn’t defeat a few bones.
It was obvious how incredible the bones were. They may have been divine bones.
“My clone is still too weak.”
Zhang Ruochen pulled his arms back. Then he pointed at the sky with his right forefinger. Strong Spiritual Power burst forth. It rushed out of the Universe World, guiding the Jingmie Divine Fire in his Sea of Qi.
The next moment, the clouds above Zhang Ruochen’s head spread apart. A waterfall of fire dropped from the sky and kept pouring toward the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin.
Seeing this, Princess White Li was shocked. “Sect Leader,” she advised, “aren’t you being too extreme? What if you anger her?”
“Times like these, you must use extreme methods.”
After burning for around six hours, a gust of icy Qi poured out of the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin like a tidal wave.
Kaboom.
Like leaves in the wind, Zhang Ruochen and Princess White Li were sent countless miles away. The power was too astounding. They couldn’t even control their bodies.
After steadying himself, Zhang Ruochen looked back at the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin. His eyes narrowed instantly. A beautiful lady covered in brilliant moonlight stepped gracefully out of the flames.
Her figure was slender and her skin seemed to be carved from jade. There was the mark of a blood moon on her forehead. Cold power flowed through her body, turning the surrounding 10,000 miles into a tundra.
The Jingmie Divine Fire was swallowed by the wind and snow. All of it scattered.
“Ghost King Bloodmoon…” Zhang Ruochen said. “No… You’re the woman in the coffin.”
The woman under the Divine Sky-connecting Tree was indeed Ghost King Bloodmoon, but the aura radiating from her was countless times stronger.
Zhang Ruochen and Princess White Li were both able to counter later-stage True Saints. But facing the woman, they felt extreme pressure.
An extreme force was pressing them down to their knees.
Zhang Ruochen and Princess White Li kept sweating. They pushed up with all their might, not wanting to kneel before anyone.
Each step that Ghost King Bloodmoon took would double the pressure on them. She wasn’t using power to restrict them. She was restricting their will.
Meow!
Princess White Li’s legs trembled. Meowing, she turned back into her original shape—a brilliant little white cat.
Finally, Ghost King Bloodmoon didn’t continue walking. She stopped 100 feet before Zhang Ruochen and Princess White Li. “You two have very strong wills,” she said coldly. “You don’t surrender to anyone and have the potential to become Supreme Saints.”
Zhang Ruochen was slightly relieved. “If you continue walking, we might not be able to take it anymore.”
“A Supreme Saint’s heart doesn’t surrender to any human, but that doesn’t mean they won’t surrender to a god. If I continued, even a Supreme Saint might not be able to withstand the pressure.”
Zhang Ruochen was incredibly shaken. “You’re a god?”
“One hundred thousand years ago, I used up practically all of my divine power and vitality. I could only sleep inside the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin. Now, I’ve finally recovered a bit.”
After a pause, Ghost King Bloodmoon continued, “You’re the first Saint who has dared to use divine fire to burn a god.”
She really was a god.
Even a Supreme Saint would probably be terrified, let alone Zhang Ruochen.
Right now, Zhang Ruochen felt his hands and feet go cold. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t afraid. A female corpse in the coffin and a living god before him were two completely different concepts.
Zhang Ruochen worked to suppress his negative emotions. He kept calm and bowed to the figure. “I accidentally offended you,” he said, not submissively. “But…”
“No need to be so afraid,” Ghost King Bloodmoon said. “You dared to burn a god with fire. That means you have the heart and courage to go against gods. That is also why I sent a branch of my consciousness to meet you.”
The goddess’ divine corpse was still lying inside the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin. It was absorbing the Life Qi and Saintly Qi from the Divine Sky-connecting Tree. Clearly, her consciousness had flown out and taken over Ghost King Bloodmoon.
“I already know why you want to speak to me,” Ghost King Bloodmoon continued. “I promise to help you once when you need me. But you must agree to a condition.”
“What condition?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“After this ends, visit the Heaven World with me.”
Zhang Ruochen was taken aback. “With my current cultivation, you can probably do whatever I can do with just a thought. Why would you need my help?”
“Every creature has their own value,” Ghost King Bloodmoon said. “Your value is much bigger than you could imagine.”
Zhang Ruochen fell into deep thought. “Okay, I agree.”
No matter how strict her conditions were, a Saint and a god’s exchange was still worth it for Zhang Ruochen.
“You better think carefully,” Ghost King Bloodmoon said. “Once you agree, you’ll be making a vow to a god. You cannot regret it.”
