Chapter 1611: Darkness of the Night

The Golden Ferry of Salvation sailed out of Youdu and arrived at the Ancestral Court. Moon Celestial Venerable, accompanied by Ling Celestial Venerable, found the collision site of the Divine Consciousness Great Overarching Heaven and another Great Overarching Heaven. She used her divine power to send Ling Celestial Venerable into the Divine Consciousness Great Overarching Heaven, startling away Grand Emperor.

Ling Celestial Venerable didn't say much to Cloud Celestial Venerable, only informing him of Emperor Kai's demise.

Cloud Celestial Venerable remained silent for a moment before saying, "When you return, tell Celestial Venerable Mu that throughout the long years from the Dragon Han Era until now, we have endured and overcome hardships far darker than these. He will overcome this too."

He pondered for a moment, wanting to say more, but found himself at a loss for words.

When Moon Celestial Venerable brought Ling Celestial Venerable back, Qin Mu was still lying there, seemingly unconscious or simply unwilling to wake up.

"Where should we go?" asked Heavenly Duke, looking bewildered.

"To Yankang," replied You Celestial Venerable.

Qin Fengqing sat huddled in a corner of the golden boat, hugging his knees, and whispered, "I want to go home. I want to return to Carefree Land. Emperor Kai should still be there..."

The golden boat arrived in Yankang.

Empress Yanxiu, Ling Yuxiu, arrived upon hearing the news. She boarded the boat and saw that Moon Celestial Venerable, Ling Celestial Venerable, and the others had already moved away. Qin Mu, at some point, had gotten up and was sitting at the edge of the golden boat, staring blankly into space.

Ling Yuxiu went to his side, climbed onto the boat's edge, and sat with him.

She turned her head to look and noticed some white hairs at Qin Mu's temples, where tears had dampened his hair.

He was no longer a young man, but had acquired the composure and maturity of a young adult approaching middle age.

The cowherd boy from Yong River all those years ago had grown up, and his spirit seemed somewhat worn.

"Let's get married," she said.

Qin Mu lowered his head, looking down at Lower Capital of Yankang, which was shrouded in mist beneath the protective canopy of the Primordial Tree. With a calm expression, he said, "Let's get married. I no longer wish to be Yankang's Imperial Preceptor. Do you still intend to remain emperor?"

Ling Yuxiu leaned on his shoulder and softly said, "I will find my father and relinquish the emperorship. Once I find my father and Jiang Baigui, we can both lay down our burdens. Just give me a few more days. Do we need to halt Yankang's reforms?"

"If humanity wishes to survive, the reforms must cease," Qin Mu replied.

Qin Mu leaned on her, his soul seemingly empty, leaving only a hollow shell. He murmured, "There's no hope of turning things around anymore... While you search for the emperor and imperial preceptor, I will make a trip to the Celestial Heavens."

Ling Yuxiu nodded gently, "After we step down, will you go to Yong River?"

"Yes. I was originally a cowherd boy from Yong River; it's time for me to be myself again..."

"I'll accompany you."

After Ling Yuxiu left, Qin Mu removed his clothes, baring his upper body, and remained only in his trousers.

He took ropes and thorny branches, binding himself securely. The branches were covered in sharp thorns, which pierced his skin.

You Celestial Venerable watched this scene but did not step forward to intervene. Instead, he slowly put on his ghost-face mask.

Moon Celestial Venerable approached to persuade him, but Qin Mu smiled and said, "When Cloud Celestial Venerable died in battle, you all retreated into seclusion, heartbroken. There's no need to persuade me."

Moon Celestial Venerable was speechless.

Ling Celestial Venerable thought for a moment and decided not to persuade him.

Heavenly Duke hesitated, then bravely stepped forward and asked, "Celestial Venerable Mu, when will you resurrect Earth Count?"

Qin Mu gently replied, "Dao Brother, rest assured. I will go to the Celestial Heavens and kneel before the South Heaven Gate, offering myself for punishment with thorns on my back. If Heavenly Venerable Hao spares me, I can survive, and Yankang and Carefree Land can also be preserved. At that time, I will return to resurrect Earth Count. One more thing, please trouble Dao Brother to inform the Western, Northern, and Eastern Emperors not to rebel. Ask them to kneel with me at the South Heaven Gate."

