Chapter 1788: The Daughter of the Heavenly Shepherd 尊

Third Young Master Ling Xiao's injuries this time were Dao injuries sustained during the war between Heavenly Capital and Mi Luo Palace, a conflict that reached its conclusion in this very epoch.

Although Heavenly Venerable Ling's power was extraordinary and inflicted heavy casualties on Mi Luo Palace, Heavenly Capital's overall strength was still far inferior. In this epoch, Mi Luo Palace decisively defeated Heavenly Capital City.

In fact, if the Mi Luo Palace Master had intervened, the conflict between the two sides should have ended in the Seventh Epoch. However, after the death of the Heavenly Capital Master, the Mi Luo Palace Master chose not to act against the other Heavenly Capital creationists, which is why the war lasted for three epochs.

For the Mi Luo Palace Master, all Dao achievers were fellow Daoists. Unless absolutely necessary, he would not mercilessly kill a fellow Daoist.

He rarely took a life, even if the opponent was a Heavenly Capital creationist.

However, this caused hardship for several young masters of Mi Luo Palace.

Third Young Master Ling Xiao, dragging his body riddled with Dao injuries, came to intercept Qin Mu. Although he felt some despair, his fighting spirit remained at its peak.

In the Tenth Epoch, he had failed to stop the Golden Ark of Crossing Worlds and failed to defeat Qin Mu. Now, in the Ninth Epoch, dragging his severely injured body to intercept Qin Mu and prevent the so-called "Holy Child" from being born, his hope was even more slim.

But no matter what, he could not allow Qin Mu's child to be born!

Their battle on the Primordial Chaos River erupted once more. Qin Mu also suffered heavy injuries, covered in wounds, and was no better off than his opponent.

This time, they truly fought with their lives on the line, neither willing to concede an inch!

Ling Yuxiu and Yuanjun Nanxiang stood on the golden ark, watching the fierce battle, their hearts pounding.

In this battle, both exhausted all their techniques, even fighting until their magic power was depleted. Then, they engaged in close-quarters combat, their Dao spears and Chaos swords unleashing terrifying power in the melee!

By the end of the fight, Qin Mu's lotus platform was riddled with holes, his World Tree was bare, and his Chaos Palace was tattered.

However, Third Young Master's injuries were even more severe. Qin Mu drove him into the Great Luo Heaven, where his Dao tree and Dao fruit almost disintegrated, and his Numinous Sky Palace was even more severely damaged.

Finally, Third Young Master roared and sank into the Primordial Chaos River, somewhat unwillingly.

"Third Brother," Qin Mu shouted, "by the Eighth Epoch, you were no longer my match. There's no need for you to appear again!"

Third Young Master Ling Xiao's expression was grim. He said nothing, sinking into the Primordial Chaos River and vanishing.

Qin Mu returned to the ark, halted the Golden Ark of Crossing Worlds, adjusted his breathing, and began to heal his injuries.

Nanxiang and Ling Yuxiu stepped forward to guard him. Before long, Qin Mu entered a dream state, using his dreams to heal the Dao injuries on his body.

His Dao injuries slowly recovered, and his complexion improved significantly, but his cultivation had not recovered much. Qin Mu stood up, gazing silently at the waters of the Primordial Chaos River.

"Husband, if you're not confident, let's go back," Ling Yuxiu said softly, unable to bear it.

Because of the Primordial Chaos River, Qin Mu had always been able to draw on its power along the way to maintain his cultivation at its peak. But now, a terrifying force suppressed the Primordial Chaos River, making it difficult for him to draw upon its power. Rapid recovery of his cultivation was no longer possible.

And ahead, it was likely still unsafe. If Qin Mu lost his combat ability, then they would all be in danger.

"There's no problem."

Qin Mu smiled slightly, his gaze shifting from the Primordial Chaos River to Ling Yuxiu's face. He chuckled, "Third Brother must have invited Second Sister Wuji to suppress the Primordial Chaos River."

From time to time, visions of the Returning Ruins lotus appeared in Ling Yuxiu's womb. Sometimes the lotus was a bud, sometimes a lotus platform. Faintly, an infant could be seen lying within it, connected to the mother by an umbilical cord.

Then, the lotus would vanish and a vision of a seedling would appear. Auspicious energy radiated in countless streams, and an infant lay beneath the tree, a truly wondrous sight.

