Chapter 1782: 成道试炼场

The Zēngchéng Hall Master constantly shifted his movements, but with his Dao Tree ruined and his sacred palace shattered, how could he possibly evade Kaihuang’s sword light?

Struck by over a hundred sword blows, he leaped backward, attempting to jump off the World-Traversing Golden Ship and break through to flee. However, the moment he leaped off the Golden Ship, he plunged directly into a sacred palace—Kaihuang Qin Ye’s very own sacred sword palace.

The palace doors slammed shut, and within, sword paths stretched out. A horrific scream erupted from inside, followed by gushing blood flowing out from the opened portal.

Kaihuang Qin Ye sheathed his sword and stepped forward.

Suddenly, Second Young Master Wuji’s laughter echoed: “Old Seven, you truly are ruthless and merciless! You dealt a fatal blow to your own kin and eliminated three more Hall Masters. Teacher suppressed me back then because I was lethal towards the Mi Luo Palace members. It seems you and I are kindred spirits! Those who attain Dao through Returning Ruin share the same philosophy. Your agreement with my ideals brings me great satisfaction!”

Qin Mu, weakened and tired, chuckled at her words. “Second Sister, we are definitely not kindred spirits. You merely wish to destroy everything, plunging it all into Returning Ruin until only Returning Ruin remains in this world, with yourself as the sole living being. That is your philosophy. Mine is quite different.”

Everyone on the ship shivered. Second Young Master Wuji of the Mi Luo Palace actually intended to destroy everything, packing the entire universe into Returning Ruin!

Although they all found Third and Fourth Young Masters of the Mi Luo Palace brutal and inhumane, willing to use any means to achieve their goals, at least their aim was to find a solution to the universe’s Great Cataclysm. This Second Young Master, however, was solely to satisfy her destructive desires!

The World-Traversing Golden Ship sailed through the primordial sea towards one of the lotus root stems. Second Young Master Wuji’s enormous face emerged beneath the ship, swimming forward alongside it. Her strands of white hair gently rose from the primordial sea, like swaying seaweed, lightly caressing the World-Traversing Golden Ship. She chuckled, “You are mistaken, Old Seven. You are not the true Returning Ruin Goddess, so naturally, you don’t understand the great responsibility she bears. The Returning Ruin Goddess embodies both destruction and creation. Besides annihilating worlds, she must also create them, forging a perfect world!”

Her face gradually emerged from the water. Her white hair, now in the water, rose gracefully with her body. The Red Rope Knot immediately exerted its power, forcibly binding and suppressing her.

Second Young Master Wuji’s white hair billowed as she resisted the Red Rope Knot. Her arms rested on the railing of the World-Traversing Golden Ship, her chin propped on the back of her hand, revealing her lovely face as she curiously surveyed the people on board.

“Teacher advocated non-interference with the next universe; he wanted to find a perfect solution to the Great Cataclysm. I initially trusted him deeply, believing he could find this method. But he failed again and again, and I finally became disillusioned.”

Wuji’s gaze swept over each person’s face. Everyone felt a chill, sensing that her glance was like plunging into endless darkness, as if their physical bodies and primordial spirits were about to shatter.

Second Young Master Wuji rested her arms on the ship’s railing, her body gliding alongside the Golden Ship. She chuckled, “Later, when I attained Dao through Returning Ruin, I finally understood where Teacher went wrong. He believed that the Heavenly Capital Master creating heaven was a mistake, as it would only foster a group of high-and-mighty, oppressive Creators. But his non-interference was also a mistake. Those who attain Dao are the destroyers, the parasites of this universe. To create a perfect world, there’s only one path: destroy all Dao achievers! Old Seven, you must agree with me, right?”

Qin Mu, supported by Ling Yuxiu, shakily stood up and shook his head. “Second Sister, we have different philosophies. Our ideals are not aligned.”

Second Young Master Wuji tossed her hair, flinging aside the five chains of the Red Rope Knot. As long as its power wasn’t pushed to its absolute limit, it couldn’t easily affect her for now.

