Chapter 1392: Jaillock Hongtian Venerable

Hong Tianzun looked at him with a smile. They were very close, just a few steps apart.

"I don't wish for Heaven Duke to die; he is my fellow Daoist."

Qin Mu lowered his gaze, his voice hoarse: "Heaven Duke noticed me when I was still very weak, and he favored and protected me for many years. I always regarded him as an elder. I still remember the happy times he shared with Earth Duke and Red Emperor on my Qin-character continent."

Hong Tianzun flicked his whisk and chuckled, "Heavenly Venerable Mu, you are too sentimental. These are not emotions a Heavenly Venerable should possess. If Heaven Duke dies, he will be free from the Heavenly Dao's constraints. You should be happy for him, not direct your killing intent at me."

Qin Mu's expression turned somber: "I don't want him to completely transform into Heavenly Venerable Hong. A Heaven Duke who becomes Heavenly Venerable Hong is no longer Heaven Duke. Hong, you are no longer Heaven Duke; you no longer embody the will of the Heavenly Dao. You are merely one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables—a despicable existence just like Hao, Ancestor, Lang, and the others."

Hong Tianzun smiled faintly, "Don't you think becoming me would be better for Heaven Duke? You are harboring killing intent towards a Heavenly Venerable, Heavenly Venerable Mu. You should know the consequences of such actions."

Qin Mu looked up, his vertical eye on his forehead slowly opening. He nodded lightly and said, "Harboring killing intent towards a Heavenly Venerable is, of course, extremely dangerous; I've known that for a long time. However, you and I are very close. Such a short distance is almost nonexistent for someone proficient in the martial arts. In martial arts, ten steps signify a kill. The distance between us is less than ten steps."

Hong Tianzun chuckled, "The Martial Dao Great Emperor Zhuo Cha, when he strikes, his attack power increases the closer he is. Even those with more profound cultivation, Dao arts, or divine abilities superior to his would be slain if he got this close. You practiced with the Martial Dao Great Emperor for a period, so you've learned his skills. But have you ever considered..."

Standing on the surface of the sea, close to Qin Mu, he exuded the aura of the Martial Dao Great Emperor, as formidable as a towering peak or a deep abyss.

"When Emperor Kai started, it was I who supported him."

The martial arts aura emanating from Hong Tianzun grew increasingly intense. His martial arts primordial spirit and martial arts will were even stronger than Qin Mu's!

"The entire Emperor Kai era was able to last for twenty thousand years only under my protection!"

A terrifying aura, one that inspired fear and despair, emanated from Hong Tianzun's corpulent body.

During the Emperor Kai era, the Ten Heavenly Venerables paid no mind to Emperor Kai's Heavenly Court. After all, Emperor Kai's nation never managed to occupy the Primordial Realm or rule the myriad heavens and worlds, thus posing no mortal threat to the Heavenly Court.

Emperor Kai's nation was merely a tiny, insignificant lower-realm state supported by Heaven Duke.

The greatest achievement of the Emperor Kai era was in the Post-celestial Grand Dao. They pioneered 360 Post-celestial Grand Daos. Had they been given time, they could have elevated these Daos to a level on par with, or even surpassing, the Pre-celestial Grand Daos!

Martial arts was one of them.

Emperor Kai's Sword Dao was another!

As the de facto protector of Emperor Kai's nation, Heaven Duke was certainly privy to the civilized achievements of the Emperor Kai era.

"At such a short distance, you can do nothing."

Hong Tianzun's face glowed with triumph, and his aura became increasingly despair-inducing. He felt like another Martial Dao Great Emperor, another Zhuo Cha, yet his martial might exerted an even greater pressure than Zhuo Cha's!

He also possessed a terrifying Sword Dao will, no less intense than Emperor Kai's!

"Heavenly Venerable Mu, recognize the difficulty and retreat."

Hong Tianzun smiled faintly, "The strongest divine physique in this world is not the bloodline of the Heavenly Emperor, but my bloodline—the Duling Body. You've seen Emperor Yi Yue and Ancestral God King; did their spirit bodies make you envious? And Heaven Duke, once he breaks free from the Heavenly Dao's restraints, will be even stronger than them!"

His confidence was like the blazing sun in the sky—intense and unparalleled!

Qin Mu inhaled deeply, his vital qi surging like the Heavenly River within him, producing a roaring sound as if vast waves were crashing against the shore.

Hong Tianzun raised an eyebrow slightly and said indifferently, "Must you be beaten until your head is broken and blood flows before you turn back?"

