Chapter 991: Old Qin Family's

Yan Yunxi attacked with her sword, interrupting him. Her first move was the first form of the Emperor's Thirty-Three Heaven Sword Dao, the Grand Sovereign's Heaven-Leveling Sword. She sneered, "Do you think I'm like Su Maiqing, Yan Rihuan, and those others? Some of them are masters of computation, some of divine arts, some are skilled military commanders, and some are just civil officials. How much of the Emperor's sword arts could they possibly display?"

Indeed, the Emperor's Thirty-Three Heaven Sword Dao, in her hands, revealed countless mysteries, incomparable to the moves Qin Mu had seen before.

Unlike Su Maiqing and the others, Yan Yunxi fought for real, showing no mercy, unleashing the full power of the sword dao from the very start.

However, she still underestimated Qin Mu's cultivation, using only the Venerable God realm. Although she displayed the full might of the Emperor's sword techniques, they posed little threat to Qin Mu.

Qin Mu's thoughts stirred, and his sword pellet flew out. He countered sword with sword, directly and cleanly breaking her Grand Sovereign's Heaven-Leveling Sword.

Feeling the power emanating from his sword, Yan Yunxi's heart stirred. She elevated her cultivation realm and unleashed the second move, the Grand Clarity Heaven-Equalizing Sword.

Qin Mu again countered with his sword, breaking all the techniques of the Grand Clarity Heaven-Equalizing Sword with his own sword moves, "Sword Severing Heaven-Equalizing."

Yan Yunxi's vital qi rose to the True God level, yet she still felt Qin Mu's vital qi was immensely powerful, far stronger than her own True God realm cultivation. Her heart was startled.

The path she walked was unique. Her knowledge was extremely broad, yet each discipline was mastered with great precision, allowing her to achieve profound accomplishments in every field.

The Emperor once evaluated her, saying that in terms of intelligence and wisdom, Heavenly Teacher Zixi was only slightly inferior to Wen Tiange, but her aptitude and talent far surpassed his.

In terms of innate talent, she was inferior to Emperor Yi Yue, yet she was more intelligent than Emperor Yi Yue.

Emperor Yi Yue possessed the bloodline of Heaven Sovereign, allowing him to easily learn anything. She did not have Emperor Yi Yue's innate talent; she studied the Post-celestial Great Daos. She delved into all Post-celestial Great Daos, whether it was music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or weaponry, array formations, martial combat, and so on.

The path Yan Yunxi took was, in fact, one where multiple Heavenly Palaces advanced simultaneously. She hoped that upon breaking through to the Emperor's Throne realm, she could simultaneously assault the great Heavenly Court realm, elevating her cultivation technique and strength to a level not inferior to that of a Heavenly Venerate.

She indeed followed this path, but elevating any Post-celestial Great Dao to the Emperor's Throne level was extremely difficult. It was even more arduous than cultivating a Pre-celestial Great Dao, requiring step-by-step innovation.

She knew the difficulties when she chose this path. Emperor Yi Yue and Martial Heavenly Master had already become Emperor's Throne experts, while she was still confined to the Numinous Sky realm.

However, this also made her vital qi exceptionally profound. She was one of the few in the Emperor's Heaven to be able to overpower Martial Heavenly Master Zhuo Cha while still in the Numinous Sky realm!

In the Emperor's Heaven, the first to surpass Martial Heavenly Master Zhuo Cha in vital qi was the Emperor himself.

The Emperor's vital qi was incredibly profound. The foundation of Qin Mu's Overlord Body Three Elixirs Technique was the basic guiding art that originated from the Emperor.

The second was Emperor Yi Yue, with his immensely powerful Heaven Sovereign bloodline.

But Yan Yunxi was, after all, one realm lower than the Martial Heavenly Master, yet she could still make him wholeheartedly concede with her strength—that truly showed her capability.

However, compared to Qin Mu, she immediately felt that at the same realm, Qin Mu's vital qi was far more profound than her own, surpassing hers by two or three times!

She had no choice but to elevate her cultivation realm to the God-Slaying Platform level to finally withstand Qin Mu's sword.

"If we were in the same realm, the Emperor wouldn't be as profound as him, perhaps even... perhaps..."

She felt a hint of unease. Qin Mu's vital qi was simply too profound; at the same realm, even the Emperor seemed significantly inferior to him.

Yan Yunxi had already demonstrated the Thirty-Three Heaven Sword Dao up to the Supreme Constancy and Integration Sword. However, Qin Mu had never seen this move, so she performed it slowly, trying to reveal its various profound principles to him.

Having performed that move, Yan Yunxi did not stop. She also unleashed the Thirtieth Heaven Jade Grand Soaring Victory Sword.

