Chapter 1655: Testing

The eldest son of Mi Luo Palace inherited his divine arts and techniques from the Primordial Runes.

Qin Mu attempted to activate the runes within the door panel. He realized the panel must have been crafted from the Dao Tree of an enlightened being. However, this particular enlightened being was so powerful that their Dao Tree had become indestructible. As he examined the runes, he quickly discovered a clue.

The eldest son of Mi Luo Palace was likely the direct disciple of the Palace Master. His divine arts and techniques clearly followed the Palace Master's path, and his Primordial Runes were the most authentic, a fact evident from the rune imprints on this very door panel. This was because every rune imprint on the panel ultimately originated from a single source: the Primordial Rune.

The Primordial Rune possessed a unique quality, with different arrangements and combinations creating various functions. In contrast, the basic runes of the second, third, and fourth sons of Mi Luo Palace included components other than the Primordial Runes, suggesting they were not disciples of the Palace Master but rather his followers. The second son's case was the most evident.

The path chosen by the Goddess of Returning Ruins was diametrically opposed to that of the Mi Luo Palace Master. She neither cultivated Dao Trees, Dao Flowers, nor Dao Fruits, and even expressed disapproval of the Palace Master's deeds.

"The eldest son most likely inherited the mantle of the Mi Luo Palace Master; his legacy is the purest. However, it's still impossible to decipher his cultivation method merely from this door panel."

Qin Mu fell into deep thought. The second son of Mi Luo Palace had been suppressed, and the third and fourth sons now wielded power over Jade Capital City in the Ancestral Court, with even the enlightened beings of Mi Luo Palace aligning with them. So, where was the eldest son? Logically, the eldest son should have been the Mi Luo Palace's successor. How could the third and fourth sons have usurped control of the palace?

Studying this door panel greatly benefited him. He was currently cultivating Primordial Qi, and his vital qi cultivation had not yet fully recovered. The panel contained many of the eldest son's insights, which would aid him in further comprehension.

Qin Mu continued his cultivation undisturbed. His two weak legs were slowly growing, albeit at a sluggish pace.

One day, the earth suddenly shook violently, and the sky above the Primordial Realm underwent a dramatic transformation. Stars shattered one by one. Since these stars were creations of Tian Gong, formed from Heavenly Dao treasures, their destruction clearly signaled an attack by Ancestral God King. For the past two years, Ancestral God King had periodically harassed the Primordial Realm. However, Tian Gong consistently fended him off with Heavenly Dao treasures, and with Moon Heavenly Venerate present, Ancestral God King rarely gained any advantage. Consequently, he often made swift, fleeting attacks that caused little damage.

This time, however, Ancestral God King's assault was exceptionally fierce, causing the fifty Heavenly Dao treasures to tremble violently. Before long, the sky tore open, and a colossal face filled the entire firmament. Qin Mu rose to his feet, gazing upward with a grave expression.

As Ancestral God King tore through the Primordial Realm's firmament, Tian Gong slowly ascended from below. With white eyebrows, a white beard, and white robes, his body expanded, preparing for a battle against Ancestral God King beyond the heavens. On the other side, Moon Heavenly Venerate immediately ascended and flew skyward, planning to join forces with Tian Gong against Ancestral God King.

However, the moment Moon Heavenly Venerate moved, the earth shuddered. The demonic qi of Youdu suddenly invaded the Primordial Realm, manifesting as a howling dark vortex in the East Sea. The Heavenly River, which flowed through the Primordial Realm, was also contaminated by the demonic qi. Millions of Youdu demons and devils, in a dense, overwhelming horde, surged forth from the Heavenly River, trampling the surface of the East Sea. In their wake, entire undersea divine kingdoms were utterly annihilated. The Youdu demons and devils blackened the sea, surging towards Yan Kang's eastern coast. Behind the overwhelming horde of demons and devils, the Nether River invaded the Primordial Realm, and Void Heavenly Venerate stood towering amidst them.

Qin Fengqing and You Heavenly Venerate immediately stomped their feet with immense force. The entire Primordial Realm convulsed violently as Primordial Realm Youdu emerged, pulling all the Youdu demons and devils into it, preventing their invasion of the living world. The demons and devils surging towards Yan Kang's eastern coast rushed ashore, but found themselves striking empty space.

