Chapter 893: Dead or alive, I lose

Cripple placed Qin Mu on Yan'er's back, constantly urging the dragon sparrow to fly faster.

Yan Qiling was a disciple of the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, so even if they encountered an inspection, they could pass through without obstruction.

Yan'er carried them, flying at full speed towards Yankang. Dragon Qilin meticulously checked Qin Mu's injuries. He shook his head and said, "The Cult Master's external injuries are not serious. His Overlord Body Three-Dan Art is very powerful, containing creation, so all his physical injuries can be healed. Old Man Cripple, there's no need to worry."

Cripple said coldly, "You know medicine now?"

Dragon Qilin quickly shook his head, cautiously replying, "I don't. But last time, when the Cult Master fought Heavenly Venerable Yu from the Celestial Heavens in the Great Black Palace, he also suffered severe injuries, damaging his soul's origin. He essentially recovered after sleeping in the Moon Palace. Supreme Emperor Sword God knows about this; if you don't believe me, Old Man Cripple, you can ask him."

Cripple looked at the sleeping Qin Mu, half-believing, half-doubting. He saw that Qin Mu was no longer spitting blood, and his faint breaths were gradually becoming deeper and longer.

He could see Qin Mu's eyeballs moving beneath his eyelids, indicating he was likely dreaming.

Dragon Qilin explained, "When the Cult Master was talking with Supreme Emperor Sword God, I was pretending to doze behind them, so I overheard some things. Supreme Emperor Sword God said that when the Sage Woodcutter examined the Cult Master while he was injured and unconscious, he discovered Buddhist principles operating whenever the Cult Master entered a dream. The Cult Master later said it might be the Immeasurable Calamity Scripture of the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha."

Cripple meticulously examined Qin Mu and angrily retorted, "Where is this Buddhist power? Why can't I see it?"

Dragon Qilin looked troubled. "The Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha's True Scripture of the Emperor's Seat is extremely powerful. Perhaps, Old Man Cripple, you are not as profound as the Sage Woodcutter, which is why you cannot perceive it."

Cripple flew into a rage, then suddenly coughed violently, spitting out blood.

Dragon Qilin quickly said, "Old Man Cripple, you ran too fast and haven't rested for several days, injuring your soul and internal organs. I don't know how to treat soul injuries, but for physical injuries, just taking some dragon saliva will suffice. I have plenty of dragon saliva here..."

"I'm not drinking your drool! My Creation Art is already very strong; I can recover without your drool!"

Cripple cursed under his breath, his gaze falling back on Qin Mu. He saw an eye-socket-shaped wound in the middle of the sleeping Qin Mu's brow, but there was no eye inside, only shriveled eyelids.

The more Cripple looked, the more his heart ached. He tried to smooth Qin Mu's brow, but he couldn't.

Just then, flesh began to grow in the center of Qin Mu's brow, slowly filling the eye socket. The eyelids also healed themselves, merging into one.

His forehead looked as if a mosquito had bitten it, swollen into a small bump.

Cripple touched the small bump; it felt somewhat hard inside. He couldn't tell if it was a lump of flesh or an eyeball.

Yan Qiling was also carefully examining Qin Mu's injuries. With a strange expression, she said, "There is indeed Buddhist power operating within him."

Cripple, annoyed, asked, "You see it too?"

Yan Qiling explained, "I have some knowledge of Buddhist principles. Buddhism is the only acquired path that Dao Ancestor has not deconstructed using arithmancy. Therefore, I once went to the Buddhist world to study for a period, attempting to comprehend its profound mysteries."

Cripple's expression softened. He usually greeted people with a smile, but ever since Qin Mu was injured, his customary smile had vanished, and he had been grim-faced towards everyone.

"However, what's strange is..."

Yan Qiling continued to examine Qin Mu's injuries, her expression growing even stranger. "He has no soul! His primordial spirit has dispersed, leaving only his spiritual embryo. It's odd; in this state, he should have perished, yet he is still alive for some unknown reason."

Cripple looked at Qin Mu, noting that his breathing was becoming more stable. Slowly, he began to relax.

