The Mercury Gourd floated on the boundless surface of the water. Zhang Ruochen sat on the gourd as he used his Heaven’s Eye to observe his surroundings, looking for a route into the depths of Luoshui.
The Fool woke up, and a look of joy appeared in his eyes as he saw Zhang Ruochen beside him. He then blurted out, “Zhang Ruochen, why are you here at Luoshui?”
Zhang Ruochen closed his Heaven’s Eye and said, “Shouldn’t you be curious about why you’re still alive?”
“What’s there to be curious about? You must have saved me. Thanks, heh.”
The Fool broke into a nonchalant smile as he stood up with a look that said he could not have cared less.
“Who wounded you?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Fool stopped smiling while he began recalling, and his eyes gradually sharpened. “The Blood Wasp Ashuran King.”
Zhang Ruochen took out The Maleficent Records of the Infernal Court’s Ten Clans and quickly browsed through it before he found the Blood Wasp Ashuran King’s name in it.
The person’s danger level was actually at a seven.
“Two hundred years ago, the Blood Wasp Ashuran King ascended from the Yeluo Realm to the Ashuran Xingzhu Realm. Without an influential background, he experienced no less than a thousand bloody battles and survived them all. His cultivation base reached the rank of a Nine-step Saint King.
“The Blood Wasp Ashuran King’s most terrifying feat was that he raised a swarm of Blood Wasps. Aside from the Supreme Saints, he fears no one.”
Zhang Ruochen closed The Maleficent Records of the Infernal Court’s Ten Clans and muttered to himself, “Qi Xiaotian’s cultivation has reached the peak of the Greater Precept-World realm, and his danger level is only at a five. For the Blood Wasp Ashuran King to have a danger rating of seven, how strong could he be?”
Awesome, the Little Taoist appeared to be full of disdain. “So, his most powerful technique is to raise a swarm of Blood Wasps. I just need to spit out some flames and incinerate them.”
The Fool hurriedly said, “Don’t look down on his Blood Wasps. It’s like their bodies are made out of arcane cast iron, and normal flames cannot do anything to them. I was so badly wounded because I was surrounded by hundreds of Blood Kingwasps.”
Zhang Ruochen frowned. “Did the Blood Wasp Ashuran King not attack you himself?”
“If he did, how could I be alive now?” the Fool said.
The Fool’s combat power was far greater than that of Qi Xiaotian, yet he was no match for a swarm of hundred Blood Wasps?
“Are the Blood Wasps stronger than a Three-Legged Corpsegorger?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Fool pondered for a moment. “Be it the Blood Wasp or the Three-legged Corpsegorger, all of them need to grow continuously to become stronger. Of course, when push comes to shove, the Three-legged Corpsegorger is more powerful.
“The Blood Wasps can only absorb blood to grow, while the Three-legged Corpsegorger gorges on everything. Its ability to gnaw and swallow is quite horrifying.”
“However, legend has it that once a Blood Wasp absorbs enough divine blood, coupled with some unique conditions, it is possible for it to create an immortal Saint Body and grow to a level comparable to that of a Supreme Saint. At this point, the Blood Wasp would be a true Blood Kingwasp.
“Of course, it is extremely difficult to reach that stage, and it would only exist in legends.”
Zhang Ruochen continued to ask. “The hundreds of Blood Wasps that attacked you, what level were they?”
“A single Blood Wasp has the power to kill a One-step Saint King.”
The Fool felt some fear in his heart, as he paused before continuing. “The most terrifying thing about the Blood Wasp is its tail. While it is not venomous, its penetrative power is terrifying.”
“If they were to use their tail needle at the cost of their lives, even an armor of the ten-thousand weave sacred artifact level would be pierced through.”
Speaking of that, the Fool immediately asked. “Zhang Ruochen, do you have any Saint Armor? Give me a set, best be something that is of sacred artifact level of Fifth Radiance and above. This time, I ran into the Blood Wasps and suffered greatly because I did not have a decent armor.”
Awesome the Little Taoist spat. “You sure aren’t shy about this.”
