Chapter 806: Heavenly Emperor's Blessing

The surging earth suddenly became still. Then, the Imperial Saber, which was plunged into the ground, cut through the earth and moved westward. King Tian Shu gripped the hilt, attempting to steady the saber. However, the power beneath the earth was so immense that he was dragged along by the saber, pulled towards the west.

The Imperial Saber was incredibly sharp. As it passed through a large mountain, the mountain was suddenly sliced clean in half!

Seeing this, the old farmer let out a shout and slammed his fist onto the ground. Beneath the earth, a series of snapping sounds could be heard, as if something had been violently broken into segments.

Tian Shu was finally able to pull out the Imperial Saber and drew it upwards. His body flickered, transforming into a ram-headed deity with a pair of curved horns, and he brought the saber down!

With this single strike, he exerted all his skill. Although he only swung once, countless saber gleams penetrated deep into the earth.

His saber techniques were exquisite, making him the highest achiever in the Way of the Saber during the Kaihuang era. Otherwise, Kaihuang would not have entrusted him with a saber to hack at the Earth Lord when planning to open Fengdu.

As the saber fell, the ground continuously cracked open. Beneath the earth, faint flashes of saber light darted about, and massive root-like tendrils writhed within the light. The rising ground swiftly moved westward, and soon distant mountains rippled like waves, fleeing at immense speed.

On the ground, patches of blood lakes merged into a swamp, with ethereal light shimmering across the surface.

Tian Shu withdrew his saber, resting the large blade on his shoulder, and asked in confusion, "I clearly struck her. Why couldn't the Imperial Saber take her soul?"

"If you struck the Earth Lord with a saber, could you take his soul?"

From behind him, the old farmer's voice came, "Let's go. Back to the capital."

Tian Shu turned and returned to the capital with him.

At the residence in the capital, Emperor Yi Yue and the scholar joined forces to dispel the Earth Mother's blessing from Qin Mu's head. Breaking the blessing left Qin Mu's mind reeling, disoriented and muddled. He leaned against a wall, dry-heaving for a moment before recovering slightly, though his face remained pale.

The Grand Heavenly Masters and Heavenly Kings exchanged glances. "We only dispelled the Earth Mother's blessing, and Mu'er is already like this," they muttered. "Heavenly Venerate Yu has hundreds of halos behind his head, and he's only in the Spirit Embryo realm. Can he withstand it?"

Qin Mu shook his head, but the world still spun.

When Saint Woodcutter removed the Earth Primordial Dao Fruit, Qin Mu didn't feel much. This was because the Dao Fruit was linked to his soul, and Saint Woodcutter had directly cast his soul into Youdu, severing the connection with the Dao Fruit, which then detached automatically.

However, the Earth Mother's blessing was different; it was more complex, drawing power from the earth for continuous regeneration. Furthermore, it was linked to his physical body and primordial spirit, meaning the halo would persist even if Qin Mu died.

Emperor Yi Yue and the scholar employed the most direct method, forcibly deciphering each of the runes that constituted the Earth Mother's blessing.

In recent days, they had thoroughly comprehended these runes and devised their respective methods of decipherment. During the process, the resulting shockwaves also impacted Qin Mu's physical body and primordial spirit, causing him great discomfort.

"Heavenly Venerate Yu won't be able to bear it."

Saint Woodcutter shook his head. "To remove these blessings, experts at the Emperor's Throne realm must protect his primordial spirit and physical body. We also need to guard against incursions from living ancient gods. Heavenly Venerate Yu's situation is critical. With his revival, it's impossible to hide it from the ancient gods who once blessed him. If we attempt to break these ancient god blessings, the ancient gods drawn here might not be limited to just the Earth Mother Sovereign. We must act swiftly and decisively, erasing these blessings before the ancient gods can react!"

The scholar shook his head. "My wisdom is insufficient; I cannot completely break the blessings behind his head."

Emperor Yi Yue also shook her head. "These blessings are extremely extensive. I could easily deal with the blessings from the Four Emperors and Heavenly Duke, but some of them I don't even understand."

King Dizang, the old farmer, the fisherman, and others also shook their heads.

Saint Woodcutter said, "Then my youngest disciple and I will act together to break them. You all protect him and guard against ancient god incursions. Bai Gui, come forward!"

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang came forward upon hearing the call, saying, "Teacher."

Saint Woodcutter asked, "If you and I join forces to break the blessings of the gods behind Heavenly Venerate Yu's head, do you have confidence?"

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang pondered for a moment, then replied, "The Celestial Emperor's blessing will be somewhat difficult. Its structure is complex, encompassing an extremely wide range of Great Dao types. It will take a lot of time to break, and it's the first time I've encountered such a peculiar Great Dao. However, if I work with Teacher, I'm confident we can succeed."

The Woodcutter said, "Bai Gui and I will join forces. The First Heavenly King will hold down Heavenly Venerate Yu's physical body and primordial spirit, and the rest of you will guard against solitary incursions."

Everyone assented.

