# Chapter 1000: The Dream of Dutian
Dutian Heavenly Demon King said he was going to the Grand Void to earn merits, but in truth, he was seeking death. He entrusted the demon race of the Dutian World to Qin Mu, and by dying in the Grand Void, he forced Qin Mu to take on the responsibility of caring for his people. For him, this counted as fulfilling one last wish.
In his heart, the lofty Celestial Venerable Mu would certainly have the means to settle his people.
After he died, Qin Mu, remembering their past friendship, might not care for his people with meticulous attention, but at least he could give them a place to live, so they no longer had to drift through the universe, never knowing if they would survive from one day to the next.
The demon horde had had enough of these rootless years.
After the Dutian World was destroyed, he led his people in wandering. No celestial world welcomed them, and from time to time, powerful celestial realms would plunder these demons, hunt them down, and capture them as slaves.
If this continued, the demons of the Dutian World would surely face extinction.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King was truly at his wit's end. He was a clever man. Back when he invaded Eternal Peace, he had thought it was a minor celestial realm, but upon seeing the stone statues of the Great Ruins, he immediately knew he had kicked a hard rock and abandoned the idea of invading Eternal Peace.
Qin Mu had made great achievements in demon language and mathematical calculations, and Dutian Heavenly Demon King had contributed significantly, especially in mathematics, where his attainments were very high.
He knew that going to the Grand Void was a dead end, but he had no choice.
Qin Mu naturally understood his intentions. He looked up at Dutian Heavenly Demon King's face. Wind and frost were like knives, and hardship was a weapon that aged a person. For gods and demons, time could not make them old, but Dutian Heavenly Demon King looked aged, and his spirit was not what it used to be.
His ambition had been worn away on the road of leaving his homeland and struggling to survive.
"How many demons are left in the Dutian World?" Qin Mu asked.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King's face showed joy, but he dared not reveal too much happiness. He quickly replied, "Only a million demon horde remain. Truly not many. As long as there is a little place to settle, with abundant water and grass, not even needing to be large, they can survive..."
"A million demon horde is indeed not many. However, although I have the title of Celestial Venerable, I have no power base in the Heavenly Court, so it's not easy to settle them."
Qin Mu said, "Where are they now?"
"They are on the Heavenly River outside the Heavenly Court. They are not qualified to enter the Heavenly Court."
Dutian Heavenly Demon King said with a flattering smile, "I had them stay outside, standing by the shore, to avoid being run over by passing ships. Celestial Venerable..."
Qin Mu interrupted him, saying, "Very well. Sister Yan'er, Fatty Dragon, come here."
Yan'er stood on Dragon Qilin's head. Dragon Qilin trotted over quickly. Qin Mu took out a small bottle and said, "Take this treasure and go with Dutian Heavenly Demon King outside the Heavenly Court. Collect his million demons into the bottle."
This bottle was called the Gourd Heaven Bottle, a treasure of the Zangshan Clan among the Creators. When Qin Mu and Luo Wushuang encountered the spirit of the Zangshan Clan's chieftain in the Grand Void, they agreed to establish the Netherworld for the Grand Void, and the Zangshan Clan gifted him this treasure.
The space inside the Gourd Heaven Bottle was vast, containing a great celestial realm, extremely expansive.
Qin Mu used this Gourd Heaven Bottle to store Primordial Essence Liquid, keeping it for his own cultivation. He could spare a planet from the bottle to lend to the demons for temporary settlement.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King was overwhelmed with gratitude. Dragon Qilin glanced at him and said in surprise, "Brother Dutian? When did you become so old?"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Dragon, don't joke around."
He led the way, guiding Dragon Qilin and Yan'er outside the Heavenly Court. They saw many ragged and tattered demons standing on a dark, broken ship. The number was not large; they should be the demon race's cultivators, along with one demon god.
On that broken ship were several damaged divine repositories. Dragon Qilin peeked inside and saw it was a demon god's Six Harmonies Continent, housing tens of thousands of demons. It seemed a dead demon god had contributed his Six Harmonies divine repository to give his people a temporary place to stay.
Yan'er moved these demons to one of the planets in the Gourd Heaven Bottle. It was a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters, very fertile, suitable for settlement without worrying about livelihood.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King let out a long sigh of relief. He followed the two back to the Celestial Venerable Mu's mansion. Yan'er and Dragon Qilin went in to report, telling him to wait outside.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King waited for a while. Yan'er came back and said, "The young master said he won't see you. He also said his own days are not easy, so take care."
Dutian Heavenly Demon King bowed toward the Celestial Venerable Mu's mansion, kowtowed, and said, "The Celestial Venerable's kindness, I will repay in my next life!" Then he got up and left.