With a touch of tenderness in his aged eyes, and a slight smile forming at the corners, he said, "As long as he's alive, that's what matters. Since he's improving and the Buddhist power is working, let's not go to Yankang to find the Physician. Even if we find him, it won't be much use, as he doesn't understand Buddhist principles. Let's go to Great Thunderclap Temple; Master Ma surely knows."

They turned towards Mount Sumeru.

With the unraveling of the Primordial Realm's seal, the complete Mount Sumeru reappeared in the world. Twenty Buddhist heavens were built along the mountain, spiraling upwards layer by layer, making the sacred mountain even more magnificent.

The part of Mount Sumeru within the Primordial Realm was the Great Thunderclap Temple, while the other twenty heavens were outside the Primordial Realm. As this was the territory of the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha, no one dared to trespass. Millions of Yankang people had taken refuge here, awaiting the passing of the calamity.

"This is the Immeasurable Calamity Scripture. Cult Master Qin's life is not in danger."

Inside Great Thunderclap Temple, Ma Rulai summoned Demonic Ape Zhankong and Monk Mingxin to examine the unconscious Qin Mu. Only these two had studied the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha's True Scripture of the Emperor's Seat.

Monk Mingxin said, "It's just that Cult Master Qin has no soul or spirit, only a spiritual embryo. I have little experience with such a situation. Senior Brother Zhankong, your Buddhist principles are profound; what do you make of his current state...?"

The Demonic Ape replied, "Good."

Ma Rulai frowned and asked, "Disciple, how do you interpret the word 'Good'?"

Monk Mingxin explained, "Teacher, Senior Brother means that turning misfortune into good fortune is 'good', and there is no danger to his life."

Ma Rulai was still somewhat uneasy. "The Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha resides in the Great Brahma Heaven. I will send Mu'er up there to seek an audience with Great Brahma. His divine powers are vast; he will surely have a solution."

Cripple nodded, about to agree, but then saw the Demonic Ape lean down and whisper a single word into Qin Mu's ear. The sound was very soft, yet Qin Mu slowly woke up and opened his eyes.

The Demonic Ape clasped his hands together and smiled, "Good."

Monk Mingxin sighed, "Senior Brother possesses great wisdom."

Qin Mu's complexion was still not good. He struggled to sit up and bowed to Ma Rulai, saying, "I was still conscious in my dream and heard Master Ma's words. I am well aware of my injuries; there's no need to see the Old Buddha. The Old Buddha has already imparted his power to me, so meeting him or not will yield the same result. I must return to Yankang."

He then bowed to the Demonic Ape and Mingxin, who returned the gesture.

"Is Mu'er truly returning to Yankang?"

Ma Rulai suddenly took off his kasaya and removed his prayer beads, smiling. "Years ago, I promised my mentor to propagate his teachings and ensure the Great Thunderclap Temple would not perish. Now, in terms of Buddhist principles, Zhankong and Mingxin have far surpassed me. I have fulfilled my duty of transmitting the dharma and lighting the lamp; it is time for me to return to my original self. From today onwards, I am still the same Master Ma, the Divine Constable Ma. Mingxin, you shall now put the kasaya on your Senior Brother and place the prayer beads on him."

The Demonic Ape prostrated himself. Mingxin unfolded the kasaya, draped it over him, and hung the prayer beads around his neck.

Master Ma smiled, "Mind's Eye Sees True Nature, Battle the Heart Ape. Mingxin, you help him subdue his heart ape. Zhankong, you are now the Tathagata. Two great monks, stay here. Our Buddhist destinies have come to an end."

The Demonic Ape rose, clasped his hands together, and said, "We send off the benefactor."

Master Ma returned the bow and followed Cripple, Qin Mu, and the others down the mountain.

Yankang Imperial City.

More and more Yankang citizens were being escorted from various regions, including even remnants of the Crimson Light Tribe. The camps near the Imperial City were packed with people, and over two hundred Yankang deities nervously guarded these citizens.