“We are on the same side right? Why do I need to be shy about this?” The Fool asked back.
Awesome the Little Taoist responded. “Do we even know you that well? We have just saved you earlier, shouldn’t you be repaying us first?”
The Fool paused for a moment before looking at Zhang Ruochen. “At the Eastern Region Holy City, I’ve also helped you myself. Since we are equal, doesn’t that mean that we know each other well enough?”
Zhang Ruochen smiled slightly, as he took out a Saint Armor of the Fifth Radiance grade, and handed it to the Fool. “It’s just a Saint Armor, I can afford that much.”
The Fool smiled as he took the Saint Armor and put it onto his body, exclaiming. “Not bad, not bad. Zhang Ruochen is a generous one. Zhang Ruochen, with our friendship, if you want to pursue our Lady Fairy, I can help you out.”
Zhang Ruochen put his smile away and said. “Brother Fool, I’m afraid you have a misunderstanding there!”
“It doesn’t matter, I just said it casually. You don’t have to take it too seriously.”
Immediately after, the Fool talked to himself. “There are so many heroes who want to pursue her Highness, and many had come to my door, giving me all sorts of treasures, in hopes that I could show them a clear way. But I’ve never taken any of it. Frankly speaking, this is the first time I wanted to help someone pursue her Highness. Do you know why?”
“Why?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Fool smiled. “It’s because I can see that her Highness seemed to have that bit of interest in you. Plus, your character is good, and I like that.”
A moment later, the Fool put away his smile, saying. “The purpose of the Blood Wasp Ashuran King coming to Luoshui must be her Highness. We need to quickly return to the Nine Carols Star.”
“The target of the Blood Wasp Ashuran King is Fairy Tianchu?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“Most likely.”
The Fool continued. “Our Tianchu Civilization is adjacent to the Ashuran Xingzhu Realm, separated by only a narrow space, so there is constant fighting, and both sides have deep hatred against each other.”
“If the Blood Wasp Ashuran King captures or kills her Highness. Then it will be a marvelous achievement, and he will be able to get huge rewards and a large number of fiefs.”
“For the Blood Wasp Ashuran King who is without any foundations or background, a reward and fiefs are just too important for him!”
“This Fool, he’s not foolish at all, and his mind is sharper than anyone else.” Zhang Ruochen said to himself.
The Fool had gone in and out of Luoshui many times and knew several safe routes.
With him leading the way, the party soon crossed the danger zone and entered the depths of Luoshui.
In fact, the path that Zhang Ruochen had found himself, was one of the correct routes.
They only needed to walk another hour’s time to go through it.
The Nine Carols Star was a massive planet floating above the waters of Luoshui, with a diameter of dozens of thousands of miles. Its surface was snowy white as if it was a massive piece of jade.
When sunlight shone on the surface of the Nine Carols Star, a jade luster would be reflected.
Not only did the Nine Carols Star contained a potent Saint Qi of heaven and earth, but also exuding a powerful divine aura. Even when Zhang Ruochen was standing tens of thousands of miles away, he could feel an almost imperceptible pressure.
As they closed in onto the Nine Carols Star, Zhang Ruochen could see that nine rivers were flowing from the part of the star that was exposed to the water’s surface.
Nine divine rivers coiling around the star one after another, each higher than the last.
If one were to take the Nine Carols Star as a mountain, then the nine divine rivers were like nine waterfalls flowing down from the top of the mountain.
“How can a planet be suspended in the water? It must be an extraordinary star, it must be.”
Awesome, the Little Taoist was overjoyed as it took out the Purple-Gold Bagua Mirror, and prepare to snatch the Nine Carols Star away.
“The Nine Carols Star is a legacy left behind by one of the gods of the Tianchu Civilization. Many cultivators of the Tianchu Civilization are stationed there, to learn the supreme ways of the gods. So calm down, Master Taoist.” The Fool stopped Awesome, the Little Taoist and spoke very seriously.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the nine divine rivers in the distance, and a palpitation appeared in his sea of Qi.
