Chapter 673: Sword God’s Smile

Qin Mu laughed, "I also didn't expect to meet you again here. Is this an ominous place?"

"Indeed, it is an ominous place. However, it has now become a sea of magma, so the ominous nature of this place no longer exists. We had intended to guard this ominous place, sinking into the submarine magma, but we were just startled awake by the Register of Life and Death. Only then did we realize our benefactor was in trouble, so we came to help."

Yu Liao's gaze swept past them to the battlefield. He chuckled, "Mere scoundrels cannot stop the army of my Southern Dipper Star Department! Benefactor, rest assured, we can defeat the enemy in a matter of moments!"

Qin Mu explained to the Village Chief, "This is the Seven Killings Star Lord from the Kaihuang era, the Military Commissioner of Taihuangtian. He died in battle here during the demon invasion."

The Village Chief nodded slightly, speaking with a hint of numbness, "The Military Commissioner of Taihuangtian, and the Seven Killings Star Lord... How do you know each other?"

Qin Mu scratched his head, "When I was captured by Bound Sun Luo and escaped the Demon Capital, I passed by here and woke him up. That's how we met."

"That's it?" The Village Chief's eyes widened in disbelief.

A Military Commissioner who died in Taihuangtian, a Military Commissioner no less, and they met just like that? And he calls Qin Mu his benefactor, willing to come to his aid even after death because of a simple introduction? Can such a deep friendship form so easily?

The Village Chief didn't believe it.

Qin Mu honestly replied, "That's it."

"Then what about this army of divine demon skeletons..."

"I woke them up incidentally when I woke him."

The Village Chief was stunned, "Just like that?"

Qin Mu said casually, "Just like that. Although the Youdu underworld officers almost dragged me to Youdu for punishment, luckily Star Lord Yu Liao stopped them."

The Village Chief sighed, a touch of melancholy in his voice, "I shouldn't have stayed in Fengdu for so long. I missed so many interesting things. Next time something like this happens, you must call me."

Qin Mu nodded, "Next time I get caught, I'll definitely bring Grandpa Village Chief along!"

Yu Liao's skeleton army quickly shattered all their opponents. A group of excited skeletons charged forward, but Yu Liao let out a shout, and the skeletons, not daring to be insolent, immediately fell into neat formation.

The Butcher, True God Pang Yu, and other deities walked over, dazed, scrutinizing the white-boned divine demons. Their hearts were filled with doubt and alarm.

Lou Yunqu had used the Register of Life and Death to awaken the deceased divine demons of Taihuangtian to fight for them. They hadn't expected Qin Mu to also have such an army of white-boned divine demons aiding him!

If not for the timely arrival of the Southern Dipper Star Department army led by Yu Liao, they might have already suffered casualties.

However, standing alongside these white-boned divine demons still made them feel uneasy.

Yu Liao laughed heartily, "This apocalyptic world is somewhat dangerous for you, but it poses no threat to us dead ones. Benefactor, we will escort you out."

Qin Mu quickly said, "My enemy possesses the Register of Life and Death, which can resurrect the dead. It's incredibly powerful. If the Register of Life and Death can bring the dead back to life, it can also send the living back to death. Everyone, it's best to continue hiding in the ominous place..."

Just as he spoke, the Register of Life and Death suddenly reappeared, hanging high in the sky. Its mirror-like pages radiated brilliant light, and beams of light shone down.

Qin Mu's expression changed drastically. He quickly took out several mirrors, injected vital qi into them, and with a hum, activated them. The mirrors grew larger, shielding Yu Liao and the others above their heads.

"Grandpa Apothecary, where are your mirrors?"

Qin Mu shouted, "Everyone, activate your mirrors and block the light from the Register of Life and Death!"

Apothecary hurriedly activated dozens of mirrors of various sizes, while other divine arts practitioners also reacted. Immediately, tens of thousands of mirrors floated into the air, big and small, covering the sky and blocking out the sun. They managed to completely seal the sky, making it impenetrable to light.

