Chapter 1535: Miro Palace Fourth Young Master

Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat. It was the sound of the Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace playing the zither!

The Golden Ark of Deliverance plunged into the mist. While the chaotic mist made it difficult to discern direction, it didn't hinder him. He simply needed to observe the destructive trajectory of the Tenth Universe in the chaotic long river below to find the other side.

As the Golden Ark sped along, Qin Mu held his sword hilt, his eyes glinting.

Suddenly, the mist ahead dispersed, revealing a Dao Tree adorned with several Dao fruits. Qin Mu counted seven.

Beneath the Dao Tree, the Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace, dressed as an emperor, remained seated. He held a zither score in one hand and attempted to play with the other, yet he consistently struggled to play the tune from the score.

The Golden Ark seemed to be trapped in thick mud, its speed gradually decreasing until it came to a complete halt beside the Dao Tree.

Qin Mu leaned on the boat's railing, his right leg firmly planted while his left leg was crossed over it, balanced on its tip. He casually swayed his legs, appearing utterly relaxed.

The Fourth Young Master put down the zither score, his brows furrowed. He tried adjusting the strings, then played again, but the music was even more out of tune than before, almost unbearable.

"This melody is likely impossible to play. I've attempted numerous methods, yet I consistently fail to play it."

The Fourth Young Master sighed, continued trying to play, and asked, "Young Master Mu, have you met the Master of Miluo Palace? Is he well?"

"He's doing very well."

Qin Mu smiled, "I chatted with him for a while, and then borrowed a boat from him, which allowed me to rush back here."

The Fourth Young Master nodded, adjusted a string, and said, "I was among his earlier followers; the creation of Jade Capital City owes a part to my efforts. Back then, I was captivated by his foresight and insight, wholeheartedly devoted to helping him build a divine city that could shelter all beings. He always possessed a compassionate spirit that constantly inspired me. However, once the divine city was fully completed, he suddenly lost his resolve."

He looked up, his gaze settling on Qin Mu aboard the boat. "By the time the Sixteenth Universe faced its destruction, he had grown weary and told us his ideals might never succeed. He didn't attempt to lead us into the Seventeenth Universe; instead, he instructed us to return to our respective birth universes, while he himself returned to the primal universe."

The Fourth Young Master chuckled lightly. "He is the leader, so naturally I heeded his words, which is why I returned here. However, I am not content."

He gazed at the zither score, his eyes softening with tenderness. "This score was left by my beloved wife; only she in this world could play the melody written on it. When our universe was destroyed, I was powerless to save her. I watched her perish in the great tribulation, everything turning to ashes, leaving nothing behind. The only thing I could salvage was this score. After returning here, the tribulation could no longer harm me, yet I still cannot save her."

Qin Mu listened quietly.

"I reside within the chaotic long river, and I've repeatedly attempted to save her, failing each time. Similarly, I've tried to play her music, only to fail again and again."

He shook his head. "You haven't heard this exquisite melody. Once heard, it's unforgettable. Perhaps across all universes, she is the only one who can play this piece. I came here simply to hear her play one more time, but even this modest wish remains unfulfilled. Therefore..."

Qin Mu raised his eyebrows, inquiring, "Therefore?"

The Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace smiled. "Therefore, I must travel to the future. There, I will grow immensely powerful, strong enough to transcend the great destruction and even surpass the Master of Miluo Palace. Only then can I return to this moment and rescue my wife."

His gaze was filled with tenderness. "I have no ambitions. I have lived for seven cosmic years, standing at the pinnacle of power across seven universes. I have experienced every form of worldly power and every kind of adoration. My sole purpose is to return to this place and hear her play one more piece for me. This melody, once heard, is never forgotten."

His gaze once again settled on Qin Mu. "To achieve my purpose, I must enter the Seventeenth Universe, and I will stop at nothing. Whoever obstructs me, I will kill. Young Master Mu, do you understand?"

Qin Mu nodded gently. "I understand."

The Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace smiled. "The Master of Miluo Palace is dead, isn't he?"

Qin Mu was utterly astonished, asking in confusion, "Fourth Young Master, why would you say that? He is perfectly fine, merely a bit dejected. You can go and see him for yourself. Why would you wish him dead?"

The Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace kept his eyes fixed on Qin Mu's face, as if trying to ascertain if he was lying.

Qin Mu showed no sign of deception.

After a long pause, the Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace smiled. "I was overthinking. I worried that with his deeply emotional and sacred nature, he might lose all motivation and simply give up. Hearing that he is still safe and sound, I am relieved."

Qin Mu then asked, "Have you met Tai Yi?"

The Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace raised an eyebrow.

Qin Mu continued, "I've been searching for his whereabouts. Fourth Young Master, if you've seen him, perhaps you could offer some guidance."

The Fourth Young Master lowered his gaze, examining the zither score and adjusting the instrument's sound.

Qin Mu asked again, but the Fourth Young Master didn't even lift his head. "He is my enemy. Are you trying to provoke me into killing you by continuously asking about him?"

Qin Mu chuckled. "As expected of one who has been an emperor, you are truly temperamental. Just moments ago, you were speaking cordially, and now you suddenly flare up, ready to kill."

