Chapter 1835: Don't You Come Back in Bad Shape?

The Master of Miluo Palace smiled. "Chaos Fellow Daoist, you are very powerful, but you still lack a bit of maturity. Although you have attained the Dao, you are still far from my realm. In the eyes of others, such as the Master of Tiandu or Ling the Dao Renegade, my cultivation is above theirs, but my Dao practice is not as profound. In the eyes of the Old Man Wuya, both my cultivation and Dao practice are inferior to his. However, before you, our cultivation and Dao practice are quite similar. The only thing I surpass you in is maturity."

Qin Mu's eyes gleamed with a strange light. He asked, puzzled, "Maturity?"

The Master of Miluo Palace replied, "That's right. When cultivating to our level, Dao practice and cultivation are already quite close. The only thing that can be compared is our respective maturity. I have accumulated eight hundred billion more years of maturity than you; I have experienced the history of the First Epoch much more than you. Chaos, once you can return to the very beginning of the First Epoch's creation, your maturity will reach my level, and may even surpass me. Chaos possesses an incomparable advantage over Primordial Chaos. Your achievements will be greater than mine."

He earnestly instructed, "You have experienced the Calamities of Annihilation in sixteen universes and the Calamities of Creation from the Second to the Seventeenth Epochs, but you have not experienced the First Epoch. When you can return to the dawn of the First Epoch, you will surpass me. However, right now, you lack a bit of maturity, and that is the key difference – a mere thread of a gap."

Qin Mu's expression changed slightly. Suddenly, in the myriad, infinitesimally small spaces within the Calamity of Creation, his forms appeared everywhere. Innumerable versions of him, in countless spaces, each unleashed a different divine ability!

Astonishingly, not a single one of these divine abilities was repeated!

This was his supreme achievement!

The countless minute spaces within the Calamity of Creation represented the myriad possibilities of future universes, countless snapshots of the future cosmos. He could fill these possibilities to the brim in a single thought!

He attained the Dao by stepping into the Calamity of Annihilation of the Sixteenth Epoch. At this point, his divine abilities and Dao techniques were so profound that even beings like Grand Beginning, Grand Supreme, and Grand Ultimate would find them inconceivable and incomprehensible!

However, the moment his thought stirred, each of those spaces also simultaneously gained a Master of Miluo Palace!

The Master of Miluo Palace made his move earlier and faster than Qin Mu. Just as Qin Mu's divine abilities erupted, the Master of Miluo Palace had already acted one step ahead!

Qin Mu's body swayed. The countless versions of him in various spaces vanished, leaving only one. But it was already too late.

The Master of Miluo Palace also consolidated into a single form. His divine ability had already struck Qin Mu's chest.

A thread of a gap was still a thread of a gap.

That minute difference in maturity represented an immeasurable gap. To bridge this gap in maturity, he would need much more time and effort.

Qin Mu stumbled backward. He was sent back into the Calamity of Annihilation by the Master of Miluo Palace.

This strike from the Master of Miluo Palace was equivalent to sending him back in time.

"Chaos, you will cultivate to my level, and perhaps even surpass me."

The Master of Miluo Palace smiled, murmuring, "But for now, you're not there yet."

He waved his sleeve, sending Qin Lingjun back to Qin Mu's side. With Qin Mu no longer interfering, he could finally see the future of the Seventeenth Epoch.

Qin Mu fell into the long river of Chaos. He gently raised his hand, and Qin Lingjun's feet landed in his palm.

Qin Mu's expression darkened slightly. He gently set down Qin Lingjun. This battle, he had lost too decisively.

The Master of Miluo Palace looked into the future. At this moment, with Qin Mu no longer obstructing him, all images concerning the Seventeenth Epoch universe flooded into his vision.

From the creation of Primordial Chaos, to the birth of the Five Grand, then the emergence of Grand Beginning, the tree felling, the rise of the Creators, and the appearance of ancient gods—the vast history of the Seventeenth Epoch began to unfold in an unprecedented manner.

There was no World Tree, no Heaven Breakers, and no Miluo Palace.

The Creators waned, Dragon Han split into three, Crimson Brightness continued, the Emperors faced opposition, Emperor Kai rose, and Eternal Peace emerged from the wasteland.

Sixty billion years passed in a flash. Miluo Palace invaded, the World Tree was reborn. Thirty-five billion years of the future also came into his view.

His gaze paused. He saw Qin Mu return to the past. Then his gaze continued forward.

That was a future Qin Mu had never experienced. A vibrant future, even more spectacular than when Qin Mu was present. However, as the Master of Miluo Palace continued to look further into the future, his Dao heart gradually began to tremble.

One hundred billion years into the Seventeenth Epoch, the universe's vastness already surpassed that of the First Epoch. Yet, this universe showed no sign of stopping its expansion.

Two hundred billion years later, no new Dao attainers were born.

