Chapter 1676: A Sword for Self-Defense Travels Ten Thousand Miles

With the Heavenly Court's military strength, preparing for the Grand Offering of Luotian was simple. Various armies brought the captured slaves from the Heavenly Court. In just over a month, the number of slaves met the Spirit Official Hall Master's requirements.

On the day of the Grand Offering of Luotian, the Spirit Official Hall Master paved the altar with the bones and corpses of countless slaves. Ascending it, he offered their flesh and blood as sacrifices, worshipping the 1,200 Dao Lords and other enlightened beings who had achieved enlightenment in the myriad Great Luo Heavens of the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City from past ages. He used the blood of all beings to implore these Dao Lords to lend him their power and grant him protection.

As the Grand Offering of Luotian reached its critical juncture, a phantom image of the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City appeared above the altar, its presence suppressing heaven and earth.

This divine city was vast, majestic, and magnificent. Within it, sixteen long rivers of chaos formed winding loops, and between these rivers lay ruins of the Jade Capital City.

The Spirit Official Hall Master performed the ritual on the altar, sacrificing all beings. Souls from the countless bones and corpses wailed miserably, transforming into plumes of black smoke that surged towards the Jade Capital City.

As the tendrils of black smoke streamed into the city, they condensed within the chaotic long rivers, gradually revealing the forms of enlightened beings.

There were 1,200 of these figures, indistinct and appearing in shades of black and white.

Yet, these figures stood firm within the chaotic long rivers, having endured the great calamity of destruction and remaining immortal through the ages. These were the enlightened beings from the history of Jade Capital City. While the Grand Offering of Luotian seemed mysterious, it was essentially based on the principle of mass-energy conversion, sacrificing living beings to borrow power from these enlightened predecessors.

Emperor Haotian and Grand Emperor Taichu led the Heavenly Court's civil and military officials in observing the ritual. Witnessing this scene, they were filled with both shock and fear.

"Your Majesty," Grand Emperor Taichu warned, "the power of the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City is truly immense; we must be on guard."

Grand Emperor Taichu advised, "If all the enlightened beings from the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City were to descend, I fear this universe would face imminent destruction."

Emperor Haotian nodded gently. "The Grand Emperor speaks wisely. However, the divine arts and powers of the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City make me quite envious. This Grand Offering of Luotian, which borrows the power of enlightened beings from past ages through sacrifice, is truly formidable! As a Hall Master of the Seventy-Two Halls, the Spirit Official is indeed immensely powerful."

Taichu said nothing more.

The Spirit Official Hall Master was indeed immensely powerful, proficient in various divine arts and Daoist methods. This Grand Offering of Luotian was truly eye-opening. In comparison, even the achievements of the current Yankang reforms could not match the accumulated legacy of the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City from past universes.

Above the altar, terrifying waves of power surged, empowering the Spirit Official Hall Master. This force shook the void, causing even Taichu and Emperor Haotian, both enlightened beings, to feel a profound sense of dread. As for the other civil and military officials, their Dao hearts were already shaken by this immense power, and they knelt prostrate, daring not to look up.

The headless Spirit Official Hall Master, having completed the ritual on the altar, activated his Dao fruit, connecting his own Great Dao with it.

This Dao fruit was linked to his head; if he could erase the sword art hidden by Qin Mu within it, he could use the Dao fruit's power to regrow a head.

If he failed to erase Qin Mu's sword art, it could even invade his body, contaminating his other Dao fruits and Dao flowers.

At this moment, full of confidence, he connected his own Great Dao with the Dao fruit, activating the sword art hidden by Qin Mu within it.

Suddenly, sword light crisscrossed the altar like lightning, instantly filling the sky with layers upon layers of sword heavens.

The Spirit Official Hall Master had horns on his shoulders, intestines like coiling dragons, and a spine like a snake. Within him resided 1,200 deities, whose auras connected with those of the 1,200 Dao Lords of the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City, making his power limitless.

