Leaving Peakless Mountain, Zhang Ruochen put on the Meritorious Armor of Flowing Light and brought the Head Rat along. They traveled at a thousand times the speed of sound toward the 66th Sub-Terminal of Merits, which was nearest to Peakless Mountain.
When they were about to arrive at the 66th Sub-Terminal of Merits, Zhang Ruochen and the Head Rat parted ways, with the Head Rat continuing toward their destination first.
Assuming that the Head Rat was ready, Zhang Ruochen finally took his time to enter the 66th Sub-Terminal of Merits.
“Zhang Ruochen!”
Cang Long emerged, his eyes filled with spite.
Life had been smooth sailing for him. Never did he expect that Zhang Ruochen would screw up his life. It was his biggest disgrace in life, which could only be washed away with Zhang Ruochen’s blood.
Zhang Ruochen walked over slowly with a smile on his face. “Have you brought what I want, Cang Long?”
“Where is Ruan Ling?” Cang Long’s expression was sullen.
Zhang Ruochen knew that without seeing Ruan Ling, Cang Long would not hand over the Five-Element fetishes. So he opened the Qiankun Realm and released Ruan Ling.
He had sealed Ruan Ling’s spiritual power using a secret technique. She had completely lost the ability to fight back, and so there was no need to restrain her with any sacred rope.
“Ruan Ling!” There was deep concern in Cang Long’s eyes.
Zhang Ruochen reached out and pressed Ruan Ling’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I have always treated women with care and affection. Your junior sister is fine. Give me the items, and I will return her to you.”
Ruan Ling did not display any overreactions. Since her spiritual power was restrained, there was nothing she could do no matter how hard she tried to fight back.
She was wondering what Cang Long had promised Zhang Ruochen for him to let her go.
“Isn’t that Cang Long? Why is Ruan Ling and Zhang Ruochen together?”
“There is no love lost between the Fane of Youshen and Zhang Ruochen, so what’s the situation here?”
“It’s really weird. Is there anything that we don’t know here?”
The Sub-Terminal of Merits was a busy place with people coming and going. Soon, someone had noticed Zhang Ruochen, Cang Long, as well as Ruan Ling, and people started to talk about them.
Cang Long’s expression was grim when he heard those chatters, his eyes almost bursting into flames.
“Get the hell out of here!” Cang Long roared in anger at those rubberneckers.
If they had not been in a Sub-Terminal of Merits, he would have smashed those people into a pulp.
Feeling the terrifying murderous intent of Cang Long, those rubberneckers quickly dispersed, for fear of inviting disasters upon themselves.
After calming himself down slightly, Cang Long took out a brocade box. “Everything you want is in it. Let Ruan Ling go.”
Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power to examine the brocade box in Cang Long’s hand.
Cang Long did not stop Zhang Ruochen but let his spiritual power reach into the brocade box.
The next moment, Zhang Ruochen pulled back his spiritual power and let out a satisfied smile. “Very good, things are okay. Let us do the swap now.”
While he spoke, he and Ruan Ling stepped toward Cang Long.
As fighting was not allowed in the Sub-Terminal of Merits, Zhang Ruochen had nothing to worry about.
Coming closer, Zhang Ruochen reached to grab the brocade box from Cang Long, and Cang Long grabbed Ruan Ling’s hand.
At almost the same time, Zhang Ruochen took his hand off Ruan Ling’s shoulder while Cang Long let go of the brocade box.
Cang Long pulled Ruan Ling back quickly and distanced himself from Zhang Ruochen.
“Are you okay, Ruan Ling?” Cang Long asked with great concern.
Ruan Ling stared at Zhang Ruochen intently, “I’m fine. What did you give Zhang Ruochen?”
“Good stuff, of course! Thanks for your generosity, Cang Long. I will make a move first.” Zhang Ruochen gently waved the brocade box at them and left, disappearing into thin air.
“Damn it!” Cang Long clenched his fists as killing intent violently surged in his chest.
How he wished that he could stop Zhang Ruochen and take back the Five-Element fetishes just now.
