Chapter 1044: Divine Power Completion, Ghost Ship Crossing

Six Celestial Dragons pulled the treasured carriage, speeding across the Yong River. Inside, Qin Mu sat and took out Celestial Venerable Ling's hairpin. He activated its power, and instantly, the river water surged violently, as if a giant beast was churning beneath its surface.

Suddenly, the sky grew dim, becoming progressively darker. In the heart of the river, it seemed there was a monster capable of devouring everything.

The six Celestial Dragons, pulling the carriage, were filled with dread as they sped across the dark river. Just then, a tall mast with a sail suddenly broke through the river surface ahead. The mast cut through the water, parting it into two large waves!

The six Celestial Dragons, pulling the carriage, sped past the mast. Dragon Qilin cracked his whip into the air, forcing them to run faster and faster.

The ship beneath the river surface was also extremely fast, and more and more of its masts surfaced. Several other masts burst out of the river, far apart from each other.

The ship speeding through the river water beneath the surface was incredibly massive!

Suddenly, with a thunderous roar, the ancient battleship leaped out of the riverbed, bringing with it a torrent of water. Water poured like a waterfall from its deck, crashing onto the river surface.

Countless black lights and dark mists, like chains, crisscrossed around the massive ship, centered on it. Soul-stirring roars emanated from within the vessel!

Crack—

Dragon Qilin cracked his whip. The Celestial Dragons, startled, charged into the black lights and dark mists surrounding the huge ship.

The instant the Celestial Dragon carriage entered the ghost ship's enveloped area, the ghost ship sank back into the water. Dazzling light burst forth, and the ship vanished from the Yong River.

The six Celestial Dragons, pulling the carriage, swiftly stopped, skidding across the wide deck for tens of miles before finally coming to a halt.

Qin Mu stood up, pulling back the bead curtain. Outside was complete darkness; only massive black coffins stood quietly around the Celestial Dragon carriage.

There were a great many of these coffins, and the Celestial Dragons had continuously dodged while pulling the carriage to avoid them.

"Junior Brother, you are late!" a voice called out, though no one was visible. "I have assimilated with this ship, becoming invisible. If you cannot break Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, you will be unable to rescue us."

The six Celestial Dragons, Yan'er, and Dragon Qilin quickly looked in the direction of the voice but saw no one, as if an invisible person was hidden there.

However, when they closed their eyes, they sensed people all around them, tens of thousands of them!

Qin Mu stepped down from the carriage, gripped the hairpin, and sharply sliced through the air. The surrounding darkness parted, revealing light. Numerous towering figures stood on the ghost ship's deck!

The cultivation of those gods and devils was extremely powerful; they were precisely the Feathered Forest Army of the ancient era!

They surrounded a middle-aged man, who was Wei Suifeng, formerly the commander of the Feathered Forest Army and master of the military tally, and now the Emperor of Yunluo Heavenly Palace!

The Feathered Forest Army soldiers realized they could see each other and themselves, and each let out a cheer.

Wei Suifeng looked at his own hands, then at the soldiers around him, filled with both surprise and joy. "Junior Brother, can you now undo Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art?" he asked.

Qin Mu shook his head. "I have only temporarily helped you emerge from your invisible state, but I still cannot break Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art and free you from your symbiotic state with the ghost ship."

Suddenly, a phoenix cry resonated. A fire phoenix flapped its wings and flew up from the rear of the ghost ship, carrying a massive stone coffin on its back. It flew to the deck, landed, transformed into a woman, and set the stone coffin down. This was Feng Qiuyun, the handmaiden of Earth Mother Yuanjun and the patriarch of the Phoenix Clan in the Primordial Realm.

She had come to the ghost ship by order of Earth Mother Yuanjun, bringing the corpse of the Supreme Emperor from the stone coffin, and had since been trapped here. Neither she, a grand master of the Numinous Sky realm, nor the Supreme Emperor's corpse demon in the stone coffin, had escaped assimilation by the ghost ship.

"Heavenly Venerable Mu!" Feng Qiuyun exclaimed, looking at Qin Mu, then at the Celestial Dragon carriage. She hurriedly asked, "How many years have passed outside? And what about Earth Mother?"

"Earth Mother is dead," Qin Mu said. "The Primordial Realm has fallen into the hands of Heavenly Venerable Hao."

Feng Qiuyun was devastated and distraught.

Wei Suifeng sighed. "Have you visited all the geographical maps I left for you? Since you currently cannot break Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, know that among the maps I left, there's a place that is Celestial Venerable Ling's former residence. It hides some of her notes on the Unchanging Divine Art, which I stole from the Heavenly Court. If you find that place, you might be able to use her notes to break her Unchanging Divine Art."

Qin Mu's heart stirred slightly. He took out some maps and asked, "Which geographical map is it?"

