Chapter 1041: The Arrival of Pixiang Hall

Qin Mu's expression darkened. He said coldly, "Is this your and Southern Emperor's idea?"

Crimson Emperor Qi Xiayu looked puzzled. She said, "This was also Heavenly Venerate Yue's idea. Heavenly Venerate Mu, you are the Grandmaster of Undying Tribulations. Logically, you shouldn't be so anxious. For you, Heavenly Duke and Earth Count are still alive. Isn't resurrecting the Southern Emperor, freeing her from the shackles of the ancient god's great dao, a heaven-sent opportunity?"

"A heaven-sent opportunity?" Qin Mu laughed, infuriated, then slumped back onto his throne, feeling helpless. "A heaven-sent opportunity? You dared to call it a heaven-sent opportunity without consulting me? My resurrection spell isn't omnipotent. There are still spells in this world that can restrain my soul-reforming techniques, and they are all in the hands of the Ten Heavenly Venerates of the Celestial Heavens..."

Crimson Emperor Qi Xiayu's face changed dramatically.

Qin Mu had already given the order for the Celestial Dragon Imperial Carriage to rush towards the Southern Extremity Restricted Zone.

"The Grand Overarching Heavens of the Grand Emperor's divine consciousness, the Perfumed Palace of the Celestial Heavens, the Celestial Emperor's Restricted Zone, and Empress Yuan Mu's Returning Ruins can all resist my soul-summoning techniques. Even if your soul were hidden in the Great Void, I wouldn't be able to find it."

Sitting in the carriage, Qin Mu felt a surge of anger. "Southern Emperor, are you so certain I can revive you?"

He couldn't help but be angry. The Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird was one of the few ancient gods with whom he had a deep friendship, second only to Heavenly Duke and Earth Count.

When Qin Mu first returned to the early years of the Dragon Han era, the first ancient god he encountered was the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird. They talked happily on a boat, and Vermilion Bird acknowledged him as her younger brother. Later, when Qin Mu severely beat Heavenly Venerate Hao and had no place to stand in the Celestial Heavens, he hid in Vermilion Bird's Celestial Palace. Furthermore, the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird was also the first ancient god to know about the Heavenly Alliance. Even later, on the ghost ship, when Qin Mu secretly took the power of the Four Ancient God Emperors and was captured by them along with Zhe Huali, it was the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird who single-handedly decided to release them, allowing them to escape the ghost ship's restraints.

His feelings for Heavenly Duke and Earth Count were like those of a junior towards elders, while his feelings for Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird were like those between a younger brother and an elder sister.

He was well aware of Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird's intentions: simply to use this opportunity, like Goddess of Heavenly Yin, to shed her ancient god body, gain rebirth, and no longer be bound by the great dao of heaven and earth. Qin Mu was angry precisely because she acted on her own, without consulting him, assuming that Qin Mu, the Grandmaster of Undying Tribulations, was omnipotent and would surely be able to resurrect her! For her, the Ten Heavenly Venerates' scheme presented the best opportunity: dying at the hands of the Ten Heavenly Venerates would also allow her to purge the gods and devils the Celestial Heavens had stationed in the Southern Heavens, achieving two goals at once.

"However, this opportunity is also the perfect time to strike at me and at the ancient gods!" Qin Mu clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. The Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird wanted to use this chance to die and be reborn, escaping the shackles of the great dao, while the Celestial Heavens wanted to use this chance to suppress her soul, preventing her resurrection! The Ten Heavenly Venerates would undoubtedly seize this opportunity to show the world and the ancient gods that Qin Mu, the Grandmaster of Undying Tribulations, was by no means a reliable ally for the ancient gods! They had ample means to restrain and suppress Qin Mu's spells, rendering him unable to resurrect deceased ancient gods.

"The Ten Heavenly Venerates have four or five ways to counter my resurrection spells. However, the Grand Emperor's Ultimate Void cannot be used, or it would reveal his identity as the Grand Emperor. Empress and Yuan Mu's Returning Ruins also cannot be used, as they fear exposing themselves. The Celestial Emperor's Restricted Zone is immobile, so the only one that can be used is the Perfumed Palace."

Qin Mu looked ahead, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

The Perfumed Palace of the Celestial Heavens was where Heavenly Venerate Yu's remnant soul was suppressed. When Qin Mu had tried to summon Heavenly Venerate Yu's soul, he couldn't retrieve his remnant soul from within the Perfumed Palace. Even Earth Count himself, when searching for Heavenly Venerate Yu's remnant soul, couldn't enter the Perfumed Palace! The Perfumed Palace, one of the Celestial Heavens' seventy-two treasure halls, would definitely be brought out by the Ten Heavenly Venerates to suppress the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird's soul, rendering Qin Mu's divine arts ineffective and ensuring her complete death!

"I only hope this is just a guess, and that the Perfumed Palace is still in the Celestial Heavens, not sent to the Southern Extremity Heavens..."