Sometimes, the wondrous sight of the universe's dawn would appear, with the infant lying at the center of the galaxy, surrounded by billions of stars.

Yuanjun Nanxiang was secretly astonished and dared not speak much.

By the time the Golden Ark of Crossing Worlds reached the Primordial Chaos River of the Second Epoch, Ling Yuxiu's due date was drawing near. The child in her womb was like a ravenous beast, sweeping up primal chaos energy.

Qin Mu was very careful, using the Returning Ruins lotus and the World Tree to absorb power from the Primordial Chaos River. He softened the violent energy and channeled it into Ling Yuxiu's body.

Suddenly, the Golden Ark of Crossing Worlds paused slightly and stopped.

Qin Mu looked up, seeing a Dao tree blocking their path, obstructing the golden ark's way.

"Senior Brother Taishang."

Qin Mu walked to the bow of the ark, bowed to the old man beneath the Dao tree, and asked, puzzled, "Senior Brother, why are you blocking my way?"

The old man beneath the Dao tree sighed. "Junior Brother, you are pushing things too far; it's not good for this child. If you enter the First Epoch and absorb the power of its Calamity of Annihilation, it might not be a blessing for this child. Do not go any further. Let this child be born in the Second Epoch. His future trials will be fewer then."

Qin Mu was slightly taken aback, pondered for a moment, then looked up and chuckled, "Senior Brother Taishang, do you think I cannot protect him from the tribulations?"

Taishang shook his head. "Chaos naturally has the ability to withstand all tribulations, but for this child, it might not be a good thing. A full moon wanes, and overflowing water spills. Seventh Young Master wasn't the Seventh Young Master from birth; he had to go through a process of growth. Junior Brother, what do you think?"

Qin Mu pondered for a moment again, then chuckled, "I'll follow Senior Brother's advice."

Taishang said no more. The Dao tree withered with him, gradually sinking into the Calamity of Annihilation, as if transforming into the Dao.

Qin Mu chuckled lightly and shook his head, saying, "Trying to imitate the Teacher, but he can't quite get it right."

Nanxiang quietly asked, "Seventh Young Master, what is First Young Master imitating about the Teacher? Every time I see him, I feel uneasy and dare not look him directly in the eye, always feeling like I'm seeing the Teacher himself. He really does resemble the Teacher. Why do you say he doesn't quite get it right?"

Qin Mu chuckled. "He's imitating the Teacher's death. The Teacher's Dao heart is dead, transforming into the Dao and entering nirvana. Just now, Senior Brother Taishang looked like his Dao heart was dead and he had transformed into the Dao, but he just can't truly die."

Nanxiang clicked her tongue, her expression strange. "How does First Young Master have such a strange quirk? I never noticed it when we were in Mi Luo Palace..."

Although First Young Master Taishang had departed, Qin Mu did not seize the opportunity to enter the Calamity of Annihilation of the First Epoch. Instead, he kept the golden ark stationed on the Primordial Chaos River of the Second Epoch.

He was not a person who rigidly adhered to promises, he simply felt that Taishang's words were indeed very reasonable.

If Qin Mu had been born with extraordinary talent and unparalleled brilliance from the start, he might not have achieved what he had today!

The same applied to his child.

On this journey to Mi Luo Palace, if his child absorbed the energy of sixteen cosmic epochs' Calamities of Annihilation and was born too perfect, without any flaws, it would not be beneficial for the child; on the contrary, it would be a major disadvantage.

Being too perfect means understanding without learning, comprehending without insight, only knowing *what* but not *why*.

Leaving a flaw would allow him to seek opportunities to mend that flaw during his growth and gradually comprehend what he had gained before birth. This would actually be a good thing for the child.

Moreover, being too perfect would indeed attract many tribulations.

These tribulations stemmed from the cognitive blindness brought by excessive perfection and the covetousness and jealousy of external powerful beings.

The more complete and perfect one was, the stronger and more numerous the tribulations would be!

More than ten days later, Ling Yuxiu finally went into labor. Yuanjun Nanxiang sent Qin Mu out to deliver the baby for Ling Yuxiu. Qin Mu paced anxiously outside. Suddenly, a cry rang out. Qin Mu's heart finally settled. He couldn't help but laugh heartily, but tears streamed down his face.

