Chapter 1567: Self-Destruction

The other Celestial Venerables frowned, none of them confident they could refine Qin Mu to death.

Qin Mu had always been elusive. In his youth, he was easy to overlook as no one paid him much attention. However, after the Yan Kang catastrophe, Qin Mu voluntarily entered the Heavenly Court, causing chaos wherever he went and leaving a trail of trouble. Yet, strangely, he never left any incriminating evidence.

At that time, all Ten Celestial Venerables had the power to easily eliminate him. But they were embroiled in intense internal strife, each desiring to become the sole ruler of the Heavenly Court. Consequently, none were willing to act, fearing it would give an advantage to their rivals.

Now, the situation was clear. Among the Eleven Celestial Venerables, Celestial Venerable Hong and Empress Qiang were dead, and Shi Qiluo and Empress Yan had gone mad. The remaining Celestial Venerables were divided into two major factions. Celestial Venerable Hao's faction held the advantage in both influence and strength, while Celestial Venerable Xiao was left isolated, unable to withstand Celestial Venerable Hao's overwhelming power.

But Qin Mu had also transformed from a weakling into a strong individual, now openly challenging them.

Apart from Celestial Venerable Hao, any other Celestial Venerable would find it difficult to capture Qin Mu. In fact, Qin Mu's strength seemed to have already reached their level.

Now that Qin Mu had finally been captured, refining him to death had become a difficult problem.

"I'll try," said Celestial Venerable Xu, frowning. "I possess the demonic path, skilled at corrupting one's Dao heart and cultivation, and eroding their vital qi. However, I'm not confident if it will succeed. That scoundrel Mu was once the Ghost Deity Son of Youdu and is very familiar with the Grand Dao of Youdu."

Everyone quickly urged, "Celestial Venerable Xu, please proceed! Regardless, let's try it first!"

Celestial Venerable Xu immediately acted, using the incredibly pure demonic path of Youdu to corrupt Qin Mu. After two or three days, Celestial Venerable Xu's face turned pale. She felt too much vital qi draining away, more than she could afford to lose. She gasped, "What a scoundrel! He's using this opportunity to devour my cultivation!"

Everyone's expressions changed drastically as they looked towards the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel. Inside the wheel, Qin Mu was slowly rising, spinning like Tubo.

Celestial Venerable Xu roared in anger. She pulled out the horn from her head, intending to stab him to death.

Qin Mu sneered. Celestial Venerable Xu, however, dared not stab him. This was the only horn she had left, having been severed by Emperor Kai Qin Ye, and she had painstakingly recovered and refined it into a treasure.

If she failed to kill Qin Mu and he seized it, she feared she would never get it back.

Celestial Venerable Hao extended his hand and pressed down, pushing Qin Mu back into the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel to prevent his escape.

God Sovereign Lang Xuan said, "I have a Dao fruit that can transform Qin Mu, turning him into the primordial qi of the Grand Primordium!"

Everyone quickly responded, "With God Sovereign's intervention, it will surely be a success!"

God Sovereign Lang Xuan activated the Dao fruit. The formerly shriveled Dao fruit now visibly became much rounder, and the Dao power within it grew increasingly stronger.

Qin Mu's face emerged from the Heavenly Wheel. Upon seeing the Dao fruit, his expression showed some tension.

Seeing this, God Sovereign Lang Xuan's confidence soared. He urged the Dao fruit, boosting its power to the extreme.

The Dao fruit floated above the Heavenly Wheel. Dao light burst forth from it, and beams of light shot into the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel!

The Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel vibrated. It was evident that Qin Mu was resisting the Dao light from the fruit, which greatly boosted everyone's spirits. Even Celestial Venerable Hao couldn't help but regard God Sovereign Lang Xuan with increased admiration, secretly praising the power of his Dao fruit.