The light from the Register of Life and Death shone down, but was reflected back by the mirrors, failing to illuminate Yu Liao and the others.

Among these tens of thousands of divine arts practitioners, about forty percent were women. While women achieved success in cultivation, they inevitably had a fondness for beauty, so they would carry one or two mirrors. However, Apothecary had the most mirrors.

Some divine arts practitioners cultivated unique spells and divine arts, using mirrors as spirit weapons. Once refined into spirit weapons, these mirrors could expand to dozens of acres in size, a truly magnificent sight.

Seeing that the Register of Life and Death's light could not reach them, Qin Mu still dared not relax. He said in a deep voice, "The Register of Life and Death flies extremely fast. We can't react quickly enough on our own. As long as it moves rapidly, it can still shine on you. Military Commissioner, you should still hide."

Yu Liao gripped his general's axe and said gravely, "The Register of Life and Death can illuminate the Nine Netherworld. Where can we hide? Heh heh, besides, those guys from Mingdu are still our mortal enemies from Southern Heaven's Southern Dipper! We've already died once; what's the harm in dying again?"

Qin Mu frowned, saying, "Military Commissioner Yu Liao, if Lou Yunqu sends you to Youdu, I still have a way to retrieve you. But if you're sent to Mingdu, I won't have that ability. While there's life, there's hope; please think this through!"

At this moment, everyone saw the light and shadows rapidly changing, clearly indicating that the Register of Life and Death was moving swiftly. Lou Yunqu and his companions must have seen its power reflected by the mirrors and thus changed direction.

"Nowhere to retreat, why retreat further?"

Yu Liao was about to charge out from the protection of the mirrors when a familiar voice suddenly spoke, "Military Commissioner, there's no need for unnecessary sacrifice. Cult Master Qin, don't you have a scroll of the Register of Life and Death? Activating your scroll would perfectly counter the opponent's Register of Life and Death, wouldn't it?"

Qin Mu's heart swelled with joy. He turned around to see Imperial Preceptor Yankang walking towards them, treading on a sea of fire. He was as calm and composed as ever, looking as if he had everything under control.

"Junior Brother has come out of seclusion? You didn't die in Luofutian?"

Upon seeing him, Qin Mu's sudden panic vanished. He hastily took out his Register of Life and Death and asked, "Where is Teacher? Why isn't he here? If Teacher were here, he could activate the Register of Life and Death's power..."

Imperial Preceptor Yankang took the Register of Life and Death, saying calmly, "Teacher has other important matters. However, I do know how to activate the Register of Life and Death."

His magic power erupted, and the Register of Life and Death suddenly unfurled with a whoosh, shining brightly from above. A sheet of brilliant light shone down, illuminating Yu Liao and the other white-boned divine demons. He said, "Junior Brother, you can remove these mirrors now."

Qin Mu was filled with doubt and surprise. He ordered everyone to remove their mirrors. Another scroll of the Register of Life and Death flew over, also casting light downwards, but Yu Liao and the others remained unharmed.

Imperial Preceptor Yankang had actually activated the power of the Register of Life and Death, countering the opponent's!

However, the Register of Life and Death was a treasure forged by the Black Emperor of Mingdu. Even Qin Mu couldn't unleash its full potential. To exert more power, one needed a deep understanding of Mingdu's cultivation techniques and divine arts. Qin Mu had never studied Mingdu's divine arts or techniques, so he was at a loss.

So, when did Imperial Preceptor Yankang learn Mingdu's cultivation techniques and divine arts?

"Teacher is profoundly knowledgeable and knows how to control the Register of Life and Death."

Imperial Preceptor Yankang continued unhurriedly, "I have practiced with him for two years. I've gained mastery over various fields of knowledge. One understanding brought hundreds of insights; one mastery led to hundreds of others. Controlling the Register of Life and Death is not difficult."

In the air, a large hand suddenly appeared, reaching for the Register of Life and Death!

The hand flickered, and darkness proliferated, engulfing the Register of Life and Death, making it seem as though it had entered an alternate dimension, absorbed into another space-time.

