Chapter 1503: Holding On and Letting Go

In Qin Mu's palm, the Ancestral Court slowly rotated. The Four Heavenly Gates were situated on its front and back, each containing unique principles and insights into various Dao realms.

He radiated all the insights he had gained from experiencing the Four Heavenly Gates. The resonating sound of the Great Dao was so melodious and profound that it stirred the soul, captivating Emperor Yanfeng, who listened in a trance.

Jiang Baigui, meanwhile, felt as if he had been struck by the sound of the Dao. As he gazed at the Four Heavenly Gates, a profound sense of clarity washed over him, like the lifting of a dark cloud to reveal the sun.

These four Heavenly Gates resembled four immensely stable foundations, supporting the vast power of the Heavenly Palace and Heavenly Court, and also anchoring his own Dao heart.

With these four Heavenly Gates, his Heavenly Palace and Heavenly Court would be stabilized, eliminating any fear of collapse.

"Junior Brother," Qin Mu said, "you've accumulated sufficient combat experience here, but staying in Wuyou Township without contact with the outside world means you're still falling behind."

With a slight shift in Qin Mu's thoughts, the Ancestral Court in his palm revealed an exquisitely detailed landscape: Great Dao energies traversed it, forming the Jade Terrace, while primordial liquid transformed into the Jade Sea.

Jiang Baigui immediately noticed the distinct difference between this Jade Terrace and Jade Sea and those belonging to other gods and devils. He was mesmerized; the profound principles embedded within them evoked a desire for pilgrimage.

"The Jade Terrace and Jade Sea, like the Four Heavenly Gates, contain extraordinary principles," Qin Mu explained. "They are a great wonder of the Ancestral Court and a natural holy land for Dao realms."

In the Ancestral Court within Qin Mu's palm, the Heavenly Sea, reflecting the hearts of heaven and humanity, emerged. Following this, the Ancestral Court God-Slaying Platform and the Ancestral Court Nine Hells Platform appeared.

He slowly unveiled one realm after another to Jiang Baigui, culminating in the Five Primordial States: the floating chaos, the single Qi of Grand Beginning, the azure vastness of Grand Primeval, the formless and ever-changing Grand Simplicity, and the Grand Ultimate from which all Daos and myriad things evolved.

The profound wonder of it was truly breathtaking.

"Junior Brother," Qin Mu said, "the path of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Palaces and Seventy-Two Treasure Halls wasn't cultivated incorrectly; it was simply flawed in its foundational realm, which is why you've found it difficult to advance further."

Qin Mu's gaze settled on Jiang Baigui's head of white hair, then shifted to his visibly aged face. "The saint who was once invincible," he said gravely, "whose Dao heart was as profound as an abyss and as vast as the sea—has a mere setback now caused his Dao heart to crumble?"

"No," Jiang Baigui replied.

Jiang Baigui slowly rose, shedding the official robes of the Kaihuang Heavenly Court in Wuyou Township and casting aside his official seal. He changed into his customary attire and began to walk away.

With each step he took, the wrinkles on his face vanished one by one, and his white hair gradually regained its dark luster. His voice returned to the elegant and composed tone he once possessed as the Imperial Master of Yankang. "I intend to visit the Ancestral Court," he declared, "to find my own path."

Seeing this, Emperor Yanfeng quickly hurried to follow him. "Imperial Master, wait for me!" he called out. "My dear Qin, you may go find Heavenly Venerate Yue. I will accompany the Imperial Master to the Ancestral Court! His cultivation is low right now, and he cannot be left unattended!"

Qin Mu's divine sense pulsed as he revealed the truth about Jade Capital City in the Ancestral Court to them. Jiang Baigui and Emperor Yanfeng were profoundly shaken. They bowed in gratitude from a distance and departed together.

"A ruler and his subject meeting as fellow Daoists—these two are truly enviable," said Granny Si.

Granny Si watched them leave, praising, "It was Jiang Baigui who helped Emperor Yanfeng achieve greatness, and Emperor Yanfeng who, in turn, helped Jiang Baigui. Their mutual support on this journey has been remarkable."

Qin Mu nodded silently. Suddenly, his divine sense erupted, connecting with the Primordial Spirit World that enveloped the entire Beyond Void. After a moment, Qin Mu said, "The creators of the Beyond Void already know I'm here and will notify Heavenly Venerate Yue and the others to come. We will wait here."

Granny Si smiled. "I heard you're still considered the Holy Infant of the Creators? What's the story behind that? Could you tell me in detail?"

Qin Mu had already told her about this, but she was still concerned that he hadn't fully recovered from his grief. She brought it up again to distract him from thoughts of Cripple.

While Granny Si was typically boisterous, she could be incredibly thoughtful and meticulous when the situation called for it.

