Chapter 633: Breaking Through the Human Emperor Hall

Second Ancestor and the others watched Qin Mu leave. Turning their heads, they saw the First Ancestor Human Emperor had also disappeared.

The First Ancestor Human Emperor was never truly dead; his body had merely petrified, allowing him to free himself from his physical form and live in seclusion in Fengdu. Coming and going was a matter of a single thought for him.

His primordial spirit was incredibly powerful, moving with extreme speed. By now, he had probably already returned to his physical body.

“What do we do now?”

The Human Emperors looked towards the Second Ancestor, saying, “They will definitely fight again once they meet, and we will be the only ones who suffer.”

The Third Ancestor Human Emperor frowned, saying, “If Human Emperor Qin loses this time, it’ll be my bones that get smashed.”

The other Human Emperors also looked worried. It was incredibly difficult to improve enough within less than a year to defeat the First Ancestor Human Emperor at the same cultivation realm. They were all the most outstanding figures of their respective eras. Although limited by their times, preventing them from reaching the pinnacle of cultivation, each of them possessed divine-level attainments in their own right.

However, the First Ancestor had reached a divine level in every aspect, perhaps even higher.

Less than a year had passed since Qin Mu’s last defeat at the First Ancestor Human Emperor’s hands. No matter how much his strength might have advanced by leaps and bounds, it would at most be an improvement in his cultivation realm.

A mere increase in cultivation realm would not be enough to defeat the First Ancestor.

For a divine abilities practitioner, raising their realm was not difficult. However, improving their fundamental foundation was exceedingly challenging.

Raising one's realm was like adding stories to a building, whereas improving one's foundation involved strengthening and expanding the existing foundation without damaging the structure already built, allowing oneself to accommodate more and reach greater heights. The inherent difficulties were immense.

Only by improving his foundation could he defeat the First Ancestor at the same cultivation realm. This required elevating his vision and accumulated strength to the First Ancestor Human Emperor’s level!

“How old is Human Emperor Qin?” the Second Ancestor suddenly asked.

Human Emperor Qikang thought for a moment and said, “Young Su mentioned his age. Counting by the mortal realm, he should be nineteen.”

The Second Ancestor said, “Nineteen… a vibrant young man. A person’s lifelong achievements often begin at this age. How old were you when you first established your cultivation techniques and divine abilities?”

The Third Ancestor thought for a moment and said, “Old man, I was twelve when you took me as your disciple. At twenty, I created the prototype of the Yin-Yang Overturning Hand, and the idea for my cultivation technique, the Great Nine Transformations of Yin-Yang Art, also came to me then. It took me hundreds of years afterward to fully refine the Yin-Yang Overturning Hand and the Great Nine Transformations of Yin-Yang Art.”

The Fourth Ancestor said, “I didn’t practice my teacher’s cultivation techniques or hand seals. He was a failure; learning from him would only make me a greater failure, so I created my own techniques and divine abilities. I’m better than the old man. I had the idea for my Ten Crossings of Dharma Way technique when I was seventeen, and by middle age, I had mastered it and gave the old man a good beating.”

The Third Ancestor stroked his beard and glared, sneering, “Is it so impressive to be able to beat me?”

The Fourth Ancestor smiled broadly. “Yes, it is very impressive.”

The other Human Emperors also stated the age at which they first established their own cultivation techniques and divine abilities. Most of them had determined their lifelong path between their teens and their thirties or fifties. Only Human Emperor Tuoyu and the Sixth Ancestor were late bloomers.

“Human Emperor Qin is nineteen, which means he’s in the peak period of creation,” the Second Ancestor Human Emperor mused. “Perhaps his cultivation technique already has its own path, and his divine abilities have taken shape. Perhaps he won’t lose against the First Ancestor. Another defeat would be too devastating for him…”

Human Emperor Lanpo said, “Just having a prototype of a cultivation technique and divine abilities gives him a chance against the First Ancestor? The First Ancestor’s techniques and divine abilities aren’t prototypes; they’ve been perfected to the point of flawlessness.”

The Human Emperors fell silent.

“But he’s a Hegemon Body…”

Human Emperor Qikang said somewhat timidly, “A Hegemon Body should be very powerful, right? My disciple, that rascal Su Muzhe, kept boasting about his disciple being a Hegemon Body, almost praising him to the heavens…”

Everyone shook their heads. “A Hegemon Body also needs to grow. At nineteen, how much can he have grown?”