He arrived at the Western Heavenly Gate, where the Heavenly Court was recruiting soldiers. Many gods and demons from various celestial worlds were signing up to join the army, preparing to campaign against the Grand Void.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King also signed up. The supervising divine official saw that he was a capable fighter with high cultivation, at the peak of the Jade Pool realm, so he made him a captain, commanding a hundred or so gods and demons.
The Heavenly Court conscripted gods and demons from all celestial worlds. Two months later, they had gathered millions of divine soldiers. Towering ships and great vessels set sail, a magnificent sight.
On the ships, the generals of each army transmitted the Non-Thinking Non-Non-Thinking technique to deal with the strangeness of the Grand Void.
They sailed for several months before finally reaching the Grand Void.
Various strange phenomena struck in the Grand Void. Millions of divine soldiers suffered countless casualties. Dutian Heavenly Demon King led his troops in fierce combat. Fortunately, they encountered corpse walkers in the Grand Void, which allowed them to reach the Grand Void Land alive.
In the Grand Void Land, various strange events continued. The millions of divine soldiers were reduced to less than five hundred thousand. Dutian Heavenly Demon King survived by luck, and his rank had been promoted to Mobile General, as many generals had died in the strange attacks.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King led his remaining men in desperate fighting, resisting various strange events, and finally established a foothold in the Grand Void Land.
As time passed, the soldiers around him grew fewer and fewer. When they were completely out of supplies, they finally received reinforcements.
The Heavenly Court's army arrived. This time, the commander was the Heavenly Emperor's son, Crown Prince Mingya, assisted by the Three Dukes, leading the Heavenly River Navy.
Crown Prince Mingya and the Three Dukes greatly praised Dutian Heavenly Demon King's bravery, promoting him on the spot, making him a Loyal and Martial General, a fourth-rank divine position. They also put him in command of an army to campaign with the prince.
Campaigning in the Grand Void was extremely dangerous, but Dutian Heavenly Demon King seemed blessed by heaven. He repeatedly performed extraordinary feats, and his cultivation advanced rapidly. He broke through to the Execution Platform realm, then to the Jade Capital realm, earning even more favor from Crown Prince Mingya, who promoted him repeatedly.
Unknowingly, a thousand years of campaigning passed. Under the leadership of the crown prince and the Three Dukes, Dutian Heavenly Demon King encountered counterattacks from the Creator race. He repeatedly repelled the Creators, making great contributions.
His military merits grew higher and higher, and he was enfeoffed as a Returned Virtue General.
One day, a Celestial Venerable descended upon the Grand Void Land, preparing to fully encircle and annihilate the Creator race and open the path to the Carefree Village.
The crown prince and the Three Dukes handed over military command and brought him back to the Heavenly Court in glory to receive rewards.
The Heavenly Emperor personally received and rewarded them. When asked what he desired, Dutian Heavenly Demon King knelt and said, "I beg for one celestial world for my people to inhabit."
The Heavenly Emperor and the assembled officials and gods laughed, saying, "Our beloved minister has rendered such great service yet only asks for one celestial world. Truly simple and honest." They bestowed countless treasures and granted him two great celestial worlds, enfeoffing him as a Marquis.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King's reputation filled the court. He prepared to visit the Celestial Venerable Mu's mansion, but the crown prince summoned him and said, "Celestial Venerable Mu has long harbored rebellious intentions. His Majesty has tolerated him for a long time but cannot catch him in the act. Marquis, you have an old friendship with him. When you visit him, he will surely be off guard. Hide this imperial robe and imperial seal in his mansion. I will come to search, and when I find them, I will charge him with treason and have him executed! This way, His Majesty can rest easy!"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King was horrified and dared not accept the imperial seal and robe.
"Are you worried about your people? Dutian, after killing Celestial Venerable Mu, your people will still be yours."
Crown Prince Mingya's face darkened, and he sneered, "Don't forget, I have been your benefactor. I promoted you, and that's why you have your current position. It's time for you to repay my kindness!"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King knelt and said, "Your Highness has been my benefactor, but Celestial Venerable Mu has also treated me with great kindness. I may not be able to repay kindness, but I cannot repay kindness with enmity. I beg Your Highness to withdraw your order!"
Crown Prince Mingya flew into a rage, slammed the table, and stood up, furious: "To kill Celestial Venerable Mu, I need to fabricate a charge. To kill you, I don't even need to fabricate one! Dutian, I'll give you two choices: either walk the Execution Platform, or bring the imperial robe and seal to the Celestial Venerable Mu's mansion! Choose one!"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King's mind buzzed. He struggled inwardly for a long time before finally saying, "Your servant chooses the Execution Platform."
