Chapter 801: The Sovereign of All Paths

The Woodcutter Sage arrived, travel-worn but with a beaming smile, an axe for chopping wood slung over his back. Behind him padded the Black Tiger God, with long ears that twitched back and forth. Suddenly, spotting Niu Sanduo, its ears shot forward.

In the next instant, the Black Tiger God transformed into a small black tiger and scampered over, affectionately calling out, "Third Brother, long time no see!"

Although the Old Farmer and the Woodcutter had a strained relationship, the Black Tiger God and the Old Ox were very close. The Black Tiger God clung to the Old Ox, affectionately addressing him as "Third Brother."

The Old Farmer glanced indifferently at the Woodcutter Sage. "I'm not familiar with the capital, but you are," he said. "Pick a ditch, and I'll send you there."

The Woodcutter Sage burst into laughter but dared not approach. "Come on, don't be like that," he said. "We've known each other for tens of thousands of years; you can't send me into a ditch every time we meet. This time, my youngest disciple urgently called me back because my second disciple received a very peculiar blessing from the Earth Mother, and they want me to take a look. Have you seen him?"

The Old Farmer's expression softened slightly. "I have," he replied. "The Earth Mother's blessing is indeed very strange. I punched it a few times, but couldn't break it."

"Even you couldn't destroy the Earth Mother's blessing?"

The Woodcutter Sage's expression became solemn. "It seems genuinely difficult."

Suddenly, another voice called out, "Elder Brothers, have you arrived?"

Both turned to look and saw the Fisherman, also travel-worn, carrying a fish basket on his back and a fishing rod in his hand.

The Woodcutter said, "Fourth Brother, you've arrived just in time. Third Brother just told me to pick a ditch so he could send me to lie down in it."

The Fisherman cautiously replied, "If Third Brother tells First Brother to lie in a ditch, then First Brother should lie in a ditch. I can't beat him, so telling me this is useless."

From his basket, two small red fish poked their heads out. Spotting the Old Ox and the Little Black Tiger, they quickly flew out, wagging their tails, and landed on the ground, bouncing and hopping about.

The Black Tiger God, seeing the fish, instantly became energetic. It lunged forward with its paws and pinned down the two small red fish.

"They're hooked!"

The two small red fish were overjoyed. The small male fish shook its head, and its head instantly grew enormous. With a snap, it swallowed the Black Tiger God whole, leaving only a dark, twitching tail sticking out.

The Old Ox slowly and calmly said, "Alright, alright, you two, stop fooling around and spit out the little black cat."

The small male fish was somewhat reluctant but eventually spat out the Black Tiger God. The Black Tiger God huffed, then produced a transparent glass fish tank from somewhere. The two small red fish's eyes lit up, and they immediately leaped inside.

The Black Tiger God stared at the fish in the tank, drooling, but dared not provoke them.

These two small red fish were no ordinary creatures; they were two Red Kun, two demigods who had cultivated under the Fisherman Celestial Master. Their cultivation was earth-shattering, and their magical power was extraordinary.

Purely in terms of combat power, they were no match for the Old Ox in a one-on-one fight, but together as a couple, they had the strength to contend with Niu Sanduo.

"It's been a long time since the four of us gathered," the small female fish said, poking its head out of the tank. "It's a pity that donkey isn't here."

Niu Sanduo looked displeased. "He went with the Scholar to Wuyou Village and is having a grand time," he grumbled. "That donkey has a weird temper and an unpleasant way of speaking. It would be best if he died in Wuyou Village and never came out!"

The Black Tiger God reluctantly shifted its gaze. "That stubborn donkey speaks terribly and kicks its hooves around..."

Just as they were speaking, the sudden braying of a donkey echoed. The Woodcutter and others were overjoyed, but Niu Sanduo, the Black Tiger God, and the two small Red Kun immediately pulled long faces. The small male fish angrily retorted, "Dead wife, I told you not to run your mouth!"

"I'm late!"

A Scholar, riding sideways on a donkey, swayed into Qin Mu's residence. The Scholar dismounted, fanned himself with a feather fan, and walked towards the group, smiling. "Elder Brother, two virtuous younger brothers," he greeted.

"When did Second Brother leave Wuyou Village?"

The Old Farmer's expression became serious. "How is Emperor Kai? Why didn't he come out?"

"He is well," the Scholar replied with a smile, bowing to everyone but not answering the question.

Everyone hastily returned the bow.

The donkey, meanwhile, flicked its tail and walked towards Niu Sanduo and the Black Tiger God. Niu Sanduo's body tensed, and the Black Tiger God quietly retreated a few steps. The two small Red Kun in the fish tank even forgot to swim.

