Chapter 1829: Probably an Old Friend

Qin Mu walked leisurely through Yankang, nearing its Heavenly Court. Gradually, he encountered people who recognized him. Not everyone had forgotten him; those who recognized him were old acquaintances from days gone by. Occasional greetings caused him to slow his pace.

These friends had not achieved Dao. They had stayed in Yankang, some living in seclusion, others still active in society. Seeing them filled Qin Mu with emotion.

His arrival caused no stir in Yankang. No one knew the origin of the young man with streaks of white in his hair, walking through the bustling market. People only observed well-known elders coming to greet him, along with dusty swordsmen who had rushed to meet him. Some of these individuals were world-famous, esteemed elders who held positions of power, while others were unknown and unassuming.

Qin Mu did not linger long; he still had others to meet. Both Yankang's Upper and Lower Capitals had changed so much that he found himself losing interest.

As night fell, Yankang's cityscape became enchanting. Divine light glowed from countless divine cities, assuring the people they no longer needed to fear the encroaching darkness. The brilliance of these cities made even the moon in the sky appear significantly dimmer.

Qin Mu looked up. The bright moon in the sky remained as pristine as ever, though it seemed distant and serene. He ascended to the moon, where, within the Moon Palace, a goddess danced with a sword. Her sword light, like moonlight in a dream, cascaded throughout the palace.

Qin Mu stood silently watching. After a long while, the goddess in the Moon Palace sheathed her sword and only then noticed him. They stood in silence for a long time before exchanging a smile.

Thirty-five billion years—such an immense span of time—had transformed their bond beyond mere romantic love. It had become a form of solace, transcending physical intimacy, desires, and possessiveness, purely a sanctuary for their spirits. This solace manifested as a deep longing, and that longing converged into a serene harbor where they could briefly anchor, free from storms or ripples, peaceful and beautiful.

Qin Mu and Bai Qu'er sat on the stone steps of the Moon Palace. Once, their emotions had burned intensely, like a raging fire. In those days, they would command sword light to streak across the night sky, soaring through the illusory heavens, stirring up brilliant constellations and causing the very galaxies to ripple around them. They were deeply moved by each other; not even the celestial curtain of Yankang could conceal their feelings.

In that era, a future together had seemed possible, but various circumstances had delayed it. Now, reunited, ancient divine consciousness surged between them, creating ripples. Their love had sublimated, transforming into a deep solace, detached from passion, future, or specific feelings. They talked and laughed, cherishing the beauty of their peaceful reunion.

After a long while, Qin Mu stood up. Bai Qu'er smiled and asked, "Will we meet again?"

"Yes," he replied, "as long as you wait for me."

Bai Qu'er watched him depart. The moonlight was hazy, imbued with the heavy, yet seemingly light, patina of countless years. As the sun rose, Yankang's moon grew faint, eventually hiding behind the clouds.

Qin Mu met Lang Wan on a ferry. In her reincarnated form, she no longer possessed the unparalleled beauty of her previous life. Through the porthole, Qin Mu gazed at the woman who had once captivated his dreams. He could perceive her soul, witness the entirety of her current life's experiences, and glimpse into her past incarnations.

Lang Wan seemed to sense his gaze. She turned her head, her eyes meeting his through the porthole. Lang Wan smiled, then walked over to the porthole. "Excuse me, sir," she said, "have we met before? You feel familiar to me." She carried herself with grace. Despite lacking her former unparalleled beauty, she still exuded an extraordinary and ethereal aura.

Qin Mu shook his head, smiling. "No, we haven't met. Perhaps we simply feel familiar, as if we were old acquaintances in a past life."

Lang Wan mused, "I feel that familiarity too, as if I've seen you somewhere before. You..." She looked up, but the young man with white streaks in his hair had already vanished. A sense of loss washed over Lang Wan. She whispered, "An old acquaintance, perhaps... an old acquaintance... Who were you, really?"

