Chapter 1229: When Qin Mu Became Strange

Although Qin Mu had only recently begun his studies, he had already developed his own insights into the true Great Dao of Reincarnation. This understanding allowed him to grasp why the Emperor of Hades could only ever be an Emperor, and not a Celestial Venerable.

To fully comprehend the true Great Dao of Reincarnation, one must cultivate the Great Dao of Youdu, the Great Dao of Heavenly Yin, and the Great Dao of Creation to their ultimate pinnacle. Only by achieving such mastery can the genuine Great Dao of Reincarnation be fully deduced, thus enabling one to become a Celestial Venerable.

The Great Dao of Youdu encompasses sixty-four paths, while the Great Dao of Heavenly Yin has twelve. The Great Dao of Creation, founded by Celestial Venerable Ling and further developed by the two Emperors of Crimson Light, contains an even more extensive array of systems.

The two Emperors of Crimson Light, each mastering a distinct aspect—one focusing on primordial spirit creation and the other on physical body creation—were already formidable Emperor-level experts. Beyond their achievements in primordial spirit and physical body creation, many other forms of creation remained undeveloped.

While the Emperor of Hades's pioneering efforts in the Dao of Reincarnation were undeniably brilliant, attempting to establish the true Great Dao of Reincarnation without fully grasping these fundamental daos was an almost impossible feat.

"The Emperor of Hades's ambition far outstrips his talent," Qin Mu mused. "But if he possesses such abilities, what about the Ten Celestial Venerables?"

A heavy feeling settled in Qin Mu's heart. If the Emperor of Hades was already so formidable, how terrifying must the Ten Celestial Venerables be, given their even greater talents?

Although the Ten Celestial Venerables had intervened in the past, none of them had ever unleashed their full power or revealed their true capabilities. After a million years, what advancements had each of them truly made?

His thoughts particularly lingered on Celestial Venerable Hao, the master of the Emperor of Hades. The Emperor of Hades was fiercely loyal to him, as was Celestial Venerable Huo.

Furthermore, Celestial Venerable Hao was one of the rare few among the Ten Celestial Venerables who had also been one of the Nine Celestial Venerables of the Dragon Han era. To what extent had his true power evolved?

"I need to reassess the true strength of the Ten Celestial Venerables," Qin Mu concluded, "especially that of Celestial Venerable Hao."

Qin Mu paused, seeking a secluded spot where he could enter the Dao in his dreams and meticulously deduce the Great Dao of Reincarnation.

Despite his mastery of the Youdu, Creation, and Heavenly Yin Daos — all far superior to the Emperor of Hades's — and having previously analyzed the Emperor of Hades's Dao of Reincarnation, Qin Mu still encountered considerable challenges while attempting to deduce the Great Dao of Reincarnation within his dream state.

Within his dream, countless miniature Qin Mus were born, lived, and died in an endless cycle of reincarnation. While progress was slow, he steadily gained valuable insights.

Imperceptibly, within his divine treasures, the Heavenly Palace of Demonic Dao, the Heavenly Palace of Creation, and the Heavenly Palace of Heavenly Yin began to resonate with one another. His Dark Primordial Spirit, Creation Primordial Spirit, and Heavenly Yin Primordial Spirit sensed each other, leading to a profound exchange, convergence, and fusion of their respective Great Daos.

Gradually, a new Heavenly Palace began to manifest, and a new primordial spirit slowly started to evolve.

After an indeterminate period, the foundations of this new Heavenly Palace were complete. As his mastery of the Dao of Reincarnation deepened, countless palaces and halls automatically appeared, gradually adding to its grandeur. The South, North, East, and West Heavenly Gates slowly rose, growing ever taller.

Inside his divine treasures, the Heavenly River altered its path, flowing directly through this newly formed Heavenly Palace.

The Dao rhythm emanating from this Heavenly Palace grew increasingly potent, gradually rivaling, and even surpassing, that of the Grand Luo Divine Consciousness Heavenly Palace.

Within Grand Void Youdu, the emaciated ghosts and black soul sand appeared drawn to him, steadily gathering around him in increasing numbers, yet none dared to approach too closely.

More and more howling black tornadoes materialized, continuously swirling around him and sweeping up the emaciated ghosts.

These black tornadoes also intertwined and consumed one another, growing progressively larger. From afar, dozens of colossal black whirlwinds reached high into the sky, incredibly thick and violently swirling around a single spot, creating a truly terrifying spectacle.

Hu Mengdie, accompanied by several divine generals, was the first to locate this area. Upon seeing the dark tornadoes, she couldn't help but frown.