Qin Mu's heart jolted. "Lou Yunqu and his group have made their move; they want to seize the Register of Life and Death..."

Swoosh—

Imperial Preceptor Yankang thrust out with his sword. A brilliant sword light pierced through the darkness. Just as Qin Mu was about to speak, he suddenly saw the sword light strike the large hand in the darkness, and several fingers were instantly severed by Imperial Preceptor Yankang's sword light.

The large hand reached for the Register of Life and Death, but lacking fingers, it grasped at empty air and painfully recoiled.

Imperial Preceptor Yankang sheathed his sword, as if he had done nothing at all, and continued, "If one can see through Youdu's magic, then one can see through Mingdu's magic, and Fengdu's magic. All spells and divine arts share a fundamental principle, and this principle is called the Dao. Once you understand the Dao within them, then understanding the magic within the Register of Life and Death becomes clear at a glance, and activating it is no longer so difficult."

Qin Mu was utterly shocked. Imperial Preceptor Yankang's sword should have been utterly incapable of striking a hand hidden within Mingdu. The demonic qi emanating from that hand was the dark demonic qi of Mingdu, and wherever that qi enveloped, there was Mingdu.

Qin Mu had previously fought Lou Qianzhong, Lou Yunqu's junior brother, and knew the strangeness of Mingdu's spells and divine arts. Xu Shenghua had been defeated by Lou Qianzhong in this manner. Qin Mu, however, had killed Lou Qianzhong because he was born in Youdu and could enter the Mingdu space formed by Lou Qianzhong's demonic qi.

Imperial Preceptor Yankang's sword, clearly not a Youdu spell, could nonetheless strike that hand. It seemed that, just as he said, he had indeed comprehended the Dao within, and Mingdu's spells and divine arts held no secrets for him!

"In just two years, you've actually comprehended this far..."

Qin Mu showed admiration, muttering, "Just how profoundly learned is Teacher to enable you to make such rapid progress?"

The Village Chief floated forward, stating solemnly, "Imperial Preceptor, your swordsmanship has surpassed mine."

The Imperial Preceptor bowed in greeting, saying, "I wouldn't dare claim that. Senior Brother."

The Village Chief's vital qi formed limbs, and he returned the bow, saying, "Senior Brother."

Imperial Preceptor Yankang showed surprise, which then gradually turned into a slight smile. The smile grew wider and wider, finally erupting into a hearty laugh, as bright as spring sunshine, clear skies, and green waters.

The Village Chief also laughed aloud.

The laughter of the two sword gods echoed through this apocalyptic world, reaching the heavens.

High above, Fu Yanqi's face was ashen. He retracted his hand, which was now bleeding profusely, only a thumb remaining of his five fingers. It hadn't been Lou Yunqu activating the Register of Life and Death just now, but him controlling its power.

The three sworn brothers had each inherited a portion of the Black Emperor of Mingdu's legacy. Lou Yunqu could activate the Register of Life and Death to resurrect the dead; even if the opponent's soul had been taken by Tu Bo, he could forcefully retrieve it using the Register of Life and Death.

Wei Qingpei, on the other hand, could wield the blood sacrifice power of the Register of Life and Death, directly dissolving the flesh and blood of divine demons along with their primordial spirits.

As for Fu Yanqi, he could control the Register of Life and Death to drain the life from the living and send them to Mingdu.

This time, when he activated the Register of Life and Death, he encountered Imperial Preceptor Yankang. His power was completely countered, so he intended to seize Qin Mu's scroll of the Register of Life and Death. Unexpectedly, his divine art was broken, resulting in the loss of four fingers.

On the other side, Lou Yunqu hastily retracted Mingdu's Register of Life and Death. He cast a glance towards Imperial Preceptor Yankang, his heart slightly trembling. He whispered, "The mastermind behind the Yankang Reform has finally appeared!"

Fu Yanqi, enduring the pain, looked at the Register of Life and Death. A name appeared on its surface.