Chapter 1033: Human Race's Dawn Celestial Venerable
With the spiritual energy teleportation bridges, traveling to any destination became much smoother. Yuan Realm was a vast and extremely important place, so there were many such bridges connecting to it.
Qin Mu looked outside and saw that this was a spiritual energy teleportation bridge at the center of Yuan Realm, built within a divine city suspended in the sky, not far from the Yuan Tree. He frowned and said, "Dutian, why didn't we go directly to Yankang?"
Before Dutian Demon King could reply, Yun Chuxiu laughed and said, "Yankang is a small place. There are only two spiritual energy teleportation bridges connecting to it—one under my control, and the other in the Zaofu Palace. If you come from other bridges, you can only reach this divine city. This city is called Yuandu, considered the center of Yuan Realm."
Qin Mu's heart stirred. He took out his travel documents and had Dutian Demon King go register with the local divine general, then asked casually, "Which Celestial Venerable now controls Yuan Realm?"
He looked around and saw that Yuandu was magnificent, heavily guarded. The divine city hung twenty thousand miles in the air, monitoring the operation of all heavens in Yuan Realm. Many Daoists were flying through the sky, riding clouds, plucking the sun, moon, and stars from the heavens, and rolling up the sky itself.
That was the celestial map.
A new celestial map should have already been created. The old one was worn, dilapidated, and too small to cover the entire sky of Yuan Realm, so these Daoists from the Heavenly Court's Daoist sect were removing it.
Yun Chuxiu also looked up, surprised. "You don't know? Yuan Realm was originally supposed to fall into Hao Celestial Venerable's hands, but unfortunately, he was too impulsive. In the end, Dawn Celestial Venerable took advantage."
She sighed mournfully. "Dawn Celestial Venerable is still cunning. Taking advantage of the moment when Earth Mother Yuanjun revived and both Hao Celestial Venerable and she were severely wounded, he forced Hao Celestial Venerable away and monopolized Yuan Realm. This Yuan Realm is extraordinary. Originally called Yuandu, it's full of heavenly treasures. Back when the Heavenly Court was built, the Heavenly Emperor ordered the mining of Yuandu's treasures to construct it..."
Qin Mu's heart shook violently, and he barely heard the rest of her words.
Dawn Celestial Venerable had obtained Yuan Realm. That meant he was the incarnation of the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor's soul within the Heavenly Court!
Qin Mu had originally guessed that Qiang Celestial Venerable was the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, but he had been wrong.
"Perhaps the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor has two identities in the Heavenly Court—one as Dawn Celestial Venerable, and one as Qiang Celestial Consort."
Qin Mu smiled and said, "Good sister, how much do you know about Dawn Celestial Venerable?"
Yun Chuxiu blinked, alert. "When you want to pry information out of me, you call me 'good sister,' sweet-talking me endlessly. Afterward, I'm just a fox spirit, and you're on guard. What do you want to know about Dawn Celestial Venerable for?"
Qin Mu said earnestly, "I've been in the Heavenly Court for several years now, and I'm about to turn five. Yet I know nothing about Dawn Celestial Venerable. I find him very mysterious. So I'd like you to enlighten me. Good sister, you're not unfamiliar with him, are you?"
Yun Chuxiu rolled her eyes at him and laughed. "Dawn Celestial Venerable is a hero of your human race. Knowing his identity, you should have a good impression of him. He once served as the first Heavenly Emperor of the Southern Upper Emperor Heavenly Court under the support of Ling Celestial Venerable."
Qin Mu was dumbfounded.
Seeing his shocked expression, Yun Chuxiu couldn't help laughing. "What kind of look is that? Dawn Celestial Venerable also has another identity—he was a disciple of Cloud Celestial Venerable and Moon Celestial Venerable, following them as early as the Dragon Han Era. He can be said to be the most radical figure in the Heavenly Alliance. In his early years, he was determined to destroy the Ancient Gods, even believing that Hao Celestial Venerable, Langxuan Divine Emperor, and Ancestral God King all had to be eliminated."
Qin Mu felt as if struck by thunder, unable to speak.
