Chapter 894: Falling Behind Is Not the Original Sin, Weakness Is

The gods of the Celestial Heavens suppressed their anger, yet the Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens remained calm. With a dignified expression, he said, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, there's nothing wrong with what you said. After all, you are a Heavenly Venerate, possessing immense divine powers. However, you are now a cripple. People often say that valiant spirits are immortal, but you have no soul; all you rely on is your valiant spirit."

Emperor Yanfeng and the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang trembled inwardly, looking towards Qin Mu.

The phrase "valiant spirits are immortal" implied that Qin Mu's soul had, in fact, been scattered. Only his spirit remained, without a soul.

In other words, Qin Mu, one of the three heroes of Yankang's reforms, was actually dead!

The Imperial Preceptor of Yankang suddenly shed tears. He thought to himself, "Is it that my Senior Brother couldn't bear to leave Yankang, his obsession unyielding, his consciousness undivided, forcing himself to hold on until now?"

He had seen too many such people. Even though they died in battle, a powerful obsession within them kept them from falling. Even in death, they continued to fight.

However, Qin Mu's situation was somewhat unique. It was not as he had imagined.

The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens became even more solemn and serious, his voice echoing like a grand bell, reverberating everywhere. "Heavenly Venerate Mu, Yankang is merely a small nation, occupying a tiny piece of land in the Primordial Realm. I was ordered to come and clean up Yankang's mess. It is out of respect for Heavenly Venerate Mu that I haven't resorted to deadly force. Heavenly Venerate Mu, do not make things difficult for me. Because of Wei Suifeng, I am already living under a cloud of guilt. Beheading the ringleaders is imperative!"

Qin Mu turned around, a faint smile playing on his lips. "If I don't make things difficult for you, you will make things difficult for me."

The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens said, "If I destroy their bodies and leave no trace of their bloodline, can Heavenly Venerate Mu still reconstruct their bodies and resurrect them?"

Qin Mu shook his head and replied, "I can only reassemble their souls and allow them to reincarnate. Twelve years later, I will guide them, enabling them to regain their past lives' memories and return. If their bodies remain, their resurrection would be even simpler the moment you leave."

All around, the gods roared in anger.

The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens raised a hand and said coldly, "Heavenly Venerate Mu, you are presumptuous! Where do you intend to put the Celestial Heavens' might? Do you wish to destroy the Celestial Heavens' authority and dignity?"

Qin Mu waved his hand and said, "If you cannot make the decision, then go back and find someone who can to meet me!"

The gods grew enraged. The sky became overcast with dark clouds, and thunder rumbled and lightning struck repeatedly.

"Heavenly Venerate Mu, stop resisting the Celestial Heavens' might!"

Suddenly, among the kneeling Yankang citizens, an old man prostrating himself repeatedly bowed his head, crying out sharply, "That is the heavens! To resist the heavens is an act of great unfilial impiety!"

Qin Mu was stunned, his vision momentarily darkened. It took him a moment to recover.

More Yankang citizens below cried out, "That's right! Who are you to make decisions for us? If you want to kill someone, kill the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang and Emperor Yanfeng!"

"They caused this disaster! What reforms? What changes? Kill those two rebels!"

"We beg the heavens to unleash their wrath and kill Heavenly Venerate Mu, that traitorous official, as well!"

Qin Mu's eye twitched violently, then his expression returned to normal. The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens laughed loudly. "Heavenly Venerate Mu, it seems those people you want to protect don't appreciate you at all. Is it worth protecting a bunch of livestock, dying and reviving for them, even gouging out your own eyes, abandoning your identity as the God-Child of Youdu, and leaving yourself with only an immortal valiant spirit?"

Qin Mu sneered, "Go back and find someone who can make decisions!"

The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens snorted coldly and suddenly stood up, about to order the troops to retreat. Suddenly, a voice drifted in slowly, saying, "Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens, if you order a retreat like this, where will the Celestial Heavens' majesty and prestige be? If we retreat, the Celestial Heavens' dignity will be swept away, and in the future, there will be more rebellious officials and traitors defying the Celestial Heavens' might."

The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens was startled. He immediately knelt down in obeisance.

With a rustle, countless divine beings turned and prostrated themselves. A "Heavenly Venerate Yu" of similar height to Qin Mu stepped forward, smiling. "Heavenly Venerate Mu truly knows how to cause me trouble. Even a tiny place like Yankang requires my personal visit."

