Chapter 1242: Severely Wounding Shang Pingyin

The entire divine city, with its millions of heavenly soldiers and generals, simultaneously became the Tai Emperor's mouthpiece!

Qin Mu couldn't help but feel a shiver down his spine. The Tai Emperor's divine sense was so powerful that even Shang Pingyin, at this moment, had fallen under his control, completely helpless!

What's more, even a Great Emperor-level expert like Shang Pingyin likely didn't realize he had been invaded by the Tai Emperor's divine sense; he wouldn't retain any memory of being parasitized by the Tai Emperor!

Qin Mu struggled to compose himself and smiled, "Tai Emperor, my friend, you wish to speak? Then let us speak. What do you wish to discuss?"

Shang Pingyin chuckled, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, you are an intelligent person; you should know what I wish to discuss."

Qin Mu's expression became serious, and he sternly stated, "The Creation Master of the Void of the Other Shore—that is not open for discussion! If you have come to discuss that, then you may leave. That is my bottom line; it is non-negotiable!"

Shang Pingyin burst into laughter. "Very well! Then we won't discuss the Creation Master. I am here to discuss the Primordial Stone in your glabella!"

Qin Mu's eyelid twitched. His vertical eye, located in his glabella, was usually closed. Others could only see a slight bulge there, but they couldn't discern that he had an eye in his brow.

He would only open his vertical eye when necessary.

However, the Tai Emperor had seen this eye many times. The power of the vertical eye was astonishing, and the Primordial Stone itself served as its pupil.

As the first owner of the Primordial Stone, the Tai Emperor naturally couldn't be unaware of the Primordial Stone within Qin Mu's eye.

"You wish to acquire the Primordial Stone?"

Qin Mu chuckled, "It's not impossible. What do you offer in exchange?"

"I offer the Carefree Village of Grand-Pure and the lives of the Grand-Pure Creation Masters in exchange."

Shang Pingyin stated, "If you give me the Primordial Stone, I will depart immediately, no longer opposing Carefree Village or the Grand-Pure Creation Masters. All past grievances between us can also be erased!"

Qin Mu's smile was enigmatic. "Exchanging intangible future promises for present benefits—Tai Emperor, you're playing a cunning game, trying to gain something for nothing. I would only trade with you if you held the fate of Carefree Village and the Grand-Pure Creation Masters in your hands. As it stands, Carefree Village and the Grand-Pure Creation Masters are perfectly fine; I'd be a fool to exchange anything with you under these terms. Offer a different condition."

Shang Pingyin stared intently at him. "Are you not afraid that I will simply kill you and seize the Primordial Stone?"

Qin Mu smiled faintly. "If you could act, you would have already done so. Shang Pingyin and Beta Aquarii are indeed formidable, but controlling so many armies simultaneously must make you inconvenient to operate. Moreover, I happen to know the weakness of your Great Luo Supreme Divine Sense. If you wish to kill me, you'd have to do it in a single strike, otherwise, if Heavenly Venerate Huo and Heavenly Venerate Void are alerted, you won't be able to handle it."

Shang Pingyin remained silent for a moment, then said, "How do you propose to exchange?"

"The Heavenly Court will surely send a third Heavenly Venerate here. I want you to intercept this Heavenly Venerate and prevent him from descending into Grand-Pure!"

Qin Mu stated resolutely, "If you succeed, I will extract the Primordial Stone from my divine eye and give it to you!"

Shang Pingyin pondered for a moment, then mused, "Then, this third Heavenly Venerate must be Heavenly Venerate Hao. Heavenly Venerate Hao is the leader of the Ten Heavenly Venerates, and his power is unfathomable..."

Qin Mu said calmly, "Furthermore, Heavenly Venerate Hao is very likely to bring a Divine Artifact Heavenly Venerate Imperial here. Heavenly Venerate Hao combined with Divine Artifact Heavenly Venerate Imperial will be even more terrifying in strength. As the first ruler of the primordial era, the Tai Emperor likely does not possess the power to deal with him."

"Don't try to provoke me; I don't fall for such tactics."

Shang Pingyin said leisurely, "My divine sense is anchored in the Ultimate Void, transforming into the Divine Sense Great Luo Heaven. I am immortal and indestructible, the foremost master of the Great Dao. While Heavenly Venerate Hao is powerful, he is not invincible. I can intercept him; prepare the Primordial Stone."

Qin Mu chuckled, "Tai Emperor, do you trust me that much?"

Shang Pingyin said blandly, "If you don't hand it over, I will parasitize everyone in Eternal Peace."

Qin Mu shivered.

Shang Pingyin burst into laughter, and suddenly, all the soldiers in the city regained their senses and continued with their respective duties.

