Chapter 1588: Dragon Qilin Family's Little Monsters

Qin Mu and Ah Chou Earth Count fell silent. Although they were willing to listen to Heaven Duke, it was questionable how much of his words would truly register with them.

Heaven Duke stood there, wanting to say something, but after a moment, he couldn't find the right words.

Both Qin Mu and Earth Count were incredibly stubborn individuals, making it nearly impossible to persuade them to change their minds.

Moreover, Heaven Duke himself wasn't blameless. In the past, driven by his own selfish desires, he had disregarded Qin Mu's and Eternal Peace's plight, allowing Reverend Hong and other Celestial Venerables to attack him.

Despite their alliance, Heaven Duke hadn't considered his ally's situation. Yet, Qin Mu had done everything in his power, leveraging his connections to invite numerous experts, from Emperor Kai and Lang Wo to Youdu Celestial Venerable, and even fighting personally. Ultimately, he saved Heaven Duke, revived him, and gave him hope of achieving enlightenment.

Otherwise, Heaven Duke would not have survived that ordeal.

This time, Celestial Venerable Gong used Youdu as a passage to go to Returning Ruins to suppress Qin Mu. Earth Count, in turn, seized the opportunity to slaughter the Heavenly Court soldiers at Jade Lock Pass, provoking a Heavenly Court expedition, an act remarkably similar to Heaven Duke's past actions.

Earth Count, too, hadn't considered Qin Mu or Eternal Peace; his actions were purely for his own selfish reasons.

As allies, neither of these ancient gods was fit for the role.

Before them, Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird, who had acted unilaterally, had also done something similar. Without informing Qin Mu, she had rebelled, drawing the attention of Fire Celestial Venerable. She had hoped to use Fire Celestial Venerable to break free from the ancient gods' restraints, but instead, she was suppressed in the Hall of Perfumed Cloister by Fire Celestial Venerable.

Even so, Qin Mu had done his utmost to find a way to break through the Hall of Perfumed Cloister and revive Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird.

From this perspective, Heaven Duke, Earth Count, and Southern Emperor all owed Qin Mu a great debt.

After a long silence, Qin Mu said somberly, "Earth Count, Youdu must not fall into the Heavenly Court's hands, no matter what. Otherwise, I will be powerless to turn the tide. I hope you are absolutely sure of your plan. This is the last time your ancient god faction will act independently. If, after you break free from the ancient gods' restraints, other ancient gods follow suit, I will not come to their aid."

He added indifferently, "At that point, I will simply watch you court disaster."

Ah Chou Earth Count was silent for a moment, then said, "Thank you."

Qin Mu snorted, flicked his sleeve, and left. His voice drifted back from afar, saying, "The Heavenly Court won't send a grand army to kill you; a few Celestial Venerables will be enough. I'll do my best to invite Emperor Kai and others to help. However, if Youdu falls into the Heavenly Court's hands, heheh... I'll just kneel directly before Celestial Venerable Hao and surrender!"

His figure passed through the karmic fire and vanished without a trace.

Heaven Duke watched him depart, praising, "Celestial Venerable Mu's abilities are becoming increasingly extraordinary; he doesn't fear karmic fire in the slightest. It's just that his temper is too fiery; he even refers to himself as 'this old man' in our presence."

"His cultivation has reached the Celestial Venerable level, and he's not weak among the Ten Celestial Venerables. I can no longer fully comprehend his abilities."

Ah Chou Earth Count said, "He was indeed angry this time. I could feel a rage ignited in his Dao heart. If you hadn't come over just now, he would most likely have raised his fists and fought me, giving me a good beating."

Heaven Duke chuckled, "How dare he?"

Ah Chou Earth Count said nothing.

Heaven Duke asked curiously, "How did he evade the perception of Youdu's Great Dao?"

Ah Chou Earth Count shook his head. "I don't know. However, I sensed a strange Great Dao within him. This Dao allows him to deeply conceal the karma generated by resurrecting the dead. I can detect it, but Youdu's Great Dao cannot."

Heaven Duke laughed, "Your realm is more profound; I didn't perceive that Dao. Fellow Daoist, do you think Celestial Venerable Void will still recognize you as Ah Chou?"

Ah Chou Earth Count was silent for a moment, then a hint of a smile appeared on his incredibly ugly face. "She will recognize me. Wasn't her goal in becoming one of the Ten Celestial Venerables to kill Earth Count and free her father, Ah Chou?"

