Chapter 1378: Constantly Walking Along the Riverbank

The Southern Heavenly Gate realm is built upon the Southern Heavenly Gate of the Celestial Heavens. The Celestial Heavens' Southern Heavenly Gate symbolizes the authority of the Celestial Emperor, the majesty of the gods, and represents their collective power. Consequently, traditional Heavenly Palace realms focused solely on power, lacking enlightenment regarding the Great Dao.

Qin Mu's primordial spirit paused, pondering the reason while comprehending: "This means that unstable realms will manifest in all gods and devils whose cultivation is based on the traditional Heavenly Palace system, without exception."

"This is because when they passed through the Southern Heavenly Gate, they gained only power, not enlightenment concerning the Great Dao. This was also why, when Emperor Kai severed the Celestial Heavens, the Dao hearts of all gods and devils nearly fractured and collapsed."

This included Qin Mu, Emperor Kai himself, and the Ten Celestial Venerables!

"If Emperor Kai wanted to achieve Dao, cultivate the Thirty-six Heavens of Sword Dao, and embed his Sword Dao in the ultimate void, he would have to traverse the Four Heavenly Gates of the Ancestral Court, as well as the Jade Pool, Jade Terrace, Jade Capital City, and other locations! Only by doing so could his understanding of the Great Dao reach its pinnacle!"

"Emperor Kai's path to validating the void with his sword lay within the Ancestral Court!"

He continued forward, comprehending with great care.

Qin Mu advanced at a steady pace. Although the Dao flames were fierce, they could hardly harm him. The Dao sounds emanating from the Heavenly Gate, however, made his Dao heart even more lucid and transparent.

"This is not the Southern Heavenly Gate, but the Gate of Entering Dao. If someone can pass through this portal, they will most likely enter the Dao."

He marveled inwardly that such a wondrous place existed between heaven and earth.

"However, the power of the Dao flames within this Gate of Entering Dao could probably incinerate most true gods!"

Qin Mu slightly frowned. The most potent aspect of the Dao flames was not directed at the physical body, nor at vital qi, the primordial spirit, divine consciousness, or even the divine treasures and Heavenly Palaces; it targeted the Dao heart!

If one's cultivation of the Dao heart was not sufficiently high, they would be utterly incinerated by the Dao flames within this Southern Heavenly Gate, leaving nothing behind!

"I must inform Senior Brother Crown Prince You Ming and the others not to enter the Southern Heavenly Gate directly. The optimal path is to analyze the Dao flames here and complete the Southern Heavenly Gate in their respective Heavenly Palaces. That way, there's still a possibility of entering Dao, though the chances are slightly smaller. However, it's infinitely greater than the former Southern Heavenly Gate, and safer."

He walked through the Ancestral Court's Southern Heavenly Gate, and by the time he emerged from this natural portal of heaven and earth, several days had passed. Yet, he had not entered the Dao.

Although the insights gained from the Ancestral Court's Southern Heavenly Gate were profound, Qin Mu had already entered the Dao much earlier, and his realm was already quite deep. The insights from this Southern Heavenly Gate were not enough to enable him to re-enter the Dao and elevate his Dao realm further.

"I must visit the other three Heavenly Gates. The insights they offer into the Dao heart and the Great Dao will be sufficient to ensure I have no weaknesses at this realm!"

His primordial spirit exited the Southern Heavenly Gate, then turned back, passing through the portal once more, intending to return to his physical body.

His primordial spirit arrived at the portal's entrance and immediately froze in bewilderment. The area before the Southern Heavenly Gate was utterly empty; his physical body had vanished without a trace!

He had been single-mindedly comprehending within the Southern Heavenly Gate, never expecting his body to be gone!

"I've often walked by the river, and finally got my shoes wet. I made a rookie mistake. What kind of colossal beast could break through divine ability seals and take my physical body?"

He sensed his physical body and found it was still there, not devoured by any colossal beast, which finally eased his mind.

Just then, Crown Prince You Ming, leaning on the Azure Sky Glazed Pagoda, arrived here escorting the people from Great Black Mountain. They spotted Qin Mu's primordial spirit and were astonished, stepping forward one after another to inquire.