Shang Pingyin also woke up. He seemed to sense something amiss, glancing around with a puzzled expression. But then he noticed Qin Mu's arrival, and his heart tightened. He saluted and asked, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, when did you arrive?"

Qin Mu politely replied, "I just arrived and saw that the Heavenly Master was lost in thought, so I didn't disturb you."

Shang Pingyin chuckled, "Heavenly Venerate, have you come to inspect my formations?"

Qin Mu couldn't help but laugh. "Heavenly Master's formations, I already saw them sixty thousand years ago; they are truly extraordinary. If the Heavenly Master still wishes to compete, I can invite Longshan Sanren to spar with you."

Shang Pingyin's face changed drastically. The old hidden wound in his heart resurfaced, and he recalled the terrifying scene on the Heavenly River sixty thousand years ago.

Qin Mu patted his shoulder, left the divine city, and said, "Sixty thousand years have passed; you must have devised a countermeasure by now, right? But unfortunately, it's already outdated."

Shang Pingyin's expression flickered between shades of anger and contemplation. He watched Qin Mu's retreating figure, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent, wanting to kill him but forcing himself to hold back.

Sixty thousand years ago, Longshan Sanren, the Azure Glazed Pagoda, and the Black Tortoise Heavenly Palace—that battle was the greatest defeat of his life, his lifelong shadow!

He clenched his fists tightly and suddenly called out loudly, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, this time, I will absolutely not fail again!"

Qin Mu stopped, turned around, and revealed a bright, sunny smile. "Are you certain?"

"Absolutely!"

Shang Pingyin's robes fluttered, as if he were about to ride the wind away, his spirit soaring. He stated in a deep voice, "Even if Longshan Sanren were to reappear, he would be no match for me! These past sixty thousand years, I have not been idle! Heavenly Venerate, do not underestimate me!"

Qin Mu turned back and smiled gently, "I encountered Longshan Sanren and saw him and the Azure Glazed Pagoda. Since we have some acquaintance, I've seen his current mastery of formations. Since the First Heavenly Master is determined to defeat his enemy, I shall reveal his formations to you in advance."

His vital qi erupted, transforming into the Twenty-Eight Heavens of the Azure Glazed Pagoda. Various divine beings surrounded exotic treasures, arranging them into formations. The Twenty-Eight Heavens constantly evolved, the formations reaching the pinnacle of subtlety and exhausting all potential variations.

Qin Mu's expression was benevolent as he said, "Heavenly Master, first consider how to break this formation, lest you be flustered and unprepared when Longshan Sanren arrives. I shall take my leave now." With that, he turned and departed.

Shang Pingyin stared at the formations within the Twenty-Eight Heavens, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He painstakingly pondered the art of troop deployment and formation, trying to figure out how to break the Twenty-Eight Heavens formation.

This formation was different from the Azure Glazed Pagoda he had seen before. All the exotic treasures within the Azure Glazed Pagoda had been re-forged and refined, making them more precise and powerful!

Not only that, but even the Azure Glazed Pagoda's only weakness had been 'specially addressed' by Longshan Sanren!

The Azure Glazed Pagoda's sole weakness had been discovered by Heavenly Master Yue Tingge: its central celestial sphere. Breaking the formation from this sphere, by 'nailing down' the heavens' movements like driving a wedge, could dismantle the Azure Glazed Pagoda.

But now, that weakness was gone!

He was trapped in an endless cycle of trying to break the formation.

After an unknown period, Shang Pingyin's face turned incredibly pale. He suddenly vomited a mouthful of fresh blood, and his complexion became sallow, yet he continued to stare intently at the Twenty-Eight Heavens formation, frantically deducing.

Dozens of days passed, but he still couldn't escape the formation, and his energy grew increasingly listless.

Another half year went by, and Shang Pingyin became gaunt and frail, appearing to be on his deathbed.

Heavenly Venerate Huo received this news and immediately came, crushing the vital qi formation Qin Mu had left behind with a wave of his hand. However, Shang Pingyin still couldn't extricate himself from the formation. The Twenty-Eight Heavens formation left by Qin Mu had already been deeply imprinted in his mind, indelible.

Heavenly Venerate Huo watched Shang Pingyin, who was constantly spitting blood from exhausting his intellect, and frowned deeply. He said coldly, "Heavenly Venerate Mu has ruined one of my great generals!"

"This is not Heavenly Venerate Mu's fault..."

Shang Pingyin clutched at Heavenly Venerate Huo's robes, his voice barely a whisper. "He also did this for my own good, letting me experience Longshan Sanren's formations in advance. I will recover..."