The geography of Primordial Realm Youdu was identical to that of the Primordial Realm, being two overlapping spaces. Over the years, Primordial Realm Youdu had developed significantly and now housed numerous ghost gods, spearheaded by Fengdu under the leadership of Yama, who led a vast army to confront the Youdu demon god army. As the demons and devils charged, gigantic treasures soared from their ranks, hurtling forward with a roar. These were colossal portals. The portals landed, instantly towering high.

During the Battle of Youdu, many demons and devils had escaped and fled to the Primordial Realm and other worlds. They established various ghost realms in the living world, forming numerous significant forces. The portals landed precisely at the locations of these ghost realms. Once the portals landed, the demon gods within the ghost realms exerted their strength to push them open from the living world! Instead of clashing with Fengdu's ghost god army, the Youdu demon army roared and plunged into these portals, pouring into the living world! The sheer number of these demons and devils meant that if they flooded into the living world, they would undoubtedly wreak havoc and cause immense destruction to the Primordial Realm.

Yama, leading his army to engage, was aghast at the sight. He cried out, "Build bridges! Erect the Bridge Between Life and Death—" From Fengdu's army, flying bridges soared heavenward. One end of each bridge was laid in Fengdu, and the other was erected in the living world.

The Bridge Between Life and Death was a treasure created by the First Ancestor Human Emperor, Prince Qin Wu. He had forged it out of his longing for his deceased wife, hoping to use it to connect the underworld and the living world so they could reunite on the bridge. Later, heartbroken, he abandoned his physical body and sought seclusion in Fengdu. However, his concern for the living world often drew him back out. Thus, he left the Bridge Between Life and Death in Fengdu, where it became the sole connection between the dead and the living. When Qin Mu became the Human Emperor, he resurrected this bridge. Hu Ling'er collected tolls, amassing her initial fortune. During the Yan Kang Reforms, the people of Yan Kang understood the principles behind the Bridge Between Life and Death. They improved upon it and refined many similar bridges, which were also called Bridges Between Life and Death.

At this moment, numerous bridges were erected. Countless ghost gods from Fengdu surged onto the Bridges Between Life and Death, fighting their way from Fengdu to the Primordial Realm! On the other side, Void Heavenly Venerate brandished the Nether River, sweeping it with a *swish*. Wherever the Nether River passed, the Bridges Between Life and Death collapsed with a thunderous roar. Numerous Fengdu ghost gods attempting to cross were instantly pulverized, their primordial spirits shattered and reduced to black soul sand.

The Nether River whip was unstoppable. Yet, in the next instant, Qin Fengqing positioned himself before Fengdu, seized the Nether River whip, and swiftly wrapped it around his arm. Void Heavenly Venerate violently shook the whip, jolting Qin Fengqing into the air and pulling him toward her. With a grim gaze, she raised her palm to strike Qin Fengqing. Just as her palm was about to connect with Qin Fengqing, You Heavenly Venerate's primordial spirit surged through Qin Fengqing's body from behind, and their palms met in a powerful collision. Void Heavenly Venerate's hair billowed as her primordial spirit behind her hummed and expanded, deflecting You Heavenly Venerate's strike.

From the Yongjiang Heavenly Palace, Qin Mu watched the scene unfold, a profound sense of awe gripping him. Ling Yuxiu quickly approached him and whispered, "Husband, it doesn't make sense for Ancestral God King and Void Heavenly Venerate to be so careless. Their direct attack on the Primordial Realm won't cause significant damage; instead, it offers us an opportunity to eliminate them."

"They acted because Hao Heavenly Venerate, Lady Yuan Mu, the Taiji Ancient God, and Tai Chu have arrived."

Qin Mu gazed up at the sky, murmuring, "Only with their arrival would Ancestral God King and Void Heavenly Venerate have such confidence." He exhaled slowly and said, "The Taiji Ancient God is being intercepted by Tai Shi, and Tai Chu can be held back by Yun Heavenly Venerate in the Ultimate Void. However, Lady Yuan Mu and Hao Heavenly Venerate alone are capable of inflicting immense destruction upon the Primordial Realm."