However, his injury did not allow him to do so. Besides, he was wary that Zhang Ruochen might pull the same trick on him again. So, he told himself to calm down.
Cang Long had also thought about asking for help and secretly ambushing Zhang Ruochen. But, it was likely that the two Five-Element fetishes might just fall into the third party’s hands if that happened.
Zhang Ruochen had many tricks up his sleeve, and since he dared to come, he must have come prepared.
With that thought in mind, Cang Long had no choice but to think better of it.
“What exactly did you give Zhang Ruochen?” asked Ruan Ling again.
Cang Long’s face was grave. “The Heavenly Blood Raw Gold and the Chaotic Anima Earth.”
Upon hearing this, Ruan Ling’s expression instantly changed. She never expected that the brocade box would contain such precious artifacts.
She knew that Cang Long possessed a piece of Heavenly Blood Raw Gold, whereas Youshen must have given the Chaotic Anima Earth.
I must get rid of Zhang Ruochen and take back the two artifacts. Ruan Ling thought to herself.
Youshen must be very disappointed this time. If they still could not complete the mission, there will be the devil to pay for both of them.
As soon as Zhang Ruochen left, the Head Rat immediately swung into action.
“Do you know what was going on?” The Head Rat’s eyes darted around.
“Do you know?” asked someone curiously.
The Head Rat chuckled, revealing his two snow-white rat teeth and looking extremely sleazy. “Of course I know. Recently, Cang Long and Ruan Ling conspired to set Zhang Ruochen up. Little did they expect that Zhang Ruochen was one step ahead of them, wounding Cang Long in the process. Despite that, Cang Long escaped. His lover Ruan Ling was captured by Zhang Ruochen, though.
“With his lover captured, Cang Long’s been desperate to rescue Ruan Ling.
“As strange as it might sound, Zhang Ruochen made an exception this time and agreed on a deal with Cang Long, releasing Ruan ling for some precious artifacts.”
Someone shook his head vigorously. “Impossible. With Zhang Ruochen’s character, how can he let his enemy go and risk his enemy coming back to haunt him later? Especially when he has a running feud with the Fane of Youshen. The hatred between them is as deep as the sea. He’s been dead set against the Fane of Youshen, so there’s no way he would have let Ruan Ling go.”
“However, the question is, Zhang Ruochen has already let Ruan Ling go. You have all seen it with your own eyes. Isn’t it weird? Actually, the reason is simple; Zhang Ruochen has converted Ruan Ling long ago, but Cang Long is being kept in the dark. He was so stupid to trade the precious artifacts for Ruan Ling. Don’t you all think this is laughable?” said the Head Rat.
“Would Ruan Ling be so easily converted? How is that even possible?” questioned another person.
“Nothing is impossible. I heard that Ruan Ling used illusion techniques and disguised herself as Ling Feiyu to seduce Zhang Ruochen. But things got out of hand and she became Zhang Ruochen’s woman. That’s why Zhang Ruochen couldn’t bring himself to kill her. He is not as ruthless as you might think. Look, there isn’t a single bruise on Ruan Ling’s body,” said the Head Rat.
Hearing this, those people looked at Ruan Ling, carefully studying her.
Although they did not quite believe what the Head Rat said, seeing was believing. Zhang Ruochen had indeed taken some precious artifacts from Cang Long and released Ruan Ling. That was exactly what they had witnessed with their own eyes.
“It’s true, Ruan Ling has suffered no injuries at all. Not only that, her face looks ruddy. When did Zhang Ruochen become such a gentleman?”
“A gentleman? Are you kidding me? Zhang Ruochen has ever been soft on the enemy!”
“By the looks of things, Ruan Ling and Zhang Ruochen surely have something between them.”
“You are stating the obvious. Had Ruan Ling not offered herself to him, why would Zhang Ruochen want to let her go? It is hard to believe if he was solely after the precious artifacts.”
“Poor Cang Long. He is still being kept in the dark, exchanging the precious artifacts for Ruan Ling and thinking that she is still his untainted goddess.”
“Well said. I can only say that Zhang Ruochen is too ruthless, giving back what he has kissed and dismissed while taking the precious artifacts from Cang Long. This guy has some skill!”
