Chapter 884: For Sacrifice Comes Great Aspiration

Yan'er was torn. The woman carrying the lantern repeatedly urged her forward, and Yan'er reluctantly followed her into the peach forest, looking back every few steps until she slowly vanished into its depths.

Long Qilin approached Qin Mu and asked, "Cult Master, where shall we go?"

Qin Mu lowered his head. After a moment, he raised it and said, "First, we'll go to Xianglong City."

Long Qilin's body shimmered, revealing his true form.

Dao Master Lin Xuan stepped forward and told Qin Mu, "Cult Master Qin, Dao Ancestor has instructed my Dao Sect to relocate, leaving Yankang to seek refuge in Qingyun Heaven."

Qin Mu nodded silently.

"Aren't you going to say anything, Cult Master?" Dao Master Lin Xuan couldn't help but ask.

Qin Mu leaped onto Long Qilin's forehead, looking down. "Perhaps if we preserve the 'green hills,' there will be a chance to reignite the flame in the future. Dao Master Lin, take care!"

"Cult Master Qin, aren't you going to seek shelter?" Dao Master Lin Xuan asked urgently.

Qin Mu smiled, and Lin Xuan found a surprising, genuine innocence in that smile.

"The Chishui Revolution aimed to prove that humans could be as mighty as gods. The Shanghuang Revolution fought for humanity's right to exist, asserting that human lives are equal to those of gods, and that human life surpasses heaven. The Kaihuang Reform continued the legacy of the Shanghuang Revolution, reinforcing that human life is paramount and that gods and demons should serve humanity, their power confined."

Qin Mu continued, "The Yankang Reform, a continuation of the Kaihuang Reform, seeks to return the Dao to the common people, making everyday life the true path. The revolutionary reforms of these three eras cannot end here in Yankang, with their achievements stolen by the Outer Heaven Court. Too many heroes and noble figures from the Chishui, Shanghuang, and Kaihuang eras died for these transformations, offering their lives as sacrifices. These benevolent individuals gave everything so that future generations could live better. If the Yankang Reform also demands sacrifices..."

He pursed his lips. His voice was soft, yet it resonated with powerful conviction: "It will begin with the Three Pillars of Reform! As Qin Mu, the Celestial Cult Master and Human Emperor—one of Yankang's Three Pillars of Reform—I am prepared. Dao Master Lin, go to Qingyun Heaven and preserve a spark for Yankang's reforms. Fatty Long, let's go!"

Long Qilin strode forward, clouds forming beneath his hooves, and galloped towards Xianglong City.

Dao Master Lin Xuan watched them disappear into the distance, lost in thought. "For an ideal... Cult Master Qin, I once saw you as an outcast from the Great Ruins, even as the Devil Cult Master of the Heavenly Devil Cult. I never truly regarded you as a person of Yankang. Yet, unexpectedly, when disaster looms, you are the most resolute. And I, a native-born Yankang, must lead the Dao Sect away from Yankang..."

Long Qilin gathered all his magical power and galloped at full speed.

This time, he didn't slack off or conceal his speed to trick more spirit pills. Instead, he ran with all his might.

Previously, to earn more spirit pills, he would subtly increase his speed, allowing Qin Mu to observe his gradual improvement and refine more pills for him. Now, such petty thoughts were gone.

Long Qilin ran for two days without seeing the original border of the Great Ruins. His endurance was now so vast that two days of full-speed running left him feeling no fatigue.

Suddenly, a green sparrow flapped its wings and flew from behind, landing on Long Qilin's head. It chirped, "I'm back!"

Both Qin Mu and Long Qilin were surprised and overjoyed. "Sister Yan'er, why have you returned?"

"Her Highness has many attendants; she doesn't need me."

The green sparrow chirped rapidly, "And Her Highness doesn't like me serving her. She always says I try to make her fat. This time, I've made myself fat, so she'd probably like me even less. Rather than being annoyed there, I'd rather be happy out here. At least you two aren't afraid of me making you fat."

Qin Mu shook his head. "It will be dangerous to follow us, Sister Yan'er. You should return. When the unrest truly begins, I fear the peach forest will be the only safe place in the Primordial Realm."

Yan'er smiled. "I'll go back when danger arrives. I'm just worried about you two; you certainly can't take care of yourselves without me. You're both little fledglings, and Fatty Long, you're far too slow!"

She transformed into her true, plump Dragon Sparrow form and chuckled, "Get on my back; I'm much faster!"

She carried Qin Mu and Long Qilin forward, reaching the vicinity of Xianglong City in less than a day. Qin Mu disembarked to examine the surrounding terrain. With the Primordial Realm unsealed, the geography had drastically changed, and he could only infer Xianglong City's approximate location without a detailed map.

