Chapter 992: They Are Not You

Qin Mu gazed at the endless tombs, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

As he walked, the Thirty-Three Heavens of Carefree Village seemed like three different worlds. Kai Huang's old officials were full of grievances and had given up, while the new generation indulged in extravagant pleasures and debauchery. Meanwhile, the Qin clan was fighting to the death, shedding their blood and sacrificing their lives for the peace of Carefree Village.

This was simply too absurd.

"Carefree Village has become distorted, or rather, it has fractured," Qin Mu mused.

In this fractured Carefree Village, the older generation had lost their resolve, their convictions shattered by abandoning the people they once swore to protect. The new generation, meanwhile, was immersed in a carefree existence where their thoughts became reality. The Qin family, however, feeling guilty towards both the people and the older generation, and also wanting to protect Kai Huang's glory and maintain the peace of Carefree Village, defended it through nearly self-sacrificial acts.

"Are you preventing me from returning to Carefree Village because you fear I'll end up like the Qin ancestors buried here?"

Qin Mu shook his head. In truth, the Carefree Village in his heart had long since crumbled, fallen apart, and ceased to exist. He simply felt that the sacrifices made by the Qin ancestors to protect Carefree Village and Kai Huang's glory were not worth it.

"Back then, Kai Huang partitioned half of the other shore world to create Carefree Village, offending the Creators. And now, a son of the Qin family has established the Netherworld of the Other Shore, bringing peace back to the two races."

Qin Mu said to Qin Hanzhen, "From now on, the descendants of the Qin family no longer need to stubbornly fight the Creators to protect Kai Huang's glory."

Qin Hanzhen shook his head and walked forward, saying, "In the future, the descendants of the Qin family will still fight desperately for Kai Huang's glory and for future wars. Carefree Village is like this, but isn't the outside world just another Carefree Village?"

Qin Mu followed Qin Hanzhen, passing tomb after tomb, his heart feeling serene and ethereal. The deaths of generations of ancestors and the war with the Creators made him want to laugh but he couldn't, and want to cry but he couldn't.

He could only shake his head.

Ever since he was old enough to understand, he had been arduously searching for Carefree Village, only to find it was ultimately a flower in the fog, a moon in the water—a mere illusion. Unless one was in his position, it would be difficult to understand his feelings and state of mind at that moment.

King Zhen's Estate was approaching. The tombs ahead gradually thinned out, replaced by young men and women cultivating diligently. They appeared to be younger members of the Qin family, around Qin Mu's age; some were slightly older, others younger. There were only about a dozen Qin family disciples. They trained harder than anyone else in Carefree Village, tempering their physical bodies, refining their vital qi, and condensing their divine consciousness almost like ascetics. In today's Carefree Village, where many of the new generation prioritized pleasure, such diligent cultivation was a rare sight.

Qin Mu stopped to observe and asked Qin Hanzhen, "Is this all that remains of the Qin family?"

Qin Hanzhen nodded and replied, "Only these are left. After a hundred generations, who would still consider the descendants of emperors as royalty? Only you yourself would think so, only you would cling to that pride. If we don't strive, we'll die terribly when the Creators attack. We only breathed a sigh of relief after Feng Qing returned."

After watching for a moment, Qin Hanzhen called over a little girl and said, "Siying, this is your cousin."

The girl, covered in sweat, circulated her vital qi to evaporate it. She looked at Qin Mu curiously and smiled, "He's clearly the holy infant of the Creator race, and very fierce; he made so many people cry! I was even scared to tears back then."

Qin Mu smiled, took out a drop of Primordial Liquid, visualized a pearl, sealed the liquid inside, and gave it to her. He chuckled, "Wear this around your neck; it will be very beneficial for your daily cultivation."

The girl accepted it and ran off to continue her cultivation.

"Siying is the youngest in the Qin family," Qin Hanzhen explained. "She's your eldest uncle's posthumous child, not yet ten years old. I'm teaching her now."

Qin Hanzhen said, "Let's go home. I'll take you to the ancestral temple to pay respects."

Qin Mu nodded. King Zhen's Estate was not large, lacking the extravagant luxury of Dragon Heaven, but the ancestral temple within was quite sizable. King Zhen's Consort and Shujun waited outside as Qin Hanzhen led Qin Mu inside. They saw rows of neatly arranged ancestral tablets, stacked together like a grand altar.

The place was very solemn, and the atmosphere was heavy.

Qin Mu followed Qin Hanzhen, kneeling to offer incense.

Qin Hanzhen took out the Qin family's genealogy book and asked, "Should your name be added?"

Qin Mu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "I am going to confront Kai Huang. Before I confront Kai Huang, I cannot be in the genealogy book. After I confront Kai Huang, I also cannot appear in the genealogy book."

Qin Hanzhen was stunned.

