1670 Origin

The battle in the Free Trade Yard immediately became known to the monks in the God-Naming Platform, and they were all shocked.

Two strange men that came out of nowhere had killed more than ten saint kings from Heaven Field Sect, including the leader of a large field and four four-wing crimson angels.

"Where did they come from? Shang Ziyan and Gong Ziyan fought them at the same time, yet they still managed to escape them."

"Didn't you see that they used a supreme saint weapon? They must have a solid background."

"How do you think Truth Godly Palace will deal with the two strange men?"

"Not even Truth Godly Palace can do anything to those two strange men. It was the monks from Heaven Field Sect who made the first attack, and besides, Feng Yan is close friends with those two strange men. With Feng Yan's influence in Truth Godly Palace, he'll easily wash away all the 'crimes' they two committed."

…

The two strange men everyone was talking about were Zhang Ruochen and Xiang Chunan. After getting out, they immediately hid at the edge of the forbidden area above the white bone slope in the Outer South Yard.

If Shang Ziyan and Gong Ziyan caught up with them, they'd run into the forbidden area.

"Those two people have terrific cultivation, especially the man with three red feathers on his head. Who is he?" Xiang Chunan asked.

Zhang Ruochen said, "He's the leader of Merits Godly Palace, Shang Ziyan, also my mortal enemy. Sorry, I shouldn't have dragged you into this."

Xiang Chunan said earnestly, "What are you talking about? Do you think I'm the cowardly type?"

"Don't talk!"

Zhang Ruochen put his index finger on his lip, and a layer of Sword Way Xuangang emerged on his sword. He stared at the white bone slope and said, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"Huh."

A melodious laugh came, and a cluster of starry mist showed up on the white bone slope.

Thousand Star Maiden stood in the starry mist, wearing a purple blouse. Her long black hair dripped like willow catkins, and she was wearing a red hat that was a foot tall.

Thousand Star Maiden said elegantly, "You're very vigilant, Zhang Ruochen. You noticed me so fast!"

Zhang Ruochen looked more solemn seeing Thousand Star Maiden, preparing to get into the forbidden area at any time.

"Zhang Ruochen? You've mistaken me for someone else," said Zhang Ruochen.

Thousand Star Maiden said, "You can't deceive me like others, and there's no need to be careful around me. I'm not necessarily your enemy, and perhaps we can even become temporary friends."

Zhang Ruochen was shocked, as his Traceless 36 Changes didn't work in front of her. If she were a supreme saint, he could understand, as he hadn't perfected the technique yet. However, her cultivation was much stronger than his.

By saying that, he had affirmed his identity.

Thousand Star Maiden smiled and said, "You're right. Two people both with Mysteries of Truth are indeed natural enemies, which is why I said 'temporary friends.'"

"How long is temporary for you?" asked Zhang Ruochen.

Thousand Star Maiden said, "Why do you stand so far from me? Why can't we just sit down and have a chat?"

She was likely to refine Way of the Void and kill him to get his Mysteries of Truth. There was no way Zhang Ruochen would let her get close to him.

"My cultivation is only slightly better than yours. You're a Time and Space Manipulator. Are you really afraid of me? Where is the heroic spirit from when you killed all those saint kings?"

Zhang Ruochen looked around and said, "If you really mean me no harm, why did you arrange two monks to hide near us?"

It was Thousand Star Maiden who was surprised this time.

She did have something very important to do, and she wanted to team up with Zhang Ruochen. However, she was also concered that Zhang Ruochen might try to kill her, so she came prepared.

The two people Thousand Star Maiden asked to stay near were the two most powerful beings from Thousand Star Civilization staying in Truth Godly Palace.

However, even they couldn't hide from Zhang Ruochen, which was beyond her expectations.

Thousand Star Maiden thought for a while, then she waved her hand and said, "Stay away."

The two monks showed up on both sides of the white bone slope and stepped back until they looked like two small black spots to Zhang Ruochen, standing in the distance to guard the area of the white bone slope.

"Is this sincere enough?" Thousand Star Maiden asked.

Zhang Ruochen wasn't really afraid of Thousand Star Maiden, but he also didn't want to play with his own life. Now that Thousand Star Maiden didn't attack him and had sent the two powerful beings away, it was obvious that she really had something to negotiate with him.

Actually, Zhang Ruochen was also curious.

"Okay. Let's talk," said Zhang Ruochen.

It was all dark around the forbidden area.

Thousand Star Maiden took out a delicate long jade desk and put it on the ground, and then, she took out a sarira lamp and put it on the desk before she sat down on the side of the long desk.

The Buddha light emanating from the sarira lamp shone upon her face, which made her skin look glittering and transculent.

Zhang Ruochen sat on the other side of the white jade desk and said, "We both have Mysteries of Truth, yet we can literally sit down and talk calmly. It's such a miracle."

