Chapter 1227: Thick-faced and Black-hearted

Qin Mu was choked speechless, his bones crackling under the pressure. He struggled twice but couldn't break free, so he resigned himself to his fate.

Qin Fengqing cradled him in his palm, overflowing with joy. His breath, like a roaring gale, was accompanied by flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder as he laughed, "My mischievous little brother has finally deigned to visit me! I'm so happy today, I'll go kill the Ghost Emperor just for you!"

Qin Mu quickly stopped him, chuckling, "The Ghost Emperor is supremely powerful; he's not someone who can be defeated so easily. Perhaps if we brothers join forces, it might be possible..."

"Then let's join forces!" Qin Fengqing excitedly clenched his fist. "That little runt always bullies me; little brother, you must stand up for me!"

Qin Mu burst out laughing. "The Ghost Emperor is cunning, treacherous, and powerful. Although he is in the Emperor's Throne realm, his true abilities extend far beyond that. With the aid of the Netherworld Gate, he can instantly unleash eight Heavenly Palaces. Still, as the Earth Lord of the Void Netherworld, it's quite unbecoming for you to be bullied by him. I cannot directly join forces with you, but as your brother, I can help you understand his Dao arts and divine powers."

He then transmitted to Qin Fengqing, via divine consciousness, the methods he and Emperor Yi Yue had researched for breaking the Ghost Emperor's cultivation techniques and divine arts, saying, "Next time you encounter him, you won't suffer any losses."

Although Qin Fengqing possessed excellent natural talent, he was not particularly adept at cultivation. His current cultivation realm was not very high; he had only been cultivating using the Three Elixir Overlord Body Art that Qin Mu had created when they were still inseparable.

At that time, Qin Mu had only comprehended up to the Honored God realm.

Qin Mu stayed in the Void Fengdu for several days. His current Three Elixir Overlord Body Art had undergone radical changes from its previous form, with their paths diverging significantly, thus he could not directly transmit it to Qin Fengqing.

Meanwhile, the Three Elixir Overlord Body Art that Qin Fengqing had comprehended on his own during this time was still very crude, reflecting his rather simplistic approach.

During his stay, Qin Mu dedicated his time to deducing how the Three Elixir Overlord Body Art would have evolved if he had continued cultivating along his original path.

Six days later, Qin Mu had deduced the Three Elixir Overlord Body Art to the High Heavens realm, completing Qin Fengqing's rudimentary version and transmitting it to him.

Although he could have deduced it to the Emperor's Throne realm, it would have been exceedingly time-consuming and detrimental to Qin Fengqing's long-term development.

Qin Fengqing now commanded exceptionally powerful strength, but he did not fully understand how to wield it. He was more akin to an ancient god, possessing immense power without truly comprehending its essence.

The transition from the High Heavens to the Emperor's Throne realm represented a significant hurdle. Only by comprehending and developing one's own cultivation technique could one fully unleash their inherent power and secure a chance of survival in the wars to come.

Having accomplished all this, Qin Mu quietly departed. By the time Qin Fengqing awoke from his meditation, Qin Mu had already arrived at the Ghost Emperor's opposing camp.

"Fellow Daoist Black Emperor," Qin Mu greeted him.

The Ghost Emperor hastily returned the greeting, chuckling, "Celestial Venerable Mu, you are too kind. As my senior, I should be the one greeting you. 'Black Emperor' is merely a jocular nickname others use for me, implying I have a dark heart, which is pure slander! My official title in the Heavenly Court is actually the Underworld Emperor."

Qin Mu asked in surprise, "The Azure Emperor of the East, the Vermillion Emperor of the South, the White Emperor of the West, and the Black Emperor of the North — the Four Colored Great Emperors are all named by color. Why is it that in your case, you are called the Underworld Emperor?"

The Ghost Emperor diligently hosted him, saying, "Celestial Venerable, you might not know, but the title 'Black Emperor' carries negative connotations. Celestial Venerable Hao, out of compassion, changed 'Black' to 'Underworld'. My Underworld City itself is similar; it was originally called Black City but was later renamed Underworld City. Did you rush here from the little Earth Lord in the Void Netherworld, Celestial Venerable?"

Qin Mu, adopting an air of righteous indignation, declared, "I went there to persuade him to surrender, but alas, Qin Fengqing remains stubbornly deluded, dead set on rebelling against the Heavenly Court. This traitorous rebel has truly overstepped his bounds!"

The Ghost Emperor understood and chuckled, "Celestial Venerable, please calm your anger; that old scoundrel Qin Fengqing isn't worth it. That old scoundrel Qin Fengqing originally… *cough cough*, colluded with others, completely annihilating the Heavenly Court's forces in the Netherworld. Now his abilities are growing even stronger, causing havoc in the world, and he will undoubtedly face retribution sooner or later."

Qin Mu sighed deeply, full of regret. "It's a pity my abilities are too meager to personally eliminate that old scoundrel Qin Fengqing! Black Emperor, have you refined your Netherworld Gate again?"

He looked up, carefully examining the Ghost Emperor's new Netherworld Gate.

