Chapter 1048: Yuntianzun Disappearance Incident

Month Heavenly Venerate was somewhat unconvinced. "I'm sure that's what it means! You're not the real Heavenly Venerate Mu; how do you know I'm overthinking it?"

Qin Mu shook his head, offering no further explanation. The name "Mu Qing" was derived from Qin Mu and Qin Fengqing. At the time, he thought he was Qin Fengqing, but he no longer believed that. Month Heavenly Venerate watched him, her eyes flickering, thinking, "He shouldn't be Heavenly Venerate Yun, he shouldn't be..."

Upon their return to Empyrean Expanse Heavenly Court, Month Heavenly Venerate immediately instructed the human gods to go to Emperor Langxuan's territory to relocate the humans living there. Month Heavenly Venerate then sought out Spirit Heavenly Venerate and found her by the Heavenly River, still engrossed in studying the so-called "Immutability Divine Ability."

"Sister Ling," Month Heavenly Venerate began, "Heavenly Venerate Mu has reached an agreement with Emperor Langxuan. We can now relocate the humans from Emperor Langxuan's territory, and we'll need your help... Have you found your hairpin?" Month Heavenly Venerate asked, surprised, as she looked at the hairpin in Spirit Heavenly Venerate's hair.

Spirit Heavenly Venerate roused herself and reached up to touch her head, indeed finding her hairpin. "I clearly lost it," she puzzled, "how did it reappear?" She took off the hairpin and examined it repeatedly, growing more bewildered. The peach wood hairpin had vanished without a trace, yet now it had inexplicably reappeared, leaving her confused. She then bit the peach wood hairpin to free her hands, twisted her hair into a bun, and reinserted the hairpin. "Month," she mumbled, "what did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly."

Month Heavenly Venerate had to repeat herself. Spirit Heavenly Venerate was somewhat reluctant but, as it was official business, she set aside her research and accompanied her. As the two girls walked past Qin Mu, Spirit Heavenly Venerate asked, "Strange, when did my hairpin appear?"

"How would I know?" Month Heavenly Venerate chuckled. "You don't even know, so of course I wouldn't. Did someone steal it and then secretly return it?"

Qin Mu watched them walk away, feeling perplexed. Two identical substances could not exist in the same space-time simultaneously. Spirit Heavenly Venerate's peach wood hairpin should indeed have vanished, so why had this one reappeared? Considering this, he retrieved the peach wood hairpin hidden in the Qinzhi continent within his glabella. In the distance, Spirit Heavenly Venerate shrieked, her hair disheveled, and cried out in frustration, "Someone stole my hairpin again!"

Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat, and he hastily returned the peach wood hairpin to the Qinzhi continent. Immediately, another hairpin appeared in Spirit Heavenly Venerate's messy hair. Month Heavenly Venerate's voice drifted over: "Isn't it still in your hair?"

Spirit Heavenly Venerate touched the hairpin, then continued to bite it, using her free hands to bun her hair. She mumbled indistinctly, "It just suddenly disappeared. I feel like the material of this hairpin is extremely unstable, quite strange..." From afar, Qin Mu saw this and again took out the hairpin. The hairpin Spirit Heavenly Venerate was biting suddenly vanished into thin air.

Spirit Heavenly Venerate was furious. "Damn it, who did that? Get out here and face your death!"

Month Heavenly Venerate also witnessed the hairpin vanishing from Spirit Heavenly Venerate's mouth and was startled, quickly looking around. Qin Mu hastily put the hairpin back into the Qinzhi continent. Spirit Heavenly Venerate then found the hairpin still in her mouth and paused, stunned. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she murmured, "Immutability of matter, immutability of matter... Could it be that another identical substance appeared and replaced my hairpin? I can calculate the principle behind this!" She squatted down and began drawing and writing on the ground, using the hairpin as a pen.

Month Heavenly Venerate was also startled and looked around nervously, while Qin Mu quickly hid behind the Dragon Qilin. Month Heavenly Venerate couldn't find the person who kept taking and returning the hairpin. Spirit Heavenly Venerate had again fallen into her research frenzy and ignored her, so Month Heavenly Venerate had no choice but to seek out others.

Qin Mu's expression was odd as he thought, "If two identical substances exist in the same world, one will be replaced. This means if I were to return to a time when I already existed, the other me would disappear. Only after I left that world would the other me reappear." He was lost in thought. His vertical eye at the glabella was like another independent space-time, containing the Qinzhi continent, the primordial stone, and the Heavenly Emperor's eggshell, forming a distinct world. When he put the hairpin in there, isolating it from the Dragon Han era's world, Spirit Heavenly Venerate's hairpin would appear. As soon as Qin Mu took the hairpin out, Spirit Heavenly Venerate's hairpin would vanish.

"My vertical eye also contains the corpses of Heavenly Venerate Yun and Consort Yuanmu," he mused. "If I take out Heavenly Venerate Yun's body, will the Heavenly Venerate Yun of this era disappear?" Qin Mu blinked, thinking, "Taking it out for a little while shouldn't matter, right? Maybe I should try it?"

