Chapter 1740: Meeting the Eldest Young Master at the Thatched Cottage

The World-Crossing Golden Ship sailed into the Ultimate Void. Qin Mu stood at the bow, the golden ship drifting silently, heading in the direction his heart desired.

“Forty-two years is drawing near,” he murmured. “You should be appearing soon.”

Qin Mu stood at the bow, not looking behind him. A hazy figure appeared there; if anyone’s gaze fell upon it, the figure would vanish.

Qin Mu did not look at the figure, speaking to himself instead: “The Heaven’s War is nearing its end. Carefree Village was destroyed in this war, and its soldiers are reduced to just over two thousand, but its citizens have been preserved. They are now living in Eternal Peace, living well. They are encountering Eternal Peace's reforms and will soon accept and embrace them.”

He chuckled, “I know that if you were still here, you would humorlessly say that these sacrifices were all worth it. But seeing our old friends depart, you would still be sad, though you wouldn’t show it.”

Beside him, the figure gazed silently at the boundless void.

“I haven't resurrected them, nor have I tried to resurrect anyone,” Qin Mu continued. “Now that reincarnation has been established, all beings are equal within it. Earth Count will reward or punish everyone based on the good and evil deeds they performed in life. If one commits too much wrongdoing, they will be incinerated by karmic fire. However, those reborn through reincarnation will not remember their past lives.”

He smiled faintly. “I will implement a new Ancestral Court Dao Realm system, replacing the old ones. This might just solve the issue of the Great Annihilation. You might be the last Dao achiever of the old system.”

The figure’s gaze was profound, but it remained silent.

“After Haotian Zun’s defeat, he will return to the Ancestral Court,” Qin Mu continued. “He has suffered immense losses along the way, his vitality greatly diminished, and he has been abandoned by his allies. It's uncertain whether he will have even a million troops left after fleeing to the Ancestral Court; perhaps only a few hundred thousand at most. He can no longer stir up trouble in the world, but he won't be content. The Mi Luo Palace Dao achievers will seize this opportunity to descend. Third and Fourth Young Masters will not give up. Emperor Haotian will fully side with them, perhaps even allying with the World Tree stowaways.”

He smiled slightly. “When you return, you will have much to do; you won’t be idle. We will continue to fight side-by-side, confronting the dangers of the Ancestral Court. In fact, I am quite happy about the Ancestral Court war.”

He chuckled, “The prehistoric Dao achievers and stowaways who have stolen the spiritual qi and energy of heaven and earth, consuming too much cosmic power, are perfect targets. Killing them and returning their power to this universe will allow it to survive for a longer time. Just as Shang Jun killed Grand Emperor and benefited the Primordial Realm, if these Dao achievers die in the Seventeenth Epoch, our universe will continue to grow, perhaps surviving for as long as three hundred billion years, like the First Epoch. Three hundred billion years is a very long time.”

His gaze was distant. “This will be the most glorious epoch. You will witness it all.”

The World-Crossing Golden Ship drifted serenely, its speed gradually increasing.

“The reason I must meet Taiyi is that the first wave of counterattacks from Third and Fourth Young Masters will undoubtedly be extremely fierce, and I may not be able to withstand it. Our situation, though seemingly favorable, is as precarious as a stack of eggs.”

Qin Mu explained to him, “With my current strength, I am far from capable enough to confront Third and Fourth Young Masters. Only Taiyi can achieve this, blocking the two Mi Luo Palace Young Masters and preventing their descent. I believe the Ancestral Court will be an excellent training ground, allowing us to grow.”

The figure beside him remained silent throughout.

Finally, the thatched cottage in the Ultimate Void came into view.

Qin Mu docked the ship, stepped off, and approached the cottage. The figure on the golden ship let out a faint sigh.

Qin Mu turned back; the figure on the ship had vanished.

Qin Mu sat down, clearing his mind of other thoughts, and gazed silently at the cottage door. After a moment, he said gravely, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, would you please manifest yourself and meet with me?”

The void was silent and desolate, only the cold, still wind continued to blow.

Qin Mu said calmly, “Over the years, my understanding of the Mi Luo Palace’s Dao methods and divine arts has deepened, and my comprehension of your own Dao methods and divine arts is profound. With my current strength, I am capable enough to wield the Primordial Spirit Axe and break open your thatched cottage. However, since we are fellow disciples, I truly wish to meet you.”

The thatched cottage remained still.

Qin Mu smiled faintly, saying leisurely, “If you don’t believe me, I can demonstrate. You probably don’t know that Third Young Master has taught me many things recently.”

He stood up, activating the Dao of Taiyi. The Dao of Taiyi transformed into the Primordial Spirit Axe in his hand. Qin Mu wielded the axe with great skill, performing the axe techniques taught by Taiyi.

Qin Mu’s expression was solemn. The divine axe slowly swept before him. This seemingly ordinary strike concealed myriad profound Dao principles, manifesting Taiyi’s Dao methods and divine arts to their fullest.

Moreover, all six thousand four hundred Great Daos encompassed by this thatched cottage were shattered by his single axe stroke, truly as if splitting bamboo!

The six thousand four hundred thatch reeds of the cottage represented Grand Young Master Tai Shang’s six thousand four hundred distinct Great Daos. Each Dao was at the level of a Dao Achiever, and furthermore, evolved with the aid of Primordial Chaos Runes!

In terms of intricacy and cultivation, Qin Mu had never seen anyone reach the heights of Grand Young Master Tai Shang!

