Chapter 902: Reviewing Old Historical Accounts

Long Qilin was startled: "Five million markings, less than one-tenth of the total. Does this mean the Earth Mother Sovereign has lived for at least fifty million years?"

Qin Mu, still counting the rings, said, "You're underestimating it. This stick is merely the core of the Primal Wood, just the heartwood. We don't know how many layers of bark it had outside; it's not a complete tree trunk. If the core represents even one-tenth of her true lifespan, that would be remarkable."

Yan'er was also startled. Did this imply the Earth Mother Sovereign's age started at five hundred million years?

"Young Master," Yan'er asked, puzzled, "since this stick doesn't show the Earth Mother's true age, why are you still counting all its rings?"

Qin Mu, still counting but distracted, replied, "Counting the rings isn't the main goal. I just want to examine the rings of this treasure to decide what kind of artifact it's suitable for forging. Moreover, the rings conceal some of the Earth Mother Sovereign's early secrets... For instance, these few extremely dense rings indicate a major event occurred around two million years after the Earth Mother's birth, causing the Primal Wood to almost stop growing. This event suggests the Primal World was afflicted by a catastrophe at that time."

Events before the Dragon Han era were a complete blank for all post-celestial beings. Unless the ancient gods spoke of them, no one could know what had transpired.

That was the primordial era of chaos, an age for which there were simply no records in the world.

After carefully counting all the rings, Qin Mu murmured, "The Primal Wood core is over seventy-six million years old, and it shows ten calamities that nearly halted its growth. It seems the Primal World wasn't peaceful even during the ancient gods' rule... But ancient gods were clearly the most powerful beings of the primordial chaotic era. How could they face danger? Was it internal strife among themselves, or some external force?"

Logically, the ancient gods were the strongest beings in ancient times; nothing should have been able to threaten them. The Earth Mother, in particular, was on par with Tu Bo and Heavenly Duke, her strength surpassed only by the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor.

Beings of such caliber in the primordial chaotic era couldn't have encountered danger, unless Tu Bo, Heavenly Duke, or the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor attacked her. However, during that period, the conflicts among these ancient beings hadn't reached an irreconcilable point, making mutual annihilation unlikely.

Qin Mu pondered for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

"This Primal Wood core has so many rings," he mused. "Refining it into my divine weapon and mastering it to the point of effortless control would be incredibly difficult. Perhaps I could engrave rune marks on each ring—one ring, one formation, one heaven. Over seventy-six million formations! The energy from the formations alone would be enough to destroy heaven and earth!"

Qin Mu was filled with fighting spirit, but his face quickly darkened. The Primal Wood core had too many rings, and his knowledge base was simply insufficient to engrave formations on all of them.

His reserves of knowledge were not that extensive.

"Could it be used as a spear? But I'm not proficient in spear techniques... Could it be used as a flying sword?"

He had an idea and attempted to channel his vital qi into the Primal Wood core. Immediately, Qin Mu's face turned as black as charcoal.

His vital qi had already recovered to its peak, no less than that of a venerated god. Yet, such a massive amount of magic power poured into this Primal Wood core as if a clay ox had entered the sea – it couldn't be filled at all.

The Earth Mother Sovereign had indeed given him an extraordinary treasure, perhaps one that even Emperor's Throne realm cultivators couldn't forge. However, he couldn't unleash much of the Primal Wood core's power!

Qin Mu continued to channel his vital qi, finally getting the Primal Wood core to fly. But the stick was too long. After twirling it a few times like a sword, he immediately found himself drained of magic power.

"No wonder the Earth Mother ran so fast!"

Qin Mu reached out and grabbed the stick, wielding it with effort a few times. He found that if used as a spear, it lacked a tip, but if used as a staff, it was too long.

"If only it could be shorter..."

The moment he thought this, the Primal Wood core immediately shortened considerably.

Qin Mu paused, then said, "A little shorter."

The Primal Wood core shortened further.

Qin Mu said, "Even shorter."

The Primal Wood core shrank to three feet in length. Qin Mu picked it up, treating it as a wooden sword, and it felt much handier. He exclaimed delightedly, "Long!"

*Poof—*

The Primal Wood core in his hand suddenly expanded dramatically, turning into a long staff that pierced a mountain peak a hundred *li* away, creating a thin hole through it, with the tip emerging on the other side.

Qin Mu was startled. He pulled hard but couldn't withdraw the Primal Wood core. Helplessly, he said, "Short..."

With a *whoosh*, Qin Mu was involuntarily flung off Long Qilin's head, dragged by the shrinking stick, and crashed with a rumble into the mountain peak.

Long Qilin and Yan'er watched in horror as the mountain peak cracked from the impact. A moment later, Qin Mu emerged from the mountain, looking very disheveled.

Qin Mu's heart stirred. He took out his sword pellet, which flew and landed on the stick's tip, transforming into a spearhead. Then, his body moved with the spear, which alternately grew large and small, thick and thin, long and short, hard and soft. It could even coil and spin around him like a giant python, a truly terrifying sight.

"The Primal Wood core isn't bad at all," he mused.

Qin Mu flew back, praised the item, and then retracted his sword pellet. He chuckled, "It's a pity it can't transform into a wooden sword; I'm afraid it wouldn't be lethal enough. I haven't researched much into spear techniques, so it's a bit wasted in my hands."

He placed the Primal Wood core into his Taotie pouch. Yan'er stepped forward and helped him straighten his disheveled clothes.

Qin Mu took out a small jade bottle, unsealed it, and channeled vital qi to send a drop of Primordial Grandmist Liquid flying out. He smiled, "Yan'er, this is for you."

Yan'er was both surprised and delighted. She quickly swallowed the drop of Primordial Grandmist Liquid.

