Chapter 1025: Just Arrogant and Self-Willed

Qin Mu was deeply shaken and blurted out, "His mother isn't an ancient god? What race is his mother, then? And who is his father?"

Ever since he arrived at the Celestial Heavens, he had heard Qi Jiuyi and the Yun family grandmas all say that Emperor Lang Xuan was the world's first demigod, born to two ancient gods. He never expected there to be another hidden story.

The Eastern Emperor glanced at him. "Why is Grandmaster so curious about others' private affairs?"

Qin Mu's expression was strange as he tentatively asked, "Since the Eastern Emperor is reluctant to speak, could Emperor Lang Xuan be your..."

The Eastern Emperor shook his head. "Emperor Lang Xuan is not my offspring. If he were, the identities of his parents wouldn't be so mysterious. I'm naturally promiscuous, and I've left countless descendants. There's no need to hide whether someone is my child or not."

He seemed to have a headache, rubbing his forehead as he said, "To be honest, countless people come here daily claiming to be my relatives, and I find it quite frustrating. If I don't acknowledge them, they truly are of dragon descent. But if I do, there are simply too many. Some even include the 'Chicken-Dragon' race coming to claim me as their father!"

Qin Mu's eyes widened. Remembering the group of Chicken-Dragons who occupied Disabled Elder Village, he cautiously asked, "So, the Chicken-Dragons..."

The Eastern Emperor gave a wry smile, shaking his head. "They're part of the Flood Dragon lineage, unrelated to me. While there might be some of my descendants among the Flood Dragons, the Chicken-Dragons definitely have no connection to me!"

He paused, feeling it was inappropriate to keep discussing his own affairs. "Emperor Lang Xuan's mother is a Creator. Grandmaster has been to the Great Void and should know about the Creators. When you went to the Great Void, I also sent one of my princes to accompany you, but unfortunately, he didn't return alive."

Qin Mu was surprised. "Brother Dao, you sent a Dragon Prince to accompany me?"

Indeed, there were members of the dragon race on the flying ark when he traveled to the Great Void, but he didn't know when they died. Only he and Luo Wushuang returned alive from that ship.

Of course, out of the three hundred people on board at that time, over two hundred were hostile towards him, so Qin Mu didn't bother distinguishing between enemies and friends.

"Emperor Lang Xuan's mother is a goddess king of the Creator race, named Goddess King Gong Yun. She was formidable and influential in the Primordial Era. As for his father, he's even more extraordinary."

The Eastern Emperor sighed, stating in a low voice, "It's the Celestial Emperor."

"The Celestial Emperor again!" Qin Mu was deeply shocked, yet he also felt it was only natural. Only the Celestial Emperor could have had an affair with a goddess king of the Creator race and fathered Emperor Lang Xuan!

While the Eastern Emperor was promiscuous and not picky, leading to his notoriety, the Celestial Emperor had exceptionally high standards. He was refined in his affections, and any woman who caught his eye possessed both remarkable talent and beauty.

"Gong Yun, Shu Jun... both names contain the character 'Jun.' Is that a tradition of the Creator race?" Qin Mu pondered.

The Eastern Emperor walked forward. "'Shu' denotes seniority, referring to the rank of Grand Emperor's uncle. Shu Jun was born earlier than the Grand Emperor, so by seniority, the Grand Emperor should call him uncle. 'Gong' signifies status, referring to the Grand Emperor's wife."

Qin Mu blurted out, "Wait! Are you saying Goddess King Gong Yun is the Grand Emperor's wife? The Celestial Emperor had an affair with the Grand Emperor's wife and fathered Emperor Lang Xuan?"

The Eastern Emperor blinked his narrow eyes and smiled. "That's what you said, not me."

Qin Mu felt dizzy, needing a moment to process this astonishing news.

"Emperor Lang Xuan is Crown Prince Hao's elder brother, but while Lang Xuan knows, Crown Prince Hao does not," the Eastern Emperor said faintly. "In this world, few ancient gods are aware of this matter, and I am one of the few who know. Many suspect Emperor Lang Xuan is my offspring, but it truly has nothing to do with me. I've merely been taking the blame for the Celestial Emperor."

He sighed. "I've taken the blame for others so many times that this one doesn't really bother me. However, Emperor Lang Xuan has tried to kill me, his supposed father, heh heh..."

A chilling aura appeared on his face as he sneered, "Doesn't he fear that I might expose this matter?"

Beside Qin Mu, Dragon Qilin curiously asked, "Then why hasn't the Eastern Emperor exposed this matter all this time?"

The Azure Dragon Eastern Emperor glanced at him, and seeing that he, too, was of dragon descent, couldn't help but feel a pounding headache. He tentatively asked, "You're not my son, and you're not here to claim kinship, are you?"