After a moment, the Second Ancestor resolutely declared, “Let’s manifest and go to the Human Emperor Palace! Human Emperor Qin is traveling from the mortal realm, and it will take him another day or two to reach the Human Emperor Palace. Let’s go ahead. Once we arrive, we’ll all go together and gang up on the First Ancestor!”

“Good! Let’s gang up on the First Ancestor! We must beat him until he willingly admits defeat and dares not contend with Human Emperor Qin!”

The many Human Emperors, filled with enthusiasm, nodded in agreement. Their figures vanished one by one from Fengdu.

Bird God Chixiu watched these Human Emperors manifest and depart from a distance. Turning his head to look at Yanwang beside him, he tentatively asked, “Yanwang, aren’t you going to stop them? They are all dead. Rushing to the mortal realm so recklessly, aren’t they breaking our rules in Fengdu?”

“There’s no need,” Yanwang shook his head. “The Human Emperor Palace belongs neither to the mortal realm nor the netherworld. It is a place beyond our jurisdiction. The Human Emperors throughout history have always been a fearless bunch. Their going to the Human Emperor Palace is not under Fengdu’s jurisdiction.”

Chixiu looked bewildered. “The Human Emperor Palace belongs neither to the mortal realm nor the netherworld?”

“The Human Emperor Palace is a fragment of the Founding Emperor’s Heavenly Court, and Fengdu has no jurisdiction there.” Yanwang withdrew his gaze, turned, and left, saying, “Of the Heavenly Court fragments, the largest piece fell and became the Great Ruins. There are other crucial fragments, such as the thirty-six Heavenly Palaces and seventy-two Treasure Halls, which are not under Fengdu’s jurisdiction. The Human Emperor Palace is located in one such Heavenly Palace, the Jade Bright Palace. If they go to the Jade Bright Palace, my abilities cannot directly reach there to make them return. The reason our Fengdu can suppress this land of Youdu is also because a Heavenly Palace, called the Vairocana Palace, is hidden within Fengdu, thus allowing us to subdue ghosts and gods.”

Outside Xianglong City, Qin Mu rode on clouds and mist, activating the Human Emperor Seal, following its mark towards the Human Emperor Palace.

No sooner had he left than a three-headed, six-armed devil god and a young man arrived in Xianglong City. It was Chixi and Ban Gongcuo.

“Teacher, why do you want to observe the customs and scenery of Yankang?” Ban Gongcuo asked, puzzled, “We just returned from the Emperor’s Heaven with such difficulty. Why don’t we go straight to the Southern Earth?”

“The Southern Earth has already sunk, becoming the South Sea, lying at the bottom of the ocean for over three hundred thousand years. Whether it’s a day longer or a day shorter, it will remain there. Since we’ve returned to the ancestral land, there’s no need to rush.”

Chixi’s three heads looked around leisurely. “I came to observe the customs and scenery of Yankang to see its potential in this era and whether it possesses the capital to contend with the Heavenly Court.”

“What did Teacher discern?” Ban Gongcuo asked.

“There are signs of great prosperity, but it’s not enough,” Chixi said. “The current Yankang can be extinguished with a mere puff, utterly vulnerable, and faces future destruction. Yankang’s Daoist arts and divine abilities are progressing with divine speed, but the time is too short and there are too few strong individuals. It merely survives to this day by relying on the lingering legacy of the Founding Emperor Era. However, the Founding Emperor Era, though dead, is not completely gone, yet it cannot protect Yankang for many more years. Therefore, Yankang will inevitably be destroyed in the future. No need to look anymore, let’s go.”

Ban Gongcuo was perplexed, wondering how he could have discerned this. Chixi had already walked far ahead, and he quickly hurried to catch up.

Qin Mu, in his haste to reach the Human Emperor Palace, happened to miss them.

As he walked, he activated the Hegemon Body Three Elixir Art. The divine and demonic divine treasures within his body continuously churned, and his vital qi became increasingly turbulent and powerful. He had already begun to merge the Six Directions Divine Treasure and the Seven Stars Divine Treasure within his demonic divine treasures back in the Emperor’s Heaven, and now it was reaching a critical stage.

His vital qi cultivation grew more profound and abundant, and the barriers between the two great divine treasures gradually blurred. However, he hadn't focused much on the demonic path, so it was still a bit lacking at this moment.