Emperor Yi Yue summoned Heavenly Venerate Yu and used her own magic power to protect his soul and physical body. She then nodded slightly to indicate readiness.

The Woodcutter asked, "Bai Gui, which ancient god's blessing do you think we should break first?"

"First, the Earth Mother, then Heavenly Duke and Earth Lord, and then we'll tackle the Celestial Emperor."

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang continued, "The Earth Mother is dead, and she just retreated in defeat, so breaking her blessing will be the simplest. Next, we'll break the blessings of Heavenly Duke and Earth Lord. Both ancient gods have a friendship with Second Senior Brother; they won't interfere or alert other ancient gods. Then, the Celestial Emperor. Second Senior Brother told me the Celestial Emperor is dead. While breaking his blessing is difficult, he wouldn't dare appear. After that, we'll break the blessings of the Empress sisters and the Four Emperors, and finally, the gods of the starry heavens."

The Woodcutter asked, "Will any ancient gods interfere and stop us?"

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang shook his head. "The key lies with the Empress sisters and the Four Emperors. If we break the blessings of these six ancient gods quickly enough, the Outer Heavens will not have time to react. As for the remaining ancient gods, they are insignificant and can be broken with ease, posing no threat. Speed is paramount in warfare; we will catch them off guard. No ancient god will be able to pinpoint our location and descend to stop us."

The Woodcutter's eyes brightened, and he smiled, "I have three disciples, but you are the only one who has truly inherited my teachings."

Qin Mu snorted, clearly displeased. "What 'true inheritance'? Teacher, you never let me observe when you taught my junior brother. You never taught me anything, so where did this 'true inheritance' come from?"

Saint Woodcutter ignored him. The two immediately began, circling Heavenly Venerate Yu continuously.

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang drew his sword, and Saint Woodcutter took out his axe. One's sword flashed like lightning, the other wielded his axe like a whirlwind; every move was exquisitely precise, a truly breathtaking sight.

"Jiang Bai Gui is very similar to the Woodcutter."

The old farmer observed for a moment, then whispered to the scholar, "However, his talent and comprehension seem to be a bit higher than the Woodcutter's. His cultivation is already quite close to the Woodcutter's."

The scholar nodded lightly. "The Grand Heavenly Master's cultivation has stagnated because he's been too distracted by other matters. His energy is limited, and he single-handedly supported Kaihuang's reforms, which delayed his cultivation. Jiang Bai Gui, on the other hand, has already assimilated his knowledge and is still making rapid progress. He is truly extraordinary."

The old farmer glanced at the clearly displeased Qin Mu nearby and whispered, "Why doesn't the Woodcutter teach that boy Qin Mu? The kid's upset; his face is longer than your donkey's."

The scholar shook her head. "I don't know about that. However, Qin Mu's knowledge is very diverse, and despite its breadth, he's very skilled and proficient—quite impressive. Especially his swordplay; even I can't block it."

"I know why Big Brother doesn't teach him."

The fisherman walked over and said in a low voice, "I spent some time with that boy Qin Mu and admired him greatly, so I asked Big Brother why he didn't teach Qin Mu. His expression was strange then, and he told me that among his three disciples, his eldest and youngest knew what to teach, but for this second disciple, he didn't know what or how to teach him. So he just taught him nothing and let him develop on his own."

The scholar didn't know whether to laugh or cry and asked the old farmer, "I see his martial arts are also not weak. Did you teach him?"

The old farmer grunted and shook his head. "No, I didn't teach him. Back then, when I had the Woodcutter soaking in the ditch, this kid came looking for me, speaking very boldly, claiming he could solve the problem of the Dou Niu realm people not having a divine bridge, and he wanted to use that to trade for the Woodcutter. So I allowed him to venture into the Dou Niu Heavenly Palace, and then he comprehended the Way of Martial Arts on his own; I didn't teach him anything. Unexpectedly, the kid actually solved it..."

The scholar stared blankly, then looked at Qin Mu. Qin Mu still had a long face, clearly unhappy.

*Having such a disciple, I don't know whether it's a blessing or a curse for Wentian Pavilion,* she thought to herself.

In just a short while, the Woodcutter and Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang broke the Earth Mother's blessing. The two immediately began to decipher the Heavenly Duke's blessing, moving at an incredibly fast pace. They then tackled the Earth Lord's blessing, a sight that left the Grand Heavenly Masters and Heavenly Kings with expressions of surprise.

Even Emperor Yi Yue frowned deeply. The speed at which these two deciphered was astonishing; even she couldn't achieve such swiftness.

To achieve such speed, one needed extraordinary wisdom and terrifying deductive abilities. Additionally, their coordination had to be seamless, allowing no room for error.

The Woodcutter and the Imperial Preceptor hadn't practiced beforehand; they simply began. Their coordination was truly flawless!

Soon, the two finally began to tackle the Celestial Emperor's blessing, which was the most challenging. Their deciphering speed gradually slowed, each sword stroke and axe swing becoming incredibly deliberate and heavy.

They moved slowly, treating even light actions as if they were heavy. Each strike took longer and longer, and sweat steamed from their bodies, turning into mist, while their vital energy grew increasingly vigorous.