His momentum was unparalleled. Leveraging the power of the Grand Offering of Luotian, he directly confronted Qin Mu's sword art, exerting his utmost to refine it.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Thirteen consecutive sword cries echoed from the altar. After a moment, the sky full of sword heavens vanished, the sword light dimmed, and the Spirit Official Hall Master stood there, with three Dao fruits and one Dao flower suspended before and behind him.

Flesh and blood writhed on his shoulder, and a new head quickly grew.

"Many thanks for your assistance, fellow Daoists!"

The Spirit Official Hall Master bowed to the 1,200 Dao Lords within the phantom image of Jade Capital City in mid-air. The 1,200 Dao Lords in the phantom image of Jade Capital City bowed in return, and their forms gradually dissipated.

The phantom image of the Ancestral Court Jade Capital City also quickly vanished, and the Grand Offering of Luotian concluded.

Feeling light, the Spirit Official Hall Master jumped down from the altar. The massive bone altar immediately collapsed into dust; the spiritual energy and power of the countless bones had been exhausted, having been supported by the Spirit Official Hall Master's power, so they naturally crumbled once he descended.

"Emperor of Heaven, I originally had no intention of being an enemy to the Seventh Young Master, but he actively provoked me by recruiting such a wicked person as Shang Jun to his side."

The Spirit Official Hall Master strode over to Emperor Haotian, his face flushed with anger, his voice thundering: "The Seventh Young Master showed no regard, damaging my cultivation and destroying my Dao tree, which has angered me. Since this is the case, I need not feign civility with him! If you wish to flatten Yankang, then I shall assist you in doing so, trampling Yankang and sacrificing the Primordial Realm with blood!"

Emperor Haotian burst into laughter, rising from his throne, and declared loudly, "With the Hall Master's assistance, what more worries do I have? Attendants, prepare a banquet! Today, I, my beloved ministers, and the Spirit Official Hall Master shall not return until we are drunk!"

So, a grand banquet was held in the imperial palace. The Heavenly Court gods clinked their cups, and laughter filled the air. During the feast, many deities toasted the Spirit Official Hall Master.

The Spirit Official Hall Master accepted every toast and drank heartily. Some deities, emboldened by the alcohol, stepped forward, bowed, and inquired about Daoist methods and divine powers. The Spirit Official Hall Master was exceedingly generous, answering all questions without hesitation.

For a time, both hosts and guests were joyful, their laughter booming like thunder.

As the banquet reached its peak, Emperor Haotian leaned over and asked with a smile, "Hall Master, you are older, so I shall address you as Dao Brother. May I ask, Dao Brother, how many methods are there to achieve enlightenment in this world?"

The Spirit Official Hall Master, somewhat tipsy, replied, "My dear brother, there are four methods of enlightenment. The first is the most orthodox Dao Realm enlightenment method, created by my teacher. The second is the Jade Capital enlightenment method, also known as 'enlightenment by force,' which involves borrowing power, specifically the power of Jade Capital City, making it a less conventional path. The third was created by the Second Young Master, called the Returning Ruins enlightenment method…"

Emperor Haotian's heart was greatly shaken, but he remained calm. "May I ask how this Returning Ruins enlightenment method works?" he inquired.

The Spirit Official Hall Master was about to speak when suddenly, the middle one of the three Dao fruits floating behind his head cracked with a *snap*!

A sudden flash of sword light shot out from that Dao fruit, and with a *whoosh*, it severed the Spirit Official Hall Master's head!

The Spirit Official Hall Master was holding a massive wine cup, and his head simply dropped into it with a *plop*, splashing wine mixed with Dao blood!

The sword light was incredibly sharp, like a sword capable of cleaving the heavens. It swept in all directions, instantly splitting Emperor Haotian's imperial palace in two!

As this sword strike passed, many deities in the hall recoiled, prostrating themselves to avoid the sword light. Numerous others, unable to react in time, had their heads sliced off by a single sword strike!

Emperor Haotian roared in anger, rising to block the sword light. Just as he managed to deflect it, he saw the head in the massive wine cup held by the Spirit Official Hall Master explode with a *bang*, transforming into a mass of chaotic energy!

