Chapter 1554: Invincible

Haotian Venerable scoffed, "Twenty-six thousand Heavenly Venerable Mu? What have I to fear? At worst, I'll kill each one of them and utterly obliterate you from the river of history!"

Despite his words, he braced himself and prepared to fight with all his might.

Qin Mu's divine arts were too strange; they spanned forty thousand years, like a long river of time, with Qin Mu's likeness imprinted everywhere.

Although Ling Tianzun was the originator of the "Invariable Divine Art," when it came to mastering and perfecting it, Qin Mu was the true expert.

Haotian Venerable's struggle against over twenty-six thousand Qin Mus was akin to fighting his way from the present back forty thousand years into the past. One could only imagine the immense difficulty.

Yet, he had to accept this battle, no matter what.

He absolutely could not allow Xiaotian Venerable to obtain the Heavenly Emperor's physical body.

Currently, he was just a hair's breadth away from imprinting his power upon the ultimate void. To do so, both his physical body and primordial spirit needed to enter the ultimate void simultaneously.

In that place, the winds of cold desolation howled, and without the strongest physical body, no one could survive.

This was also why the Great Emperor could not send his own physical body into the ultimate void.

However, the Heavenly Emperor's physical body was stronger; it was the only one capable of entering the ultimate void without being destroyed.

Whoever acquired it would likely be able to imprint their power upon the Great Luo Heaven, securing an unrivaled position.

He fought fiercely, and one by one, Qin Mus fell at his feet, annihilated by him. However, his own injuries grew more numerous and severe. Even with the Goddess Tai Su, an ancient god capable of fulfilling wishes, she could not heal the wounds Qin Mu inflicted upon him.

Qin Mu was a Heavenly Venerable who established his path through divine arts. His techniques were unparalleled in the world. Looking back over billions of years since the universe's creation and the primordial separation, no one had ever elevated divine arts to Qin Mu's level of mastery.

The difficulty of deciphering Qin Mu's divine arts was unimaginable.

As the battle progressed, Haotian Venerable's physical body became tattered, his chest pierced through. Yet, he had only managed to eliminate a tenth of the Qin Mus from the forty-thousand-year span of history.

If he continued to fight, Qin Mu would surely beat him to a pulp, turning him into a mess, utterly destroying both his primordial spirit and physical body.

This was arguably the most perilous battle he had ever experienced in his life.

Haotian Venerable had never imagined that Qin Mu, his opponent, would push him to such an extent.

"Hao'er, I can make you invincible."

The Goddess Tai Su's voice came, a faint smile in her tone. "You should know what to do."

Haotian Venerable killed another Qin Mu, and upon hearing her words, immediately knelt, kissed the Goddess Tai Su's toes, and sincerely pleaded, "Aunt, please save Hao'er!"

The Goddess Tai Su was quite pleased. Her natal treasure immediately transformed into a giant bell, inverted and covering Haotian Venerable. She chuckled, "I've observed for a long time and found his weakness. Although Heavenly Venerable Mu is powerful, the might of his divine arts isn't enough to break my natal treasure. I only need to use this bell to protect you, and you'll remain safe, allowing you to kill him effortlessly all the way through!"

Haotian Venerable was both surprised and delighted, repeatedly bowing in gratitude.

True to her words, Qin Mu attacked again. Although the power of the "One Qi Primordial Dao Roaming Together" divine art was incredibly formidable, it met its match in the giant bell formed from the Goddess Tai Su's natal treasure.

The giant bell resounded loudly, vibrating, and completely blocked his attack. Beneath the bell, Haotian Venerable effortlessly killed Qin Mu.

This continued repeatedly, with flawless success.

Haotian Venerable's mind settled, and he continued. Before long, he would kill Qin Mu, eliminating him from the forty-thousand-year river of history and reducing him to dust.

Suddenly, another Qin Mu appeared. This Qin Mu did not use the "One Qi Primordial Dao Roaming Together" divine art; instead, he simply pointed.