Wei Suifeng stepped forward, picked out one map, and said, "It's this one. But speaking of this is useless now. You will also be trapped here and unable to leave the ghost ship. You will be assimilated by the ghost ship..."

Qin Mu smiled. "Although I cannot break Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, I have comprehended a part of the Unchanging Divine Art and can also control some Unchanging matter."

Wei Suifeng frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Qin Mu put away the map and said, "I want to team up with you to jointly activate this ship, to awaken Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, and use this ship to return to ancient times!"

Wei Suifeng frowned deeply. "Although I also understand a part of the Unchanging Divine Art, what I grasp are only fragments," he said. "What I have comprehended is no more than what you have."

"Don't we still have this ghost ship?" Qin Mu's eyes shone brightly. "The ghost ship is also Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, but it's not the complete Unchanging Divine Art; it's only a rudimentary form. If you and I can make up for its shortcomings, we can turn this ship into Unchanging matter, allowing it to travel through various eras, no longer confined by samsara."

Wei Suifeng's eyes lit up. He paced back and forth, saying, "There is indeed such a possibility. This ship travels through thirty-six cycles of samsara, encompassing thirty-six eras. Each grand cycle is a material reset. If we complete the missing parts of Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, it is indeed possible to turn it into a complete divine art."

He looked up, his eyes flickering, and asked, "So, Junior Brother, what exactly is the purpose of your visit this time?"

"I want to go back to the past," Qin Mu said.

Wei Suifeng chuckled. "How simple is it for you to return to the past? Celestial Venerable Ling has already transformed into Unchanging matter at the source of the Yong River. She will turn into a mist to allow you to go back. If you return to the Yong River's source, as long as the mist appears, you might be able to return to the past."

He couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "Celestial Venerable Ling is the mist in the river. When the mist arrives, it means she is by your side, only you cannot see her. Each time, she takes you back to the past, allowing you to witness historical events, and you, in turn, become a part of history."

Qin Mu shook his head. "Each time she took me, it was to an era she wanted me to visit. This time, I want to choose some eras myself."

Wei Suifeng looked at him and said in a deep voice, "You want to change history? Junior Brother, I advise you not to undertake such futile efforts. When you try to change history, you will find that what you do *is* history. You are merely a figure within history, a confirmed fact. I have a deeper understanding of this than you do."

Qin Mu smiled. "You seized my opportunities and stayed in the Dragon Han era for several millennia. You owe me. Will you help me or not?"

"Of course I'll help you. However..." Wei Suifeng hesitated, then said, "If the ghost ship's divine art is completed, I might never be able to leave this ship again. Because..."

He gave a bitter smile. "I am already a part of this ship," he said.

Qin Mu understood his words. Going through a complete grand cycle of samsara on this ship would cause one to merge with the ghost ship, becoming a part of it and turning invisible, just like the Feathered Forest Army soldiers on board.

Wei Suifeng had been on the ghost ship for a long time, having experienced countless cycles of samsara, and had merged with the ghost ship.

The ghost ship, combined with Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, had become a part of her divine art. This meant that everyone on the ghost ship, except for Qin Mu and his companions who had just arrived, had already become part of Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art!

The divine art Celestial Venerable Ling used to trap the ghost ship was incomplete, making it relatively easy to break.

If Qin Mu and Wei Suifeng were to complete this divine art to its perfect state, then Wei Suifeng and the others would become a part of this perfect divine art, transforming into Unchanging matter flowing within the Yong River!

To break Celestial Venerable Ling's perfect divine art would be almost impossible!

The physical body of the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor was still trapped within Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, unable to escape!

Therefore, Wei Suifeng was very concerned, fearing they would never be able to leave the ghost ship again.

"So, Senior Brother, will you help me?" Qin Mu asked.

Wei Suifeng looked into his eyes; Qin Mu's eyes were clear and bright.

"Junior Brother, are you a Hegemon Body?""Yes.""Did you survive the Eternal Peace Calamity?""Yes.""Did you go to Heavenly Court and become Heavenly Venerable Mu?""Yes.""Have you been to the Great Void?""Yes.""Did you see the corpse of the Grand Emperor?""Yes.""Did you retrieve Celestial Venerable Yun's body?""Yes.""Did you meet the Founding Emperor and find Carefree Village?""Yes."

"I'll help you!" Wei Suifeng burst into laughter and extended his hand. "These are all things I have experienced, but things I failed to accomplish! You achieved them; your ability surpasses mine! I cannot break Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, but you surely can!"

Qin Mu extended his hand, and their palms met with a resounding clasp.

"When brothers are of one mind, their sharp edges can cut through metal!" Qin Mu took out the peach wood hairpin and opened his palm. The hairpin spun in his palm before he withdrew his hand, leaving it floating between the two of them.