"You can come in now!" Nanxiang poked her head out from the golden hall and beckoned.

Qin Mu hurried inside and hastily asked, "Boy or girl?"

"Boy or girl? Don't you know yourself?" Nanxiang asked, surprised, glancing at him.

Qin Mu rubbed his hands and chuckled awkwardly, "I never dared to look..."

"It's a girl." Ling Yuxiu's voice came.

Qin Mu hurried over and laughed, "I've always wanted a girl. Let me hold her."

Nanxiang smiled, watching the young couple cuddling together, thinking, "So Seventh Young Master also has a human side. The former Seventh Young Master was simply ruthless..."

"We can go see the Teacher now!"

After a long while, Qin Mu emerged from the golden hall, looking radiant, and laughed, "Please ask the Teacher to name my daughter!"

The Golden Ark of Crossing Worlds finally arrived at Mi Luo Palace, which was still desolate. Qin Mu moored the golden ark. Ling Yuxiu carried their daughter, and walked with him towards Mi Luo Palace.

Yuanjun Nanxiang hesitated for a moment, then followed them forward. As she watched Mi Luo Palace draw nearer, her heart was filled with mixed emotions: "Is the Teacher truly dead? Are Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master doing the right thing now? Even the Teacher lost faith..."

She followed Qin Mu and his wife to the entrance of Mi Luo Palace. Qin Mu knocked. The palace gates opened, and primordial purple qi swirled and billowed. Nanxiang secretly peered inside but saw nothing.

Qin Mu and his wife walked into the hall, carrying their child. Yuanjun Nanxiang gritted her teeth and followed them into Mi Luo Palace.

"Your disciple now has descendants," Qin Mu said, "so I've brought your grand-disciple to pay respects, Teacher."

Qin Mu bowed and said, "I earnestly request Teacher to bestow a name upon your grand-disciple."

Yuanjun Nanxiang looked up. She saw a Dao tree bearing sixteen Dao fruits, which was precisely the Mi Luo Palace Master's Dao tree. Beneath the Dao tree, a skeleton sat in a meditative posture.

Yuanjun Nanxiang felt a great sorrow in her heart and couldn't help but kneel, prostrating herself deeply.

The Mi Luo Palace Master, the Teacher of everyone across sixteen cosmic epochs, had indeed, as Qin Mu said, transformed into the Dao and entered nirvana!

Suddenly, the Mi Luo Palace Master's voice was heard, saying, "Bring the child closer so I can see."

Ling Yuxiu hesitated for a moment. Qin Mu nodded from the side. Only then did Ling Yuxiu, emboldened, carry the child forward to the skeleton beneath the Dao tree.

The skeleton extended its hands, took the child, and looked down for a long time.

"Excellent," the voice said. "Perhaps there is still hope for the future."

The skeleton returned the child to Ling Yuxiu. Ling Yuxiu quickly took the child and retreated, fearing the skeleton might startle the child.

The Mi Luo Palace Master's voice was heard again, with a hint of surprise in it. "Fellow Daoist Mu," he said, "you may have given birth to a good child. Very good, very good... I have calculated the future, and it is a void, utterly devoid of life. Perhaps the life force will manifest in her."

He did not regard himself as a teacher to others, often addressing them as fellow Daoists, and never belittled them for lower cultivation or being junior.

"She was born in response to a calamity," the Master continued, "and carries the spiritual essence and vitality of fifteen cosmic epochs. Perhaps in the future, she will have the potential to transform the void."

The Mi Luo Palace Master said, "I will give her the character 'Ling' and the character 'Jun'. May she carry the spiritual essence of past universes and become the cornerstone of the Seventeenth Epoch."

"Qin Lingjun?"

Qin Mu was very happy. Ling Yuxiu also liked it greatly, thinking, "It even includes my Ling family surname. The Teacher is truly thoughtful."

The Mi Luo Palace Master said, "You may return now. Be careful on your journey."

Qin Mu was slightly startled, feeling that his warning to "be careful on your journey" held deep meaning.

P.S. Zhaizhu is still typing on his phone, but he's changed the input method as the old one was too troublesome. There shouldn't be any character mix-ups this time. Yesterday, I uploaded in a hurry and didn't realize the Writer Assistant app worked differently from the website. I only discovered there was no chapter title after publishing, and despite three attempts, I couldn't change it through the app. My apologies.