Three hundred billion years later, the universe's sheer size caused the psycho-energy transfer bridges to dim, making it impossible to connect with other worlds. Only Dao attainers could cross the vast, endless starry sky to seek out their fellow Daoists.

However, even for Dao attainers, the time spent visiting friends was extremely long. By then, there were no more divine ability users. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth had become incredibly sparse, stretched thin by the expanding universe.

Four hundred billion years later, most of the stars in the universe had extinguished and evaporated. The once brilliant and vibrant universe gradually grew dim.

Five hundred billion years later, the last sun extinguished. The remaining sacred lands gradually lost their energy.

The Primordial Realm collapsed, Xuandu disintegrated, Youdu ceased to exist, and the Celestial Yin World evaporated completely. One by one, the Heavens drifted towards ultimate emptiness.

Six hundred billion years later, the Master of Miluo Palace looked out, and the last sacred lands had also extinguished.

The Seventeenth Epoch universe became pitch black. Only occasional flickers of light remained. Those were likely the lingering glows of Dao attainers.

He continued to look ahead, into the complete darkness. The lingering glows of the Dao attainers also gradually diminished.

He looked towards the end of the darkness. There, the last lingering glows of the Dao attainers also disappeared. The entire Seventeenth Epoch universe was completely flattened, transforming into an infinitely thin, endless membrane.

All matter completely disintegrated, breaking down into the smallest particles. These particles were uniformly distributed across the universe's void membrane.

The universe had completely become void.

The Great Annihilation.

The Master of Miluo Palace spurted out a mouthful of Dao blood. The Great Annihilation of the universe, eight hundred billion years in the future, completely shattered his Dao heart. All his perseverance, all his ideals, became utterly useless at this moment.

His divine abilities, his Dao techniques, all had no place to be used!

For a long time, he had been preparing for the Calamities of Annihilation and Creation. Facing this fated Great Annihilation, all his previous preparations were entirely useless. Furthermore, he could not conceive of any way to resolve the Great Annihilation.

He was in a daze. He walked out before the Calamity of Creation of the Seventeenth Epoch arrived. He returned to the Calamity of Annihilation of the Sixteenth Epoch, back to Miluo Palace.

He became silent, pondering deeply, searching for a solution. Yet, despite exhausting his wisdom, he could never find a resolution!

All Dao paths were wrong. Facing the ultimate Great Annihilation, all efforts were futile.

He recalled his persistence throughout these sixteen cosmic epochs. Despair filled his mind.

He felt his Dao heart beginning to disintegrate, to collapse. The ideals he had upheld began to shatter.

There was no path forward.

The Master of Miluo Palace summoned all the Young Masters, Palace Lords, and Dao attainers of Miluo Palace. Qin Mu was also present, holding Qin Lingjun's small hand, silent.

The Master of Miluo Palace informed them that the future Seventeenth Epoch was doomed to destruction. He told them to return to the universes of their birth, as there was no need to go to the future anymore.

Everyone in Miluo Palace exchanged bewildered glances. They didn't understand why their Master would say such things.

The Master of Miluo Palace sat there dejectedly, deeply saddened. He remained silent to all questions. Miluo Palace fell into an uproar. Eventually, the Master of Miluo Palace rose and departed.

He walked across the long rivers of Chaos, one after another. Grand Supreme followed behind him, watching him return his entire Dao practice to each universe.

By the time he reached Miluo Palace in the First Epoch, the flesh on his body gradually dispersed.

He ascended the steps. The flesh on his body vanished bit by bit. By the time he reached the last step, he had become a mere skeleton.

Grand Supreme heard his Master let out a long sigh. Amidst the sigh, he sat down. His Dao tree appeared behind him. Sixteen Dao fruits emitted a faint glow.

Grand Supreme prostrated himself and wept loudly.

After a long time, Grand Supreme walked out of Miluo Palace. He returned to the Sixteenth Epoch. He ordered all Young Masters, Palace Lords, and Dao attainers to return to the universes of their birth.

The seven Dao palaces, symbolizing the highest achievements of Jade Capital City, were placed around Miluo Palace in the First Epoch.

The seven Young Masters each pondered deeply.

"Return to your respective eras." Grand Supreme sighed dejectedly.

Young Master Zixiao stood up and left with a flick of his sleeve. "Master may give up, but I will never give up!"

Young Master Lingxiao's eyes flickered as he stood up. "Master may abandon his ideals, but a disciple can inherit them. If I, too, give up, then there will be no hope forever! Even without Master, I can still pass through the Calamities of Annihilation and Creation!"

He also rose and departed.

Young Master Wuzong and Young Master Zhanji each sighed. Without another word, they each left.

Young Master Wuji chuckled softly and vanished in a flash.