*Buzz*—

Qin Mu's Divine Treasure Domain unfolded, spinning wildly. A Heavenly Court emerged, with nineteen Heavenly Palaces shimmering in harmony!

Within his Divine Treasure Domain, his Sword Dao Domain and divine sense domain spread out, overlapping with it!

Qin Mu took a step forward!

Hong Tianzun couldn't help but become enraged. With such a short distance between them, Qin Mu's insistence on attacking provoked his celestial wrath!

The heavens roared in anger, bodies lay strewn for thousands of miles, and blood flowed like rivers, carrying away corpses!

As Qin Mu's Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure Domain spread, Hong Tianzun immediately felt the invasion of a divine sense domain—the Supreme Divine Sense Domain of the Grand Emperor, which Qin Mu had largely mastered.

This domain could suppress an opponent's divine sense, freezing their thoughts and creating the illusion of time stagnation!

The Grand Emperor's Supreme Divine Sense Domain could even trap a Heavenly Venerable in this illusion of time stagnation!

Although Qin Mu couldn't cultivate it to the Grand Emperor's level, the profoundness of his divine sense had already reached the Emperor's Throne realm!

His sword domain erupted simultaneously!

The Sword Dao Domain and Sword Twenty Forms complemented each other. As the Sword Dao Domain unfolded, a broken sword appeared in his hand, instantly restoring itself to wholeness.

This was Emperor Kai's Thirty-Three Heavens of Sword Dao, and in his hands, combined with his sword domain, it was utterly invincible!

And his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure Domain was his true domain. All his Dao cultivation had been poured into forging this Divine Treasure Domain; both his sword domain and the Supreme Divine Sense Domain were merely parts of it!

Furthermore, within his Divine Treasure Domain, one could find various divine beings, including Heaven Duke, Earth Duke, and Earth Mother!

At that instant, the various orifices of his physical body also erupted with terrifying power. All the divine beings were stationed within the hundreds of orifices of his physical body, with nearly two thousand ancient god imprints, elevating his physical body to its absolute peak!

Within his domain, he was an invincible existence, the master of the universe!

Qin Mu struck decisively. All Grand Daos unified within his domain, and the nineteen Heavenly Palaces condensed all their power, converging into his single strike!

At that moment, on the surface of the Yaochi Sea, the rulers of the myriad heavens and worlds sensed the immense power within Qin Mu. They all turned their gaze towards him, revealing expressions of shock and bewilderment!

Everyone looked down on Qin Mu. Although he was the founder of the Celestial Alliance, held the title of Heavenly Venerable, and thrived amidst the Ten Heavenly Venerables in the Heavenly Court.

However, everyone knew that Qin Mu was merely a lucky young man who had gained Heavenly Venerable Ling's favor and, by chance, traveled back to the early years of the Dragon Han era through Heavenly Venerable Ling's divine ability.

He earned the title of Heavenly Venerable by relying on his foresight and knowledge, which was a million years ahead of the early Dragon Han era.

He used his knowledge, a million years advanced, to astonish Dragon Han, transmit divine laws on behalf of Heavenly Venerable Yu, and even defeat Heavenly Venerable Hao. Yet, upon returning to the present era, Qin Mu had no earth-shattering achievements to his name.

He was merely a fame-seeker, using his Heavenly Venerable title to gain recognition everywhere.

Yet now, the aura Qin Mu unleashed struck fear and awe into everyone!

Qin Mu possessed no Emperor's Might and had not cultivated to the Emperor's Throne realm; his primordial spirit merely stood on the Jade Terrace of his Heavenly Palace. However, he had Dao Might!

The power of the Grand Dao emanating from him even surpassed Emperor's Might!

His divine abilities manifested immeasurable Dao charm, perfectly showcasing the Grand Dao he cultivated and adhered to!

This Heavenly Venerable Mu, who was always looked down upon, was now making a move against Heavenly Venerable Hong!

This was an unbelievably arrogant act!

An act that defied the common consensus of the world!

Yet, the combat prowess Qin Mu displayed at that moment made all the rulers of the heavens tremble and feel deeply moved!

Unbeknownst to them, Qin Mu's power had already surpassed all the rulers of the heavens, becoming an existence superior to them!

Hong Tianzun's white hair fluttered as he allowed Qin Mu's domain to crush towards him. However, no matter how exquisite Qin Mu's Grand Dao domain was, it could not pull him in or restrict him.

He raised his palm, not using his strongest ultimate technique, but only a martial arts divine ability.