Qin Mu coughed violently twice and said, "Only because Senior Brother has been too overbearing."

Heavenly Venerate Yu smiled. "The Imperial Preceptor of Yankang and Emperor Yanfeng may not die, but they defied heaven and violated the celestial decree. Without their punishment, the Celestial Heavens' dignity would not exist. I can spare their lives and suppress them instead. This would be a courtesy to Heavenly Venerate Mu and also preserve the Celestial Heavens' reputation. What do you think?"

Qin Mu said, "There must be a time limit, otherwise, Senior Brother, you might as well kill them."

Heavenly Venerate Yu said coldly, "You're pushing your luck."

Qin Mu said nothing more.

After a moment, Heavenly Venerate Yu smiled. "There are many rebellious officials and traitors in the Primordial Realm, and I cannot kill them all. I was just planning to build a grand prison, so I will suppress them in the Primordial Realm's grand prison. As a favor to you, they will be imprisoned for only two hundred years. No bargaining."

As Qin Mu was about to speak, Heavenly Venerate Yu said calmly, "Although you can resurrect them, do not forget that the Celestial Heavens has many ways to prevent you from gathering their scattered souls. Haven't you still failed to find even a wisp of Lan Yutian's scattered soul?"

Qin Mu was greatly shocked. His gaze fell upon him.

The real Heavenly Venerate Yu had always been somewhat foolish. A wisp of his scattered soul was suppressed in the Celestial Heavens' Pixiang Palace, preventing him from ever fully recovering.

The Celestial Heavens indeed had ways to seal the souls of the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang and Emperor Yanfeng, leaving even Qin Mu, their teacher, helpless.

Heavenly Venerate Yu appeared above the capital city, his gaze falling upon Emperor Yanfeng, and he smiled. "The heavens possess the virtue of cherishing life. Your death penalty can be commuted, but you cannot escape your living punishment; you will be suppressed in the grand prison forever. Yankang cannot be without an emperor. Choose a successor."

Emperor Yanfeng turned and looked at his children. His gaze landed on Ling Yuxiu, then shifted away from her and settled on Ling Yushu, smiling. "Yushu, step forward. After I'm gone, you will be the Emperor of Yankang."

The Imperial Preceptor of Yankang understood his meaning. His heart felt a pang of bitterness.

Ling Yushu stepped forward, bowed, and knelt down.

At this moment, Heavenly Venerate Yu flicked his finger. Ling Yushu's body instantly turned to dust, his soul scattered.

Heavenly Venerate Yu smiled. "The child you chose would undoubtedly be the best, inheriting your ambition, and I cannot allow that. Choose another."

Emperor Yanfeng prostrated himself and wept loudly, his face streaming with tears. After a long time, he slowly got up, his gaze sweeping over his other children.

"Yuxiu, step forward."

Emperor Yanfeng said through tears, "From now on, the nation of Yankang is entrusted to you. Don't do too well. Be a bit muddled, a bit incompetent. From today, you are the Emperor of Yankang!"

The Imperial Preceptor of Yankang sighed inwardly. He understood why Emperor Yanfeng had first chosen Ling Yushu instead of Ling Yuxiu.

His intention was merely to protect Ling Yuxiu.

The divine beings of the Celestial Heavens apprehended Emperor Yanfeng and the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang. A grand ship sailed away, taking them to the grand prison. The other heavenly soldiers and generals of the Celestial Heavens remained, destroying the systems of primary schools, universities, and the Imperial Academy, burning the reform texts, supporting the various sects, smashing heavy divine artifacts such as the God-Slaying Cannons, Sun Ships, and Moon Ships, and overseeing Yankang.

Ling Yuxiu ascended to the throne, and the nation was named Yanxiu, making her Empress Yanxiu.

"A mere small nation like Yankang has tied me down for such a long time," Heavenly Venerate Yu, the transformed Celestial Emperor, said to Qin Mu, smiling. "These lowly human beings are truly a headache. Now, it's time for me to return. Heavenly Venerate Mu, I eagerly await your emergence from the shadows and your swift retrieval of my true body. Do you know why I am imprisoning Emperor Yanfeng and the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang for two hundred years? And why I am giving you two hundred years?"

Qin Mu walked out of the Yankang capital with him, his expression calm and unruffled, and said, "In two hundred years, Heaven Duke will perish and be replaced. At that time, my ability as a Master of Unending Revival will become a lost art, and I will no longer have the power to resurrect others."