“Don’t be a hypocrite.” She rested one hand on the railing, arching her back as she glided leisurely through the primordial sea. “Your goal is to eliminate all Dao achievers, allowing the cosmic energy devoured by these parasites to return to the universe. My goal is the same. These Dao achievers are a band of grand thieves, pilfering the profound mysteries of the universe, yet contributing nothing to it. They more than deserve death!”

Releasing her hand, she lay on her back beneath the surface, gliding around the World-Traversing Golden Ship, her voice fluctuating in distance and direction: “My purpose, after eliminating them, is to recreate the world. I won’t interfere with the new world like the Heavenly Capital did; I will simply let it develop naturally. Isn’t that identical to your philosophy?”

Suddenly, her figure appeared on the left side of the Golden Ship, attempting to board it.

Qin Mu’s expression subtly changed. He splayed the five fingers of his right hand, forming the Red Rope Knot seal.

Second Young Master Wuji let out a soft laugh, falling backward into the sea. “With just your power and these worthless individuals, it’s impossible to contend with the Mi Luo Palace. If you don’t return to the past, you can’t kill Third and Fourth Young Masters. But if you release me, I will help you eliminate them!”

She excitedly sprang out of the water, like a fish living in the primordial sea. The five chains of the Red Rope Knot seemed like long, shimmering fins. She plunged back into the water, her voice filled with allure: “Only if the Second and Seventh Young Masters of the Mi Luo Palace join forces can the Mi Luo Palace be destroyed! I can also help you eliminate Old Man Wuya; that old man is wicked to the core. We’ll kill him and refine him into a treasure, and the treasure will be yours! I can even help you kill the Creators!”

She exclaimed excitedly, “The Heavenly Capital Creators are hidden away. These guys are far more evil than you imagine; killing them won’t be easy! But I can! Old Seven!”

The World-Traversing Golden Ship was suddenly entangled by her hair, unable to move forward. Second Young Master Wuji’s figure rose in front of the ship’s bow, looking down at Qin Mu. “There are so many benefits to joining forces with me. What are you still hesitating about?”

Ling Yuxiu, Xu Shenghua, and the others were quite swayed. Wuji’s words were indeed tempting. Eternal Peace’s strength was too weak compared to the Mi Luo Palace and Old Man Wuya, not to mention the enigmatic Heavenly Capital Creators. On their own, without Qin Mu, they would barely be able to handle a Hall Master-level existence.

While Qin Mu was indeed extraordinarily powerful, Eternal Peace ultimately had only one Qin Mu. Each time, Qin Mu risked his life and exhausted all his wisdom to block the arrival of the Mi Luo Palace and Old Man Wuya! Every time, Qin Mu either fought to exhaustion or was critically injured. This time was no different; had Qin Mu not strained himself to block Old Man Wuya’s Minor World Tree and Third Young Master’s divine arts, they would all have been doomed to die! If Second Young Master assisted, Qin Mu’s burden would be greatly reduced, and Eternal Peace would have no fear of annihilation.

Qin Mu looked up at Second Young Master Wuji’s face and suddenly smiled. “Second Sister, you talk so beautifully that even I can’t help but be tempted. I only have one question for you.” He suddenly asked in the Primordial Dao language, his voice deep, “Second Sister, after you destroy the Mi Luo Palace, Old Man Wuya, and the Heavenly Capital, how will you face this universe?”

He asked in the Primordial Dao language, catching Second Young Master Wuji completely off guard. The Dao question directly imprinted itself upon her Dao heart! If Second Young Master Wuji were to lie, it would betray her Dao heart and harm her cultivation.

Second Young Master Wuji paused slightly, then replied in the Dao language, her words carrying a hint of annoyance. Their exchange, both using the Primordial Dao language, sounded esoteric and difficult to comprehend to others, containing profound mysteries whose meanings were difficult to fathom.

Xu Shenghua looked at Lan Yutian. Lan Yutian also frowned deeply, pondered for a moment, and then sheepishly said, “I only understood one or two syllables…”

Qin Mu’s expression hardened. He waved his sleeve and said, “Second Sister, please leave!”

