Chapter 1277: Different Paths

Bai Yuqiong was startled. They were about to catch up with Lan Yutian, so why turn back now?

"Celestial Venerable Yu, he..."

"He is no longer Celestial Venerable Yu. Just like me, I am not Qin Fengqing, and like you, you are not the Southern Emperor."

Qin Mu smiled. "We are all independent beings with our own independent thoughts and consciousness. In the future, I will create a new body for Celestial Venerable Yu's memories, and Lan Yutian will also return his soul to Celestial Venerable Yu."

He looked at Bai Yuqiong and said, "I will also create a new body and reshape a divine soul for you, replacing the Southern Emperor's divine soul."

Bai Yuqiong sighed in relief and smiled. "Only now are you truly a Celestial Venerable."

Qin Mu chuckled. "Only now am I truly a Celestial Venerable? In your eyes, was I not a Celestial Venerable before? Grandmaster Bai, then how do you think the Ten Celestial Venerables of the Heavenly Court compare to me?"

Bai Yuqiong said sincerely, "Their abilities far surpass yours, but their magnanimity and character are nowhere near yours."

Qin Mu burst out laughing. "No wonder Fatty Dragon always likes to wag his tail! If I had a tail, I'd wag it and shake it too!"

Bai Yuqiong pursed her lips in a smile and quickly followed him.

The two looked back. The lost Lan Yutian was leading his three thousand disciples toward the formidable pass built by Wuyou Township in the Great Void. Divine generals were already arriving there, leading thousands of troops.

Upon returning to Westfall Divine City, Qin Mu did not immediately recreate a physical body and reshape a divine soul for Bai Yuqiong. He said, "I can reshape a divine soul, and I can also recreate a physical body. However, bodies formed through visualization have significant drawbacks. Shaping a body through the Path of Creation only produces a mortal form. The best method is still to use artifacts of creation."

Bai Yuqiong's eyes lit up. "The Heavenly Court has artifacts of creation!"

Qin Mu felt a headache remembering the Creation Palace and its master, Shi Qiluo. He really didn't want to see Shi Qiluo again. He said, "I can also craft artifacts of creation, but Yankang doesn't have enough divine artisans yet. If I were to create a physical body exactly like yours, I would need to map out your body data..."

Bai Yuqiong's face flushed slightly. "I'll do that myself. I studied mathematics and divination with Dao Ancestor for a while."

Qin Mu nodded, concerned. "Mapping the data is quite troublesome. If it's inconvenient for you, my proficiency in mathematics and divination is not bad, and I'm skilled in entering the Dao through dreams. It shouldn't take long for me to thoroughly study your body..."

"I'll do it myself!" Bai Yuqiong's veins popped out on her forehead, and her eyes widened.

Qin Mu meekly agreed, bewildered in his heart: "Girls are just like this. Why get angry? Even someone like a Grandmaster can't escape such common behavior..."

He quietly and stealthily left the Great Void without telling anyone. After all, there were too many people in the Great Void who wanted to kill him, almost half of them.

Meanwhile, Lan Yutian also arrived in Emperor Kai's territory. Though still recovering from his injuries, Emperor Kai personally came out to greet him with grand fanfare.

Lan Yutian still acted as he pleased. Emperor Kai, who admired him the most, naturally extended a warm welcome. However, he couldn't find any trace of Celestial Venerable Yu in this chubby young man.

When they first met at the Grand Jade Pond, Emperor Kai was utterly convinced by Celestial Venerable Yu, believing that as long as Celestial Venerable Yu was alive, he should acknowledge him as sovereign and no longer harbor ambitions of contending for dominance.

Back then, Celestial Venerable Yu truly possessed the demeanor and charisma of a co-ruler of the world. Coupled with his influence, fortune, and magnanimity, Emperor Kai felt deeply ashamed of his own inferiority.

However, in this chubby young man now, Emperor Kai saw none of those qualities. He could only see a pure Dao heart, a strong thirst for knowledge, and endless curiosity in Lan Yutian.

The current Lan Yutian and the Celestial Venerable Yu of yesteryear seemed like two entirely different people! Of course, the current Lan Yutian was a bit chubbier, with a plump face, compared to the handsome and valiant Celestial Venerable Yu of the past.

Furthermore, when Emperor Kai spoke with Lan Yutian, Lan Yutian never discussed the world's major affairs. He only spoke in various enigmatic Daoist sayings, explaining things that were hazy and unclear. But if one listened closely, what he spoke of turned out to be profoundly deep Great Daos, captivating even Emperor Kai.

"Your Majesty, do you think Celestial Venerable Yu is pretending to be foolish?" asked Yan Yunxi, who had observed Lan Yutian for several days and couldn't discern anything.

Emperor Kai shook his head, sighing. "The Celestial Venerable Yu of the past had the ambition to dominate the world and grand aspirations to fulfill. The current Lan Yutian, however, only has the heart of a seeker of the Dao, with no distractions, a truly pure and innocent mind. He isn't pretending to be foolish; this is simply who he is. He isn't unintelligent either; rather, all his wisdom is dedicated to seeking the ultimate end of the Great Dao."

Yan Yunxi was stunned. All his wisdom dedicated to seeking the Dao?

"There are very few people so pure in this world. The Ten Celestial Venerables are intelligent, but they are greedy for power, and more than half of their lives have been spent pursuing it. Celestial Venerable Yu was intelligent, but half of his intelligence was focused on integrating the world's forces and developing the acquired races."

Emperor Kai paced slowly, saying, "I am also intelligent, but I must weigh right from wrong and make choices. Wen Tiange is intelligent; he concerns himself with reforms and the well-being of the common people. Celestial Venerable Mu is also intelligent, but his intelligence is more often used to find a path to survival for the masses. Pure individuals like Lan Yutian are not needed in large numbers, but they are essential. Only such people can truly advance and develop an era."

Yan Yunxi watched Lan Yutian, who was currently comprehending Daoist magic and imparting it to his disciples. Many people from Wuyou Township and the Creators were also drawn to him, unknowingly following him. At this moment, his disciples numbered as many as five thousand!

Yan Yunxi hesitated. "Lan Yutian has come here to us, we should..."

"Let him be."

Emperor Kai smiled. "For someone like him, whatever resources he needs, give them to him. Whatever requests he has, fulfill them. Let him go wherever he wishes; there's no need to control him. If he wants to come, we treat him with courtesy. If he wants to leave, we don't need to try and stop him."

Yan Yunxi acknowledged this, saying, "What if he wants to take away our divine beings from Wuyou Township..."

"Then let them go."

Emperor Kai said, "In the future, these people will return. When they do, they will have achieved extraordinary things and will truly impress us. If I could leave, I would also follow Lan Yutian, but I cannot."

Yan Yunxi was startled. She looked at Lan Yutian again and murmured, "What a truly strange person..."

"He is not strange; we are, Zixi."

Emperor Kai sighed with emotion. "We are bound by the mortal world, not as free and unburdened as he is. I envy him."

Yan Yunxi smiled. "I don't envy him."

Emperor Kai paused slightly.

"If everyone were like him, no one would consider the weak. But not everyone can be like him."

Yan Yunxi said earnestly, "He is a researcher and a seeker of the Dao, but not a leader of a race. As a leader of a race, one bears far greater and heavier responsibilities and burdens."

Emperor Kai understood her advice and smiled. "Rest assured. Although I envy him, I will not become him. I have my responsibilities. The very reason people like us exist is so that individuals like Lan Yutian can pursue the Dao with undivided hearts."