He intended to use martial arts to utterly crush Qin Mu: to crush his spirit, his perseverance, his Dao heart, his pride, and everything he wished to protect!

He also wanted to shatter Qin Mu's physical body, breaking his bones and tendons, making him lose face completely, and forcing him to recognize reality!

This world is not sustained by ideals, nor by passion, nor by mere zeal. This world belongs to the Heavenly Dao, to Heaven Duke, to him!

Only by following him, by acting in accordance with heaven, by adhering to him, could Qin Mu find a way to survive!

He could grant Qin Mu everything, and he could strip Qin Mu of everything!

He threw a punch. This punch was vast and mighty, like the Fist of the Heavenly Dao, crushing Qin Mu's attacking sword with supreme power, shattering Qin Mu's Sword Dao, crushing his sword heart, and demolishing his sword domain!

Qin Mu's Thirty-Three Heavens of Sword Dao couldn't be brought to bear before him. Qin Mu's Supreme Divine Sense Domain, which mimicked the Grand Emperor's, seemed like tofu before his simple and unadorned Fist of the Heavenly Dao, utterly defenseless!

Qin Mu's Divine Treasure Domain was also like paper, shattered into fragments by his single punch!

Qin Mu's physical body, too, was like a porcelain doll. Before this punch, nearly two thousand ancient god imprints shattered, and Heavenly Palaces collapsed and were destroyed one after another!

Xuan Du, You Du, Yuan Du, the Four Pole Heavens, and the myriad heavens and worlds within Qin Mu's Divine Treasure were all pulverized into swirling ash!

Qin Mu's bones fractured, his body became a bloody mess, and the primordial spirits within his Heavenly Palaces all exploded!

Even the Ancestral Court within his Divine Treasure continuously disintegrated and crumbled.

Hong Tianzun's power was simply too immense; even a simple punch was enough to obliterate an Emperor's Throne realm expert and destroy everything they possessed!

"Heavenly Venerable Mu, have you recognized reality?"

Hong Tianzun's grand and mighty punch reached Qin Mu. Its immense celestial might caused Qin Mu's entire body to continuously burst open, broken bone shards piercing through his flesh and skin, exposed hideously.

The full power of his punch had not yet been unleashed. If it had been, Qin Mu would likely have exploded on the spot, turning into ash!

He smiled. He wasn't aiming to completely destroy Qin Mu; he still needed Qin Mu.

Qin Mu alive was more useful to him.

At this moment, Qin Mu raised a finger and tapped it against his fist.

Qin Mu's finger exploded, turning into a bloody mist.

Hong Tianzun couldn't help but become enraged. Qin Mu's finger strike was a divine ability that made him feel as if he was plummeting rapidly. He saw strange mountains all around him, like sharp thorns!

Those were the Nine Hell Platforms!

A stinging sensation came, and he was drawn towards the deepest part of the Nine Hell Platforms. In an instant, he plummeted into the Ninth Hell of the Nine Hell Platforms.

He looked up and saw the sky, like the mouth of a well.

Divine Ability Twenty-Fifth Heaven: The Everlasting Dao of Nine Hells Locking the Heart.

"Ignorant of your own limitations, you dare to unleash a divine ability on me!"

The power within Hong Tianzun's fist fully erupted, and the Nine Hell Platform illusion instantly shattered. He broke free from the Nine Hells.

Qin Mu's physical body exploded under the might of that punch, turning into ash.

The next moment, Qin Mu's physical body regenerated. His Divine Treasure, Heavenly Palaces, primordial spirit, cultivation, divine sense, and everything else returned to their original state.

"Heavenly Venerable Mu, have you submitted now?" Hong Tianzun restrained his anger and smiled faintly.

Qin Mu remained expressionless, brushed past him, and walked away without even their auras colliding.

Hong Tianzun was startled. He turned around, only to see Qin Mu's back.

At that moment, Hong Tianzun looked down and saw a reflection of the Nine Hell Platforms beneath the surface of the Yao Sea.

He saw himself standing in a confined space at the very bottom of the Nine Hell Platforms, looking up.

Although he had destroyed Qin Mu, pulverizing everything about him, he had not broken Qin Mu's divine ability.

Hell-Locked Dao Heart.

Although he had escaped from the Everlasting Dao of Nine Hells Locking the Heart, his Dao heart remained trapped within the hell, unable to escape.

The saying "Divine Abilities Establish the Dao for Heavenly Venerable Mu" was no empty boast.