However, no matter how many Great Daos, their foundation remained the Primordial Chaos Runes. Now, having endured a battle with Third Young Master and six years of torment from his injuries, he had used these six years to 'enter Dao through dreams,' researching the Mi Luo Palace Dao methods hidden within his Dao injuries to a great extent!

The axe techniques Taiyi taught him through his staff were originally designed to counter the Mi Luo Palace’s Dao methods and divine arts. Coupled with Qin Mu’s deepening understanding of the Mi Luo Palace’s Dao methods and divine arts, his attempt to break through this time was much smoother!

Qin Mu retracted the axe, and the Primordial Spirit Axe transformed back into the Dao of Taiyi, merging into his divine treasure. His breathing was a little unsteady, and he gasped for breath; he was newly recovered from severe injuries, and his cultivation had not yet returned to its peak state.

“Senior Brother Tai Shang, what do you say?”

Qin Mu steadied his breath, stepped forward, and said gravely, “If you are unwilling to speak, then I will forcibly break your seal and release Taiyi! If you are willing to appear, perhaps we brothers won’t need to fall out!”

He approached the thatched cottage, steeling himself once more, just as he was about to manifest the Primordial Spirit Axe with the Dao of Taiyi. Suddenly, with a gentle creak, the cottage door opened.

Qin Mu was stunned. He saw an old man push open the door from inside, glance up at him, then turn back and carefully lock the door.

Qin Mu observed the old man, who was much shorter than himself. The old man’s entire being exuded restrained primordial chaos purple qi, showing no sign of divinity or extraordinary qualities, as if he would disappear if thrown into a crowd.

Grand Young Master Tai Shang was just such an ordinary old man.

Taiyi was a mass of primordial chaos, ever-changing and traceless. He could be male or female, transform into all things in heaven and earth, and even jump into the Long River of Chaos to emerge as other Dao achievers, truly elusive.

In contrast, Grand Young Master Tai Shang was utterly ordinary, the kind of person who leaves no strong impression.

On him, there were no fluctuations of any Great Dao, as if he had entered Nirvana. Yet, having also cultivated the Mi Luo Palace’s Dao methods and divine arts, Qin Mu could discern the terrifying power contained within this old man!

He was even more powerful than Taiyi!

Qin Mu sat down, and the old man also took a seat, like a withered tree, showing no sign of life.

Qin Mu’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly smiled faintly. “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I once saw our Master transform into Dao and enter Nirvana. Your imitation of him isn't quite accurate. Master’s transformation into Dao and entry into Nirvana was due to utter despair, his Dao heart dying, thus falling into death. But you are merely imitating a dead Dao heart, not truly transforming into Dao and entering Nirvana.”

The old man opposite him spoke, and with his first word, Qin Mu’s heart trembled violently.

The old man spoke in the Primordial Chaos Dao Language. Every syllable contained extremely profound principles. Dao Language was already unfathomable, but the Primordial Chaos Dao Language held the mysteries of the Great Dao, capable of transforming a single word into the most terrifying divine art in the world!

The Dao Language uttered by Grand Young Master Tai Shang was obscure and profoundly abstruse. The moment he spoke, visions flashed before Qin Mu’s eyes, as if he had fallen into a grand myriad-world, with countless principles manifesting as reality, fleeting past him.

As Grand Young Master Tai Shang uttered the first syllable of the Dao Language, the history of Mi Luo Palace in the Second Cosmic Epoch flashed before Qin Mu’s eyes, presenting a magnificent and grand spectacle.

Within the Dao Language, the Mi Luo Palace Master, at the dawn of the Second Cosmic Epoch, entered the world to save beings, impart Dao methods and divine arts, and actively sought ways to prevent the universe from annihilating.

A single, brief Dao Language encompassed the magnificent history of the Second Cosmic Epoch, truly incredible. It even included the process of Second Young Master Tai Shang becoming a disciple of the Mi Luo Palace Master, diligently seeking knowledge and striving for mastery!

When signs of the Great Annihilation appeared in the Second Cosmic Epoch, the Mi Luo Palace Master began actively planning the establishment of Mi Luo Palace, intending to enter the calamity and try to save everyone by moving them to the next universe.

As the Dao sound of the first Dao Language syllable concluded, the entire history of the Second Cosmic Epoch, including the Mi Luo Palace Master’s failure, was fully presented in Qin Mu’s mind.

As Grand Young Master uttered the second Dao Language syllable, the past of the Third Cosmic Epoch was entirely revealed: the Mi Luo Palace Master’s ideals, ambitions, rules of conduct, and all his efforts against the Great Annihilation, including his failures.

The third Dao Language syllable was uttered, and everything from the Fourth Cosmic Epoch appeared!

Soon, the fifteenth syllable of the Dao Language was uttered. This syllable was exceedingly long, as Grand Young Master Tai Shang attempted to use the history experienced by the Mi Luo Palace Master to explain why the Mi Luo Palace Master’s Dao heart died, why he abandoned the idea of entering the Seventeenth Epoch, and why he fell into utter despair.

Within this single Dao Language, Grand Young Master Tai Shang showed Qin Mu the Mi Luo Palace Master’s deductions of the Seventeenth Epoch’s future.

It was a scene of cold desolation, a complete void!

An infinitely thin membrane of void, without any thickness, stretched out flat and vast. There was nothing, no life whatsoever, within that void membrane!

Grand Young Master Tai Shang closed his mouth and eyes, speaking no more, leaving Qin Mu with unparalleled shock!