Chapter 1477: Relentless Nagging

"Ignorant child, your boasts are empty."

The three academy masters remained unfazed. They said, "You escaped only because some powerful individual gave you a Daoroot leaf. But to claim you can defeat us? You're far from it. I possess the supreme mystic arts. This opportunity is right before you. If it were anyone else, they would have long since bowed in reverence to learn my supreme Dao arts and divine abilities."

One of the academy masters lightly tapped his teaching rod. A vision appeared in the air. He said, "This is how the rulers of your world prostrated themselves before me when they first encountered me. Even they showed such reverence, yet you are utterly ignorant of the times."

Qin Mu looked at the vision. He saw the figures within were the Progenitor, Gongyun, and other Creation Spirits, along with a host of ancient gods. Even the Celestial Emperor of Absolute Beginning was among them. It seemed to depict their exploration of Jade Capital City.

However, Shu Jun, Bo Yang, Long Xiao, and others were absent from the vision. It was likely that Shu Jun and the others had taken a different path at the time and had not encountered the Pixiang Palace.

In the vision, the scholar remained seated beneath the Daoroot. The Progenitor and the others kowtowed and bowed to him, pleading for the supreme sacred arts. Even the ancient gods prostrated themselves, but only the Celestial Emperor of Absolute Beginning stood aside, observing with a cold gaze, a look of disdain in his eyes as he watched the Progenitor.

The vision was remarkably lifelike and vivid, reflecting not only the expressions but even the psychological states of those present at the time. It was unlikely to be a fabrication.

Indeed, at that time, the Progenitor, Gongyun, and others had worshipped this Primal Sage of Miluo Palace, begging him to impart his supreme mystic arts.

However, it was unknown whether the Primal Sage of Miluo Palace had actually imparted them.

"Could the Progenitor's ability to cultivate the Daluotian of divine sense and imprint his divine sense onto the ultimate void be connected to this Primal Sage of Miluo Palace?"

Qin Mu's heart stirred. The Progenitor's Daluotian of divine sense had significant flaws. Although he had imprinted his divine sense onto the ultimate void, refined a Daoroot, Daoflowers, and cultivated Daofruits, he could never achieve perfection.

His attainments in the Dao realm were mediocre, neither good nor bad, and his cultivation was accumulated through the sacrificial power of other Creation Spirits, not from his own practice.

"Most likely, the Primal Sage of Miluo Palace harbored ill intentions when imparting his supreme mystic arts, deliberately leaving many loopholes. This caused the Progenitor's cultivation to become increasingly deviant, allowing him immense power but moving him further and further away from achieving Dao."

Qin Mu discerned the crucial point, his eyes flashing as he smiled. "So, why did they seal you then?"

Another academy master replied, "That's a long story. Come inside and listen, and I shall tell you."

Qin Mu burst into laughter. He drew his bow and fired an arrow. "Even if you don't tell me, I know! They fell for your trick, were struck by your whip, and became tools you used to escape! Your supreme mystic arts likely rely on faith or sacrifices to achieve Dao. The Progenitor's belief in you is precisely why his cultivation was ruined by you!"

The three academy masters soared into the air, their teaching rods striking the arrow one after another. However, the arrow light shot by Qin Mu possessed unparalleled power. The three teaching rods landing on the arrow were utterly unable to block the arrow light!

The arrow pierced into the Daluotian fragment, striking down a Daoflower from the Daoroot. With a 'thump', one of the academy masters vanished.

Qin Mu fired two more arrows, two beams of arrow light striking down two Daofruits. The other two academy masters also vanished one after another!

Silence fell upon the academy. Lan Yutian, the Cripple, and the others regained consciousness.

Qin Mu activated the Lapis Lazuli Azure Sky Standard. With a single strike, he shattered the academy, then charged inside, intending to rescue everyone. He laughed, "The one who rescued them was most likely Absolute Beginning; only he wasn't misled by you. That's why they sealed you here, preventing your escape!"

The Daoflowers and Daofruits flew back up, reattaching to the tree. The three academy masters reappeared, charging ferociously. They declared loudly, "You are unappreciative! Today, I swear, we will not rest until one of us is vanquished!"

The three teaching rods whirled about, leaving almost no one able to withstand a single blow. They struck Lan Yutian and the others repeatedly, and everyone became docile once more.