The chaotic energy slowly rose from the gigantic wine cup. From within the vast expanse of energy, a figure emerged, absorbing the chaos. This figure, seemingly formed from chaotic energy, had graying temples and features identical to Qin Mu's.

And behind the Spirit Official Hall Master, from the Dao fruit that had been cracked by the sword light, another ray of sword light shot out and was caught by the Qin Mu formed from chaotic energy.

The Spirit Official Hall Master was caught off guard and hastily activated his Dao fruit and Dao flower to stabilize the wound on his shoulder, preventing the sword light from invading his physical body.

"In my youth, I was full of extraordinary spirit."

That Qin Mu wielded the sword, its light like a bolt of silk, sweeping in all directions. Beneath the uplifted imperial palace, the five great masters of the Five Emperors' Seats were struck by swords, blood splattering as the five Emperor Seat powerhouses fell backward.

Qin Mu backhanded a sword point at Taichu's glabella. Taichu immediately retreated, raising a finger to block the sword light at his glabella.

"Often jesting, I secured the distant Jade Gate, taking new rest at Hutou."

The Qin Mu formed from chaotic energy chanted continuously as sword light crisscrossed, causing havoc at the banquet. One by one, the Heavenly Court's civil and military officials were struck. Some had their bodies pierced by sword light, pinned to the ground and sliding along, while others, whose primordial spirits had just left their bodies and were about to launch a divine attack, were instantly pierced by a single sword strike!

Emperor Haotian soared forward, his long sleeves fluttering, attacking the Qin Mu formed from chaotic energy.

Once he made his move, the other civil and military officials dared not rush forward to surround and attack. The two figures floated about, and soon entire sections of the palace collapsed. The civil and military officials scattered to dodge, many unable to escape in time. Some were sent flying by Emperor Haotian, spinning like windmills in the air, while others were pierced by sword light, bleeding and collapsing to the ground.

"A single sword for self-defense suffices for ten thousand li, whether it's the Southern Sea or the North Pole!"

The Qin Mu formed from chaotic energy moved through the imperial palace like light and lightning, not directly confronting Emperor Haotian, but instead attacking the civil and military officials.

Taichu attacked from one side, joining Emperor Haotian to intercept the Qin Mu phantom. However, the Qin Mu phantom did not directly resist them; it would retreat after a single touch, sometimes transforming into chaotic energy, and at other times manifesting to wound the enemy with a sword.

"My poetic courage and wine-filled guts have recently grown narrow. Facing the west wind, I climb high to gaze afar at the disordered mountains and the setting sun. How can I acquire a good bow and a swift horse, to contend with you gentlemen for a while?"

Qin Mu sang to express his ambition, causing great slaughter amidst the chaos. For a time, panic spread through the imperial palace, and the Heavenly Court's civil and military officials scattered and fled.

Suddenly, the Spirit Official Hall Master suppressed his injuries. His figure flashed, and he stepped in front of the Qin Mu phantom. He struck out with a palm, and Qin Mu exploded with a *bang*, transforming into a mass of chaotic energy.

As the chaotic energy was about to condense, the Spirit Official Hall Master swung his sleeve, gathering all of it into his sleeve.

The Spirit Official Hall Master spread his five fingers, and the chaotic energy flowed from his sleeve into his palm.

The Spirit Official Hall Master clenched his hand tightly, and the chaotic energy exploded with a *bang*, the hidden sword art within it forcibly crushed by him.

The dragon head at his navel roared furiously, "Seventh Young Master—"

"How dare you trifle with me like this! I will make you know what it means to be unable to live and unable to die!"

In the ultimate void, Qin Mu found the location marked on the Taiyi Geographic Map. He looked around, feeling somewhat suspicious, as the void was empty; there was nothing there.

"There isn't even a cold wind of desolation, which is the strange part."

His vertical eye between his brows opened, and he gazed around, seeing through this ultimate void.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and a ray of light shone from his vertical eye between his brows. Wherever his gaze fell, the ultimate void slowly receded, revealing a small Great Luo Heaven.

That Great Luo Heaven was pitifully small, covering only a *fangzhang* (approximately 3.33 meters) of land, with a single thatched hut and an old tree behind it.