Chapter 653: Intimidation

Qin Mu was listening intently when his expression suddenly changed. He turned to the Human Emperor and asked, "These children are reciting the history of different eras! 'Three divisions of the Dragon Han Sky'—does that mean the Dragon Han era was split into three? 'Red Bright divided into two segments'—could that be referring to the Red Bright era being split into West Red Bright and East Red Bright?"

The Human Emperor was also deeply shaken. He murmured, "'North and South Emperors established' must mean the Emperor's Era experienced a dramatic upheaval, leading to two distinct periods: the Southern Emperor Era and the Northern Emperor Era! As for 'Emperor Kai's single generation'..."

He said with difficulty, "It must be referring to my Kaihuang era, which had only one Kaihuang... The Red Bright God Child likely sends a portion of his gods and devils to gather information from the outside world periodically. This allows him to know about major events across different eras, which he then compiles into nursery rhymes to teach these children."

Qin Mu nodded. "Although this Red Bright God Child lives in seclusion, it's clear from this that he's not content with isolation. He pays close attention to the outside world and harbors considerable ambitions."

The children in the private school were still swaying their heads and reciting, "...Seven days in the cave, seven sevens forty..."

They tried to listen further, but the teacher in the private school noticed them. The teacher told the children to stop reading, came out to investigate, and upon seeing that none of them had three heads and six arms, questioned them briefly before sending them away.

Qin Mu pondered, "'Seven days in the cave'—what does that mean?"

The Human Emperor explained, "'Cave' refers to a Grotto-heaven. When we arrived at this Red Bright Suspended Realm, we did pass through a void opening. Such places are typically called Grotto-heavens. I once heard a story from the Celestial Master about a woodcutter. While chopping wood on the mountain, he heard people playing chess in a stone house. He went inside and saw two youths playing. He watched them, and by the time the game concluded and he prepared to leave, he noticed his axe handle had completely rotted away. The woodcutter hurried down the mountain, only to discover that centuries had passed in the mortal world. Such a place is likely a minor Grotto-heaven."

"A woodcutter watching chess?"

Qin Mu chuckled, "Could that woodcutter be the Celestial Master himself? I just remembered that the founding patriarch of the Heavenly Saint Cult heard the sound of chopping wood on a mountain, went to investigate, and ended up observing for a hundred years. The woodcutter's story bears some resemblance to that one."

The Human Emperor thought carefully. "The woodcutter in the Celestial Master's story could indeed have been him; I hadn't considered that. This Suspended Realm is a Grotto-heaven world, so time here likely differs from the outside world."

"What about Carefree Village? Is it also a Grotto-heaven world?" Qin Mu asked.

The Human Emperor replied, "I've never been there. Back then, Emperor Kai commissioned the Heavenly Works Divine Race to construct Carefree Village. The existence of the place remained a secret until much later, when the various gods learned about it. Since Carefree Village was built, it shouldn't be a Grotto-heaven."

They settled into the palace estate next door. The servants there typically had three heads and six arms, making them exceptionally fast at their tasks. Chefs could stir-fry in six woks simultaneously, and maids would serve banquets carrying six plates at a time, quickly preparing an entire feast.

"If the cultivation techniques from the Red Bright era were to spread to Yan Kang, it would undoubtedly lead to another economic leap for Yan Kang!"

Qin Mu's eyes lit up. He told the Human Emperor, "With three mouths, they eat quickly and then have more time for work! Their efficiency is greatly boosted; one person is worth three of our current people!"

The Human Emperor said earnestly, "Your tone is exactly like the Celestial Master's right now. Be careful not to repeat his mistakes. The Celestial Master spent too much effort on the welfare of the people and other matters, which is why his cultivation realm never reached a high level."

Qin Mu chuckled, "Don't worry, I certainly won't repeat the mistakes both you and he made. Stay here; I'm going out to buy some medicinal ingredients to see if I can completely heal your injuries!"

"My and his mistakes..." The Human Emperor felt a pang in his heart, and his demeanor grew melancholy once more.

Just then, a deity requested an audience. Bowing, he said, "The God Child heard that one of the envoys was injured and instructed me to bring some wound medicine." With that, he presented a jade tray containing several small jade vials.

"Thank you."

Qin Mu accepted the jade vials, opened one, and took a gentle sniff. He immediately recognized all the medicinal ingredients used in the elixir and even understood the alchemy techniques and process perfectly. It was indeed an elixir formulated from the precise ingredients needed to treat the Human Emperor's injuries.

"The Red Bright God Child didn't immediately try to intimidate us. Instead, he sent medicine for healing, which was unexpected."

Qin Mu mused, "The Red Bright God Child will undoubtedly try to suppress us to gain leverage in negotiations, but his demeanor is truly exceptional. Offering medicine proactively, and the correct treatment at that, the Red Bright God Child lives up to his reputation. No wonder Chi Xi is so loyal to him..."

Ling Yuxiu cautiously asked, "This elixir isn't poisoned, is it?"

