Chapter 309: Great Sovereign's Wisdom

On the bridge, Qin Mu and Ban Gengcuo continued their fierce, life-or-death battle. Both men had simultaneously concluded that since a portal to the real world was nowhere to be found, they should first eliminate their respective obstacles. Only after vanquishing the other could they fully concentrate on controlling the treasure ship to locate an exit. Otherwise, having such a formidable foe constantly eyeing them, ready to strike from behind, would be a constant headache. It would be akin to capsizing in a ditch, a disaster waiting to happen.

As a reincarnated being, Ban Gengcuo's cultivation was progressing at an astonishing rate. Qin Mu didn't wish to keep him alive; the longer their conflict lasted, the greater the chance Ban Gengcuo's power would surpass his own. Therefore, he had to be eradicated swiftly. Ban Gengcuo, however, recognized the formidable nature of Qin Mu, the new Human Emperor. His growth potential was astounding, and his character was sly and cunning, making him difficult to outmaneuver and prone to outmaneuvering others. The longer this situation persisted, the more perilous it would become. Thus, he too needed to eliminate Qin Mu without delay.

Both had already expended a vast amount of their vital qi and possessed the strength to deliver a fatal blow to the other. Now, fighting for their lives, their vital qi was depleting even more rapidly. Before long, both were battered and bruised, gasping for breath. After one last collision, both men collapsed onto their backs, completely drained of vital qi and strength. Qin Mu struggled to crawl, desperate to grasp a sword and stab Ban Gengcuo. His flying swords were scattered across the bridge, but with his vital qi depleted, he couldn't summon a single one. He could only slowly inch his way forward.

He painstakingly crawled to a flying sword, reaching out to grasp its hilt. A smile briefly touched his lips, then froze. "Si Yunxiang," he muttered, "I swear I'll beat your backside into three pieces; you won't leave your bed for half a month!" He had indeed gripped the hilt, but his flying swords, forged from profound gold essence, each weighed three hundred catties. In his current state, he lacked the strength to lift one, or even drag it. Their immense weight, naturally, was Si Yunxiang's handiwork!

Meanwhile, Ban Gengcuo struggled to gather a sliver of magical power, attempting to conjure a flying locust to eliminate Qin Mu. But his vital qi was intermittent, preventing the locust from taking flight. The creature slowly crawled towards Qin Mu, barely faster than an ant. Qin Mu, meanwhile, turned back, laboriously propelling himself forward towards Ban Gengcuo. He pulled a handful of potent poisonous herbs from his Taotie bag, a strange smile twisting his lips.

Ban Gengcuo desperately willed the flying locust forward, finally managing to make it reach Qin Mu's calf. It latched onto his leg and bit, but Ban Gengcuo's vital qi was too weak, and the locust's strength meager. After a long struggle, it finally chewed through Qin Mu's pant leg, then managed to break the skin. Qin Mu endured the pain, straining to crawl forward. Panic flashed across Ban Gengcuo's face. He struggled to roll over, using his hands and feet, his chin scraping the floor, desperately trying to put distance between himself and Qin Mu.

One man pushed ahead, the other pursued from behind, their movements agonizingly slow. After half a day of excruciating effort, they had only covered a few yards. Suddenly, Ban Gengcuo managed to retrieve something from his Taotie bag: a gourd filled with potent witchcraft poison. Ban Gengcuo was ecstatic. This was the witchcraft he had refined in his previous life, fiercely potent and capable of eliminating Qin Mu with ease. He immediately ceased his slow progress, painstakingly turning his body to crawl back towards Qin Mu.

Upon seeing this, Qin Mu quickly attempted to turn around. After a considerable struggle, he finally managed to face the other way and began crawling forward with renewed effort. Ban Gengcuo's witchcraft was refined and ready, whereas the poisons Qin Mu possessed were still semi-finished, undoubtedly inferior in potency.

