Chapter 864: A Sword Full of Fragrance

In addition to the undying divine consciousness, there are divine arts encompassing the sword path, creation, and other disciplines.

Great Black Heaven continued to scrutinize the Sword-Bearer Diagram, a playful smile on his face.

The black sun behind his head pulsed with black qi, the very source of the darkness that enveloped a ten-thousand-mile radius around Great Black Heaven.

"Oddly, divine beings cannot trigger his undying divine consciousness, nor can they discern his mastery of the sword path or creation. His divine arts are effective only against other practitioners of divine arts. Unable to perceive his Daoist techniques, we can only observe them physically, which makes it challenging to grasp their true essence."

Great Black Heaven, with a knowing look, praised, "This Eternal Peace Overlord Body certainly has impressive abilities. While destroying his challenge letter is simple, overcoming his divine arts is a formidable task."

Inside the Great Black Palace, the gods from the Northern Heavens exchanged uneasy glances.

Before Jiangling Academy, Qin Mu had used his sword as a brush and space as paper, swiftly drawing his sword diagram to create the challenge letter.

While Qin Mu had created it with effortless grace, its arrival here presented an immense challenge even to these exalted deities.

"Each of you must return to your respective heavens and select your most exceptional divine arts practitioners, regardless of their cultivation level."

Great Black Heaven closed the challenge letter and stated, "Gather these individuals and send them here. The sole condition for them to be brought before me is that they must have achieved Dao insight. Young practitioners who have not achieved this will only be seeking their demise by coming here."

The gods of the Northern Heavens exchanged uneasy glances. A bold god-demon ventured, "How incredibly difficult is it to achieve Dao insight? There are over three hundred heavens under our Northern dominion, each with billions of inhabitants, yet selecting even one divine arts practitioner who has achieved Dao insight will prove quite challenging for us."

Great Black Heaven replied coolly, "Why does Eternal Peace possess so many divine arts practitioners who have achieved Dao insight?"

"This..."

"War!"

Great Black Heaven rose to his feet. The black sun behind his head seemed to project countless threads that intertwined with the pervasive darkness. As he moved, the black qi billowing from the sun possessed the tangible quality of silk, trailing the darkness in his wake, shifting with his every stride.

"Eternal Peace has endured eight centuries of warfare. The people confined to that small territory have been compelled to exhaust every possible means to elevate themselves. With their divine bridges severed, precluding ascension to the Heavenly Palace, they were left with no choice but to seek breakthroughs in every conceivable area."

Great Black Heaven stated gravely, "And war has become their ultimate crucible for breakthroughs! The Northern Heavens have enjoyed stability for far too long, to the extent that these youngsters are lost in a drunken haze, and practitioners who have achieved Dao insight are as rare as one in ten millennia. Let them fight, let them kill—like cultivating Gu worms. Put them all in a single basin, and the one or two worms that survive will be the most potent."

The gods of the Northern Heavens were aghast.

The ox-headed god-demon cautiously interjected, "Great Black Heaven has many powerful disciples under his command..."

Great Black Heaven shot him a disdainful look, saying, "You conspired behind my back, making a pact with that deceitful Celestial Master Wen Tian Ge regarding the Little Earth Lord, and now that you can't handle him, you expect me to clean up your mess. Are you the rulers of the Northern Heavens, or am I? Now, get out there and conduct your selections diligently. In one month, I expect to see the strongest 'Gu worm' you have cultivated!"

The gods departed, returning to their respective heavens.

In Frost Heaven, amid endless snow and ice, a vast basin had become a battleground. Countless divine arts practitioners stalked, concealed themselves, and fought in this frozen world. The once pristine snowy landscape was now marred by numerous plum-blossom-shaped bloodstains.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, gradually obscuring the crimson stains.

Beyond this particular ice valley, countless other ice valleys similarly hosted battling divine arts practitioners. In each valley, the practitioners were deliberately confined to the same cultivation realm.

To select the most exceptional practitioners, the gods of Frost Heaven gathered tens of thousands of them, forcing them into a brutal internecine struggle, akin to cultivating Gu worms. Their sole purpose was to identify the strongest and compel them to achieve Dao insight through life-or-death combat.

This was merely one of the Northern Heavens.

The Northern region of the Primordial Realm encompasses over three hundred heavens of varying sizes. While some are densely populated and others less so, even the smallest hosts hundreds of millions of inhabitants, and the largest can boast tens of billions.

