Chapter 1188: Ancestral Hall Blocking the Door

The many disciples of Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao's sect brightened their eyes. Just moments before, Emperor Human Qi Kang had displayed three Heavenly Palaces, exuding an immense, rainbow-like aura that was undeniably powerful. Yet, Qin Mu's single slap, which buried him into the ground, exposed the burly man's true nature as outwardly strong but inwardly weak.

For the disciples of the Heavenly Court's Ten Heavenly Venerables, cultivating only one Heavenly Palace was considered mediocre talent. Cultivating two or three Heavenly Palaces was merely the entry-level standard.

Many disciples possessed three to five Heavenly Palaces, and some even cultivated over ten.

For the Ten Heavenly Venerables' disciples, obtaining Emperor's Throne level cultivation techniques was not difficult. The Ten Heavenly Venerables had collected as many as two to three hundred types of such techniques.

To reach the Heavenly Court realm, one did not rely on the quantity of Emperor's Throne techniques, but rather their variety. Theoretically, by integrating and mastering thirty-six different systemic Emperor's Throne techniques, unifying them into a single cultivation system, one could achieve the Heavenly Court realm.

However, finding thirty-six different systemic Emperor's Throne techniques was exceedingly difficult, and integrating them was even harder.

“I'll pick an easy one,” a young deity stepped forward and chuckled, “Senior brothers, please let me take him. My abilities aren't great, so he's a perfect match for me.”

As soon as the two began to fight, Gao Huaitong and the other disciples of Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao all changed their expressions. Earlier, Emperor Human Qi Kang had been buried by Qin Mu's single palm, causing them to somewhat underestimate him. However, the combat power he now displayed was astonishing. In his clash with the young deity, he not only held his ground but gained a significant advantage.

Emperor Human Qi Kang followed the path of entering the Dao through martial arts. He cultivated fist techniques, using his own physique as a volcano and his vital qi as its fiery power, fighting with wide, sweeping movements.

Later, after his reincarnation, Qin Mu sent Battle Heavenly Master Zhuo Cha's Battle Heavenly Art to various academies and schools, and the Human Emperor's Palace also received a copy. Furthermore, the First Ancestor Human Emperor opened the Yuming Palace's treasure trove of cultivation techniques, which contained various techniques and divine arts from the Founding Emperor Era. Consequently, Emperor Human Qi Kang and others made rapid progress.

Qi Kang continued along his path of entering the Dao through martial arts. His talent was naturally high, as the Human Emperor's Palace tradition only allowed for one successor per generation. Thus, almost every Human Emperor was the most talented individual of their time.

He was the Village Chief's teacher and guide, and his innate talent was also extremely high. In terms of entering the Dao through martial arts, he had progressed even further than Qin Mu.

His fist techniques, in particular, possessed astonishing explosive power. He forced the young deity to retreat steadily, his primordial spirit shaken and disoriented.

Seeing the unfavorable turn of events, Gao Huaitong made a decisive judgment and stated gravely, “Junior brother, you have already lost. Come down!”

Suddenly, a loud bang resounded. The young deity was struck so hard that blood gushed from his seven orifices, and he collapsed to his knees.

Emperor Human Qi Kang retracted his fist and chuckled, “I won! Old man, it's your turn next. Don't embarrass me!”

Emperor Human Yishan cursed loudly, stepping forward and grumbling, “I'm still your master, you know! What do you mean, 'don't embarrass you'?”

He was short and stout. Although he was Qi Kang's master, his path was completely different from Qi Kang's; he entered the Dao through divine arts.

Yishan stepped onto the battlefield, but instead of immediately challenging Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao's disciples, he looked at Qin Mu, glanced at him disdainfully, and sneered, “Fighting these Heavenly Venerable disciples is boring. If I'm going to fight, I'll fight the strongest. Come down!”

Qin Mu apologized to Gao Huaitong, “My elder has been lacking in discipline. I'll go teach him a lesson first. Please wait a moment, everyone.”

Gao Huaitong and the others exchanged strange looks. “Are they here to block the gate, or to beat up their own elders?”

They then heard Qin Mu roar angrily, “Old man, you're quite arrogant, aren't you? If I don't beat you for three days, you'll start pulling tiles off the roof! Or why don't all you old geezers come at me together? I'll make sure you're all obedient!”

Gao Huaitong and the others looked at each other in dismay.

Over there, Qin Mu moved his hands up and down, and with a single move, 'Grand Luo Celestial Gathering into Perfection,' he nearly flattened Emperor Human Yishan into a two-dimensional sheet hanging in the sky. Only then did Emperor Human Yishan become utterly convinced.

