Chapter 1570: Tubo, My Brother

Qin Mu's expression was solemn. Emperor Haotian was undoubtedly heading to the ultimate void to achieve Dao through power, imprinting his strength into it! Upon reaching that stage, having fully achieved Dao through power, Emperor Haotian would accomplish an unprecedented feat! Before him, no one in this universe had managed to achieve Dao through power; he would be the first.

"Achieving Dao through power and imprinting it on the void – perhaps it happened in previous universes, but never in this one. What impact will Emperor Haotian's achievement of Dao through power have on this universe?" He sat in the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel, lost in thought.

Emperor Haotian cultivated using the Lingxiao and Zixiao Palaces, borrowing the power of these two Mi Luo Palace treasures to gain unprecedented strength. If his power were to be imprinted upon the ultimate void, would it mean that the Zixiao and Lingxiao Palaces would also be imprinted there within this universe? Would this cause the two Mi Luo Palace Young Masters to arrive ahead of schedule?

The spirit energy transfer bridge was active. Celestial Venerable Gong hesitated for a moment before stepping onto the bridge, carrying the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel. Entering the transfer bridge meant entering the territory of Earth Count, and she felt a touch of apprehension. Earth Count was an entity on par with Heaven Duke. She knew it would be difficult to contend with Earth Count alone, and to enter the Return to the Ruins, she would have to pass through Youdu.

At Jade Lock Pass, the spirit energy transfer bridge glowed brightly. Celestial Venerable Gong emerged from the altar with the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel. Lu Li, waiting nearby, was about to bow in greeting when Celestial Venerable Gong waved her hand and said, "No need for formalities. Proceed immediately to the Return to the Ruins!"

Lu Li quickly led the way, speaking rapidly: "Venerable, please follow me! I didn't know the location of the Return to the Ruins until the Styx River reappeared. The Styx flows to Jade Lock Pass and into the Return to the Ruins..." Celestial Venerable Gong looked back, seeing the vast Heavenly River rushing from the Primordial Realm, flowing into Youdu, where it transformed into the Styx. The long river of Styx flowed astonishingly between Earth Count's two horns, a truly awe-inspiring sight! The Styx swirled around Earth Count's immense body, flowing down towards his feet, finally disappearing into the darkness before him, which was inside Jade Capital City.

"...I've had a difficult time these past few years, suppressed by Earth Count. He's fierce and treats us Heavenly Court deities poorly, especially King Tianqi Rensheng, who is a true demon. They haven't allowed us to interfere in Youdu at all these years... Oh, and one more thing!" Lu Li added, "A while ago, the Empress Dowager ran over here and injured some of our people!"

Celestial Venerable Gong was slightly startled: "Consort Yan ran over here and injured you? What was she doing here?" She pondered for a moment. Ever since the Primordial God of Taiji in Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City rebelled and captured Consort Yan and Shi Qiluo, she hadn't heard any news of Consort Yan. Nevertheless, she wasn't afraid of Consort Yan and dismissed the matter.

"...I've been oppressed, so I wonder if Venerable could put in a good word for me in the Heavenly Court and have me transferred to the Underworld? I'm willing to serve as a general under the Son of Darkness," Lu Li said cautiously.

Just as Celestial Venerable Gong was about to speak, she suddenly sensed something amiss. She quickly looked around, her expression changing slightly, and immediately asked, "Lu Li, why has the demonic aura of Jade Lock Pass suddenly intensified?"

Lu Li was slightly stunned. He quickly looked around and saw that the aura of the Youdu Grand Dao in Jade Lock Pass was growing thicker and thicker, and the Youdu demonic energy was becoming more potent than before. Even demon gods who hadn't entered the Dao could feel the Youdu Grand Dao suddenly intensifying at that very moment!

Suddenly, Qin Mu poked his head out of the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel and sneered, "Celestial Venerable Gong, disaster is upon you! You brought me here, and my Elder Brother Earth Count has discovered me! You're going to die, you're going to die!"