This Dao fruit was a treasure hidden within the fragments of the Great Brahma Heaven, which were concealed beneath the Jade Pool in the Ancestral Court. A Dao tree and a coffin burying a prehistoric Dao achiever were also there. Qin Mu had helped God Sovereign Lang Xuan find the Great Brahma Heaven fragments, severed the Dao fruit from the Dao tree, and kicked the coffin back into the prehistoric catastrophe of destruction.

The powerful beings in Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court had huddled together, enduring the catastrophe of destruction within the city. However, the owner of this Dao fruit directly controlled the Great Brahma Heaven fragments, attempting to transcend the tribulation and be reborn in the current universe. This demonstrated their immense power.

His Dao fruit was extraordinary, its immense power causing trepidation. Now that the Dao fruit was reviving, its power was rapidly increasing!

Inside the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel, Qin Mu shrieked repeatedly from being refined. These screams, upon reaching everyone's ears, sounded utterly delightful and drew endless praise.

Inside the Heavenly Wheel, Qin Mu also felt a fatal threat. So, while screaming, he sent out divine consciousness fluctuations, touching the Dao light from the fruit. He said, "Prehistoric Dao brother, I am the Seventh Young Master of the Miluo Palace. If you bear a grudge against me, you'll find it difficult to please others! I won't hold it against you. If you show mercy, I'll help you seize Lang Xuan's body, allowing you to be reborn!"

The Dao light's power within the fruit slightly slowed. Obscure divine consciousness fluctuations mingled within the light, saying, "I don't trust you young masters of the Miluo Palace; don't even think about deceiving me!"

Qin Mu, exasperated, laughed. "Go ask around in all the heavens and myriad worlds! Who doesn't know the good name of Celestial Venerable Mu? I'm known for keeping my word, worth a thousand pieces of gold, and dealing fairly with young and old alike! If you don't trust me, I can write you an IOU. With the IOU in hand, are you still afraid I'll deny it? I would never tarnish my own golden reputation!"

The consciousness within the Dao fruit hesitated. Its divine consciousness, mingled with the Dao light, said, "You were the one who helped Lang Xuan send me back to the catastrophe of destruction. If I hadn't used the Dao fruit to transfer my consciousness, you would have harmed me. Lang Xuan is now wary of me and won't give me any chance to seize his body. What ability do you have to help me?"

Qin Mu's heart stirred slightly. "Are you the Grand Primordium of the Sixteenth Epoch?"

The consciousness in the Dao fruit replied, "The Sixteenth Epoch had no Five Grand Emperors. The Five Grand Emperors were excavated and refined before they were even born. I entered the Sixteenth Epoch earlier, thus I seized the Grand Primordium divine egg and refined it for reincarnation. I am known as Revered Spirit Jade."

Qin Mu chuckled. "Revered Spirit Jade, you know how I conduct myself; you can rest assured. Besides, Lang Xuan is my sworn enemy. Are you my enemy? If you give me a wooden peach, I will repay you with a jade jewel."

Revered Spirit Jade within the Dao fruit said, "I don't believe your words. You must swear an oath to my Dao fruit."

Qin Mu swore an oath to his Dao fruit, and Revered Spirit Jade felt relieved. Swearing an oath to his Dao fruit meant swearing an oath to his Dao and to him.

If Qin Mu wanted to break his promise, he would have many ways to deal with him!

"Swearing an oath to a Dao fruit is something I haven't done before," Qin Mu mused. "But I have sworn an oath to the Miluo Palace's Prime Saint's disciplinary whip. Didn't I kill the Miluo Palace's Prime Saint anyway?" Qin Mu thought nothing of it.

The Dao fruit's power grew weaker and weaker. God Sovereign Lang Xuan repeatedly urged the Dao fruit, but its power continued to diminish. He had no choice but to retreat, his face flushed with embarrassment, saying, "This treasure has not fully recovered yet. My abilities are limited here; I am deeply ashamed."

Celestial Venerable Hao also felt relieved. If God Sovereign Lang Xuan had truly used the Dao fruit to refine Qin Mu to death, then Celestial Venerable Hao would have had no choice but to deal with Lang Xuan.

