Chapter 1022: 夺猫案

Emperor Yanxiu was speechless, shaking his head. "To say such a thing in front of Sister Yun Chuxiu would be a beheading offense," he said.

Although she didn't know Yun Chuxiu's true identity, she could guess that Yun Chuxiu must be one of the Heavenly Court's power-holders. This was because on the day the Divine Power Transfer Bridge connected Yankang and the Heavenly Court, it was Yun Chuxiu who emerged from it.

Anyone capable of deciding to establish a Divine Power Transfer Bridge in the Heavenly Court must be an incredibly influential figure. This was also why she immediately agreed when Yun Chuxiu proposed they become sworn sisters.

She was a clever person and knew Yun Chuxiu held an extraordinary position in the Heavenly Court. No matter Yun Chuxiu's objective, she had to agree.

This was Yankang's chance for survival.

In fact, Yankang's ability to forge a connection with Zaofu Palace was also due to Yun Chuxiu's influence.

"Yun Chuxiu is Empress's sister, Madam Yuanmu."

Qin Mu watched Lian Huahun, Yun Chuxiu, and the others approaching. His divine sense fluctuated as he transmitted a message: "Lian Huahun, on the other hand, is the Empress."

Emperor Yanxiu was startled but remained composed. "Grandmaster," he asked, "can we use the rift between the Empress and Madam Yuanmu to maintain Yankang's peace?"

"Yes," Qin Mu replied, "but we must be careful with the timing. These two women are relentless in their conflict; we must keep them close yet distant, neither too close nor too far."

Qin Mu laughed heartily at this point and walked towards Yun Chuxiu and Lian Huahun, but inwardly, he groaned: "I gave Yun Chuxiu to Earth Mother Sovereign. I wonder if she'll make a scene about it?"

Yun Chuxiu, however, didn't mention it at all. Pulling him close, she quickly recounted the story of the five girls becoming sworn sisters, then smiled and said, "If I die, my four sworn sisters must be buried with me, wouldn't you agree, my dear Qin?"

Qin Mu's eyelid twitched. Yun Chuxiu was clearly threatening him: if he were to act against her again, she would eliminate Ling Yuxiu, Gongsun Yan, and the others.

For her, losing a body created by fortune would be insignificant, but for Qin Mu, the loss would be substantial.

Ling Yuxiu was the successor to Emperor Yanfeng's reforms and now the pillar of Yankang. Unlike Emperor Yanfeng, she was more adaptable and pragmatic.

Being a woman, she was not guarded against or highly regarded by the Heavenly Court. She could adopt a humble stance and negotiate with the Heavenly Court and Zaofu Palace. She was also skilled at diplomacy and mediating relations between Yankang and the Heavenly Court, preventing Yankang from becoming a thorn in the Heavenly Court's side.

Emperor Yanfeng was a great monarch, but in situations like this, he couldn't have done better; in fact, he would have only made it worse.

At the very least, Emperor Yanfeng could not have become sworn sisters with the Empress and Madam Yuanmu.

As for Gongsun Yan, she was Yankang's little Earth Mother Sovereign, possessing immense potential, and absolutely could not be lost.

"It's better to leave Yankang as soon as possible," Qin Mu thought. "The longer I stay here, the greater the danger to Yankang."

Qin Mu calmed his mind and chatted casually with the girls for a bit. As dusk approached, he yawned, excused himself as tired, and returned to his room to rest.

In the middle of the night, Emperor Yanxiu came to visit. The monarch and his subject talked intimately through the night. At cockcrow, Emperor Yanxiu rose to leave. Outside, stars twinkled as he walked back to the palace, bathed in starlight.

Qin Mu sat quietly for a moment and chuckled. "Friend, it's damp and cold outside. Why not come in and warm up? My door isn't closed."

The door creaked softly as a white cat squeezed through the gap and sat upright in front of Qin Mu. It spoke with a human voice, a man's voice: "Heavenly Venerable Mu, you stole the Heavenly Emperor's treasure. You may have hidden it from the Ten Heavenly Venerables, but you can't hide it from me. Hand over that half eggshell. I'll take it and leave; I won't harm you."

"Does Consort Yan know you're here?" Qin Mu asked curiously.

"Of course," the white cat replied. "I'm here to retrieve this item for Heavenly Venerable Yan. We are only three feet apart right now. At this distance, killing you would be effortless for me. I can slice open your throat with a swipe of my claw, kill your primordial spirit without alarming anyone, and then calmly retrieve the treasure. Or you can hand over the Heavenly Emperor's eggshell peacefully. Once I have it, I'll turn and leave."

