Chapter 544: Gray Ashes

Qin Mu was still somewhat uneasy. He decided to recalculate everything once more to check for any errors. It wasn't that he mistrusted Black Tiger God, but rather that establishing a World Bridge for Spirit Energy Translocation between two worlds was unprecedented. If something went wrong, he didn't know what might happen.

For example, when Qin Mu refined elixirs to heal injuries, each new elixir he concocted could have peculiar side effects. If there was an issue with an elixir's potency, it could still be remedied, but how could a Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge connecting two worlds be remedied if it malfunctioned?

Black Tiger God quickly rolled up the blueprints and enthusiastically started walking out, laughing, "Hurry, hurry! I can't wait to test it!"

Qin Mu had no choice but to follow him out of the city gate. He asked Sang Hua, "Sister Hua, what brings you all here?"

"Li City has been rebuilt, but within a thousand-mile radius, there are still many scattered demonic tribes active. These demons practice their arts using the flesh and souls of our common people from the Emperor's Sky, posing a great danger."

Sang Hua said, "We've been looking for you for a long time. We plan to go on a training expedition with you to eliminate those wandering demonic divine arts practitioners."

Yu He said, "When Bo Ri Luo was in Li City, he restricted the demons from harming the common people. But once he left, the remaining demons couldn't restrain themselves. To demons, our human race is both food and material for refining treasures and practicing cultivation. So these days, many people in the surrounding villages have been devastated. Junior Sister Sang Hua originally planned to go to the Divine Suppression Pagoda first, but she had to postpone it."

Qin Mu frowned, "Bo Ri Luo forbade demons from harming the common people? Why did he issue such an order?"

"To win over the hearts of the people."

Shu Yao's expression was grave. "A city can be broken, a nation can fall, and a god can die in battle, but the hearts of the people are the hardest to conquer. Bo Ri Luo is a demon god with great ambitions and very clever tactics. If he doesn't harm the common people, they won't resist. Even if he exploits them more, making them slaves to the demons—mining ore, planting, and gathering medicinal herbs—it allows the lower-ranking demons to fully devote themselves to battle. An enemy who can attack the heart is the most formidable enemy."

Qin Mu nodded, his impression of Bo Ri Luo significantly changed.

Bo Ri Luo was not merely a reckless brute who only knew how to besiege cities and plunder lands. He deeply understood the art of governance and knew how to maximize benefits for the demonic race.

Lower-ranking demons held a low status. Qin Mu had already witnessed their fate on the battlefield: they were expendable in combat. If low-ranking demons were enslaved and forced to do slave labor, and then also treated as expendable, it would be difficult to maintain control over them.

By enslaving humanity and ensuring the comfort of the lower-ranking demons, Bo Ri Luo could then send the latter into desperate battles, thereby maintaining his rule.

As for humans, because they were allowed to survive, even though enslaved, they didn't know how to or wouldn't resist. This ensured stability for Bo Ri Luo's rear and provided a continuous supply of resources from these humans, allowing him to dedicate all his energy to front-line campaigns.

"Bo Ri Luo is a great talent; no wonder the Holy Teacher was so wary of him."

Qin Mu pondered for a moment, then asked, "Many demonic spiritual weapons must have been collected from the battlefield, right? How do you dispose of them?"

Yu He replied, "Demonic spiritual weapons often contain demonic nature and qi, so they are usually destroyed to prevent the demons from reclaiming them."

Qin Mu smiled, "Brother Tiger and I need a lot of Dark Gold and Dark Iron to set up the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge. Since demonic spiritual weapons are useless to you, could you lend them to us? The demonic nature and qi within them would be just what we need!"

Yu He smiled, "My master can procure many demonic spiritual weapons. How many does the Cult Master need?"

"The more, the better!"

Qin Mu said solemnly, "Thank you, Hall Master Yu He!"

Yu He turned to leave, saying, "Cult Master, you're too kind. Those demonic items are useless anyway. You two go ahead; my master and I will bring the spiritual weapons over shortly."

Qin Mu looked at Sang Hua and the others, hesitating for a moment. He said, "Sister Hua, Brother Tiger and I will need some time to set up the bridge. You should all go on your training expedition and return in ten days. By then, we should have the runic imprints ready. After that, we can go on expeditions together, and perhaps I can even introduce you to many new friends."

Sang Hua whispered, "Besides looking for you to go on an expedition, there's one more thing: a few of us plan to join your cult."

The other divine arts practitioners from Emperor's Sky quickly nodded in agreement.