Over the course of a month, divine arts practitioners across hundreds of heavens suffered heavy casualties, yet the results were remarkable, with numerous powerful practitioners emerging from the trials.

Among them were over a dozen individuals who had achieved Dao insight, possessing formidable strength.

As scheduled, the gods of the Northern Heavens brought their chosen divine arts practitioners to the Great Black Palace to seek an audience with Great Black Heaven.

Over three hundred divine arts practitioners stood in orderly formation outside the Great Black Palace. Each was an elite among elites, brimming with palpable killing intent, fighting spirit, and unmatched confidence.

"There are still too many who have not achieved Dao insight."

Great Black Heaven did not grant them entry to the palace, instead issuing an edict: "Allowing these individuals to view the Eternal Peace Overlord Body's challenge letter would only bring me ridicule. Do you wish for the bumpkins of Eternal Peace to mock me? Let them continue to fight until only those who have achieved Dao insight remain. Even if it yields just one more such practitioner, it will be worthwhile."

At a command from outside the palace, the more than three hundred divine arts practitioners instantly erupted, their divine arts flaring and illuminating the surrounding darkness!

With each burst of light that pierced the darkness, a divine arts practitioner fell, meeting their demise.

After a considerable pause, Great Black Heaven's command once again echoed from within the palace: "Stop!"

The surviving divine arts practitioners ceased their combat, gazing toward the brightly lit Great Black Palace.

Only seventeen remained. These seventeen were demigods among demigods, possessing incredibly formidable bloodline power. Each was a master who had achieved Dao insight, brimming with unparalleled resolve and battle intent!

"Great Black Heaven!"

A god-demon bowed and declared loudly, "From my three hundred and sixteen Northern Heavens, encompassing billions of divine arts practitioners, seventeen individuals who have achieved Dao insight have been selected! This single selection process has resulted in over a million casualties! Is it truly worth it, merely to view the Eternal Peace Overlord Body's challenge letter? A million divine arts practitioners could raze the Eternal Peace nation multiple times over!"

"You ignorant fool!"

Great Black Heaven's voice emanated coldly from within the palace: "I am saving you! Had you not formed the pact with Wen Tian Ge concerning the Little Earth Lord, annihilating Eternal Peace would have been a mere flick of my finger! But because you entered into that pact, whether a million or ten million lives are lost, they must indeed perish!"

Within the palace, darkness surged as Great Black Heaven advanced. The black sun behind his head tugged at the surrounding shadows, engulfing the blazing furnaces that lined the palace walls, rendering them unable to emit even a flicker of light.

"Earth Lord, an embodiment of the Great Dao; the Little Earth Lord, a divine scion of Youdu, possesses both the power of ancient gods and the capabilities of acquired beings. As the first demon god to achieve Dao enlightenment from Youdu, I deeply understand the formidable nature of Youdu's divine scions. To swear an oath to the Little Earth Lord—you were truly audacious!"

Great Black Heaven produced Qin Mu's challenge letter, gave it a sharp flick, and suspended it in the air, commanding, "Observe the letter!"

The seventeen demigod divine arts practitioners gazed at Qin Mu's challenge letter. Within the diagram, Qin Mu stood with a sword on his back, a silent smile on his face.

A moment later, one of the practitioners who had achieved Dao insight stared wide-eyed, his body trembling uncontrollably. Suddenly, he let out a shriek, and his body tore into four pieces, perishing instantly!

Shortly after, another practitioner who had achieved Dao insight drew his sword and began to dance, his sword strikes like flashes of light and bolts of lightning, performing with the fervor of a madman.

"Excellent swordplay—"

He abruptly stopped, sheathing his sword. A beam of sword light shot forth from his glabella, revealing a sword mark and wound from which blood continuously flowed.

Another individual's protective qi spun wildly around him, accompanied by continuous, peculiar resonating sounds like a grand bell, chiming "dang-dang." Runes encompassing his entire body transformed into a large bell, which pulsed continuously, demonstrating the profound subtlety of his divine arts.

Suddenly, a burst of crimson light erupted from within the bell, staining the rune-formed great bell completely red.

The great bell dissipated, its runes collapsing, leaving behind only a riddled corpse.

The numbers dwindled rapidly. Soon, only six of the seventeen remained.

These six demigod divine arts practitioners successfully withstood the undying divine consciousness emanating from Qin Mu's challenge letter. As if having gained immense experience and profound enlightenment, these six emerged with clear minds and invigorated spirits, their abilities having made substantial advancements!