Qin Mu smiled slightly. "I've only heard Consort Yan call you Little Seven. May I know your name, friend?"

The white cat flicked its tail, its cat face extremely solemn. "Heavenly Venerable Mu, are you trying to stall for time?" it asked. "I've observed the entire Yankang capital; no one is my match. Only the one named Yan'er can barely fight me, but she's not my opponent. Even if Heavenly Venerable calls for friends, I can kill them all. But before that, Heavenly Venerable would already be dead."

"Do you know that there are two Heavenly Venerable women in this courtyard?" Qin Mu asked leisurely.

The fur on the white cat's tail bristled. It lowered its body and let out a low growl of warning.

However, it wasn't threatening Qin Mu, but was rather horrified to hear that there were two Heavenly Venerable women present.

Qin Mu smiled slightly and said, "You ran over here right under the noses of two Heavenly Venerables; you're truly loyal to Consort Yan. The Primordial Realm doesn't just have two Heavenly Venerables; Heavenly Venerable Xiao is also watching covetously. If you take the Heavenly Emperor's eggshell and leave the Yankang capital, you'll die immediately. Do you believe me?"

The white cat's pupils contracted vertically, and it said hoarsely, "You're lying to me!"

"Yun Chuxiu is Madam Yuanmu, and Lian Huahun is the Empress. Why would I lie to you?" Qin Mu said leisurely. "The Heavenly Emperor's eggshell is in my vertical eye on my forehead. If you don't believe me, I'll dig this eye out for you. See if you can leave Yankang alive."

He actually dug out the eye from his forehead and presented it to the white cat!

The white cat stared at the eye in his palm, slowly raising its paw, hesitating. Just then, a cock crowed, and the sky gradually brightened.

The white cat gritted its teeth, grabbed the eye, and turned to leave.

Qin Mu smiled. His vertical eye was still on his forehead; it had not been dug out. What the white cat had taken was merely an eye formed by his divine sense visualization.

The white cat slipped out of Qin Mu's room, glanced around to find no one nearby, then leapt up onto the top of the wall and bounded along, leaping and dashing towards the outskirts of the capital.

At the same time, Yun Chuxiu, with her twin ponytails, quietly slipped out of the door, following behind the white cat. The white cat seemed to sense something and suddenly turned its head, but Yun Chuxiu was swallowed by an abyss, and the white cat didn't detect her.

Yun Chuxiu quietly followed the white cat out of Yankang capital. However, she seemed to sense someone behind her, suddenly turned her head, but saw no one following.

Yun Chuxiu rolled her eyes and continued to follow the white cat.

A flower bloomed in the air, and Lian Huahun sat within it, quietly watching the person and the cat leave the city.

At the Grandmaster's Estate, Qin Mu immediately woke everyone up, took out over a dozen jade bottles, and handed them to Gongsun Yan, saying, "Yan'er, these bottles contain Primordial Liquid. Earth Mother Sovereign gained her immense cultivation relying on this very liquid. This liquid is highly beneficial to you, but don't overdo it; only use one drop at a time. Also, be careful that Earth Mother Sovereign doesn't come and snatch it from you!"

Gongsun Yan took the jade bottles and said, "I will definitely be careful."

Qin Mu summoned Dutian Devil King, handed him a letter, and said, "Dutian, I'm giving you three celestial dragons. Take my letter and go to Lijiang Academy to see Yu Zhaoqing. Give her the letter and tell her I sent you to help her reclaim the Feathered World."

He selected three celestial dragons, unharnessed them from the Celestial Dragon Palanquin, and instructed, "You are to follow Dutian and protect his life."

The three celestial dragons rolled on the spot, transforming into three divine beings of the Jade Capital Realm. They clasped their fists and bowed, saying, "As Heavenly Venerable commands."

Dutian Devil King's expression changed dramatically, and he quickly said, "Cult Master, could you perhaps switch out these celestial dragons?"

He was filled with unease, knowing that these three dragon gods had all felt his whip, and one of them had been whipped by him the most.

"Time is short; there's no time!"

Qin Mu jumped onto the palanquin and called out loudly, "Fatty Dragon, you drive the palanquin. Yan'er, you keep watch. We're leaving immediately! If we don't go now, those two little mischief-makers will be back."

Divine King Lang Wo had already boarded the palanquin, lowered the curtains, and sat down formally.

