Chapter 1019: 牧天尊 Being Dependent on Parents

Qin Mu and the Deaf Mute each painted. One laid aside his emotions, imbuing them within the painting; the other cast off his mundane heart, adopting the mindset of a true god to depict another deity.

Qin Mu painted Lang Wo, yet it was not truly Lang Wo, but rather the lover in his heart.

The Deaf Mute, on the other hand, sought to complete the transformation of his painting Dao, using his art to embody his own path and his own divinity.

His aura grew increasingly ethereal, and the divine essence on his body became more potent. The brush in his hand seemed no longer a mere brush, but a divine artifact capable of creating life. Under his strokes, a new deity was taking form.

After a long while, Qin Mu was the first to set down his brush, having completed his painting.

The Deaf Mute continued to create a life with delicate strokes. His brush emanated the soft glow of the path of creation, and the flesh, icy skin, and jade-like bones of the woman in the painting emerged under his hand.

The divine essence of the woman in the painting sprang forth vibrantly.

Her beauty was flawless, and her temperament was elegant and refined. Her face was naturally perfect, and her garments were the most exquisite celestial attire.

Her skin seemed to embody all the grace of heaven and earth. Her jade-like fingers were slender, and her fingerprints varied like the patterns of the Great Dao. She appeared to be a spirit born from all beauty, yet she was created by the Deaf Mute.

As the Deaf Mute made his final stroke, everyone present felt a subtle, almost imperceptible aura slowly emanating from the painting. It was a nascent Great Dao, born not from the painting itself, but from the Deaf Mute's brush.

He imbued the maiden in the painting with divinity, form, soul, and life.

Qin Mu watched this scene, deeply moved. He opened the vertical eye on his forehead and looked around, seeing the Deaf Mute's Dao spreading like elusive smoke, seemingly slow yet swiftly permeating everywhere, imprinting itself upon the heavens, the earth, and the void.

This was not a change in method or a transformation of the Dao, but rather the creation of a new method and a new Dao in the world.

The Deaf Mute appeared utterly serene. With this final stroke, the Lang Wo in the painting gained life and soul, and he, too, had found his own Dao.

Finally, he set down his brush, having completed his masterpiece.

The moment he put down his brush, two streams of clear tears flowed from the corners of his eyes, yet a smile bloomed on his face. His heart swelled with both profound peace and immense joy.

He felt his own Dao. As one of the two weakest cultivators among the Nine Elders of Disabled Elderly Village, he had never paid much attention or care to cultivation methods and divine arts.

Had Qin Mu not urged him, and had the other residents of Disabled Elderly Village not supervised him, the Deaf Mute would never have attempted to dismantle his Divine Bridge to open the Heavenly River Divine Treasure, nor would he have deliberately sought to improve his cultivation.

Now, however, he could feel his vital qi and spirit flowing along a mysterious path—a cultivation method that had naturally formed for him.

So-called cultivation methods and divine arts are, in essence, manifestations of the Dao. Previously, he practiced others' methods while seeking his own Dao, which was why he was not diligent in his cultivation.

But now, he had found his own Dao, and could even be said to have created it. With his Dao established, cultivation methods, divine arts, and everything else naturally fell into place and operated smoothly.

Literature is inherently formed by heaven, and brilliant works are obtained by serendipity.

The Dao of painting is no different.

It was profound, wondrous, and simply incredible.

Granny Si and the Apothecary approached, admiring both paintings with continuous praise.

Granny Si, a smile gracing her face, subtly nudged the Apothecary and whispered, "Do you understand it?"

The Apothecary, beaming, whispered back, "I don't."

"Neither do I," Granny Si replied, her smile undiminished, lowering her voice.

Lang Wo also stepped forward, meticulously examining both paintings. The figure in the Deaf Mute's painting resembled another version of herself—delicate and elegant, depicting her inner self, untouched by the mundane.

The woman in the painting was serene and distant, possessing a beauty like her own. The painted version of her could also move; this other self existed in a different world, with her own thoughts, her own mind, and even her own cultivation and divine abilities.

The two versions of her gazed at each other across worlds.

