Chapter 860: Pasturing the Gods

Qin Mu's eyes widened. A soul of the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor hadn't dispersed, and this very soul was now an elder of the Heavenly Alliance?

Didn't this mean the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor still held a high position in the Heavenly Court?

Around him were all the people who had once tried to kill him, people who had nearly annihilated his soul!

These same people had seized his position as Heavenly Emperor and even taken possession of his physical body.

His power, his status, his wife – none of it belonged to him anymore.

He still had to feign civility with them, call them brothers, scheme with them against other ancient gods, and even help them become the rulers of the entire universe.

It was even possible that he was among the Heavenly Alliance masters who killed Earth Mother Yuanjun, that he had a hand in eliminating her, and even cultivated a new Earth Mother Yuanjun to replace her!

Only this could explain why Yuanmu, after the Heavenly Alliance removed Earth Mother Yuanjun, ended up in the Heavenly Emperor's hands.

Since he was part of the Heavenly Alliance, protecting their interests was protecting his own!

And he still had to meticulously plan his revival, plot to reclaim his power and status, use the Heavenly Alliance's strength to restore his rule, and eventually destroy his enemies within the Heavenly Alliance!

This situation was stranger, more bizarre, and more unbelievable than anything Qin Mu had ever encountered!

Qin Mu couldn't help but laugh out loud, his laughter growing louder and echoing through the vast Heavenly Yin Palace.

He laughed until he choked and coughed. "An old fox... *cough, cough*! This is what the Village Chief meant by an 'old fox'! So-called quick revenge and gratification are all just power plays! The world's order is your plaything! The world's justice is merely something you trample upon!"

He sobered, a half-smile on his face. "Now I find the Heavenly Court unspeakably ugly. In contrast, Yankang, this tiny land struggling between life and death, is the true human world, where one can feel warmth and cold. The Heavenly Court is nothing more than a den of iniquity."

The disheveled old Daoist remained silent, as if in meditation.

Heavenly Yin Niangniang's expression subtly shifted as she cautiously observed the Heavenly Emperor's phantom in the black sand of souls.

The figure in the black sand calmly said, "Then why does Heavenly Venerate Mu still wish to see me?"

"Because Yankang lacks the time and opportunity to grow," Qin Mu replied.

"Yankang needs time. The Founding Emperor era lasted twenty thousand years but failed to transform the world because it was extinguished too soon. Yankang has only existed for a few hundred years and is already on the verge of destruction. I need an assistant like Your Majesty to share the burden. And Your Majesty also needs my help to reshape your divine soul."

The figure in the black sand chuckled. "You and I are using each other. I hold significant power in the Heavenly Court and can buy Yankang time. If I orchestrate a conflict between the old and new Earth Mother Yuanjun, Yankang will have a chance to survive. However, I believe that if I were to regain my throne in the future and Yankang has grown, it would become a major concern for me."

Qin Mu earnestly asked, "Does Your Majesty have any other choice?"

The figure in the black sand smiled. "No."

"I don't think Your Majesty does either," Qin Mu said flatly.

"Your Majesty," Qin Mu continued calmly, "reshaping your divine soul requires another condition: borrowing the power of Heavenly Duke and Earth Count."

The black sand vibrated, and the figure within remained silent.

Qin Mu chuckled. "I'm not sure about Heavenly Duke, but I find Earth Count's side rather tricky. If I were to borrow Earth Count's power to revive Your Majesty, Earth Count would definitely kill me."

The figure in the black sand remained silent.

Heavenly Yin Niangniang, meanwhile, was in a dilemma, unsure if she should speak.

In the past, to control Earth Count, the Heavenly Emperor had taken advantage of Earth Count's reincarnation, allowing his son to lead demigods in an attack on the reincarnated Earth Count.

The reincarnated Earth Count was named A Chou. He had three children; his son and eldest daughter were killed, leaving only his youngest daughter. When A Chou launched his assault on the Heavenly Court, his daughter fell into the Heavenly Emperor's hands, becoming a crucial leverage point against Earth Count.

Although they addressed each other as ruler and subject, a seed of hatred had already been planted.

The disheveled old Daoist slowly opened his eyes and said, "Earth Count's daughter is still alive. Her position in the Heavenly Court is extremely high, so there should be room for negotiation regarding this matter."