Qin Mu activated the incomplete Unchanging Divine Art he had comprehended. All his magic power erupted, and immediately, his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure surged forth, enveloping the ghost ship!

Feng Qiuyun's eyes flickered, and she fiercely gritted her teeth, pouncing towards the two of them. At the same time, the stone coffin burst open, and the corpse demon, transformed from the Supreme Emperor, flew out of the coffin, its corpse qi surging. Feng Qiuyun and the corpse demon teamed up, attacking the two.

"I knew you'd do this, Feng Qiuyun! You wouldn't want to become part of the complete Unchanging Divine Art, so you were bound to come and stop us." Wei Suifeng burst into laughter, spread his fingers, and clapped his hand backward. Feng Qiuyun shrieked and was frozen in mid-air, involuntarily revealing her true form as a fire phoenix, unable to move.

The cloak behind Wei Suifeng flared out, and with a whoosh, it flew up. Whistling, it wrapped around the corpse demon that was the Supreme Emperor, wrapping it tightly into a large bundle, and with a thump, sending it flying back into the stone coffin.

The stone coffin slammed shut.

Wei Suifeng raised his hand and waved, and the stone coffin flew up and out of the ship.

The stone coffin reached the black mist outside the ship and suddenly vanished. The next moment, it reappeared on the deck. However, a teleportation gate had appeared on the deck, precisely where the stone coffin had emerged.

Once the stone coffin entered the teleportation gate, it was sent back into the black mist, then reappeared in the gate, repeatedly appearing and disappearing in and out of the gate.

"Junior Brother, I could play with this for a hundred years and not get bored," Wei Suifeng laughed.

"Senior Brother, let's begin!" Qin Mu said in a deep voice.

Wei Suifeng's divine art erupted; he also unleashed the Unchanging Divine Art he had comprehended. Qin Mu's vital qi and divine consciousness surged directly into Celestial Venerable Ling's peach wood hairpin.

At this moment, the ghost ship was enveloped in a brilliant light and began its journey, crossing through cycles of samsara.

The divine arts of both men and the divine art within the peach wood hairpin erupted simultaneously, merging with the light. The ghost ship, left by Celestial Venerable Ling, absorbed their divine arts, violently shaking. Dragon Qilin, Yan'er, and the six Celestial Dragons' expressions changed drastically as they hurriedly lay down, gripping the deck's crevices.

The ghost ship's shaking became increasingly violent, and the light outside grew brighter. Suddenly, the ghost ship jolted to a stop, as if it had fallen from a great height and slammed onto the river surface.

The light vanished. At some unknown point, thick mist had enveloped the river surface. The ghost ship sailed silently through the mist, and the sound of water could be heard.

"Junior Brother, you've visited all the geographical maps I left for you, right?" Wei Suifeng lay on the deck, panting, and asked Qin Mu, who was beside him.

Qin Mu lay beside him and chuckled. "I've been to most of them. Some places were very interesting, while others were extremely dangerous."

"You should visit all of them; the places I went to were all quite good." Wei Suifeng sat up, watched the mist gradually dissipate, and chuckled, "You should leave now."

Qin Mu also sat up and nodded.

Wei Suifeng made a grasping motion in the air and saw a massive Ji Po Dragon fly over, carrying a lantern in its mouth. Wei Suifeng took the lantern from its mouth and said, "If you wish to return to the ship, extinguish this lantern."

Qin Mu glanced at the Ji Po Dragon, took the lantern, placed it on the Celestial Dragon carriage, and said in a deep voice, "Fat Dragon, Yan'er, let's go!"

Dragon Qilin readied the Celestial Dragon carriage, which then drove out of the ghost ship. Outside, the Heavenly River flowed. Qin Mu looked back, but the ghost ship had vanished without a trace, obscured by the mist.

"Excuse me, friend!" Just as Qin Mu was about to return to the carriage, he saw a dusty young man traveling on the surface of the Heavenly River. The man stopped the carriage, repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting, and said with a deferential smile, "Excuse me, friend, how does one get to Heavenly Court?"

The young man's attire was simple and ancient, and a streak of red marked his brow. He appeared very strong, his body imbued with powerful energy.

Qin Mu surveyed him, feeling a flicker of suspicion. He then carefully examined his face, and an idea formed in his mind.

He looked around, seeing vast mountains in every direction and a lush Primordial Tree in the distance, supporting the myriad heavens of the Primordial Realm. He immediately chuckled, "This is the Primordial Realm; I've just arrived here myself and intend to go to Heavenly Court. If you don't mind, I can take you there."

"That would be wonderful!" The young man was overjoyed. He climbed into the carriage and chuckled, "My name is Luo Xiao. How should I address you, friend?"