The Fourth Young Master said calmly, "You're using him to provoke me and undermine my Dao heart; how could I not know? But tell me, how much do you truly know about Tai Yi?"

Qin Mu paused, taken aback.

"What is his name? What Grand Dao does he cultivate? How many Dao fruits adorn his Dao Tree? How many lives has he lived? What did he do in the past? Were his actions back then good or evil? Do you know any of this?"

The Fourth Young Master's zither played a muted, somber tune as he softly said, "You know nothing. Young Master Mu, you may leave."

Qin Mu fell silent. Upon hearing this, he suddenly realized that he indeed knew nothing about Tai Yi.

The Golden Ark sailed forward. Qin Mu looked back at the emperor tuning his zither under the tree and declared loudly, "You support Heavenly Venerable Hao, but he is destined to be defeated and perish by my hand! You could support me instead; I have a brighter future than him!"

The Fourth Young Master plucked a zither string, causing the Golden Ark to vibrate violently. "Young Master Mu, Heavenly Venerable Hao can help me reach the shore and arrive in the future. You, however, only stir up trouble. Go now. For the sake of the Master of Miluo Palace, I will not make things difficult for you this time."

Qin Mu stood firm, smiling. "As fellow young masters of Miluo Palace, I eagerly anticipate competing with you in the future! Our contention with Heavenly Venerable Hao will be our first encounter in the future, wouldn't you agree?"

"You are not yet qualified," came the Fourth Young Master's voice. Heavy chaotic mist then enveloped him, causing him to vanish from Qin Mu's sight.

Qin Mu chuckled softly. The Golden Ark gently halted, arriving at the shore.

In the chaotic long river, the Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace continued to play his zither, but the melody remained incomplete.

He sighed, sinking into the heart of the great destruction. No matter how violent the tribulation, it could not harm him in the slightest.

He stood amidst the waves of tribulation, gazing tenderly downwards at a woman—his wife.

"I will return to this very moment and rescue you from death," he whispered.

The woman, however, was reduced to tribulation ashes in the great destruction, utterly gone.

"No one can stop me!"

He closed his eyes, refusing to witness that scene. "No one!"

The Golden Ark continued its journey, traversing one chaotic long river after another. Several times, Qin Mu witnessed the Master of Miluo Palace and numerous perfected beings constructing the new Jade Capital City. The city gradually expanded, steadily resisting the great destruction and becoming increasingly stable.

Observing Jade Capital City across different eras also provided him with numerous insights.

After an indeterminate period, he finally reached the first chaotic long river and began a meticulous search, attempting to locate Tai Yi.

This was the Sixteenth Universe. In front of the World Tree, numerous perfected beings and powerful individuals from the Sixteenth Universe rushed toward it, only to witness the illusory figure of the giant Tai Yi felling the World Tree, thereby preventing their clandestine passage.

Countless other perfected beings struggled within the catastrophe, attempting to board Jade Capital City, but they consistently failed to reach its shores.

Qin Mu searched meticulously, more carefully than he had on his previous visit. Suddenly, his heart stirred, and his gaze fell upon the World Tree's roots.

To this point, he still hadn't discerned who had orchestrated the Ancestral Court blood sacrifice. Logically, the ritual should have been initiated at the precise moment of the Sixteenth Universe's destruction. However, viewing it from within the chaotic long river, he couldn't identify the perpetrator.

"Miluo Palace should have been divided into several factions at this time. Some advocated using Jade Capital City to enter the next universe, while others attempted to clandestinely pass into the next universe via the World Tree. Furthermore, there should also be a chaotic space. But why is it that even the chaotic space cannot be found?"

He searched repeatedly, yet he consistently failed to find any of it within the chaotic long river. He saw no one performing the blood sacrifice, found no chaotic space, and detected no trace of Tai Yi.

"Could someone have concealed all of this?"

A sense of dread settled in his heart. Who possessed such immense power that they could conceal everything, even during a universe's destruction?

Was it the Master of Miluo Palace, Tai Yi, or one of the Young Masters of Miluo Palace?

Suddenly, Qin Mu withdrew his gaze. He sensed someone approaching from the river's surface.

On the chaotic long river, where chaotic energy permeated the air, two Taiji Ancient Gods sailed from the river's depths, crossing on a Dao Tree.

They passed right by the Golden Ark of Deliverance without seeing it, nor Qin Mu aboard.

A gigantic cocoon rested upon the Dao Tree, within which a creature appeared to be wriggling.

"The fusion of the Empress and Yuan Mu is proving more complex than we anticipated."

The two ancient gods were deeply troubled. The female ancient god asked, "After the fusion, will it be the Empress or Yuan Mu who emerges? What if it turns out to be Lady Yuan Mu? By then, she would have perfected her Dao, and wouldn't she then turn against us?"

"We simply need to comprehend our own path of fusion by observing theirs; who emerges is of no concern."

The male ancient god on the Dao Tree reassured her, "Regardless of whether the Empress or Yuan Mu ultimately survives, she will owe us gratitude. Without our intervention, how could they have perfected their Dao?"

Qin Mu maneuvered the Golden Ark, quietly following them.