Chapter 1036: Taidi, Xidi, Shenwang

"If the ancient gods are destroyed, the Creator Race will never have a chance to rise again."

Qin Mu's gaze was profound. "There's still a chance to turn the tables now," he said. "Once the ancient gods are all dead, no one will be able to resist the Celestial Heavens."

Standing in the carriage, Divine King Lang Wo's divine sense fluctuated, causing thousands of gods and devils from the White Tiger Celestial Palace, who were rushing towards Heavenly Fort City, to fall from the sky like rain.

The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Carriage drove straight through. Wherever it passed, the gods and devils of the Western Extremities fell. However, those snake-devils who fell were not injured; only their formations were thrown into disarray.

In front of the Southern Gate of the White Tiger Celestial Palace, titanic warriors beat drums three times. Two golden-armored deities then approached the gate, covering the mouth of the large golden bell hanging at the Southern Gate. As they shook the bell, the soldiers at the gate lowered their banners.

The White Tiger Celestial Palace's army of gods and devils immediately halted their advance.

The titanic warriors in front of the Southern Gate beat the drums five more times, and all the gods and devils of the White Tiger Celestial Palace immediately reformed their ranks.

The titanic warriors beat the drums once more, and all the divine soldiers and devils tidied their equipment in unison where they stood.

When the drumming ceased, an endless army of gods and devils from the Western Extremities stood motionless in the air, their gazes unwavering, facing the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Carriage. An aura of grim solemnity filled the heavens and earth.

Seeing this, the six Heavenly Dragons involuntarily stopped, not daring to proceed further.

Dragon Qilin let out a reprimand, and only then did the Heavenly Dragons pluck up their courage to advance, though their speed was significantly reduced.

Qin Mu looked ahead and couldn't help but admire. The gods and devils of the White Tiger Celestial Palace were incredibly disciplined, like extensions of one's own arm, which was rare in an army. Of course, if it were the army of Yankang, with divine sense and spells like the Three Primeval Spirit Convergence Art for command, they would only perform even better than the Western Extremities.

The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Carriage finally reached the exterior of the Southern Gate and halted. Qin Mu stood silently on the carriage, waiting. After a moment, a female general approached, bowed, and said, "Heavenly Venerate, Her Majesty requests your presence."

Qin Mu said with a half-smile, "I've been to the Northern Extremities and the Eastern Extremities. Both Northern Emperor Xuanwu and Eastern Emperor Azure Dragon came out to greet me. Yet, the Western Emperor sits enthroned in her High Heavens Palace. Is she expecting me to go and pay my respects?"

The female general's expression was solemn. "Her Majesty is in armor and leading the campaign personally," she explained. "It is inconvenient for her to come out to greet you."

Qin Mu scoffed. "Then, I bid you farewell. Once the Western Emperor has died, I shall return to offer my condolences and collect her body. Dragon Fatty, turn the carriage around, we're leaving." With that, he turned and re-entered the carriage, seating himself.

Dragon Qilin hesitated for a moment before ordering the six Heavenly Dragons to turn the carriage around. Just then, a woman's voice came, laughing, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, please stay."

Dragon Qilin reined in the dragons and looked at Qin Mu inside the carriage. Through the beaded curtain, he couldn't discern Qin Mu's emotions.

Qin Mu's voice drifted from the carriage, calm and even, "Is that the Western Emperor?"

A woman in armor emerged from the White Tiger Celestial Palace. Behind her, the head of a White Tiger manifested, its head lowered, claws poised, ready to pounce, incredibly ferocious. The tiger's head alone obscured half of the celestial palace.

The woman, fully armored and valiant, smiled. "Indeed. Heavenly Venerate, would you be willing to step out for a meeting?"

"No."

Qin Mu's voice came from behind the beaded curtain, neither overly polite nor impolite. "I am a Heavenly Venerate, here to visit. Asking me to come to your High Heavens Palace to pay respects is a breach of etiquette. Today, I will not alight from the carriage, so as not to defile your Western Extremities. You may enter the carriage."

The Western Emperor slightly frowned, glanced left and right, suppressing her anger, and said, "Heavenly Venerate, do not push your luck."