The Celestial Dragon Imperial Carriage accelerated to its maximum speed. Qin Mu looked back and saw the Vermilion Bird Celestial Palace collapsing. The destruction of this most ancient Celestial Palace was a foregone conclusion, and the change of ownership of the Southern Extremity Heavens was inevitable. Even if he could resurrect the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird, she would no longer be able to control this place. Moreover, it wasn't certain that the Southern Emperor could even be resurrected!

Boom—

The sky vibrated violently. The Heavenly River, tens of thousands of miles wide, suddenly appeared above the Southern Extremity Heavens. The Heavenly River was vast, twisting space, flowing past suns, with countless large river-crossing ships appearing on its surface. Unlike mortal rivers, the Heavenly River's surface here was disc-shaped, like two plates pressed together. The Heavenly River had no distinction between up and down, so countless large river-crossing ships sped across both its surfaces.

That was the Heavenly River Navy!

The Heavenly River connected all the various heavens, which is why the Heavenly River Navy had been the strongest and most numerous divine-devil army in the Celestial Heavens' military for millions of years! Throughout history, the Heavenly River Navy had been the main force for suppressing rebellions in various heavens, and the primary force for destroying entire eras! Whether it was the Xiao Han Celestial Heavens, the Crimson Brightness Celestial Heavens, the High Emperor Celestial Heavens, or even the Founding Emperor Celestial Heavens, all were turned to dust under the crushing might of the largest divine-devil army's river-crossing ships!

Qin Mu looked up and saw the Heavenly River splitting in the sky, like an immensely large nine-tailed fox stretching its tails, but with more tails than a nine-tailed fox. Hundreds of Heavenly River branches surged towards various parts of the Southern Extremity Heavens. Large river-crossing ships followed these tributaries directly into the Southern Extremity Heavens. The river water extinguished the raging fires of the Southern Extremity Heavens, and countless gods and devils of the Southern Extremity Heavens were tragically slaughtered. This was a one-sided massacre. The Celestial Heavens' war machine had activated; taking down the Southern Extremity Heavens among the Four Extremity Heavens was effortless! This was the Celestial Heavens' million-year accumulated power!

Dozens more Heavenly River branches surged towards Qin Mu's front, with large river-crossing ships descending from the sky, heading towards the area with the most intense light and flames in the Southern Extremity Heavens.

Qin Mu withdrew his gaze.

Finally, the imperial carriage arrived at the Southern Extremity Restricted Zone.

Ahead, the great dao's luminous mists billowed, appearing from afar like a colossal altar of flames rising on the horizon. It wasn't an altar, but a spectacle formed by the mists of the great dao. Above, the great dao's luminous mists formed a colossal bird's nest-like structure. From a distance, the mists billowed with holy fire blazing, seeming to form the shape of a Vermilion Bird spreading its wings.

When the Celestial Dragon Imperial Carriage arrived, it felt scorching heat. The temperature was so high that even these six Celestial Dragons of the Jade Capital realm dared not approach. However, the temperature here had already dropped significantly because the Heavenly River Navy had just arrived, with thirty-six wide Heavenly River branches flowing into the Southern Extremity Heavens' restricted zone. The Heavenly River Navy mobilized the power of the Heavenly River to suppress this great dao restricted zone. Numerous large river-crossing ships had already sailed into the restricted zone, pursuing the gods and devils of the Southern Extremity Heavens who had fled there.

Quite a few gods and devils had hidden in the Southern Extremity Heavens' restricted zone. Born in the Southern Extremity Heavens, they relied on geographical advantages and bloodline superiority to contend with the Celestial Heavens' Heavenly River Navy, resulting in extremely fierce battles. Dragon Qilin drove the carriage forward, entering the luminous mists of the great dao in the Southern Extremity Heavens. The Four Ancient God Emperors of the Four Extremity Heavens held their birthplaces in extremely high regard, never easily revealing them to others. Qin Mu had visited the Eastern, Western, and Northern Extremities, but he had never seen the birthplaces of those three ancient god emperors. Even for the seemingly simple and lovable Western Emperor, he had never seen the restricted zone where she was born. The Four Ancient God Emperors kept their birthplaces hidden because these restricted zones contained the great dao rules that gave birth to them. They had to guard them carefully to prevent others from thoroughly researching them and finding their weaknesses. However, at this moment, this Southern Extremity Restricted Zone had appeared, and even from outside, Qin Mu and the others could feel terrifying great dao pulsations emanating from within the Southern Extremity Restricted Zone!

The six celestial dragons pulled the imperial carriage into this restricted zone, proceeding cautiously and unconsciously slowing down. The temperature here was extremely high, and the luminous mists were even more dangerous. From the outside, the restricted zone resembled an altar composed of luminous mists, but upon entering, they discovered a hidden realm. The great dao's luminous mists that formed the restricted zone created mountain ranges tens of thousands of miles long. The contours of these mountains formed natural, incredibly complex runes, while more intricate great dao mists formed different textures, embedded on the mountain bodies, the ground, and even in the air. These great dao mists and natural dao patterns were extremely dangerous. Even the natives of the Southern Extremity Heavens had to be careful, otherwise they were highly likely to trigger the dao's might. The power of the ancient gods originated from the power of the great dao, and within this restricted zone, the great dao had almost materialized!