Gongsun Yan didn't know why they were leaving in such a hurry and felt a little disappointed. Qin Mu smiled and said, "After a while, I'll find some phoenixes for you to build nests!"

Gongsun Yan was very happy as she watched the Celestial Dragon Palanquin drive out of the Grandmaster's Estate.

The capital in the early morning was not yet bustling, but early-rising vendors were already preparing breakfast on the streets. Some were baking flatbreads, others stretching noodles. Steaming hot buns rose from baskets, and the aroma of porridge drifted through the air.

The Celestial Dragon Palanquin quickly drove down the street, attracting the gaze of many vendors.

Suddenly, Qin Mu's voice came from inside the carriage: "Stop."

Dragon Qilin quickly stopped the palanquin. Qin Mu smiled. "Sister Yan'er, please buy some soy milk. It's been a long time since I've had any." After saying that, he gave Yan'er some Dafeng coins.

Yan'er flew up, landed, and transformed into a young girl. She went to a street vendor to buy soy milk and turned to say, "There are also steaming hot buns here. Would Young Master like some?"

Qin Mu nodded and smiled. "Yes, get some. Divine King Sister, you've never tasted mortal food, have you? Today is a good chance to try some."

Divine King Lang Wo asked, puzzled, "Just now, the Holy Infant was in such a hurry, afraid there wasn't enough time to leave. Why stop now?"

Qin Mu said, "I haven't tasted my hometown's flavors in five years, so I had to stop no matter what."

Divine King Lang Wo thought for a moment, then shook her head, not understanding such peculiar sentiment.

Yan'er returned with the soy milk and buns and said, "The vendor practically wanted to give me his entire shop; he gave me so much."

Qin Mu smiled. "Fatty Dragon, let's get going."

The Celestial Dragon Palanquin drove towards the outskirts of the capital. Qin Mu didn't make the palanquin immediately take to the air; instead, he continued driving on the post road. He, meanwhile, gnawed on a bun, looked out the window, and anxiously watched the surroundings.

Suddenly, a terrifying pulsation erupted from the west. Qin Mu's hand trembled, and the bun fell. He was overjoyed, clapping his hands and laughing, "Heavenly Venerable Yan's Little Seven is probably going to die!"

In the west, near the Divine Power Transfer Bridge, the white cat sped, rushing towards it. Suddenly, a large hand reached out from the bridge, grabbing at it!

The white cat was horrified, with no time to dodge. It lunged forward, rolled, and transformed into a handsome divine general in white robes. He reached for his spear and thrust it towards the large hand flying out of the light bridge. With a flick of the spear, countless spear tips shot out!

The next moment, his large spear shattered. At the same time, the palm grabbed him by the back of his head.

The white-robed divine general cried out and couldn't help but shiver, revealing his true form. He transformed back into a white cat, held by the scruff of his neck, his limbs dangling, unable to move.

"Where is the Heavenly Emperor's eggshell?" The owner of the hand seemed to be in a very distant place, his voice transmitted through the Divine Power Transfer Bridge.

However, the next instant, Divine Artifact Heavenly Venerable Yu, far away in the center of the Primordial Realm, suddenly pointed a finger. The Divine Power Transfer Bridge exploded with a roar, and the hand gripping the white cat immediately became unstable.

But at this moment, a gigantic vortex spun in the sky above the Primordial Realm, and a majestic divine being descended from the sky, seizing the white cat before Divine Artifact Heavenly Venerable Yu and carrying it away!

Another vortex appeared in the sky, and another majestic divine being slashed at the back of the head of the divine being who had seized the cat, crying, "Give back my cat!"

Almost at the same time, Divine Artifact Heavenly Venerable Yu reached out and pulled up the Primordial Wood, sweeping it towards the two divine beings.

The white cat changed hands several times, filled with extreme fear.

Now, astonishingly, four Heavenly Venerables were fighting over him; he could die at any moment amidst those terrifying pulsations!

Inside the Celestial Dragon Palanquin, Yan'er held a bowl to Qin Mu's lips. Qin Mu drank the soy milk, watched the battle in the sky, sighed repeatedly, and was quite disheartened.

"Young Master, why the frown?" Yan'er asked curiously.

Qin Mu took a sip of soy milk and sighed. "I racked my brains and used every method to instigate infighting among the Ten Heavenly Venerables, but they never truly fought. Who would have thought that in the end, it would be a white cat that ignited this internal conflict."