Chapter 1442: Xuandu Battlefield

Zhe Huali and Tian Shu came over to inquire about the wonders of Jade Pond. Qin Mu shared his recent insights with them, leaving everyone filled with envy.

"I was in a hurry and didn't have time to map out the Four Heavenly Gates, Jade Pond, Jade Platform, and Nine Prison Platform. However, Xu Shenghua and Lan Yutian are working on that."

Qin Mu thought for a moment and said, "Even they will need one or two decades to fully map out all the Heavenly Gates, Jade Pond, Jade Platform, and Nine Prison Execution Platforms. But once they are mapped, the Celestial Palace cultivation system will undergo a tremendous transformation!"

Tian Shu's expression became serious. "It's more than just a tremendous change; it's a world-shattering transformation! Integrating the Dao Realm with the Celestial Palace system, this is truly... truly..."

He struggled to find the right words.

The Butcher said, "Combining the Dao Realm with the Celestial Palace is akin to possessing Emperor Kaihuang's Dao attainment while also having the power of Heavenly Venerate Haotian."

Qin Mu mused, "It should be even stronger. After all, an additional Nine Prison Platform realm has been introduced. Furthermore, the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital is said to be incredibly perilous; even the Grand Emperor and Heavenly Emperor Taichu barely escaped intact from it back then. I estimate that the true Jade Capital will likely bring significant changes to the original Jade Capital realm as well."

Luo Wushuang was greatly shaken. "Are you saying that when the Dao Realm and Celestial Palace cultivation systems merge in the future, they will be much stronger than Emperor Kaihuang and Heavenly Venerate Haotian combined?"

Qin Mu exclaimed, "More than just much stronger? They'll be almost as strong as me! Of course, still slightly inferior, but already incredibly formidable."

Everyone completely ignored the latter half of his statement, focusing only on the first part, and their shock was unparalleled.

"By then, it will be the ultimate cultivation system, right?"

Zhe Huali murmured, "A cultivation system so perfect that it cannot be improved upon is both good and bad... In the future, there might no longer be reformers like us."

"Where is there an ultimate cultivation system?"

Qin Mu shook his head. "Have the Five Primordial Realms been fully developed? Has the cultivation system for Post-celestial Great Daos been developed? Is there still room for improvement after achieving Dao? How does one cultivate Dao Trees, Dao Flowers, and Dao Fruits? These are all unknowns. What's more..."

He continued leisurely, "Future generations will be different from us. We are slowly exploring and investigating the mysteries of the Dao. What we are researching now might just be basic knowledge for them. They will continue to innovate upon our foundations, and perhaps the future cultivation system will be entirely different from today's."

The Butcher nodded. "Thirty years ago, I couldn't have imagined the drastic changes in today's cultivation system either."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Thirty years ago, who could have conceived of the Heavenly River realm? Who could have imagined the unification of the Seven Divine Treasures? Who could have thought of the Dao Realm system? Or the Four Heavenly Gate realm and the Nine Prison Platform realm? Yet now, all of them have emerged.

These reformers looked and traveled even further, with the Five Primordial Realms, Dao Trees, Dao Flowers, and Dao Fruits awaiting their discovery and exploration in the future. There were also various Post-celestial Daos that would require evolution and advancement by successive generations.

On the boat, the Butcher sharpened his Heaven Blade. Tian Shu stared at the wine jar in Zhe Huali's hand, while Zhe Huali himself poured wine for his demonic blade, Dragon Fang. Luo Wushuang paced the deck, each step precise to several decimal places.

Qin Mu stood at the bow, steering the boat and watching Xuandu approach.

Xuandu resembled a celestial dome, appearing like a sphere inverted over all the heavens and myriad worlds. However, it actually contained numerous intertwined and complex spatial dimensions, not a true sphere. From any world, one could look up and see Xuandu. With enough patience, strength, and longevity, one could even fly there.

Heavenly Duke of Xuandu could gaze upon any world, much like Qin Mu's Divine Treasure Domain. Within Xuandu, the Heavenly Duke was like a four-faced deity; his back could not be seen. He had only one shadow: his feet, which were the location of Tianyin. The Sea of Tianyin in the Tianyin Realm also resembled the shape of his footsteps.