Only Qin Mu and Grand Supreme remained in Miluo Palace. Grand Supreme seemed close to nirvana. He lifted his eyelids to glance at Qin Mu, weakly asking, "Chaos, why don't you leave?"

"I was born in the Seventeenth Epoch, and I can't return to it yet."

Qin Mu smiled, speaking leisurely. "Master saw the entire future, which led to the demise of his Dao heart. However, what he doesn't know is that subtle changes occurred after he returned to the Calamity of Annihilation in the Sixteenth Epoch."

Grand Supreme again lifted his eyelids and glanced at him.

Qin Mu stood up and said, "We can return to the Calamity of Annihilation of the Sixteenth Epoch. You will find some changes there that were not present before Master entered the calamity."

Grand Supreme, half-believing, half-doubting, rose and crossed fifteen long rivers with him, arriving in the sixteenth.

"Grand Beginning!"

Grand Supreme suddenly soared into the air. He charged across the Calamity of Annihilation, intercepting the fleeing Grand Beginning.

"Chaos, aren't you going to help me?" Grand Beginning shouted loudly.

A moment later, Grand Beginning was captured. Young Master Grand Supreme suppressed him in the Divine Coffin of Buried Dao, inserting the Dao-Slaughtering Divine Nails. Patting the coffin, he said, "I have been preparing this divine coffin for you for many years!"

Qin Mu smiled. "Senior Brother, did this happen before Master entered the Calamity of Creation of the Seventeenth Epoch?"

Young Master Grand Supreme was momentarily stunned, then shook his head.

Qin Mu smiled, "Then watch again."

At this moment, chaos erupted in the Calamity of Annihilation. Countless Dao attainers screamed in agony, dying one after another, devoured by terrifying forces.

"Grand Ultimate, what are you doing?" Grand Supreme gasped.

"Grand Ultimate is wreaking havoc, devouring Dao attainers to strengthen his own power."

Qin Mu stood beside him and said, "This event also didn't happen before Master entered the Calamity of Creation, did it?"

Grand Supreme was both shocked and enraged. He saw that Grand Ultimate was actually trying to kill Zhanji and devour her. Just as he was about to intervene, Lingxiao, Zixiao, and Wuzong suddenly arrived, surrounding and fighting Grand Ultimate.

"This event also did not happen before Master entered the Calamity of Creation."

Qin Mu's eyes gleamed as he said in a deep voice, "Then, is the future of the Seventeenth Epoch that Master saw still the true future?"

Grand Supreme didn't understand what he was saying. Suddenly, a massive wooden ship broke through layers of chaos and sailed into the long river. It appeared on the battlefield where the Young Masters were in a chaotic fight.

The colossal wooden ship was actually broken in two by the attacks of several Young Masters!

"Grand Beginning!"

Grand Supreme watched dumbfounded, not knowing what was happening. He saw another Grand Beginning, along with numerous Heaven Breakers, appearing on that battlefield. This plunged everyone into a chaotic melee!

"Senior Brother, this event also didn't happen!"

Qin Mu suddenly moved sideways. As Grand Ultimate seized Zhanji, plundering all her cultivation, and was about to swallow her whole, Qin Mu crashed into her with a thunderous impact, breaking Grand Ultimate's bones and tearing her tendons, sending her flying backward!

Grand Supreme's heart skipped a beat. He saw Qin Mu practically overturning the entire long river of Chaos. In a mere instant, he severely wounded Lingxiao, Zixiao, and Wuzong, heavily damaged the other Grand Beginning, and sealed the Heaven Breakers. The Heaven Breakers were hurled into the broken ship, which had split into two!

"Lingjun, take them to the Miasma Field," Qin Mu said.

Qin Lingjun immediately piloted the broken ship, carrying a boatload of Heaven Breakers towards the Miasma Field.

Grand Beginning vomited blood, looking weak and dispirited. He looked up and said, "Chaos, don't be so ruthless..."

"Fellow Daoist, begone!"

Qin Mu pointed a finger. A wisp of Grand Beginning's soul flew out, passing through the Calamity of Creation of the Seventeenth Epoch. It landed ninety-five billion years into the Seventeenth Epoch universe.

At that time, it was precisely when Grand Supreme transcended into the Dao and was reincarnating.

Grand Supreme reincarnated. However, his mother in this life gave birth to twins, two brothers, huddled together.

In the Great Calamity of Annihilation of the Sixteenth Epoch, Qin Mu smiled faintly at Grand Ultimate. "Second Sister, you wanted me to face you at your strongest, and I did it. But you likely won't remember this."

*Whoosh—*

The long rivers of Chaos from sixteen cosmic epochs coiled up, forming massive cycles of reincarnation. When the cycles dispersed, Grand Ultimate was still battling the three Young Masters.

Grand Supreme looked at Qin Mu beside him with confusion. He saw a young girl beside Qin Mu. He felt a little bewildered, having never seen this girl before.