Grandma Si frowned, "Mu'er, where's your body?"

"Don't even ask."

Qin Mu said, feeling ashamed, "I tracked Dragon Roar here, intending to send my primordial spirit inside to comprehend the mysteries. I never expected my body to be stolen. I already know who stole it, and I'm going to reclaim it!"

Wei Suifeng's heart stirred slightly, and he whispered, "Is it Dragon Roar?"

Qin Mu nodded, "He took my body to make me his mount. I'll go meet him; nothing will happen."

He recounted his discoveries within the Ancestral Court's Southern Heavenly Gate to everyone, saying, "If your strength is sufficient, and your true god realm is only slightly inferior to mine, you can try sending your primordial spirit inside. But if you are significantly weaker than me, then it's best not to go in and court death."

As soon as he spoke, many eagerly prepared to try. Qin Mu glanced at Yu Chudu and Wei Suifeng, shaking his head, "You cannot. You are far from ready."

Wei Suifeng snorted, clearly displeased.

Qin Mu then looked at the First Ancestor, Second Ancestor, and other Human Emperors, shaking his head, "You cannot either."

The others were accustomed to such disheartening remarks and thought, "That great cult master Wei doesn't seem used to it yet, but he will be."

Qin Mu said to Xu Shenghua and Lan Yutian, "You two can go in. Crown Prince You Ming, Grandma, you can enter, but if you feel it's dangerous, retreat immediately; you are also quite far from ready. Hua Xuanxiu, you're too young and still in the divine treasure realm with an unstable primordial spirit; just stay outside. Where is Dragon Pi? Where's Pi?"

He looked around, but couldn't find Dragon Pi, feeling perplexed.

"Fatty Dragon didn't return."

Wei Suifeng said, "When I summoned everyone, I didn't find any trace of him, which is why I didn't even summon Yan'er, so she wouldn't worry."

Qin Mu's heart sank. When he fought Earth Mother Sovereign, he had told Dragon Qilin to leave first, but he never expected Dragon Qilin hadn't returned to Great Black Mountain in the Ancestral Court!

"After I retrieve my body, I will go look for him!"

Qin Mu's heart was anxious. Suddenly, he stood up tall, and his primordial spirit vanished swiftly!

His primordial spirit darted ten thousand miles, sensing his body as it went. Before long, his primordial spirit was far from the Ancestral Court's Southern Heavenly Gate, arriving at a strange place.

Here, mountains stood densely, steep like blades and spears, grim and ferocious, resembling sharp thorns growing from the earth, piercing diagonally towards the sky!

His primordial spirit passed through the strange mountains, suddenly feeling peculiar forces piercing into it, causing its speed to involuntarily slow down.

Qin Mu activated his divine abilities. Great Dao runes flew out, forming Dao patterns, which then composed Dao chains. However, the operation of these Dao chains became sluggish. The strange forces permeating the area pierced into his Dao chains, into the Dao patterns, and into the Great Dao runes, making it almost impossible for his divine abilities to fully form!

The flying speed of his primordial spirit grew slower and slower, until he could no longer mobilize his magic power, and his primordial spirit plummeted from the sky.

Qin Mu began to stride, walking rapidly and then breaking into a sprint. His speed remained extremely fast, like a fleeting shadow, but the deeper he ventured into these peculiar mountains, the stronger the suppression he felt!

"What is this place?"

Just as he thought this, the connection between his primordial spirit and his physical body suddenly became intensely strong.

*Whoosh—*

His primordial spirit merged into his physical body. Qin Mu opened his eyes and laughed loudly, "Dragon Roar, why were you sneaking around, stealing my body?"

At this moment, Qin Mu felt a heavy weight around his neck. He saw a chain made of divine metal fastened around his neck, while Dragon Roar, now shrunk to a mere ten-odd zhang in length, lay prone and sleeping on a thorny throne.

Beside Dragon Roar, Dragon Qilin was concocting and applying medicine to treat his injuries, whispering, "Godfather, Heavenly Venerable Mu has arrived!"

Dragon Roar slowly opened his eyes, yawned, and chuckled, "Don't call him Heavenly Venerable Mu; call him Mount Heavenly Venerable Mu."