Chapter 1448: He Is the Heavenly Shepherd

The time it took from Di Qing confronting Honored Heavenly Venerable to his death was merely the duration of an incense stick. In such a short span, no one else could have escaped very far.

However, the moment Di Qing left the continent, Qin Mu immediately activated the Overlord Body Three Elixirs technique. Using the Extreme Heavens Palace as the primary and other Heavenly Palaces as secondary, he gathered his qi into a sword and slashed backward. As the sword strike landed, layers of space continuously emerged, with myriad stars pouring out from the void within these expanding spaces, constantly stretching the distance between them and Honored Heavenly Venerable!

He unleashed sword strike after sword strike, and space continued to expand. While their combined strength was insufficient to confront Honored Heavenly Venerable, when it came to escape, no Heavenly Venerable could hope to apprehend Qin Mu. The Extreme Void Scripture, a technique of Heavenly Venerable Yue, was not fully mastered by him, but he had delved into it for a long time. With this skill, he was confident he could evade the pursuit of any Heavenly Venerable.

However, he lacked the power to help the people of this continent escape Honored Heavenly Venerable's pursuit. Di Qing and his clan were unrelated to him, but once he gave his word, he would do everything in his power to fulfill it.

After delivering more than ten consecutive sword strikes, Qin Mu's magic power became somewhat strained. He then stamped his foot, and the Overlord Body Three Elixirs technique reordered his Heavenly Palaces. At this moment, with his main Heavenly Palace as the primary and others as auxiliary, he boosted his cultivation power to its maximum.

Boom—a Shore God Boat appeared beneath the continent, lifting the entire dilapidated land. It slowly accelerated, and once it reached maximum speed, the entire continent violently tore through the void, entering the first layer of the void. After a moment, the Shore God Boat, carrying the continent, crashed into the second layer of the void. However, by the time it reached the sixth layer, the entire continent was unbearably compressed by the void, and the people within the ruins of Tianfang City on the land could no longer endure, their bodies starting to turn ethereal.

Many Sun Guardians exerted all their efforts, using their magic power to protect them, temporarily slowing this alarming trend. However, this fragment of Tianfang City could not sustain itself. Mountain-sized divine stones began to peel off and detach from the land, slowly dissipating into the void. The Tianfang City fragment grew smaller and smaller, quickly transforming from a continent into an island, forcing the people on it to huddle together, barely finding enough space. Qin Mu's vital qi surged, boosting the Shore God Boat's speed, accelerating their departure from Xuandu.

After an unknown duration, his magic power was on the verge of exhaustion. He expended his last reserves to bring the Tianfang City fragment out of the eighth layer of the void. Once the fragment exited the void, Qin Mu's energy rapidly waned, and he nearly fell to the ground.

"Everyone," Qin Mu said, barely standing with the support of Tian Shu and the Butcher, addressing the hundred or so Sun Guardians and the people of Xuandu. "This place is now far from the battlefield. I cannot escort you out of Xuandu, but it will be very difficult for any pursuers to catch you. You can make your own way to the Primordial Realm; there is no longer a sanctuary for the people of Xuandu in this world."

He coughed violently, and after a moment, continued, "Carefree Village has been blockaded by the Heavenly Court's army, so you cannot reach it, and you can no longer remain in Xuandu. Only Eternal Peace can offer you refuge. Go to the Primordial Realm and seek out Yan Jingjing, the Sun Guardian of Eternal Peace; she will shelter you."

"Benefactor!" a Sun Guardian bowed and pleaded, "We humbly request that you remove your black masks and share your names, so we may remember your appearances and know who saved us!"

Qin Mu shook his head. "There is no need for you to know our names or appearances. You should leave quickly..."

Suddenly, an elderly man from Xuandu tremblingly spoke, "You, Benefactors, possess unparalleled virtue, saving us without revealing your names. But we cannot be ungrateful. We implore you to show us your true faces and real names. When we reach Eternal Peace, we will erect living shrines and create golden statues for you, praying for you day and night!"

Thousands of people from Xuandu knelt, speaking in unison, "If we know kindness but do not repay it, how are we different from beasts? We implore you, Benefactor, to grant our wish!"