Zhanji looked up at Qin Mu and asked, "Seventh Young Master, what just happened?"

Qin Mu smiled, "Nothing happened."

Zhanji no longer knew who she was. Her memories were completely altered, her appearance changed, and she had become a young girl.

Others still retained their memories of Zhanji. They had an impression of the young girl beside Qin Mu.

In their memories, Qin Mu always had this young girl with him. This girl was Qin Lingjun's playmate.

As they spoke, Young Master Wuji heavily wounded Lingxiao, Zixiao, and Wuzong. Grand Supreme, left with no choice, stepped forward to assist, but even he could not defeat Grand Ultimate.

In the Calamity of Annihilation, Grand Ultimate was nearly invincible.

"Dad, who is this girl?" Qin Lingjun returned, curiously sizing up the young girl beside Qin Mu.

She had not been affected by the reincarnation divine ability.

"Your playmate."

Qin Mu smiled, his gaze piercing through the long rivers of Chaos. He silently thought, "Master, do you realize? The future you saw has already changed."

Qin Lingjun's eyes were filled with hazy chaos. As she looked at the young girl that Zhanji had become, she immediately saw through all her experiences. She giggled, "How interesting!"

Suddenly, from Miluo Palace atop the Calamity of Annihilation of the First Epoch, a massive hand flew out, crossing sixteen long rivers of Chaos. It landed within the calamity, pressing Young Master Grand Ultimate down all the way into the Great Abyss of Gui Xu!

The giant hand transformed into a red knot, sealing the great abyss.

"Master!" Grand Supreme, Lingxiao, and the others all bowed simultaneously.

Qin Mu's eyebrow twitched. Although the Master of Miluo Palace had intervened to suppress Grand Ultimate, Qin Mu did not sense any recovery in the Master of Miluo Palace's Dao heart.

Qin Mu frowned slightly. He took Qin Lingjun and Zhanji and walked away. "So much has happened; the future you saw is no longer the true future. Well, I'm going to take my nap!"

"Chaos!"

Grand Supreme called out loudly. But Qin Mu and the two girls did not stop. Lingxiao rasped, "Second Sister killed Zhanji! And so many Dao attainers! Why didn't Master eliminate her?"

Zixiao said, "This is a family disgrace; it must not be spread externally. Third Senior Brother, just tell outsiders that Shang Jun did it."

Grand Supreme paid no heed and returned despondently to the Second Epoch. Young Master Wuzong also went back to the Thirteenth Epoch. Only Lingxiao and Zixiao remained, taking over Jade Capital City, plotting the grand endeavor of descending into the Seventeenth Epoch.

Grand Beginning felled the tree, severing the path for illegal crossings. Young Master Lingxiao then set up a blood sacrifice array, leading to the birth of the Creators. Boyang extracted the first Grand Beginning divine stone, ushering in the Era of Creators, with the rise of the Three Divine Kings. Grand Emperor Ju Yushi excavated Grand Beginning, and Grand Beginning was born prematurely.

The Primordial Saint of Miluo Palace lured Grand Emperor Ju Yushi to the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City.

Grand Beginning led the way, the ancient gods expelled the Creators, and the Era of Creators ended.

Grand Beginning became Emperor, influenced by the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City to build the Heavenly Court. Imperial Heavenly Venerate created the Divine Treasure system, and the Seven Human Heavenly Venerates rose to prominence. Imperial Heavenly Venerate observed the phenomena of the Heavenly Court, created the method for becoming a god, and stepped into Young Master Lingxiao's Jade Capital trap.

Time flowed gently in the Seventeenth Epoch; sixty billion years passed, arriving at Eternal Peace.

Emperor Kai Qin Ye arrived alone at the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City. Along the way, he encountered the injured Grand Beginning. Lingxiao ordered someone to emerge from the long river of Chaos to aid Grand Beginning against Emperor Kai Qin Ye.

At this moment, a light shone from within the long river of Chaos. A young girl was seen walking out of the long river, carrying a lantern. By the time she reached the surface of the river, she had transformed into an old woman with wrinkled skin and white hair.

"Emperor Kai Qin Ye, I am here to guide you to Miluo Palace."

The old woman smiled, "There's a Young Master waiting for you there."

The chaos was vast and boundless. The long river was endless. The sound of its waves was the flowing resonance of time.

"The Seventh Young Master arrived relatively late, so his status in Miluo Palace is not as high as the other Young Masters, and he doesn't have many followers."

The old woman, Zhanji, said to Emperor Kai, "It is precisely because of this that those people slandered the Seventh Young Master, falsely attributing many bad reputations to him. But those are all slanders."

At the end of the sixteen long rivers of Chaos, within the Miluo Palace of the First Epoch, in the Chaos Hall, Emperor Kai met the Seventh Young Master.

"Heavenly Venerate Qin, how have you been?"