Chapter 913: Creator's Doubts

Qin Mu gazed upwards, his lips moving as he murmured arithmancy terms. Around him, arithmancy runes fluttered and transformed in a wondrous display.

Qi Jiuyi's heart stirred; he realized Qin Mu was calculating star trajectories, attempting to solve the complex problem left by his senior martial brother.

Qi Jiuyi had witnessed similar arrangements on the Alien Star God-Slaying Platform, used by the remnants of the Crimson Light era.

At that time, Wei Suifeng had left a small casket within the astrological formation. Inside was the Profound God-Slaying Blade, which Qin Mu acquired. It was also because of Wei Suifeng's arrangement that Qin Mu was able to establish contact with the remnants of the Crimson Light era. Subsequently, he returned to the Suspended World with God-man Chixi, allowing Yan Kang to form an alliance with the Suspended World.

"If I could calculate Wei Suifeng's riddle before Cult Master Qin, would I then be able to obtain the treasure he left behind?"

Qi Jiuyi immediately shook his head. On the Alien Star God-Slaying Platform, both he and Zhe Huali had tried to solve Wei Suifeng's puzzle, but Qin Mu had been the first to succeed.

"That fellow's arithmancy skills were already superior to mine then; they're probably even more unfathomable now," he mused.

Qin Mu exhaled, a smile gracing his lips. He gently flicked a finger in the air, and the stars above began to rotate, their trajectories shifting.

Some stars maintained fixed orbits, while others scattered erratically, like headless flies, completely devoid of discernible patterns.

Eventually, the stars ceased their movement, forming a pattern resembling a flower bud.

Qin Mu flicked his finger, and the celestial bodies resumed their dance. The starlight flower bud slowly unfurled.

"Simply divine!" was the only thought that remained in everyone's minds.

This exclamation was a compliment to Qin Mu, but also to Wei Suifeng, who had orchestrated this celestial display.

These two martial brothers, Wei Suifeng and Qin Mu, had showcased the exquisite beauty of grand stellar arithmancy, a truly divine and magnificent spectacle!

As the flower blossomed, a vermilion ray of light descended from its center.

Qin Mu opened his palm, and the vermilion light landed precisely there. As the light faded, it revealed a rhomboid crystal, just over half an inch long.

Qin Mu held the distinctive rhomboid crystal, examining it against the starlight. Though a storm raged within him, his expression remained unruffled. He smiled and asked, "Brother Qi, doesn't this crystal bear a striking resemblance to the one embedded in the brow of the Creator leader on the recent relief sculpture?"

Qi Jiuyi paused, then studied the red Creation Divine Stone. "Cult Master Qin," he asked, puzzled, "what are you implying?"

"Nothing at all."

Qin Mu put away the vermilion crystal, chuckling. "It might not be the same one. My senior martial brother was active from twenty thousand to several thousand years ago. He enjoyed collecting items and leaving them for me. Although we are separated by thousands, even twenty thousand years, we've long been acquainted. Most likely, he simply thought this gem was beautiful and hid it here for me."

Qi Jiuyi yearned to grab Qin Mu's neck and shake him until he revealed his theories.

He suppressed the urge. Yan'er, however, couldn't hold back and pressed a spirit pill into Qin Mu's hand, saying, "Young Master, why don't you explain in more detail?"

Qin Mu gave the spirit pill to Dragon Qilin, then glanced at the nine divine beings Qi Jiuyi had brought. He smiled and said, "With so many people, it's best not to speak of it."

Qi Jiuyi waved his hand and instructed the nine divine beings, "You may retreat to the ship for now. We will follow shortly."

Although the nine divine beings were curious, their young master's command left them no choice but to withdraw.

Qi Jiuyi's eyes sparkled. "Cult Master Qin, surely you can speak now?"

Qin Mu replied, "My senior martial brother left this Creation Divine Stone to convey his suspicion that its original owner is still alive."

A shiver ran down Qi Jiuyi's spine. "You mean to say...?"

Qin Mu's expression grew serious. "The owner of the Creation Divine Stone is an immensely powerful prehistoric Creator. He is very likely linked to the extinction of the prehistoric Creators. This being could be an incredibly potent entity from history, someone who still exists in the world. In the past, he might have been a supreme expert among the ancient gods; now, he could be one of the Heavenly Court's leaders."

Qi Jiuyi's feathers bristled, and his mind went blank.

Yan'er glanced at him curiously, confirming that he, too, was a bird.

Unlike Yan'er, who was merely curious and satisfied once Qin Mu addressed her concerns, Qi Jiuyi pondered the implications more deeply, which was why he felt such a profound chill.