Heavenly Duke froze on the spot.

Qin Mu stepped off the golden boat. From the shadows of the boat, Qin Fengqing weakly called out, "Brother, I want to go home..."

Qin Mu smiled and said, "Go back. I'm sorry, Big Brother. I shouldn't have burdened you with such heavy responsibility, shouldn't have made you Earth Count. I can protect you; go back and tell Mother and Father I'm doing well."

Qin Fengqing stared at him blankly, not moving to leave.

Qin Mu walked towards the Spatial Transfer Bridge of Yankang's Lower Capital. Ling Celestial Venerable blocked his path and said, "Cloud Celestial Venerable told me to tell you that no matter how dark the times, we've always made it through and emerged from them. He also said that you can emerge from this too."

Qin Mu smiled faintly, "But I can't. I see no chance of victory. Perhaps I will overcome this in the future, but for now, I am tired."

Ling Celestial Venerable looked at the white hairs at his temples, remained silent for a moment, then said, "Give me fifty thousand years. I will unravel all the mysteries of the Red String Knot of the Palace Master of Miluo. By then, no one will be your match!"

"Fifty thousand years..."

Qin Mu's smile was somewhat frail as he shook his head, "I can wait, but Yankang cannot, and humanity cannot. If we continue to resist, humanity will be wiped out. Sister Ling, please don't stop me."

Ling Celestial Venerable fell silent and stepped aside.

Qin Mu continued forward. Ahead, Lang Wo stood gracefully, quietly waiting for him.

Qin Mu stopped and asked, "Lang Wo, are you also here to stop me from offering myself for punishment and surrendering to the Celestial Heavens?"

Lang Wo shook her head, "I've come to go with you."

Qin Mu was stunned.

Lang Wo calmly stated, "If you offer yourself for punishment, you can only save Yankang and Carefree Land, but not the last surviving creators. I intend to go to the Celestial Heavens with you. While you kneel before the South Heaven Gate, I will go to see Heavenly Venerable Hao. Perhaps I can become his empress and preserve the Creator Race."

Qin Mu's expression was complex. After a moment, he said, "I am ashamed to be called the Holy Infant of the Creator Race. You placed your hopes in me, believing I could lead you to restore the glory of the Creator Race, but all of that was a lie. I have failed you and your people. If you trust me, I will do my utmost to protect the creators of Carefree Land."

Lang Wo shook her head, "Heavenly Venerable Hao wants me to be his empress. This is the victor's prerogative. As the vanquished, you have no right to bargain with him."

Qin Mu fell silent and continued forward, still bearing the thorny branches.

Suddenly, Moon Celestial Venerable rushed over from Earth Mother Goddess's Heavenly Palace with the Village Chief and Apothecary, dropped them off, and then ran away.

The Village Chief steadied himself, his face grim, and he shouted in a deep voice, "Mu'er! Has one setback already crushed you? How did I teach you when you were a child? You are a Hegemon Body, an unparalleled Hege..."

Qin Mu's voice was hoarse as he whispered, "Grandpa Village Chief, the Hegemon Body is just a lie. It inspired me for a time, but it can't inspire me for a lifetime. The dream of the Hegemon Body should have ended long ago. I am just an ordinary person, an ordinary child you picked up by the river. I'm not even as good as an ordinary person. I don't even have my own soul; this body belongs to Big Brother. I'm tired..."

The Village Chief looked at him with a complex expression, then suddenly let out a long sigh, "Apothecary, you try to persuade him."

The Apothecary was silent for a moment, then said, "Mu'er, the Hegemon Body truly is a lie, but you've been invincible all this way, driven by that very belief. Who in this world has achieved what you have? Who possesses your talent? You may not be a Hegemon Body, but you've accomplished things even a Hegemon Body couldn't."

"Grandpa Apothecary, you see my successes, but do you see how much effort I've poured into them?"

Qin Mu suddenly lost control and cried out, "From the moment I knew I was a Hegemon Body, I started fighting with all my might! I started racking my brain, straining every fiber of my being! I was afraid, afraid of failing your expectations! Afraid of betraying the name of the Hegemon Body! Afraid of your gazes behind my back! I fought with my life again and again, nearly dying countless times, not because I believed I was a Hegemon Body, but because I didn't want to disappoint you!"