Qin Mu laughed heartily and said leisurely, "I've heard that in the Western Extremities, there are fierce tigers, wild and untamable. Tigers are cunning and suspicious, yet when they spot prey, they become overjoyed and focus intently, oblivious to their surroundings. Thus, hunters would place a sheep before a tiger to capture it. When the tiger pounces on the sheep, the hunter kills the tiger, and the tiger perishes."

The Western Emperor was furious. She strode forward, boarded the imperial carriage, lifted the beaded curtain, and walked in. "Heavenly Venerate, what enlightenment do you have to offer? Speak plainly!" she demanded.

Only then did she notice there was someone else in the carriage. Her gaze fell on Divine King Lang Wo, and she thought in confusion, "Empress Dowager?"

Her heart chilled, and her armor clanged with a metallic ring. Coldly, she said, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, are you and the Empress Dowager here together to kill me?"

Qin Mu raised a hand and said, "Western Emperor, please sit."

The Western Emperor snorted and sat down, her gaze still fixed intently on Divine King Lang Wo. Suddenly, she said, "You are not the Empress Dowager. You don't have that scent about you."

Divine King Lang Wo's expression was indifferent. "Then, Western Emperor, who do you think I might be?" she asked softly.

The Western Emperor continued to stare at her, seemingly scrutinizing her origin.

"Western Emperor, do you know your death is nigh?"

Qin Mu smiled. "If you start a campaign now and attack Heavenly Fort City opposite us, the moment your two armies clash will be your demise. Heavenly Venerate Hao has been plotting for a long time, waiting for you to fall into his trap. The instant your Western Extremities army of gods and devils reaches the city, Heavenly Venerate Hao's primordial spirit will take control of the Divine Weapon, Imperial Heavenly Venerate, and within a few exchanges, you will perish on the spot!"

The Western Emperor's gaze shifted from Divine King Lang Wo's face. She opened the carriage window and looked out at the Divine Weapon, Imperial Heavenly Venerate, behind Heavenly Fort City. "Are you saying Heavenly Venerate Hao is already here? That's quite wrong. I received news that all Ten Heavenly Venerates are currently in the Celestial Heavens, restraining each other. Under their mutual threats, they can't possibly escape the Celestial Heavens! Rather, it's you who's brought this fellow Daoist here with malicious intent, probably intending to use her to eliminate me!"

She sneered, "I can feel the killing intent emanating from her!"

Qin Mu couldn't help but laugh. "Why would I eliminate you? I have no grievance with you. You need to borrow my strength to secure a retreat, and I need to borrow yours to resist the Celestial Heavens. Together, we both benefit; apart, we both suffer. I came to visit to warn you not to seek your own death. In truth, it wasn't I who saw this as a trap for the ancient gods, but Northern Emperor Xuanwu who recognized it as an 'invitation into the jar' scheme and asked me to inform you."

Hearing that Northern Emperor Xuanwu had sent him to warn her, the Western Emperor dispelled her doubts and probed, "Did Northern Emperor Xuanwu truly send you?"

Qin Mu nodded, smiling. "If the Western Emperor doesn't believe me, then send someone to the Northern Extremities to inquire."

The Western Emperor, still half-believing, half-doubting, opened the carriage window, summoned a goddess general, and gave her instructions.

The goddess general immediately bowed and swiftly departed.

Qin Mu said calmly, "It will likely take several days for your subordinate deities to go there and return. How about this: you withdraw your troops first. When Heavenly Venerate Hao sees there's no hope of killing you, he'll know you've seen through his scheme and there'll be no need for him to continue hiding. I'll summon him out, and he will certainly appear for a moment."

The Western Emperor's eyelid twitched. She opened the carriage window again and gave an order.

Outside, the sound of gongs signaling retreat echoed, and the army of gods and devils from the Western Extremities began to withdraw. Even in retreat, their ranks remained perfectly disciplined.

Qin Mu stood up, went to Divine King Lang Wo's side, opened another carriage window, and couldn't help but admire the sight.

"Heavenly Venerate Mu, how do you find my soldiers and generals?" the Western Emperor asked, smiling.

Qin Mu said sincerely, "They are indeed a powerful army, rarely seen in this world. Only slightly inferior to Yankang, but still very strong."

The Western Emperor was displeased. "Yankang, a mere speck of a place, also has strong soldiers?"

