Chapter 734: Words Fall on Deaf Ears

Qin Mu was still reeling from the revelation that Yin Chaojin was the Heavenly Son of Yin when the "Brother Qin" Yin Chaojin had spoken of approached. He greeted Qin Mu and the old ox, saying, "I am Qin Kai, a mere wanderer. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Qin Mu suppressed his shock and promptly returned the greeting, as did Niu Sanduo.

As Qin Mu returned the greeting, he subtly glanced at the old ox, who gave a slight nod.

Qin Mu understood: this "Brother Qin" was none other than the Kai Huang the old ox had mentioned, the first name on the Qin family's ancestral record, Kai Huang Qin Ye!

He introduced himself as Qin Kai, an alias. It was likely because he had also realized that the strangeness of the Surging River might have transported him back to a past era, leading him to use a false name out of caution.

Qin Mu looked up, observing Kai Huang. Indeed, he bore a resemblance to the young Kai Huang; both were tall and powerfully built. While neither could be described as classically handsome like the young Heavenly Son of Yin, they possessed a dignified bearing.

However, Qin Mu, having grown up in Crippled Old Village, was inherently cunning but outwardly sincere and bright, resembling an adolescent boy who was still naive about the world.

Kai Huang, on the other hand, exuded a powerful masculine aura. A single glance was enough to be drawn in by his unique temperament.

His temperament was not merely the leadership quality the old ox had mentioned. It was the aura of someone who had faced immense hardship and pioneered a path through adversity, yet whose original conviction remained unshakeable despite countless trials.

It was the essence of someone with an unyielding Dao heart, someone driven by a grand purpose and aspiration. Though Kai Huang stood on the back of the great Kun, surrounded by many people, with the scenery rushing past, he appeared to be at the very center of the world. Everything else moved, but he remained still.

It wasn't that he was physically motionless; what remained still was his Dao heart, his unwavering resolve.

Qin Mu was bewildered. Could this Kai Huang be the same one who hid in Wuyou Township, afraid to make a comeback?

Kai Huang's eyes were bright, their gleam like a serene lake reflecting the midday sun. His shoulders were broader than Qin Mu's, and he was slightly shorter by an inch or two, suggesting he had endured significant hardship in his youth.

Kai Huang was surprised to see the old man, whose features were indistinct due to the old ox's transformation, actually return his greeting.

Though he couldn't discern the old man's cultivation realm, he assumed he was a prominent figure in the Heavenly Court. Why would such a being return his greeting with such humility?

The Heavenly Son of Yin eagerly introduced, "Brother Qin is someone I met just after arriving in the upper realm; his skills are astonishing, truly exceptional. And how should I address you two senior brothers?"

Qin Mu smiled, "My name is Mu Qing. This is my senior brother, his surname is Niu..."

"Niu?"

The old ox's expression subtly shifted. Thankfully, King Tianqi Rensheng's yellow paper obscured his features, so the change wasn't visible. He mused, "When Kai Huang first established the Heavenly Court, he once smiled and told me he wanted to change my name from Sanduo to Niu. Did he recognize me back then?"

Unaware of the old ox's thoughts, Qin Mu looked warmly at the Heavenly Son of Yin, thinking, "If I were to kill the Heavenly Son of Yin right now, would his future self cease to exist? The current Heavenly Son of Yin is not an Emperor's Throne master; he's not even a god yet. Killing him shouldn't be difficult..."

Noticing Qin Mu's gaze, the Heavenly Son of Yin quickly smiled and said, "Brother Mu, this is the Heavenly Court's inaugural grand gathering. Countless young prodigies from all realms, great and small, have come to attend. Only prominent figures from various worlds are able to participate; we are just minor ones."

Qin Mu chuckled, "I may be a minor figure, but Brother Yin, you are certainly a significant one."

The Heavenly Son of Yin quickly demurred, though he couldn't hide his self-satisfaction. "I do have a minor reputation in my humble hometown," he said, "but it still pales in comparison to others."

Qin Mu said earnestly, "From what I observe, Brother Yin, you are destined for great things. You will certainly rise to prominence!"

Kai Huang's eyes gleamed as he smiled, "I agree. Though Brother Yin's reputation isn't widespread now, as the saying goes, 'from a three-year-old, one can know a hundred years.' Brother Yin is destined to become renowned throughout the world."