However, with too many people, food supply became a huge problem.

Among the scholars from various academies and educational institutions, those skilled in the art of creation opened up fertile fields, using the path of creation to make crops grow rapidly, then harvested and processed the grain.

However, the soil in these fertile fields could only sustain three or four harvests before its fertility was exhausted, turning them into poor land. They constantly had to open up new farmlands.

Outside, chaos reigned, and the celestial demons and gods of the Celestial Heavens appeared and disappeared unpredictably. Opening up fields outside easily led to loss of life, so many scholars died.

Inside and outside the Imperial City, anxiety and gloom prevailed.

One day, numerous war vessels and battleships of the Celestial Heavens sailed across the sky. Countless golden, radiant deities stood majestically on the ships, their divine weapons gleaming, their immense power overwhelming, leaving the people of Yankang breathless.

Although the Celestial Heavens' divine and demonic army had arrived, they did not attack. Instead, they restrained the scattered Celestial Heavens' gods and demons, preventing them from harming the people of Yankang, maintaining strict discipline.

Inside and outside the Imperial City, many common folk again burned incense and prostrated themselves before these high and mighty deities, praying for peace.

"In times of suffering, human flaws resurface."

Yankang Imperial Preceptor stood on the city wall, looking up at the Celestial Heavens' army. He then looked down at the countless common folk prostrating and praying to the Celestial Heavens' army below, a bitter smile on his face. He said, "Your Majesty, I fear we may never be able to change any of this in our lifetime."

Emperor Yanfeng stood behind him, taking a labored breath. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Throughout history, every revolution and reform has involved bloodshed. During the Crimson Light and Ming eras, both Crimson Emperor and Ming Emperor perished without even their bones remaining. In each generation of the Supreme Emperor era, few met a good end. Emperor Kai's reign was destroyed, and the thirty-three heavens of the Celestial Heavens were ruined. A generation's great ruler hid in Peace and Contentment Village. Yankang's reforms face even greater resistance. If bloodshed is required..."

Yankang Imperial Preceptor smiled, "Let it begin with you and me."

Emperor Yanfeng laughed heartily, then suddenly sighed. "My only worry is that after we die, there will be no successors. Many people in the world are ignorant. Gods wish people to be foolish, afraid to resist, afraid to change. The ignorant willingly remain foolish, unwilling to resist or change. Imperial Preceptor, look, even after all our reforms, there are still people kneeling before gods and demons. Sometimes, the greatest resistance to reform comes from these very people."

Yankang Imperial Preceptor's spirits fell. "Is it worth sacrificing our lives for these people?"

"It is!"

Emperor Yanfeng declared loudly, "Breaking the gods in temples, breaking the gods in hearts—some people may hesitate, but there are also those who have not knelt down!"

His eyes grew brighter and brighter as he smiled. "After they stand up, some will kneel again, but some will never kneel again. Even if you and I become sacrifices for this reform, others will continue along our path until this world is changed! That, is worth it!"

In the sky, a colossal deity flew forth, arriving above Yankang Imperial City.

He was so massive that he distorted space, causing the Celestial Heavens' war vessels and battleships to orbit him like stars around a sun.

It was the Azure Emperor of the East Heaven.

He towered into the clouds, his face level with the sky, with white clouds adorning his waist.

This awe-inspiring deity, radiating with righteousness and countless rays of light, possessed incomparable power and might. The Yankang Imperial City and its billions of people below seemed capable of being extinguished with a flick of a finger.

A divine official flew to the palm of the Azure Emperor of the East Heaven, knelt, respectfully kowtowed, then retrieved an imperial decree. He kowtowed again, raised the decree above his head, and bowed as he flew backward.

"We have never had such rules here."

Emperor Yanfeng chuckled, "The Celestial Heavens' rules are too strict."

Yankang Imperial Preceptor laughed, "Has Your Majesty forgotten that when the purists in court impeached me and Cult Master Qin, they kowtowed like pounding garlic, even bruising their foreheads until they bled?"

Emperor Yanfeng's face darkened, and he grumbled, "We will have your head. Just you wait."