The figure in the black sand added, "And there's Heavenly Duke. He might not lend his power to revive me either."

Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat. Had the Heavenly Emperor done something similar to Heavenly Duke as well?

No wonder both Heavenly Duke and Earth Count were reluctant to mention the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor and held his actions in such contempt.

Heavenly Duke didn't even want to bring up that period of history.

"Those who sow evil cannot escape their fate," Qin Mu stated.

"Your Majesty, you seemed to control all power and were peerless in the world, yet in reality, you were forsaken by everyone. When you fell into despair, no one came to save you."

The figure in the black sand snorted, offering no rebuttal.

"Then, please ask Dao Ancestor to persuade Earth Count's daughter, and have Earth Count's daughter persuade Earth Count. As for Heavenly Duke, I will find another way. And regarding Yankang's pressure, I request Your Majesty to let the new Earth Mother Yuanjun bear that burden."

The figure in the black sand snorted again, clearly displeased with Qin Mu's tone.

Qin Mu's gaze flickered. "There's one more thing: Imperial Heavenly Venerate. I wish to obtain the remaining wisp of his soul."

"Impossible!" The figure in the black sand flatly refused, shaking its head.

The disheveled old Daoist also shook his head. "Impossible. Imperial Heavenly Venerate's soul is hidden in Pixiang Palace; no one can retrieve it. This matter..."

He glanced at the figure in the black sand and stopped speaking.

Qin Mu frowned. This wisp of Imperial Heavenly Venerate's remnant soul was related to the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor. During the Jade Pool Grand Assembly that year, Imperial Heavenly Venerate was attacked and killed. The Ancient God Heavenly Emperor had ordered a search for his soul, but Earth Count hadn't found it.

Qin Mu surmised that Imperial Heavenly Venerate's soul had shattered, but the remnant soul carrying his memories had actually been taken by the Heavenly Emperor. Only the Heavenly Emperor's intervention could have hidden it from Earth Count.

Now that the Heavenly Court had changed hands, Imperial Heavenly Venerate's remnant soul was hidden in Pixiang Palace, likely involving various factions, making it something neither the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor nor Dao Ancestor could decide alone.

Qin Mu gritted his teeth. Could it be that Imperial Heavenly Venerate would remain a fool forever?

"Then, whose doing was the Imperial Heavenly Venerate who descended from the Heavenly Court?" he suddenly asked again.

The figure in the black sand replied, "Which Imperial Heavenly Venerate are you referring to?"

Qin Mu was momentarily stunned.

The figure in the black sand chuckled. "The Heavenly Court has manufactured many Imperial Heavenly Venerates, and it's likely they've all descended to the lower realms. They're conducting an experiment to see if the Imperial Heavenly Venerates they created are perfect. I wouldn't know who created the Imperial Heavenly Venerate you encountered. Besides, I also created one."

Qin Mu's eye twitched. He looked at Imperial Heavenly Venerate again, feeling both sorrow for him and an uncontrollable surge of killing intent.

"I have one more question," he said.

Qin Mu composed himself and forced a smile. "Is the Founding Emperor in the Heavenly Court? Has he also become a power-holder there? After all, he was also an elder of the Heavenly Alliance."

The figure in the black sand shook its head. "He refused to compromise and refused to die, so he naturally retreated to Carefree Village. The Heavenly Court has been searching for Carefree Village's whereabouts ever since, but they haven't found it yet."

Qin Mu stared blankly, then a weight suddenly lifted from his heart. His eyes even became a little moist; he was deeply moved.

"This is the Founding Emperor I know..." he chuckled softly, the moisture in his eyes evaporating.

The Founding Emperor had said that the more one understood about the Outer Heavenly Court, the more despair one would feel. Qin Mu could now truly understand the Founding Emperor's feelings when he uttered that statement, but the Founding Emperor had not compromised; he had not chosen to become one of the high-and-mighty power-holders.

The Founding Emperor had always been Qin Mu's inspiration and role model. Despite many misunderstandings, Qin Mu's admiration for him had never wavered.

If the Founding Emperor had also been in the Heavenly Court, the blow would have been so immense that it might have utterly crushed Qin Mu!