“This short, stout man looks quite weak…”

As everyone watched the disheveled Emperor Human Yishan, a thought simultaneously arose in their minds: “Are they putting on a show? Did this short, stout man deliberately lose to Heavenly Venerable Mu in one move, making us underestimate him, only for him to then unexpectedly unleash his full power to defeat us?”

However, they had misunderstood Qin Mu and the Human Emperors.

Both Yishan and Qi Kang had used their full power when facing Qin Mu. It was not that they were feigning weakness to their opponents, but rather that Qin Mu's strength was simply too terrifying, causing them to be defeated in a single move.

As for challenging Qin Mu before fighting Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao's disciples, it was related to the rules of the Human Emperor's Palace.

The Human Emperor's Palace rules dictated that disciples should not learn their master's cultivation techniques, but rather strive to forge their own distinct path. Moreover, disciples had to become stronger than their masters. Thus, instances of masters tricking disciples and disciples beating masters were common.

The Human Emperor's Palace also developed a peculiar tradition: that of 'grandparental affection.' Masters and disciples would immediately fight upon meeting, but they were very close to their grandmasters and ancestors.

By Qin Mu's generation, the rules had changed again. Qin Mu had fought his way up from Qi Kang to the First Ancestor Human Emperor. Naturally, the Human Emperors were displeased and seized every opportunity to teach him a lesson, but each time they were taught a lesson by him instead.

When the Human Emperors stepped up to challenge, there were wins and losses. Those who won celebrated, while the other Human Emperors greatly ridiculed those who lost. However, before each challenge, every Human Emperor first had to call out to Qin Mu and be beaten by him. Only then would they cheerfully go to challenge Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao's disciples.

Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao's disciples looked at each other in confusion, unsure if these people were there to block the gate or to get beaten by Qin Mu.

However, Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao's disciples also noticed the strength and peculiarity of these Human Emperors. The Human Emperors had not cultivated many Heavenly Palaces, so they should theoretically be inferior.

Yet, in terms of vital qi density and the subtlety of their divine arts, these Human Emperors were no weaker than them; in fact, they were even stronger!

This was the benefit brought by the reforms of Eternal Peace. Every Human Emperor throughout history had cultivated the Heavenly River Divine Treasure. Coupled with the influence of the reforms, their combat power at the same realm was no weaker than that of these Heavenly Venerable disciples!

Finally, it was the First Ancestor Human Emperor's turn.

The First Ancestor Human Emperor stepped forward, looked at Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao's disciples, then at Qin Mu, and opened his mouth, but said nothing.

Qin Mu understood and apologized to Gao Huaitong, “This is the First Ancestor of the Human Emperor's Palace, and also Old Qin's family's hundred-generational ancestor. Although I've been removed from the family tree, he's still my elder, so he must be beaten.” With that, he stood up again.

Gao Huaitong felt quite displeased. Ever since Qin Mu arrived to challenge, his aura had been suppressed by Qin Mu's. Qin Mu consistently held the initiative.

Without interacting with Qin Mu, one would simply not know how powerful his aura was!

He had previously been sent out by Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao to serve as a marquis in other regions. Although he had heard of Qin Mu's reputation, he had never interacted with him.

He, like other Heavenly Venerable disciples, had initially thought Qin Mu was merely a lucky young man who had stumbled upon the title of Heavenly Venerable through coincidence. However, after interacting with him, he realized that Qin Mu's reputation was well-deserved.

“Heavenly Venerable, wait.”

Gao Huaitong stood up and smiled, “Since this is a challenge match, I'll take this fight. Your internal sparring can wait until after this battle.”

He was determined to suppress Qin Mu's aura. His method was simple: decisively defeat the First Ancestor Human Emperor!

As long as the First Ancestor was defeated by him, then even if the First Ancestor later challenged Qin Mu and lost, it would not overshadow Gao Huaitong's brilliance!

Anyone capable of reaching the Emperor's Throne realm was certainly not someone with an undeserved reputation. He had excellent judgment!

The First Ancestor Human Emperor looked at Gao Huaitong approaching and bowed slightly. Immediately, his body became ramrod straight, standing firm and unmoving like a deep pool or a towering mountain. He stood there as if he were the center of the Great Thousand Worlds, with all heavens and myriad realms revolving around him!

Gao Huaitong's heart skipped a beat. The First Ancestor Human Emperor was not truly motionless; it was his Dao heart that was unyielding!

“Is this a person from Eternal Peace? Among those with a Dao heart, this person's mental state is the strongest! When I returned to the Heavenly Court this time, my master, Exalted Heavenly Venerable Xiao, mentioned the Founding Emperor's Dao Realm cultivation system and highly praised it. This First Ancestor Qin Wu, the path he follows must be the Dao Realm system!”