The god-demons from the various heavens collectively breathed a sigh of relief upon witnessing this.

"From our Northern Heavens, six individuals can contend with this Eternal Peace Overlord Body. At last, we can salvage some dignity."

"These six divine arts practitioners possess extraordinary aptitude and exceptional comprehension. By utilizing the Sword-Bearer Diagram to enhance themselves, they are finally prepared to face the Eternal Peace Overlord Body's challenge!"

"Following this trial, our Northern Heavens will gain six more prodigies who will astound the world. The future accomplishments of these six are destined to reverberate throughout all heavens!"

Just then, Great Black Heaven declared, "This was merely the first stage of the Eternal Peace Overlord Body's challenge letter. You have successfully passed this initial test."

The god-demons of the Northern Heavens were startled. Great Black Heaven continued, "Only when the Sword-Bearer Diagram within the challenge letter is destroyed is the challenge truly accepted. This Eternal Peace Overlord Body is quite fair; his divine consciousness is imbued within the letter, and the sword god depicted will manifest a cultivation level equivalent to your own when confronting you. Thus, you needn't fear him overpowering you through a higher realm. Now..."

He surveyed the group, his gaze sweeping over the six practitioners who had achieved Dao insight, and coldly commanded, "One by one, step forward and activate the challenge letter with your vital qi!"

A divine arts practitioner stepped forward, his vital qi activating the Sword-Bearer Diagram. Within the diagram, Qin Mu drew his sword, and instantly, a torrent of sword light filled the air, thrusting forth from the illustration!

The practitioner who had achieved Dao insight roared, unleashing his own Dao-infused divine art.

The two great Dao-infused divine arts collided, their immense power sweeping in all directions and unleashing violent fluctuations that only subsided after a prolonged period.

Before the Great Black Palace, the gods eagerly watched, only to see the Dao-achieving practitioner standing imposingly, utterly still.

Suddenly, he tilted his head back and collapsed, expiring on the spot!

The gods of the Northern Heavens were aghast, turning their gaze to the Sword-Bearer Diagram. Within it, Qin Mu's figure remained incredibly clear and lifelike, his sword still sheathed.

Great Black Heaven said coldly, "Next!"

Another practitioner who had achieved Dao insight stepped forward. This was a formidable master of Dao-infused blade techniques. Without using vital qi to activate the Sword-Bearer Diagram, he directly drew his blade, unleashing his unique Dao-infused blade art, and struck at the diagram!

Flashes of blade light and sword shadows appeared and vanished in an instant, leaving only thin, inky black lines in the air—scars where space had been torn by the clashing sword and blade techniques.

After a brief moment, these black lines vanished.

The corner of the blade-Dao demigod's eye twitched. He lowered his head to look at his waist, even as fresh blood gushed from his mouth.

A thin crimson line appeared around his waist, his upper and lower body slowly separating.

"You are quite impressive; you did not perish by his sword. You show promise and can be well-nurtured."

Great Black Heaven said indifferently, "Next!"

A deity swiftly stepped forward, cradling the man and staunching his bleeding. Noticing his legs and buttocks had fallen to the ground, the deity hurriedly gathered his lower body as well and sent him for medical treatment.

Yet another practitioner who had achieved Dao insight stepped forward, directly confronting Qin Mu's Sword-Bearer Diagram.

His divine arts erupted with terrifying power!

Two more corpses lay on the ground, and one individual was gravely injured. However, among the six remaining practitioners who had achieved Dao insight, one young demigod remained entirely unharmed. He had not only withstood the attack from Qin Mu's Sword-Bearer Diagram but had even forcibly obliterated it!

"What is your name?" Great Black Heaven asked the youth, a look of anticipation on his face.

The youth bowed and replied, "Your disciple is Feng Huayu, a divine arts practitioner from Flowery Heaven. My ancestor was the Ancient God of Hundred Flowers."

Great Black Heaven nodded and said, "Your bloodline is exceptionally noble, your comprehension outstanding, and your aptitude truly remarkable. That you could use your Dao-infused divine art to withstand his sword diagram attack and even obliterate the Sword-Bearer Diagram is an extraordinary feat. Your achievement of Dao insight in divine arts makes your capabilities rare in the Primordial Realm, yet you still lack something to truly contend with the Eternal Peace Overlord Body."

Feng Huayu's eyes flickered with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"However, there is a way to remedy this shortcoming."

