Chapter 1032: Great Universe Star Map

Qin Mu smiled, and his arm muscles recovered in that brief moment.

Emperor Xuan glanced at him and addressed the sword gods from the True Martial Sword Academy: "Since you've volunteered to be here, go to the Primordial Realm. But remember one thing: you are no longer sword gods of the Northern Heavens, nor are you my descendants. First, you must not act under my name; you have been expelled from the Northern Emperor lineage. Second, you have no special background, so you are not superior to anyone. You must treat the people of Eternal Peace, who are weaker than you, with kindness. Do you understand?"

Qin Mu's opinion of Emperor Xuan rose considerably. These instructions were very timely. By not acting under Emperor Xuan's name, these True Martial Sword Gods would avoid attracting the Heavenly Court's attention, thus reducing many dangers. Even if they committed an offense, it wouldn't implicate the Northern Heavens.

Without a background and by treating the Eternal Peace people kindly, they would avoid conflicts with Eternal Peace. If they were to presume upon their status as Northern Emperor descendants, discriminate against Eternal Peace, or bully the weak, it would bring disaster upon them. Qin Mu, for one, would not tolerate such behavior.

By adhering to these two points, this group of True Martial Sword Gods could integrate into Eternal Peace and become part of its reforms.

Experience truly counts, and Emperor Xuan's insight was profound.

The True Martial Sword Gods affirmed.

Emperor Xuan stripped them of their surnames. The leading True Martial Sword God then addressed Qin Mu: "Heavenly Venerate, we are now without surnames. We humbly request that you bestow one upon us."

Qin Mu pondered for a moment, then said, "Forty thousand years ago, you entered the Dao through the sword and became gods through the sword. Now, because of the sword path, you have left the Northern Heavens and had your surnames revoked. So, let 'Jian' (Sword) be your surname."

The leading True Martial Sword God smiled and said, "Then I shall be called Jian Wuji."

"I am Jian Sansheng."

"I am Jian Yutang!"

Everyone laughed. Emperor Xuan couldn't help but say, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, although my disciples are capable, they haven't experienced much of the world and are unaware of its dangers. I ask that you treat them kindly."

Qin Mu nodded solemnly. "Emperor Xuan, rest assured. My reputation in the Primordial Realm is excellent. I'm known as the conscience of Eternal Peace. Anyone who mentions me praises me as an exceptionally good person. I will certainly not mistreat them."

Emperor Xuan replied, "Yes, yes. I have indeed heard good things about your conduct, Heavenly Venerate. Your reputation is widely acclaimed." He then winked at Jian Wuji and whispered, "Be more careful. Don't let yourself be sold out and then count the money for the seller!"

Jian Wuji felt a chill run down his spine.

Qin Mu handed a letter to Jian Wuji, saying, "You and your martial brothers should first go to Eternal Peace in the Primordial Realm. Deliver my letter to Emperor Yanxiu; she will make the necessary arrangements. Emperor Xuan, how about entrusting the hundred Five-Thunder Vases to them now, for them to take to Eternal Peace?"

Emperor Xuan nodded. "Jian Wuji, after you collect the hundred Five-Thunder Vases, make another trip to the True Martial Dao Academy. Retrieve the six scrolls of the Xuanwu Dao Explanation and the Fire Bell Divine Weapon Scroll. Take them to Eternal Peace and present them to Emperor Yanxiu."

Jian Wuji acknowledged the command and led his group away.

Emperor Xuan watched them leave, then sighed, "Heavenly Venerate Mu is quite ruthless, like plucking feathers from a passing goose. Now, Heavenly Venerate, you can see my sincerity, can't you?"

Qin Mu bowed deeply to the ground and said solemnly, "Emperor Xuan, you have not disdained my humble power but have instead entrusted me with a great responsibility. Mu is immensely grateful."

Emperor Xuan quickly returned the bow, chuckling, "Please don't be so formal, Heavenly Venerate. The reason I value you so much is precisely because of the Eternal Peace Calamity. During the Founding Emperor Calamity, the Founding Emperor led his elites and abandoned his people to flee far away. However, during the Eternal Peace Calamity, you fought desperately, maneuvering among various forces, searching for a way out, and miraculously preserved Eternal Peace. It is precisely because of your actions that I am willing to entrust them to you."

Qin Mu said sincerely, "Emperor Xuan, you have placed your trust in me with a pure heart. I will surely repay you in the future."

Emperor Xuan laughed heartily and said, "I've already ordered a banquet to be prepared. We are friends who transcend age; we won't leave until we're drunk."

Qin Mu also laughed heartily, "I'd be honored to impose."

At the banquet, Emperor Xuan and Qin Mu drank themselves into a stupor, becoming sworn brothers, arm in arm. Dragon Qilin and Yan'er accompanied them. Some high-ranking officials from Xuan Tian Palace, who were also present, secretly grumbled, "Emperor Xuan and Heavenly Venerate Mu are calling each other brothers. If they were to meet the Founding Emperor, how would their seniority be determined then?"