"That's... the Heavenly King Temple!"

Qin Mu's eyes lit up as his gaze fell upon a dilapidated Heavenly King Temple. "The Heavenly King Temple isn't far from Xianglong City. Find this temple, and we'll quickly locate Xianglong City! Fatty Long, do you remember when the Heavenly King statue rode you to slay the Dragon King? That's the temple!"

Long Qilin snorted, remembering the incident vividly.

Just then, a procession of skeletal warriors came galloping, carrying "Silence" and "Give Way" placards, heading directly for the Heavenly King Temple. From a distance, their voices could be heard: "Heavenly King Zhenhai, Kaihuang has decreed: Great chaos is imminent. Heavenly King Zhenhai is commanded to gather the armies of the four seas, abandon the Great Ruins, and enter Fengdu, temporarily evading the Outer Heaven Court's might! After Heavenly King Zhenhai gathers his forces, he is to rendezvous with Qinghuang and rejoin Qinghuang's command."

Heavenly King Zhenhai's voice responded, "Your subordinate obeys the order!"

The skeletal procession then exited the Heavenly King Temple, carrying their placards, and galloped away.

Qin Mu was startled and uncertain, but then heard Heavenly King Zhenhai's voice from within the temple: "My blade! Bring me my horse!"

Long Qilin shivered involuntarily upon hearing the command "Bring me my horse!"

Qin Mu stepped forward, only to see a stone statue emerge from the temple, rapidly transforming from stone into flesh and blood.

Fully armored and wielding a Green Dragon Crescent Blade, Heavenly King Zhenhai vaulted onto the stone horse before the temple gate. The stone horse itself was rapidly transforming: its scales swiftly turned green, its hooves burst open into dragon claws, its tail became a dragon's tail, and its mouth filled with fangs as it let out a long, thunderous neigh.

Qin Mu bowed respectfully and said, "Heavenly King Zhenhai, I am Qin Mu, the 107th-generation descendant of Kaihuang, and we have met before. May I inquire, Heavenly King Zhenhai, what orders has Kaihuang issued this time?"

Heavenly King Zhenhai reined in his Azure Dragon Steed, looked at Qin Mu, and chuckled, "I remember that Long Qilin; I once rode him in the dead of night to slay the rebellious Dragon of the East Sea. Kaihuang has issued a decree from Wuyou Township, ordering us gods under Qinghuang of the Eastern Azure Heaven Palace to abandon the Great Ruins, fully retreat, and preserve our strength. Since you are a descendant of Kaihuang, you must know the situation is dangerous. You may seek refuge in Fengdu. Onward!"

He raised his blade and galloped away.

Qin Mu frowned, a sense of unease settling in his heart.

Kaihuang's decree for a full retreat to preserve strength meant that the Four Heavenly Masters and Four Heavenly Kings—including Qiaofu, Martial Combat Heavenly Master, Di Yiyue, and Tian Shu—would also receive orders from Kaihuang to abandon Yankang.

Yankang had only survived through the protection of Kaihuang's remnants. Now, with Kaihuang's command, the Four Heavenly Masters, Four Heavenly Kings, and even Fengdu would withdraw, offering no further assistance to Yankang!

He steadied himself, his voice hoarse. "Let's go to Xianglong City."

Along the way, Qin Mu witnessed stone statues awakening in various villages and cities, transforming from stone into flesh and blood. Gods and humans from the Kaihuang era converged, forming armies, and abandoning the lands they had once guarded.

The citizens of the Great Ruins stood at their village entrances and city gates, watching their guardian deities depart, their eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.

Qin Mu followed these divine armies to Xianglong City. The armies crossed the bridge between life and death at Xianglong City and entered Fengdu.

Xianglong City, too, was eerily silent, filled with numerous temples and stone statues. At that moment, these statues also reanimated and entered Fengdu one after another.

"Cult Master Qin!"

The city was mostly populated by Heavenly Saint Cult disciples, who soon noticed Qin Mu's arrival. Heavenly King Shi, leading several hall masters, approached him, asking in a panicked tone, "Cult Master, what has happened?"

Qin Mu waved his hand and smiled, "I am here; there is no need to panic." With that, he too stepped onto the bridge between life and death and entered Fengdu.

The Qin King Hall in Fengdu.

Yama's face was concealed beneath his dark cloak. "Qin, there's no need to speak; I know why you're here. Regardless, we are and always will be Kaihuang's people, not Yankang's. Kaihuang's decree has been issued, and as his subordinates, we must obey!"

Veins bulged on Qin Mu's forehead as he clenched his fists. "What about human lives? What about the lives of Yankang's teeming masses? You command the most formidable army of the Kaihuang era. Are you truly going to stand by and watch countless lives in Yankang perish? Those are hundreds of millions of lives, and their ancestors were also Kaihuang's people!"