Great Black Heaven turned and walked into the palace, saying, "Follow me. The Eternal Peace Overlord Body's challenge letter has been destroyed by you, and he has undoubtedly sensed it. He will likely be en route here now. It will take him three months to reach the Great Black Palace. During these three months, I will personally impart to you my Emperor's Throne supreme art, the Dark Demonic Robe Scripture. Under my direct tutelage, your cultivation and strength will advance by leaps and bounds!"

Feng Huayu was both surprised and delighted, hastily following him into the Great Black Palace.

"Send someone to summon Khan Luandi!"

Great Black Heaven stated gravely, "Khan Luandi once surrendered to Eternal Peace and assimilated the achievements of their reforms. Let him then impart the fruits of Eternal Peace's reforms to you, and you will be able to contend with the Eternal Peace Overlord Body! Luandi is now my disciple, and his strength is extraordinary. He will certainly enable you to make further progress after cultivating my ultimate art!"

Jiangling Academy.

Qin Mu had been diligently studying within the academy, immersing himself in the achievements of Jiangling Academy's recent reforms.

Unbeknownst to him, a month passed. Qin Mu had completed his studies and was sparring with Duke Wei when he suddenly felt a spiritual stir. He stopped and smiled, "Someone in the Northern Heavens has accepted my challenge. Heavenly King Wei, I must now go to fulfill it."

Duke Wei's heart skipped a beat, and he hastily interjected, "Cult Master, the Northern Heavens are hostile territory, and Great Black Heaven is the progenitor of the demonic path—even the Martial Heavenly Master is no match for him! How many masters will the Cult Master require for this journey?"

Qin Mu chuckled, "Dragon Qilin will suffice."

Duke Wei's eyes widened, his heart filled with panic: "How can you possibly go with only that oaf? Cult Master, please wait a few days. I will instruct our disciples to locate the Four Heavenly Masters and Four Heavenly Kings to accompany and protect you!"

Qin Mu shook his head and chuckled, "Why would an Eternal Peace Overlord Body require the protection of Emperor Kai's Heavenly Masters or Heavenly Kings? Would that not tarnish Eternal Peace's good name? You remain here and ensure my imperial brother studies diligently. I'm leaving!" With that, he instructed Yan'er to stay and attend to Imperial Heavenly Venerable's needs, then summoned Dragon Qilin and set off northward.

Duke Wei's unease grew. He immediately produced a mirror to contact Si Yunxiang, relaying, "The Cult Master is journeying to the Northern Heavens for the engagement. Swiftly summon Emperor Kai's Four Heavenly Kings and Four Heavenly Masters to rendezvous in the Northern Heavens!"

Aware of the urgency, Si Yunxiang immediately notified the various hall masters of the Heavenly Saint Cult to ascertain the whereabouts of the Four Heavenly Masters and Four Heavenly Kings.

Dragon Qilin hastened northward, while Qin Mu remained concealed within the mirror, continuing to study the ancient god runes and Great Dao imprints that Dao Ancestor had imparted to him in the Scripture Hiding Pavilion.

Unbeknownst to them, over two months passed. They arrived in the northern region of the Primordial Realm, where the sky shimmered with various hues of light—a phenomenon created by the Northern Heavens suspended above the Primordial Realm.

Dragon Qilin continued its journey. On this day, a ten-thousand-zhang-tall mountain suddenly rumbled, transforming into a towering mountain-hill deity. Its voice, like rolling thunder, boomed: "Is the one approaching Qin Mu, the Eternal Peace Overlord Body?"

Dragon Qilin halted and said, "Cult Master, a mountain god is calling for you."

Qin Mu emerged from the mirror, looked up, bowed respectfully, and smiled, "I am indeed Qin Mu of Eternal Peace."

The mountain god returned the bow, speaking in a booming voice, "Eternal Peace Overlord Body, Great Black Heaven has commanded that you need not seek out the various Northern Heavens but may proceed directly to the Great Black Palace. The formidable experts of the Northern Heavens eagerly await your presence there!"

He raised his arm, pointing toward the Great Black Palace: "Overlord Body, proceed in that direction!"

Qin Mu nodded gently and said, "Much obliged. Fatty Dragon, alter course for the Great Black Palace."

Dragon Qilin swiftly changed direction.

After two days' travel, they observed the approaching darkness, so vast it blotted out the sky and sun, preventing any sunlight from penetrating.

Within the darkness, atop a great mountain, a ten-thousand-zhang god-demon unfurled its wings like a colossal bird, calling out loudly, "Is the one approaching Qin Mu, the Eternal Peace Overlord Body?"