Long Qilin looked extremely envious. Qin Mu said, "Fat Dragon, you can't suppress the energy of the Primordial Grandmist Liquid yet. If I gave you a drop, you'd die. When you're older, I'll save a drop for you."

Long Qilin affirmed, feeling relieved.

"With the Primal Wood core, perhaps I can rescue Senior Brother..."

Qin Mu looked around, seeing no one. He took out his peach wood hairpin and activated it towards the Surging River. The Heavenly River surged powerfully, connecting with the Surging River.

After the Cripple rescued him, he recounted what Emperor Qi Kang had witnessed at the Surging River: the Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heavens had captured Wei Suifeng and submerged him in the river. Wei Suifeng had then merged with a ghost ship, using the opportunity to escape.

Previously, they were within the Eastern Heaven Palace's sphere of influence, and Qin Mu didn't want to alert them. But here, where the Earth Mother Sovereign dared to appear, it suggested they had left the Eastern Heaven Palace's territory. Therefore, Qin Mu tried to use the peach wood hairpin to rescue the ghost ship and Wei Suifeng from Ling Tianzun's divine art.

As the divine art within the peach wood hairpin was activated, a mist immediately rose from the center of the river. The mist seemed to surge from the past, and the river water churned and roared!

The Surging River and the Heavenly River were originally one, but had been cut into two sections. Now, reunited, the river immediately churned with various strange phenomena. Eerie lights burst forth from the river, illuminating the sky.

Towering ships, grand warships, overlapping palaces, countless gods and devils, and innumerable strange phenomena all emerged, accompanied by a cacophony of deafening sounds!

These phenomena were the history of the Surging River—past figures and buildings, historical events—all brought forth by Ling Tianzun's unchanging divine art, now gushing out en masse!

The Heavenly River and the Surging River shook violently. Suddenly, the entire Heavenly River rose into the air and flew skyward. Its thousands of miles wide surface floated in the sky, unleashing various phenomena. Those floating palaces seemed poised to emerge from the dust of history into the present era!

*Rumble—*

Buildings and gods and devils from various eras collided, and countless fragments rained down from the sky, a truly terrifying sight.

The mist grew denser, and within it, a ghost ship sailed forth. Black qi enveloped the ghost ship, and chains coiled and flew around it like flood dragons and pythons, yet without touching the ship itself.

Qin Mu's hand gripping the peach wood hairpin trembled violently. He quickly grasped the hairpin with both hands, stabilizing himself, but even so, the hairpin showed signs of slipping from his grasp.

"Wei Suifeng—"

Qin Mu roared loudly, and multiple arms emerged from his armpits. He desperately gripped the peach wood hairpin, shouting, "Senior Brother, aren't you coming out?"

The ghost ship, hazy and indistinct, moved through the black mist, approaching their position.

At this moment, space became increasingly unstable. The space around Qin Mu began to collapse; various eras seemed to overlap, palaces and gods and devils piled upon each other, and even the ghost ship showed signs of fragmentation!

On the ghost ship, a middle-aged man appeared at the bow, opening his mouth to say something to him. However, historical echoes from various periods resounded simultaneously, creating an overwhelming din that made it impossible to discern what he was saying.

Qin Mu freed one hand, swiftly took out the Primal Wood core, and shouted, "Grow—"

*Whoosh—*

The Primal Wood core shot forward, rapidly elongating towards the ghost ship, attempting to build a wooden bridge between the present and the past.

The length of the Primal Wood core became immeasurable, yet the ghost ship, still shrouded in mist and black qi, seemed impossibly far away. On the ghost ship, Wei Suifeng flew up, attempting to meet the Primal Wood, but as soon as he ascended, his body disintegrated, only to reappear at the bow the next moment, as if he had never left.

"...map..." his voice indistinctly conveyed.

Qin Mu could no longer control the peach wood hairpin and had to disperse his magic power. The Heavenly River immediately broke apart, its other segment vanished, and the Surging River plummeted from the sky back into its channel. The ghost ship, towering vessels, palaces, and countless gods and devils rapidly retreated, disappearing into the annals of history.

The mist also rapidly contracted, soon vanishing without a trace.

The Primal Wood core landed in Qin Mu's hand.

Around Qin Mu, the turbulent space instantly stabilized, becoming calm and peaceful, as if the strange phenomena just witnessed were merely an illusion.

"The peach wood hairpin couldn't pull the ghost ship out of Ling Tianzun's divine art. Does that mean I can only rescue him by following a map?"

Qin Mu stood stunned, put away the peach wood hairpin, and exclaimed, "Yan'er, take us away, quickly!"

Yan'er immediately transformed into her dragon sparrow form, grabbed Long Qilin and tossed him onto her back. Qin Mu also landed on her back, and Yan'er flapped her wings, instantly carrying them away.

No sooner had they left than space twisted, and incredibly powerful gods and devils arrived, examining the surroundings, but finding no traces.

Suddenly, a demon god erected a portal. The portal opened, and the Ghostly Heavenly Son stepped out, looking around.

"Black Emperor," a divine being asked, "just now, the Heavenly River erupted with strange phenomena, history replayed, and the severed river reconnected. Do we need to report this to the Heavenly Court?"

The Ghostly Heavenly Son frowned, saying, "The Heavenly River, divided into two segments, reconnected?"

The divine being replied, "The other severed segment of the Heavenly River suddenly appeared just now, but then vanished shortly after."

The Ghostly Heavenly Son surveyed the area, then declared, "This is a serious matter. Investigate thoroughly and find out what demons or monsters are stirring up trouble! I will personally report this to the Heavenly Court!"

The gods and devils dispersed.

The Ghostly Heavenly Son turned and walked back into the portal, muttering, "Ling Tianzun, ghost ship... Can't this world just be a bit more peaceful? Who exactly is digging up old historical debts?"