Chapter 961: Yuntian Zun

Shujun slowly lifted his eyelids, his eyes fixed on Qin Mu, surprised by his rare humility. He calmly said, "If you forge a new path, one entirely different from the Heavenly Palace, this means you would completely abandon the wisdom of divine arts practitioners accumulated over millions of years, and cast aside the experience gathered by others. The myriad cultivation techniques and divine arts developed over these millions of years would be entirely useless to you. You would essentially be founding an entirely new civilization by yourself."

Qin Mu indeed harbored such a thought.

In his view, though the Heavenly Palace system had not yet evolved into a perfect Celestial Heavens, it was not unchangeable.

He truly wished to completely abandon the Heavenly Palace cultivation system and establish an entirely new one.

"But have you considered how much time you would need?" Shujun said, "You might need a million years to perfect the new path you forge, just to mature this cultivation system. And perhaps you would be the only one on this path, making a million years a short span. However, if you accept the Heavenly Palace system, you might only need a few thousand, or even a few hundred years, to reach the peak and become the most powerful being under heaven. This is based on my experience, but the path is beneath your feet; how you walk it is your choice."

Qin Mu fell silent. He bowed respectfully to Shujun on the altar to express his gratitude, and then dissipated into a wisp of divine consciousness.

Shujun wondered, "Why was that kid so respectful to me just now?"

On the Grand Emperor's altar, Qin Mu looked up. Above the altar, the Grand Emperor Seal floated, borrowing the Grand Emperor's power to resist the increasingly potent Supreme Divine Consciousness Domain.

Yue Tingge and Luo Wushuang looked back. The star ring on the cliff had returned to its normal rotation speed and hadn't accelerated. Only then did they let out a sigh of relief.

The altar flew through the air, approaching the center of the Grand Emperor's physical body's forehead and getting closer to Heavenly Venerate Fire.

However, Qin Mu remained lost in thought, staring intently at the Grand Emperor Seal. Yue Tingge and Luo Wushuang were surprised but didn't ask further.

Suddenly, two lines of clear tears rolled down Qin Mu's cheeks. Yue Tingge and Luo Wushuang were startled. They wondered why Heavenly Venerate Mu had suddenly become so melancholic.

Qin Mu withdrew his gaze. A wave of sadness welled up in his heart, and he couldn't help but shed tears.

He made a decision: not to explore an unknown path, not to discover where that path led, and not to uncover the wonders at its end.

He had once vaguely glimpsed the endless beauty of that path, but now he could only abandon it.

He would re-establish the Heavenly Palace, and with the wisdom accumulated by people over millions of years, continue progressing through realms like Honored God, True God, Jade Platform, and Jade Capital.

Perhaps he could wait a million years, spending that time to perfect his own path, becoming an eternal legend, surpassing the Celestial Heavens realm.

However, Eternal Peace couldn't wait. The Eternal Peace reforms couldn't wait either. His friends, his companions—they couldn't wait.

He might miss countless beautiful sceneries on that path, and might never see the end of the Great Dao, missing the origin and beginning of the Dao at its very end. But he could grasp the present and cherish what was before him.

He let go of all of it. The feeling in his heart gradually faded, transforming into a lingering trace of melancholy.

This melancholy was not a deep sadness from his heart, but rather a poignant feeling emanating from the very end of the Great Dao.

The Grand Emperor's altar quietly floated past Heavenly Venerate Fire, heading towards the Grand Emperor's forehead.

Luo Wushuang looked back at Heavenly Venerate Fire, who was now behind them. She couldn't help but ask, "Qin Hegemon, you're avoiding Heavenly Venerate Fire. Shouldn't we rescue him first?"

Yue Tingge also noticed this. Qin Mu clearly intended to bypass Heavenly Venerate Fire, who was struggling forward, and reach the Grand Emperor's forehead before him.

Qin Mu chuckled, "Don't worry, Heavenly Venerate Fire won't die. Right, Heavenly Venerate Fire?"

Heavenly Venerate Fire's body remained frozen, the Great Dao runes all around him still slowly transforming. He was oblivious to their words.

"He has no objections," Qin Mu said.

Luo Wushuang's eyelids twitched twice. She turned to look at Heavenly Venerate Fire again.

Qin Mu reassured her, "Don't worry, don't worry. It was hard for Heavenly Venerate Fire to get in, but it's easy to get out. He just needs to turn around, and he can leave this place in a few hundred years."

Luo Wushuang was exasperated. "Is Heavenly Venerate Mu worried that after rescuing Heavenly Venerate Fire, he'll repay your kindness with hostility and kill you?"

Qin Mu said calmly, "Whether he kills me, I'm not sure, but he will definitely kill Heavenly Master Yue Tingge. Right, Heavenly Master Yue?"

