Chapter 1467: Living Evil, Settling Scores After Death

The revived Heavenly Duke stretched his body. The immense, boundless power he once possessed had vanished, replaced by a mortal flesh-and-blood body. This made him feel somewhat unaccustomed for a time.

Moreover, while Qin Mu and Empress Tianyin were molding his soul, they also gave him a divine soul and added the seven corporeal souls.

This divine soul was not Honored One Hong, but a soul created using the path of Tianyin. It was still a blank slate, devoid of any consciousness.

Previously, as an ancient god, he only had three ethereal souls and no corporeal souls. Now, with the addition of the seven corporeal souls, he felt a certain curiosity and was not yet accustomed to them.

He used to be a primordial divine being, the most powerful ancient god, lofty and distant. Even when he manifested avatars, they would float in the sky and rarely touch the ground.

Now, his feet were on the ground, treading on soil. The sensation from his soles and toes sparked his curiosity. He bent down, stretched out a hand, and dug at the soil between his toes, then brought it to his nose to sniff.

Empress Tianyin showed a look of distaste, without trying to hide it.

Not far away, Luo Wushuang feigned ignorance, adopting a meditative posture. Zhe Huali's eyes, however, nearly popped out. The Butcher and Heavenly King Tian Shu exchanged glances and chuckled.

The Heavenly Duke smiled, extended his palm, and carefully examined his five fingers, then meticulously studied his palm lines.

Qin Mu urged, "Brother, Earth Count is still waiting for you."

Only then did the Heavenly Duke collect himself. He bowed to the two, expressing his gratitude, then bowed again to the Butcher and the others.

The Butcher asked, "Heavenly Duke, how does it feel to transform from a divine being to a mortal? Do you feel any sense of loss?"

"Yes, there is a sense of loss," replied the Heavenly Duke.

He did not hide it, saying, "Before, my power was too immense. Now, I only possess the strength of the ethereal and terrestrial souls, and my mortal body is no different from an ordinary human's. Naturally, there's some loss. Grand Emperor told me I would break free from the shackles of the Heavenly Dao. I thought I would transcend and achieve enlightenment like him, never expecting this kind of transcendence."

The Butcher said, "You were once lofty, but not beyond the Heavenly Dao. Now that you've become mortal, you finally have the possibility of true transcendence."

The Heavenly Duke smiled, "Perhaps."

Heavenly King Tian Shu stood up and said, "Heavenly Duke, I will escort you to Youdu to see Earth Count."

The Heavenly Duke followed him. As the two walked out of Tianyin Realm, Tian Shu intended to open the Gate of Heaven's Mandate. Qin Mu caught up and said, "Heavenly King, Youdu wants to kill me, so I cannot go there. Could you check on Honored One You's injuries for me? I'm going to the ancestral court this time to ask my senior to go to Youdu and heal Honored One You. Please meet them."

Tian Shu assented, then asked, "Since the Heavenly Duke is dead, the Heavenly Dao now belongs to the Ten Honored Ones. With their vastly improved cultivation, they will surely exert immense pressure on carefree paradise. I'm afraid I cannot stay in Youdu for too long; after I meet the Apothecary from Eternal Peace, I'll have to return to carefree paradise."

Qin Mu hesitated, then said, "Residing in carefree paradise indefinitely is not a good strategy. The Ten Honored Ones might not be able to invade it immediately, but that doesn't mean they won't in the future. Breaking the void bridge is not difficult for the current Ten Honored Ones."

"That's why Honored One Yue accompanied Emperor Kai to carefree paradise to hold the fort there," Tian Shu sighed.

He continued, "They have already prepared for the future. The void bridge is easy to defend and difficult to attack. For the Ten Honored Ones, conquering it won't be easier than attacking Xuandu."

He then led the revived Heavenly Duke into the Gate of Heaven's Mandate, and they vanished.

Qin Mu watched them disappear, then turned to the approaching Butcher, Zhe Huali, and Luo Wushuang. He bowed to the three of them, saying, "I am deeply grateful for your willingness to risk your lives and participate in this battle with me!"

Zhe Huali and Luo Wushuang hastily returned the bow. Luo Wushuang stated earnestly, "It was a matter of righteousness, so there's no talk of bother. If a Celestial Master can fight with such disregard for their own safety, how much more so should we?"