Ahead, the Heavenly River Navy cleared the path. Powerful gods and devils wielded the Heavenly River, with its currents suppressing the flames and the mountain ranges formed by the great dao's luminous mists. From the large river-crossing ships, thousands of divine soldiers continuously flew up, suppressing the area. Qin Mu's Celestial Dragon Imperial Carriage followed behind, encountering few dangers as it proceeded. They saw more and more river-crossing ships in the sky. Continuously, some ships suddenly burst into blazing dao flames, their gods and devils burning into fire-beings, scurrying wildly on the decks, screaming in agony. They had touched the great dao's luminous mists here, triggering the dao's might. If they couldn't suppress the great dao's luminous mists here, they would suffer a backlash. Not only was the Heavenly River Navy here, but also rebels from the Southern Extremity Heavens. These rebels launched sneak attacks, even deliberately provoking the dao's might, intending to perish together with the Heavenly River Navy.

The Celestial Dragon Imperial Carriage followed the Heavenly River's advance. Although the soldiers on the river-crossing ships in the sky saw them, no one questioned them. It seemed a general had given orders not to obstruct their entry into the Southern Extremity Restricted Zone.

"Ahead is the dao fire zone! Everyone halt!" A divine being from the Heavenly River Navy stood at the bow of a ship, loudly issuing orders, shouting, "Force the rebels into the dao fire!"

Countless divine soldiers flew from the large river-crossing ships, pressing forward against the rebels. There were many gods and devils from the Southern Extremity Heavens, numbering over ten thousand, but they couldn't withstand the crushing force of the Heavenly River Navy and were forced to venture deeper into the restricted zone. The Celestial Dragon Imperial Carriage stopped. Qin Mu, Yan'er, and Dragon Qilin looked ahead, seeing the ten thousand-plus individuals rush towards the dao fire zone. One by one, they suddenly ignited, their forms and spirits annihilated, all turning to ash without exception!

"Heavenly Venerate Mu!" The divine being, looking down from his elevated position, called out loudly, "Our Heavenly River Navy is about to withdraw. The Heavenly River will no longer suppress this area, so please be careful, Heavenly Venerate!"

Qin Mu nodded. The divine being ordered the retreat. One by one, the Heavenly River branches rapidly contracted, their waves sweeping the large river-crossing ships out of the restricted zone. That divine being's ship, suppressing the dao's might of the restricted zone, remained at the rear. "Heavenly Venerate, the dao fire has nine heavens. This is only the first heaven. The deeper you go, the more dangerous it becomes. Please take care, Heavenly Venerate!" The divine being waved his sleeve, and the last Heavenly River branch receded.

Qin Mu stepped down from the imperial carriage and said in a deep voice, "Yan'er, Fatty Dragon, you two come with me. Leave the imperial carriage here. Yan'er, use your lantern to suppress the dao fire."

Yan'er held the lantern, guarding them as they advanced, while the Celestial Dragon Imperial Carriage remained in place. Ahead, the dao fire blazed intensely, the temperature rising steadily. The flames twisted the void, and layer upon layer of void melted. Qin Mu inadvertently looked back and couldn't help but marvel.

Looking outward from within the flames of the Southern Extremity Restricted Zone, the Southern Extremity Heavens appeared like a twisted ring, the entirety of it visible to the eye. This was the first heaven of the restricted zone's dao fire, easily handled by Heavenly Venerate Yue's lantern. Upon reaching the second heaven of dao fire, Qin Mu looked behind him and saw that the myriad stars of the Southern Sky of the universe and its many constellations had also transformed into a ring, hanging outside the restricted zone, becoming another layer of heavens outside the Southern Extremity Heavens.

Upon reaching the third heaven, an even more miraculous sight appeared: Qin Mu actually saw the Primordial Realm and the myriad worlds of the heavens transform into a third ring, hanging outside the restricted zone! And the fourth heaven of dao fire was Heavenly Duke's Xuandu, which had become the fourth heaven! Youdu was the fifth heaven of dao fire, forming a dark halo. The Returning Ruins was the sixth heaven of dao fire. Youdu was dark, while the Returning Ruins was black, without any light. Upon reaching the seventh heaven, it was the Celestial Heavens, an incomparably bright and dazzling halo. The eighth heaven of dao fire comprised the other three Extremities of the Four Extremity Heavens, like three small bright rings hanging on a larger ring.

The lantern in Yan'er's hand suddenly flared up. Even Heavenly Venerate Yue's refined lantern couldn't last much longer here! Qin Mu looked ahead. They had already reached the periphery of the ninth heaven of dao fire! Just then, the power of this great dao restricted zone diminished significantly. The flames on the lantern gradually extinguished, and a violent gust of wind blew towards them, fluttering their clothes!

Qin Mu looked up and saw a magnificent palace descending from the sky. The palace was covered in talismans, with various runes resembling countless locks, sealing the grand hall!

The Perfumed Palace had arrived.

From within the flames of the ninth heaven of dao fire, a towering figure stood. He turned his head and said calmly, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, you are too late. The Southern Emperor has already fallen."