Thousand Star Maiden asked, "How many Mysteries of Truth did you get?"

There was nothing to hide at this point, so Zhang Ruochen said, "Five out of ten thousand."

"Six out of ten thousand for me."

Thousand Star Maiden then said, "Do you know why you're still alive?"

"Why?" Zhang Ruochen said.

Thousand Star Maiden said, "Because you're only a second-step saint king, like an immature saint fruit. Even if I kill you, I can only get five ten thousandths of the Mysteries of Truth.

"When your cultivation is improved, you can definitely get more Mysteries of Truth if you pass more levels of the Ocean of Truth, so I decided to seize it when you become a ninth-step saint king."

"You're treating me like a saint fruit, aren't you?" Zhang Ruochen squinted his eyes.

Thousand Star Maiden was at ease and said, "You should've known the law of nature when you started refining. You only have yourself to blame, as you exposed the secret that you have Mysteries of Truth.

"Do you know that a monk will become a Messenger of Truth once he or she gets one hundredth of the Mysteries of Truth? Do you know what that means? It means the monk can use the power that can rival a God."

Zhang Ruochen sneered. "Are you really that confident that you can kill me when I'm a ninth-step saint king?"

Thousand Star Maiden's eyes glinted, and she said, "When you become a ninth-step saint king, there'll be supreme saints from Thousand Star Civilization coming for you life. Even if supreme saints can't kill you, there'll be Gods coming for you. Gods can definitely kill you."

Zhang Ruochen was silent.

It was totally possible that Gods would try kill him for Mysteries of Truth and the identity of the Messenger of Truth.

He shouldn't have exposed that he had Mysteries of Truth to Thousand Star Maiden when he was crossing the Ocean of Truth.

And he should've killed Thousand Star Maiden with that Shining Sun Arrow.

Even if he killed Thousand Star Maiden, it would be of no use. Some of the creatures from Thousand Star Civilization must've learned about it already.

Thousand Star Maiden took out the Shining Sun Arrow and put it on the desk, pushing it to Zhang Ruochen. She said, "I don't know why you shot this arrow, but since I plan to become temporary friends with you, this is the gift."

Zhang Ruochen took back the Shining Sun Arrow and smiled. "It seems you need my help for something."

"Help? Not exactly. It's more of a cooperation," said Thousand Star Maiden.

"No way."

Zhang Ruochen rejected her offer and said, "I've already learned I'm going to be killed by Thousand Star Civilization in the end. Why would I cooperate with you in any way?"

Thousand Star Maiden smiled vaguely. "Actually, we don't necessarily have to kill you to get your Mysteries of Truth. If you surrender to Thousand Star Civilization and give your Mystery of Truth to me every time after you get some, I'll not only spare your life, but also give you an important role in the civilization. You might even become the son-in-law of the entire Thousand Star Civilization. How does that sound? You don't need to answer now. I'll give you enough time to think about it."

Zhang Ruochen pondered what she said as he was curious how Thousand Star Maiden could be so confident that she could handle him.

Even if she practiced Way of the Void, Zhang Ruochen practiced two ancient ways at the same time.

Did she really think the identity of 'son-in-law of Thousand Star Civilization' was that attractive?

Zhang Ruochen didn't show what he was thinking. Instead, he said, "Not only could I have Thousand Star Civilization to help me, but also I'd get lots of refining resources and get a beautiful girl. There's no reason to reject your offer, your highness."

Thousand Star Maiden's eyes glinted, and she said, "I only said you have a chance of becoming the son-in-law. You need to perform well enough to seize that chance."

Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "I'm curious. How did you see through my cover, and how did you get here?"

Thousand Star Maiden thought that she had everything under control, so she didn't hide anything from Zhang Ruochen. "Because I'm the manipulator of the Way of Origin, one of the nine ancient ways."

"Way of Origin?" Zhang Ruochen was dazed.

Shouldn't it be Way of the Void?

Thousand Star Maiden pointed her finger forward and tapped on the desk. The desk exploded and turned into a void.

But no...

It wasn't a void. Instead, the desk turned into billions of tiny particles. They weren't detectable to ordinary eyes. Only Heavenly Eyes and mind power could sense them.

Zhang Ruochen had been far away when Thousand Star Maiden defeated the guard in the Ocean of Truth, so he thought that she'd turned the guard into the void.

"The origin of everything."

Thousand Star Maiden raised her hand again.

Whoosh!

The billions of particles immediately integrated and formed an object that was invisible to normal eyes.

It wasn't a white jade desk anymore. Instead, it was an iron sword that was five feet long.

And then, she pointed at the iron sword, which then exploded and turned into a red saint tree that was hundreds of feet tall. There were flowers blossoming in the tree, which looked magnificent.

The pedals drifted and fell slowly on Thousand Star Maiden's and Zhang Ruochen's heads like red snow.