The Ancient God Celestial Emperor laughed loudly. "It saves effort and worry to talk with intelligent people. Within two hundred years, the Great Dao of Xuandu will hold no more secrets. Heaven Duke can then become history, and a new Heaven Duke will descend. You will no longer be able to borrow any power from Xuandu, and your resurrection techniques will become a lost art. At that time, you will have no qualifications to negotiate, nor any capital for negotiation."

He stopped, smiling gently. "Heavenly Venerate Mu, I will tell you a truth."

Qin Mu also stopped. "I am all ears."

The Ancient God Celestial Emperor said leisurely, "Backwardness is not the original sin; weakness is."

"The new celestial map is already being refined. Within a few decades, it will resurface in the sky, becoming a star map encompassing the entire Primordial Realm."

He looked up at the sky. A sun appeared in the sky; it was the true divine sun of the Primordial Realm.

"Enjoy all of this."

The Ancient God Celestial Emperor smiled. "In the next few decades, you will see the true starry sky. After that, no one will remember what the true starry sky looks like. No need to see me off. Please return."

His figure floated into the air and vanished into the horizon.

Qin Mu looked up, pondering his words. Backwardness would indeed lead to being beaten. But Yankang was not backward. Yankang's divine arts, magical powers, and philosophies even surpassed those of the Celestial Heavens.

The reason Yankang was beaten and could not stand up again, was simply because it was weak.

Its development time was too short. It lacked the power to resist the Celestial Heavens, resulting in utter defeat before the Celestial Heavens' absolute power.

He stood there in silence, motionless for a long time. He stood until night fell and the lamps were lit.

At this moment, the darkness before him opened. A faint lamplight shone from another world, casting light upon his face.

Qin Mu saw a continent floating in another world. The mountains on the continent formed the character 'Qin'. A giant-headed baby with an enormous body sat cross-legged on the ground, arms crossed, looking at him.

Qin Mu's gaze fell on him. The giant-headed baby snorted, tightened his crossed arms, and turned his head away, clearly annoyed.

Qin Mu smiled. "Brother, I'm sorry, I occupied your body."

He could tell that the giant-headed baby was using the third eye to transform into flesh and blood, reconstructing its body.

"Hmph!" The giant-headed baby pouted, even more annoyed.

The light came from an old underworld official's hand. The old official, holding a lantern, stood on the 'Qin' character continent. Heavenly Venerate Yu stood beside him, waving at Qin Mu.

The Heaven Duke's avatar, Lava Earth Count, Red Emperor, Great Sun Star Lord, and Old Buddha were no longer on the 'Qin' character continent. They had gone somewhere unknown.

Qin Mu waved at the old underworld official and Heavenly Venerate Yu.

A treasure ship approached. Figures flickered on the ship.

Qin Mu saw Consort Zhen and a treant. They were his former parents.

"Mu'er, Earth Count has released us," Consort Zhen stood at the bow of the ship, asking gently, "We plan to return to Wuyou Township. Will you come back with us? There is too much evil in this world. The dangers in the human realm are even greater than those in Youdu. Although Wuyou Township has its own dangers, it is a safe haven compared to the outside world."

Qin Mu waved vigorously, smiling. "I am not Qin Fengqing, nor am I your son. I am Qin Mu, an orphan from the Great Ruins, a child picked up by Granny from the riverside. I yearn for Wuyou Township, but my heart is still in the human realm. In a few years, I will come to Wuyou Township to find you, but not now!"

He drew the Carefree Sword and threw it with force.

The divine sword of Kaihuang traced a long arc. It landed on Wuyou Township's treasure ship, and Qin Hanzhen drew the Carefree Sword.

"You are my child."

Consort Zhen shed tears and waved emphatically. "You are my flesh and blood, born of your mother! You have a home, relatives, and our bloodline!"

The treasure ship of Wuyou Township sailed away. Consort Zhen's voice drifted back. "You must come home, you must return!"

Qin Mu smiled and waved vigorously.

Family.

Family in Wuyou Township.

He had countless times yearned to find Wuyou Township, to return to his homeland, to see Kaihuang and his relatives. But now, he still had family in the Primordial Realm, and people who needed him even more.

He turned around. Empress Yanxiu stood not far away.

"I thought you would leave," the former Sixth Princess, now Empress Yanxiu, said softly.

"If I leave, what will you do?"

Qin Mu walked towards her, smiling. "Let's go back. From today onwards, I am your Imperial Preceptor of Yankang!"