Celestial Venerable Gong stepped forward and said, "I have the supreme divine consciousness secret realm, which can disorder his Dao heart. He would fall into the secret realm, lose himself, lose his cultivation, and naturally die."

Celestial Venerable Hao said with delight, "Celestial Venerable Gong, please proceed!"

Celestial Venerable Gong's divine consciousness erupted, transforming into layers of secret realms that poured into the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel. Layers of illusions unfolded, drawing Qin Mu within them.

After a long time, Celestial Venerable Gong's expression subtly changed. She felt that Qin Mu's divine consciousness skillfully countered her illusionary divine consciousness in both offense and defense. Her illusionary divine abilities struggled to gain any advantage!

In terms of divine consciousness mastery, Qin Mu had made astonishing progress, showing a strong tendency to catch up to her!

Moreover, his cultivation technique was incredibly profound, perhaps even surpassing that of the Grand Emperor!

She did not know that this was the Dao of Attainment method, completed by Celestial Venerable Yun after acquiring the Grand Emperor's Dao and divine abilities. Having been taught to Qin Mu, it was naturally much more powerful than the Grand Emperor's divine consciousness techniques!

Celestial Venerable Gong persisted for another two days but could not affect Qin Mu in the slightest. Instead, she ended up boosting Qin Mu's divine consciousness by a level. Feeling ashamed, she also withdrew.

Celestial Venerable Hao looked around. All the Celestial Venerables were at a loss.

The Seven Dukes, Four Chancellors, Three Grand Tutors, Two Grand Counsellors, and the Five Emperor Thrones, Five Inner Emperor Thrones, along with other high-ranking civil and military officials of the Heavenly Court, all stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your humble servants are willing to exert our utmost efforts to refine that scoundrel Mu!"

Celestial Venerable Hao said gently, "You are all Emperor's Throne experts, with profound Dao arts and divine abilities. Perhaps you possess the divine ability needed."

The Seven Dukes, Four Chancellors, and other powerful figures stepped forward. They were the backbone of the Heavenly Court. For millions of years, the Heavenly Court had gathered elites from across the world, and Emperor's Throne experts were numerous. They had been granted power and status, consolidated within the imperial court.

These twenty-six Emperor's Throne experts sat cross-legged around the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel. Their prime spirits emerged, standing within their Heavenly Palaces, and they activated their Dao arts and divine abilities, channeling them into the Heavenly Wheel.

After more than a month, everyone was too exhausted to continue. Yet, Qin Mu remained full of vigor within the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel.

Celestial Venerable Hao frowned deeply. Celestial Venerable Gong said, "We need the Son of Heaven Yin to act before we can eliminate that scoundrel Mu."

Ancestral God King clapped his hands and chuckled, "The Son of Heaven Yin's unparalleled reincarnation technique is indeed that scoundrel Mu's bane! Now that we are fewer than ten Celestial Venerables, perhaps the Son of Heaven Yin can become Celestial Venerable Yin!"

Celestial Venerable Huo firmly objected, huffing coldly, "Son of Heaven Yin, what virtue or ability does he possess? How can he sit among us?"

"If he can eliminate that scoundrel Mu, what harm is there in him sitting with us?" Celestial Venerable Hao dismissed the objection, ordering someone to go to the Primordial Realm and invite the Son of Heaven Yin.

More than ten days later, the Son of Heaven Yin arrived from the front lines, where he had been pursuing Carefree Village. He greeted everyone.

Celestial Venerable Hao said gently, "Chao Jin, I and all these Dao friends highly value you. If you can refine Celestial Venerable Mu to death, I will recommend you to become Celestial Venerable Yin!"

The Son of Heaven Yin was both surprised and delighted, while Celestial Venerable Huo snorted angrily.