The Ghost Emperor had placed this Netherworld Gate in the Void Netherworld to suppress its demonic energy and guard against any sneak attacks from Qin Fengqing. The gate exuded the formidable aura of an Emperor's Throne realm expert, making it incredibly terrifying!

Suddenly, Qin Mu's eyes twitched. This Netherworld Gate was subtly different from the one in Emperor Yi Yue's possession!

His heart sank. Each Netherworld Gate contained four Emperor's Throne cultivation techniques, which manifested as four Heavenly Palaces. The Netherworld Gate in Emperor Yi Yue's hands had indeed been seized from the Ghost Emperor, but the Ghost Emperor had since refined a new one.

However, the Emperor's Throne cultivation techniques within these two gates were not entirely identical!

"This means that when the Ghost Emperor refined the Netherworld Gate anew, he replaced some of the Emperor's Throne cultivation techniques. His inherently cautious nature led him to do this to prevent Emperor Yi Yue from discovering his weaknesses. What an old schemer..."

Qin Mu maintained a smile on his face, but secretly ground his teeth.

The Ghost Emperor was indeed exceptionally cunning. Even if Emperor Yi Yue were to thoroughly study that particular set of Netherworld Gates, she would not be able to use it to kill him; on the contrary, she would likely suffer a great loss at his hands!

"Furthermore, the Ghost Emperor's abilities are not as weak as he makes them out to be. Among his Netherworld Gate techniques, only the method of reincarnation cannot be replaced; the other three Emperor's Throne cultivation techniques can be altered. It's not easy to pinpoint his vital weakness."

"However, his Path of Reincarnation has already been broken by me. The most crucial aspect of the Netherworld Gate is the Path of Reincarnation; with this Emperor's Throne cultivation technique rendered ineffective, his Netherworld Gate's power will be greatly diminished, even if it can still function."

Just as he finished this thought, the Ghost Emperor waved his hand, and the Netherworld Gate sank into the earth, disappearing from view. He chuckled, "Celestial Venerable Mu, this is merely a minor technique, not worthy of your attention."

Qin Mu burst out laughing, and the Ghost Emperor joined him in hearty laughter.

"Celestial Venerable, if you were unable to persuade him to surrender, are you perhaps planning to meet with Celestial Venerable Huo and Celestial Venerable Xu?"

The Ghost Emperor skillfully changed the subject, speaking with feigned concern. "Celestial Venerable, you may not be aware, but this Void Land is a wild and untamed place, rife with bandits. If you travel alone, you could easily fall prey to enemies. You are of unparalleled nobility; how can you venture into such danger alone? I will dispatch some experts to escort you."

Qin Mu understood his underlying intention and chuckled, "Black Emperor..."

"Celestial Venerable, please call me Underworld Emperor," the Ghost Emperor interjected with a smile.

Qin Mu nodded. "Black Emperor, your consideration is noted. However, this is a crucial pass, and it absolutely must not be lost. If I were to divert a portion of your forces, and the Void Netherworld were to fall, would I not be guilty of a grave offense? I can travel alone."

The Ghost Emperor said solemnly, "Celestial Venerable's loyalty to the Heavenly Court and its empire fills me, Yin, with profound admiration. Since that is the case, I shall no longer detain you. Please proceed on your journey!"

He diligently saw Qin Mu off, accompanying him past the formidable pass of the Void Netherworld. He then choked up, saying, "Life and death on the battlefield are unpredictable. I, Zhaojin, do not know if I will live to see Celestial Venerable again and receive your esteemed guidance. I cannot help but feel overwhelming sorrow!"

Qin Mu offered comfort. "Black Emperor, rest assured, I appreciate your kind intentions. After I return, I will discuss with Celestial Venerable Huo and Celestial Venerable Xu about transferring you out of the Void and sending you to the Netherworld to live a happier life. Earth Lord and Celestial Venerable You miss you dearly."

The Ghost Emperor thanked him repeatedly, watching him depart into the distance, and continued to wave goodbye with tear-filled eyes.

As soon as Qin Mu disappeared from his sight, the Ghost Emperor's face darkened. He commanded, "Hu Mengdie, Yin Jiuzun, Yu Wufei, go kill Celestial Venerable Mu and bring me his head!"

Hu Mengdie, his disciple; Yin Jiuzun, his eldest son; and Yu Wufei, the head of his harem—all were among the most formidable figures in the Northern Underworld City and prominent generals in his army. Upon hearing his command, they all stepped forward, bowing in acknowledgment.

The Ghost Emperor's eyes gleamed as he said in a low voice, "Mask your faces and ensure you carry nothing that could reveal your identities. After you have killed him, erase all traces of your divine powers."

The three of them each removed any items that could reveal their identities, then, instructing a few Underworld divine generals, they flew away.

***

**Author's Note:** My daughter's illness has recurred, and we need to go to Beijing for a follow-up examination. This afternoon, Zhaizhu (the author) will be at the hospital. I still have saved drafts for today, so updates will be stable, but I cannot guarantee tomorrow's schedule.