Chapter 928: Langxuan Divine Palace Tragedy

Qin Mu and his companions walked along the Sky Street and arrived at another street. This street was also long deserted, with no one in sight.

Yun Chuxiu praised, "Celestial Venerable is truly mighty! Wherever you go, not a blade of grass grows, and children stop crying!"

Qin Mu laughed heartily. "After all, I am also a Celestial Venerable. Naturally, my travels are imposing!"

Little Earth Lord poked his head out of Dragon Qilin's ear, seriously surveying his surroundings with an imposing air. Fearing something might happen to him, Dragon Qilin quickly lowered his ear, blocking him back inside.

Little Earth Lord knocked on his ear from inside, but Dragon Qilin endured it, refusing to let him out.

Yun Chuxiu noticed the Little Earth Lord, showing surprise. Not knowing what she had thought of, the woman suddenly burst into laughter.

They arrived before Langxuan Divine Palace. Although Langxuan Divine Palace did not cover as vast an area as Jade Pool, it was still an extremely magnificent and extensive architectural complex within the Celestial Heavens, with palace upon palace.

The palace was resplendent and gilded, with palaces suspended between each other, enveloped in clouds and mist. There were no connecting ropeways; one had to fly to get from one to another.

In fact, most buildings in the Celestial Heavens were often like this. Not every place was fully connected. For instance, Jade Pool floated in the sky, surrounded by clusters of clouds, with only branches of the Celestial River connecting to it. The Jade Platform where Jade Pool was located had no direct contact with other parts of the Celestial Heavens.

The Celestial Market was also suspended between other areas, requiring flight to reach it from elsewhere.

Other buildings in the Celestial Heavens were often not interconnected either. This was because when the Celestial Heavens was first established in the early years of Long Han, it did not have its current scale. It was composed of thirty-six Celestial Palaces and seventy-two Treasure Halls, with each Celestial Palace, Treasure Hall, and Jade Capital City being a self-contained entity.

These individual structures were pieced together to form the Celestial Heavens, leading to the situation where various palaces and halls were often not connected.

Later, many of the original thirty-six Celestial Palaces and seventy-two Treasure Halls were relocated to other parts of the universe to guard specific regions.

Furthermore, the Xiaohan Celestial Heavens and Longxiao Celestial Heavens merged and combined with the Long Han Celestial Heavens. Throughout history, the Celestial Heavens continuously expanded, reaching its current scale.

However, the tradition of various areas within the Celestial Heavens remaining independent was preserved.

Langxuan Divine Palace had already learned that Celestial Venerable Mu was heading their way. Langxuan Divine Emperor's disciples in the palace dared not delay and immediately reported it. The one in charge of Langxuan Divine Palace was Chang Xiting, the Divine Emperor's eldest disciple. Upon hearing of Celestial Venerable Mu's visit, he immediately felt a massive headache.

"Is Celestial Venerable Mu really coming?" he asked repeatedly.

"Senior Brother, he's already outside the palace!"

Chang Xiting sneered, "Why is he here? Doesn't he fear death?"

The crowd exchanged glances. One person dared to say, "Senior Brother, who would dare to kill him? A few days ago in Jade Pool, even Celestial Venerables made a move, and he still didn't die! If he were to die in our Langxuan Divine Palace, the trouble would be immense! Other factions would use this as an excuse to claim that Langxuan Divine Palace harmed Celestial Venerable Mu, and we would all have to be buried with him!"

Chang Xiting's head throbbed. He waved his hand and said, "Of course, I know the consequences. I heard he now has no soul and is only sustained by his indestructible divine consciousness; his life won't last long. Although we can't directly kill him, we can make him suffer setbacks and die faster."

His eyes gleamed as he smiled. "If the esteemed Celestial Venerable Mu were defeated by Celestial Venerable Lang's disciples—not just once, but ten or even a hundred times! What kind of frustration would his confidence and beliefs suffer? Wouldn't he die even faster?"

Everyone's eyes lit up.