The giant bell vibrated violently, deafeningly, and simultaneously, Haotian Venerable moved to kill him.

The Goddess Tai Su hurriedly looked at the giant bell, her expression changing drastically as she saw a finger mark appear on its surface.

This supreme treasure of hers was formed from the Dao of Tai Su within the Egg of Tai Su, her natal treasure, arguably one of the most formidable treasures in the world.

Even the Fifty Heavenly Daos merged, or Kai Huang's Carefree Sword, or Haotian Venerable's Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel, were vastly inferior to this treasure.

However, Qin Mu's single finger strike left a mark on this supreme treasure, indicating that his previous attack possessed the power to harm her natal treasure!

That was the Primordial Finger.

The Primordial Finger, derived from the Dao紋 of the Mi Luo Palace Master, possessed power beyond the reach of even a Heavenly Venerable!

A hidden worry arose in the Goddess Tai Su's heart.

The Primordial Finger could not only damage her natal treasure, but more terrifyingly, it prevented her natal treasure from recovering.

Her natal treasure could transform endlessly, capable of turning into the Dao of Tai Su at any moment and evolving into different forms.

The Dao of Tai Su had form and substance but no fixed body, allowing it to change into any shape and quickly recover without leaving any damage.

Yet, the power of the Primordial Finger actually managed to damage the Dao of Tai Su, which was the most terrifying aspect!

One after another, Qin Mu stubbornly used the Primordial Finger repeatedly, never changing his move, causing the finger marks on the giant bell to grow deeper and larger.

After a hundred or so attempts, the Goddess Tai Su's natal treasure was astonishingly pierced through by his single finger!

The Goddess Tai Su felt a pang of pain, but she had already made a grand boast and could not afford to stop.

"However, though Heavenly Venerable Mu is formidable, he will never comprehend the true power of the Dao of Tai Su!"

With a thought, the giant bell transformed into a colossal cauldron, carried by chaotic energy, continuing to protect Haotian Venerable and withstand Qin Mu's Primordial Finger.

At this moment, the Goddess Tai Su's expression changed. She saw that the colossal cauldron, formed from her natal treasure, also had a finger hole!

This finger hole was the one from the giant bell. She had not expected that even after the bell transformed into a cauldron, the hole would still be there!

"My natal treasure is wounded."

The Goddess Tai Su was heartbroken. "I've invested so much in Haotian Venerable. Is this investment truly worth it? I consulted Tai Yi, and Tai Yi said I was mistaken in my judgment, suggesting I should abandon Haotian Venerable and help that boy, Heavenly Venerable Mu, for a future chance at attaining the Dao. Should I continue to support Haotian Venerable...?"

After a moment of hesitation, she immediately dismissed the thought. "Heavenly Venerable Mu is too far from achieving the Dao, and he's my great enemy, while Haotian Venerable is on the verge of success. Heavenly Venerable Mu is unruly and hard to control, and he would never bow to me, whereas Haotian Venerable genuinely kneels before me and is under my control. Tai Yi isn't omnipotent or omniscient, so why should I listen to him?"

At this moment, above the great desert, yellow sand filled the sky.

Xiaotian Venerable slowly rose from the blood-stained yellow sand, his aura surging.

He had been wounded by Qin Mu's Calamity-Breaking Sword, wielded with the Tai Yi Staff. This sword art excelled at breaking Dao runes from the very source of the Great Dao. Even he had to evade such a technique.

Just now, he had been ambushed by Haotian Venerable and the Goddess Tai Su and couldn't dodge, resulting in injuries that, surprisingly, couldn't be healed by his Creation Mystic Art, causing him to frown.

He looked up and saw Qin Mu and Ling Tianzun standing on the God-Slaying Platform, flanking the Heavenly Emperor's physical body.

As for Haotian Venerable and the Goddess Tai Su, they had already vanished.

