Chapter 880: Following the Map to Rescue Me

"Ling Tianzun's hairpin was actually meant for me, but Senior Disciple Brother snatched it."

Qin Mu hurried to the spot where Wei Suifeng had vanished, and with him, the hairpin had also disappeared. He couldn't help but frown. By the time he realized the hairpin was left for him by Ling Tianzun, it was already too late; Wei Suifeng had gone to ancient times in his place.

"Senior Disciple Brother will remain in the ancient Dragon Han Era for an unknown duration, serving as the Right Lieutenant of the Dragon Han Celestial Court's Imperial Guard. He will only return when the Empress's assassination and the ghost ship incidents erupt."

Qin Mu gently placed the empress's sister's body back into the crystal coffin and waited silently. He thought to himself, "When he returns from the Dragon Han Celestial Court, he should reappear in this very spot. I can wait for him. Perhaps Ling Tianzun will inform him of certain things before his return."

Meanwhile, there was no activity in the Dark Flower World. Dragon Qilin, who had gone to search for Yan'er, still hadn't returned, leaving Qin Mu unaware of the battle's outcome.

Qin Mu remained beside the crystal coffin, taking out his mirror to continue organizing the ancient god runes as he awaited Wei Suifeng's return. After several days, he still hadn't seen Dragon Qilin or Yan'er return. This worried him, so he stood up, intending to go search for them.

He reached the edge of the Dark Flower World, just about to step into the darkness, when he abruptly halted, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. "The Flower World within the Great Abyss has no day-night cycle, but the Red Flower World and Dark Flower World do have distinct day and night!"

He gazed at the lightless Dark Flower World, took out a jade stone, and with light flowing from his fingertips, carved the words "Wait for me" onto it before tossing it into the Dark Flower World. However, as the jade stone dropped into the Dark Flower World, it abruptly vanished without a trace, not even a sound of it hitting the ground. This disappearance signified a complete and utter removal from this era!

"The Red Flower World represents day, and the Dark Flower World represents night. Crossing from day into night stops the transference, returning you to your original era. Both Dragon Fatty and Sister Yan'er have returned to the time we came from. Only I haven't stepped into the darkness, which is why I'm still in Senior Disciple Brother's era."

Qin Mu retracted his steps and remained seated by the crystal coffin. As long as he didn't actively step into the Dark Flower World, he wouldn't return to his original era. However, to be safe, he first organized the Grand Dao runes of the Great Sun Star Lord, transforming his vital qi into a sun and hanging it in the sky of the Flower World.

Days passed, and Qin Mu re-calculated the runes of the Heavenly Stars and Constellations from the ancient god Grand Dao runes using the Taiwei Arithmetic Scripture. His beard had also grown noticeably thicker. The time he had spent in this era was now longer than the time he had spent in the Dragon Han Era. During this period, several more remnant stars fell into the Great Abyss, triggering eruptions of dark currents and causing the Great Abyss flowers to bloom. Yet, this place appeared completely deserted, with no one entering.

One day, as he was engrossed in his research and calculations, oblivious to his surroundings, the female corpse in the crystal coffin slowly opened her eyes. The female corpse silently turned her head, subtly observing Qin Mu. Unbeknownst to him, the wound at the back of the female corpse's head had healed completely over the past few months.

Qin Mu suddenly felt a sensation and looked back, but saw the female corpse lying still, just as before, with no apparent change. "Strange, I distinctly felt eyes on me." Qin Mu shook his head and resumed his research, but not before propping up his mirror to reflect the crystal coffin behind him.

He manipulated his computational spirit weapons, continuously calculating and losing himself in the study of the runes. After a long time, the female corpse in the coffin opened her eyes once more. The female corpse was lying within the sarcophagus, but at that moment, her head silently twisted, creating an alarming arc, her eerie gaze fixed on Qin Mu's back. The lid of the crystal coffin silently floated open, and the female corpse within quietly drifted upward, levitating horizontally.

Qin Mu was in the midst of his calculations when his eyelid suddenly twitched. Behind him, the female corpse silently descended, her body suspended in mid-air. Her head was bowed, and her beautiful hair cascaded like a waterfall down her pristine neck. Her head slowly drew closer to Qin Mu's neck. Qin Mu remained oblivious, yet beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Inside his Taotie pouch at his waist, his sword pellets seemed to liquefy into mercury, slowly flowing out. They subtly reached the back of the female corpse's head, gradually forming a sword tip and pointing directly at the recently healed wound there.