Yue Tingge sighed, looking disheartened. "I tricked him and Heavenly Venerate Void into coming here, causing him to be trapped in the Supreme Divine Consciousness Domain for so long. He'll most likely come after me."

The altar swayed as it flew into the Grand Emperor's forehead. There was no Primordial Stone in the Grand Emperor's forehead, only a diamond-shaped wound.

It was vast and spacious here. Enchanting rays of light surged from the Grand Emperor's brain, like streaks of colorful clouds.

The Grand Emperor's altar flew into the layers of colorful light. The Grand Emperor Seal continuously absorbed the light. The light surged like a tide. Vaguely, a figure could be seen sitting amidst the overlapping light.

Yue Tingge and Luo Wushuang were puzzled and looked at Qin Mu.

Qin Mu suppressed the excitement in his heart. He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Heavenly Master Yue, Divine Blade Luo, can you move a Heavenly Venerate's body?"

The two were greatly shocked. They looked incredulously at the motionless figure seated in the light.

The Grand Emperor's altar finally reached the side of the person in the light. Luo Wushuang scrutinized the man in the light. He had a graceful demeanor, handsome features, and an extraordinary aura, like a distinguished middle-aged emperor, yet very dashing. However, Luo Wushuang didn't recognize him and thought, 'Could it be one of the Supreme Emperors? But judging by what Qin Hegemon said, he should be a Heavenly Venerate. Which Heavenly Venerate died here?'

Yue Tingge's heart pounded. He whispered, "He is Heavenly Venerate Yun..."

Upon hearing this, Luo Wushuang's mind reeled. She blurted out, "He's Heavenly Venerate Yun, the one who pioneered the Divine Bridge Divine Treasure?"

Qin Mu urged, "Both of you, my magic power isn't enough to move his body, so please do it."

The Grand Emperor's altar floated in front of Heavenly Venerate Yun's body. Qin Mu softly said, "Fellow Daoist Yun, it's time to go home."

Yue Tingge and Luo Wushuang suppressed their inner turmoil. They stepped forward, each using their magic power to lift Heavenly Venerate Yun's body and slowly placed it onto the Grand Emperor's altar.

Qin Mu examined the wounds on Heavenly Venerate Yun's body. However, strangely, there wasn't a single injury on Heavenly Venerate Yun. But his soul had vanished without a trace.

"Heavenly Venerate Yue said Heavenly Venerate Yun was dead, so he truly is dead. Fortunately, even if he's dead, I can revive him!"

Qin Mu inspected carefully, finding no trace of the Grand Emperor's divine consciousness. After a moment of thought, he made a decision: "Please, both of you, place him into my forehead. There's a piece of Youdu hidden in my forehead; I'll store his body there for now."

Yue Tingge and Luo Wushuang had a thousand questions in their minds, but they still followed his instructions, placing Heavenly Venerate Yun's body into Qin Mu's forehead, where it landed on the Qin character continent.

Qin Mu let out a long breath. He activated the Grand Emperor's altar and began the return journey.

The Grand Emperor's altar passed by Heavenly Venerate Fire again. Luo Wushuang couldn't help but look at Qin Mu again. Qin Mu, resigned, stopped the altar and said, "How about you turn him around?"

Luo Wushuang scoffed, "What's the point of turning him around? He'd still be trapped in the Supreme Divine Consciousness Domain, wouldn't he?"

Qin Mu explained, "If he turns around by himself, it would take him over two hundred years to succeed. If we help him turn around, he can escape two hundred years earlier."

Luo Wushuang frowned, about to speak again, but Qin Mu said, "Divine Blade Luo, can you guarantee that Heavenly Venerate Fire won't kill me or Heavenly Master Yue after he's free?"

Luo Wushuang fell silent. She and Yue Tingge worked together to turn Heavenly Venerate Fire around.

The Grand Emperor's altar continued flying outward. After a long while, the altar flew across the Spatial Abyss, reaching the underside of the star ring. The three individuals and one dragon leaped off the altar. Qin Mu put away the Grand Emperor's altar, keeping only the Grand Emperor Seal. He looked at the divine dragon with a puzzled expression.

The divine dragon had been quiet the whole way, unlike before, when it had constantly been making a fuss and shouting 'Mahā, Mahā'.

Suddenly, Yue Tingge said with a trembling voice, "Heavenly Venerate Fire took a step!"

Qin Mu's heart jolted. He quickly looked and indeed saw Heavenly Venerate Fire had taken a step towards them!

"Damn it!"

His scalp tingled. He quickly dashed towards the edge of the Supreme Divine Consciousness Domain. Luo Wushuang, Yue Tingge, and the divine dragon hurriedly followed him.