"You brat, you're dead for sure!" Ban Gengcuo relentlessly pursued, finally reaching Qin Mu's legs. Excitedly, he struggled to pull the stopper from the gourd's mouth, his face turning crimson from the exertion, but he couldn't dislodge it. Qin Mu, believing his end was near, looked back. Ban Gengcuo hastily declared, "You brat, you're absolutely dead!" hoping to intimidate him into fleeing.

"Little Prince, you're out of strength, aren't you?"

Qin Mu lashed out with a foot, shoving it into Ban Gengcuo's mouth, attempting to choke him. Ban Gengcuo's eyes rolled back from the choking. Suddenly, he steeled himself. "I've been reincarnated countless times," he thought, "do I still care about the humiliation of this mortal body?" He bit down hard, clamping onto Qin Mu's foot. Qin Mu yelped in pain, quickly withdrawing his leg. With a cold sneer, he smeared poison onto his foot, preparing to shove it back into Ban Gengcuo's mouth.

While Qin Mu was applying the poison, Ban Gengcuo quickly crawled over. The two men wrestled together, each attempting to strangle the other, but their hands lacked any strength. Moreover, the life force of cultivators at their level was astonishingly tenacious. They spent nearly half an hour strangling each other, yet neither succeeded in killing the other; instead, they completely depleted their last ounce of strength. Both collapsed completely, only their fingers, toes, and eyeballs still twitching imperceptibly. Both struggled to regulate their breathing, attempting to restore a sliver of vital qi, each hoping to eliminate the other before their opponent recovered.

As time ticked by, Qin Mu finally regained a trace of strength. He took out some dragon's saliva and applied it to his wounds. Allowing such severe wounds to bleed freely would overwhelm even a body forged from iron. Meanwhile, Ban Gengcuo retrieved a jade bottle and consumed its contents. As a being who had lived for millennia, he possessed vast knowledge. He had deep expertise in medicine, and in toxicology, he had even developed the infamous soul-poisoning witchcraft.

Qin Mu cast a wary glance at him, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes. Ban Gengcuo was a rare polymath, proficient in every discipline. While none of his skills reached the absolute pinnacle, they were nonetheless exceptional. If he could ever integrate all his knowledge, he would undoubtedly experience an astonishing leap in power – though such a feat would be incredibly challenging. However, the current Ban Gengcuo held no hope of integrating his vast learning. Despite his supreme intelligence, his ambition had been blunted, and his drive extinguished.

Ban Gengcuo didn't resume his attack. Despite living through countless lifetimes, he still couldn't gain the upper hand against Qin Mu. The first time he encountered Qin Mu, he was completely outmatched and nearly lost his life. He hadn't anticipated that this encounter would also result in a mutually destructive outcome, which truly frustrated him. Within him lay the power of his previous lives, yet this power could not be easily wielded. He needed to constantly enhance the strength of his current body and refine his foundation to be able to withstand its immense might. His past life's power was simply too terrifying; the slightest misstep could cause his current body to explode. However, once this body improved, his cultivation would directly reach the absolute pinnacle it could attain. Consequently, his cultivation speed still surpassed Qin Mu's. Yet, five months had elapsed since their last parting. Logically, his cultivation should have far outstripped Qin Mu's, but he hadn't anticipated finding them still neck and neck.

Neither man spoke, their gazes fixed on the view beyond the porthole. The world of Youdu had no distinct up or down, no changing seasons, no visible land, sun, or moon. Naturally, there were no cardinal directions – east, south, west, or north. While all other worlds possessed such distinctions, Youdu alone lacked them. In the desolate Youdu, the treasure ship drifted aimlessly through the pervasive darkness. The farther they drifted, the more challenging it would become to return to the real world. In such profound isolation, they feared they would soon succumb to madness!

Outside the ship, a sudden flash of light pierced the dark world of Youdu. It was a Youdu creature, shimmering in the gloom, luring unsuspecting prey towards it. Curiously, however, since the treasure ship had entered Youdu, no terrifying Youdu creatures had dared to approach. Qin Mu and Ban Gengcuo suddenly grasped a crucial point, a chill running down their spines: "There must be some terrifying entity on this ship, preventing Youdu creatures from approaching!" This terrifying presence was, naturally, not themselves, but something else entirely aboard the vessel.