The Heavenly Emperor had been a disciple of Cloud Celestial Venerable and Moon Celestial Venerable? Later, he became a student of Ling Celestial Venerable?
"Dawn Celestial Venerable was very active during the Dragon Han and Chiming Eras. He was very xenophobic, extremely hostile to demigods and Ancient Gods, so he was quite unpopular."
Yun Chuxiu continued, "Cloud Celestial Venerable and Moon Celestial Venerable were very helpless because of his radicalism, and they were put in a difficult position. So, over a trivial matter, they expelled him from their sect. Unexpectedly, he grew close to Ling Celestial Venerable. Later, Cloud Celestial Venerable died, Moon Celestial Venerable retired, and Ling Celestial Venerable valued him greatly, supporting him to become the Southern Upper Emperor."
Qin Mu's mind was in a fog, and he couldn't speak for a long time.
"It was precisely because he was a disciple of Cloud Celestial Venerable and Moon Celestial Venerable and close to Ling Celestial Venerable that the other Celestial Venerables didn't care for him. He also kept a low profile, rarely showing himself."
Yun Chuxiu said calmly, "I suspect that among the Celestial Venerables who rescued you at the Jade Pool, he was one of them."
Qin Mu steadied himself, called Dutian Demon King and the others, and said, "Let's go. We're heading to Yankang."
Dragon Qilin tested the waters, "Chief, are you really going to Yankang? What about the Grand Emperor's corpse?"
Qin Mu laughed, "Yuan Realm is Dawn Celestial Venerable's territory. What do I have to fear? Dawn Celestial Venerable is human; he will surely take care of his people. When the Yankang Calamity broke out, it was he who protected the humans of Yankang. If the Grand Emperor dares to come, I'll make sure he never returns!"
Dragon Qilin hurriedly said to Dutian, "Brother Dutian, let's go back to the Heavenly Court immediately!"
Qin Mu kicked him and sneered, "Fool, do you not trust the human Dawn Celestial Venerable? With him here, I'm in no danger at all!"
Dragon Qilin muttered, "But Dawn Celestial Venerable isn't here..."
Qin Mu pointed upward and laughed, "Who says he isn't? His divine artifact, the Imperial Celestial Venerable, is suppressing Yuan Realm. If I'm in danger, Dawn Celestial Venerable will surely activate the Imperial Celestial Venerable to come to my rescue!"
Dutian Demon King returned with the travel documents and said, "Chief, it's registered."
Qin Mu laughed heartily, brimming with confidence, and waved his hand. "Dawn Celestial Venerable already knows I'm here. In that case, let's return to Yankang!"
The nine dragons roared, their bodies growing larger, becoming divine dragons a hundred miles long, riding clouds and mist, pulling the treasure carriage. A long river in the sky stretched eastward.
The nine celestial dragons galloped along the river, lightning and thunder flashing, moving at incredible speed.
Meanwhile, in the south of Yuan Realm, amidst towering mountains, there was a range called Celestial Venerable Ridge, unfathomably deep. It was perpetually shrouded in colorful mists, and even gods and demons who strayed in would never come out.
It was said that a Celestial Venerable was buried here. Over a dozen minor heavens of various sizes surrounded the area, guarding it, but no one dared to enter.
That day, light and flames surged within Celestial Venerable Ridge, myriad phenomena appearing. Multicolored light burst from deep within the mountains. The gods of the minor heavens, ordered to guard the place, stood on clouds and looked down, seeing the ridge filled with the glow of treasures, as if some precious item was about to emerge.
Many gods and demons were tempted. "It's said that a Celestial Venerable is buried in Celestial Venerable Ridge. Could it be that the Celestial Venerable's treasures are surfacing today? We were ordered to guard this place, but it seems we're the ones to benefit!"
Numerous gods and demons flew into the ridge, trying to find the treasure.
But Celestial Venerable Ridge was indeed treacherous. The gods and demons from these minor heavens entered without a sound, and only a burp was heard from within the ridge.
"With these fools as sacrifices, I can barely replenish some of my dried-up blood and energy."