To confront Kai Huang meant striking down the Qin family's old ancestor. Qin Mu could not do so as the 107th generation descendant; that would be an act of great impiety. After defeating Kai Huang, Qin Mu would be considered someone who betrayed his master and destroyed his ancestors. He should not appear in the genealogy book; both by sentiment and by reason, he would have to be removed.

"Do you really have to go this far?"

Qin Hanzhen couldn't help but say, "After this confrontation, you will never be able to enter the Qin family's ancestral temple again! After you die, your grave cannot be in the ancestral graveyard; you will become a lonely ghost, with no one in the Qin family to offer sacrifices to you!"

Qin Mu smiled. "If I don't confront Kai Huang, Carefree Village cannot awaken. Kai Huang also hopes I will strike him, to knock him out of this Carefree Village. I cannot fail his expectations."

He chuckled, "I am a catfish Kai Huang deliberately placed in Carefree Village. He doesn't want me to stir up trouble; rather, he hopes I will revitalize the stagnant water, make the disappointed fish start swimming, and awaken those living in a drunken stupor. I must fulfill my role as this catfish."

Qin Hanzhen fell silent, then said, "Kai Huang is extremely formidable."

"I know. In the Great Void, I saw the traces he left during his duel with Fire Heavenly Venerate. Fire Heavenly Venerate's cultivation is stronger than his, yet she was still wounded by his sword."

Qin Mu said, "Among the Ten Heavenly Venerates of the Celestial Heavens, Fire Heavenly Venerate's strength, while not the strongest, is certainly not the weakest. To be able to force her to leave behind a great dao imprint and wound her, Kai Huang's strength is beyond my estimation."

Qin Hanzhen said, "His strength isn't limited to sword dao. Although his sword dao is his strongest, his divine arts are no less impressive."

Qin Mu nodded. "When I met him in the early years of the Dragon Han era, he was already superb in both sword arts and divine arts. When I angered Mother Earth and severely wounded Heavenly Venerate Hao, he used his divine arts to break through the encirclement and save me. The subtlety of his divine arts was truly breathtaking."

Qin Hanzhen was silent for a moment, then said, "I cannot keep you. Go."

Qin Mu bowed deeply, then turned and walked out of the ancestral temple. The sunlight outside was dazzling. Qin Mu raised a hand to shield his eyes, then looked back. The Qin family's ancestral temple was solemn and dignified, with ancestral tablets enshrined inside, but he knew he would never be able to enter there again.

He faced King Zhen's Consort, bowed to her, and then walked out of King Zhen's Estate with Shujun. King Zhen's Consort watched his retreating back, opening her mouth but not calling out. Qin Hanzhen came to her side, and she leaned weakly on his shoulder.

"Mu'er probably won't be back," she murmured softly.

Qin Mu looked at the Qin family disciples diligently cultivating outside and passed by them.

"Cousin!" The little girl named Qin Siying waved at him.

Qin Mu waved back from afar. There was the warmth of home here, yet he could not stay.

He left with Shujun, passing by the ancestral tombs once more. Qin Mu solemnly scooped up a handful of earth and carefully placed it into his Qin-shaped continent. Shujun was rather puzzled. Qin Mu smiled. "If I die in the future, I cannot be buried here, but my grave must have earth from my homeland."

They arrived at the Thirty-Third Heaven, which was also the location of Kai Huang's Celestial Heavens. Many civil and military officials of Kai Huang's Celestial Heavens had already arrived here before him, quietly awaiting this Heavenly Venerate battle. Gods with vast physical bodies stood in various parts of the Heavenly Palace, silently watching Qin Mu enter the South Heaven Gate, walk between the majestic and solemn divine palaces and temples, pass through the Heavenly Street, past the Jade Terrace and Jade Pond, and proceed towards Jade Capital City.

Kai Huang's Celestial Heavens also followed the layout of the Dragon Han Celestial Heavens; it was a bit simpler and its territory not as vast, but in terms of luxury, it was even more extravagant. After all, this was Carefree Village, a part of the other shore world, where visualizing creation was many times easier than anywhere else.

Qin Mu didn't use any divine arts, walking step by step. Although Kai Huang's Celestial Heavens was not vast, walking it step by step took an extremely long time. Yet he was like a devout seeker of the Dao, measuring step by step, not Kai Huang's Celestial Heavens, but the rights and wrongs within his own heart.

There were no other Creators here besides Shujun, because this was a matter between two Heavenly Venerates. Creators would not interfere in matters unrelated to them, nor was there any need for them to witness the outcome between the two. Only Kai Huang's old officials were here: Dao Master Su Maiqing of Kai Huang's Dao Sect, Sun Guardian Yan Rihuan, the Four Auxiliaries Fang Youji, Gao Baixun, Zhou Jingmeng, and Zhou Xunfang, along with other old gods like the Three Dukes, Six Ministries, and Nine Ministers. All of them watched Qin Mu walk towards Jade Capital City. They looked on with anticipation, eager for action. Yan Rihuan was still sharpening his sword, the rust gradually fading away.