The power of the black tornadoes was utterly terrifying. Lightning flashed and thunder roared around them, illuminating the churning vortexes, within which countless emaciated ghosts writhed and flailed, caught by the furious winds.

"Celestial Venerable Mu is in this vicinity," she murmured. "Has he perhaps sensed our arrival and sought refuge within this perilous place?"

Hu Mengdie's divine generals each activated their divine eyes and gazed into the shadowy expanse, but their vision remained unclear. They could only pierce through the outer layer of darkness, yet strange phenomena within completely obstructed their view.

Hu Mengdie, whose cultivation was the highest among them at the Numinous Sky Realm, opened her divine eyes and directed her gaze toward the heart of the darkness. Her heart gave an involuntary leap.

What she saw was deeply unsettling: within the darkness, worlds bloomed outwards like bubbles, only to instantly burst and vanish. Then, new worlds would inexplicably emerge, an exceptionally bizarre and unsettling cycle.

Even she, with all her power, could not discern what terrifying entity lay within.

With a gentle wave of her hand, Hu Mengdie signaled, and the divine generals quickly surrounded her as they hastened toward the dark expanse.

Soon after, they ventured into the profound darkness. Each of the divine generals sent forth their primordial spirits, radiating immense divine light. These spirits positioned themselves, some within Jade Capital City, others before the Numinous Sky Treasure Hall, attempting to suppress the pervasive gloom.

Yet, the darkness here was overwhelmingly potent. The black sand continued to drift slowly, shrouding their vision in a hazy gray and making it impossible to discern what lay ahead.

They journeyed through the darkness for a considerable time. Suddenly, the oppressive sensation eased, as if they had passed through a bubble, and their surroundings were bathed in light.

Hu Mengdie and her companions surveyed their surroundings, finding a world of clear mountains, pristine waters, and bright sun and moon. Though this world was not vast, an eerie phenomenon caught their attention: continuous, wheel-shaped arcs of rainbow light hummed as they slid from one end of the world to the other.

As they proceeded, one of them suddenly stepped upon a skeletal remains.

Hu Mengdie looked down at the skeleton, which appeared to have been dead for countless years. The group exchanged wary glances, each muttering a warning to be careful.

What they saw next, in the distance ahead, utterly horrified them.

Ahead of them, countless white bones were piled into mountains. Numerous figures, whose origins were unknown, were carrying bodies and casting them down from the peaks. As these bodies tumbled down the mountainside, their flesh and blood rapidly dissolved, transforming them into mere skeletons before they reached the bottom.

The group was appalled. Hu Mengdie focused on the recently discarded bodies and was stunned to realize that they all bore Qin Mu's likeness.

"Celestial Venerable Mu is dead?" she wondered, bewildered.

Her confusion deepened. Then, she noticed the figures transporting the bodies and felt a shock: they, too, were all Qin Mu.

"Everyone, be cautious," she warned, "this place is extremely bizarre."

No sooner had she uttered these words than another arc of rainbow light appeared from the horizon, sweeping across the sky.

"Bizarre?" scoffed one of her divine generals. "Who in all the heavens and myriad worlds doesn't know that our Netherworld Capital is the most bizarre? Our Netherworld Capital's divine arts have spawned countless strange phenomena across the realms. Why would we fear the oddities of this place?"

Hu Mengdie frowned slightly. "Caution is paramount. We..." she began, but her voice trailed off.

She was speechless, staring blankly at a divine general standing beside her. The general's face was contorting and shifting, as if another face beneath his skin was desperately trying to emerge, causing two visages to struggle for control of the same body.

Yet, the divine being at the Jade Capital Realm seemed completely oblivious, continuing to cautiously survey their surroundings.

What was more, Hu Mengdie even observed that within his Heavenly Palace, the primordial spirit's face was also undergoing transformation.

Abruptly, the primordial spirit of the Jade Capital Realm divine being assumed Qin Mu's likeness, and subsequently, his physical face also transformed into Qin Mu's.

"Who are you all?" the transformed divine being asked, looking at them. "Why have you intruded into my dream? Ah, I see. The Emperor of Hades sent you to take my life."

Hu Mengdie was horrified, and the divine being immediately launched a lethal attack against them.

Although caught off guard, the group, owing to their numerical advantage, managed to unite and eliminate the divine being.

Hu Mengdie's voice was sharp with urgency: "Celestial Venerable Mu created this bizarre realm! Everyone, be alert, guard your Dao hearts, and under no circumstances let down your guard!"