The donkey approached the fish tank, then suddenly plunged its head in and gulped down the water, quickly emptying the tank. Only then did it pull its head out, with two small fish flapping their tails and dangling from its nostrils.

"Where did these little fish come from?"

The donkey snorted, blasting the two small Red Kun away, and began to bray with laughter, speaking in human tongue: "Ah, it's the virtuous couple! I almost ate you. What were you doing hiding in the water? I'm a vegetarian; wouldn't eating you break my vows? Bray, bray, bray... Brother Ox? Brother Ox!"

The donkey nudged Niu Sanduo with its shoulder, grinning broadly. "Brother Ox has such good muscles; hitting you made my shoulder ache, you're really solid! By the way, I know someone who makes stewed ox-hide. You should get yours treated; it'll be shiny and lustrous, guaranteed. He also sells beef and ox tendons; they taste amazing. When I see that beef, I think of you, hehe... Why aren't you laughing? You're too serious, I can't talk to you. Little Blacky!"

The donkey stood on its hind legs, placed a hoof on the Little Black Tiger's head, and burst into laughter.

The Black Tiger God lowered its head, staring at the ground, then silently pulled two axes from behind its back. Its body trembled, yet it dared not strike.

"Little Blacky, do you remember when we first met? You wanted to eat me, and then I knocked you down with one kick, and you lay there for several months. I was ecstatic..."

The Old Ox's eyes flickered, and he cut him off. "Lü Zheng, stop talking. Let me introduce two good friends to you. Long Pi, Ah Shui, come over here!"

Long Qilin and Shui Qilin hurriedly ran over, glanced at the donkey, and both shivered.

The donkey swiftly moved between them, stretching out its hooves, and clamped them both, one on each side, until their shoulders were bulging. It chuckled, "Two virtuous younger brothers, long time no see!"

Long Qilin and Shui Qilin's faces turned ashen. After a moment, Long Qilin tremblingly asked, "Elder Brother Lü, would you like some spirit pills?"

Beneath the Primordial Tree, the Woodcutter, Scholar, Old Farmer, and Fisherman encircled Qin Mu, constantly moving around him. After a moment, the Old Farmer stepped back, the Fisherman also stopped, and the Scholar tapped his forehead with his feather fan; all were deep in thought.

The Woodcutter carefully examined the halo behind Qin Mu's head. After a moment, he said, "The Earth Mother's blessing is somewhat difficult, but this Prime Earth Dao Fruit can be removed."

The Scholar quickly asked, "How do you remove it?"

The Woodcutter reached out and touched Qin Mu's glabella. Qin Mu immediately felt his primordial spirit fall silent, the world plunged into darkness, as if he had fallen into Youdu.

The Woodcutter waited for a moment, then reached into the halo behind Qin Mu's head and plucked the Prime Earth Dao Fruit, tossing it to Gongsun Yan nearby. "Fellow Daoist," he said, "bury this fruit beneath your primordial spirit and entwine it with your roots. This Prime Earth Dao Fruit will allow your primordial spirit to grow to the extent of covering the capital city within a few months."

Gongsun Yan hesitated. "This Dao Fruit was given by the Earth Mother to enhance his cultivation realm," she said.

The Woodcutter smiled gently. "The Earth Mother is actually harming him. The Prime Earth Dao Fruit offers little benefit to him; forcibly elevating his cultivation would only destabilize his realm and damage his Dao heart. If the Earth Mother were to make this Dao Fruit explode, your little sweetheart would be annihilated."

Gongsun Yan was startled and quickly buried the Prime Earth Dao Fruit beneath her primordial spirit, entwining it with her roots.

The Fisherman frowned. "Elder Brother, how did you remove the Dao Fruit?"

"It's simple," the Woodcutter replied. "The Prime Earth Dao Fruit follows him because it's attuned to his soul's aura."

The Woodcutter explained, "I just now sent his primordial spirit into Youdu, putting him into a state of suspended animation, which allowed me to easily remove the Dao Fruit. When I plucked it, I subtly added some runes to it, altering its internal runic structure, so the Dao Fruit will no longer pursue him."

He extended his index and middle fingers, tapping Qin Mu's glabella. Qin Mu's primordial spirit returned to his body, and he woke up.

The Woodcutter continued to examine the Earth Mother's blessing and went on, "You are thinking about how to break it. I'm not thinking about breaking it, but rather about adding to it. By adding a part, I will dismantle the hidden divine ability structure within this Dao Fruit of the Earth Mother."