Qin Mu shook his head. "If it were poisoned, it wouldn't escape my notice. Even if I personally sourced the ingredients, the elixir I'd refine would be no better than this. Human Emperor, you can take it without worry. This person has a broad mind; he'll use a carrot-and-stick approach and won't resort to underhanded tricks on this matter."

The Human Emperor trusted him greatly. He took the elixir and swallowed it, then after a moment, exclaimed in surprise, "It truly is the right medicine!"

Qin Mu sighed, "Precisely because it's the correct medicine, this God Child is not someone to be underestimated. If he had immediately tried to suppress us, that would have indicated a lack of magnanimity, making him easier to deal with."

In the imperial city, a young-looking man stood with his hands clasped behind his back on a bridge, watching the fish swimming below. The fish also had three heads and six fins. This man, however, was different; he appeared completely ordinary, with one head and two arms, unlike Chi Xi, who possessed three heads and six arms.

His robes were well-fitted, exuding both luxury and simplicity without superfluous ornamentation. The pale blue gown featured only a few embroidered patterns on the collar.

His eyes were large and unusually bright, and a golden gleam, flickering as if opening and closing, resided between his brows.

The space between his eyebrows was about three or four fingers wide, his earlobes were longer than average, and his face was clean-shaven.

"Your alliance with Yan Kang isn't too bad; having a foothold is certainly better than remaining in a Grotto-heaven indefinitely."

The Red Bright God Child said unhurriedly, "'A state without external enemies or threats will always perish.' This is precisely the situation in the Suspended Realm. We have been here for fifty thousand years, and in all that time, we've had no enemies. Our once mighty warriors have become like sheep, lacking fighting spirit and ambition. Our descendants worry me even more; I fear they are growing increasingly mediocre. Without pressure, people lose their drive. I worried that if our future generations remained in the Suspended Realm, they would completely lose the opportunity to rise again. That's why, three thousand years ago, I ordered you to find Emperor Kai. At that time, I was already prepared to relocate to the Kaihuang era, even if it meant pledging allegiance to Emperor Kai! I simply didn't anticipate Emperor Kai would be defeated so swiftly."

Chi Xi replied, "When I went outside, I discovered that Emperor Kai's kingdom had already fallen, and now it is the Yan Kang era. Yan Kang's reforms have led to many unique spells and divine arts. This time, I forged an alliance with Emperor Yan Feng, and he promised me the establishment of academies to teach divine arts and techniques to our Red Bright descendants."

The Red Bright God Child remarked in surprise, "This Emperor Yan Feng truly possesses the bearing of a formidable ruler."

Chi Xi nodded.

The Red Bright God Child chuckled, "What a pity. The Kaihuang era, though fallen, is far from truly extinguished; the Heavenly Court's gaze remains fixed on it, and it won't be given a chance to rise again. Did you find the Divine Wheel of Creation on your return trip? Did you bring that divine artifact back?"

Chi Xi's heart skipped a beat. He shook his head and replied, "There's a cunning little devil named Qin who demanded the Divine Wheel of Creation and took it."

The Red Bright God Child stared at him, enunciating each word: "Did you never consider the true power of that treasure?"

Chi Xi was overwhelmed with shame. He lowered his head and said, "I honestly hadn't realized its potential at first. Only after seeing that boy named Qin use it did I regret my oversight, but it was already too late."

The Red Bright God Child sighed. "It's not your fault. You're too straightforward, lacking subtlety. However, that boy named Qin is quite a talent. He's among the Yan Kang envoys this time, isn't he?"

Chi Xi quickly affirmed, "God Child, your foresight is divine!"

"It's not divine foresight, but if I were Emperor Yan Feng, I too would send such a clever person here."

The Red Bright God Child scattered fish food, saying, "If you contend with him, you'll be at a disadvantage."

Chi Xi was thoroughly ashamed, his face reddening as he said, "This humble servant is foolish..."

"You're not foolish, just not clever enough."

The Red Bright God Child asked, "You just mentioned that you've taken a young man from Yan Kang as your disciple, and that he's quite strong. What is his current cultivation realm?"

Chi Xi replied, "He has just entered the Life and Death realm."

The Red Bright God Child pondered for a moment, then instructed, "Summon him. Someone, convey my order: gather all divine arts practitioners of the Life and Death realm and bring them to the palace!"

Chi Xi didn't understand his intent. The Red Bright God Child explained, "I need a blade—a blade that can ignite my people's fighting spirit, yet without leading them to a crushing defeat. I will employ a blend of kindness and intimidation: I'll grant favors to the Yan Kang envoys, but also give them a taste of our strength. Most importantly, I want to provide my people with a whetstone!"

He poured all the fish food into the water, discarded the plate, clapped his hands, and declared, "If they are utterly defeated, they will lose confidence, like a beaten dog with its tail between its legs. Therefore, your disciple will be the first whetstone. Use him to sharpen them, to polish and quicken them. Then, use the Yan Kang envoys to test their blades. This will both diminish the Yan Kang envoys' prestige and show my people that they are not invincible, thus igniting their fighting spirit! I want to transform them from sheep into formidable dragons!"