Inside Celestial Venerable Ridge, countless skeletal gods and demons flew out, wearing long robes and wide sleeves, carrying a huge bronze coffin out of the mountains. The skeletal beings, their sleeves fluttering, rode the wind and clouds away.
At Yuandu City.
The general guarding Yuandu City hurried to the heavenly palace within the canopy of the Yuan Tree, quickly entered the Jade Capital City, and went into the Lingxiao Hall. He bowed to a divine statue enshrined on the throne and reported the arrival of Mu Celestial Venerable.
The statue, made of clay, opened its eyes upon hearing this and said, "I already know. You may withdraw."
The general retreated.
The clay statue sneered, "This kid, always causing me trouble! If you go to the Eastern Pole, fine, but you had to return to Yuan Realm. How could the Grand Emperor let you go? If I save you, the other Celestial Venerables will know I was one of the three who acted at the Jade Pool that day. If I don't save you, you're as good as dead. Bitter, bitter!"
The divine artifact Imperial Celestial Venerable, floating above Yuan Realm, began to slowly awaken, its aura gradually rising. Just then, a door suddenly appeared out of thin air in the heavenly palace of the Yuan Tree.
The clay statue was startled. "This door has opened again! Last time it opened, it was said that someone saw Mu Celestial Venerable, and a demon broke through, killing many experts in my palace. My army surrounded him but couldn't stop him! Now that the door is open, what trouble is brewing?"
As he thought this, the door opened, and a middle-aged man walked out. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, an impressive appearance, graying temples, and eyes full of vicissitude.
His clothes were very plain, and a sword hung at his waist. He appeared out of nowhere in the Yuan Tree heavenly palace, looked up at the sky, seemed deeply moved, and his lips moved as if he had a thousand words to say.
"Roaming my homeland in spirit, I should be laughed at for being too sentimental, my hair turning gray too early..."
He sighed long and sorrowfully. His gaze swept across, and hundreds of miles away, the Dawn Celestial Venerable statue in the Lingxiao Hall exploded into pieces with a crack.
The middle-aged man seemed to feel a hint of spring chill, tightened his collar, crossed his arms over his chest, and began to walk away.
"This world has finally returned to its original state, but unfortunately, the people of those days are no longer here, and their hearts are gone too..." He sighed repeatedly and disappeared.
In the Lingxiao Hall, the clay statue quickly reassembled, forming a clay figure. It leaped down from the throne, rushed out of the hall, and stood before it, staring intently. The middle-aged man had vanished without a trace.
"Qin Ye, Qin Celestial Venerable!"
The clay figure spoke in a human voice, muttering, "He's come out of the Land of No Worry? This is no small matter! This rebel can't sit still in the Land of No Worry..."
He looked up at the Imperial Celestial Venerable, hesitating. Activating the Imperial Celestial Venerable to kill the Opening Emperor Qin Ye would not be in his interest. He had no need to fight to the death with the Opening Emperor.
"Should I inform the other Celestial Venerables about Qin Celestial Venerable's appearance?"
The clay figure paused, then returned to the throne in the Lingxiao Hall and closed his eyes. "Ignore him. Pretend I don't know. Since Qin Ye has appeared, he won't sit by and watch Mu Celestial Venerable be killed by the Grand Emperor. In that case, I'll just watch from the sidelines!"
"Stop the carriage."
When the celestial dragon treasure carriage reached the upper reaches of the Yong River, Qin Mu suddenly spoke, laughing. "Dutian, we're near my hometown. I'm nervous about approaching it. Let's travel on land."
Dutian Demon King was puzzled. "Chief, you're nervous about approaching your hometown? Traveling on land will take over ten more days to reach Yankang."
"It doesn't matter," Qin Mu said with a smile.
The celestial dragon treasure carriage descended and traveled along the surface of the Yong River.
Qin Mu stepped out of the carriage, took out a jade bottle, and dripped a drop of Primordial Origin Liquid. He said emotionally, "I offer a drop to my hometown."
This drop of Primordial Origin Liquid fell into the river. After a moment, the mountains on both sides of the Yong River began to tremble, and something massive seemed to churn underground, shaking the mountains so violently they could barely stay stable.