Just then, swirling light appeared in front, and a middle-aged man, dressed only in white undergarments, emerged from it. The middle-aged man had a dignified appearance. The moment he appeared, he immediately spotted the female corpse floating behind Qin Mu. His eyes widened in fury, and behind him, divine treasures surged forth, followed by a celestial palace roaring into existence above the stacked divine treasures! Within the Celestial Palace, phantom images of gods and devils stood tall above the various halls, large and small, appearing like a grand galaxy suspended over the palace! His primordial spirit, akin to an ancient god wielding the power of a galaxy, possessed boundless might. It appeared before the imperial throne in the Numinous Sky Hall, extended its palm, and with a thunderous force, the palm pierced through the Celestial Palace, striking towards the female corpse behind Qin Mu!

"Empress Yuanmu, since you are dead, why do you continue to cause mischief?"

Hearing him call her true name, the female corpse behind Qin Mu let out a piercing shriek. Her cascading hair flew upward, and instantly, the various Grand Daos of the Return to the Ruins within her seemed to awaken, causing the darkness in the Dark Flower World to surge towards them!

Qin Mu instantly felt an immense pressure. The power of an ancient god was awakening within the female corpse, an horrific force seemingly capable of devouring all things, erupting behind him. However, the middle-aged man's primordial spirit pressed a palm onto her forehead, and with a burst of power, he forcibly suppressed all the surging darkness behind her back into the Dark Flower World! The female corpse uncontrollably fell backward, landing with a thud inside the crystal coffin. The lid of the crystal coffin then closed, sealing her within. Inside the coffin, the female corpse struggled and shrieked, her delicate features contorting into a ferocious grimace. Yet, she remained unable to break free from the middle-aged man's suppression.

The middle-aged man approached Qin Mu and bowed in greeting. "Second Disciple Brother, it's been eight millennia since we last parted ways. Eight thousand years, and you've grown a beard! Empress Yuanmu, have you undergone a corpse transformation?"

Inside the sarcophagus, the female corpse thrashed around like a fish out of water.

Qin Mu returned the bow with a smile. "I've been so focused on missing old friends that I forgot about my beard. Senior Disciple Brother, you've been gone for eight thousand years, yet I've only been here for less than half a year. I saw the notes you left in the mist on the ghost ship. Senior Disciple Brother, have you found your path to sainthood?"

The middle-aged man was indeed Wei Suifeng. He burst into hearty laughter, his spirits soaring. "I've largely found it," he declared. "However, I couldn't achieve it in the Dragon Han Era; I need to return to my own era to succeed. The Saintly Master once said that one becomes a saint by establishing three virtues, and I only lack establishing merits."

Qin Mu couldn't help but interject, "Senior Disciple Brother, 'establishing three virtues to become a saint' was merely a jest from our teacher; you shouldn't take it seriously. Although I don't know your intentions, our teacher told me you've deviated from the right path. If you continue down this route, it's genuinely dangerous. In my own era, I've never even encountered you!"

Wei Suifeng paused for a moment, then smiled. "The Saintly Master's words cannot be wrong. My entire life has been dedicated to establishing three virtues to become a saint. The saint I aspire to be is one our teacher never achieved in his lifetime. He assisted the Founding Emperor but never established the great accomplishments he desired; his Dao heart remained imperfect. Junior Disciple Brother, I wish to become a saint who surpasses our teacher, one who can thoroughly resolve the tragic fate of humanity! You don't need to dissuade me; my mind is made up."

Qin Mu remained silent.

Wei Suifeng chuckled. "You once mentioned that you followed the geographical map I left for you to find this place. If I hadn't given you that map, wouldn't you have failed to find it? My act of giving you the map is a future event for me, but a past event for you. So, if in my future I don't give you the map, could that change the future?"

Qin Mu was silent for a moment before replying, "Senior Disciple Brother, in my era, I haven't seen you. The geographical map was shown to me through your divine weapon; I didn't even know if you were alive or dead at that time."

Wei Suifeng laughed heartily. "I'm certainly still alive; you can rest assured! It's truly marvelous that we, fellow disciples, can meet again across two millennia. I have a way to keep you in this era. How about we go outside together, explore historical truths, and establish great accomplishments that even our teacher never did! I now possess sufficient strength and won't be as cautious as before."