Chang Xiting smiled slightly. "We are Celestial Venerables' disciples, guided by Celestial Venerables since childhood, practicing the most superior cultivation methods and divine arts. Celestial Venerable Mu is merely an uncouth bumpkin from the lower realm who traveled back to Long Han through Celestial Venerable Ling's divine art, thus earning the title of Celestial Venerable. Defeating him is not difficult; as long as he doesn't die in Langxuan Divine Palace, it has nothing to do with us."

A young man frowned and said, "Senior Brother, I heard that Crown Prince Yu and others once went to Jade Pool to challenge him, also intending to humiliate him, but he killed them. Crown Prince Yu's ranking on the Divine Showdown List was quite high, so his ability to kill Crown Prince Yu and others shows his formidable strength!"

Chang Xiting laughed. "The Divine Showdown List and the Azure Brilliance List are just games for children. Look at how many disciples of the various Celestial Venerables are on those lists? Celestial Venerables are extremely wary of each other and certainly don't want other Celestial Venerables to understand their cultivation methods. The cultivation methods used by the few Celestial Venerable disciples on the list are not their masters' direct secret techniques; they are merely small tricks to deceive other Celestial Venerables! If you employ our teacher's ultimate arts, defeating him won't be difficult. I want him to be so upset he coughs blood, to die from sheer depression!"

Everyone let out a long sigh of relief and chuckled, "With Senior Brother's words, we are reassured. But what if he doesn't dare to accept the challenge?"

Chang Xiting smiled. "Isn't he the rumored Hegemon Body? I've heard that the Hegemon Body is unparalleled. You can seize upon this point and provoke him with words; he'll accept the challenge if he has any spirit. This person is only in his twenties or thirties; he doesn't have such deep cunning. Go prepare, I'll go see Master!"

Everyone quickly went out to prepare.

In the Divine Emperor's Hall, Chang Xiting stood respectfully, bowing as he reported the matter. He asked, "Master, is my handling of this matter appropriate? Do you wish to meet him in person?"

Langxuan Divine Emperor had prominent horns on his head and an ancient countenance. He was the world's first demigod, and his parents were ancient gods who bestowed upon him eternal life, allowing him to survive.

His cultivation and strength were unfathomable, more ancient than even Celestial Venerable Yu and Celestial Venerable Hao of that era. There were even rumors that he participated in the great battle in the Blood Rust Zone, though it was unknown whether this was true or false.

Who his parents, the ancient gods, were, remained a mystery.

Many of his disciples were also demigods. Among demigods, Celestial Venerable Hao, Langxuan Divine Emperor, and Ancestral God King were the three great leaders, possessing immense influence and being among the most powerful beings among demigods.

"You've handled it well, but be careful not to kill him."

Langxuan Divine Emperor frowned, puzzled. "This fellow actually dared to come? This is a headache-inducing move for me. The Celestial Heavens has already been thrown into disarray by him, with the Ten Celestial Venerables mutually suspicious and wary, almost coming to blows. This audacious fellow goes around causing trouble for other Heavenly Kings and Four Emperors, which is bad enough, but he dares to come here and prod the tiger's whiskers. Now is a critical time..."

He paced back and forth, contemplating, "I will not meet him. The Heavenly Alliance was founded by him; he is one of the Five Elders of Creation, and his status in the Heavenly Alliance is even above that of Celestial Venerable Ling! Of the current Five Elders of Creation, Celestial Venerable Yue is crippled, Celestial Venerable Yun and Celestial Venerable Ling are dead, and Celestial Venerable Qin is hiding and dares not show himself. Only he remains. He is nominally the most powerful and highest-ranking person in the Heavenly Alliance; if I were to meet him, I would have to bow and address him as 'Dao Brother'!"

Chang Xiting was secretly alarmed and dared not speak, thinking, "If I handle this well, I will have rendered meritorious service before Master, and Master will surely reward me handsomely."