Chi Xi hesitated. "This disciple of mine once saved my life..."

The Red Bright God Child chuckled, "Don't worry, he won't die. As for the Yan Kang envoys, I won't see them until the blade is sufficiently sharpened."

Chi Xi promptly departed.

Not long after, Ban Gongcuo arrived, accompanying Chi Xi. Ban Gongcuo looked up to see numerous three-headed, six-armed gods and devils standing before a grand hall in the plaza. In the center sat a handsome, refined-looking man. Recognizing him as the Red Bright God Child, Ban Gongcuo quickly bowed in greeting.

The Red Bright God Child, from his elevated position, raised a hand and said, "Rise. You may begin."

Ban Gongcuo didn't understand his meaning when suddenly, he saw hundreds of divine arts practitioners from the Life and Death realm enter the plaza. One of the three-headed, six-armed Red Bright practitioners bowed and said, "Hu Kang requests Senior Brother's guidance!"

Before Ban Gongcuo could fully recover, he saw the expert named Hu Kang charging towards him with a roar!

Startled, Ban Gongcuo immediately unleashed the Flawless Fighting God Art. However, he wasn't merely using combat techniques; he was embedding magical arts within his fighting skills!

Having fought with Ling Yuxiu along the way, he had actually mastered most of her signature techniques!

*Boom!*

His divine art erupted with astonishing power, pushing Hu Kang back. Hu Kang chuckled, then, wielding six knives like a whirlwind, he astonishingly cut through Ban Gongcuo's divine art, and the swirling blade light surged forward like crashing waves.

Ban Gongcuo's eyes gleamed. With six arms wielding six sharp swords, he unleashed the Daoist Sword Arts of the Dao Sect, all six different sword forms erupting simultaneously!

His Daoist Sword Arts had even integrated the Yan Kang Imperial Preceptor's three basic sword stances, making them more intricate and versatile. Amidst the clash of blades and swords, Hu Kang sustained dozens of sword wounds and collapsed to the ground.

Ban Gongcuo chuckled, "Thank you for the concession, Your Highness the God Child..."

The Red Bright God Child raised an eyebrow, and another expert stepped forward, bowing as he said, "Luo Ziyang requests Senior Brother's guidance!"

Ban Gongcuo frowned, a little confused. "Shouldn't they be trying to intimidate that scoundrel Qin? Why is the Red Bright God Child trying to intimidate *me* instead?"

Luo Ziyang charged forward, and Ban Gongcuo, with no time to think, could only meet the challenge.

The golden eye between the Red Bright God Child's brows slowly opened. Its pupil clearly reflected Ban Gongcuo's every move and technique, dissecting his divine arts so thoroughly that they held no secrets.

Not long after, Luo Ziyang was defeated. Another expert then stepped forward to challenge, and Ban Gongcuo reluctantly faced the fight.

After a long while, Ban Gongcuo was exhausted to the point of spitting blood. Only then did the Red Bright God Child order a halt, instructing Chi Xi, "Take him down and let him recover properly. Bring him back in ten days."

Chi Xi led Ban Gongcuo away.

The Red Bright God Child stood up and stepped forward, suddenly demonstrating divine arts and sword techniques. Every move was clear and distinct, perfectly presenting Ban Gongcuo's lifelong accumulated knowledge to the divine arts practitioners of the Suspended Realm!

He meticulously explained these divine arts and techniques in every detail, then calmly stated, "You have ten days to diligently practice. In ten days, you will fight him again!"

Meanwhile, Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu were strolling through the city, with the Human Emperor and two large-eyed monsters following behind them.

Qin Mu wandered around, observing the divine statues throughout the Suspended Realm, often pausing for extended periods. Ling Yuxiu, puzzled, chuckled, "What's so interesting about stone statues?"

"The stone statues are incredibly beautiful."

Qin Mu's eyes shone brightly. "These stone statues were crafted at the very beginning of the Suspended Realm's establishment," he explained. "The artisans who made them were the most skilled individuals of their time, and they poured their life's work into their creation. As a result, the statues embody the very essence, qi, and spirit of the Red Bright era. You can even deduce the cultivation methods and divine arts of that period from their textures and lines. In the few days I've been here, I've observed many divine arts practitioners and gods and devils from the Suspended Realm, and I've noticed they no longer possess that same essence, qi, and spirit."

He paused. "I'm looking for what they've lost."

Ling Yuxiu meticulously examined the statues, but couldn't glean much useful information. She shook her head and asked, "Why hasn't the Red Bright God Child summoned us yet?"

Qin Mu was practically sprawled on the statue, his head still down. "He's figuring out how to give us a show of force," he said. "If I were him, I'd start with Ban Gongcuo. I'd deduce the evolutions in Yan Kang's Dao methods and divine arts from him, and then make my move on us."