Qin Mu shook his head. "I need to return; I won't be staying here."

Wei Suifeng frowned again. "Why are you so stubborn?" He suddenly chuckled. "It seems I'm just as stubborn. Oh, right, on my way back, I encountered Ling Tianzun in the mist. She asked me to give this to you."

He produced a peach wood hairpin, his eyes glinting, and smiled. "This hairpin is Ling Tianzun's treasure. She appears to be trapped in the Heavenly River. She gave me the hairpin, entrusting me to pass it on to you. May I borrow it for a while?"

This was precisely what Qin Mu had been waiting for. He reached out to grasp the hairpin, but Wei Suifeng's hand moved, clenching the hairpin tightly in his palm. "Junior Disciple Brother," he said, "let me borrow this hairpin for a while."

Qin Mu was enraged and extended his hand. "Give it to me! Last time, Ling Tianzun placed that hairpin in Empress Yuanmu's head specifically for me, but you stole it!"

Wei Suifeng quickly replied, "I genuinely need this hairpin. Junior Disciple Brother, I will return it to you in the future, right here in this Return to the Ruins. Rest assured, just let me use it!"

Qin Mu was about to snatch it when, at that very moment, the dark currents of the Return to the Ruins erupted. Wei Suifeng shot skyward, flying out of sight beyond the heavens as the flowers bloomed. He called out, "Don't worry, I'll leave the hairpin here in the future!"

"Wei Suifeng, you rascal!"

Wei Suifeng vanished, his laughter echoing. "When you return to your own era, go to the hall and look for the hairpin. I'll leave a geographical map for you!"

Qin Mu was left stunned.

After a moment, the surging dark currents subsided. Qin Mu regained his senses, immediately hoisted the crystal coffin, and began walking toward the Dark Flower World. Inside the crystal coffin, Empress Yuanmu's female corpse cackled, looking on expectantly as the Dark Flower World drew nearer. Although she was a product of corpse transformation, the Dark Flower World was, after all, her birthplace, holding immense attraction for her. Furthermore, once she entered the Dark Flower World, she could harness its Grand Dao to break free from Wei Suifeng's suppression and the crystal coffin.

Qin Mu stood before the Dark Flower World, set down the crystal coffin, unsealed the willow leaf from his forehead, and shouted, "Heavenly Duke, please watch over this female corpse for me; don't let my brother devour her!" With that, he shoved the crystal coffin into the Qin-character continent. The female corpse was absolutely enraged.

Qin Mu remained unperturbed. He leaped into the Dark Flower World, vanishing into the darkness.

When he landed and opened his eyes, he immediately found himself in the Dark Flower World. From the Red Flower World, Dragon Qilin's voice drifted over, scolding Yan'er: "...I told you not to eat like that, not to eat like that! Yet you kept on eating! Let's see how you'll explain yourself to the Cult Master when you get back!"

Qin Mu immediately rushed toward the two palaces situated at the junction of the two worlds. Dragon Qilin caught sight of him and, both surprised and delighted, exclaimed loudly, "Cult Master, we received the jade tablet you carved and have been waiting here! Sister Yan'er ate the beautiful serpent, and now she appears to have become..."

"Shut up!" Yan'er's voice retorted.

Qin Mu vaguely saw a plump, green sparrow standing on Dragon Qilin's head. Without time to examine it closely, he immediately rushed into the Black Palace, swiftly searching within. Suddenly, his gaze landed on an altar within the Black Palace. Around the altar, stardust flew, forming a miniature river of stars.

Qin Mu exclaimed in exasperation, "Here we go again!" He swiftly calculated, identifying the flaw in the star river formation. He immediately breached the formation, reached out, and grabbed the red cloth on the altar. Beneath the cloth lay a peach wood hairpin. Beneath the hairpin was a piece of parchment with a line of writing.

Qin Mu sighed in relief. Disregarding the writing on the parchment, he quickly grabbed the peach wood hairpin, thinking, "Senior Disciple Brother is true to his word, but what was that plump green sparrow about just now?"

At that moment, his gaze fell upon the parchment. The handwriting was Wei Suifeng's, and it simply read: "Follow map, save me!"