Chapter 1348: There Is a Thief Eyeing It

Celestial Venerable You had no choice but to abandon the idea of a bloody battle with Celestial Venerable Void. The paper boat slowly sailed into Tu Bo's brow, where Tu Bo's primordial spirit was already waiting for them.

Celestial Venerable You moored the paper boat and carefully tied it. Qin Mu glanced at him, feeling quite displeased.

The Apothecary whispered, "This is Youdu. Is Celestial Venerable You always this cautious?"

"I'm not afraid of thieves stealing," Celestial Venerable You said, "but of them coveting what I have. One was stolen before because I didn't tie it properly."

Qin Mu snorted coldly, "How petty. It was just borrowed once; it's not like I didn't return it."

Celestial Venerable You earnestly told the Apothecary, "That person also stole my yellow paper talismans."

The Apothecary deeply empathized, "Indeed, there are two thieves in our village; they can't resist taking good things. Even I've had things pilfered by them many times."

They walked into the palace within Tu Bo's eyes. Tu Bo's primordial spirit greeted Celestial Venerable Yue, saying, "Fellow Daoist Yue, your injuries have healed, and you've regained your former radiance and demeanor. This is truly commendable."

Celestial Venerable Yue returned the greeting, saying, "I wouldn't presume. Tu Bo's righteous assistance is something Yue will always remember."

"Don't mention it," Tu Bo's voice boomed. "This time, Celestial Venerable Mu privately opened the Gate of Inheritance, connecting Youdu with the living world and alarming King Rensheng. He deliberately used his connection with King Rensheng as a threat, and I could not stand by and watch King Rensheng be harmed. Thus, I was coerced by him and had no choice but to assist. Fellow Daoist Yue, you needn't feel indebted. I've already recorded this debt for Celestial Venerable Mu."

Qin Mu grumbled, "Tu Bo truly has keen insight and handles matters fairly."

"It is my duty; I dare not be even slightly remiss," Tu Bo said. "King Rensheng keeps all the ledgers very well, ready for settlement at any time."

Celestial Venerable You nodded and said, "They are well preserved."

Qin Mu didn't want to bring up the matter again and quickly said, "Grandpa Apothecary, Celestial Venerable Yue injured her face. Do you still have any good ointment?"

The Apothecary was puzzled and said, "Yes, I do, but you can just use your creation divine art to treat Celestial Venerable Yue; it's not that much trouble for you. Celestial Venerable You's injuries are more severe; I'll treat him first."

Qin Mu sighed, his breath weak and barely perceptible, saying, "I'm injured too. This time, the injuries are very severe; I'm afraid I'll never recover."

The Apothecary was even more puzzled. Qin Mu no longer had Dao injuries; logically, with his mastery of medical arts and the Dao of Creation, he should have long since recovered to peak condition and been full of vigor. Why was he still claiming to be injured and looking as if he could die at any moment?

"I injured my eye."

Qin Mu sighed deeply, "My vertical eye originally contained various treasures. However, during the battle with Celestial Venerable Xiao, he pierced my head, and even this eye of mine was shattered. The other things are easy to acquire; the Heavenly Emperor's eggshell and the Grand Ultimate primordial stone are simple to get. Those are just minor things, not worth mentioning. The only thing that truly bothers me is that jade pendant."

The Apothecary realized, saying regretfully, "That jade pendant was refined from one of Tu Bo's horns, with the character 'Qin' carved on it. You always cherished it, wearing it since childhood, never letting it leave your side."

Qin Mu's eyes reddened, and he choked up, saying, "I've always remembered Tu Bo's kindness, knowing that this jade pendant was refined by Tu Bo from his own horn for me, to help me subdue my demonic nature and prevent me from being controlled by it. When I died and resurrected that year, I placed this jade pendant in my vertical eye, where it transformed into an iris. I never expected it to be shattered by Celestial Venerable Xiao..."

He looked up at Tu Bo's primordial spirit, his eyes red.

The Apothecary also looked at Tu Bo's primordial spirit with an expectant expression.

Tu Bo remained silent.

Qin Mu said tearfully, "This eye of mine was hailed as the strongest divine eye by an ancient existence in the Ancestral Court, precisely because it had Tu Bo's horn transformed into its iris. I never imagined it would be crippled by Celestial Venerable Xiao like this, turning it into an ordinary eye from now on."