Zhe Huali caressed the demonic blade, chuckling, "Dragon Fang and I had a good time! We even chopped down a Celestial Master. This lifetime, we finally have something to boast about to our descendants!"

The demonic blade Dragon Fang felt quite comfortable; having drunk the blood of a Celestial Master, the blade was also growing.

The Butcher stepped forward and said, "Take good care of yourself. If you ever need to chop people down again in the future, call us."

Qin Mu nodded heavily.

The three strode away. Zhe Huali looked back, waving, "Remember to call us!"

Qin Mu laughed heartily, watching them depart. Once their figures vanished, Qin Mu finally said, "Let's go."

"Alright."

A cold, clear voice sounded beside him, but the speaker's figure was nowhere to be seen. Only an additional shadow could be seen beside Qin Mu's own.

Youdu.

Tian Shu delivered the Heavenly Duke to Earth Count's glabella, then immediately went to the Mansion of the Benevolent Saintly King of Heavenly Unity to seek an audience with Honored One You and examine his injuries.

In the grand hall on the platform at Earth Count's glabella, the Heavenly Duke's stature appeared minuscule compared to Earth Count's primordial spirit. He had to crane his neck to look up at his old friend.

"You have transcended, you are free. I envy you," Earth Count said.

Earth Count's face was calm, but flames flickered in his eyes. He continued, "You are now a living being, with three ethereal souls, seven corporeal souls, your own thoughts, your own path. Your joys, sorrows, actions, and expressions are no longer dictated by the Great Dao. I wonder when I can achieve liberation like you, brother."

The Heavenly Duke said, "I can now experience the myriad tastes of the mortal world. Unbeknownst to me, my understanding of the Heavenly Dao has deepened by another layer. Before, I was a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao, controlling it, knowing what it was but not why. Now, it's different; my comprehension is actually profound. This gain and loss creates a surreal feeling."

Earth Count said with delight, "You are one step closer to achieving enlightenment. If that's the case, then you must have guessed why I invited you here, brother?"

The Heavenly Duke smiled, "To reckon with sins committed in life after death—that is the rule of Youdu. The Heavenly Duke is dead, so it is necessary to settle the karmic debts he created in life. Earth Count, you are impartial, so you must have invited me here for this very matter."

Earth Count solemnly said, "Honored One Hong caused countless deaths in the battle at Xuandu. The lives lost at his hands are innumerable, and the vengeful spirits of Xuandu overflow with resentment. According to Youdu law, he should be apprehended, punished, and made to suffer to cleanse him of his karmic debts. Honored One Hong is dead, and while he and you, brother, are one entity, you are different souls. Therefore, I invited you here to inquire about Honored One Hong's case..."

The Heavenly Duke shook his head and said frankly, "My friend, there's no need to show me favoritism. I am I, and Honored One Hong is also I. The casualties of the Xuandu battle were countless, and all of it should be attributed to me. I am willing to accept punishment."

Earth Count hesitated, "You are now a living being. Youdu rarely punishes the living..."

The Heavenly Duke said, "But you have punished the living before. Let me bear my sins; don't make it difficult for yourself."

Earth Count nodded, summoned a ghost king, and said, "The deceased of Xuandu have formed boundless karmic fire. Please, brother, allow yourself to be tempered within it."

The Heavenly Duke rose and followed the ghost king.

Earth Count watched him leave. Just then, Heavenly King Tian Shu walked over, watching the Heavenly Duke being led away by the ghost king. He asked in surprise, "Where is he going?"

"He has found his own path—to atone for his sins and redeem himself," Earth Count replied.

Earth Count glanced at him and said, "Celestial Master Mu has opened the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate in the ancestral court. He's likely sending someone here to heal Honored One You. Since he cannot enter Youdu, I will send you to meet them."

Heavenly King Tian Shu stood in Earth Count's palm. Soon, they arrived at the Youdu entrance in the ancestral court. A celestial gate stood tall, and the Apothecary was at the entrance, peering around. Qin Mu, however, was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Celestial Master Mu?" Tian Shu asked.

"He ran off, leaving only this divine art here," the Apothecary replied grumpily.

He grumbled, "He was in such a rush, I have no idea what he's planning to do!"

He shrugged his collar and muttered, "This Youdu is so eerie..."

Tian Shu wondered inwardly, "Celestial Master Mu just went through the Xuandu battle; where could he have rushed off to this time?"