Chapter 541: Face-Changing Divine Skill

Holding Jiang Yi's body, Zhe Huali followed closely behind Fu Riluo. As they passed by, he turned his head to look at Qin Mu.

Qin Mu was refining pills. Hastily, he nodded with a smile and said, "Brother Zhe Huali, let's meet again sometime."

Zhe Huali remained expressionless and departed with Fu Riluo.

The Black Tiger God jumped down from the main hall, glancing first at Qin Mu, then at the Woodcutter Sage who had turned towards them. The Woodcutter Sage, who had seemingly put his large axe away, was now meticulously observing Qin Mu's pill refining technique.

Other deities also descended, gathering around them. Each had something to say and many questions to ask, yet all hesitated to speak.

As the Woodcutter Sage had not yet spoken, none dared to be the first to ask a question.

Venerable Sang Ye quickly pulled Sang Hua aside, wanting to severely reprimand his daughter. However, with everyone else silent, he found it difficult to speak up.

Qin Mu was in a critical stage of refining elixirs, focusing intently and ignoring everyone around him. However, being surrounded by these deities and their piercing gazes, even he felt the pressure, as beads of sweat formed evenly across his forehead.

A moment later, Qin Mu finished refining the elixir. He gently crushed it, dissolved it in a bit of water, and then dripped it into Yu He's and Shu Yao's eyes and ear canals.

He meticulously observed the growth of their eye and ear membranes, frowning slightly. Then, he rummaged through his Taotie Pouch, retrieved several herbs, refined a small amount of ointment, and carefully applied it to their eyes and ear canals.

"Why did you apply medicine twice?"

The Woodcutter Sage asked, puzzled, "The first medicine was for the growth of their eye and ear membranes, but the second medicine appears to have some toxicity. Why is that?"

Qin Mu observed Yu He's and Shu Yao's eyes, then their ear canals, and explained, "This ointment isn't a poison; it's a spirit medicine designed to inhibit growth. The first elixir I refined was meant to regenerate their damaged eye and ear membranes. However, since it was my first time preparing this particular compound, I misjudged its potency; it was a bit too strong. Continued growth would cause their membranes to thicken, impairing their sight and hearing. That's why I needed a second medicine, to inhibit the growth of their eye and ear membranes."

He stretched his back, then smiled and said, "They're almost fully recovered now. Their sight and hearing won't be any worse than before."

The surrounding deities of Tai Huang Heaven also breathed a sigh of relief. Yu He and Shu Yao were among the most powerful Seven-Star realm cultivators in Tai Huang Heaven, and also promising young individuals with the potential to become deities in the future. Their blindness or deafness would have been a tremendous loss for Tai Huang Heaven.

With Huang Yue and others already lost in the Sand Table World, Tai Huang Heaven's losses were already considerable.

Qin Mu bowed to the Woodcutter Sage, saying, "Your disciple Qin Mu greets Grandmaster."

The Woodcutter Sage extended his hands to help him up, smiling, "You've received my teachings and methods. Since you are my direct inheritor, you are my disciple; there's no need to call me Grandmaster."

Qin Mu was both surprised and delighted. Becoming a disciple of the Woodcutter Sage would instantly elevate his seniority, meaning that even if he encountered the past Heavenly Devil Cult Masters again, those old ghosts wouldn't be able to pressure him with rank!

He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Holy Master, have you heard of the Heavenly Saint Cult?"

"Heavenly Saint Cult?"

The Woodcutter Sage looked surprised, shaking his head and replying, "I haven't."

Qin Mu's face turned ashen, and he looked dejected and dispirited.

The Woodcutter Sage truly had never heard of the Heavenly Saint Cult!

Still somewhat unwilling to give up, he tentatively asked, "Then, Holy Master, did the sacred tree, the sacred stone, and the axe marks you left behind have any deeper meaning?"

"That old locust tree isn't dead yet?"