Besides them, there were also the new gods within Jade Capital City, the most magnificent part of the Celestial Heavens. They too watched Qin Mu approach, some gloating, some restless and eager, and some whistling. Qin Mu paid them no heed.

Qin Hanzhen and King Zhen's Consort also brought the few Qin family children to Jade Capital City, watching Qin Mu walk through its streets with complex expressions, from Vermilion Bird Gate to Chengtian Gate.

Chengtian Gate stood tall; before it lay the Miro Palace, Lingxiao Hall, and the Imperial Grand Hall, symbolizing the Heavenly Emperor's unparalleled authority.

Beneath Chengtian Gate, Qin Mu stopped, turned around, and bowed to Shujun, saying, "Divine King, please stay here."

Shujun returned the bow, stopped, and stood beneath Chengtian Gate, watching Qin Mu ascend the long flight of stairs, climbing step by step towards the Lingxiao Hall.

Qin Mu walked forward step by step. After an unknown period of time, he finally arrived before Lingxiao Hall. Inside Lingxiao Hall, an Emperor sat on the throne. Seeing Qin Mu arrive, he stood up.

Kai Huang removed his imperial robe, folded it neatly, and placed it on the throne. He then took off his imperial crown and laid it on top of the robe. He drew the Carefree Sword from his waist. With a clang, it unsheathed, and he lightly tossed the scabbard, sticking it into a pillar in Lingxiao Hall. The sword light was bright, illuminating Lingxiao Hall, and sword shadows flickered throughout the hall. He watched Qin Mu walk into Lingxiao Hall, quietly awaiting his arrival. His figure stood there, giving a sense of immutability through eternity and an unwavering Dao heart. Even though years had passed, his original intention remained unchanged.

Qin Mu came before him and smiled, "Qin Kai, long time no see."

Kai Huang also smiled. "Mu Qing, it's been a million years since we last met. You've come from Tai Huangtian; what have you seen along the way?"

"I saw your Celestial Heavens decay."

Qin Mu took out a sword pellet and lightly shook it. The pellet transformed into a divine sword, ringing in his hand. Qin Mu flicked the sword, its tip and body vibrating continuously, and said leisurely, "Your original intention to move Carefree Village was good, but only you could uphold your original intention. Your old subordinates couldn't bear the failure and fell into the bitter sorrow of crumbling Dao hearts. They couldn't carry the burden and move forward like you; they would only resent and hate you. They are not you."

Kai Huang nodded. "It was I who overruled dissenting opinions and wholeheartedly wanted to move to Carefree Village. The fault is mine. What else did you see?"

Qin Mu said, "I also saw that your Kai Huang Reform had failed, and people's hearts had fragmented. When you decided to move to Carefree Village, the Kai Huang Reform had already failed, leaving behind only superficial elements."

Kai Huang nodded. "In the Kai Huang era, using gods for human purposes was the foundation of the nation. I abandoned this foundation, causing the Kai Huang gods to fail in protecting the people and all living beings, which resulted in the reform being interrupted. The fault is mine. What else did you see?"

Qin Mu said, "I saw that the new generation lacked the spirit of reform, content to stay in their corner and indulge in a sea of desires, without courage, without the ability to strive, and without initiative. There is a deep rift between the new and old generations. They are not you."

Kai Huang said, "The fault is mine."

"I also saw the Qin family bloodline die for your decisions back then, generations of people rushing forward, one after another."

Qin Mu said with a sigh, "They are not you. They couldn't grow into another Kai Huang; they could only use their lives to compensate for your mistakes."

Kai Huang looked dispirited. "The fault is mine."

"I also saw that you wanted to break free but couldn't. Only Kai Huang could break free, but everyone in Carefree Village couldn't. They couldn't leave Carefree Village, you were burdened by them, and you also couldn't leave Carefree Village."

Qin Mu flicked his wrist, executing a sword flourish. Then, the sword tip slanted downwards, pointing to the ground, and he said calmly, "Qin Kai, let me shatter the Carefree Village in your heart."

Boom—

The Miro Palace, Lingxiao Hall of Kai Huang's Celestial Heavens, split into pieces. The massive structure slid down diagonally, collapsing all the way down the steps. Pillars and massive stones rolled, and carved beams and painted pillars were crushed to dust in the debris.

On the Lingxiao Platform, Kai Huang's sword tip pointed diagonally at the ground, and he smiled slightly. "Mu Qing, I've been waiting for you for a long time. Please—"

Qin Mu's pupils contracted sharply. "Please."