Dragon Qilin hesitated for a moment. "I only remember my mother; I know she's a Qilin, but I don't know who my father is. Did the Eastern Emperor visit the Great Ruins of the Primordial Realm two hundred years ago?"

The Eastern Emperor finally relaxed, chuckling. "No, I haven't been there... The reason I haven't exposed it is simply because I'm afraid to die."

He sighed, glancing at the divine weapon Imperial Celestial Venerable in the distance. "Heaven Duke and Earth Count have the power to contend with the divine weapon Imperial Celestial Venerable, but I don't have that confidence. In fact, even without the divine weapon Imperial Celestial Venerable, I'd likely lose more than I win when fighting against a Celestial Venerable. It's just that they'd find it hard to kill me."

His gaze was piercing as he looked at Qin Mu and said in a deep voice, "Even if Grandmaster didn't come to me, I would have sought you out. I've always had a concern that I wish Grandmaster could help resolve."

Qin Mu said seriously, "Please speak, Eastern Emperor."

"After Heaven Duke and Earth Count die, will you still be a Grandmaster?" The Eastern Emperor's gaze met Qin Mu's eyes directly as he said in a deep voice, "To be frank, I've made two preparations. If you have the power to resurrect ancient gods, I will fight to the death and protect you to the end! However, if Heaven Duke and Earth Count die and you lack the power to resurrect ancient gods, then I will surrender to the Ten Celestial Venerables, decapitate you, and present your head to the Celestial Heavens to claim credit and reward!"

Qin Mu's heart pounded violently. At this moment, he truly felt the Eastern Emperor's murderous intent!

The Azure Dragon Eastern Emperor calmly stated, "Though the crime of killing Celestial Venerable Mu is grave, I am one of the Four Emperors among the ancient gods, appointed as one of the Four Deities guarding the Four Ultimate Heavens by the ancient god Celestial Emperor. Killing you would not lead to my death; at most, I would be suppressed, but my life would be preserved. When the Celestial Heavens attempt to eliminate Earth Count and Heaven Duke, they will need my power and thus release me."

Yan'er was furious. "Eastern Emperor, how can you be so shameless?"

The Azure Dragon Eastern Emperor glanced at her, shaking his head with a smile. "Little girl, the world bustles for profit, and people rush about for gain; this is the way of commerce. Celestial Venerable Mu and I engage in transactions of interest, not friendship. I cooperate only when there is benefit. Without benefit, Celestial Venerable Mu's life or death is irrelevant to me. On the contrary, killing him then to claim credit would align with my interests."

Yan'er's heart grew cold.

She had always held immense respect for the Eastern Emperor as a father figure. Though he was distant towards her, she inwardly regarded him as a great hero.

However, upon truly interacting with the Eastern Emperor, the image of the father in her heart suddenly crumbled, leaving her both horrified and somewhat unable to accept it.

Qin Mu admired the scenery of the Azure Dragon Celestial Palace, his gaze falling upon its Jade Pond. He smiled faintly. "Eastern Emperor, do you still remember what happened on the ghost ship?"

The Azure Dragon Celestial Palace also boasted a Jade Pond, whose waters seemed even more sacred than those of the Celestial Heavens' Jade Pond. This pond brimmed with vibrant life. Qin Mu, being skilled in medicine, knew at a glance that the Eastern Emperor's holy water in this Jade Pond was extraordinary. It could cure the dead and mend bones with ease, surpassing even Dragon Qilin's dragon saliva in potency. Furthermore, the pond water contained peculiar energy capable of healing souls and primordial spirits.

Evidently, the Azure Dragon Eastern Emperor was not as simple as he appeared. The natural treasures and rare materials here even surpassed those of Earth Mother Primordial Lord. Both this Jade Pond and Spirit Treasure Mountain were exceedingly rare treasures!

The Azure Dragon Eastern Emperor nodded. "Of course, I remember. Celestial Venerable Mu helped us Four Emperors escape, but if we hadn't lent you our power, you wouldn't have been able to escape either. So, regarding the ghost ship's escape, we merely used each other; no one owes anyone. As for gratitude, don't forget, when you entered the Celestial Heavens alone, we ancient gods protected your life, and I contributed to that."

Qin Mu withdrew his gaze from the Jade Pond, frowning slightly. "How does the Eastern Emperor intend to test me?"

"My test for you is this: Without Heaven Duke and Earth Count lending you their power, how will you resurrect others?" The Azure Dragon Eastern Emperor continued, "In addition, I also need to know if you possess the power to protect yourself should most of the ancient gods fall in battle. These two tests: one is to assess your true capability. Borrowed power is never your own. When there's no power to borrow, if you can still be a Grandmaster, that's why we ancient gods would support you without reservation."