“Stop saying that. Haven’t you noticed that Cang Long’s face is all green?”
Although they were talking in whispers, what they said never escaped Cang Long’s ears.
Right then, Cang Long’s face was indeed green, anger surging within him, so much so that he felt like blood was going to spurt out of his mouth.
Ruan Ling did not hear the chatter as her spiritual power was still sealed. At that moment, she saw Cang Long’s expression and was puzzled by it. “What’s the matter with you, Cang Long?”
Slap!
The more Cang Long thought about it, the more he felt that what those cultivators said made sense. He suddenly became angry as he looked at Ruan Ling, and the image of Zhang Ruochen going on top of her came to mind.
Unable to restrain his anger, Cang Long slapped Ruan Ling in the face. “How dare you collude with Zhang Ruochen and lie to me? I will trample Zhang Ruochen to death in front of you!”
Slapped by the Cang Long, Ruan Ling felt a hot sensation on her face. For a moment, she was baffled by Cang Long’s action; he had never treated her like this before.
“Are you mad, Cang Long?!” snapped Ruan Ling angrily.
Cang Long’s face was grim as he clenched his fists. “Don’t you realize what you have done?”
After he said this, he turned and walked into the teleportation array without looking at Ruan Ling again.
He could not bring himself to stay there anymore, or else, he would puke blood in anger.
At first, he had been very suspicious of what was going on between her and Zhang Ruochen. As much as he did not want to believe it, he could not help but think that his suspicion was true.
Ruan Ling was as angry as she was baffled. Cang Long had no hesitations about getting her back with two Five-Element fetishes, so why was he treating her like this?
Her top priority now was to break free from the restraint set upon her by Zhang Ruochen. Only then would she be able to make out the entire story and settle the score with Cang Long.
With her spiritual strength, it was only a matter of time before she would break free from the restraint.
The Head Rat was pleased, a smile breaking out on his face. He had accomplished his mission, and it was time to leave.
By a stream near the 66th Sub-Terminal of Merits, the Head Rat emerged from the ground and came up beside Zhang Ruochen.
“How were things going?” asked Zhang Ruochen.
The Head Rat chuckled triumphantly. “You knew I would handle it beautifully, didn’t you? For your information, I have even gone beyond the call of duty on this one. Cang Long must be mad now, Master Zhang. You should go and see his face. It was dramatic!”
“Beyond the call of duty?”
Immediately, the Head Rat recounted those rumors that he had just spread.
Zhang Ruochen was quite satisfied at first, but his face darkened as he listened on. He had just asked the Head Rat to spread a rumor that he had converted Ruan Ling, so Cang Long and even the cultivators of the entire Heavenly Realm would then treat Ruan Ling suspiciously as a result.
Who would have known that the Head Rat would actually spin the story and escalate things further by suggesting that Zhang Ruochen had bedded Ruan Ling and turned her into his woman? How could Cang Long not get mad?
Such a rumor had worked particularly well.
However, did it not affect Zhang Ruochen’s good name?
“You…”
Zhang Ruochen did not know whether to laugh or cry. He had no words for it but just shook his head. “Never mind. Well done. You will get your reward.”
With a flick of his hand, he tossed a pair of faintly-glowing gauntlets to the Head Rat.
The Head Rat chuckled, his eyes brightening as he caught the gauntlets in his hand. “A pair of Ninth Radiance Thousand-Inscription Sacred Gauntlets. Thank you, Master Zhang.”
His cultivation base was at that of a Six-Step Saint King only. The Ninth Radiance Thousand-Inscription Sacred Artifact Gauntlets would come to sufficiently good use for him.
His strength would increase tremendously with the use of these gauntlets. When coupled with his ancient remnant lineage, he could hold his own even if went up against Eight-Step Saint Kings.
Zhang Ruochen just did not care because he already had too many higher-order Thousand-Inscription Sacred Artifacts with him after killing those Infernal Court fighters.
Not wanting to stay a minute longer, Zhang Ruochen brought the Head Rat and headed straight for Peakless Mountain.