His voice was hoarse, "And then what? Then I came to Yankang, I became the Heavenly Saint Cult Master. I shouldn't have learned about reforms, about revolutions, shouldn't have listened to the ways of the Saints, shouldn't have become Yankang's Imperial Preceptor! Once I took on these responsibilities, I could only fight even harder, risking my own life! Hegemon Body? There was never any Hegemon Body! There was only an ordinary person like me, paying with his life!"

The Apothecary was stunned and fell silent.

Qin Mu panted heavily, his face softening once more. He walked to the Apothecary and the Village Chief, his voice filled with weariness, "Grandpa Apothecary, Grandpa Village Chief, I'm tired. I don't want to pretend to be a Hegemon Body anymore. Your expectations of me are too high. I can't do it. Please don't stop me."

The Village Chief opened his mouth, but could only let out a sigh.

Qin Mu stumbled forward. Suddenly, space rippled, and Moon Celestial Venerable appeared and disappeared like a ghost, placing Granny Si, the Blind Man, and the Mute Man in front of him. She hurriedly said, "I'm going to find Heavenly Saber, Painting Sage, and Ma Rulai!"

Qin Mu shook his head, "Moon, there's no need to trouble yourself."

Moon Celestial Venerable vanished without a word.

Qin Mu looked at Granny Si, the Blind Man, and the Mute Man, smiling through his tears, "Granny, Grandpa Blind, Grandpa Mute, I'm tired. I don't want to fight anymore. I want to go home. I want to return to Crippled Creek Village, I want to go back to when I was a boy."

Granny Si had intended to persuade him, but upon hearing his words, her heart softened immediately. Wiping away her tears, she said, "Then let's go home. You two, don't say a word!"

She glared at the Blind Man and the Mute Man, "Don't try to persuade him! Going home is good. This world was never meant for you to bear alone! Go home, Mu'er. We'll go back and build another Crippled Creek Village."

Qin Mu dragged his heavy steps past them. The Blind Man and the Mute Man turned, staring blankly at his retreating back. The Blind Man opened his mouth and tremblingly asked, "Mu'er, we're going back. What about the Cripple? Can the Cripple still come back?"

Qin Mu stopped, his body trembling.

"The Cripple... he can't come back..."

The Blind Man's voice trembled, "Crippled Creek Village isn't the same Crippled Creek Village anymore. We can't go back, Mu'er..."

Thud.

Qin Mu knelt on the ground, bowing his head.

The Blind Man walked behind him, grasping his shoulders. "If the Cripple were here, he definitely wouldn't want to see you like this..."

"I can't see any hope—"

Qin Mu let out a howl like an old wolf, his head bowed to his chest, and he sobbed loudly, "I can't see any hope anymore! Don't force me! We've already lost. I can't gamble with everyone's lives!"

He cried heartbrokenly, then turned and deeply kowtowed to the Village Chief, Granny Si, and the Blind Man. "I'm sorry, Grandpa Cripple. I'm sorry for failing your expectations. But I..."

He raised his head, "...must do this."

The Village Chief sighed and helped him up. "Mu'er, go do what you must. We will wait for your return."

Qin Mu turned and walked towards the Spatial Transfer Bridge, with Lang Wo following behind him.

In Yankang's Upper Capital, Ling Yuxiu, leading Yankang's civil and military officials, watched the scene in silence. Her heart was twisted in agony, yet her expression remained calm.

"Your Majesty, will you not stop the Imperial Preceptor?" an official asked.

Ling Yuxiu shook her head. "There's no need to stop him. He is no longer your Imperial Preceptor, and I will no longer be your Empress. Once the Emperor Emeritus arrives, I will abdicate. I will leave Yankang with him and live in seclusion..."

The civil and military officials exchanged glances, but no one spoke.

Qin Mu ascended the Spatial Transfer Bridge step by step. He looked at the shimmering spiritual energy ahead, took a deep breath, and was about to step onto the bridge.

Suddenly, Yu Chenzi came running from a distance, shouting, "Imperial Preceptor, wait! Please wait!"