The crown prince flicked his sleeve: "Then go die!"
On the Execution Platform, Dutian Heavenly Demon King knelt there, dazedly thinking about his life's experiences. His heart was filled with mixed emotions. He thought to himself, "My people are with Celestial Venerable Mu. They should be fine..."
Two flashes of blade light, and his head fell to the ground. His primordial spirit was also slain, his soul scattered, not entering the Netherworld.
Dutian Heavenly Demon King's vision fell into pure darkness.
Just then, he heard the voice of that girl called Yan'er calling him. Dutian Heavenly Demon King quickly opened his eyes and looked around, his mind in a daze. He murmured, "Where is this?"
"Dutian, how did you fall asleep outside the Celestial Venerable's mansion?"
Yan'er laughed and said, "The young master wants you to come in!"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King said blankly, "Didn't I die? Where am I? What about the Execution Platform? What about Crown Prince Mingya?"
Yan'er chuckled, "What Execution Platform? This is the Celestial Venerable Mu's mansion! And there's no Crown Prince Mingya here. I heard Crown Prince Mingya has fled, whereabouts unknown. I just went with Fatty Dragon to see the young master, and he told me to come out and call you in. Who would have thought you were lying here asleep?"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King stood up, still somewhat confused. He looked around. The sunlight was bright. This was indeed the Celestial Venerable Mu's mansion in Jade Capital City of the Heavenly Court. The pedestrians who had passed by over a thousand years ago had not yet gone far, as if only a short moment had passed.
Yet in his dream, a thousand years had passed. He had experienced countless fierce battles in the Grand Void, even returned to court in triumph to receive rewards from the Heavenly Emperor, only to be sent to the Execution Platform in the end!
Yan'er led him into the mansion, saying, "You must be too tired. The long journey has exhausted you. The young master doesn't like people kneeling to him. When you meet him, don't kneel again. What spiritual pills do you eat?"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King shook his head, saying, "I don't eat spiritual pills."
Yan'er stuffed one into his hand. Dutian Heavenly Demon King tasted it. It wasn't bad.
"Sister Yan'er, I just fell asleep. In my dream, a thousand years passed without me realizing it. Everything in the dream is vivid before my eyes, incredibly real."
Dutian Heavenly Demon King followed her, eating the spiritual pill as he spoke of his dream, saying, "When I woke from this dream, it felt like another life. I don't know whether the dream was the dream or now is the dream."
"You were certainly dreaming just now. Now you're awake."
Yan'er couldn't help laughing, saying, "How can things that happen in dreams be taken seriously? For example, in your dream, you were a Marquis, having cultivated to the Jade Capital realm. But now you're only at the Jade Pool realm. If what happened in the dream had really occurred, wouldn't you easily break through to the Execution Platform realm now?"
Just as she said this, suddenly Dutian Heavenly Demon King's aura surged. His primordial spirit actually stood on the Execution Platform of his celestial palace, having endured the trial of the Execution Platform without dying!
Yan'er was startled and exclaimed, "How did you do that?"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King's four faces all showed a bewildered expression. He was at a loss, murmuring, "I followed the insights from my dream and inexplicably broke through... Sister Yan'er, was that really a dream?"
Yan'er thought for a moment, then laughed, "It must be that your accumulation had reached its limit, so you naturally broke through and cultivated the Execution Platform. Try again and see if you can enter the Jade Capital City of your celestial palace?"
Dutian Heavenly Demon King tried and shook his head, saying, "I can't enter."
Yan'er laughed, "That's it. Your accumulation hasn't reached that point yet. So, the dream was still a dream. Young master, Dutian is here!"
Qin Mu was in the garden ahead, joking with Lang Wan Divine King and Yun Chuxiu. Dragon Qilin lay nearby, with a small bottle hanging around his neck—the Gourd Heaven Bottle.
Qin Mu turned his head and laughed, "Brother Dutian, I've been thinking. I'm not familiar with your demon subjects. If I help you manage them, it will take effort and attention. You'd better not go to the Grand Void. Stay and look after them instead."
Dutian Heavenly Demon King wanted to kneel again but remembered Yan'er's reminder, so he bowed and said, "Thank you, Celestial Venerable."
"Just call me Cult Leader."
Qin Mu said with a half-smile, "You said you would repay my kindness in your next life. This is your next life now."
Dutian Heavenly Demon King's mind buzzed. He stared at Qin Mu with wide eyes, but saw Qin Mu joking again with those two lovely, snow-white girls.
"That wasn't just something from a dream, was it?" He was dazed and confused.
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