A soul shadow automatically appeared in his sea of Qi, and slowly practiced the Luoshui Fist.
The soul shadow was a piece of Zhang Ruochen’s consciousness.
But, at this moment, Zhang Ruochen could hardly control that consciousness.
“Interesting, the Nine Carols Star is definitely a sacred ground for enlightenment. Could it be that both Luo Xu’s and Luo Shuihan’s opportunities came from here?” Zhang Ruochen said to himself.
The Fool frowned a little, and after pondering for a moment, he said. “We cannot land on the star from the front just like that. If the Blood Wasp Ashuran King had already taken the star, aren’t we throwing ourselves into a trap?”
Obviously, the Fool was quite wary against the Blood Wasp Ashuran King.
One needed to know that the Blood Wasp Ashuran King controlled a large amount of Saint King-level Blood Wasps, and the number of Saint Kings he lorded over was comparable to a macroworld. For such a character to cultivate to the point of godhood, he would be able to shake an entire generation. He could open up new domains, and become the master of a realm.
Against a demonic foe of such a level, who would not be afraid?
The Fool continued. “I know a dimensional wormhole that can directly lead to the Nine Carols Star.
An hour later, Zhang Ruochen, the Fool and Awesome the Little Taoist passed through the dimensional wormhole and had arrived quietly onto the surface of the Nine Corals Star.
Fortunately, there was no major turmoil on the Nine Carols Star, and it seemed like the Blood Wasp Ashuran King had not arrived here yet.
“That’s great. Seems like we have managed to rush back in advance. Let’s report to her Highness now.” The Fool was overjoyed, and he smiled like the Laughing Buddha.
“By the way, Zhang Ruochen, why on earth did you come to Luoshui for?” The Fool asked again.
Zhang Ruochen fell silent, and after a while, he said. “I want to see Fairy Tianchu, there is a very important thing that I want to tell her.”
“Hahaha!”
The Fool guffawed. “And you said that you did not want to pursue her Highness, didn’t you just exposed yourself? If you want to go, I’ll definitely take you there. Her Highness is currently comprehending the path by the banks of the third divine river.”
As expected, there were many cultivators of the Tianchu Civilization on the Nine Carols Star. On the way to the third divine river, Zhang Ruochen had seen more than a dozen.
They were all training in the divine river.
The third divine river was thousands of miles long, and hundreds of meters wide. The current was turbulent, and water vapors rose, forming a mist of purple, white, and blue.
The Fool asked Zhang Ruochen to wait in place as he reported to Fairy Tianchu.
Standing by the riverside, Zhang Ruochen looked at the following water, and every wave was like a path, every water pattern a precept.
A soul shadow formed in his sea of Qi again and started practicing the Luoshui Fist Technique.
Then came the second soul shadow, and the third…
Without him noticing, Zhang Ruochen stepped into the divine river, stepping onto the surface of the waters as he closed his eyes, looking quite intoxicated as he also practice the Luoshui Fist, and entered a state of heightened consciousness.
Until a sweet voice interrupted him.
“Who are you, how did you enter the Nine Carols Star?”
Zhang Ruochen was rudely awakened, and a disappointed look appeared on his face.
Earlier, while he was only just punching, but the Saint Path Precepts of the Heaven River was increasing rapidly, and was much father than an Imperial Enlightenment Artifact.
He was training his fist and comprehending at the same time.
The speed of his enlightenment was many times faster than anywhere else.
Zhang Ruochen lightly shook his head and looked downstream as he saw a graceful figure in blue. She was extremely beautiful, her skin fair and white, her eyes bright and her teeth immaculately white, the blue silk looked like a waterfall, and caused her to look like she was surrounded by a spiritual aura.
Zhang Ruochen recognized her. He had met her at the Altar of Divinity Bestowment.
She was the disciple of Fairy Tianchu, Li Miaohan, who was almost as famous as Feng Yan, Wang Xu, and the Thousand Star Maiden, ranking 19th on the Saint Merit List. Her talents were extraordinary.
In terms of cultivation talent, she was definitely at the top level among the cultivators across the various realms.