The Son of Heaven Yin immediately approached the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel and activated his reincarnation divine ability. Unexpectedly, just as his reincarnation divine ability entered the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel, before it even touched Qin Mu, the Son of Heaven Yin suddenly groaned, fell straight back, and passed out.

Everyone quickly rushed to his aid, and only then did they manage to rescue him from Qin Mu's reincarnation divine ability.

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

The Goddess of Grand Absolute sneered, "You're all a bunch of incompetent good-for-nothings! If my supreme treasure were at its peak, refining him would be effortless! Hao'er, hand this scoundrel over to me; I'll deal with him for you!"

Celestial Venerable Hao waved his hand, dismissing the Son of Heaven Yin. He said, "Auntie, although your divine abilities are superb, I fear even you cannot deal with him. The safest way to eliminate him is still to sink him into the long river of chaos in Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court. Only by watching him slowly transform into primordial chaos energy will I be at ease."

The Goddess of Grand Absolute said nothing more.

Her purpose was to make contact with Qin Mu.

Previously, she believed she could control Celestial Venerable Hao. However, after the battle in the Divine Consciousness Great Brahma Heaven, she realized she could no longer control him. Instead, she was being controlled by Celestial Venerable Hao, sinking deeper and deeper.

Her reason for wanting to contact Qin Mu was that she recalled what "Grand Change" had said during their last meeting. She wanted to find a way out for herself.

Celestial Venerable Hao stood up, standing at the edge of the Heavenly Court and looking down. The vast lands of the Ancestral Court lay spread out before his eyes.

He gazed at Jade Capital City in the Ancestral Court for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Emperor Kai Qin Ye, that old scoundrel. He is already waiting for me in Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court!"

The Celestial Venerables all looked, their expressions subtly changing. They saw sword light crisscrossing within Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court. This ancient divine city had originally been jointly sealed by many Celestial Venerables, but while the seal could stop others, it could not stop Emperor Kai Qin Ye, who had already achieved Dao!

Emperor Kai Qin Ye clearly knew that Celestial Venerable Hao would likely bring Qin Mu there to sink him into the river, so he had arrived at Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court ahead of time!

Celestial Venerable Hao sneered and said to everyone, "That scoundrel Qin Ye is even more dangerous than that scoundrel Mu. But in my eyes, he's not worth fearing. After the battle in the Divine Consciousness Great Brahma Heaven, I am completely confident I can achieve Dao through power and brand my Dao into the ultimate void. Let him be! I will rest for a while, then go to the ultimate void and form my own Dao tree!"

Celestial Venerable Huo hesitated, saying, "Then what about that scoundrel Mu...?"

Celestial Venerable Hao thought for a moment and said, "Although that scoundrel Mu is difficult to kill, there are still places in this world that can deal with him. Celestial Venerable Gong, take my Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel to the Return to the Ruins. Use that scoundrel Mu to fill the sea eye, and let the great abyss of Return to the Ruins grind him to death! That sea eye devours everything; even if he doesn't die, he won't be able to escape."

Celestial Venerable Gong assented and took the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel.

Celestial Venerable Huo said, "I will go with Celestial Venerable Gong."

Celestial Venerable Hao shook his head and said, "The scoundrels from Carefree Village are rushing to the Primordial Realm, attempting to establish themselves there. Brother Huo, you and the others go to the Primordial Realm to intercept them. Carefree Village should be pacified by now. Also, the matter of Tubo of Youdu should be resolved. There is only one ruler in this world, and that ruler can only be me."

The Goddess of Grand Absolute's eyes swiveled, and she smiled. "Hao'er, I will go with Celestial Venerable Gong, to prevent any mishaps on the way."

Celestial Venerable Hao politely said, "With Auntie going, Hao'er will be at ease. Thank you for your trouble, Auntie."

The Goddess of Grand Absolute immediately left the Heavenly Court with Celestial Venerable Gong.

Celestial Venerable Hao sneered and shook his head. "Seeking her own demise."

In the imperial court, everyone was silent, daring not to speak further.