The two remained at Jiang Baigui's residence. Late the following night, Heavenly Venerate Yue arrived.

Qin Mu dispensed with pleasantries and immediately asked, "Yue, do you still have the Dao Fire Ancestral Land? I need it urgently."

Heavenly Venerate Yue glanced at Granny Si, her mind momentarily stunned by the woman's beauty. After a moment, she composed herself and smiled. "During the Battle of Xuandu," she explained, "I took the Dao Fire Ancestral Land and sent it to Youdu. Later, I worried that Heavenly Venerate Huo might track it there, so I hid it in Wuyou Township. Do you see that brightest star?"

She raised her hand and pointed to the sky. Only then did Qin Mu notice an exceptionally bright star in the Beyond Void, encircled by a halo.

From a distance, it appeared to be an ordinary star, but when Qin Mu activated his vertical eye on his forehead, he discerned that it was, in fact, the Dao Fire Ancestral Land, and the surrounding rings of light were likely the Dao Fire Nine Heavens.

"That is the Dao Fire Ancestral Land," Heavenly Venerate Yue confirmed.

"Heavenly Venerate Huo cannot reach Wuyou Township anytime soon, so it's safely hidden here," Heavenly Venerate Yue explained. "If you need it urgently, I can retrieve it for you."

"Thank you for the trouble," Qin Mu replied.

Heavenly Venerate Yue playfully chided him, "Why are you being so formal with me? Please wait here; I'll go fetch it."

She promptly rose and departed. By dawn, Heavenly Venerate Yue returned in a flurry, bringing the Dao Fire Ancestral Land. Qin Mu and Granny Si quickly went outside the city to meet her.

Heavenly Venerate Yue did not enter the city but placed the Dao Fire Ancestral Land just outside. There, she was using spatial divine abilities to try and shrink it, intending to conceal it within a pocket of space for Qin Mu's convenience.

"This young woman is so thoughtful," Granny Si inwardly praised.

Just then, a grand carriage arrived, and a melodious voice emanated from within. The carriage came to a halt, a maid drew aside the beaded curtain, and Divine King Lang Wo stepped out.

Granny Si had met Divine King Lang Wo before, and seeing her again, she couldn't help but be struck by her beauty. Emperor Yanfeng had been right: Granny Si possessed a human, approachable beauty, whereas Divine King Lang Wo exuded a lofty, serene aura, more akin to divine splendor, evoking a sense of sacred solemnity that made her difficult to approach.

Heavenly Venerate Yue had just finished preparing the Dao Fire Ancestral Land when she spotted Divine King Lang Wo. Smiling, she remarked, "Divine King, why are you so late? You were the one who informed me that Heavenly Venerate Mu had arrived and wished to see me, yet you're the one who's tardy."

Divine King Lang Wo gently replied, "Bathing, changing, and preparing the carriage took some time. One must be respectful when meeting Heavenly Venerate Mu."

She paid her respects to Qin Mu and Granny Si. "Heavenly Venerate had someone deliver the Primordial Origin Liquid, which has relieved me of all my worries. I am immensely grateful."

Heavenly Venerate Yue chuckled. "You always have these unnecessary formalities. Heavenly Venerate Mu, I've managed to shrink the Dao Fire Ancestral Land somewhat. This Ancestral Land counters my spatial Dao, so this is the extent to which I can compress it. You can take it directly. As for anything else, I won't be able to assist you."

Divine King Lang Wo added, "The Dao Fire Ancestral Land requires a profound understanding of the Dao of Fire, but you can also use your divine sense to activate its power. Back then, the Creators relied on their divine sense to unleash the might of the Ancestral Land's Nine Heavens when sacrificing to the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird."

She meticulously instructed Qin Mu, "Go inside the Ancestral Land and try it. You will then understand how to activate the Dao Fire with your divine sense."

Qin Mu expressed his gratitude, ascended the Dao Fire Ancestral Land, and entered the Nine Heavens. He took out a divine weapon from a powerful expert of a past universe and attempted to use his divine sense to activate the Dao Fire for smelting it.

Whether the Dao Fire Ancestral Land could effectively smelt the weapon was merely his conjecture. He needed to verify this now, and if it proved ineffective, he would have to seek other methods.

Beside the Ancestral Land, Granny Si engaged in casual conversation with Heavenly Venerate Yue and Divine King Lang Wo. Knowing she was Qin Mu's guardian, the two women spoke with utmost respect.

When Granny Si expressed her concerns about Qin Mu, the two women exchanged glances. Divine King Lang Wo said, "Heavenly Venerate Mu is a person of extraordinary talent and wisdom, Daoist Si, so you need not worry. He will naturally overcome this in time."

Heavenly Venerate Yue offered, "I believe it's best not to let him remain idle. When he's idle, he tends to overthink, even imagining problems where none exist."