Second Young Master Wuji snorted angrily, wanting to lash out, but fearing that he might activate the Red Rope Knot, she fell backward into the sea. Qin Mu went to the bow and looked down, seeing her face slowly sinking beneath the surface. Their gazes met as Second Young Master Wuji gradually sank into the depths of the sea, and the white hair that had entangled the World-Traversing Golden Ship gradually loosened.

The World-Traversing Golden Ship arrived beneath the Returning Ruin lotus of the Seventeenth Epoch and ascended along its stem. Ling Yuxiu whispered, “Husband, what did Second Young Master say?”

“She said that the Seventeenth Epoch is not perfect. If she is to create a perfect world, she will naturally have to destroy the Seventeenth Epoch.”

Qin Mu exhaled deeply, his voice solemn. “This time, when I went to the vile place in the Ultimate Void and met First Young Master Tai Shang, I realized a simple truth: if you lean on a mountain, the mountain might crumble; if you lean on a wall, the wall might collapse. In this world, no one can be relied upon, not even Tai Yi! The only ones we can rely on are ourselves!”

His eyes flickered. Tai Yi had undeniably been good to him and had bestowed great favor upon the Seventeenth Epoch. But Tai Yi was also the Heavenly Capital Master. If he were to merge with the Cripple, the Creators, hidden in unknown places, would appear! From what he understood, the actions of the Creators were even worse than those of the Mi Luo Palace! If the Creators were to descend, that would be an utter catastrophe!

The World-Traversing Golden Ship surged out of the Great Abyss of Returning Ruin. The moment it leaped from the abyss, Qin Mu activated the Great Dao of Returning Ruin. One lotus leaf after another emerged from Returning Ruin, their immense forms connecting with the void, obscuring the Ancestral Court’s ultimate void. The patterns of the lotus leaves resembled enormous Dao chains, interweaving with the void and merging with it, their patterns gradually disappearing.

A moment later, the lotus leaves completely vanished. The others carefully sensed their surroundings and could no longer perceive the Ultimate Void. Qin Mu had completely sealed the Ultimate Void of the Ancestral Court.

His cultivation had not yet recovered, and forcibly activating the Returning Ruin lotus leaves to seal the Ancestral Court’s Ultimate Void left him panting heavily and utterly weak. Ling Yuxiu quickly helped him to rest in the Golden Palace within the Golden Ship. Moon Heavenly Venerable had intended to ask for his help to treat Shang Jun, but seeing his condition, she could only hold back.

Granny Si, the Village Chief, and others who had been hiding in the Golden Palace of the Golden Ship quickly came forward to greet him.

“Granny, once I’ve recovered a bit, I’ll send you all out of the Ancestral Court.” Qin Mu sighed in relief. “After you leave, I will continuously strengthen the Ancestral Court’s seal until even Hall Masters can no longer escape!”

The Village Chief frowned. “Mu’er, it’s better to guide than to block. Why not leave a passage for Eternal Peace’s masters to enter the Ancestral Court for experience? Only through life-and-death battles can one grow rapidly.”

Qin Mu pondered for a moment. “Only those with Heavenly Venerable level combat power would have a chance in the Ancestral Court…”

Granny Si chuckled. “Then the Ancestral Court would be a trial ground for Dao attainment. Any being that has cultivated to the Heavenly Venerable realm across all the heavens and myriad worlds could come here to gain experience and aid their Dao attainment! This way, with more and more Dao achievers appearing in all the heavens and myriad worlds, they might just gain the power to contend with the Mi Luo Palace and Old Man Wuya!”

Ling Yuxiu clapped her hands and laughed. “Then Husband wouldn’t need to be so tired anymore.”

“A trial ground for Dao attainment?” Qin Mu was stunned. He walked to the front of the Golden Palace and gazed at the majestic Ancestral Court, its vast mountains and seas, and its diverse and magnificent phenomena.

“Good,” he said, his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze profound.