Chapter 1148: 利益均分

Qin Mu was filled with an unparalleled sense of absurdity and strangeness. He looked around at the Celestial Venerables in the carriage, their familiar faces suddenly seeming unfamiliar again.

"Xiao is the Celestial Emperor, and Qiang is the Supreme Emperor," he thought. "No wonder she's so close to Celestial Venerable Gong, who must be Gong Yun. These three's true identities are now confirmed."

"But what about Celestial Venerable Hong and Celestial Empress Yan?"

His mind reeled. Was Celestial Empress Yan the Empress or Mother Earth?

She was likely one of the Empress's sisters, noble and aloof, most probably the Empress herself. So, who was Celestial Venerable Hong then?

"Back then, when the Supreme Emperor was trapped and killed by Celestial Venerable Yun in the Great Void, Great Hong flew to Skymount Heavenly Court, intending to destroy it for revenge. I blocked Great Hong, using the supreme divine consciousness domain researched by Celestial Venerables Yun and Ling to contend with him."

Qin Mu focused inwardly, thinking, "That time, I almost died, but I also forced Great Hong to be injured and retreat. Later, when I went to the era of the Dragon Han Heavenly Court's division 600,000 years ago – the very time Celestial Venerable Yun ambushed the Ancient God Celestial Emperor, leading to his demise – I sought Celestial Venerable Gong for healing. She told me that Great Hong was dead; someone had taken advantage of his injury to kill him and erase his divine consciousness."

"It must have been then that someone used Great Hong's corpse to walk among the living, replacing the Supreme Emperor as Great Hong, and becoming the Celestial Venerable Hong of later generations."

"As for the Supreme Emperor, she must have used her divine consciousness's Great Overarching Heaven, splitting off a part of it to descend into the world, transforming into Celestial Empress Qiang and becoming a member of the Celestial Emperor's harem."

Qin Mu opened his eyes. "So, who exactly is Great Hong? Why did he ask me for an IOU for a favor? And where did Mother Earth go? Who did she become? She must be in the Heavenly Court. If not among the Ten Celestial Venerables, then where is she hiding?"

"Now that the Ancestral Court has appeared, Mother Earth, as one of the oldest ancient gods, should also go, right?"

Suddenly, the treasure carriage halted.

"Celestial Venerables, we've reached the great rift!" a celestial dragon's voice came from outside.

Everyone stood up and stepped out of the treasure carriage. They saw that Celestial Venerable Hao's carriage had also arrived and stopped. Celestial Venerable Hao, Divine Emperor Lang Xuan, and Ancestral God King were looking towards the great rift.

The rift was almost as wide as the Heavenly Court itself, dyed scarlet with blood plasma, a sight of unspeakable horror!

Looking into the Ancestral Court from their vantage point, they could see numerous gigantic exotic beasts, clinging to the rift like spiders, trying to tear it wider and break the seal.

They were void beasts, countless in number, swarming densely.

Simultaneously, huge oval beast eggs continuously fell from the void. Upon landing, they immediately transformed into smaller void beasts.

Although these void beasts had just hatched, they scurried like lightning upon birth, growing larger with the wind. They quickly climbed high mountains, then leaped, spreading their six limbs. The membranes between their legs unfurled with a whoosh, and they vibrated their fleshy wings, flying towards the rift.

A single adult void beast could easily slaughter an army of hundreds of gods and demons. If so many void beasts poured out of the Ancestral Court, it would undoubtedly be a catastrophic disaster for all the heavens and myriad worlds!

Qin Mu looked at Celestial Empress Qiang, who was still chatting and laughing with Celestial Venerable Gong.

"They are all Creators," Qin Mu thought. "The Supreme Emperor wants to enter the Ancestral Court and release all the void beasts, while Celestial Venerable Gong has deep feelings for the Ancestral Court, as it is, after all, the ancestral land of the Creators."

Qin Mu thought, "They all want to break the Ancestral Court's seal, but their goals differ. The ancient gods, such as Celestial Emperor Xiao and the Empress's sisters, aim to re-seal the Ancestral Court; perhaps the Empress's sisters don't think so, but Celestial Emperor Xiao certainly does. As for Celestial Venerable Hao, Celestial Venerable Lang, and Ancestral God King, they want to enter the Ancestral Court to obtain precious treasures, or even monopolize it!"

