Chapter 308: Mutual Sabotage

Pangong Cuo was both angry and anxious, stammering, "Cult Master Qin, please don't joke. My surname isn't Qin, I'm a barbarian..."

Qin Mu, furious, roared, "Pangong Cuo, are you disowning your Qin family ancestors? You once said you came from Carefree Village..."

"Silence, you little rogue!"

Pangong Cuo, consumed by rage, lunged forward. Qin Mu immediately countered. One unleashed the Witch Lord Sutra, transforming into a bizarre bird-headed human; the other, employing the Nine Dragons Emperor Art, became a majestic emperor. Dragon roars and bird calls filled the air as dragon-shaped divine abilities and bird-wing feather swords collided repeatedly.

Though both appeared young, they were ruthless and vicious, each move aiming for the other's life. In terms of move sophistication alone, it was almost impossible to find any Sixfold Realm divine ability practitioners who could compare to them.

Their primeval qi was not as robust as before due to the immense energy drain from their previous battle, but the power of their moves remained extraordinary.

Despite fighting fiercely, as if desperate to kill each other, their feet subtly moved towards the cabin door.

With a shared understanding, they fought while approaching the cabin door, on the verge of escaping. Suddenly, the treasure ship vibrated violently. The owner of the two eyes outside the bridge seemed angered, shaking the ship incessantly.

Abruptly, an invisible force bound them tightly and pulled them to the porthole. Both immediately ceased fighting, daring not to resist. The power of this mysterious entity was unfathomable; even Pangong Cuo felt his scalp tingle, realizing that even in his previous life, at his peak, he might not have been a match.

The two colossal vertical eyes outside the bridge glowed with anger, and the chilling voice resonated from below again: "Which of you is surnamed Qin?"

Qin Mu and Pangong Cuo simultaneously raised their hands, pointing at each other. "Him!"

The voice came again: "Are both of you surnamed Qin?"

Pangong Cuo shivered, quickly proclaiming, "I'm not surnamed Qin! I am the Grand Venerable of Loulan Gold Palace. Senior, you can go and inquire about me..."

The voice was exceedingly strange, like a screech across their souls, grating and numbing their spirits. "Not surnamed Qin? Then there's no need for you to live."

"Given the situation, it seems I can no longer hide it from you, Senior."

Pangong Cuo stated solemnly, "Indeed, I am Qin Pangong Cuo! This fellow beside me is the Grand Venerable of Loulan Gold Palace, reincarnated through body possession, named Ban Mu. I implore you, Senior, to eliminate this useless person immediately!"

Qin Mu sneered, "Just now you called me Cult Master Qin. Are your words just hot air?"

They glared at each other, gritting their teeth, wishing they could rip out the other's black heart and take a bite.

The voice was silent for a moment, then asked, "Which of you is sixteen years old?"

Pangong Cuo and Qin Mu exchanged glances. Qin Mu quickly declared, "I'm sixteen!"

Pangong Cuo also hastily added, "Coincidentally, I'm sixteen too!"

Although Qin Mu was nominally fifteen, that age was calculated from when Granny Si found him. Villagers had always debated it, some believing he was fifteen, others sixteen; Qin Mu himself wasn't sure of his exact age.

Pangong Cuo was only thirteen, but being a grassland native, his exposure to wind and sun made him appear older. Both looked to be around fifteen or sixteen.

The inverted pupils showed confusion, seeming somewhat bewildered by the current situation.

The situation was different from what it had anticipated. It had surmised that either someone from Carefree Village or a sixteen-year-old boy named Qin would arrive to take the treasure ship back to Carefree Village. Now, however, two seemingly similarly aged boys had arrived together, and both claimed to be surnamed Qin!

It was impossible to discern who was real and who was fake.

"You two, activate this ship and journey to Carefree Village!"

The voice continued, "Regardless of which of you is surnamed Qin, as long as you can pilot this treasure ship to Carefree Village, you may both live."

Qin Mu hastily took off the silver helmet on his head and earnestly pressed it into Pangong Cuo's hands, saying, "Qin Pangong Cuo, haven't you always wanted this helmet? You can have it now."

Pangong Cuo held the helmet, his head feeling as huge as a dipper. He tried to refuse, but Qin Mu insisted on forcing it onto him. He inwardly cursed Qin Mu countless times but still gritted his teeth and put on the helmet.

His eyes flickered. Despite having lived for ten millennia, experienced countless major historical events, and possessing vast knowledge and many hidden secrets, he knew very little about Carefree Village. As for its location, he was completely clueless.

He only knew from records of the Dao Sect, Great Thunderclap Temple, and Little Jade Capital that it was a place where one could become a god, where deities were active, and a remnant of the Kaihuang Era.

He had come hoping to use this ship to reach that mysterious place and become a god. Now he had the coveted helmet to control the treasure ship. However, how was he supposed to get to this so-called Carefree Village?

He put on the helmet and felt as if his head had swelled several sizes inside it, letting out a muffled groan.

What a trap.

He'd been tricked by someone named Qin.

No wonder that fellow had called him Qin Pangong Cuo the moment they met; this was what he'd been planning all along!