Dozens of days later, the fast boat arrived at Xuandu. The Heavenly River Navy's immense multi-decked warships and large vessels floated on the Heavenly River, a vast and boundless fleet spanning hundreds of thousands of miles. These vessels included not only large ships but also smaller ones—though "small" was relative to Celestial Court ships; in the mortal realm, these small vessels would still be colossal warships. Countless gods and devils stood on the ships, while others plunged into the Heavenly River, hunting enemies in the water.

The underwater battles were extremely fierce, with gurgling bloody water occasionally rising to the surface. This was due to the Star Lords stationed in Xuandu leading rebels who had infiltrated the Heavenly River, attempting to ambush the Heavenly River Navy from below. However, with numerous water gods and dragon gods in the Heavenly River Navy, how could they succeed?

At the front lines, huge suns were pushed forward by the rebels. On each of these suns, majestic divine cities floated on their surface. Sun Guardians from Xuandu wielded immense flames, unfurled banners, and summoned solar fires to burn the Heavenly River Navy.

Qin Mu and his companions steered their small boat away from the Heavenly River, bypassing the battlefield. They saw that war raged across Xuandu, with tens of thousands of Moon Guardians from Xuandu driving bright celestial bodies, rushing one after another into the fray. Most Moon Guardians were women. They cooperated with the Sun Guardians, drawing light from the suns and transforming it into rays of death. Furthermore, various Star Lords commanded numerous stars, with divine cities orbiting among them. Starlight connected star to star, mobilizing the power of the constellations to rush into battle. Chains of light erupted from the constellations, linking with the suns and moons, leading to a fierce struggle against the Heavenly River Navy. The artillery fire bursting from the Heavenly River Navy's multi-decked warships and the tide of divine soldiers surging forth clashed with the rebel forces of Xuandu's suns, moons, and constellations, creating a spectacular and unforgettable sight.

As Qin Mu and his companions entered Xuandu, massive fragments of stars, ashes of shattered suns, scraped past their boat. These fragments were numerous, and their density increased the further they went. Among the fragments, the colossal corpses of gods and devils floated silently in the starry void. These were the bodies of fallen Sun Guardians.

The Sun Guardians, Moon Guardians, and Star Lords in Xuandu were originally divine officials responsible for the operation of the suns, moons, and stars across all the heavens and myriad worlds. Officially, they obeyed the Celestial Court's commands, but in reality, they were staunch supporters of Xuandu's Heavenly Duke. As the Heavenly Duke controlled the movements of stars and the sun and moon across all the heavens and myriad worlds, he naturally had countless fervent followers.

Superficially, the Celestial Court's power was the greatest, but in reality, the ancient gods who held sway over their own domains each possessed immense influence. The reason the Celestial Court had been slow to act against these ancient gods was precisely because the forces they commanded were not to be underestimated. The reason why the rulers of all the heavens and myriad worlds were required to participate in the Heavenly Alliance Conference was precisely because Xuandu's Heavenly Duke also had his own influence throughout them.

Qin Mu and the others averted their gaze. Upon arriving here, they felt the aura of the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao was originally not easily perceptible; it required extremely high Dao Realm cultivation to sense its operation. Yet now, the Heavenly Dao in Xuandu was so intense that anyone entering Xuandu could easily perceive it!

"Xuandu must have sensed that the situation was dire," the Butcher said solemnly, feeling waves of Heavenly Dao power surge into his body, filling his muscles and bones with immense strength. "That's why the Heavenly Dao is so potent, empowering those who defend the Heavenly Duke. The Heavenly Dao cannot act directly; the Great Dao itself has no power. The power lies in divine abilities and those who master them, which is why the Heavenly Dao empowers us."

Tian Shu and the others also felt the Heavenly Dao's empowerment. The Great Dao was formless, yet as it surged into their bodies, it manifested as various phenomena, taking the forms of forty-nine Heavenly Dao treasures, protecting their physical bodies and primordial spirits.

Qin Mu, with his profound understanding of the Heavenly Dao, immediately detected the fluctuations of Xuandu's Heavenly Dao and said gravely, "Let's go to Tianfang City!"