The host and guest thoroughly enjoyed themselves, though those accompanying them put on forced smiles.

Emperor Xuan saw Qin Mu off from Xuan Tian Palace, saying, "You must be careful when you go to see the demoness; she's not easy to deal with. She surely knows you've arrived, and since you came to see me first, she'll certainly resent it and make things difficult for you."

Qin Mu chuckled, "Madam should not be that kind of person. Brother Emperor Xuan, there's something else I'd like to ask. Which Heavenly Venerate's weapon is the Divine Weapon Yu Tianzun, standing in the Northern Heavens?"

"It's Heavenly Consort Qiang's weapon."

Qin Mu nodded, noting it carefully. He then asked, "May I ask if the Northern Heavens have a 'backside'?"

Emperor Xuan's expression subtly changed, and he chuckled, "Why do you ask about such things, my dear brother?"

Qin Mu didn't answer directly, saying instead, "I encountered the True Gods in the Great Void and learned that their ancestral land is called the Ancestral Court. Do you know its whereabouts, Brother Emperor Xuan?"

Emperor Xuan's face darkened, and he said in a low voice, "See him out!"

Qin Mu was momentarily startled. He cupped his hands in greeting and was about to leave when Emperor Xuan sighed and said, "It's not that I'm being unreasonable, but the place you're asking about is far too shocking. Heavenly Venerate Mu, I know you always like to delve into history, but some things are better left untouched."

Qin Mu nodded gently and, along with Dragon Qilin and Yan'er, boarded the Celestial Dragon Carriage, heading towards the Martial Kingdom.

Emperor Xuan watched them disappear, his eyes glinting. He murmured, "The Ancestral Court of the True Gods... we managed to seal that place with great difficulty. You must not unravel the dust-covered history..."

"Emperor Xuan still revealed quite a bit of information," Qin Mu mused, sitting in the carriage, gently tapping the armrest, speaking as if to Dragon Qilin and Yan'er, yet also to himself. "His words implied that the Primordial Realm, Xuandu, the Four Extreme Heavens, and the Heavenly Court do not have a 'backside' because it's connected to the True Gods' Ancestral Court."

"However, these places shouldn't be the Ancestral Court itself, or God King Lang Wo would surely have noticed. Yet, the 'backside' of these places is connected to the Ancestral Court, which is peculiar..."

Yan'er fed him dried fruit sent by the Eastern Emperor. Qin Mu unconsciously opened his mouth to eat, murmuring, "Neither the Four Extreme Heavens, the Primordial Realm, nor the Heavenly Court are small places. What is the connection between their disappearance and the disappearance of the Ancestral Court?"

Dragon Qilin suddenly asked, "Cult Master, do you still remember the Great Ruins?"

Qin Mu paused. Dragon Qilin continued, "Cult Master, didn't you once discover that the source of the Surging River in the Great Ruins had four or five layers of space overlapping? Later, when the Primordial Realm was unsealed, these overlapping spaces unfolded, transforming into the present-day Primordial Realm. Is it possible that the method used to seal the Primordial Realm is similar to the method used to seal the Ancestral Court?"

Qin Mu pondered for a moment, then said, "Fatty Dragon, continue."

Yan'er hopped over to Dragon Qilin, holding the dried fruit from the Eastern Extreme Heaven to his mouth, her expression encouraging.

Dragon Qilin continued, "Is it possible that the 'backsides' of these worlds – the Four Extreme Heavens, the Heavenly Court, the Primordial Realm, Xuandu, and Youdu – still exist, but the ancient gods used immense magic power to stack these 'backsides' together, forming a three-dimensional spatial seal similar to the one used to seal the Ark of the Other Shore, thereby locking the Ancestral Court inside?"

Qin Mu's eyes lit up. He clapped his hands and praised, "Fatty Dragon, you truly possess great wisdom!"

Dragon Qilin looked smug, eating the dried fruit Yan'er offered. Yan'er's thoughtfulness, including spirit pills within the fruit, deeply moved him.

Qin Mu stood up, clapping his hands in admiration. "Indeed, that's possible! Divine abilities are all passed down from a single lineage. The divine abilities used to seal the Primordial Realm and the Ark of the Other Shore might not be the same as the one used to seal the Ancestral Court, but there might be a spiritual inheritance connecting them!"

He clasped his hands together, then pulled them apart, and instantly, the layouts of the Dragon Han Heavenly Court, the Primordial Realm, Youdu, Xuandu, the Four Extreme Heavens, and even the Yin World and the Return to the Ruins, all appeared, forming an unfolded, three-dimensional star map of the vast universe!