The closer one was to the core of the Supreme Divine Consciousness Domain, the stronger the suppression. But as long as Heavenly Venerate Fire had taken the first step, his next steps would be faster, because he was moving outward!

With every step he took, the pressure lessened!

Given his strength, escaping was likely something he could accomplish in a short time!

Qin Mu's scalp tingled. He rushed outward with all his might, striving to escape the area before Heavenly Venerate Fire broke free.

Just then, he heard footsteps.

The footsteps were earth-shattering, causing the void to collapse, and erupting with sounds like mountains crumbling and the earth splitting.

Qin Mu looked back, only to see flames soaring into the sky within the Supreme Divine Consciousness Domain.

Suddenly, another set of footsteps came, the sound even louder, the flames even higher, melting the very sky!

"It's over, Heavenly Venerate Fire has escaped!"

Qin Mu gritted his teeth and frantically surged forward. Yue Tingge swiftly overtook him and sped away, shouting, "I'm not dying with you guys, I'm getting out of here first! Heavenly Venerate Mu, you block Heavenly Venerate Fire for me, and next year I'll burn paper money for you!"

"Damn you!"

Qin Mu was furious, but he saw Yue Tingge transform into a pile of blocks that clattered and rolled forward, moving at an incredibly fast speed and quickly vanishing.

Qin Mu struggled to push forward, only to see Luo Wushuang's footsteps flying fast, and she had also run ahead of him. Evidently, Luo Wushuang had recovered well during these past days and could now utilize magic power from the Jade Pool or Jade Capital realms.

"Luo Wushuang, you kept blabbering on about saving Heavenly Venerate Fire," Qin Mu angrily demanded, "why are you still running?"

Luo Wushuang hesitated, slowing her steps, feeling terribly ashamed, and said, "I was only thinking that Heavenly Venerate Mu has a great reputation. If Heavenly Venerate Fire killed you, he would definitely kill me to silence me, so that the news wouldn't spread and he wouldn't bear the name of killing a Heavenly Venerate. I forgot the meaning of loyalty..."

Just then, the divine dragon actually surpassed him, wagging its tail and moving with the wind, much faster than Qin Mu's speed!

Qin Mu was puzzled. "This divine dragon was conjured by my visualization; it shouldn't be stronger than me... Damn it, it's the Grand Emperor's spirit borrowing a body! The Grand Emperor's spirit borrowed the body of the divine dragon I visualized!"

As he just realized this, a strong fiery light suddenly shone from behind him, making his body hot, as if it was about to ignite.

Qin Mu's body stiffened. He stopped, turned around, and forced a smile. "Heavenly Venerate Fire, long time no see."

Luo Wushuang also had to stop and turn around. Her saber aura surged, ready for a fierce battle.

Heavenly Venerate Fire flew up with a whoosh, leaped over them, and landed in front of the divine dragon, reaching out to grab it.

The divine dragon struggled but couldn't break free. It sneered, "Heavenly Venerate Fire, do you want to kill me? You can't kill me. My divine consciousness is everywhere in the entire Supreme Divine Consciousness Domain; I am immortal..."

With a whoosh, it ignited and quickly turned to ashes.

Heavenly Venerate Fire looked at Qin Mu. Qin Mu's body was rigid.

"Heavenly Venerate Mu, we meet again."

Heavenly Venerate Fire was expressionless. Behind him, the flame wheel that incinerated all spun slowly. On the flame wheel, individual flames pulsed, at times flaring brightly, as if suns were suddenly erupting within the fire. Clearly, his heart was not at peace when he saw Qin Mu.

"Every time I see you, I'm reminded of how you beat me up at the Jade Pool," Heavenly Venerate Fire said.

Qin Mu said seriously, "As the saying goes, no discord, no concord. Many lifelong friends are made through fights..."

"Heavenly Venerate Yun's body is better off in your hands than in mine. Thank you." Heavenly Venerate Fire left these words, then turned and departed, his figure receding into the distance.

Qin Mu was stunned for a moment, then called out loudly, "Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for resurrecting Heavenly Venerate Yu."

Heavenly Venerate Fire's voice came from afar: "Back in the Jade Pool, I once said that if you could find out who harmed Heavenly Venerate Yu, I would no longer hold a grudge against you. Not only did you achieve that, but you also resurrected him."

Qin Mu waved his hand high. "Heavenly Venerate Fire, stay and talk for a bit before you go!"

Heavenly Venerate Fire's voice faded into the distance: "Every time I see you, I can't help but feel disgusted and want to beat you to death. You should be wary of Heavenly Venerate Void; she is a very dangerous person..."

Luo Wushuang's expression drastically changed. Her heart pounded uneasily. "I think I just heard something I shouldn't have again. This time, even if I wasn't going to rebel, I'd have to..."