Ling Yuxiu's heart sank. "The Heavenly Court's main army couldn't possibly arrive so quickly!" she exclaimed. Qin Mu shook his head. "Of course, the main Heavenly Court army isn't here; they'll take over a decade to arrive from the Heavenly River. Hao Heavenly Venerate's action is merely a preliminary probe to gauge Yan Kang's true strength and my own."

He looked towards Yan Kang, observing massive silver spheres suddenly ascending from its divine cities. Trailing long silver flames, they rose high into the sky. Each silver sphere was composed of numerous rotating hexagonal mirrors that unfurled outwards, resembling silvery reflective surfaces. Hundreds of gods and demons stood upon these mirrors. The mirror light shone downwards, protecting various cities and regions. The gods and demons standing on the mirror surfaces activated a variety of divine weapons, continuously bombarding below, striking down the Youdu demon gods and devils that were rushing towards Yan Kang's cities and areas.

Just then, the sky beyond abruptly blazed with light. A colossal sand table appeared on the firmament, pressing against the top of the Primordial Realm's world barrier. It was the Taiji Sand Table, the enlightened treasure of the Taiji Ancient God, distinctly black and white. With a slight rotation, it sliced open the Primordial Realm's world barrier. Seizing the opportunity while Tian Gong battled Ancestral God King beyond the heavens, a colossal sun squeezed through the Taiji Sand Table and into the Primordial Realm's world barrier. Its raging flames burned so fiercely that they dyed the sky crimson. From within that sun, Golden Crows soared, trailing long streaks of sacred Golden Crow flames. They pulled chariots, hundreds of Golden Crows drawing hundreds of war chariots, each laden with numerous Xuandu gods and demons. The gods and demons stood on their chariots, hands raised high, launching colossal fireballs—each like a small sun—that plummeted towards the Primordial Realm below.

Within Yan Kang's divine cities, colossal Sun-Shooting Divine Cannons abruptly rose into the air. Beams of cannon fire tore through the sky, flashing with blinding light above the Primordial Realm, utterly pulverizing the Golden Crows and their chariots. Another violent tremor struck as yet another colossal sun forced its way into the Primordial Realm. Subsequently, the Primordial Realm's world barrier in the sky continuously vibrated, and more gigantic suns emerged. Countless Golden Crows, pulling war chariots, surged towards the Primordial Realm!

At this very moment, Carefree Village's Thirty-Three Heavens ascended, and countless gods and demons from the Kaihuang era soared into the sky to confront the Xuandu gods and demons. The Heavenly Court's main army had not yet arrived, but the combined forces of Xuandu and Youdu alone were already causing significant strain for the gods and demons of the Primordial Realm. If the Heavenly Court's main army were to arrive, even the full might of the Primordial Realm might not be enough to repel the initial assault.

Qin Mu turned his head and told Ling Yuxiu, "Wife, you all should leave this place as quickly as possible and go assist Yan Kang. I fear this location cannot be held."

Ling Yuxiu hurried back to the palace and called out, "Village Chief, Grandpa Tu, let's head to Yan Kang!"

The Village Chief and the others were already prepared. He chuckled, "We truly can't intervene in a Heavenly Venerate battle. Let's go, let's go!"

"Mu'er, be careful!" Granny Si warned.

Qin Mu waved, watching them depart from Yongjiang Heavenly Palace. He then returned to the Heavenly Palace and sat cross-legged before the High Heavens Treasure Hall.

After a moment, Qin Mu smiled and said, "Hao Heavenly Venerate."

Emperor Hao entered through the main gate of Yongjiang Heavenly Palace, surveying his surroundings leisurely. "What a tranquil place for retirement this is," he mused, "yet those who reside here are unwilling to settle and even choose rebellion. Heavenly Venerate Mu, you have disappointed Us."

Qin Mu watched him approach. From Hao Heavenly Venerate's shadow, Lady Yuan Mu emerged, a smile playing on her lips. "My little adversary," she purred, "we meet again." Her gaze fell upon Qin Mu's legs as he sat on the ground. Noticing his baby pants, short legs, and tiny feet clad in infant shoes, she was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "My little adversary is getting younger and younger!" she exclaimed.

Qin Mu offered a faint smile. Behind him, the High Heavens Treasure Hall suddenly opened, revealing Heavenly Venerate Ling, who was deeply engrossed in a vast sea of scriptures, writing furiously. Heavenly Venerate Ling looked up, tossed her pen aside, and stood.