The Old Farmer snorted. "If you applied your intelligence to cultivation, who would dare dispute your claim to be the First Celestial Master?"

The Woodcutter shook his head. "My aptitude isn't great, so there's no need to exert myself. Besides, your cultivation and strength surpass mine a hundredfold; you can simply protect me. However, this Earth Mother's blessing is truly tricky... This kind of blessing is a blessing of the Dao itself: unborn, undying, undefiled, unstained, unincreasing, and undecreasing. It makes it difficult for me to act immediately."

Qin Mu asked, "Teacher, can the Earth Mother use this blessing to monitor my movements?"

The Woodcutter smiled. "If she blesses you, you become her subject, and she can naturally monitor your movements."

Qin Mu's expression subtly changed.

The Woodcutter said, "I haven't fully mastered the runes of Yuandu, so we'll need others who are proficient in this art to come. If we gather experts of exceptional intelligence and research it slowly, we can surely find a solution. You don't need to worry; Si Youyou is skilled in primordial magnetic divine abilities. If she arrives, I'll have half a chance to break the Earth Mother's blessing."

Qin Mu was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What if it's the blessings of all ancient gods, including the ancient Heavenly Emperor, as well as Earth Count, Heavenly Duke, and the Earth Mother? Would Teacher be able to break those?"

The Woodcutter Sage couldn't help but laugh. "Where would you find someone who could gather the blessings of all ancient gods? Who possesses such great prestige and merit to earn blessings from every ancient god?"

"There is."

Qin Mu looked at the Old Farmer. "Senior Uncle," he said, "is that little chubby boy I entrusted to you still at the Imperial Preceptor's residence?"

"You mean that little chubby boy?" The Old Farmer's face changed drastically, and he whistled before dashing off.

A moment later, Yu Tianzun was brought before the group by the Old Farmer. He shyly and secretly observed everyone, then whispered, "Brother, what happened?"

Yu Tianzun had been tutored by the Old Farmer for over ten days, and he had thinned down considerably, looking much neater. Originally, he had consumed too many spirit pills, causing their medicinal power to accumulate unrefined in his body. The Old Farmer, being a Martial Dao Emperor, was notoriously fierce in his training.

In just over ten days, the Old Farmer had dissolved the excess medicinal power within him.

However, Yu Tianzun had clearly endured much hardship, but his physique had become more robust. Previously, due to his amnesia, he had seemed somewhat timid, but now there was a burgeoning aura of heroism about him.

He stood there, surrounded by the group, and behind the boy's head, layers of light wheels slowly rotated, a truly extraordinary sight.

The four Celestial Masters' expressions turned grave. They exchanged glances. "Indeed, these are the blessings of all gods, and they are incredibly complete!"

The Scholar pondered for a moment, then asked, "Mu'er, who could possibly receive blessings from all ancient gods? What earth-shattering deeds has he accomplished?"

Qin Mu sighed, his face becoming serious. He strode over to Yu Tianzun and said solemnly, "I haven't yet introduced him to all of you, teachers and senior uncles. This is the Ancestor of All Methods for postnatal beings, the Venerable of All Daos, the first divine arts practitioner and the first deity to open up the Divine Treasure System and the Celestial Palace System! Lan Yutian, Yu Tianzun!"

The four Celestial Masters' minds reeled, leaving them dumbfounded. The Old Farmer stammered, "What did you say? What is he?"

Qin Mu said to Yu Tianzun, "Virtuous younger brother, these four are my teachers and senior uncles."

Yu Tianzun, still dazed, bowed to the four, saying, "Greetings, Teachers, Senior Uncles..."

The four Celestial Masters' faces dramatically changed, and they hastily avoided his bow.

The Woodcutter quickly straightened his clothes and bowed deeply. "I am inherently proud and believe there is no one in this world worthy of my veneration; even Emperor Kai, I address as fellow Daoist. Yet, Your Excellency, you are truly worthy of such a profound bow!"

The Scholar also bowed. "This humble scholar, Zi Xi, bows neither to heaven nor earth, but Your Excellency is worthy of a bow!"

The Fisherman and Old Farmer also bowed deeply, saying solemnly, "Ancestor of All Methods, Venerable of All Daos, it is proper to pay homage. We revere not you, but your unparalleled accomplishments!"

Yu Tianzun stood there, stunned and at a loss for words. "You..."

Qin Mu smiled and whispered, "Though many wish to harm you, there are always some who are grateful to you. Yu Tianzun, you are worthy of this."