Chapter 1318: Rekindling Turmoil

"Using Ancestral Court as an altar and its living beings as sacrifices – this is truly an astonishing feat. Who could have orchestrated such a thing?"

Qin Mu frowned deeply, wondering who possessed the power and wisdom to transform Ancestral Court into its current state.

Given the current state of Ancestral Court, it's unsuitable for any habitation. It must be sealed off; no one should be permitted to come here.

Where there are people, there is conflict. Should Celestial Venerables battle here a few more times, even Tai Yi might be powerless to prevent the descent of those prehistoric entities!

"If the heavens fall, Tai Yi will bear the brunt... Is Great Emperor dead or alive? It seems his head hasn't fallen yet..."

Qin Mu looked around but still couldn't see Great Emperor's head descend. Earth Mother Sovereign continued her search, her roots, resembling flying tentacles, ceaselessly whipping across the chaotic landscape.

It seemed Earth Mother only managed to retrieve one of Great Emperor's fists; everything else had been sacrificed, becoming offerings.

"How truly tragic for Great Emperor," Qin Mu sighed, "What a pity it didn't fall into my hands... While the Four Celestial Venerables are still pursuing Great Emperor's head, I'll head to the Chaos Sea first and retrieve the Primordial Origin Stone!"

The Chaos Sea, originally Tai Yi's mineral vein, was also a place beyond the reach of the previous universe's sacrificial power. It was filled with incredibly heavy primordial chaos energy, capable of easily assimilating anything into itself.

When Celestial Venerable Xiao's palm fell into the sea, it wouldn't become a sacrifice, nor would it likely be assimilated by the primordial chaos energy anytime soon. The Primordial Origin Stone, especially, would not be assimilated. As long as one could venture deep into the Chaos Sea, those raw stone fragments could be recovered.

"Last time I managed to escape from there alive, it was thanks to the responsive Lapis Lazuli Green Sky Banner. Unfortunately, Tai Su has already emerged, and the Lapis Lazuli Green Sky Banner can no longer grant every wish. However, I do have two eggshells left to me by Brother Tai Yi."

Qin Mu was brimming with confidence; using Tai Yi's eggshells, he was sure he could enter the Chaos Sea and locate both the raw stone fragments and Celestial Venerable Xiao's hand.

The raw stone fragments were treasures, and Celestial Venerable Xiao's hand was an invaluable one as well!

He sped like lightning towards the Chaos Sea. Suddenly, the earth churned, and countless roots burst forth, resembling burrowing dragons, piercing in and out of the ground as they furiously pursued him!

"It's Earth Mother Sovereign again!"

With a thought, Qin Mu activated the grand divine ability of "Nirvana Divine Boat Crossing," stepping onto a divine boat and sailing away, vanishing into the void and leaving Earth Mother Sovereign far behind.

Countless roots followed him into the void, passing through layer after layer of empty space, resembling a chaotic swarm. However, as Qin Mu delved deeper, Earth Mother's roots began to struggle.

Eventually, Earth Mother could no longer keep pace and was forced to retract her roots.

Qin Mu emerged from the void, let out a cold laugh, and landed on the surface of the Chaos Sea.

Just then, four tremendous booming sounds echoed. Qin Mu's body tensed as he saw four exceptionally tall and imposing figures appear around him.

He slowly raised his head, seeing Celestial Empress Yan, Celestial Venerable Xiao, Ancestral God King, and Divine Emperor Lang Xuan.

The four Celestial Venerables’ bodies were tattered and riddled with wounds; their skin was ruptured, their garments disheveled, and divine blood continuously seeped from their injuries, dripping onto the Chaos Sea.

These four Celestial Venerables must have been pursuing Great Emperor and were wounded by his desperate counterattack. Yet, judging by their injuries, besides those inflicted by Great Emperor, there were also wounds caused by the erosion of the void.

It seemed these four Celestial Venerables had pursued Great Emperor all the way into the depths of the thirty-fifth layer of void, where the void's erosion had ravaged them to this degree.

Qin Mu stood quietly in the center of the four Celestial Venerables, finally understanding how Lava Earth Duke must have felt when surrounded by their esteemed ranks.

Lava Earth Duke was merely a clone of Earth Duke, which could be discarded at any moment with little consequence to Earth Duke's main body. Qin Mu, however, could not afford such detachment.