Heaven Duke frowned slightly, a touch of worry in his heart.

He looked up. Youdu was now a desolate and solemn place. Many Youdu fiends had already slipped away in Youdu Celestial Venerable's absence, planning to flee to the mortal world to escape the coming disaster.

Qin Mu exited Youdu and arrived at the confluence of the Heavenly River and the Underworld River. The Heavenly River flowed into Youdu here, transforming into the Underworld River. It was also from this point that many Youdu fiends and demons had smuggled themselves into the living world.

As he reached the spot, he saw countless fiends swimming and lurking in the surging waters. Even the Heavenly River had been stained an inky black!

Youdu was unlike Xuandu, where the people deeply revered Heaven Duke, so few had fled when the Calamity of Xuandu descended. Instead, they had fought desperately against the Heavenly Court.

In contrast, Youdu's fiends and demons were born from the myriad negative emotions between heaven and earth, and Youdu's demon gods cultivated the demonic path. Faced with the Calamity of Youdu, their first thought was to flee for their lives.

"Celestial Venerable Mu!" someone suddenly called out to him.

Qin Mu followed the sound and saw Celestial Venerable Void standing on the surface of the Heavenly River. Beneath her feet was the pitch-black river water, and countless fiends swarmed behind her, their numbers growing, forming a vast demonic army that seemed to blot out the sky.

Qin Mu stopped, his gaze settling on Celestial Venerable Void's face. He said indifferently, "What instruction does Celestial Venerable Void have for me?"

"I wouldn't presume to instruct you. By seniority, I should address you as uncle."

Celestial Venerable Void bowed slightly and said, "Celestial Venerable Gong escorted you, Uncle, to Returning Ruins, intending to use you to fill the Eye of the Sea. Yet, she has not returned, while you, Celestial Venerable Mu, have come back alive. Could it be that Celestial Venerable Gong has met with an unfortunate end?"

Qin Mu replied with a half-smile, "With so many informants you've placed in Eternal Peace, aren't you already aware of whether Celestial Venerable Gong is dead or not?"

Celestial Venerable Void said, "Celestial Venerable Gong has indeed met her demise. Someone in the Primordial Realm saw her turn to ash, and your mount, Uncle, went to kill Celestial Venerable Gong's reincarnated body. Someone else found the body of her reincarnated self washed ashore by the waves. I presume that if I die in the future, Uncle, you will also order someone to mercilessly kill my reincarnated self in Eternal Peace."

Qin Mu laughed heartily, then his smile completely faded. "Celestial Venerable Void, you seem to be in very good spirits. This is the longest conversation we've had since I met you."

Celestial Venerable Void smiled faintly and said, "Celestial Venerable Hao has already branded the Ultimate Void, cultivated his Dao Tree and Dao Flower, and opened up the One Qi Grand Overarching Heaven."

Qin Mu said, "Celestial Venerable Hao has the power for that; it's not surprising that he branded the Ultimate Void."

Celestial Venerable Void continued, "Celestial Venerable Hao said he sensed another path to enlightenment beyond branding the Grand Overarching Heaven. He has mastered two Grand Heavenly Court cultivation methods, but there's one he hasn't yet used to achieve enlightenment."

Qin Mu's pupils constricted slightly, but he remained silent.

Celestial Venerable Void resumed, "His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor has returned from the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City. With his powerful physical body, he, too, has branded the Ultimate Void and opened up a Grand Overarching Heaven—the Grand Overarching Heaven of Grand Initial."

Qin Mu shook his head. "Grand Initial is half-crippled. Even with the Fourth Young Master's support, he cannot complete the Dao of Grand Initial. His Grand Overarching Heaven is not the Grand Overarching Heaven of Grand Initial, but the One Qi Grand Overarching Heaven. He has already lost all his luck and is no match for Celestial Venerable Hao."

Celestial Venerable Void admired, "Uncle's judgment is remarkably accurate, no wonder you've survived until now. After His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor returned to the Heavenly Court, he issued an imperial decree, preparing to abdicate, and has already named Celestial Venerable Hao as crown prince."

Qin Mu's heart pounded. He said in a deep voice, "Have the Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master formed an alliance?"

Celestial Venerable Void couldn't help but admire, "Uncle is truly formidable. To deduce what's happening behind the scenes just from the Heavenly Emperor's intention to abdicate, your niece is impressed."