Langxuan Divine Emperor's gaze was profound as he said unhurriedly, "This brat has taken every advantage. In the early years of Long Han, the Celestial Emperor invited me to a grand Celestial Heavens gathering, while he went to meet Celestial Venerable Yu and attended the Jade Pool gathering. As a result, the Heavenly Alliance was established, and his status became higher than mine... Xiting, I'll be away, traveling. After you've sufficiently humiliated him, please ask him to leave; do not let him die here in my palace. And one more thing!"

He said in a deep voice, "You must strictly protect Celestial Venerable Mu; under no circumstances must anything happen to him! If he dies in my Langxuan Divine Palace, it will be a huge pile of excrement dumped on my head, which I won't be able to wash off! There are already Celestial Venerables in the Celestial Heavens who dislike me and wish to eliminate me but haven't had the chance. Now their opportunity has come. Perhaps someone will make a move and assassinate Celestial Venerable Mu!"

Chang Xiting was horrified and hastily rushed away.

Langxuan Divine Emperor drifted away, laughing. "At the Celestial Heavens gathering, my status was even above some ancient gods. I never expected that the Celestial Heavens gathering wouldn't determine future rankings, but rather the seemingly insignificant Jade Pool gathering would be the grand event that set the pattern for millions of years. Fortunately, I also joined the Heavenly Alliance early on, otherwise, I wouldn't even have had a chance to get a share..."

Qin Mu was gaunt and weak from qi and blood deficiency, coughing incessantly. Many disciples of Langxuan Divine Palace were ridiculing him, saying things like "Please enlighten us, Hegemon Body Celestial Venerable Mu."

Qin Mu remained silent, not responding, but his qi and blood fluctuated, showing that he was clearly not calm inside.

Qi Jiuyi, unable to bear it, sternly said, "Senior brothers of Langxuan Divine Palace, what are you doing? Celestial Venerable Mu came to visit Celestial Venerable Lang, not to bicker and make a scene with you disciples! If you want to fight, come at me!"

A woman laughed. "Qi Jiuyi, we've heard of your reputation, but you're just a disciple of the Four Emperors; your abilities are mediocre. There's no need to make a fool of yourself. We are asking Celestial Venerable Mu, the Hegemon Body of Yankang, for guidance. You're not qualified enough."

Qi Jiuyi became furious. "Does even a challenge require qualifications?"

The crowd laughed without a word.

Yun Jianli smiled gently. "Then am I qualified enough? I am a descendant of Celestial Venerable Yun. May I accept the challenges from you senior brothers on behalf of Celestial Venerable Mu?"

Chang Xiting walked in from outside, laughing heartily. "Young Master Sickly, your grandmother and great-grandmother are truly difficult to provoke, so why do you need to personally step in? Rest assured, Young Master Sickly, my junior brothers only wish to ask Celestial Venerable Mu for some guidance on cultivation. I heard that Celestial Venerable Mu reformed the lower realm, was known as one of the Three Heroes of Yankang, and is the unparalleled Hegemon Body of Yankang. Some guidance from him would certainly open the eyes of my junior brothers and sisters."

Everyone bowed in unison. "Senior Brother!"

Qin Mu tremblingly rose and said, "Since you all wish to witness the power of the Hegemon Body and the ultimate arts of Yankang, then I..."

He suddenly coughed violently, his body swayed, and he reached out, trying to grab onto something for support.

Yun Chuxiu quickly stepped forward to support him, leading him outward, whispering, "You, don't always try to act tough. Take care of your body. I told you we shouldn't come out, but you insisted..." With that, she secretly twisted a small pinch of flesh under his armpit.

"Am I being teased by the Empress Dowager?"

Qin Mu's mind wavered. He quickly pushed the girl away, panting, "A scholar may be killed but not humiliated! I can still endure! I came to see Celestial Venerable Lang, not to be humiliated. As a Hegemon Body, I must absolutely uphold the dignity of the Hegemon Body! Come on!"

He straightened his body, took out the Core of the Primordial Wood, and leaned on this wooden staff, displaying utmost pride and unwavering spirit. He said coldly, "The Yankang Hegemon Body has never lost! Nor has it ever retreated!"