Qin Mu was dumbfounded. He looked at Shu Yao, who helplessly explained, "That day, the Cult Master spoke to us about the principles of the Heavenly Saint Cult. Senior Sister Yu He and I deeply resonated with them, so we joined and became hall masters. Afterward, I also talked a bit too much, telling them about the cult's tenets, and they liked it too, so they all came along."

Sang Hua excitedly asked, "So, can we also have the position of Hall Master?"

Qin Mu's heart swelled with joy, but he kept a straight face, smiling, "The Heavenly Saint Cult is a leading righteous sect in Yankang; not just anyone can join. However, I'm deeply moved by your valiant acts of resisting demons without regard for your lives. I know you are all righteous individuals who share my aspirations, so joining the cult won't be difficult for you. But to become a Hall Master, you must possess a specialized skill. Our Holy Cult has three hundred and sixty-one halls, representing three hundred and sixty-one trades, so high strength alone doesn't qualify one to be a Hall Master."

Sang Hua and the others looked a bit disappointed. Qin Mu smiled slightly and added, "However, the Holy Cult has just established a branch in Emperor's Sky, and Emperor's Sky is also in ruins, awaiting reconstruction. Urgent matters require quick action, so we don't need to be too strict. Therefore, all of you can become Hall Masters of the Holy Cult in Emperor's Sky."

Sang Hua cheered, "Do we need to take a blood oath not to betray the cult?"

Qin Mu was torn between laughter and tears. He shook his head and said, "Our Heavenly Saint Cult isn't some infamous demonic cult; we don't do blood oaths. Furthermore, cult members don't prostrate themselves before the Cult Master; a simple greeting is sufficient, no grand kneeling ceremonies. The Cult Master is a Holy Teacher, not an emperor. I'm currently in a hurry to build the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge and don't have time to explain in detail. When you return in ten days, the two worlds will be connected, and I'll have our Holy Cult brothers from Yankang explain everything to you thoroughly."

Sang Hua and the others, feeling content, left with Shu Yao.

"Establishing the cult in Emperor's Sky is simpler than I imagined."

Qin Mu mused to himself, glancing at Black Tiger God beside him, his eyes sparkling. "Brother Tiger, do you want to join the cult?"

Black Tiger God shot him a glare and sneered, "My Lord has never acknowledged your Heavenly Saint Cult. Don't bother wasting your effort; let's hurry and build the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge!"

The man and the tiger soon arrived before a colossal pyramid-shaped altar. The altar soared like a mountain, with steps leading up into the air on all sides, culminating in an absolutely flat platform at the top. Blood sacrifice runes were etched around the altar. The divine arts practitioners of Emperor's Sky had piled countless bones here to summon the stone statues and divine spirits from the Great Ruins.

The runes for the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge designed by Qin Mu and Black Tiger God were themselves based on sacrificial runes. Only a few of the existing runes on the altar needed modification. The man and the tiger immediately got to work, altering the runic imprints.

A moment later, True God Pang Yu arrived with Yu He. True God Pang Yu set down the mountain of demonic spiritual weapons and smiled, "Young friend, are these demonic spiritual weapons sufficient? If not, there's another batch in Mingyi City, several times more than what's here."

Qin Mu was overjoyed and said with a laugh, "They're more than enough, thank you, True God!"

True God Pang Yu smiled, "Is there anywhere my apprentice and I can help?" Yu He also looked eager to assist.

Black Tiger God was about to agree, but Qin Mu hurriedly shook his head, "No need! True God has many important matters, and Senior Sister Yu He also needs to go on her expedition. We wouldn't dare trouble you two!"

True God Pang Yu indeed had many responsibilities, so he bid farewell and left with Yu He. Black Tiger God complained, "Building the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge requires too many components to refine. We'll be busy for a long time crafting them. Why didn't you let him help?"

"Brother, look at the sun in the sky!"

Black Tiger God looked up at the sky and suddenly understood. "You're right, we can't let the gods and devils of Emperor's Sky help, or who knows what kind of trouble they might cause!"

The man and the tiger immediately set to work, smelting the demonic weapons to refine the components needed for the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge. There was no need to remove their demonic nature; merely melting and recasting them was sufficient.

Both were master smiths and skilled in arithmetic. Every component was refined with extreme precision, and every runic imprint on them had to be flawlessly etched, precise to the instantaneous digit, striving for perfection.

The God of Sun Creation had forged the sun in the sky crookedly because, when designing the divine-made sun, he hadn't demanded high precision for each component. According to Qin Mu's estimation, in the blueprints for that one and a half suns, the God of Sun Creation had calculated only to the *hu* or *wei* decimal places at most, resulting in the sun being unsightly and distorted.

For the sun to appear perfectly round when suspended in the sky, it would need to be calculated at least to the *xu yu* or *shun xi* decimal places.