Qin Mu returned to his homeland, only to find the original site of Crippled Old Village was gone. In its place stood towering buildings, bustling traffic, and pervasive noise.

"I think I know you!" a deity, once a Chicken-Mother Dragon, spoke to him sternly.

Qin Mu offered a faint smile. The Chicken-Mother Dragon, in its confusion, inadvertently recalled the painful memories of the past. By the time it collected itself, Qin Mu had disappeared.

Qin Mu returned to his wife, Ling Yuxiu. When the Ancestral Court war began, he had sent her back to Yankang. As one of Yankang's oldest Great Emperors, Ling Yuxiu did not travel to the Upper Capital. It was as if she knew Qin Mu would return to the old site of Crippled Old Village and, anticipating he wouldn't find it, she settled near the ruins of Yongjiang River.

She had not achieved Dao. Despite her desperate efforts to cultivate over the long passage of time, she remained just a sliver away from reaching it. This sliver was a chasm, an insurmountable gap. Even with her husband being Heavenly Venerate Mu and the Seventh Young Master, he could not help her bridge it.

The couple lived a tranquil life by the Yongjiang River. Occasionally, Dragon Groom would visit their home, freeloading meals and drinks. Qin Mu had entertained him a few times, but as Dragon Groom's visits became more frequent, he eventually sent him away.

"The Yongjiang River is no more," Qin Mu told him. "The oath you swore to Tu Bo has consequently dissipated, and your departure from Yongjiang will not invite tribulation. Dragon Groom, you are free to leave now."

Dragon Groom seemed bewildered. "I can leave Yongjiang?" he stammered.

"The day the Yongjiang River dried up, you were free to go," Qin Mu clarified. "From that day forward, you ceased to be the Dragon King of Yongjiang."

Dragon Groom was ecstatic, jumping and shouting with joy for a long time. Then, he suddenly burst into tears. "Where am I supposed to go?" he sobbed. "I've guarded this place for thirty-five billion years; where do I go now...?"

"The world is vast, and the future is even vaster," Qin Mu said, patting his shoulder. "You can go anywhere you wish." He then watched Dragon Groom walk away. A sense of profound loss lingered with Dragon Groom as he slowly departed.

Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu's days settled into quietude once more. Both knew the unspoken concerns in each other's hearts, tied to their shared lineage, yet they tacitly avoided mentioning the matter. For to speak of it would signal the day of Qin Mu's departure, and their separation as husband and wife. They had been together for an immense span of thirty-five billion years. To part would leave them feeling incomplete, as if a vital piece of their bodies and souls had suddenly vanished. Yet, ultimately, they knew they would have to part.

In those days, news continuously arrived from the Ancestral Court. Some Dao Achievers, bearing extremely severe Dao injuries, had struggled to return to Yankang, bringing with them reports that shook the entire universe. Jade Capital City had descended, prehistoric floods and monstrous beasts were on the verge of attacking, the Ancestral Court had been shattered, and many of Yankang's Dao Achievers had fallen in battle.

The sensation these reports caused was immense, sweeping through Yankang and across all the heavens and myriad worlds of the entire universe.

"Wasn't someone stationed there as a guardian?" Some were bewildered, others panicked: "Didn't that person guard it for thirty-five billion years? How did he run away?"

"Did he die in battle?"

"Or did he escape?"

"Why didn't he defend the Ancestral Court?"

Qin Mu heard many disparaging remarks. Ling Yuxiu looked at him with concern, but Qin Mu remained unperturbed. He smiled and said, "Whether it's the 'pure stream' or the spirit of Ling Tianzun's childhood bamboo horse, I stopped caring about such things long ago."

"You gave people so much," Ling Yuxiu remarked, "and suddenly stopping will naturally invite resentment. Such is human nature."

"Since human nature is like that, there's no need to force anything," Qin Mu said. "What I worry about are the deities. They've given too much to mortals, who, in turn, will become demanding and take these gifts for granted. Should a deity die from exhaustion in their service, it will be seen as their due, without any gratitude."