He composed himself, about to speak, when Celestial Venerable Xiao suddenly clutched his severed arm and spoke pleasantly, "I've lost an arm, so I fear it will be difficult for me to find the Primordial Origin Stone. This treasure, I shall yield to the three of you, fellow Daoists."

He then abruptly retreated, his form vanishing.

Divine Emperor Lang Xuan's face was sallow, his breath labored, and he coughed blood, saying, "Fellow Daoist Xiao's injury is merely external, while mine is internal. Before your arrival, I was ambushed by Great Emperor and sustained the most severe wounds. The Primordial Origin Stone is something I yearn for but cannot hope to acquire. So be it, I cede it to you all."

His form receded backward, then vanished.

Celestial Empress Yan and Ancestral God King each frowned. It was evident that these two formidable adversaries, by retreating immediately instead of searching for the Primordial Origin Stone, had other intentions.

Suddenly, Ancestral God King's body erupted with loud popping sounds, his face contorted in alarm as he cried out, "My Heavenly Dao treasure is shattered; my cultivation is ruined! Your Majesty, forgive me, but I cannot accompany you into the Chaos Sea to find the Origin Stone and offer it to you! I must return to my territory to heal as quickly as possible!"

Celestial Empress Yan's expression also changed as she retreated, sighing, "My chronic ailment has relapsed, and I have very little cultivation remaining. I must return to the mineral vein to stabilize my injuries."

Ancestral God King also retreated, sneering, "In that case, Celestial Venerable Mu will benefit from this! Celestial Venerable Mu, you must be pleased!"

In the blink of an eye, the four Celestial Venerables vanished without a trace, leaving only Qin Mu on the Chaos Sea.

Cold sweat trickled down Qin Mu's neck as he stood motionless on the Chaos Sea.

"These four scoundrels knew they couldn't contend with the other three, so they feigned retreat. In reality, they're waiting for someone to retrieve the Origin Stone, then the three of them will jointly ambush and severely wound that individual."

His eyes darted around. Although the four Celestial Venerables had departed, their aura had locked onto this location!

Qin Mu was precisely in the center, simultaneously targeted by the auras of all four Celestial Venerables. Even a slight movement would, he sensed, disturb their interwoven energies and provoke a simultaneous attack from all of them!

"Even if I could instantly escape into the Chaos Sea, I wouldn't be able to avoid death."

His eyes darted quickly, yet no matter how he calculated, any movement on his part would lead him down a dead end, a path of certain death.

Around the Chaos Sea, the atmosphere was eerily quiet.

Just then, the rocks on the coastline cracked open, and a root emerged from the ground. It gently probed and slowly stretched, until an eye suddenly grew on the thick root. Its eyelid opened, cautiously surveying its surroundings.

More cold sweat beaded on Qin Mu's forehead; Earth Mother Sovereign had also arrived!

Earth Mother Sovereign's appearance at this moment was truly adding insult to injury!

More and more roots drilled out from beneath the earth, gradually congregating.

A moment later, Earth Mother Sovereign slowly ascended from beneath the earth, looking at Qin Mu. She didn't act immediately, instead chuckling, "Grand Master, so you've met your match today? Go on, run! Why aren't you running anymore?"

Qin Mu's voice was slightly hoarse as he stated earnestly, "Earth Mother, there is no mortal enmity between us. I advise you not to come near me. The Four Celestial Venerables are close by; their energies are intertwined, waiting for an opportunity to strike. If you approach or make a move on me, you will draw their collective attack."

Earth Mother Sovereign looked at him with suspicion, examining him from head to toe, then surveying her surroundings. Finding no trace of the four Celestial Venerables, she chuckled, "I'll believe you this once."

Qin Mu was taken aback, watching as Earth Mother Sovereign actually burrowed into the earth and vanished!

"How did Earth Mother get so clever? I was planning to provoke her into action, to use her physical body to block the attacks of the Four Celestial Venerables—even for a mere instant, it would have allowed me to escape..."

Qin Mu blinked, beads of sweat tracing down his forehead to his eyelids. Earth Mother actually believing his words was truly beyond his expectation!

"This day has certainly not gone well. Is someone perhaps plotting against me?"

No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than the Chaos Sea suddenly began to churn!