Chapter 499: Killing the Heart of Qin Sect Leader

In the Three Lives Mirror, as time rewound further and further into antiquity, another world finally began to appear. Wei Wushen and countless gods and devils received orders to descend and conquer the Kaihuang Heavenly Court.

Even King Yama couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement, rising to look at the Three Lives Mirror.

The memory in the mirror shifted to Wei Wushen's perspective; he wanted to see who had given the order to destroy the Kaihuang Heavenly Court all those years ago.

Wei Wushen's broad vision revealed the vast and magnificent spectacle of the so-called True Heavenly Court, where countless gods and devils swore an oath to battle, intent on purging the Kaihuang Heavenly Court.

It was a scene that stirred the heart, yet filled it with dread.

Even a being like Wei Wushen was an insignificant pawn among countless gods and devils in this so-called True Heavenly Court.

The view in the mirror slowly lifted, revealing the high-ranking true gods. Their colossal bodies were immense and boundless, with other gods surrounding them like constellations at their feet.

In the mirror, Wei Wushen was looking at the leader of this oath-swearing ceremony, the so-called Heavenly Emperor of the Heavenly Court.

King Yama could not suppress his excitement. Just as the face of that immensely powerful being was about to appear in Wei Wushen's vision, the scene in the mirror suddenly distorted violently!

This particular memory of Wei Wushen's abruptly turned blank, wiped away by an unknown force.

King Yama's heart skipped a beat, and he reached out, pressing his hand against the mirror's surface.

"Trace Light Art!"

On the mirror's surface, the image stabilized for a moment, but the next instant, a colossal eye appeared, seemingly capable of devouring all light, causing Wei Wushen's memory to be incessantly erased.

King Yama roared, and his long, dark cloak swirled upward. A beam of sword light shot out from beneath it, cutting into the mirror.

Within the Three Lives Mirror, the scene recovered, and the images continued to rewind, revealing Wei Wushen's earlier experiences. However, all of Wei Wushen's memories concerning the so-called True Heavenly Court had been utterly obliterated, ceasing to exist.

King Yama withdrew his sword, and the sword light vanished back into his cloak.

"An extremely powerful being sensed us trying to peek at him through Wei Wushen's memories, so he deleted Wei Wushen's recollection of him."

His voice was firm and resonant as he stated gravely, "If Wei Wushen recalls him, he will be sensed. His mighty magic power permeates time and space, piercing through consciousness—it is truly terrifying!"

Inside the Qin King's Hall, the assembly of ghost kings shivered. To be sensed by a person merely by recalling them, and then have those memories directly erased?

Such a divine ability was utterly inconceivable!

Qin Mu was similarly astonished beyond measure. The Three Lives Mirror's ability to project a person's entire life's memories was already fantastical and unbelievable, but a divine ability that could sense others' scrutiny and then delete their memories was terrifying to an unimaginable degree.

"They were seizing the opportunity to observe that True Heavenly Court," he mused privately. "Does that mean the one who erased Wei Wushen's memory segment was the Heavenly Emperor of the True Heavenly Court?"

The remaining memories of Wei Wushen surfaced in the Three Lives Mirror, detailing his experiences studying divine arts and abilities in Youdu. Numerous ghost kings stepped forward to observe intently, some with brushes and ink, meticulously recording the divine methods and spells Wei Wushen learned there.

In Wei Wushen's memories, the Heavenly Court had sent many gifted individuals with divine abilities to Youdu for study, and a significant number of them later achieved remarkable accomplishments.

This suggested a strong connection between the True Heavenly Court and Youdu.

Qin Mu's heart stirred, and he, too, yearned to get closer and learn Youdu's Dao arts and divine abilities.

Youdu's Dao arts and divine abilities were truly exceptional. He had only learned the incomplete Soulbeckon Charm from the Nine Nether Gate, a Youdu spell. Yet, even in its incomplete state, it was a formidable skill, capable of even summoning back the souls of Apothecary and Granny Si.

Wei Wushen's ability to curse others to death also stemmed from Youdu's Dao arts and divine abilities.

If he could master them, wouldn't he gain another potent skill?

However, the numerous ghost kings had completely surrounded the Three Lives Mirror, leaving no room. Since he was still a "prisoner," he couldn't push his way to the front.

Suddenly, King Yama looked towards him, his gaze under the black robe flickering in and out.

Qin Mu's heart felt a chill, and he cautiously ventured, "King Yama, my mortal lifespan is not yet exhausted..."

The Deity Chixiu interjected, "Your crime is too severe; don't even think about leaving! You forcibly used Youdu's spells to seize several people from my Fengdu, violating our laws. Your wickedness surpasses even Xing An's. And you still wish to depart? King Yama, how should he be dealt with?"

King Yama replied, "Violating Fengdu's laws, even a prince must face the same punishment as a commoner; indeed, he must be penalized. It will take some time to decipher the divine arts and methods within Wei Wushen's memories. Take him away for now. Later, I will personally interrogate him alone!"

The Deity Chixiu was surprised. King Yama himself, for a private interrogation?

Even Xing An and Wei Wushen hadn't been granted the privilege of a private interrogation!

Although Qin Mu's crime appeared significant, it could be seen as either major or minor. Fengdu's rules, like Youdu's, prohibit interference in the affairs of the mortal realm.

For the living, Fengdu and Youdu were both parts of the underworld. Any interference by the underworld in the mortal realm would lead to unpredictable consequences.

This was the established rule.

Fengdu did not interfere with the mortal realm, and neither did Youdu.

This was also the primary reason Wei Wushen claimed King Yama could do nothing to him: King Yama could not execute the primordial spirit of someone whose mortal lifespan was not yet complete.