Two days later, beads of blood seeped from Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang's skin. Two lines of bloody tears flowed from the Woodcutter's eyes, and his hair turned gray.

The Celestial Emperor's blessing was truly too powerful, forcing their wisdom to its absolute limit. Their brains operated at an astonishing speed, and this was even with them having already comprehended the profound mysteries of the runes within the Celestial Emperor's blessing. If they had known nothing, they probably wouldn't have known where to start.

After another two days, the Woodcutter's aura weakened. Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang, being younger, gained more and more insights while breaking the Celestial Emperor's blessing, and his vital energy increased rather than diminished.

Finally, the two shattered the halo formed by the Celestial Emperor's blessing!

Blood seeped from the Woodcutter's lips as he stepped back, saying, "Bai Gui, can you handle the remaining blessings by yourself?"

"I can try!"

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang let out a long cry, his body suddenly accelerating and turning into numerous afterimages. At that moment, it was as if countless Imperial Preceptors Yan Kang appeared around Heavenly Venerate Yu, their numbers increasing. Each one used a different sword technique to strike at the halo behind Heavenly Venerate Yu's head, unleashing dazzling, colorful bursts of light!

Emperor Yi Yue, the scholar, the old farmer, and the others grew tense.

The blessings they had previously broken were from Heavenly Duke and Earth Lord, who wouldn't interfere. The Earth Mother and Celestial Emperor were dead. But now, with only Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang left, the ancient gods who bestowed those remaining blessings could still be alive!

Suddenly, the Empress's blessing shattered with a crisp sound. After a few more breaths, the Empress's sister's blessing also shattered. Then, the Four Emperors' blessings one by one dimmed and popped out of existence!

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang's speed grew faster and faster, and his phantoms multiplied. This forced everyone to continuously retreat, making way for him to perform his techniques in a larger space.

The halos behind Heavenly Venerate Yu's head dwindled rapidly, and the speed of their destruction accelerated. The sight left everyone dazzled and filled with admiration.

"You are helping your youngest disciple reach his full potential."

The scholar whispered, "You're not so weak as to be exhausted to the point of spitting blood."

Saint Woodcutter smiled. "I am old now, and I am Kaihuang's Heavenly Master; I cannot always help Yan Kang. A teacher imparts knowledge, teaches skills, and resolves doubts. Now that my Way has been imparted, skills taught, and doubts resolved, I am truly a teacher."

The scholar gestured towards Qin Mu with her chin and whispered, "What about that disciple of yours? Have you imparted knowledge, taught skills, and resolved doubts for him?"

Saint Woodcutter scratched his head, looking bewildered. "I don't know what I can teach him, or how to teach him... He's like Heavenly Venerate Yu; he learns some basic things and then manages to conjure up something that leaves you utterly stunned and terrified. I don't dare teach him..."

Finally, Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang shattered all the ancient god blessings and sharply sheathed his sword. He put the sword behind his back with one hand, closed his eyes, and concentrated, involuntarily falling into a profound state.

Breaking the ancient god blessings this time brought him great gains, leading him into a deep and profound state of enlightenment.

This was the result of the Woodcutter's deliberate action to help him achieve his potential. The Woodcutter had led him into a battle of wits—pitting his intelligence against ancient gods, against the Great Dao of heaven and earth, and against the Woodcutter himself. Then the Woodcutter withdrew, allowing Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang to fully exercise his own brilliance, which led to this enlightenment.

"This might be Jiang Bai Gui's most crucial enlightenment in his entire life. It will lay the foundation for his future achievements."

The others did not disturb him and quietly withdrew.

By the time Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang awoke, a month had passed. He looked around to find Qin Mu's residence empty; everyone had long since left. Looking up, he saw a lush Primordial Tree, its canopy spreading to cover the entire capital.

"Qin Mu, along with the Human Emperors and Dao Masters, has gone to Surging River."

Gongsun Yan, standing beneath the tree, told him, "He asked me to tell you, Imperial Preceptor, not to worry, and to prepare the sealing technique for the Southern Heavenly Gate as soon as possible."

Imperial Preceptor Yan Kang was startled, then smiled. "Why didn't you go with him?"

"I'm used to rooting myself here," the girl smiled.

Qin Mu rode on the back of the Dragon Qilin, traveling with the Human Emperors. They saw magnificent mountains and beautiful rivers, a truly refreshing sight. Suddenly, Qin Mu spotted a black wild boar and exclaimed with delight, "Catch that boar demon!"

The Water Qilin immediately rushed over and captured the black boar demon.

Qin Mu took out the Celestial Emperor's imperial decree and chuckled, "I was just wondering how to deal with this Celestial Emperor's blessing." With that, he unrolled the decree towards the bewildered black boar demon.

A moment later, Qin Mu tossed the decree aside and departed with the others.

"Heavenly Venerate Mu, we finally meet." An ancient, obscure divine consciousness subtly fluctuated, suddenly appearing in the black boar demon's mind.

"Oink, oink!" the black boar exclaimed in surprise.