Qin Mu shook his head. "There's no need for that. I saved you for my own peace of mind; it has nothing to do with you..."

"Peace of mind?" Zhe Huali suddenly exploded in fury, yanking off the black cloth covering his face. He roared, "Can you truly have peace of mind? You can, but I certainly cannot! When I save people, I intend to leave my name and show my true face! Take off your masks, all of you, take them off for me, and let these ignorant fools see our faces!"

The Butcher silently removed the black cloth from his face. Tian Shu and Luo Wushuang followed suit.

Zhe Huali strode up to Qin Mu and reached out to pull off the black cloth from his face. Qin Mu raised a hand, struggling, "Don't..."

"Do you want to bear ill repute your entire life?" Zhe Huali slapped Qin Mu's hand away, ripped the black cloth from his face, burst into laughter, and mocked, "This is your benefactor! Have you seen his face clearly? He is your benefactor! Your benefactor Qin Mu, Heavenly Venerable Mu, whom you made straw effigies of, shot with arrows, and cursed every single day!" His gaze, sharp as knives, swept across the faces of the Xuandu people, causing them to not only physically kneel but to feel their very souls bow in submission.

"That's right! He is Heavenly Venerable Mu, the Heavenly Venerable Mu of the Heavenly Alliance!" Zhe Huali heavily plunged his demon blade into the ground, gritting his teeth. "The Heavenly Venerable Mu you utterly despise! When the Ten Heavenly Venerables sought to kill Heavenly Grandfather, he obstructed them in every conceivable way, even risking his own life to fight against them! He racked his brains trying to find a way out for Heavenly Grandfather! When the Heavenly Court attacked Xuandu, knowing he was outmatched, he desperately worked to enhance his own power!"

"He even invited us!"

"If it weren't for our friendship with him, what do we care about the life or death of some damn Heavenly Grandfather?" Zhe Huali gripped the hilt, rotated the blade, and slowly drove the demon blade into the ground, chuckling sardonically. "We risked our lives to come here, not for some damn Heavenly Grandfather, nor for the sake of your many lives in Xuandu, but because we are his friends, friends who would face life and death together! If he asks us to come, we come, even if it means putting our lives on the line! What are you to us?"

He had endured too much pressure, and at this moment, he finally released it with cathartic laughter. "Your lives matter, and our lives matter too. Why should our lives be exchanged for yours? It's simply because Heavenly Venerable Mu asked us to come! Heh heh, what have you people of Xuandu done? Built living shrines for Heavenly Venerable Mu? Created golden statues for him? Worshipped him? Bah! You made straw effigies, shot him with arrows from behind every day, and spat curses at him!"

The Butcher, Luo Wushuang, and Tian Shu remained silent, standing there without a word, allowing him to vent.

"You Xuandu people are brave!" Zhe Huali said, scoffing as he coldly looked at the Sun Guardians and people of Xuandu. "If you're so brave, then step forward and say it: 'I don't need Heavenly Venerable Mu to save me, I don't need any of you to save me, I'd rather die!' Step forward and say it—"

"Enough," Qin Mu interrupted. "No need to say more. I cannot hold off Honored Heavenly Venerable for too long."

Qin Mu raised his hand, lifted his head, and looked directly at the people of Xuandu. "That's right, I am Qin Mu of Eternal Peace."

Tian Shu stepped forward, stating calmly, "I am Tian Shu of Eternal Peace."

The Butcher walked forward, his Heavenly Blade plunged into the ground. "Dao Liu Zhao of Eternal Peace."

Luo Wushuang walked forward, holding his single blade in his arms. "Luo Wushuang of Eternal Peace."

Zhe Huali breathed heavily, then snorted coldly. "Zhe Huali of Eternal Peace."

Qin Mu then addressed the Sun Guardians and the people of Xuandu, "Whether you build living shrines, create golden statues, or offer worship, that is entirely up to you. What we did was not about public righteousness or adhering to the righteous path; it was merely for our own peace of mind. If we return alive, there's no need for you to glorify us. If we die in Xuandu, then build us a grave in Eternal Peace. Let's go—"