"As for the second test, it's to gauge your growth potential. In the worst-case scenario, if you can't even protect yourself, then the Celestial Heavens only need to kill you to cut off all retreat for us ancient gods! Therefore, I need to see if Celestial Venerable Mu truly lives up to the title of Celestial Venerable, and if you are worthy of me entrusting my life and standing to you!"

Qin Mu nodded. "I understand."

The Eastern Emperor smiled, flicking his finger. A pleasure boat drifted over from the Jade Pond, and a divine being with a dragon head and human body bowed on board, saying, "Father God."

At the Eastern Emperor's invitation, Qin Mu, Dragon Qilin, and Yan'er boarded the boat, which then drifted towards the center of the Jade Pond.

Yan'er remained dispirited. She didn't transform into her human or dragon-sparrow form, instead remaining a small green bird perched on Dragon Qilin's forehead.

The Eastern Emperor summoned the dragon god who was steering the boat. The dragon god asked, "What are your orders, Father God?"

The Eastern Emperor flicked his finger. A thunderous explosion echoed in the dragon god's mind, shattering his primordial spirit into dust. His soul instantly dispersed, and the black sands of his spirit quietly faded away. A look of confusion appeared in the dragon god's eyes, his body swayed, and he toppled over.

Qin Mu's eyelid twitched. Yan'er jumped up, startled and enraged, crying out sharply, "He's your son! How could you kill him? Even a vicious tiger doesn't devour its own cub, you..."

The Eastern Emperor glanced at her, frowning slightly. Patiently, he said, "Celestial Venerable Mu, please rein in your pet bird. While I appreciate you, I'm not obligated to indulge your servant."

Qin Mu shook his head. "This is Yan'er. She isn't my servant but a disciple of Celestial Venerable Yue."

The Eastern Emperor's expression softened slightly. "So, she's Celestial Venerable Yue's disciple. Very well, I won't hold it against you. However, even Celestial Venerable Yue shows me three points of respect and addresses me as 'Your Majesty, Eastern Emperor.' You shouldn't be so presumptuous."

Yan'er was about to speak further, but Qin Mu raised his hand, smiling. "Sister Yan'er, there's no need to say more. Eastern Emperor, if you wish to witness my abilities, why not go to Spirit Treasure Mountain and find someone whose soul has scattered? On Spirit Treasure Mountain, there are quite a few gods, devils, and divine arts practitioners who died while seeking treasures. Why kill your own son?"

The Eastern Emperor sneered. "The gods, devils, and divine arts practitioners who died on Spirit Treasure Mountain are all from the Celestial Heavens. If you resurrect them, it might expose your true methods, and I wouldn't be at ease."

Qin Mu frowned slightly. "You can just kill them again after I resurrect them."

The Eastern Emperor stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "I don't trust any outsiders, and I can't even fully trust my own children. There's no need for further discussion, Celestial Venerable Mu. Please proceed."

Qin Mu frowned again. The Eastern Emperor was self-willed and possessed a strong desire for control, making Qin Mu very uncomfortable interacting with him.

When he first arrived, he had unconsciously developed a favorable impression of the Eastern Emperor. However, this goodwill gradually eroded as he learned more about him. Even the Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens harbored deep animosity towards the Azure Dragon Eastern Emperor, which indicated that the Eastern Emperor was not a good person.

Qin Mu composed himself, looking at the dragon god's corpse on the boat. This dragon god's soul had scattered, and summoning it back wouldn't require borrowing Heaven Duke's or Earth Count's power. However, to reconstruct the dragon god's soul, he would need to borrow their power. Without the power of Heaven Duke or Earth Count, he wasn't entirely confident.

"Over the years, I've studied Heaven Duke's Forty-Nine Heavenly Daos and Earth Count's Sixty-Four Netherworld Grand Daos. Divine forms of Heaven Duke, Earth Count, and even Earth Mother have materialized within my Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure. Logically, I should have mastered their powers. But..."

Qin Mu felt the murderous intent emanating from the Eastern Emperor, growing steadily stronger. Given the Eastern Emperor's stubbornness, if Qin Mu failed to resurrect this dragon god, the Eastern Emperor would undoubtedly kill him on the spot, take his head, imprison his soul, and present them to the Ten Celestial Venerables in the Celestial Heavens for credit and reward!

He had previously held a significant fondness for the ancient god race, largely due to Earth Count and Heaven Duke. Now, it seemed that was somewhat wishful thinking on his part.

The Eastern Emperor raised his narrow eyebrows, coughed, and was about to urge him on when Qin Mu had already activated the Soul-Leading Art, summoning the scattered black sands of the dragon god's soul!