Next came the Thirty-First Heaven Dragon Transformation Brahma Crossing Sword, the Thirty-Second Heaven Peaceful Cultivation Jiai Sword, and the Thirty-Third Heaven Supreme Purity Dao Realm Sword.

After this move, Yan Yunxi stopped, waved her hand, and discarded her sword. Disconsolately, she said, "I cannot defeat you, but that is my shortcoming, not the Emperor's. The Emperor, wielding the Thirty-Three Heaven Sword Dao, possesses power unknown multiples beyond mine. You will certainly be defeated by His Majesty the Emperor."

"Thank you," Qin Mu said sincerely, retracting his sword pellet.

Yan Yunxi cast him a glance and sneered, "Do you truly think you can defeat the Emperor? The Emperor is the foremost expert in sword dao; his attainments in swordsmanship are peerless. No one can compare to the speed and depth of his comprehension of the sword dao! The Thirty-Three Heaven Sword Dao was created by him twenty thousand years ago. To what extent his sword dao has progressed in these years, even I am not entirely clear."

Qin Mu's heart was awestruck.

Yan Yunxi continued, "Upon seeing your Sword Nineteen, the Emperor could deduce Sword Fifteen, Sword Sixteen, Sword Seventeen, and Sword Eighteen. Such talent would never be confined by Sword Nineteen. Perhaps when you reach the Emperor's Heaven, you will discover his Sword Twenty, and perhaps even witness his Thirty-Fourth Heaven and Thirty-Fifth Heaven Sword Dao! You are doomed!"

Qin Mu smiled faintly, "Do you really wish for the Emperor to be defeated by me?"

Yan Yunxi's eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "Presumptuous! My loyalty to the Emperor is unwavering, clear as the sun and moon! I lost to you based on my own strength, not because I deliberately wanted you to see the Emperor's sword techniques!"

Lu Zheng and Shu Jun were drinking with other divine officials on the city wall. Hearing this, the divine officials spat out the wine they had just taken into their mouths.

"What's so funny?"

Lu Zheng became furious, glaring and saying, "All of you drink! Today, whoever doesn't drink until they can't see or hear, no one is allowed to leave!"

The divine officials trembled in fear, not daring to refuse to drink.

To Yan Yunxi, Lu Zheng was merely a donkey; but to the others in Wushang Heaven, this donkey was the Donkey Demon King.

Qin Mu glanced over there and asked, "Heavenly Teacher, is there truly a Thirty-Fourth Heaven Sword Dao?"

"I don't know."

Yan Yunxi shook her head, "Perhaps there is, perhaps there isn't. Given his talent, it's possible. But considering the current state of Wuyou Township, there isn't."

Qin Mu gave her a deep look and said, "Heavenly Teacher Zixi, when will you change into women's clothes? Sacred Master Qiaofu and Martial Heavenly Master are both waiting."

Yan Yunxi retorted angrily, "None of your business! Until there's a man who truly moves my heart, I'll remain single."

Qin Mu chuckled, "You won't find a man who combines the wisdom of Sacred Master Qiaofu with the persistence of Martial Heavenly Master. You might as well change into women's clothes soon and pick one of them to marry. Sacred Master Qiaofu and Martial Heavenly Master haven't married yet; both are probably waiting for your decision. Not only are you delaying yourself, but you're delaying them too."

Yan Yunxi was both embarrassed and annoyed, saying furiously, "I haven't defeated you yet, so hurry up and leave! Don't humiliate me here!"

"Shu Jun, we should go!"

Qin Mu called out, and Shu Jun quickly rose. Lu Zheng laughed, "Big Head, come drink another day! I'll treat you to radishes!"

The radish tied to a fishing rod on his head struggled incessantly but couldn't break free, so it resigned itself.

Shu Jun acknowledged and came to Qin Mu's side.

"You shouldn't go to the next few heavens," Yan Yunxi said, seeing him out of the city. "Here, it's false flattery. But there, it's genuine fawning. If you go there, you'll only be humiliated."

Qin Mu was slightly taken aback, a look of confusion on his face.

Yan Yunxi sighed, "In Wuyou Township, it's us old generals who harbor discontent. The new gods and devils born in Wuyou Township have no feelings for the outside world, are terrified of the rumored powerful Heavenly Court, and don't want to leave. There are also smart people among them who know you've come to advise through martial arts, to force the Emperor to go on campaign. They will surely obstruct you."

Qin Mu smiled, nodding, "To them, this truly is Wuyou Township."

Yan Yunxi snorted, saying indifferently, "Wuyou Township? There's no such place in this world! Go, the sooner you meet the Emperor, the better your chances. His comprehension of sword dao divine arts is simply too high. If you delay even one day, he might comprehend Sword Twenty, which would be even more disadvantageous to you."

Qin Mu bid farewell and departed.