Qin Mu said nothing more.

Celestial Venerable Void said, "Since Uncle is so capable, you must also see that Earth Count has no path to survival. Why persist in such a futile struggle?"

Qin Mu burst into laughter. Suddenly, his body shifted horizontally, and in the next instant, he stood directly before Celestial Venerable Void.

His aura erupted, clashing with Celestial Venerable Void's. With a resounding boom, Celestial Venerable Void's black robes swelled and flared outwards in all directions!

A dark, swirling halo rotated wildly behind her head, and the auras of countless Youdu fiends and demon gods behind her connected with her. Yet, those billions of fiends and demon gods were also shaken and sent flying into mid-air!

An incredibly violent tremor emanated from above. The sky twisted and spun, and Heaven Duke's colossal face appeared on the celestial curtain, his pure white eyes brighter than a billion suns, fixed upon Qin Mu!

Qin Mu looked up, glanced at Heaven Duke's face, and sneered, "Ancestral God King, a parricidal clown."

Heaven Duke roared, and an infinite cascade of starlight pressed down from above. But before it could reach Qin Mu, it was blocked by the World Tree that had appeared behind him, unable to descend.

Qin Mu retracted his aura and walked past Celestial Venerable Void, speaking softly, "My dear niece, no matter what, Earth Count is your father. Do you wish to be a parricide like Ancestral God King?"

Celestial Venerable Void smiled. "Celestial Venerable Mu, you have no chance of winning!"

Qin Mu laughed heartily, his figure receding into the distance, his voice echoing from afar: "Celestial Venerable Hao and Heavenly Emperor Grand Initial are merely dogs of the Third and Fourth Young Masters. I am the Seventh Young Master. You are far from being able to contend with me!"

Celestial Venerable Void frowned. In the sky, Ancestral God King, controlling Heaven Duke's body, looked towards her with an inquiring expression.

Celestial Venerable Void shook her head. "We can't guarantee holding him here. Celestial Venerable Hao and Emperor Grand Initial are absent, so it's not worth a fierce battle with him. Youdu is more critical."

Ancestral God King slowly faded from view.

Qin Mu followed the Heavenly River to Eternal Peace and descended. Eternal Peace was changing day by day. He hadn't returned here in over twenty years. Looking around, he saw divine cities floating in the air, towering buildings standing tall, and large multi-decked ships sailing back and forth among the buildings and palaces.

The rapid progress of divine arts and cultivation methods in Eternal Peace at this time gave him some reassurance.

"I must first find Celestial Venerable Ling..."

Just as he thought this, a familiar voice suddenly came from the Spirit Energy Mutual Shift Bridge, exclaiming with surprise and joy, "Cult Master! Old Cult Master!"

Qin Mu's heart stirred. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a youth with a qilin's head and a human body emerging from the Spirit Energy Mutual Shift Bridge, running towards him excitedly. It was none other than Dragon Qilin.

As Dragon Qilin ran closer, he noticed Qin Mu's expression darkening, and he couldn't help but inwardly shiver. "Oh no, I added 'old' before 'Cult Master.' I must have displeased him..."

He continued running, revealing his true form. His two ears twitched, and several strange creatures with qilin bodies, Vermilion Bird wings, and dragon tails flew out of his ears, chirping and chattering as they zipped around Qin Mu.

Qin Mu immediately cast aside his earlier displeasure. He raised his hand to cradle one of the small creatures, which gnawed on his finger, sparks flying between its teeth.

Qin Mu exclaimed in surprise, "Fatty Dragon, are these your and Yan'er's offspring? Yan'er has been incubating them for so many years; they've finally hatched!"

These little creatures had dragon scales on their bird-like claws. The one in his hand wrapped its dragon tail around his finger, clutching one digit with its claws, and looked him up and down, its dark, round eyes full of curiosity.

On the back of another slightly larger creature sat a tiny, dignified Earth Count, who nodded to Qin Mu and said, "Maha."

Dragon Qilin chuckled apologetically, "I just returned from the Ancestral Court, and my wife made me take the children. I had no choice but to bring them along. I planned to come back to Eternal Peace to find you, Cult Master, and then, after seeing you, I'll take the children back to the Beast Realm."

Seeing his family, the burden in Qin Mu's heart vanished without a trace. Filled with emotion, his thoughts finally coalesced into a single sentence: "Fatty Dragon has grown up."