Imagining such a terrifying entity hidden in the Ancient God Era, and now concealed within the current Heavenly Court, he couldn't help but connect it to the fall of the Ancient God Era and the turmoil of the Dragon Han, Crimson Light, High Emperor, and Founding Emperor eras.

If such a formidable being had indeed lurked through different eras, seeking vengeance against the ancient gods and instigating chaos, how truly terrifying would that be?

Qi Jiuyi was beside himself, pacing restlessly, wishing he could instantly erase what he had just heard from his memory.

Suddenly, he stopped, his gaze fixed on Qin Mu. "Cult Master Qin, who do you suspect this person to be?"

The image of the Heavenly Emperor involuntarily appeared in Qin Mu's mind, but after a moment, he shook his head.

The Heavenly Emperor's actions indeed aligned with some of Qin Mu's conjectures, such as the Emperor's exceedingly ancient origin, even predating Earth Count and Heavenly Duke.

Furthermore, the demise of the Ancient God Era was, in fact, linked to the Heavenly Emperor. It was the Heavenly Emperor who established the Ancient God Heavenly Court, suppressing dissent and supporting demigods and postnatal beings, thereby instigating war between them.

However, he lost control and was ambushed by figures like Revered God Haotian and Revered God Yuntian, leading to his physical body being seized.

Despite this, he did not perish; he merely moved from the forefront to the shadows, even becoming the head of the Heavenly Alliance and one of the current Heavenly Court's dominant figures!

The fall of various historical eras, such as the Crimson Light, High Emperor, and Founding Emperor eras, likely also bore the mark of the Heavenly Emperor.

However, if the Heavenly Emperor were indeed the leader of the prehistoric Creators, then the era of the prehistoric Creators would have predated the ancient gods, and they would have been responsible for creating the ancient gods of this world.

Qin Mu could not be certain about this particular point.

This is because the ancient gods are incredibly ancient; Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign, for instance, is at least several hundred million years old.

Moreover, Qi Jiuyi was correct on one point: while prehistoric Creators could forge beings with divine consciousness, it's not certain they could create souls.

Yet, ancient gods possess souls.

This aspect still requires further investigation.

Furthermore, the rumor Qi Jiuyi heard stated that the prehistoric Creators were annihilated by the ancient gods, and the Heavenly Emperor was the leader of the ancient gods. Even Earth Count, Heavenly Duke, and Earth Mother, despite disdaining his character, held him in high regard.

If the Heavenly Emperor were the leader of the prehistoric Creators, how could he lead the ancient gods against his own people?

Yet, Wei Suifeng was captured and suppressed by the Heavenly Emperor.

Could it be that Wei Suifeng obtained the Creation Divine Stone, realized that the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor was the Creator leader, and was consequently suppressed?

"I cannot discern the identity of this Creator," Qin Mu admitted.

Qin Mu's eyes gleamed as he turned to leave, a smile playing on his lips. "However, I'm certain he is within the Heavenly Court. This trip there has become even more intriguing. Brother Qi, Dragon Fatty, it's time for us to return!"

Yan'er settled on his shoulder, and Dragon Qilin and Qi Jiuyi quickly followed him out.

Qin Mu returned to the row of relief carvings, meticulously examining the depiction of prehistoric Creators using their formidable divine consciousness to forge another world.

Qi Jiuyi urged, "The Heavenly Duke on that altar could materialize at any moment. We must leave quickly!"

Qin Mu acknowledged him, yet his gaze lingered on the relief.

The secret divulged by the relief was truly astonishing: the ability to recreate a world in the void, reshaping the cosmos with incredibly potent divine consciousness. If successful, wouldn't these Creators have been able to survive the war with the ancient gods?

Does another world exist beyond this one, inhabited by a powerful group of Creators with wondrous rhomboid crystals embedded in their foreheads, who cultivate the void, plant stars, and make the starlight glow?

Will these Creators ever return to this world?

Is Founding Emperor's Carefree Village, which the Heavenly Court has been unable to locate, connected to the world created by the Creators?

Neither Scholar Zixi nor Celestial Master, nor Princess Zhen and other inhabitants of Carefree Village, initially wanted Qin Mu to return there, stating that Carefree Village was exceedingly perilous.

If Carefree Village was established within a world forged by the Creators, could these very Creators be the source of its peril?

"Cult Master Qin, we must go!" Qi Jiuyi exclaimed, pulling Qin Mu along and speeding out without further explanation.

Qin Mu averted his gaze and ran after him. Dragon Qilin dashed ahead of them both. "Cult Master, third brother," he called, "get on my back. I'll carry you out."