Yama's voice was devoid of all emotion. "Kaihuang is my adoptive father; he has his own plans. He entrusted his gods and demons to me, and I am responsible for them. The Four Heavenly Masters and Four Heavenly Kings have also received their orders and have already withdrawn from Yankang. Qin Mu, you are, after all, a descendant of Kaihuang. Come to Fengdu; backed by Youdu, it offers both retreat and defense."

Qin Mu was utterly disappointed. He stood up and chuckled, "I am a Qin family descendant, but I am also the Human Emperor. The lineage of the Human Emperor Hall, from the First Ancestor to my generation, spans thirty-seven generations. All thirty-seven Human Emperors fought tirelessly for Yankang's people, pressing forward without retreat. I cannot break the Human Emperor Hall's legacy. Farewell!"

He then exited the Qin King Hall.

Outside the hall, thousands of gods and demons stood bowed, awaiting him silently.

"Seven Killings Star Lord Wei Liao, salutes our benefactor!"

The leading divine general stated gravely, "Wei Liao is dead; I am no longer a subordinate of Kaihuang. I wish to follow our benefactor into battle!"

Qin Mu stared at them, a faint, strained smile appearing on his face. "Star Lord Wei Liao, you might be utterly annihilated..."

Wei Liao burst into hearty laughter. "We died once for Kaihuang; what's the harm in dying once more for our benefactor? Brothers, are you afraid?"

The thousands of gods and demons laughed boisterously. "We weren't afraid twenty thousand years ago; why would we be afraid after death? We'd rather be heroic spirits!"

Qin Mu bowed deeply to the ground. "On behalf of Yankang's people, I thank you all! Please, I also ask that you help relocate the citizens from the Great Ruins and settle them in various cities across Yankang!"

As he was about to depart, he saw a boisterous group approaching: a mix of eccentrically shaped old men and women, and handsome young men and beautiful young women.

The Young Ancestor, who led the group, lightly kicked Long Qilin aside and chuckled, "After all, we are not Kaihuang's subordinates. Dying for Yankang is the righteous path."

Qin Mu was stunned. Those handsome young men and women, and the old men and women, were all former Cult Masters of the Heavenly Saint Cult, a chaotic lot who now clamored, "We are the Heavenly Saint Cult, not the Heavenly Devil Cult! Hiding here is useless; it's time to do something meaningful!"

Qin Mu said nothing more, bowing deeply to the ground before the past Cult Masters of the Heavenly Saint Cult and the Young Ancestor, remaining in that posture for a prolonged moment.

The Young Ancestor helped him up, smiling. "This isn't your burden alone; it's a responsibility we all share. We can't let you bear it by yourself. You go ahead; it's time for us 'monsters and spirits' who've been hiding here for so long to emerge."

Qin Mu rose and departed with Long Qilin and Yan'er.

Upon reaching the bridge between life and death, he saw a small boat drifting towards him on the River Nai. The cloaked old man aboard removed his straw hat and smiled, "Human Emperor Qin, I'll take you for a ride."

Qin Mu boarded the small boat. Daoist Lingjing poled the boat, carrying them upstream to the Realm of the Living Dead. There, he transformed back into the nine-fingered skeleton and leisurely remarked, "The housing prices in Fengdu are rising every day; I can no longer afford a home on the banks of the Nai River. Human Emperor Qin, the situation outside is very perilous."

Qin Mu remained silent for a moment before saying, "Daoist Lingjing, you have already perished, and your Dao is gone. There's no need to concern yourself with such matters anymore."

Daoist Lingjing chuckled, "Your master, Human Emperor Su, and I battled our entire lives. He cut off one of my fingers, and I despised him for it. Yet, when he unveiled the Human Emperor Seal, I still went to assist him, alongside the Heavenly Devil Ancestor. It was for no other reason than that humanity, and all other races of Yankang, were saved by the Human Emperor. Poling a boat here, ferrying souls, feels meaningless. Drifting through thousands, even tens of thousands of years, just to perhaps afford a small house on the Nai River's banks... rather than that, I'd prefer one more grand stand. The Heavenly Devil Ancestor went; I must go too."

Qin Mu's voice was strained. "Daoist Lingjing, you and the Ancestor sacrificed yourselves for Yankang, blocking the Heavens. Yet, none of Yankang's people know that you are the hero who protected them."

Daoist Lingjing steered his boat through mountains of bones, chuckling. "But I know I am a hero. I will follow my heart and do what I must. You've reached the shore. The next time you come, the ferryman might not be me."

Qin Mu disembarked, bowed, and the small boat drifted away, vanishing amidst the mist and bones.