Excited by the idea, he swiftly went to the High Heavens Palace in Empyrean Expanse Heavenly Court, instructing Yan'er and the Dragon Qilin to guard the doors and keep outsiders out. Qin Mu then took out Heavenly Venerate Yun's corpse. The moment this ancient Heavenly Venerate's body appeared inside the High Heavens Palace, in the Heavenly Court outside, Heavenly Venerate Yun, who was speaking with Fire Heavenly Venerate, suddenly became transparent and vanished into thin air under Fire Heavenly Venerate's horrified gaze!

Inside the High Heavens Palace, Heavenly Venerate Yun's corpse slowly opened its eyes, looking around in confusion. "This is... Heavenly Venerate Mu?" he murmured. He saw Qin Mu and was utterly shocked.

Qin Mu excitedly walked around him, thrilled. "It seems this indeed happens! The other Yun disappeared, and his consciousness came into this Yun's body. If this Yun disappears, then the other Yun will reappear. This is the immutability of matter... Heavenly Venerate Yun, we finally meet."

Heavenly Venerate Yun stood up, about to speak, when suddenly Qin Mu's glabella's vertical eye shimmered, and with a whoosh, he was pulled back in. In the Heavenly Court, Fire Heavenly Venerate stared in horror as Heavenly Venerate Yun suddenly reappeared, as if he had seen a ghost, pointing at Heavenly Venerate Yun, unable to utter a word.

Heavenly Venerate Yun's eyes widened with an expression of disbelief. "I just seemed to enter another space-time," he murmured, "as if I had grown much older. I also met an old acquaintance, it was like a dream..."

Fire Heavenly Venerate suppressed his inner turmoil and said, "Brother Yun, you did indeed disappear for a while. Where did you go?" Heavenly Venerate Yun composed himself, pushing the incredible experience out of his mind, and resumed their previous conversation. "Heavenly Venerate Hao is the murderer of Heavenly Venerate Yu. The Heavenly Emperor was manipulating events from behind the scenes. For the Heavenly Emperor, Lan Yutian's reputation was too high; he had to die. Hao is his son, and Hao taking over Lan Yutian's role to gain the support of the postnatal races and demigods is crucial for the Heavenly Emperor's rule. You are a smart person; you should see this. Now, the human race is weak and needs you, a human Heavenly Venerate, to overcome obstacles. Yet, you still follow Hao, which puzzles me."

Fire Heavenly Venerate fell silent. Heavenly Venerate Yun extended his hand, speaking with utmost sincerity. "The human race has no masters, no demigod foundation, no protection or support from the ancient gods. We are born weak; no power of bloodlines flows within us. But we are intelligent, and we can use our intelligence to secure the right to survive for our race. Come to the Primordial Realm and help me."

Fire Heavenly Venerate shook his head. "Brother Yun, do you still not see it?" Heavenly Venerate Yun raised an eyebrow. Fire Heavenly Venerate continued, "After Heavenly Venerate Yu's death, I suddenly understood. For humans to survive, they must cling to powerful authority! The Heavenly Emperor is that authority! Heavenly Venerate Hao is part of that authority, the one with the most promising future! Your struggles in the lower realms are merely a reflection in water; no matter how well you struggle, with a single command from the Heavenly Emperor, the human forces you establish will be annihilated! Heavenly Venerate Hao is different..."

Heavenly Venerate Yun was enraged. "Hao is the murderer of Heavenly Venerate Yu!" he said coldly. "He is the Heavenly Emperor's son, not one of us!"

"He is half-human too!" Fire Heavenly Venerate retorted.

Fire Heavenly Venerate said, "He has ambition and aspirations. Not long ago, he emerged from the shadows. He is both the most esteemed demigod and a human. Only if he gains power can the human race possibly survive. This is the best method I've conceived for the future fate of the human race over more than a thousand years. What you're trying to establish in the lower realms, this so-called Human Heavenly Court, is merely making you another Heavenly Venerate Yu, and sooner or later, you will suffer the same fate as Heavenly Venerate Yu!"

Heavenly Venerate Yun rose, and Fire Heavenly Venerate also stood, their gazes meeting. Fire Heavenly Venerate said in a deep voice, "I also know that the Heavenly Emperor has permitted you to establish a Human Heavenly Court. But what you might not know is that the Heavenly Emperor may also allow Heavenly Venerate Hao to establish a Demigod Heavenly Court, also in the Primordial Realm. Don't you understand the implication?"

Heavenly Venerate Yun's body trembled slightly, his voice a little hoarse. "Is this why you've sided with Heavenly Venerate Hao and are so loyal to him?"

Fire Heavenly Venerate replied, "There are two paths: one with no hope of success, and one with hope of success. I choose the path with hope."

Heavenly Venerate Yun exhaled slowly. "The Demigod Heavenly Court and the Human Heavenly Court will coexist in the Primordial Realm; there will undoubtedly be conflicts in the future. Which side will you choose?"

"I've already said," Fire Heavenly Venerate stated indifferently, "I choose the path with the most hope of success. I align myself with powerful authority. If that authority succeeds, only then will the human race have a chance to survive."