The Primordial Realm was at the center, Youdu overlapped with the Primordial Realm and connected to the Four Extreme Lands. Xuandu was high above the Primordial Realm. Qin Mu looked at the Four Extreme Heavens, pondered for a moment, and said, "The Celestial River connects the Four Extreme Heavens and the Heavenly Court, yet they are not on the same plane. And the Return to the Ruins is not within the Primordial Realm either, but in another space-time. When I found the Return to the Ruins, I relied on the spatial numerology left by my senior brother, Wei Suifeng. His spatial numerology documented another spatial dimension..."

He walked around the great cosmic star map, his gaze fixed on it, constantly calculating.

Suddenly, he extended his palm and gently pulled the star map downwards. A funnel-shaped Great Abyss of Return to the Ruins appeared beneath the Primordial Realm.

Qin Mu's eyes gleamed. He murmured, "Youdu isn't entirely superimposed on the Primordial Realm. Instead, Youdu connects to the Four Extreme Heavens and various other heavens. The only place it doesn't connect to is Xuandu. This means Xuandu and Youdu interlock, forming a large circle!"

He expanded the territory of Youdu. With a thought, his primordial qi transformed into an Earth Count, who stood in Youdu, his body vast, with the Yellow Springs above his head.

Qin Mu frowned, looking at the land beneath Earth Count's feet. He saw that this land actually overlapped with the Great Abyss of Return to the Ruins.

He was momentarily stunned.

"According to legend, the Celestial River flows into the Great Abyss of Return to the Ruins. However, the legends never stated that the Great Abyss of Return to the Ruins was beneath Earth Count's feet, nor did they mention the Celestial River passing through Youdu. But what if the Celestial River *does* pass through Youdu?"

Qin Mu's eyes grew brighter. He adjusted the Celestial River, guiding its waters to pierce through both the Primordial and Youdu realms. These two realms had spatial overlaps, so the Celestial River didn't need to pass through the Primordial Realm's land to reach Youdu; it simply entered another space.

The Celestial River transformed into the River of the Underworld, flowing majestically around Earth Count's colossal body.

Qin Mu was dumbfounded, gazing at Earth Count's palm, unable to speak.

Earth Count's weapon was a whip. Qin Mu had once seen Earth Count use this whip to bind Tian Shu. And now, the Celestial River, transformed into the River of the Underworld flowing into Youdu, flowed precisely across Earth Count's palm!

The River of the Underworld was Earth Count's whip!

"No wonder every time I went to Youdu, I always felt as if Earth Count was missing something. It was the Underworld River Whip!"

Qin Mu composed himself and adjusted the River of the Underworld, watching as it flowed directly into the Return to the Ruins.

"There's still one more discrepancy!"

Qin Mu looked up at Xuandu, then at the Four Extreme Heavens. "The height of the Four Extreme Heavens is incorrect! The Four Extreme Heavens should be higher than the Primordial Realm but lower than the Heavenly Court. And the Celestial River should also flow through Xuandu. Yet, it doesn't pass through Xuandu; it flows through the Celestial River, like a giant circular rope, the ring hanging down, dropping into Youdu..."

He calculated frantically. After a moment, he extended a hand and lightly traced a line, smiling, "The waters of the Celestial River come from the heavens; naturally, they originate from Xuandu!"

From Xuandu, a Celestial River surged downwards, altering the original flow of the Celestial River. It now descended from the heavens, flowing into the Northern Heavens, then passing through the Western, Southern, and Eastern Heavens, and from the Eastern Heavens, it flowed towards the Heavenly Court.

Upon reaching the Heavenly Court, the Celestial River plunged downwards, flowing towards the Primordial Realm. As the Primordial Realm overlapped with Youdu, the Celestial River transformed into the River of the Underworld, pouring into Youdu, and finally reaching the Return to the Ruins beneath Earth Count's feet!

Qin Mu observed the great cosmic star map, pacing back and forth. If calculated according to the cosmic star map, the Four Extreme Heavens should be oriented vertically relative to the Primordial Realm, perpendicular to it, and facing away from it.

He drew lines connecting the various worlds, but he couldn't make them all converge at a single point.

Qin Mu frowned deeply, then suddenly his eyes lit up. He murmured, "The original Dragon Han Heavenly Court wasn't in its current position; it was in the sky above the Primordial Realm. So, if I move the Heavenly Court downwards..."

He moved the Heavenly Court in the star map towards the Primordial Realm, suspending it above it.

From outside the carriage, the Celestial Dragon's voice rang out loudly, "Heavenly Venerate, we've arrived at the Martial Kingdom!"

Qin Mu paid no attention, slowly adjusting the Heavenly Court's position. Suddenly, his mind reeled. All the lines finally intertwined, forming a single bright spot!

Overjoyed, Qin Mu couldn't help but shed tears, murmuring, "Here! This is the Ancestral Court, the place where the True Gods' Ancestral Court is located! Mastering numerology truly proves to be incredibly useful!"