Lang Wo marveled, saying, "Though this painting Dao is not creation, it surpasses it. I can no longer distinguish whether I am in the painting or she is."

The Deaf Mute commented, "Mu'er's painting isn't bad either."

Lang Wo looked at Qin Mu's artwork. Qin Mu had failed to capture her divine essence, and the painted version of her differed somewhat from her true self. Compared to the Deaf Mute's skill, Qin Mu's was considerably inferior.

Lang Wo looked at the figure in the painting. The Lang Wo depicted there was like a tranquil maiden, standing atop a giant serpent, holding a flower to her lips and gently sniffing it, even showing a hint of shyness and a smile.

"The person in Holy Infant's painting resembles me, yet is not truly me; it likely carries Holy Infant's personal sentiments."

Lang Wo's eyes shifted as she smiled, "May I have these two paintings?"

The Deaf Mute nodded, saying, "Please, take them."

Qin Mu also nodded.

The Deaf Mute pulled him over, and the elder and younger man began painting again. As he painted, the Deaf Mute imparted to Qin Mu his insights into pioneering the Dao of painting.

Lang Wo collected both paintings and rolled them up. After a moment's thought, she took out one scroll. The scroll caught fire and quickly turned to ashes.

Lang Wo's gaze lingered on the dying flames, then she waved her hand, and the ashes dispersed.

Granny Si quietly asked, "Apothecary, which painting do you think she burned?"

The Apothecary pondered, "I think she burned the one Qin Mu painted. Qin Mu made her look ugly. If it were me, and the Deaf Mute made me look ugly, I'd burn it too."

Granny Si scoffed, "I think she burned the one the Deaf Mute painted."

The Apothecary looked confused.

"The Deaf Mute's painting was too lifelike. As someone with unparalleled beauty, she doesn't need another version of herself, nor does she need to keep the Deaf Mute's painting. Keeping it would only give her a sense of emotional attachment, making her feel that if she faced setbacks, the version of herself in the painting lived a better life. She is immortal and resolute; she doesn't need another self."

Granny Si continued, "If she wants to admire her own appearance, she can simply look in a mirror. Qin Mu's painting, however, allows her to see emotions she might lack. Though imperfect, admiring it could evoke a unique sentiment in her."

The Apothecary chuckled, "Granny, that's just your speculation. Unless she tells us, we'll never know which painting she burned."

Granny Si stated with confidence, "I believe Lang Wo's cultivation method is an extraordinary one. The higher her cultivation, the fewer emotions she possesses, making emotions all the more precious. Having reached such a profound realm, she is no longer in control of herself; she has no choice but to abandon emotions and retain her divinity. Therefore, she would naturally cherish what is precious."

She couldn't help but recall her own experiences, her heart feeling a touch of melancholy. "Only what is lost is truly cherished," she remarked.

Qin Mu and the others settled down at the Heavenly Saint Academy. Shu Jun and Lang Wo, meanwhile, were busy poring over the academy's vast collection of books, reviewing the achievements of Eternal Peace's reforms, and thoroughly studying various cultivation methods and divine arts.

Lang Wo had already opened her divine treasures and Celestial Palace. To switch to cultivating the Heavenly River Divine Treasure, she would need to abolish her Divine Bridge Divine Treasure. However, her current cultivation was profoundly high, almost on par with a Celestial Venerable. Abolishing her Divine Bridge would carry immense risk, leaving her hesitant.

Shu Jun did not have this concern and proceeded directly to open his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure.

However, he soon discovered that by using the Grand Emperor's divine consciousness to enhance his physical body, raising it to the level of a deity in the Numinous Sky Realm, he was unable to open any divine treasures within his own body!

His vital qi and soul were too weak, and his divine consciousness was not particularly strong either, making it impossible to open a Spirit Embryo within this physical body!

The so-called Seven Divine Treasures are all opened within the physical body, but his physical body had become so incredibly strong that it was impossible to open them!

"In Eternal Peace, ordinary people are divided into those who can cultivate and those who cannot, a distinction determined by the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure."