Qin Mu rescued a few individuals, but then a teaching rod struck him, and those he rescued immediately returned to chanting scriptures.

The three academy masters, with their three teaching rods, repeatedly struck Qin Mu's head with a 'clatter-clatter'. However, the Daoroot leaf of Grand Beginning protected his brow, rendering them unable to truly harm him, though several lumps appeared on his head.

The three academy masters changed their strategy, attempting to pry the Daoroot leaf from his brow with their teaching rods. Qin Mu pressed one hand to his brow and swung the Azure Sky Standard with the other.

Suddenly, the Daluotian fragment expanded, encroaching upon him. The scholar beneath the tree rose, preparing to personally eliminate him.

Qin Mu, left with no choice, retreated.

The academy returned to its original state. The scholar went back to his seat beneath the tree, still holding his book, occasionally glancing at Qin Mu.

The Daluotian fragment transformed back into a painting, hanging on the academy wall.

After a moment, Qin Mu once again shot arrows at the Daofruits and Daoflowers. The three academy masters became furious. As the Daofruits and Daoflowers fell from the tree, they vanished. By the time Qin Mu broke in to rescue everyone, the Daofruits and Daoflowers had returned to the tree, and the three academy masters furiously charged again. Another chaotic scene ensued, with Lan Yutian, the Cripple, Ming Huang, and others once more suppressed and docilely chanting scriptures.

Qin Mu escaped once more, stopping outside the academy to adjust his breathing, then drew his bow and fired again.

"You brat!"

The scholar beneath the tree could no longer contain his anger. He stood up, rolled his book into a scroll, and pointed it at Qin Mu, exclaiming furiously, "Are you ever going to stop?! If I weren't trapped here, a single leaf would be enough to kill you!"

On the Daoroot, Daoflowers and Daofruits rapidly proliferated. One academy master after another emerged from them, rushed out of the academy, and wildly lunged at Qin Mu.

Outside the academy, Qin Mu had no fear of them whatsoever.

*Hum—*

His Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure Domain activated. Qin Mu wielded the Azure Sky Standard like a hammer, sweeping through the countless academy masters. The Standard's power erupted, crushing the academy masters into dust!

The Azure Sky Standard's might was immense. Not only did it affect the academy masters, but even the Pixiang Palace itself shook incessantly. Buildings within the grand hall were pulverized into fine powder!

Curiously, the grand hall would reconstruct itself as quickly as it was destroyed. No matter how astonishing his destructive power, the hall swiftly returned to its original state.

The academy masters continued to surge forward, their teaching rods whirling about. Every strike was incredibly precise, landing on his head without fail.

Qin Mu was struck dizzy and enraged. He stopped defending against the teaching rods, focusing solely on unleashing the full power of the Azure Sky Standard, striking down academy master after academy master!

More and more academy masters emerged from the Daofruits, swarming him like a tide. Many broke through Qin Mu's defenses, reaching him and attempting to snatch the Daoroot leaf from his brow.

Just as it seemed the Daoroot leaf would be plucked, Qin Mu's Primordial Spirit suddenly ascended from behind him, placing a large hand over Qin Mu's forehead.

The academy masters became enraged. Teaching rods flew up, striking Qin Mu and his Primordial Spirit, leaving them covered in lumps.

Outside the hall, Granny Si, the Blind Man, the Mute, and others watched the grand hall anxiously. The hall vibrated incessantly, as if enormous demonic beasts were battling fiercely within. Those outside couldn't help but be horrified.

After six or seven days of such shaking, the commotion inside the hall finally subsided.

"It seems there are still things in this world that Cult Master Qin cannot dismantle," Xu Shenghua couldn't help but remark.

Inside the hall, beneath the Daoroot, the scholar's form grew increasingly faint. These six or seven days had consumed an unknown amount of his energy, and his inability to kill Qin Mu was truly a headache. He had no choice but to recall the academy masters, ceasing their encirclement of Qin Mu.

Qin Mu returned to harass them, shooting arrows at the Daofruits. The scholar, now wary of him, had one of the academy masters say, "You are a shameless and relentless pest, utterly without scruples. I will not fight you. Which people do you wish to rescue? I will send them out for you. However, everyone else must remain."