Zhang Ruochen sensed that what the goddess wanted him to do wasn’t as simple as he imagined. So he asked, “What exactly is it?”
“I can’t tell you now. You’ll naturally understand after you go to the Heaven World. I do not like to force people, so you can choose not to agree.”
“I agree,” Zhang Ruochen said firmly. “But I must say this clearly. I represent only myself, not the entire Universe World.”
“I will remember that!”
Ghost King Bloodmoon turned, walking back to the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin.
“Wait!” Zhang Ruochen said. “Are you the legendary Moon Goddess?”
“No god gives themselves a title. In the end, she’s whatever goddess the people call her.” With that, a shred of divine light flew out of Ghost King Bloodmoon, rushing back into the Sun-moon Crystal Coffin.
In an instant, the powerful saintly might vanished.
Princess White Li transformed back into human shape. She bowed reverently at the coffin. Then she said to Zhang Ruochen, “She must be the Moon Goddess from Guanghan Field.”
“Yes.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
If she wasn’t the Moon Goddess, she would’ve denied it directly, instead of saying that confusing sentence.
Zhang Ruochen walked to Ghost King Bloodmoon. “Earlier, the Moon Goddess took over your body. Did she say what your relationship is with her?”
“A thought,” Ghost King Bloodmoon said.
Zhang Ruochen gasped. “A thought gave birth to you? If she had a billion thoughts, wouldn’t there be a billion strong figures like you?”
“It’s not that simple,” Ghost King Bloodmoon said. “The more thoughts she has, the heavier the burden. It would instead affect her cultivation. If a god’s thought becomes independent, there must be a special reason and motive.”
“What was the motive for splitting you out?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“To take her away from the nether world,” Ghost King Bloodmoon explained. “There is no Life Qi in the nether world. If she couldn’t absorb Life Qi, she would sink into an eternal slumber and die when her divine power was used up. Even sleeping, her divine power would still slip away. It would just be slower.”
Clearly, the Moon Goddess had told Ghost King Bloodmoon some things so she knew her mission.
Of course, that mission wasn’t important anymore.
Zhang Ruochen’s clone retreated from the Universe World and melded back into his body. He cultivated with all his might, wanting to break into the Absolute Land Realm as soon as possible.
During the past year, the Buddha’s sarira had been releasing Buddhist Qi and Spiritual Power at every moment. They melded into Zhang Ruochen’s body, causing his cultivation speed to be ten times faster than cultivators of the same realm.
It was because of this that he could drink and play every day but still cultivate as fast as the Heirs, reaching the peak of the Xuanhuang Realm.
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
Next, Qin Yutong’s voice sounded outside the door. “Your Highness,” she said softly. “Twelfth Lord has already reached Phoenix Dance Palace and set up a glorious banquet. He wishes for me to bring you there.”
Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes and smiled. Twelfth Royal Uncle didn’t come to meet me. Instead, he wishes for me to go greet him. He wants to intimidate me as soon as he comes. As expected, he’s unwilling to hand over his authority.
Whoever goes to see the other would seem to be lower than the other.
Lord Mingjiang had come to the Royal Capital personally. This already made him seem lower than Zhang Ruochen. Now that he was at Phoenix Dance Palace, he naturally wanted to make up for that.
“Okay! I’ll go see Twelfth Royal Uncle with you.”
There were very few direct members of the royal family. They should be more united to face the outside instead of fighting inwardly.
As the junior, Zhang Ruochen decided to take a step back and save some face for Lord Mingjiang.
If Lord Mingjiang didn’t accept that or wanted to defeat Zhang Ruochen, then Zhang Ruochen wouldn’t be polite with him either.
Respect was mutual.
Qin Yutong was slightly relieved. Before coming, she was afraid that the two men would both be too domineering and unwilling to take a step back. That way, it would be impossible to continue talks.
In Phoenix Dance Palace, there was a pavilion in the center of the spiritual lake. It was filled with lights. Beautiful servants danced and lovely music streamed out.
Under Qin Yutong’s guidance, Zhang Ruochen entered the pavilion. He finally saw Emperor Ming’s 12th brother, Lord Mingjiang.
“Your Highness.”
Granny Baisu walked over and bowed to Zhang Ruochen.
“Greetings, Crown Prince.”
All the cultivators below the Saint Realm in the pavilion knelt down before Zhang Ruochen. They seemed very respectful.
However, Lord Mingjiang and the Saints under him remained sitting. It didn’t seem like they intended to bow.