Qin Mu's mood brightened considerably. He stood up, smiling. "We'll conclude our discussion here today, Your Majesty. I can find a way for Heavenly Duke, but for Earth Count, I'll have to rely on you. Your Majesty, I have many matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now. Imperial Brother, let's go."

As he guided Imperial Heavenly Venerate out, the figure in the black sand suddenly called out, smiling. "Heavenly Venerate Mu, you've come to speak with me and asked many questions. I also have one question that puzzles me."

Qin Mu paused.

The figure in the black sand asked, puzzled, "I don't understand, what are you seeking? You possess astonishing talent and ability, formidable aptitude and comprehension, boundless curiosity, and you are diligent and resourceful. You even hold the title of Heavenly Venerate Mu, placing you in a position of high authority. You don't need to do anything for the mortal world to earn the Heavenly Court's respect. If you wished, you could even go to the Heavenly Court and be a high-ranking Heavenly Venerate Mu. Yet, you choose to wander this mortal realm, unafraid to oppose the Heavenly Court and a power that even the Founding Emperor found despairing."

He repeated his inner question: "So, what are you seeking? What do you wish to gain?"

Qin Mu turned his head, his eyes gleaming, and a pure smile appeared on his face.

"Your Majesty, you were born a titan, the Heavenly Leader of the entire universe. You are not a mortal; you have never lived in the mortal world, nor have you lived in Yankang."

He chuckled. "I've lived in the mortal world since childhood. There are so many people here who love me and whom I love. They have all sorts of minor flaws, but they are all human, all endearing. They are not gods; they are not high and mighty."

"When I learned that the gods of the Heavenly Court feared these endearing mortals, severing their divine bridges and blocking their futures, I realized it wasn't mortals who feared gods, but gods who feared mortals."

The figure in the black sand was slightly taken aback.

The disheveled old Daoist, who had been resting with closed eyes, now opened them again.

"When I urinated on divine statues with the blind grandpa from my village, I lost all respect for you gods. When I was a child, I herded cattle by the Yongjiang River. In truth, I was just a cowherd; I had no earth-shattering ambitions or astonishing aspirations. I merely wanted to herd the gods, to prevent these celestial deities from remaining high above."

Qin Mu walked out of Heavenly Yin Palace, his laughter trailing back. "A cowherd must set rules for his cattle, to keep them from running wild. Herding gods also requires rules, to make them serve humanity. When they commit evil, there will be rules to punish them, and new gods will replace them. And these new gods will be born from mortals, not from power games among deities. Yankang's reforms are precisely about this."

The figure in the black sand was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Bargaining with a tiger—a major hidden threat indeed."

Qin Mu turned around outside the palace, a brilliant smile on his face. "Indeed. But that's for the future. For now, we still need to cooperate."

The black sand receded and vanished.

The disheveled old Daoist stood up, walked out of the palace, and passed by Qin Mu. "You will fail, and you will die. Many people have shared your ideals: the successive Heavenly Emperors of the Southern Emperor, the Founding Emperor, and Heavenly Venerate Ling. Every single one of them failed."

Qin Mu watched him walk away and called out loudly, "Someone always has to do it! There are things to do and things not to do; we cannot simply do nothing at all!"

The old Daoist paused, then his figure vanished.

"Someone always needs to do it," Qin Mu murmured. He looked at Imperial Heavenly Venerate beside him and asked, "Right?"

Imperial Heavenly Venerate looked confused.

Qin Mu forced a smile and pressed him. "Right?"

Imperial Heavenly Venerate could not answer him.

Qin Mu looked bewildered and muttered, "Right?"

The Dragon Qilin, who had been lying prostrate in front of the palace, stood up, shook its body, and walked over. "Yes," it said.

Qin Mu smiled, feeling very happy.

Yan'er looked at the Dragon Qilin and whispered, "Why did you say 'yes'?"

"When Grandmaster was still alive, Imperial Preceptor Yankang often came to him," the Dragon Qilin mumbled. "Imperial Preceptor Yankang often had moments of confusion and helplessness. He would ask Grandmaster, 'Are the things we're doing right?' When Grandmaster didn't answer, Imperial Preceptor Yankang felt empty inside. Only when Grandmaster said 'yes' would Imperial Preceptor Yankang smile. The Cult Master needs a fellow Daoist to support him, but sadly, he doesn't have one. I didn't want to make him sad."