Celestial Venerable Gong was furious: "Heavenly Venerable Mu has been trapped in the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel all this time. With me here, divine senses are difficult to transmit. So, who leaked the information and let Earth Count know you were here?" She cast a suspicious glance at Lu Li. Lu Li was terrified and dared not speak.

Qin Mu chuckled, "Celestial Venerable Gong, look up! Earth Count has already noticed you!"

Celestial Venerable Gong looked up, her expression changing drastically. She saw the entire Grand Dao of Youdu boiling, converging into sixty-four streams, filled with overwhelming malevolent energy, all surging towards Earth Count's colossal body! Earth Count's immense physical body, entwined with demonic energy and demonic Dao, began to stir. His incredibly massive head lowered, looking down at his own feet! Jade Lock Pass was right at Earth Count's feet!

When Earth Count's third eye on his forehead opened, even Celestial Venerable Gong felt a chill run down her spine. She sharply demanded, "Who leaked the information?" Lu Li's face turned ashen, and he shrieked, "Venerable, how would I know..." Before he could finish, his head exploded. Celestial Venerable Gong had killed him with a single blow, shattering even his primordial spirit and soul!

Qin Mu's expression was also somewhat tense at this moment, his heart throbbing violently. He forced himself to remain calm and said, "Earth Count is my Elder Brother, and you can't escape death unless you flee into the Return to the Ruins before he attacks! Celestial Venerable Gong, surrender! Aren't you going to let me out yet?"

He was trapped in the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel, a supreme treasure refined by Emperor Haotian using divine metals and materials from the Ancestral Court. It was divided into inner and outer Heavenly Courts, with each Heavenly Court containing thirty-six celestial palaces and fifty-six precious halls. Emperor Haotian, fearing his escape, had imposed numerous seals. While these might not entirely stump Qin Mu, with Celestial Venerable Gong present, even a slight suppression would prevent Qin Mu from escaping.

Celestial Venerable Gong let out a cold snort. She saw the demonic flames burning furiously in Earth Count's vertical eye on his forehead, growing brighter and brighter. A chill ran through her heart; she knew she couldn't withstand the power of a single blow from Earth Count! Creation Masters were inherently weak in soul and spirit. Furthermore, with the cultivation system of divine consciousness, they did not cultivate their souls and primordial spirits, making Earth Count the bane of their race. Although Celestial Venerable Gong had reincarnated and had been trying to compensate for her deficiencies in soul and primordial spirit over the years, her primordial spirit still couldn't compare to that of other Celestial Venerables. Facing an existence like Earth Count, a single strike could likely reduce her primordial spirit to dust!

Just as she was about to rush with the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel towards where the Styx fell, she saw the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel suddenly sprout two legs. They were Qin Mu's legs extending from beneath the wheel, striding out at an incredible speed, like two rapidly spinning wheels, hurtling towards the Return to the Ruins! Celestial Venerable Gong was stunned for a moment, then quickly rushed over and grabbed the Heavenly Wheel. Qin Mu, looking incredibly tense, shouted, "Run! Run faster!"

"This Heavenly Venerable Mu seems even more nervous than I am. Isn't Earth Count his Elder Brother?" Celestial Venerable Gong wondered inwardly, but at this moment, Earth Count's vertical eye on his forehead had activated, and an incredibly dark demonic flame descended from the sky, slamming towards Jade Lock Pass!

Celestial Venerable Gong bit the bullet and charged forward. The Dao power unleashed by the demonic flame was incredibly astonishing; even before it reached Jade Lock Pass, countless Heavenly Court soldiers within the pass spontaneously combusted! This wasn't a physical burning, but a burning of their primordial spirits. Demonic flames, formed from their burning primordial spirits, spurted from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses. In an instant, countless primordial spirits of demon gods were reduced to ashes! They tilted their heads back, spread their arms, and plumes of black smoke erupted from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses. Their bodies convulsed violently, then quickly returned to stillness, standing motionless. Their physical bodies remained, but their primordial spirits were dead; their bodies were empty! In an instant, the entire Jade Lock Pass became a ghost town filled with corpses!

