Chapter 1093: Ah, This Is the Mortal World

Qin Mu, once more assuming the appearance of Mu Qing, walked swiftly along the Celestial River. The Dragon Han era, at its most magnificent, was beginning its decline.

He gazed down at the Primordial Realm, observing numerous divine kingdoms below. Powerful demigods were overthrowing the statues of the ancient gods. These colossal statues symbolized the ancient gods' power and authority. They were immense and majestic; some were carved directly from entire sacred mountains, while others were crafted with divine gold and iron in a display of extreme opulence.

In past years, common folk of all races would come to worship and offer sacrifices, presenting jewels and even their children to the ancient gods, who wielded supreme power. They prayed for favorable weather and protection from calamities. Now, with the ancient gods gone and the Celestial Heavens' power vacuum, demigods had seized the opportunity to rise and usurp control. The ancient gods became "old gods," their statues overthrown, and their altars shattered.

Yet, Qin Mu also observed that after destroying the ancient gods' statues and altars, these powerful demigods enslaved the common people of all races, forcing them into grueling labor, and then erected new altars in the very same spots. Upon these new altars, statues of the powerful demigods were erected.

Qin Mu unconsciously descended from the Celestial River, drawing ever closer to the mortal realm. As he surveyed the landscape, he saw everywhere the same pattern: old gods replaced by new ones. Yet, the common people of all races remained enslaved, their lives no better than before. The newly powerful deities celebrated their victory and ascent with great revelry, enjoying the beauties and delicacies offered by the common folk, surrounded by mountains of treasure. They feasted and drank in decadent abundance, laughing loudly and joyfully. Meanwhile, at the feet of these towering figures, hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of ordinary mortals lay prostrate, trembling, their heads bowed low, kowtowing incessantly.

"Ah, this is the mortal world," he realized. Only then did Qin Mu truly grasp it. When he had previously walked on the Celestial River, he had been too high, seen too far, and failed to observe the suffering of the beings in the Primordial Realm. Yes, this was the mortal world. He had just realized this: people had neither cast off the "gods" in their hearts, nor the "gods" in their temples, nor the high-and-mighty new and old deities.

Power, once unleashed, is difficult to contain again. Once servitude is awakened, it's hard for backs and knees to ever straighten again. Why, despite the Heavenly Emperor being eradicated and the ancient gods' rule overthrown, had people's lives not changed? Why did they remain as numb as before? Why had the old gods left this world, only for a new generation of gods to emerge? Shouldn't all this have changed by now? Was this Dragon Han Revolution, then, entirely unrelated to mortals?

"Yes, this Dragon Han Revolution is far from successful," he mused. "It has only removed the Heavenly Emperor and the ancient gods, merely replacing the original ruling class with a new set of rulers. The Dragon Han Revolution is a sham, a hypocrisy."

He felt a sense of bewilderment, murmuring, "Yun Tianzun, do you see this? You must not live too high and too far. If you are too high and too far, you will not see the suffering of the common people. You will lose the motivation to advance, and you will forget your true heart and original aspirations."

He walked among the towering divine mountains of the Primordial Realm, observing the jubilant ancient gods and the common people, whose suffering remained unchanged. From the Dragon Han era to the Crimson Light, from the Supreme Emperor to the Founding Emperor, and then to Yankang — the goal for which generations of virtuous and dedicated individuals had struggled was not personal power, status, or wealth. It was the purest belief: to break the "gods" in one's heart and the "gods" in the temples.

As night descended, a shroud of darkness enveloped the Primordial Realm. His heart surged with emotion. Carrying a lantern, he walked through the night, a strange feeling swelling within him, like the turbulent waters of the Celestial River. He was like a traveler carrying a lantern, stepping into the dark history of antiquity, searching for the footsteps left by past sages and the spirit they embodied, like candlelight flickering in the deep night. It was a spirit etched into the bloodline of ordinary people—simple yet inspiring—that could bring tears to one's eyes and make one's blood boil upon encountering it. Their pure and simple spirit was deeply etched into the dark canvas of history. When future travelers enter the dark corridors of history with lanterns, their light illuminates the gloom, and the spirits of these forebears shine like constellations, inspiring later generations.

Qin Mu did not stop. In the darkness, the prolonged roars of ancient gods and demons echoed, and the distant divine mountains appeared like colossal beasts crouching in the gloom. In the darkness, a demigod noticed him and cried out, "Heavenly Venerable Mu—"

Qin Mu was startled, only then recalling that he still bore the face of Mu Qing. He evaded the demigods attempting to hunt him, transforming his appearance to resemble one of them. He journeyed from night into dawn, and from day into night, gradually nearing human territory.

One morning, he arrived at the human territory of the Dragon Han era. Sunlight poured down, illuminating his dust-covered face. He smiled, seeing people cultivating in the fields, a nearby village, and some powerful practitioners teaching children how to unlock their divine treasures and become martial artists. In the distance, human cities thrived, and industrious caravans had already set out, planning to travel to nearby cities of other post-celestial races to trade goods. A sense of peace pervaded the area. Wisps of cooking smoke rose from the villages, and people lived and worked in contentment. Qin Mu put away his lantern, smiled, and walked forward into the rising sun.

Suddenly, the sky shook violently. People looked up in panic, staring blankly at the heavens. Qin Mu gazed upward and saw the tilted Celestial River, resembling an unimaginably vast white python suspended in the sky, violently shaking and plummeting towards the Primordial Realm!

"The Celestial River's course has changed..."

Qin Mu felt a surge of bewilderment. The Celestial River originally flowed from Xuan Du to the Four Extreme Heavens, then from the East Extreme Heaven to the Primordial Realm, passing through the Celestial Heavens before entering the sky of the Primordial Realm. Many branches of the great river traversed the various heavens within the Primordial Realm, then flowed out and converged once more. This cosmic river flowed through the Primordial Realm's sky, then cut into Youdu to become the Nether River, finally pouring into Guixu. But now, with the Celestial Heavens' ascent, the Celestial River's course had been altered!

The Celestial River was now plummeting from the sky, about to crash onto the earth. The Celestial River, once it reached the ground, would become the Surging River of later eras! However, the plummeting Celestial River threatened to unleash utter devastation upon the people living below! A cataclysmic flood, sweeping across the land, would obliterate everything in its path!

Without a moment's hesitation, Qin Mu let out a thunderous roar. His physical body rapidly swelled, instantly transforming into a three-headed, six-armed being with a musculature tens of thousands of feet tall. He leaped skyward to meet the plummeting Celestial River. The Celestial River crashed onto him, an immense force pressing down on his shoulders. Qin Mu unleashed his vital qi, which enveloped thousands of miles of the Celestial River as he desperately tried to prevent this section from falling. However, the Celestial River, now unbound from its celestial constraints, exerted its full weight, causing his bones and muscles to creak loudly. It bent his spine and continuously forced his body downward towards the ground. Qin Mu roared with immense effort, muscles swelling beneath his skin, his great sinews tightening further. His six arms bore the Celestial River, like a colossal giant carrying the sky on his back, as his skin began to rupture in places.

Suddenly, from the human territory, numerous human divine beings surged skyward, each bearing a segment of the Celestial River. Their ascending forms appeared like streaks of flowing light. Qin Mu's burden significantly eased, but even with the human divine beings' assistance, bearing the immense weight of the Celestial River remained a struggle. The great river continued to press down, forcing them all to descend towards the Primordial Realm's ground.

Finally, Qin Mu's feet landed on the ground, sinking deep into the earth. He roared at the stunned onlookers, "Quickly, run—!"