He smiled, but when his gaze fell on Celestial Venerable Hong, his smile froze.

He couldn't understand what the old man was trying to do.

Upon reflection, Celestial Venerable Hong seemed to have done everything, yet also nothing at all.

Among the Ten Celestial Venerables of the Heavenly Court, this Celestial Venerable seemed to merely be going through the motions. When the Celestial Emperor's egg was stolen, he appeared and did little more than make an appearance. When the Void Bridge was discovered in the Great Void, the old man happily trotted over and similarly went through the motions.

Even when the West Emperor White Tiger attempted to seize his divine weapon, the Heaven-Suppressing Venerable, he appeared, asked Qin Mu for an IOU, and then happily withdrew after his token appearance.

Now, with the appearance of the Ancestral Court, he had also happily trotted over, appearing to have no personal stake and merely watching the show.

Qin Mu blinked. Celestial Venerable Hong noticed his gaze, quickly approached, and held an IOU in his hand.

Qin Mu's face darkened, and he stammered, "I know, I remember. Fellow Daoist Hong, you don't need to bring that out every time you see me."

Celestial Venerable Hong put away the IOU and chuckled, "Aren't I just afraid you'll forget?"

Qin Mu's face was grim, wishing to keep his distance, but Celestial Venerable Hong drew closer, observing the Ancestral Court across the great rift. He cheerfully remarked, "It's really terrifying in there... When we divide the spoils later, it would be better if our territories are close."

Qin Mu glanced at him and, as if by some strange impulse, silently nodded.

"With the Ancestral Court's appearance this time, it's no longer possible to seal it," Celestial Venerable Hao, who clearly also understood the Ancestral Court, said. "This Ancestral Court was sealed in the Primordial Era, during the Dark Age, by all the ancient gods and the powerful demigods of that time, working together. Now that the Heavenly Court's seal is broken, many of the ancient gods from back then have died, and many of the demigods are gone. Therefore, it cannot be sealed again."

He looked at Ancestral God King and Divine Emperor Lang Xuan, asking, "Both of you are from that era and know a great deal. Am I correct?"

Divine Emperor Lang Xuan politely replied, "Celestial Venerable Hao is correct."

Ancestral God King chuckled, "I was born later and didn't experience the Dark Age, but I heard my old man talk about it. He said there was great terror in the Ancestral Court, so the Celestial Emperor, for the sake of all living beings, led all the gods and demigods to seal it. The people from back then no longer exist, so it's impossible to maintain the seal as it was."

Celestial Empress Yan said, "So Celestial Venerable Mu's proposal for an equal division of benefits is still feasible."

Many gazes fell simultaneously on Qin Mu.

Ancestral God King snorted coldly, "You brat, you want to divide things equally with us? What strength do you have?"

Qin Mu said indifferently, "Son of Heaven Duke, you should at least call me senior brother. I am the only one who can enter the Ancestral Court. Without me, you can only stare at it and drool!"

Ancestral God King was furious and gave him a murderous glance. He immediately flew towards the Ancestral Court rift, sneering, "What's so hard about getting in?"

He rushed into the rift.

Celestial Venerable Hong whispered, "Fellow Daoist Mu, if he manages to get in, then we won't divide it equally with you."

Qin Mu's eyelid twitched as he nervously watched Ancestral God King's figure.

In the rift, Ancestral God King moved further and further away from them, but his steps grew slower and slower, as if he were bearing boundless, ever-increasing pressure!

He struggled with each step, feeling as if the Primordial Realm, the Four Extreme Heavens, Xuandu, Youdu, Guixu, and the Celestial River were all pressing down on him!

Not only that, but numerous Dao patterns appeared around him, transforming into ancient divine figures that became increasingly clear as he delved deeper!

Faintly, one could even vaguely see the backs of gigantic worlds gradually appearing!

Ancestral God King roared and retreated. After a moment, he reappeared before everyone, his face ashen, and said coldly, "Equal division of benefits? I have no objections!"

Qin Mu chuckled, "Nephew Zu..."

"Pah!"

Ancestral God King nearly spat in his face and angrily retorted, "Just now you wanted me to call you senior brother, and now you call me nephew? Your seniority rises quickly!"