A shiver ran up Celestial Venerable Gong's spine, and her scalp tingled. Earth Count was not like Heaven Duke. Heaven Duke embodied the Heavenly Dao; even during the attack on Xuandu, Heaven Duke didn't commit much slaughter. Youdu, however, was the origin of the Demonic Dao. Earth Count was a naturally born ancient god of the Demonic Dao, and the sixty-four Grand Daos of Youdu were the sixty-four Innate Demonic Daos! When this ancient god of the Demonic Dao indulged his killing intent, he dared to kill anyone! Back then, he had even attacked the Heavenly Court!

"Faster! Faster!" Qin Mu seemed even more anxious than she was, constantly urging, "Gong Jun, can you do it? If not, break the seal and let me out; I'll take you into the Return to the Ruins!" Celestial Venerable Gong gritted her teeth and charged forward, growing even more puzzled: "Heavenly Venerable Mu seems to be more afraid of Earth Count than I am..."

Her speed was incredibly fast, a mere blur as she rushed into a forest of steles. Within this stele forest were countless gods and demons suffering for their grave transgressions, constantly burning in karmic fire, enduring immense torment and pain. As Celestial Venerable Gong passed through a section of the karmic fire stele forest, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of something and was slightly startled. "Ugly Earth Count!" She saw Ugly Earth Count sitting amidst incredibly dense and terrifying karmic fire, the dreadfulness of which made even her heart palpitate. That terrifying karmic fire was filled with sin, the deepest transgressions of mortals and gods, and the most evil negative emotions. Even a Celestial Venerable like her, if tainted by it, would likely fall into the Demonic Dao, developing various malicious thoughts and inner demons, and her cultivation would be ruined!

"Although Ugly Earth Count committed grave sins, he shouldn't have to endure such intense karmic fire, nor for so long..." Just as she thought this, she saw an old man with white eyebrows, a white beard, and white eyes in the karmic fire stele forest, also enduring torment and immense pain within the flames. "This old man... he looks like Heaven Duke..."

Celestial Venerable Gong didn't stop to think further, rushing past the karmic fire stele forest. Beyond it was the Styx, a vast river flowing into a massive cavern! Behind her, Earth Count's strike from his vertical eye had already landed. The entire Jade Lock Pass trembled violently, shattered, and the surging blast of air lifted countless corpses! Strangely, despite the terrifying nature of the blast, the corpses of the gods and demons remained completely undamaged, perfectly intact. And although the ground of Jade Lock Pass shook and broke apart, it too remained entirely whole, without a single trace of damage.

Celestial Venerable Gong desperately pushed forward. The shockwave from Earth Count's attack had reached her back, and the raging demonic flames ignited her primordial spirit. Celestial Venerable Gong felt an agonizing pain emanating from her soul. In her mind, countless inner demons seemed to be screaming frantically, drowning out all other sounds!

Inside the Myriad Dao Heavenly Wheel, Qin Mu quickly extended his legs again and started running wildly. Celestial Venerable Gong gritted her teeth and followed, both of them plunging into the Styx one after another, carried by its waters, tumbling and rolling downwards!

Earth Count's attack missed. He extended a large hand and grabbed the entire Styx. This river, formed by the Heavenly River flowing into Youdu, was incredibly vast, yet he easily seized it in his hand and violently tore it outwards. Instantly, the waters of the Styx flowed backward, pulling the two individuals within it back with astonishing force. Qin Mu and Celestial Venerable Gong were horrified, each thinking to themselves, "This is the end for me!"

Just then, amidst the churning waves, a madwoman was also pulled out by Earth Count. Overwhelmed by rage, she shrieked, "Earth Count, how dare you ruin our plans?" With a single strike, the madwoman severed the Styx. Qin Mu and Celestial Venerable Gong were immediately sucked into the great rift in the river and plunged downwards. The madwoman launched a ferocious attack against Earth Count's massive hand. She fought wildly with Earth Count for hundreds of rounds before her anger subsided, and she returned into the great rift in Youdu.