The Woodcutter Sage looked surprised, calculating for a moment. "That tree must be nearly twenty thousand years old, right? It's amazing that old locust tree is still alive after being chopped so many times by my axe; it must be about to become a spirit."

Qin Mu stammered, "Holy Master, that... that sacred stone..."

"What sacred stone? Oh, are you referring to the stone I used when I was teaching? What about it?"

Qin Mu felt as if struck by lightning, his mind in a state of utter confusion. He stammered, "Our Heavenly Saint Cult prostrates before that sacred stone and bows to the sacred tree at every grand ceremony. Only cult masters and elders who have achieved great merits are qualified to have their ashes buried beneath the sacred tree after death..."

The Woodcutter Sage shook his head. "So many rituals? What I dislike most are rituals. Could the Heavenly Saint Cult have been founded by my disciple? Your senior disciple didn't fully grasp my teachings, but he created quite a few rules. By focusing only on rules, he missed the true meaning of what I imparted to him. Useless, utterly useless!"

The "disciple" and "senior disciple" he referred to was the founding ancestor of the Heavenly Saint Cult. This founding ancestor was an elusive figure whom Qin Mu had not seen in Fengdu.

He had never been to Fengdu and his whereabouts were unknown.

Qin Mu's face alternated between green and pale. The sacred tree and sacred stone, cherished as invaluable treasures by successive cult masters, elders, hall masters, and members of the Heavenly Saint Cult, were, in the Woodcutter Sage's eyes, nothing more than dispensable objects!

If this truth were to get out, the entire Heavenly Saint Cult, including the young Grandmaster and all past cult masters in Fengdu, would surely go mad!

The Black Tiger God saw Qin Mu's dazed expression. He opened his mouth but then refrained, thinking, "My master always scolds me so readily; he would never believe this kid is in a bad state of mind. In just a short time, this kid's face has gone through a dozen expressions..."

True God Pang Yu stepped forward and examined Yu He's eyes and ears, then did the same for Shu Yao. Seeing that both were largely unharmed, he whispered, "Young friend Qin Mu saved both of you. Aren't you going to step forward and thank him? You managed to escape the Sand Table World alive, largely thanks to his self-sacrifice in drawing away the enemies and being the first to eliminate three formidable opponents."

Yu He and Shu Yao were greatly shocked, exclaiming, "He eliminated three demonic powerhouses by himself?"

"Including Jiang Yi, that's four."

Pang Yu sighed, "Of the ten demonic experts who entered, four died by his hand, accounting for nearly half. If you include the demonic expert eliminated by the girl from the Sang Ye family, those two alone secured the majority of the battle merits. The rest of you, including Yu He and Shu Yao, fought to the death, and six of you perished to eliminate only four enemies. The demon race should not be underestimated; their strength is still superior to yours..."

He shook his head, then fell silent.

Yu He and Shu Yao fell silent, exchanging a bitter glance.

Nine demonic experts had died; Qin Mu alone eliminated four, and Sang Hua one. This indeed accounted for the vast majority.

Meanwhile, Yu He and Shu Yao each eliminated one demonic expert, and together they eliminated another. This means that the other six human experts who died in battle only accounted for a single kill, despite all six losing their lives.

The demonic race's combat prowess was indeed superior to that of humans. Had Qin Mu, an unexpected variable, not intervened, these human experts would surely have faced complete annihilation!

Yu He and Shu Yao let out a sigh of relief, then approached Qin Mu, who still looked distraught with his expression shifting wildly. They bowed and expressed their gratitude.

Qin Mu hastily returned their bow, beaming. "I was so absorbed in forging my flying swords and enhancing my combat power just now that I didn't introduce myself to Senior Sister and Senior Brother. I am Qin Mu — the 'Qin' from 'threshing grain with a pestle in both hands,' and the 'Mu' from 'herding cattle.' It's a pleasure to meet you, Senior Sister Yu He and Senior Brother Shu Yao."

