Chapter 1237: Ability Increases, Evil Increases

Heavenly Venerable Huo had arrived in the divine city at an unknown time and appeared behind them, having clearly overheard their recent conversation. What shocked Qin Mu even more was that Heavenly Venerable Huo had known for a long time that Bai Yuqiong was the reincarnation of the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird.

Heavenly Venerable Huo raised a hand, gesturing for Bai Yuqiong to rise, but kept his gaze on Qin Mu, his expression notably indifferent.

Qin Mu's expression turned cold.

"I know Heavenly Master Bai Yuqiong is the reincarnation of the Southern Emperor's spirit, but since she is human, I don't hold it against her," Heavenly Venerable Huo said indifferently. "I killed the Southern Emperor, and her soul is suppressed in the Perfumed Hall. Heavenly Venerable Mu, your actions are becoming increasingly despicable. I could have killed Bai Yuqiong because of the Southern Emperor's spirit, but I chose not to. Yet you would harm the life of an Emperor-level human expert for a wicked ancient god!"

Qin Mu walked away, saying indifferently, "I am not Heavenly Venerable Yun, Heavenly Venerable Yue, or Heavenly Venerable Ling. They trusted you, and they died. Our paths diverge too greatly for us to work together."

"Stop!" Heavenly Venerable Huo commanded coldly.

Qin Mu ignored him and continued to walk away.

Heavenly Venerable Huo's voice came from behind him, a sneer in his tone. "Do you know how many times I advised Heavenly Venerable Yun? I advised him over a hundred times! I urged him not to defy fate, not to go against the tide, and not to disregard the lives of humanity for his own ambition!"

"And what did he do? He was stubborn! He insisted on resisting, on making humanity supreme among all races! Yet, he also agreed with me! When I went to kill him, he told me he understood my actions!"

Qin Mu stopped, turning his head with a half-smile. "Then what about Emperor Chi and Emperor Ming? Or Heavenly Venerable Yue and Heavenly Venerable Ling? When Heavenly Venerable Yun was killed, you were at the forefront. And when Emperor Chi, Emperor Ming, Heavenly Venerable Yue, and Heavenly Venerable Ling were killed, you were also leading the charge."

Heavenly Venerable Huo snorted coldly. "I didn't kill Emperor Chi. Emperor Ming simply overestimated himself! After Heavenly Venerable Yun's rebellion, humanity in the Primordial Realm was greatly weakened and had only just begun to recover, yet Emperor Ming still intended to rebel. That was a crime punishable by death! I discovered his weakness and had Heavenly Son Yin kill him! As for Heavenly Venerable Yue and Heavenly Venerable Ling..." His expression darkened as he shook his head. "Though they were my fellow Daoists, they made the same mistake as Heavenly Venerable Yun, attempting to overturn the heavens. Their crime deserved death! However, I did spare Heavenly Venerable Yue's life. Heavenly Venerable Ling's death was an accident; I never intended to kill her."

Qin Mu burst into laughter, a sound like weeping. "What a 'kind act' to spare Heavenly Venerable Yue's life! How hypocritical and 'compassionate'! I was there when you met Heavenly Venerable Yue to discuss confronting Earth Mother Yuanjun! Your plan with Heavenly Venerable Xiao was orchestrated by Heavenly Venerable Hao, wasn't it? To eliminate Heavenly Venerable Yue and Heavenly Venerable Ling simultaneously while dealing with Earth Mother Yuanjun!" His face turned as cold as ice. "The only reason Heavenly Venerable Yue and Heavenly Venerable Ling survived was because I found a way through countless Dream Dao simulations! How dare you take credit for that in front of me!"

He fell silent, then said bitterly after a moment, "You are no longer the Heavenly Venerable Huo you once were."

Heavenly Venerable Huo remained expressionless, speaking woodenly. "You don't understand me, nor do Heavenly Venerable Yue or Heavenly Venerable Ling. Heh heh, only Heavenly Venerable Yun understood me; he knew I was acting for humanity..."

"If Heavenly Venerable Yun were to see your Southern Heaven world and the state of humanity there, he would be so enraged he'd come back to life," Qin Mu said, looking up with a bleak expression. "You're mistaken; he didn't understand you. He never realized, from start to finish, that your so-called actions 'for humanity' were merely for your own status and your own life."