Dragon Qilin halted. Qin Mu looked up and smiled, "Indeed, it is I."

"This is the domain of the Great Black Palace."

The bird-headed god-demon called out, "Great Black Heaven, concerned you might not know the way, commanded me to await you here and guide your path."

"Many thanks."

Qin Mu bowed and instructed Dragon Qilin to proceed. They hadn't gone far when they saw divine light piercing the sky, and a deity standing amidst the darkness called out, "Eternal Peace Overlord Body, Great Black Heaven has ordered me to direct you! Overlord Body, this way please!"

Qin Mu expressed his gratitude.

After another ten *li* or so, yet another demon god appeared, wreathed in surging light and intense flames, calling out, "Eternal Peace Overlord Body, this way please!"

Dragon Qilin advanced, and to its astonishment, ten thousand god-demons lined the path, forming a welcoming procession from the edge of the darkness all the way to the Great Black Palace, causing Dragon Qilin's heart to pound wildly.

Great Black Heaven ruled over three hundred and sixteen Northern Heavens, commanding a hundred thousand elite god-demons. This grand welcoming formation, lining their path, so intimidated Dragon Qilin that it yearned to flee.

Qin Mu remained composed, instructing Dragon Qilin to press onward.

Upon reaching the Great Black Palace, they witnessed countless god-demons unleashing their auras, creating myriad phenomena. Many god-demons of the Jade Platform, Jade Capital, and Soaring Firmament realms were present. In the sky, their phenomena formed various majestic Heavenly Palaces. The physical forms of these god-demons stood atop mountain ranges, while their primordial spirits presided within their respective Heavenly Palaces, manifesting a colossal divine presence, exceptionally powerful—a veritable chaotic dance of gods and demons!

Amidst these myriad phenomena stood the Great Black Palace, accessed by a slender, straight staircase that led directly to its brightly lit hall!

Dragon Qilin, heart pounding with dread, carried Qin Mu up the stone staircase. It forced itself forward towards the Great Black Palace, flanked on both sides by the Northern Heavens' god-demons, each wearing a fearsome mask.

Qin Mu stood on its head, his expression serene.

Dragon Qilin finally ascended the mountaintop, reaching the Great Black Palace.

Before the palace, light and flames blazed like torches. Behind it, in the depths of the darkness, one could faintly discern the mountainous textures of colossal stars, an unspeakably terrifying sight.

Qin Mu disregarded the surrounding phenomena and declared loudly, "Eternal Peace Overlord Body Qin Mu has come to pay respects to the heroes of the Northern Heavens. I humbly request your instruction!"

The palace gates swung open, faintly revealing a figure seated within, a black sun suspended behind his head.

"Feng Huayu, the Overlord Body has arrived."

The figure's voice emanated, unhurriedly saying, "After three months of cultivation, you are no longer who you were. Now, do you possess confidence?"

"Yes!" a thunderous voice boomed from within the palace.

"Go!"

Qin Mu's gaze fell upon the figure emerging from the palace. A young man stepped out of the Great Black Palace, and the air was filled with a rich floral fragrance.

"I am Feng Huayu, a divine arts practitioner from Flowery Heaven!" The youth bowed.

Qin Mu dismounted from Dragon Qilin's head and smiled, "Eternal Peace Overlord Body Qin Mu. Please proceed."

"Please!"

Feng Huayu's aura erupted, and he lunged toward Qin Mu, unleashing a dazzling torrent of light.

Qin Mu gripped his sword pellet, transforming into a three-headed, six-armed manifestation, and in an instant, sword light inundated the dazzling aura!

Light surged, sword light flashed, and a dance of fish and dragons erupted before the Great Black Palace, accompanied by crisply resonating sword hums. Suddenly, the sword light vanished, and a multitude of splendid, brocade-like flowers drifted down from the sky.

Around the Great Black Palace, god-demons looked up, witnessing the poignant beauty of countless flowers descending from the darkness above, their numbers steadily increasing.

Petals drifted down as if a rain of flowers, a cascade of blossoms from the heavens.

The falling petals accumulated, steadily burying Feng Huayu's corpse.

The youth from Flowery Heaven was already largely concealed beneath the fallen petals.

Qin Mu sheathed his sword, bowed respectfully to the motionless figure seated within the Great Black Palace, then turned and walked towards Dragon Qilin.

He settled onto Dragon Qilin's large head and said calmly, "Fatty Dragon, we can return now."