Tu Bo still remained silent.

Qin Mu gritted his teeth and said, "That ancient existence lives within the Great Black Wood, repairing the Great Black Mountain every day. If there's an opportunity, I could introduce you..."

Tu Bo remained expressionless and suddenly said, "I'll give you another piece. What do you think?"

Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief, and the Apothecary also secretly sighed in relief.

Tu Bo continued, "But it's not for free. The Ancestral Court has opened, and I can also reach it. Since you have the influence, introduce me to that existence."

Qin Mu muttered to himself internally. Tai Yi could directly go to see anyone he wanted, but it wasn't so easy for others to see him. If he didn't want to see someone, even if he stood right in front of them, they wouldn't be able to see him. Who knew if Tai Yi would agree to see Tu Bo?

"Alright!" Qin Mu said without changing his expression, "Then I'll just sacrifice my dignity and introduce Tu Bo. However, I want the most powerful piece of Tu Bo's horn to be my iris!"

Tu Bo hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Very well."

Qin Mu was overjoyed. "Then, Tu Bo, could you please contact Heavenly Duke? I can help Heavenly Duke get an introduction to that person."

Tu Bo frowned, and his ox tail flicked.

Qin Mu explained, "Although my vertical eye has an iris formed from Tu Bo's horn, it still lacks an anterior chamber for the pupil. If a treasure from Xuandu could form the anterior chamber, it would surely be even more outstanding!"

Tu Bo said, "I can inform Heavenly Duke. You return to the Ancestral Court first; Heavenly Duke and I will meet you there to make the exchange."

Qin Mu felt relieved. Heavenly Duke must also have treasures. If his vertical eye could combine the powers of Heavenly Duke and Tu Bo, along with the Grand Beginning eggshell and the Grand Ultimate primordial stone, it would definitely be even more powerful than before. Of course, what was more important was to obtain the water from Tai Yi's bucket and drip it into his eye.

Celestial Venerable You was puzzled. Although Tu Bo's horns could be regrown, the most powerful ones were refined from the continents of the Ancestral Court. Even Youdu and Fengdu, which Celestial Emperor Yin and Emperor Overlord borrowed, were later formed from horns refined from other heavens. Tu Bo directly using his primal horn merely to meet the one who repaired mountains in Qin Mu's lair seemed like an excessive measure. What was even stranger was that Tu Bo would actually agree to contact Heavenly Duke. Who exactly was that mountain-repairing individual, that they could make these two existences go together to meet him?

Celestial Venerable Yue and Celestial Venerable You's injuries were not too severe. The Apothecary diagnosed them, refined spiritual elixirs, and treated their injuries.

Tu Bo's primordial spirit took Qin Mu to see Celestial Venerable Xiao's divine artifact, the Divine Venerable Yu. As the two looked at this colossal entity, Tu Bo's primordial spirit suddenly sighed and shook his head, saying, "This Divine Venerable Yu won't last much longer."

Qin Mu was slightly startled, not understanding what he meant.

"Celestial Venerable Xiao forcefully used this Divine Venerable Yu to unleash the perfect Heavenly Court realm, and the resulting pressure was too immense," Tu Bo explained. "The physical structure of the Divine Venerable Yu has been mostly destroyed. If it's used one or two more times, this Divine Venerable Yu will completely shatter and turn to dust. However, the Heavenly Court realm is indeed incomparably powerful. Given time, once Celestial Venerable Xiao cultivates the Heavenly Court, he will be not far from his previous life's strength. If he finds his original physical body, he will then surpass his past self."

Qin Mu opened his vertical eye in his brow, trying to see through the internal structure of the Divine Venerable Yu. However, his current vertical eye had not yet integrated the Grand Beginning egg and the Grand Ultimate primordial stone, nor did it have Tu Bo's horn, so it lacked such powerful eyesight.

"Tu Bo, Heavenly Duke has means to protect himself, but what about you?" Qin Mu closed his vertical eye in his brow, feeling displeased at his inability to see through everything. He composed himself and asked, "Heavenly Duke is hidden among the Ten Celestial Venerables, his strength unfathomable, so he can cope with future calamities and completely break free from the ancient gods' constraints. So what about you, Tu Bo? What means have you hidden?"