The one and a half suns in the sky were dozens of times larger than the great altar. Qin Mu's precision requirements for the altar's components were already extremely high, with every component needing to be precise to the instantaneous digit. This was why he found the suns in the sky an eyesore.

The Woodcutter Sage, also a master of arithmetic and forging, similarly found the suns in Emperor's Sky intolerable.

Ten days later, Sang Hua, Shu Yao, and others arrived, bringing hundreds of divine arts practitioners, all waiting for Qin Mu and Black Tiger God to activate the Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge.

Qin Mu and Black Tiger God were busily working on the altar, making adjustments and calibrations, not daring to relax for a moment. For these ten days, they had only slept two or three times, truly exhausted, yet their spirits were highly invigorated.

Not long after, True God Pang Yu, Venerable God Sang Ye, and other deities arrived, bringing thousands of divine arts practitioners. Everyone looked towards the altar. At that moment, various ink-black giant components were integrated with the altar, and components of varying lengths, like spears, halberds, knives, and swords, pointed directly at the sky.

These components were covered with strange, profound, and difficult-to-understand runes. More runes appeared beneath the altar; Qin Mu and Black Tiger God had almost hollowed out the entire area beneath the altar, arranging numerous huge and extremely complex components there.

The altar itself had also been carved out with complex passages, containing countless parts, with runes connecting to every component on the altar.

The entire altar resembled a single entity, yet possessed an incredibly intricate internal structure.

Thousands of divine arts practitioners and numerous deities circled the massive altar several times, admiring it as they walked. Qin Mu and Black Tiger God had unveiled to them an unprecedented beauty of grand metal machinery!

This beauty was not regular; on the contrary, it was this irregularity, the interplay of shadows, and the texture of metal and runes that revealed a unique aesthetic.

Qin Mu and Black Tiger God installed the final component and then double-checked the orientation of the altar in the other world. They exchanged glances, both seeing excitement in the other's eyes.

"Are you ready?"

Black Tiger God's eyebrows danced with excitement. "I'm ready to activate the power of the runes!"

Qin Mu nodded emphatically. Black Tiger God poured a stream of divine essence into the activation rune, and instantly, that rune lit up. The light flowed along the runes, illuminating others, then split into two, lighting up even more runes like flowing water!

A continuous hum resounded as the light flowed into the altar's interior, seeped out from within, spread across each step, and illuminated every runic imprint on the altar.

Finally, all the light converged at the bottom of the altar.

*Hum—*

A violent tremor ensued. Suddenly, the entire altar began to levitate step by step, separating into over nine hundred layers, each rotating in a different direction. With every quarter turn, the runes between different layers would perfectly interlock—a truly incredibly precise mechanism!

Qin Mu and Black Tiger God stood on one of the steps, filled with inexplicable excitement. Beneath the altar, the divine arts practitioners of Emperor's Sky and the deities standing in the air also grew agitated.

The sight of the massive metal machinery activating was truly grand and spectacular!

The altar rotated continuously, and with every quarter turn, surges of spirit energy erupted. This spirit energy was the demonic qi and nature from the demonic spiritual weapons, now being activated!

Qin Mu and Black Tiger God had meticulously calculated that once the barriers between the two worlds were broken through and a funnel-shaped Spirit Energy Translocation Bridge was established, the energy from both worlds would maintain the bridge's stability, preventing the passage from easily collapsing. Moreover, the demonic qi and nature of the demonic spiritual weapons would be depleted during this bombardment.

The altar's layers rotated countless times, accumulating energy to its peak. Suddenly, a black beam of light shot skyward, its immense power surging and roaring!

Thousands of divine arts practitioners, the gods, and Qin Mu and Black Tiger God all looked up at the sky, smiling. Then, their smiles froze on their faces.

In the sky, the incredibly violent black light struck the half-sun, instantly evaporating it, turning it to ash and smoke within the black beam!

Black Tiger God's two perked-up ears flattened against the back of his head with a whoosh, and his mouth hung wide open. "Oh no... Junior Brother, did we just cause trouble or catastrophe?"

Bead-sized drops of sweat dripped from Qin Mu's left eyelid, splashing onto his left cheek. Then, sweat cascaded like a waterfall from the young man's forehead, forming two curtains of water over his eyelids.

Qin Mu laboriously turned his neck to look at Black Tiger God. The youthful Black Tiger God had even more sweat rolling down his face than Qin Mu, completely drenching his upper garment.

"Brother, look at the expressions of the people below," Qin Mu said, his voice hoarse and lowered.

"You look, I dare not. I'm afraid they might not be able to resist beating us to death... Do you think they'll kill us?"