The Black Tiger God watched him, who had just been sullen and now was beaming in the blink of an eye, and couldn't help but coldly snort, "My master just can't see how quickly this kid's face changes!"

Yu He and Shu Yao hastily returned the bow. Shu Yao apologized, "I repeatedly mocked you just now, Brother Qin, calling you a grain thresher and a blacksmith. I hope you don't take it to heart."

Qin Mu's expression turned serious as he earnestly explained, "The seal script for the character 'Qin' actually depicts two people using a pestle to pound rice, so it wasn't a joke. To be frank, I've studied various classics with my teacher since childhood and have also learned various languages like Demonic, Draconic, Buddhist Chants, and Youdu. I'm also somewhat conversant in Divine language. Sometimes I enjoy playing with words, and it's not entirely for show."

"This kid's face changed again!"

The Black Tiger God gnashed his teeth, "But my master just can't see it!"

"Senior Sister Yu He, Senior Brother Shu Yao."

The serious expression vanished from Qin Mu's face, replaced by a smile as warm as a spring breeze. His eyebrows twitched as he spoke excitedly, "Have either of you heard of the Heavenly Saint Cult? To be honest, I am its Cult Master. The Heavenly Saint Cult was founded by my teacher, this very Holy Master you've met. He is wise, valiant, and a man of few words, but the doctrines of my Heavenly Saint Cult are truly excellent, truly profound. As the saying goes, 'The way of the Sage is no different from the daily life of common people'..."

A moment later, Qin Mu exhaled, smiling at Yu He and Shu Yao, who had just joined the cult. He thought, "The Holy Cult has finally established itself in Tai Huang Heaven! My luck isn't bad today; I've recruited two future deities as hall masters! It's fine if the Woodcutter Sage doesn't recognize the Heavenly Saint Cult, as long as he remains silent. Oh, and Sister Hua too!"

The Black Tiger God idly twirled his two ears, thinking, "My master still can't see..."

Qin Mu excitedly headed towards Sang Ye and Sang Hua, only to be immediately surrounded by numerous deities. As they showered him with continuous praise, Qin Mu repeatedly expressed his humility. The more they praised him, the more his confidence soared, and he was overjoyed.

"My master still can't see..." thought the Black Tiger God, one ear flopped forward, the other backward.

Qin Mu was held up by the many deities. When the commotion finally died down, these Tai Huang Heaven deities dispersed to busy themselves with deploying troops and generals, ensuring Li City wouldn't be left vulnerable and retaken by the demon race. Sang Hua was also led away by Venerable Sang Ye, causing Qin Mu to secretly sigh with regret.

The Woodcutter Sage said, "Follow me, I have some questions for you."

Qin Mu quickly followed. The Black Tiger God also attempted to follow, but the Woodcutter Sage glanced back, prompting the Black Tiger God to halt immediately and look away.

"Are you a demon or a human?"

Qin Mu followed the Woodcutter Sage to a secluded spot. The Woodcutter Sage suddenly asked, "Although you have learned my cultivation methods and received my inheritance, there is a strange power within you—the power of the demon race. You appeared suddenly on the battlefield, right in the midst of the demonic forces, which makes your presence suspicious. Tell me, where do you truly come from?"

Qin Mu hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Carefree Village."

The Woodcutter Sage suddenly turned, staring directly at him, as if trying to discern whether he was speaking the truth or lying.

Qin Mu's expression was calm as he stated, "I wasn't born in Carefree Village. My mother was pregnant with me when my parents left there, and they encountered an enemy attack on the way. I was eventually born in Youdu. The King of Hell in Fengdu said that because I was born there, an anomaly might have occurred during my birth, causing the demonic essence of Youdu to enter my body."

"My master, his face is calm again, but you still can't see it even as you stare!" In the distance, the Black Tiger God seethed with indignation.

"You say you are from Carefree Village; do you have a token?" the Woodcutter Sage asked.

Qin Mu quickly retrieved a jade pendant from around his neck.