With both of them on his back, Dragon Qilin immediately accelerated, swiftly reaching the altar and rushing past it.

In the hollow at the center of the altar, the condensed luminous liquid had grown considerably. A faint luminescence emanated from the crystals embedded in the foreheads of the skeletal remains circling the altar.

Qin Mu's heart jolted. "Dragon Fatty, hurry!"

Dragon Qilin shot into the sky, flying towards the Phoenix Ship hovering above.

Qin Mu and Qi Jiuyi looked back. Below them, the light from the crystals in the foreheads of the skeletal remains was rapidly intensifying. Suddenly, with a resonant hum, beams of light converged upon the center of the altar!

In that hollow, the luminous liquid churned, and layers of halos expanded outwards, ring by ring, before erupting!

Then, a colossal being burst through the rings of light, sending beams shooting skyward. The shattered light transformed into incredibly bright ribbons, while the unbroken halos became vertical rings behind the colossal being's head.

It was Heavenly Duke!

A Heavenly Duke weapon, forged from the divine consciousness creations of the prehistoric Creators!

Heavenly Duke raised its head, growing ever taller, and extended a palm to seize Dragon Qilin, who was desperately flying towards the Phoenix Ship.

On Qin Mu's shoulder, Yan'er's feathers suddenly flared outwards, scattering in a flurry. In an instant, she transformed into a gigantic Dragon Sparrow, carrying Qin Mu, Qi Jiuyi, and Dragon Qilin. She soared upwards with them, narrowly evading Heavenly Duke's grasping palm, and shot towards the Phoenix Ship!

Qi Jiuyi clung tightly to Yan'er's feathers and yelled to the soldiers on the Phoenix Ship, "Set sail, quickly!"

On the Phoenix Ship, over six thousand deities immediately activated their magic. The phoenix flapped its massive wings, which unfurled, and the ship began to move.

Yan'er flew onto the deck, taking a few steps before coming to a halt.

Qin Mu, Qi Jiuyi, and Dragon Qilin immediately slid off her back. As Dragon Qilin landed on the deck, he suddenly noticed a small creature clinging tightly to his dragon tail. Upon closer inspection, it was the palm-sized miniature Earth Count Qin Mu had created.

Dragon Qilin picked up the small creature, intending to ask Qin Mu what to do with it. However, Qin Mu, Qi Jiuyi, and the others were all unleashing their vital qi, desperately propelling the Phoenix Ship, with no time to address the matter.

"If this little fellow is left here, it surely won't survive a day. He might as well come along," Dragon Qilin thought.

With that thought, Dragon Qilin set the miniature Earth Count down. The creature was rather fierce, letting out a "moo-moo" sound at him, looking quite formidable.

Dragon Qilin pondered, then quickly glanced around. Seeing that Qin Mu and Yan'er weren't looking, he took a spirit pill and slipped it into the fierce little creature's grasp, whispering, "Don't make a sound. Be careful the Cult Master and Sister Yan'er don't discover I've hidden many spirit pills..."

The miniature Earth Count hugged the spirit pill. It was still too large for him, and he struggled to hold it, looking somewhat bewildered about what to do with the round object.

"It's food," Dragon Qilin coaxed, demonstrating by putting another spirit pill into his own mouth.

The miniature Earth Count emulated him, hugging the spirit pill and taking a bite. However, the pill was too large, and his mouth too small, so he only managed to chip off a tiny piece.

Dragon Qilin grinned widely. "How is it? Not bad, right?"

The miniature Earth Count sat down on the deck, diligently gnawing at the spirit pill. His appetite was tiny; after consuming only a small portion, his belly was round, and he couldn't eat another bite, yet he still clutched the half-eaten pill, unwilling to let go.

Dragon Qilin picked him up and tucked him into his ear, saying, "Don't make noise. Be careful not to be discovered. Be a good boy and get some sleep to digest it."

Suddenly, Qin Mu's voice boomed, "Beware the Heavenly Bell!"

Dragon Qilin quickly looked back. He saw the Heavenly Duke, whose head was wreathed in dense halos, make a gesture as if embracing something, and a colossal bell made of light materialized above its head.

The colossal bell was immense, rotating above the continent. Its mouth, originally facing downwards, now pointed directly at the Phoenix Ship.

The Thirty-Sixth Heavenly Path: The Heavenly Bell!

The bell suddenly tolled. The space behind the Phoenix Ship vibrated violently, and everyone aboard felt as if struck by lightning. Their bodies trembled and cracked, flailing as they were sent flying in every direction by the shockwaves!