"Your Majesty will have no such chance," Yankang Imperial Preceptor smiled faintly. He saw his wife and daughter in the city, and a pang went through his heart, but he immediately turned around, his expression unchanged.

"Sinful people of Yankang, receive the imperial decree!"

The divine official held the decree, his voice like thunder, echoing through the heavens.

As his words fell, countless common folk knelt, and some divine arts practitioners also knelt. Emperor Yanfeng and Yankang Imperial Preceptor felt another pang in their hearts, but seeing that many others had not knelt, their spirits lifted.

The divine official glanced at the two of them, sneered, then unfurled the imperial decree and read aloud: "By the Mandate of Heaven, the natives of Yankang, ungrateful for celestial grace, have defied the heavens and implemented reforms to disrupt the Way of Heaven, thus incurring divine wrath and popular resentment, plunging the people into destitution. However, Heaven, in its benevolent nature, decrees that only the chief perpetrators shall be punished, and the rest pardoned. The will of Heaven is as follows:

"One: All reformist texts from Yankang's academies, colleges, and educational institutions shall be confiscated and publicly burned. No future reforms are permitted. "Two: Yankang shall revert to its ancestral system, retaining the position of emperor, but governance shall be by sects. All sects and common folk shall revere and pray to the various deities. "Three: Yankang's coinage rights shall be surrendered to the Celestial Heavens. The Celestial Heavens shall mint currency for circulation among the populace. The state of Yankang shall not contend with its people for profit. "Four: Yankang is forbidden from forging heavy divine artifacts. Any who do so shall have their nine generations exterminated. "Five: Yankang shall adhere to ancestral laws and may not arbitrarily alter divine arts or the Way. "Six: The Emperor of Yankang shall, year after year, hold grand sacrifices to express gratitude for celestial grace. "Seven: All curious or ingenious objects in the homes of Yankang's people shall be destroyed; private possession is forbidden. "Eight: Emperor Yanfeng and Yankang Imperial Preceptor, for disturbing the law with heretical words and inciting chaos across the land, shall immediately be brought to the God-Slaying Platform and have their physical bodies and primordial spirits severed, as a warning to others! By Imperial Edict—"

Inside and outside Yankang Imperial City, there was an uproar. Countless divine arts practitioners and Yankang's gods and demons showed expressions of humiliation, seething with indignation, wishing they could immediately charge up to the heavens.

Emperor Yanfeng laughed heartily, then bowed and said, "Your sinful servant accepts the decree!"

Yankang Imperial Preceptor issued an order that no one was to make a rash move.

Several Celestial Heavens' war vessels flew over, pulling a God-Slaying Platform. On the platform, blood-red light surged into the sky, and two blood-colored blades intertwined ceaselessly.

The divine official said, "Please, both of you, step onto the God-Slaying Platform."

Inside and outside Yankang Imperial City, a silence fell. Countless gazes stared blankly at the God-Slaying Platform in the sky.

"If it's execution, then let it be execution."

Suddenly, a laugh broke the silence. The agitated common folk and divine arts practitioners turned to look, only to see Qin Mu, his face pale as if severely ill, standing on Dragon Qilin's forehead, appearing at the rear of the Celestial Heavens' war vessel fleet.

Dragon Qilin, treading on fiery clouds, slowly and unhurriedly walked into the fleet, then turned his head to look at the face of the towering Azure Emperor of the East Heaven.

"The God-Slaying Platform is quite scary."

Qin Mu looked at the God-Slaying Platform and let out a chuckle, "It's as if after they die and their souls are scattered, I can't revive them."

He didn't look at the Azure Emperor of the East Heaven. Instead, he waved at Yankang Imperial Preceptor and Emperor Yanfeng, weakly saying, "Imperial Preceptor, Emperor, go ahead and die. If you truly die, I lose."

Behind him, the Azure Emperor of the East Heaven raised his hand, stopping the Celestial Heavens' gods and demons who were about to attack in anger. He said calmly, "This is Heavenly Venerable Mu. Let's show him some respect."