Qi Jiuyi sighed, thinking, "This trip out, I'm afraid many people will die again. First it was Jade Pool, now it's Celestial Venerable Lang's Langxuan Divine Palace. Has Cult Master Qin truly set his mind on dismantling the Celestial Heavens piece by piece?"

Yun Chuxiu looked at the wooden staff, her heart skipping a beat. "The Core of the Primordial Wood from the Primordial Realm! That little girl, Earth Mother Primordial Lord, truly went all out to curry favor with this brat! Heh, that little imp Langxuan Divine Emperor just slipped away and isn't here. Celestial Venerable Mu can't unleash the full power of the Core of the Primordial Wood, but if I lend him a small hand, dismantling this place seems quite simple..."

A gleam of excitement appeared in her eyes.

Qin Mu lifted the Core of the Primordial Wood and said coldly, "Who wants me to give them some guidance?"

He also had his own calculations in mind: "After bringing trouble to Celestial Venerable Lang, and then causing a huge commotion at the residences of other Celestial Heavens giants, I can then go to the Celestial Heavens Dao Sect to meet the Dao Ancestor..."

Chang Xiting cast a glance at a young man. The young man stepped forward, a faint smile on his face, and bowed, saying, "Shen Wanzhou, disciple of Celestial Venerable Lang, requests Celestial Venerable's guidance!"

Chang Xiting cleared his throat, reminding him, "Junior Brother Wanzhou, do not harm Celestial Venerable Mu. We are the hosts; we must uphold the rules of hospitality."

Qin Mu's tone was rigid. "No need! Injure me as much as you like!"

Shen Wanzhou chuckled lightly and said, "This junior can let Celestial Venerable Mu make the first move, so I may witness the strength of the Hegemon Body."

Qin Mu erupted in fury, as primordial qi surged wildly into the Core of the Primordial Wood, activating its power. He thought to himself, "Should I kill him with one blow? If I kill him, what if others dare not challenge me...?"

Just as he thought this, an incredibly violent magical power suddenly surged into the Core of the Primordial Wood. This power was terrifyingly profound, far exceeding his own cultivation—thousands, even tens of thousands of times greater than his own!

Qin Mu was startled. The Core of the Primordial Wood in his hand transformed into a sky-supporting giant pillar and swept out with a rumble, instantly crushing Shen Wanzhou into dust!

Not only was Shen Wanzhou pulverized, but all other disciples of Langxuan Divine Emperor also failed to escape their doom, being utterly crushed by the Core of the Primordial Wood!

Chang Xiting saw that things were going badly and raised his hand to block, but the terrifying power crushed him, making him vomit blood and fly backward.

To his horror, he saw the absurdly massive pillar in Qin Mu's hand sweeping through Langxuan Divine Palace. The space under the staff shattered, smashing one palace after another to pieces.

The grand halls and palaces of Langxuan Divine Palace were swept away by the terrifying force, plummeting from the Celestial Heavens. One by one, the shattered palaces flew into the vast starry sky.

With that one strike, Qin Mu had almost destroyed more than half of Langxuan Divine Palace. He was simultaneously shocked and enraged, suddenly turning his head to Yun Chuxiu, his hair bristling with anger. He sneered, "You little vixen, I've tolerated you for too long!"

Yun Chuxiu also couldn't help but get angry. She leaped into the air. "You ungrateful wretch! Do you think I haven't tolerated you?"

Qin Mu burst into laughter, his figure soaring into the air, heading straight for Yun Chuxiu. "Why bother hitting Celestial Venerable's disciples? If we're going to fight, let's fight a Celestial Venerable!"

Qi Jiuyi and Yun Chuxiu's eyes widened. Qi Jiuyi quickly nudged Dragon Qilin. "Second Brother, what's going on? Explain!"

----A four-thousand-character chapter! I can't do it anymore; my brain can't take it. Zhaizhu has to go to sleep.