Qin Mu then recalled the surge of demonic qi when he first boarded the ship. Now, he was certain they weren't alone; something else was hidden on board! "The human heart is treacherous," he mused. "This world is so perilous; the slightest misstep means you'll be devoured whole, leaving not even a single bone."

He shakily rose to his feet. Ban Gengcuo instantly became alert, hastily adopting a defensive posture. However, Qin Mu made no move to attack. Instead, he unslung the Taotie bag from his back, opened it, and began putting his flying swords inside. Ban Gengcuo exhaled in relief, recalling his flying locusts. "Cult Master Qin," he said, "I fear there are unpredictable dangers lurking on this ship. We should unite our efforts to overcome this predicament rather than continue our life-and-death struggle. What is your opinion?"

Qin Mu narrowed his eyes. "I was just thinking the same thing," he replied. "However, if we are to cooperate, I find it difficult to trust you."

Ban Gengcuo's eyes flickered. "I don't trust you either," he conceded. "Cult Master Qin, we are adversaries. I underestimated you in the past, but I will absolutely not do so again. This situation is unlike anything I anticipated; we've blundered into the Youdu world, and this ship holds secrets, concealing terrifying presences. We must set aside our past animosities and cooperate if we hope to leave here alive. If we continue to fight, we will surely perish!"

Qin Mu conceded grudgingly, "In that case, we will cooperate only while we are on this ship. Once we are off this vessel, we remain enemies."

Ban Gengcuo smiled and nodded. "It's a deal!" he affirmed.

"It's a deal!"

Qin Mu hesitated for a moment. "Should we also sign a Tu Bo's pact?" he asked.

Ban Gengcuo offered a faint smile. "There's no need for such formality," he said. "We are merely cooperating temporarily."

Qin Mu nodded. "That makes sense," he agreed.

Ban Gengcuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "This new Human Emperor is still young after all," he thought. "He can't outmaneuver me yet. If I were to sign a Tu Bo's pact with you, I'd be forced into an alliance. Where would I find an opportunity to eliminate you then?"

Both men harbored ulterior motives. Ban Gengcuo then said, "We must find our subordinates and regroup; only then will we possess the strength to defend ourselves."

Qin Mu nodded. "Grandmaster speaks wisely," he said. "I shall follow your lead. Oh, Grandmaster, about this silver helmet…" He produced the silver helmet with a red tassel, looking conflicted.

Ban Gengcuo desired the helmet, but he feared Qin Mu might ambush him the moment he put it on. He shook his head. "Since we are now cooperating fully," he said, "we must naturally trust each other. You may keep it for now. This time, follow me. I have deciphered the secrets of this ship's rooms using the method of alignment."

Qin Mu expressed genuine admiration. "Grandmaster is truly sagacious!"

Having put their affairs in order, the two men exited the cabin. The ship was eerily silent and deserted; no other person or living thing was in sight. Only some glowing green slime coated the deck. The treasure ship was enormous. Baifu, Long Qilin, Ban Gengcuo's Grand Shaman Witch King, and the soldiers from the Barbarian Di Kingdom were likely still trapped within those rooms.

Both men consumed spiritual pills, strenuously working to restore their cultivation. They walked side-by-side into the room they had emerged from. Qin Mu activated his Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique, catalyzing the medicinal effects. His cultivation recovered by twenty to thirty percent, and the physical wounds, now coated with dragon's saliva, began to scab over and heal. Ban Gengcuo's injuries also showed some improvement; his spiritual medicine proved no less potent than Qin Mu's.

Suddenly, Qin Mu caught sight of the old man from the painting flashing across the wall once more. His heart stirred, and he swiftly pursued.

Ban Gengcuo immediately shouted, "That's the wrong way!"

But Qin Mu had already opened another door and dashed inside! Ban Gengcuo reluctantly followed, seething inwardly. "If I didn't still have a use for you," he fumed, "I would have killed you long ago! You brat, once you're truly in my grasp, I won't let you die so easily!"