Furthermore, Qin Mu was still the Human Emperor. Initially, the Deity Chixiu had believed King Yama would show deference to the previous Human Emperors, making a grand gesture but ultimately letting Qin Mu off lightly with a mere reprimand.

Now, it appeared this was a move to make an example of Qin Mu, to 'kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.'

"Come with me."

The Deity Chixiu escorted Qin Mu out. Once they were outside the hall, he whispered, "When King Yama interrogates you later, just admit your fault. Don't worry, he won't truly punish you; you have influential connections."

Qin Mu felt relieved, thinking, "The Village Chief's influence is truly immense. But then again, he only recently died; has he already become a heroic spirit in Fengdu?"

Outside the hall, Xing An resembled a large sphere covered in other people's bodies and heads, rolling, bickering, and fighting. In a short time, he was being tormented miserably by the very limbs he wore.

Suddenly, Xing An saw Qin Mu also being escorted out of the Qin King's Hall and sneered, "Divine Physician Qin, it seems your offense is even greater than mine. I've been released, yet you're still being held. You've committed so many evil deeds; this is your just reward!"

Qin Mu stopped and asked, "Xing An, what is your mortal lifespan?"

Xing An paused briefly, then sneered, "I am a true god, with infinite longevity! What 'mortal lifespan' are you speaking of?"

Qin Mu shook his head. "I'm asking how much mortal lifespan your original body still possesses. In Fengdu, you only have the lifespan of your true form. If your original body's lifespan reaches its end, you will die."

Xing An's heart was greatly shaken.

The Deity Chixiu flapped his wings, saying idly, "When your mortal lifespan ends, there's still your underworld lifespan. Mortal lifespan is for the physical body; underworld lifespan is for the soul. Rest assured, once your mortal lifespan runs out, you can remain here forever."

Xing An was gripped by terror and desperately tried to leave Fengdu, but how could those who had died by his hand possibly release him?

Xing An found himself unable to move an inch, instead being dragged towards the city by the resentful spirits of the dead.

"King Yama, you're not keeping your word!"

Xing An bellowed, "You want to trap me here until I die and then harvest my soul!"

"He already told you to leave; it's simply that you can't."

Qin Mu shook his head. "Senior Brother Xing An, do you still not grasp King Yama's meaning? If you wish to leave Fengdu, you must abandon the bodies of others and use only your own. Only then can you depart. Otherwise, you will simply grow old and perish here!"

Xing An's heart was profoundly shaken.

For him to abandon the divine bodies of others would be tantamount to directly rejecting his lifelong pursuits and ideals, effectively crippling his god-like powerful physical body and primordial spirit.

"Are you willing to grow old and die here, or are you willing to fight for a chance?"

Qin Mu continued, "Ever since you realized that becoming a god was hopeless, you lost your fighting spirit, didn't you? From that point, you ceased to be the sage who emerged once every five hundred years; you became a mere wretch, hoping to possess what belonged to others to elevate yourself, unaware that after death, it would all amount to nothing! All your efforts, when they reach this place, are like flowers in the mist or reflections in water—utterly valueless, becoming only obstacles. What isn't yours was never yours to begin with!"

Xing An's Dao heart rumbled. Even when Sect Leader Li Tianxing assailed his Dao heart with his own, it had remained undamaged. Yet now, a few simple words from Qin Mu had created a fundamental flaw in his Dao heart!

He had believed these things were his, yet in the end, they were not. This was his greatest blow.

"The path to becoming a god, I have already laid it out for you."

Qin Mu, a mere skeleton, stood small before him, yet possessed an aura that commanded respect. He calmly stated, "Now, abandon these limbs that do not belong to you, take back your own, and you can still achieve godhood and forge your own path. Box, are there any limbs in your stomach that haven't transformed into people yet?"

The gluttonous beast behind him clamped its mouth shut, while the Dragon Qilin struggled to pry it open, peeking into the creature's stomach. "Cult Master," he reported, "there are indeed a few limbs in there!"

"Other people's limbs will transform into human form in Fengdu, but yours won't, because you are not truly dead."

Qin Mu commanded, "Box, spit them out and return them to him. Let him take his own limbs and walk back."

How could the gluttonous beast bear to part with them?

From its belly came the Dragon Qilin's muffled, resentful voice: "Cult Master, it ate me again!"

Qin Mu was furious, punching and kicking. "Spit them out! Quickly!"

The gluttonous beast remained utterly still. After a moment, it reluctantly spat out the Dragon Qilin along with the limbs.

The Dragon Qilin quickly hid behind Qin Mu; that "big box" filled him with dread.

Qin Mu threw the limbs in front of Xing An and said calmly, "Release others, reclaim your own body, and you live. Otherwise, you die. Fatty Dragon, Box, let's go. Let him ponder this himself."

Xing An remained silent. Dozens of limbs on his body furiously beat him again, attempting to tear him apart and drag him to his death. Yet, he still found it incredibly difficult to make a decision.

For him to deny his lifelong efforts and admit his error was something he found impossible to do.

Nevertheless, he knew that Qin Mu, despite being far inferior in cultivation and strength, had utterly defeated him in terms of Dao heart, crushing it so completely that it could not be mended.

"Cult Master, will Xing An relinquish those divine bodies?" the Dragon Qilin asked, looking back.

Qin Mu shook his head. "That depends on his own resolve. Even if he reverts to his original body, he won't live for many more years. I don't know if he can achieve godhood within that time, but if he doesn't switch, he will simply grow old and die here. I truly don't know..."

Just then, a booming voice suddenly laughed, "Chixiu, I heard my grand-disciple was brought in by you?"