"I understand," Heavenly Venerate Yun said. He nodded, then stood up to leave. "Farewell."

Fire Heavenly Venerate did not see him off. As Heavenly Venerate Yun reached the door, he looked back at his former comrade and said hoarsely, "Fire, you are no longer the person you once were."

Fire Heavenly Venerate's body trembled slightly as he met Heavenly Venerate Yun's gaze. "Since Heavenly Venerate Yu died, I ceased to be the simple and pure Fire Heavenly Venerate I once was. If I am so, are you not also? And You, Month, Spirit—are they not also? After the Transformation of Jade Pool, we all changed."

Heavenly Venerate Yun was silent for a moment, then walked out of Fire Heavenly Venerate's room. His voice, filled with melancholy, drifted back from outside: "Indeed, we all have changed."

Fire Heavenly Venerate watched him depart. From behind a screen, Heavenly Venerate Hao slowly emerged, smiling. "Heavenly Venerate Fire, you did very well."

Fire Heavenly Venerate's body stiffened. He turned around and said blandly, "Those who know the times are heroes. Yun doesn't recognize the times, and he will certainly suffer in the future."

Heavenly Venerate Hao clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at the splendid Heavenly Court outside the window. "Over a thousand years have passed, yet the Transformation of Jade Pool feels as if it just happened. I too have lain sick for over a thousand years, delirious and muddled. Recalling those thousand years, I am filled with emotion." He turned his head to Fire Heavenly Venerate. "Yes, Heavenly Venerate Yu died by my hand. But even if I hadn't acted, he would have died. It wasn't that *I* wanted him dead, but that the Heavenly Emperor wanted him dead. You understand, don't you?"

Fire Heavenly Venerate nodded. "I understand, of course."

Heavenly Venerate Hao continued, "I am a demigod, but I am also human. Both you and I have received blessings from the gods; the divine blessings behind our heads are also a means for the gods to monitor us. But here in the Green Pavilion, you and I can speak freely, without fear of being overheard by His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor or other ancient gods. You are now my confidant. Allow me to introduce someone to you."

As he finished speaking, a woman in palace attire emerged from behind the screen. "This is my mother, Consort Yuanmu!" Heavenly Venerate Hao announced with a smile. "This Green Pavilion is enveloped by my mother's divine ability, so even the divine blessings cannot monitor this place."

Fire Heavenly Venerate bowed respectfully. "This humble commoner greets Her Majesty the Heavenly Empress!"

Consort Yuanmu chuckled. "What a sensible child."

In Empyrean Expanse Heavenly Court, Qin Mu, having put away Heavenly Venerate Yun's corpse, stroked his chin and pondered, "If I were to take out Consort Yuanmu's corpse, would the current Consort Yuanmu also disappear...?" He shook his head, dismissing his curiosity. Just now, when he took out Heavenly Venerate Yun's corpse, Heavenly Venerate Yun's consciousness actually awakened within the body, even able to speak and move. He didn't know if the disappearance of the current Heavenly Venerate Yun's body would lead to terrible consequences, which was why he had quickly put Heavenly Venerate Yun's corpse away. If he were to take out Consort Yuanmu's corpse and the Consort Yuanmu in the Heavenly Court came alive in that body, it would be truly terrifying. "What a pity, I can't try it," he lamented.

"Cult Master!" the Dragon Qilin's voice came from outside the palace. "Luo Xiao is here again, asking if you're still going to the Heavenly Court?"

Qin Mu walked out, smiling. "Of course, I am!" He passed by Yan'er, who was carrying a lantern, her face still clouded with sorrow, still not recovered from the grief of losing her mother. Qin Mu gently comforted her, "Once we reach the Heavenly Court, we'll go to the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace and ask for one of your mother's treasures. When we return, she'll be able to revive." Yan'er's spirits immediately lifted.

At Langxuan Divine Palace, demigods from Emperor Langxuan's territory came one after another to report on the Heavenly Venerates from Empyrean Expanse Heavenly Court coming to relocate humans. Emperor Langxuan issued an order: do not hinder them.

"Divine Emperor, are we just going to let this go?" An elder among the demigods said indignantly, "Those people are our livestock! We demigods have been herding humans for tens of thousands of years. Last time, when Heavenly Venerate Yun came, Your Majesty allowed them to preach to humans, which was already an immense favor. Now they want to take away our livestock! Divine Emperor, can you tolerate this?"

Emperor Langxuan's expression was grim. "Naturally, I cannot tolerate it. However, Heavenly Venerate Mu suddenly appeared. He was bestowed the title of Heavenly Venerate by His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor through his divine abilities, which are unfathomable and leave no trace. I cannot do anything to him. I cannot deal with him, but someone can. I will now submit a memorial to the Heavenly Court, inform the Heavenly Emperor, and have this villain apprehended!"

The leaders of the various demigod races were delighted. They asked, "Then, Divine Emperor, when the human Heavenly Venerates come to ask for their people, do we give them?"

"Yes! Of course!" Emperor Langxuan laughed. "Give them now. Once that scoundrel Mu dies, they will spit them out twofold!"