The Heavenly Son of Yin was flattered and said, "The Heavenly Emperor is also going to name the Heavenly Court, and has summoned all the ancient gods from across the world. We can't aspire to associate with the ancient gods, but I have a wide network, and many prominent figures from various races have arrived this time. This includes the brilliant individuals who pioneered the divine treasure cultivation system. While not ancient gods themselves, they are superior to them, for it is through their creation of the divine treasures that we are able to cultivate."

Qin Mu was profoundly shaken. *The* beings who created the divine treasure cultivation system?

He thought, "Wasn't the divine treasure cultivation system created by the ancient gods?"

He glanced at Kai Huang, who appeared equally excited.

Were they truly about to meet the pioneers of the divine treasure cultivation system?

The Heavenly Son of Yin smiled, "They are currently at the Jade Pool, planning to hold the Jade Pool Grand Gathering. While the Heavenly Emperor and others are hosting the Heavenly Court Grand Gathering, we'll be hosting the Jade Pool Grand Gathering. Though it won't be as grand, we absolutely mustn't miss it! It's rumored that at this Jade Pool Grand Gathering, Celestial Venerable Yu will announce something momentous, something that will astonish everyone!"

Kai Huang smiled, "Brother Yin, given your extensive network, could you perhaps give us a hint?"

The Heavenly Son of Yin hesitated, then lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously: "It's said that Celestial Venerable Yu and the others have already deciphered a method for us divine arts practitioners to become gods! This Jade Pool Grand Gathering is precisely where they will announce it!"

Qin Mu blurted out, "A way to become a god? Had no divine arts practitioners become gods before?"

The Heavenly Son of Yin and Kai Huang exchanged strange glances, looking at him.

Qin Mu immediately realized his blunder and said awkwardly, "I'm from the countryside and haven't seen much of the world. Please don't laugh. I always assumed there were gods in the Heavenly Court."

Kai Huang looked at him with a knowing half-smile. After a moment, he explained, "Of course, there are gods in the Heavenly Court. Besides the ancient gods, there are various other types of gods. However, these gods aren't cultivated; they are naturally born powerful. Yet, they all have lifespan limits; once their time is up, their souls return to Youdu."

The Heavenly Son of Yin clapped his hands loudly and smiled, "Exactly! Brother Mu doesn't know much about this, which explains your confusion. In truth, they are merely demigods whose power stems from their bloodlines. Many are descendants of ancient gods, inheriting high bloodlines and possessing immense power. However, they cannot achieve immortality like the ancient gods. Crucially, they don't cultivate; they grow."

"'Grow?' Qin Mu was even more perplexed."

"'For example, the great Kun carrying us to the Jade Pool, the great Kun is also a god.'"

The Heavenly Son of Yin explained, "The great Kun is actually a descendant of an ancient god. It's incredibly powerful from birth, even in its youth, but that's not its peak. The great Kun grows by consuming Jade Dragon Pills; unlike us, it doesn't undergo a cultivation process. When it reaches adulthood, its physical body and magical power become incredibly formidable! At that point, the great Kun god's strength will be no weaker than an ancient god's, or at least not significantly inferior."

Kai Huang continued, "But they also have lifespan limits, which is why they are referred to as demigods and cannot achieve true immortality. We, however, begin by opening the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure, cultivating step by step, opening one divine treasure after another until we reach a high realm. The key difference between us and demigods is that we, with our humble bloodlines, are divine arts practitioners who cultivate, whereas demigods grow purely through their bloodline."

Qin Mu suddenly understood.

However, he felt even more perplexed, as if he had traveled to an incredibly ancient era.

In this era, even the Heavenly Palace cultivation system hadn't yet emerged; only the divine treasure cultivation system was in its infancy. So, what specific era was this?

The Heavenly Court seemed to be in its nascent stages, its very name not yet finalized.

Could this be the Heavenly Court of the Ancient Gods?

If it were the Ancient God Heavenly Court, what connection did it have to the later Outer Realm Heavenly Court, often referred to as the 'old Heavenly Court' by people of the Kai Huang era?

The Woodcutter Sage had always maintained that, from beginning to end, the people of the Kai Huang era never truly knew who their enemy was.