Ling Yuxiu chuckled. "Husband, you've forgotten," she said, "you are no longer Yankang's Imperial Preceptor, and I am no longer its empress. These matters should be entrusted to others."

Qin Mu paused, then burst into hearty laughter. "Indeed," he agreed, "it's time to hand them over to others."

Many severely wounded Dao Achievers returned from the Ancestral Court battlefield, including some from Crippled Old Village. Upon hearing the news, Qin Mu went to see them. When Granny Si saw him, tears suddenly streamed down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably, "We thought you were dead! That's why our Dao heart was thrown into disarray, and we got crippled by others..."

Qin Mu smiled as he listened to their scolding, treating their Dao injuries. The Village Chief, Apothecary, and others took turns, sternly reprimanding him. Qin Mu listened with a smile, nodding continuously.

"If you're going back, go see Cripple," Mute finally spoke, emptying the murky water from his water pipe and tapping it. "Didn't you say he went back to the past universe? Perhaps it's true."

Deaf looked up at Qin Mu, his eyes sparkling, and his voice hoarse, said, "Perhaps."

"Yes," the Village Chief said, his voice a little faint. "We couldn't stop you from becoming the Seventh Young Master. Since that's the case, then go and see. If he's alive, bring him back."

Qin Mu nodded solemnly.

He healed the villagers of Crippled Old Village and lived with them for some time. Soon, the elders in the village seemed to grow weary of him, urging him to leave. "You little freeloader, scram!" they shouted. "Nobody's going to cook or wash for you here! Go back to your wife!" And with that, they chased him away.

Qin Mu departed, but along the way, he paused, curiously observing a girl inside a school building. The girl had an unusual appearance: one eye was a swirling abyss of darkness, while the other held the brilliance of a starry sky. The girl noticed his gaze, startled. She quickly lowered her head, her eyes darting nervously.

When class ended, the girl reluctantly left the classroom, head bowed, and approached him.

"No puppy love!" the instructor bellowed, poking his head out from the classroom.

"I know!" the girl retorted, turning her head defiantly.

"Second Sister, is that your father?" Qin Mu asked curiously.

The girl kicked a pebble hard, sending it flying. "You figured it out?" she grumbled. "Are you here to kill me?"

Qin Mu chuckled. "Second Sister, I said I'd give you a chance. Why would I attack you?"

"Don't talk to those delinquents with dyed hair!" the instructor called out again, poking his head back into view.

The girl, mortified, snapped, "This is the Seventh Young Master! What do you mean 'delinquent with dyed hair'? Dad, this doesn't concern you; go back inside!" She turned back to him, raising both hands to tug at the two braids draped over her chest, a half-smile playing on her lips. "You won't kill me? Aren't you afraid I'll destroy the world you've painstakingly protected?"

Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "You came to see me, which means you're going back, right? Once you're gone, who will be my opponent? Lan Yutian? Xu Shenghua? They're all weaklings, easily defeated! When you return, you'll find me waiting for you on the Sea of Chaos, lounging with my legs crossed!"

"Girl!" the instructor called out again, poking his head back into view. "You've been talking long enough! Still denying it's puppy love?"

The girl skipped away, her two braids swinging behind her. She turned back, made a face, and laughed, "I'm sure to win!"

Qin Mu smiled and waved, bidding her farewell. The instructor glared fiercely at Qin Mu, lowering his voice. "Stay away from my daughter! Dying your hair white at such a young age—you're clearly no good..." The girl, peeking out from under her father's arm, playfully stuck out her tongue at Qin Mu.

Qin Mu was speechless. Then, on a sudden impulse, he set off for the Beast World on the reverse side of the Primordial Realm. After searching for a long time, he finally found a towering tree. The colossal tree seemed to "see" him and suddenly began to tremble.