The flame wheel behind Heavenly Venerable Huo's head flickered, his mind visibly troubled. He suddenly laughed. "It doesn't matter if Heavenly Venerable Yun didn't understand me; I don't need his understanding. Only one person in this world truly understands me: Heavenly Venerable Yu."

Qin Mu gave him a cold glance, then turned and walked away.

"Only Heavenly Venerable Yu would understand me!" Heavenly Venerable Huo's voice echoed from behind him. "Only a great hero of humanity like him, the most outstanding figure among humans, could grasp my intentions! If he hadn't died, he would have been my staunchest supporter! I don't need the understanding of selfish individuals like you; his comprehension alone would have been sufficient!"

Qin Mu scoffed and walked further away.

Heavenly Venerable Huo watched him leave, then sneered. "Only Heavenly Venerable Yu was my true Daoist friend... Bai Yuqiong, rest assured, with me here, Heavenly Venerable Mu wouldn't dare act recklessly." He clasped his hands behind his back and said gravely, "Though he acts as he pleases, he still has a certain sense of propriety. It's best if he doesn't touch you. If he dares to, I will certainly kill him!"

Bai Yuqiong frowned slightly and quietly asked, "Heavenly Venerable Huo, is it truly worth killing a human Heavenly Venerable for someone as insignificant as me?"

"Naturally, it's worth it," Heavenly Venerable Huo replied, turning to face her. "Heavenly Venerable Mu is indeed talented and capable, but the more gifted such a person is, the greater the harm they can cause if they turn to evil. You, however, are different. Although your spirit is that of the Southern Emperor, you are wholeheartedly human, and a Heavenly Master of the Celestial Heavens. You inspire far more trust than he does."

Bai Yuqiong smiled serenely. "Is it because I won't initiate reforms or plot rebellion?"

Heavenly Venerable Huo nodded, speaking unhurriedly. "If Heavenly Venerable Mu doesn't target you, I'll have no reason to act against him. However, observing his conduct, I believe he will inevitably rebel in the future, plunging humanity into a severe crisis of survival. I cannot allow that, so I must find a pretext to eliminate him."

Bai Yuqiong nodded. "So, his attempt to awaken the Southern Emperor's spirit within me would be your justification, Heavenly Venerable, for killing him."

Heavenly Venerable Huo smiled. "Truly a Heavenly Master, you understand things instantly."

He then walked away.

Bai Yuqiong shivered. Heavenly Venerable Huo appeared straightforward, but he was, in fact, very cunning. He had always known she was the Southern Emperor's reincarnation, yet he kept her alive precisely to use her against Qin Mu! His purpose in sparing her was to provide Qin Mu with an opportunity to "make a mistake," thus giving himself a legitimate reason to kill Qin Mu.

"Heavenly Venerable Huo, for his ideals and beliefs, has killed Heavenly Venerable Yun, Emperor Ming, Heavenly Venerable Yue, and Heavenly Venerable Ling. Now he intends to kill Heavenly Venerable Qin. Could it be that..." Her gaze was complex. Heavenly Venerable Yue was her master, and despite living through many lifetimes, Bai Yuqiong had always considered her the closest person to her heart. Yet Heavenly Venerable Huo, for his own ideology, had even attacked Heavenly Venerable Yue!

"Doesn't Heavenly Venerable Huo realize that if they had allied, even if they couldn't overthrow the Celestial Heavens, they could at least have stood as equals?"

She watched Heavenly Venerable Huo's receding figure, silently thinking, "Heavenly Venerable Huo, you protect the Southern Heaven and its human inhabitants. Is your Southern Heaven truly so perfect that even these Heavenly Venerables couldn't measure up? Have you genuinely found a path that prevents humanity from being oppressed and allows them to continually flourish?"

A thought occurred to her: she wanted to visit the Southern Heaven herself. "Once the chaos of the Grand Void is settled, I will go to Southern Heaven... No!" Her mind stirred, and she stepped into the air, while another Bai Yuqiong remained in the divine city to manage the war. Using spatial divine abilities to conceal her form, Bai Yuqiong flew outward. "I will go to Southern Heaven now to see Heavenly Venerable Huo's perfect world!"