People of the Sovereign Emperor era also seemed unaware of the true identity of this Outer Realm Heavenly Court, referring to them as Outer Realm Heavenly Devils.

Even the Red Emperor's thoughts didn't reveal the origin or background of the enemies who destroyed the Red Bright era.

Qin Mu pondered deeply, but still couldn't make sense of it.

Suddenly, a thought struck him: the Woodcutter's eldest disciple, Wei Suifeng, the founding patriarch of the Heavenly Saint Cult, had been exploring these very mysteries and was now nowhere to be found.

The founding patriarch traveled widely, leaving behind numerous geographical maps. Among them, he entrusted an exceedingly ancient military token to the Old Man of Azure Wilderness. That token was still in Qin Mu's possession. What era did it belong to?

"I can't kill the Heavenly Son of Yin yet."

Qin Mu displayed a benevolent smile, thinking, "The Heavenly Son of Yin is, after all, the local power here. I still need to leverage his connections to explore the secrets of this era and uncover more truths buried by history. Furthermore, I need him to introduce me to those legendary figures, the founders who created both the divine treasure and Heavenly Palace cultivation systems!"

His heart burned with fervent excitement.

The founders of the future divine arts civilization system—he could finally meet them!

The old ox subtly nudged him. Qin Mu snapped back to reality, only to see Kai Huang still looking at him with a knowing half-smile, which sent a chill down his spine.

Clearly, his earlier slip of the tongue had aroused Kai Huang's suspicion, though Kai Huang had not called him out.

"Actually, I've always wanted to tell you that I am your one hundred and seventh descendant."

Qin Mu smiled but said nothing, thinking, "I want to tell you so badly, but I can't..."

The Heavenly Son of Yin ran to the great Kun's head and called out from a distance, "Hurry over! Come look, Heavenly Lady Yin's carriage is approaching!"

Kai Huang smiled, "Let's go."

Qin Mu nodded, and the two walked side by side towards the great Kun's head. Many other divine arts practitioners were also hurrying to the great Kun's head, eagerly watching Heavenly Lady Yin's carriage.

"How did you enter this anomaly?" Kai Huang asked softly, looking straight ahead.

The old ox grew tense, tugging at Qin Mu's sleeve to signal him not to admit it.

Qin Mu whispered, "Like you, I inadvertently walked into a mist and then found myself here."

Kai Huang glanced at him and smiled, "I've been here for a few days now. When I first arrived, I was utterly shocked. But I've calmed down since. Being able to enter this wondrous era and witness the origins of future civilizations is a sacred and profound experience. I believe I should remain an observer and not interfere with this time."

Qin Mu chuckled, "What if you interfere? How do you know this isn't all predetermined? Perhaps your interference in this era is precisely what has already occurred in the past. If you forcefully refrain from interfering, it might actually lead to unpredictable events in the future."

Kai Huang raised an eyebrow, saying indifferently, "It seems our perspectives differ. I initially thought you, like me, came from the Surging River, but I was mistaken. Those with different paths do not seek counsel from each other."

Qin Mu scoffed, "A word too many when conversation is unfruitful. I see you as opinionated and arrogant, yet inwardly weak and incompetent, prone to indulgence. I find your actions rather shameful."

Kai Huang frowned slightly, scrutinizing him closely. "Your name is false, and your face is disguised," he said. "This indicates a dark interior, a cunning and ambitious schemer. If you intend to disrupt this era, I will surely obstruct you!"

Qin Mu replied calmly, "Your name is also false. Your outwardly resolute and formidable appearance easily deceives others into fighting for you, yet you are a fragile scoundrel who cannot withstand setbacks—a mere empty reputation!"

The old ox repeatedly wiped cold sweat from his forehead, silently lamenting, "What is to be done? What is to be done! Why are both their tempers like this? The hundred and seventh descendant is quarreling with his ancestor! If they keep arguing, they might even come to blows! Being beaten by the ancestor is minor, but beating the ancestor... that would be a major problem!"

Just then, the Heavenly Son of Yin's joyous voice called out, "Heavenly Lady Yin's carriage has arrived! Brother Qin, Brother Mu, hurry over!"

Qin Mu and Kai Huang averted their gazes. They walked forward somewhat awkwardly, their energies subtly clashing in a silent contest.