Two days later, Qin Mu arrived at the portal leading to the Human Emperor Palace. The Human Emperor Seal’s light shone upon the portal, which opened, and he stepped inside.

What met his eyes were endless mists and tombs within them, stretching vast and boundless, with graves everywhere.

Qin Mu seemed oblivious, walking towards the Human Emperor Palace.

Ahead, there were traces of a battle.

Human Emperor Qikang’s primordial spirit was stuck in a large pit, like a black radish planted in the ground, with only his head visible.

“Human Emperor Qin, don’t go any further!” Human Emperor Qikang’s primordial spirit was trapped, unable to move, and he shouted, “I couldn’t beat him; he knocked me down, and he knocked down the other Human Emperors too!”

Qin Mu paid no attention and continued forward.

The five-foot-tall Human Emperor Qikang’s primordial spirit lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes vacant, twitching occasionally.

Human Emperor Qikang laboriously moved his large, chubby head, his neck thicker than his head, and panted, “Don’t go, he’s too fierce…”

Qin Mu stepped forward, divine and demonic energy swirling around him. He took off the two gluttonous bags from his waist and threw them onto the ground. Not far away, Human Emperor Lanpo’s primordial spirit was hanging on a tombstone, barely able to raise his head, and said hoarsely, “You can’t beat him; his strength is too terrifying…”

Qin Mu took out his sword pellet and dropped it onto the ground.

Human Emperor Tuoyu grabbed his leg, looked up, and said, “Don’t go. All of us Human Emperors together couldn’t defeat him… He only used his Divine Bridge realm, and only his primordial spirit, to strike us down…”

Qin Mu continued onward, dragging Human Emperor Tuoyu’s primordial spirit a few steps before the latter had to let go.

Along the path ahead, the primordial spirits of successive Human Emperors lay scattered by the roadside, unable to struggle to their feet.

Qin Mu’s expression was blank as he arrived at the thatched huts of the past Human Emperors. Looking forward, he saw the First Ancestor Human Emperor standing silently outside the palace gate, awaiting his arrival.

Qin Mu’s vital qi surged, and a tumultuous roar sounded in his ears. Amidst the great noise, his Demonic Six Directions Divine Treasure and Demonic Seven Stars Divine Treasure finally merged, crashing into one!

The First Ancestor Human Emperor calmly said, “You only came to find me after a year; you disappoint me. Make your move. Let me see your progress over this past year. I haven’t destroyed their bones yet because I was waiting for you to arrive. After defeating you, I will then destroy the bones of these incompetent individuals…”

Boom—

Qin Mu’s vital qi suddenly became incomparably scorching and wild. With a sudden push from his feet, his figure almost instantly vanished, reappearing in front of the First Ancestor Human Emperor in a flash!

Before the First Ancestor Human Emperor could finish speaking, and before a look of surprise could fully register on his face, Qin Mu’s fist had already struck him heavily on the face!

Behind Qin Mu, a volcano erupted, fire soaring into the sky. The divine ability he used was precisely Human Emperor Qikang’s ultimate technique!

His magic power exploded forth in an instant. The First Ancestor Human Emperor’s figure was sent flying backward, crashing into the Human Emperor Palace wall with a thunderous bang. Qin Mu surged forward, his hands stacked, executing the layered hands of the Yin-Yang Overturning Hand!

At the same time, his palms danced through the air like a thousand-armed Buddha, performing Grandpa Ma’s Eight Thunder Sound Forms!

He unleashed both sets of hand seals simultaneously. Countless layered hands struck out together, causing the entire Human Emperor Palace to tremble violently. Suddenly, the back wall of the Human Emperor Palace’s main hall collapsed with a crash, sending the First Ancestor Human Emperor flying backward!

Qin Mu lowered his head and burst forward like a raging torrent. His vital qi transformed into a violent, inverted Milky Way, sending the First Ancestor Human Emperor tumbling relentlessly!

“Progress? See for yourself!”

Behind Qin Mu, the Great Luo Heavenly Stars appeared, forming a Great Luo Heavenly Star force field. With one palm strike, the stars behind him instantly blazed, their countless lights connecting to form a mighty palm force that crushed miles of air before slamming into the First Ancestor Human Emperor!

“Let’s see if I can kill you with their techniques!”