Xiaotian Venerable swayed slightly, forcibly suppressed his wounds to stop the bleeding, and stepped towards the God-Slaying Platform. His voice was loud and heavy, like thunder rolling across the desert.

"Hao'er must have fallen victim to the divine art you left in the mist, correct?"

He walked closer to Qin Mu and Ling Tianzun step by step. The segment of the Heavenly River had vanished, leaving only rolling yellow sand, devoid of any moisture.

"His wisdom is still lacking; he's not as clever as I am. When I passed through the first illusion you left in the Heavenly River, I immediately detected the Invariable Divine Art. He was a bit foolish to pass through your illusion. While he did arrive here to ambush me, you also sent him into the Heavenly River."

Xiaotian Venerable drew nearer, his vital energy growing stronger. Behind him, the thirty-six Heavenly Palaces interlinked, forming a complete Grand Heavenly Court, from which divine light soared into the sky and Daoist chants boomed, a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight.

Xiaotian Venerable was like a great emperor ruling over all heavens and myriad realms, descending upon the God-Slaying Platform. Qin Mu and Ling Tianzun on the platform looked less like his enemies and more like his captives, waiting to be publicly beheaded!

His physique grew taller and larger. Before even reaching the front of the God-Slaying Platform, he already compelled Qin Mu and Ling Tianzun to look up at him.

"As the saying goes, 'The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it.' Hao'er was a bit too impatient. I, however, was much more composed. I annihilated the Creator Race, absorbed all Creators, and devoured the Void of the Other Shore and the Primal Spirit Realm, arriving here with ease."

Xiaotian Venerable took a step and arrived before the God-Slaying Platform. Although the platform was extremely high, it appeared incredibly small compared to him. Qin Mu and Ling Tianzun on top seemed as tiny as ants.

"He fell for your trick, but I will not."

Xiaotian Venerable looked down on the two. His mighty imperial prestige caused the two on the platform to sway unsteadily, their bones crackling loudly. "Not only did I not fall for your trick, but I also absorbed and refined half of the Great Emperor's primordial spirit. Even your Invariable Divine Art, Ling Tianzun, has been broken by me!"

His aura grew even stronger. The vast Heavenly Court hung high above the God-Slaying Platform, pressing down on Qin Mu and Ling Tianzun until they could barely stand, nearly forcing them to their knees!

Qin Mu supported Ling Tianzun with one hand and leaned on the Tai Yi Staff with the other, forcefully maintaining his stance.

Xiaotian Venerable smiled. "As soon as I return to my physical body and devour the Great Emperor's divine consciousness, the Great Luo Heaven, I will achieve the Dao! Mu, Ling, you are Heavenly Venerables appointed by me. I can bestow upon you the title of Heavenly Venerable, or I can strip it away, and even take your lives! There's no need to resist me anymore; I am invincible!"

"Is that so?"

A calm voice drifted from behind Qin Mu. Kai Huang emerged from Qin Mu's shadow, looked towards one side of the desert, ignoring the towering Xiaotian Venerable, and said plainly, "You claim to be invincible. Have you asked me first?"

He turned, casting a glance at the immensely powerful Xiaotian Venerable. "A Dao achiever without even a Dao Tree, dares to call himself invincible before me?"

His gaze was cold as he looked at Xiaotian Venerable, as if observing a lamb awaiting slaughter.

Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief, immediately put away the Heavenly Emperor's physical body, pulled Ling Tianzun's hand, and quickly retreated, shouting, "Kai Huang, can you do it? Tai Chu achieved the Dao through strength, and he's incredibly formidable!"

"Whether I can or not, only a test of the sword will tell."

Kai Huang stood on the God-Slaying Platform with his hands behind his back, facing the immensely powerful Xiaotian Venerable. He said indifferently, "Tai Chu, even if you hadn't named us Heavenly Venerables back then, we still would have become Heavenly Venerables. You can't change that. Make your move. I'll show you what a true Heavenly Venerable is!"