"Your Majesty, Yankang inherited from Kaihuang, surpassing the master. In terms of combat strength, they naturally cannot compare to the Western Extremities, but when it comes to battle formations, the Western Extremities cannot hold a candle to them."

Qin Mu stepped out of the imperial carriage and declared loudly, "Heavenly Venerate Hao, since you're here, why not show yourself for a moment?"

He used his divine sense, and his voice carried to Heavenly Fort City, transforming into rolling thunder.

The Western Emperor looked through the window at the Divine Weapon, Imperial Heavenly Venerate, which remained motionless. She then looked at Qin Mu outside the carriage, her pupils slightly constricted.

Divine King Lang Wo lightly coughed, and the Western Emperor's pupils dilated again. She smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist, you give me a very familiar feeling. Have we met before?"

Divine King Lang Wo replied, "Perhaps we have, perhaps we haven't."

The Western Emperor's eyes flickered. "You are very strange. You make me increasingly feel as though you are..."

Suddenly, her pupils constricted. She quickly turned her head and saw the eyes of the Divine Weapon, Imperial Heavenly Venerate, open. A white screen of light shot out, brighter than a thousand suns, like a bridge of light.

This bridge of light landed on the Southern Gate of the White Tiger Celestial Palace, pressing down on its top!

The Western Emperor clenched her fists, sneering.

On the bridge of light, an old man with white robes, white eyebrows, and a white beard walked towards them, treading the light bridge.

His wide sleeves billowed, as if he intended to ride the wind away, exuding an indescribable ease. Yet, his body seemed immensely heavy. Halfway across, the bridge of light pressed down on the Southern Gate of the White Tiger Celestial Palace, making it groan and sink. Even the entire White Tiger Celestial Palace was pushed into a tilt, continuously descending!

By the time the white-robed elder reached the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Carriage, the entire White Tiger Celestial Palace had been pressed to the ground, and its Southern Gate had been forced to sink into the earth!

The Western Emperor stared blankly at the approaching elder, her body trembling slightly.

Qin Mu bowed to greet him, smiling. "Heavenly Venerate Hao, you were peacefully cultivating, and yet I've awakened you. I truly apologize."

Heavenly Venerate Hao hastily returned the bow, laughing heartily. "Brother Dao, you are the sole living founding elder of the Heavenly Alliance. When you call, I have no choice but to awaken."

Qin Mu raised a hand and smiled. "Fellow Daoist Hao, please enter the carriage so we can speak. The Western Emperor is also waiting for you inside."

Heavenly Venerate Hao bowed. "Brother Dao, please go first."

Qin Mu entered the carriage, and Heavenly Venerate Hao followed, stepping inside.

Qin Mu invited him to sit. Heavenly Venerate Hao quickly bowed again, insisting Qin Mu take his seat first. Only then did Heavenly Venerate Hao sit down. He first cupped his hands towards the Western Emperor, then towards Divine King Lang Wo, chuckling, "Brother Dao, this small imperial carriage of yours has indeed gathered giants from the Primordial, Ancient, and Modern Eras. What an anomaly! The Western Emperor is from the Primordial Era, this Divine King is also from the Primordial Era, Brother Dao is from the present day, and I am from the Ancient Era."

The armrest of the Western Emperor's seat was crushed by her own hands. She abruptly stood up, staring at Divine King Lang Wo opposite her, and said in a hoarse voice, "Primordial Divine King?"

"Sit down!" Qin Mu roared in anger, slamming his hand heavily on the armrest.

The Western Emperor looked at Divine King Lang Wo, then at Heavenly Venerate Hao, realizing that she might be inescapable today. She let out an angry snort and heavily sat down.

The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Carriage shook violently. The six Heavenly Dragons outside also whimpered. Qin Mu felt a pang of distress: "One of the seats in my carriage is broken, a shaft is snapped, and the wheels are probably flattened. This woman's backside is as hard as iron!"

He braced himself, his gaze falling on Heavenly Venerate Hao, and smiled, "Heavenly Emperor's eyes are truly sharp to recognize the Divine King?"

Upon hearing this, the Western Emperor's entire body of tiger fur bristled, piercing holes in her armor.

Even her hair stood on end, perfectly straight in all directions!