The two arrived at Jade Grand Heaven. This Jade Grand Heaven in Wuyou Township was indeed vastly different from the previous twenty-nine heavens. Here, songs and dances filled the air, and it was resplendent with gold. Young gods and devils created various wondrous and sacred landscapes using their visualization divine arts, making it a feast for the eyes.

People sang and danced in these exotic and magnificent places, indulging in pools of wine and forests of meat, living in extreme extravagance.

As Qin Mu and Shu Jun walked through this place, Shu Jun suddenly shed tears.

Qin Mu was surprised and asked, "What's wrong, Divine King?"

"Before my Creator race was exterminated, it was just like this. Seeing these things makes me involuntarily recall those days," Shu Jun said with emotion. "When the Creator race was at its most prosperous, no one ever imagined that the catastrophe of their extinction was not far off."

Qin Mu fell into contemplation.

Divine beings were patrolling everywhere here. It was likely that the younger generation of newly born deities had heard of Qin Mu's arrival in Wuyou Township and were searching for their whereabouts.

Qin Mu's divine consciousness fluctuated, forming an illusion. They walked past the searching deities without incident.

They arrived at Dragon Transformation Heaven. The extravagance here surpassed even Jade Grand Heaven. While the guardians of the lower heavens in Wuyou Township still worried about Creator attacks and trained their troops, here there was no such tense atmosphere at all. Only enjoyment, pleasure, and indulgence in a sea of desires remained.

Qin Mu and Shu Jun did not stop, continuing their journey to the next heaven, Peaceful Cultivation Heaven.

"Mu'er."

Qin Hanzhen and his wife were waiting for him at the entrance to Peaceful Cultivation Heaven, apparently having waited for a long time. Royal Consort Zhen smiled, "Mu'er has indeed arrived. Your father knew you well; he said you would definitely come to investigate the Emperor's sword techniques."

Qin Mu pushed up his robes and bowed to the two, saying, "When I wore the red robes, I was the Holy Infant, thus neglecting you both. I now come to seek your forgiveness."

Qin Hanzhen quickly helped him up, saying, "We provided no upbringing, no education, and did not give you a soul. How dare we call ourselves parents?"

Royal Consort Zhen wiped the corners of her eyes and smiled, "I truly wish I had given birth to two sons."

Qin Hanzhen said, "You must have endured many hardships on your journey. His Majesty's old subordinates are fiercely loyal to him and would certainly make things difficult for you in every way. I know it's been tough for you."

Qin Mu was speechless.

Royal Consort Zhen said, "Your father is King Zhen, and it's not appropriate for him to directly go down to see those old fellows. They have strange temperaments and speak in veiled, sarcastic tones. I told your father to go find you, but he said those elders have a sense of propriety; they would definitely attack you but wouldn't endanger your life, at most injuring you. So there was no need to go. If you were forced back by those elders, that would be even better."

Qin Mu became even more speechless.

Shu Jun chuckled, "Those old subordinates of the Emperor are indeed fiercely loyal and make things difficult in every way."

Qin Hanzhen led him towards the Prince Zhen's Estate, saying, "It's rare for you to return, so I'll take you to see the ancestors of the Qin family. We won't talk about your duel with the Emperor; let's enter the family home first. Half of the territory in this Peaceful Cultivation Heaven belongs to the old Qin family."

Qin Mu assented.

Following Qin Hanzhen and Royal Consort Zhen, he walked along, seeing tombs stretching endlessly, as far as the eye could see.

"These are all the ancestors of the old Qin family," Qin Hanzhen said. "The Qin family knew that the Emperor's decision to relocate to Wuyou Township was unpopular among the soldiers, so from the fourth generation onwards, the Qin family actively resisted the Creators. They are all here, generation after generation, all here."

"The Emperor had thirty-four children, and thirty-three of them died in battle during the establishment of the Emperor's Heaven. Our ancestral patriarch of this lineage died in the battle during the migration to Wuyou Township. He led six sons to intercept the Heavenly Court. His body was never found, nor was it sought."

Qin Hanzhen continued, "He was not buried in the ancestral tomb. The Emperor's third-generation descendants died on the way into the Grand Void. They went in first to scout the path, and only one returned alive to tell the Emperor that it was safe."

"By our generation, I am the one hundred and sixth, and you are the one hundred and seventh. The Qin family's population has become very small. Each generation must bear the heavy responsibility of protecting Wuyou Township. When the Creators attack, the Qin family members are the first to charge out, leading the way. Your mother didn't want you to return, also because of this concern."

He pointed to a grave ahead and said, "That's your eldest uncle, my brother, who used to be very kind to me. When I left Wuyou Township, he saw me off. When I returned, he was already buried here..."

"For the old Qin family, Wuyou Township has never truly existed."

He stood before the grave, lowering his head. "Because for those bearing the surname Qin, the burdens they carry are simply too many, too heavy."