Granny Si nodded in agreement, observing the two young women and forming her own conclusions.

A moment later, Qin Mu emerged from the Dao Fire Ancestral Land. The three women stepped forward to greet him, and Granny Si gave him an inquiring look. "It can melt those divine weapons," Qin Mu explained, "but it demands a considerable amount of my divine sense to control the Dao Fire while simultaneously forging my divine sword, which makes it quite strenuous."

Granny Si chuckled. "Leave this matter to Mute; you can treat him like a beast of burden! Ladies, we won't trouble you any further. We must return to the Ancestral Court immediately!"

Heavenly Venerate Yue quickly interjected, "You've just arrived, and you're already rushing to leave? Since you have urgent matters, I won't detain you. However, Heavenly Venerate Mu, I have a question for you!"

Qin Mu paused.

Heavenly Venerate Yue hesitated for a moment before asking, "How long do you believe the Beyond Void can endure?"

Divine King Lang Wo's heart skipped a beat. This was a question she also harbored, but unlike the straightforward Heavenly Venerate Yue, her numerous considerations had prevented her from voicing it.

Qin Mu pondered for a moment. "Once Earth Sovereign dies," he stated, "the Beyond Void will be breached. The overwhelming tide of events is unstoppable. A mere Void Bridge, even with its thirty-five layers of shattered void, cannot withstand the current Ten Heavenly Venerates."

Both women were deeply shaken.

Divine King Lang Wo then asked, "In that case, Heavenly Venerate Mu, how will the warriors in my Beyond Void survive?"

Qin Mu glanced at Heavenly Venerate Yue and calmly replied, "With Heavenly Venerate Yue here, you will have the option to retreat or depart."

Divine King Lang Wo let out a sigh of relief and offered a faint smile. "See off the Holy Infant," she instructed.

Qin Mu placed the Dao Fire Ancestral Land into his divine treasure, then rose and departed. Granny Si followed him, chuckling, "Mu'er, which of those two girls do you think is better?"

Qin Mu's head began to ache. Feigning innocence, he asked, "Which one do you think is better, Granny?"

"In terms of appearance, it's undoubtedly Divine King Lang Wo; her beauty is unparalleled," Granny Si stated.

"However, if we're talking about a wife, she falls far short of Heavenly Venerate Yue," Granny Si continued. "Divine King Lang Wo is reserved and maintains a formal demeanor, whereas Heavenly Venerate Yue is much more grounded—a true homemaker."

Qin Mu couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean by 'maintains a formal demeanor'?"

"It means being 'held in the air,' not down-to-earth, even if graceful, noble, and elegant; she keeps people at a distance," Granny Si explained. "For instance, when she comes to see you, she insists on bathing and changing, preparing her clothes and carriage, with maids attending her every side. It's certainly dignified, but she's not someone suited for everyday living."

"But Heavenly Venerate Yue, upon hearing you arrived, rushed over like a whirlwind," Granny Si contrasted. "Although she wears makeup, it's not meticulously applied, and she has no attendants or fancy carriage. When you asked for the Dao Fire Ancestral Land, she immediately went to retrieve it, and thoughtfully, realizing it was too large to carry, she helped you shrink it. She is 'down-to-earth'; that's the mark of a woman who can manage a household."

Qin Mu was immensely impressed. He hadn't realized that matters of marriage and relationships involved such profound knowledge, almost akin to a Great Dao. No wonder one of the three hundred and sixty halls of the Heavenly Saint Cult was called the Matchmaking Hall.

"With Lang Wo as your wife," Granny Si continued, "when you go out to meet guests or host dignitaries, she would undoubtedly bring immense honor and prestige. Her conduct in public is impeccable, and she is naturally suited to be an empress."

"However, for managing a household and overseeing daily life, Heavenly Venerate Yue would be better," Granny Si continued. "Mu'er, what do you think? Do you want to marry an empress, or a wife?"

Her question was meant to probe Qin Mu's future aspirations: marrying an empress implied his ambition to become emperor, while marrying a wife suggested his ambitions lay elsewhere than the throne.

Qin Mu humbly sought her opinion. "Granny," he asked, "what about a woman who is usually boisterous and careless, spends money lavishly, never bothers with accounts, is somewhat negligent with children, and constantly curses, referring to herself as 'this old lady'? When she's charming, she can captivate anyone, but when she's fierce, she can tie people up and beat them. Could such a woman ever get married?"

Granny Si's face immediately darkened. She grabbed her Grand Easiness staff and began striking him, scolding, "I'm having a serious conversation with you, and you dare to mock me? I'll break your shins and make you crawl out a bloody 'miserable' character on the ground!"

Qin Mu ran away, clutching his head, as Granny Si chased after him, delivering a thorough beating—only stopping short of tying him up and striking him.