"But to think I'd perish here? That would be underestimating me far too much! Over ten millennia, countless prodigies have died and their legacies vanished—Dao Masters, Tathagatas, Immortals, all met their demise when their time came. In these ten thousand years, I alone have survived, not by my talent or comprehension, but by my extraordinary abilities! I haven't survived until now for nothing!"

Pangong Cuo's eyes glinted. He quickly figured out how to control the silver helmet, trying to tap on the geographical map displayed within. The treasure ship vibrated, but still couldn't move out of the beehive seal.

"Senior," Pangong Cuo quickly said, "This ship is stuck and can't move."

Suddenly, the treasure ship vibrated violently, shaking off the surrounding beehive seals. Clearly, the terrifying entity outside the ship had acted to dislodge the treasure ship from its confinement.

The beehive seals were loosened by the tremor, and numerous honeycomb-shaped seals developed cracks, then collapsed like glass. Suddenly, the demonic energy of Youdu surged, pouring into the Great Ruins.

Simultaneously, the two mountain-like white bat divine statues in the Underworld Valley rumbled and shook. Rocks trembled and continuously fell from the thousand-foot-tall sculptures.

Where the rocks fell away, the two white bat divine statues revealed a fleshy color, with blood vaguely visible flowing beneath their skin.

A deafening heartbeat suddenly emanated from within the two sculptures.

In front of the treasure ship, the colossal statue, half-buried in the ground, also vibrated. Its black stone surface shattered and flew in all directions, striking the surrounding cliffs and cracking the rock walls with terrifying sounds.

Where the black stone fell from this statue, a fleshy color also appeared, as if a petrified deity was about to awaken!

Pangong Cuo's heart leaped with joy. He knew many untold secrets, and he was quite knowledgeable about the Great Ruins. In one of his past lives, while traveling through the Great Ruins, he discovered a hidden treasure land. During his exploration there, he encountered an inconceivable incident.

At that time, there was a seal within the treasure land. He had assumed it concealed an earth-shattering treasure. To his surprise, after he forcibly broke the seal, what was imprisoned inside was not a treasure but a demon god!

However, just as he believed death was certain, a divine beast statue in that treasure land suddenly transformed from stone to flesh, as if a beast god had resurrected. It severely injured the demon god that was about to devour him and sealed it once more.

Afterward, the divine beast returned to its stone pedestal, its body gradually petrifying back into a stone sculpture.

From then on, Pangong Cuo rarely ventured into the Great Ruins. He knew that the Great Ruins harbored too many secrets, dangers, and killing intentions; a single misstep could lead to a mysterious death.

This time, however, he was using the Great Ruins' peculiarities to counter the mysterious entity!

The treasure ship was embedded within the beehive seal. If the ship were moved, the seal would break, and the gods and devils who had established the seal long ago would awaken from their statue forms!

This way, he could resolve the current crisis!

Judging by the violent vibrations from outside, the situation was unfolding as he predicted. The awakening statues would soon confront the terrifying entity controlling them, leaving it no time to focus on him!

And he would get this treasure ship and the silver helmet that controlled it!

Indeed, the tremors outside intensified. Although he couldn't see the scene, from the waves of collision, he could imagine the terrifying entity being discovered by the awakened statues and engaging in battle with them!

"Hahaha, this ship is finally mine..."

*Boom—*

Before his laughter faded, a fist slammed into his chest, dislodging the helmet from his head. Qin Mu, grasping the silver helmet's red tassel with one hand, sent Pangong Cuo flying with a punch, laughing heartily.

Pangong Cuo was enraged. Locusts buzzed and flew up, attacking Qin Mu.

Qin Mu raised his hand, using the Carefree Sword and other flying swords to block the locust attacks. Simultaneously, he moved towards the cabin door. Pangong Cuo guarded the door, his face filled with murderous intent, striking to kill.

The two clashed again, exchanging hundreds of blows in an instant. Suddenly, the treasure ship gently lurched, slipping out of the shattered beehive seal and plunging into the dark world of Youdu.

Both were startled and quickly looked out from the bridge. The ship drifted silently in the gloom, and behind them, the beehive seal was disintegrating. The luminous beehives extinguished one by one, moving further and further away from them.

Qin Mu hastily put on the helmet, attempting to steer the treasure ship back. The beehive seal was their portal out of Youdu; if they drifted into Youdu, no one knew what dangers they might encounter.

Unexpectedly, just as he put on the silver helmet, Pangong Cuo struck him heavily, sending him flying into the porthole. Pangong Cuo then snatched the silver helmet and put it on his own head.

Qin Mu's sword flew out, lifting Pangong Cuo. The next instant, he flashed to Pangong Cuo's side and snatched off the silver helmet.

They landed, glaring fiercely at each other. Suddenly, the last beehive seal shattered, its light vanishing. The treasure ship moved, and a chill spread through both their hearts; neither knew where the entrance back to the real world was.

"It's all your fault!" Qin Mu and Pangong Cuo exclaimed in unison.

————Zhaizhu feels much better today. If his condition improves further tomorrow, there will be three updates!