The Apothecary, skilled in pharmacology, prepared a large medicinal tub, concocting a barrel of foul-smelling liquid. He told Shu Jun to jump in, explaining, "Previously, the divine arts practitioners in Eternal Peace only had four spirit bodies: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. That was it. Ordinary people without a spirit body could at most become martial artists; they couldn't open the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure and become divine arts practitioners. Later, when Qin Mu destroyed his Divine Bridge and opened the Heavenly River Divine Treasure, he didn't delve deeply into why ordinary people couldn't cultivate, but I did."

The Apothecary chuckled, "The reason the four spirit bodies could cultivate was because their Spirit Embryo Divine Treasures were inherited from their ancestors; they were born with them! They only needed to open their Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure to cultivate!"

"As for those ordinary people who couldn't cultivate, it was because they had no divine arts practitioners among their ancestors, and thus no Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure within them. However, this doesn't mean they truly can't cultivate! They only need to master the method of opening the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure, open one themselves, and then they can cultivate and become divine arts practitioners!"

The Apothecary was thrilled, telling Shu Jun, who was soaking in the large wooden tub filled with herbs, "This is what I've been researching for years: determining the precise location of the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure based on each person's physical structure. Then, I use spirit medicines to cultivate vital qi, enabling ordinary people to gather enough vital qi to open their Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure and become divine arts practitioners. However, your physical body is too strong; it must first be softened with medicinal power."

Shu Jun watched him pour a collection of highly toxic substances into the wooden tub, his heart pounding. "These things are poisonous, aren't they?" he asked.

"Don't worry, don't worry!"

The Apothecary said with a beaming smile, "I noticed your soul is too weak, even weaker than an ordinary person's, so I'm using a few 'little darlings' to nourish your soul. Qin Mu went through the same thing back then, it'll be fine, just fine..."

As the toxic substances entered the tub, Shu Jun immediately felt intense pain in his soul, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

The Apothecary checked the toxicity in the tub, saying, "Over the years, I've helped many ordinary people become divine arts practitioners, and you, too, will become one with my assistance... Your physical body seems too strong; I'll need to add a few more 'little darlings'..."

After a long while, the Apothecary took out a silver needle and pricked Shu Jun's skin, piercing it.

"Now your physical body is softened; you can try opening your Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure," he announced.

The Apothecary breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at Shu Jun in the tub. Seeing the Creator frothing at the mouth and no longer breathing, he quickly rushed out, shouting, "Qin Mu, Qin Mu! Come here quickly! That big-headed youth you brought was accidentally poisoned to death by me! His soul has left his body!"

Qin Mu rushed over, immediately activating the Soul-Guiding spell to pull Shu Jun's soul back and infuse it into his body. "Grandpa Apothecary, did you add too much poison again?" he asked.

The Apothecary's face flushed slightly. "His physical strength was too high, so I added a bit more medicine. Who knew his cultivation was so poor..."

In the medicinal tub, Shu Jun's eyes rolled back again, and his soul left his body.

Qin Mu hastily recalled the soul again, pushed it back into Shu Jun's body, and then cast the Heavenly Devil Creation Art to seal Shu Jun's soul within him, rapidly saying, "First, detoxify him!"

The two of them busied themselves for a long time, finally clearing some of the toxins from Shu Jun's body before they could relax.

Shu Jun slowly regained consciousness. Although he had successfully opened his first divine treasure, the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure, with the Apothecary's help, he now feared the man in the bronze mask like a tiger and dared not approach him.

When the Apothecary invited him for tea, Shu Jun was restless, looking around nervously, cold sweat continually beading on his forehead. Only with Qin Mu by his side did he dare to drink the tea brewed by the Apothecary.

Qin Mu, having finally learned the Deaf Mute's cultivation method, spoke earnestly to the Apothecary: "Grandpa Apothecary, Grandpa Deaf Mute has forged his own path. I've learned his method and established a Painting Dao Celestial Palace. Now, I'm just missing a Medical Celestial Palace. As the saying goes, 'If the elder doesn't strive, the young will suffer in vain.' If Grandpa Apothecary doesn't diligently cultivate, I'll be bullied outside. You see..."