Chapter 1032: The Young Cult Leader
Qin Mu harbored the same doubts. As a War Ancient God, the Western Emperor couldn't possibly be this naive. However, for him, whether the Western Emperor was naive or not didn't matter. What mattered was that he had to ensure the Western Emperor's survival and that the Heavenly Artisans of the Western Extreme Heaven would travel to Yankang.
Yankang had many craftsmen, but there were currently few Divine Artisans worthy of being called Heavenly Artisans. The new generation was still being trained, so the top-tier Heavenly Artisans from the Western Extreme Heaven were needed to guide and cultivate them.
Although Qin Mu had a good relationship with the Heavenly Buddha Emperor Shakya, the latter was, after all, the War Heavenly King of the Kaihuang Era and was trapped by love, his whereabouts unknown to this day.
After experiencing the Yankang Calamity, Qin Mu realized that the Heavenly Buddha Emperor Shakya could not be relied upon. Cultivating local talents in Yankang was the wisest course of action.
Back in the early Kaihuang Era, a large group of people had gathered around the Kaihuang Emperor, those who had ventured into the world with him. They were unknown at the time, but later became his Four Heavenly Kings and Four Heavenly Masters, shaking the world with their fame. Yet the figures who had been renowned during the Shanghuang Era held no important positions in the Kaihuang Era and achieved nothing of note.
This could serve as a reference for Yankang.
After Qin Mu and the Western Emperor finished discussing how many Heavenly Artisans would be sent to Yankang, he watched them carry their furnaces and divine weapons into the Spirit Energy Migration Bridge before finally feeling at ease.
The remaining Heavenly Artisans were busy repairing the Heavenly Dragon Treasure Chariot. The chariot was extremely complex. The Heavenly Artisans sent to Yankang were the most skilled, and those left behind were not as capable, so Qin Mu had to step in and work on it himself.
The Western Emperor assisted him, helping out, and said with a smile, "As a Heavenly Sovereign, you actually understand these things?"
Qin Mu wiped the sweat from his brow and replied, "I was originally a cowherd and blacksmith. Doing these things is my old trade."
The Western Emperor asked curiously, "A cowherd and blacksmith? What else can you do?"
Qin Mu thought for a moment and said, "A pharmacist who can paint, a fortune teller who wields blades and swords, a thief with profound Buddhist knowledge, and, well, a tailor who can make furniture."
The Western Emperor couldn't help but laugh. "You, a Heavenly Sovereign, are so down-to-earth. Not like the other Heavenly Sovereigns, who are all lofty and speak so elegantly."
Qin Mu focused on repairing the chariot and said, "I'm different from them. They were born noble; I came from humble beginnings."
By the time the chariot was repaired, two days had passed.
"Your Majesty the Western Emperor, I must hurry to the Southern Extreme Heaven to see the Southern Emperor, so I won't stay here long."
Qin Mu took his leave and said, "The ten Heavenly Sovereigns of the Heavenly Court appear to be in conflict, but they're actually scheming against you. I need to go to the Southern Extreme Heaven to check on the Southern Emperor's safety."
The Western Emperor did not detain him and said earnestly, "When you arrive at the Southern Extreme Heaven, send word to me that you're safe."
Qin Mu agreed. Langwu Divine King had already boarded the chariot. The Western Emperor came to see him off, glanced at the female Divine King inside the chariot, and said in a low voice, "Heavenly Sovereign, is she truly a Divine King among the Creators?"
Qin Mu hesitated for a moment before saying, "I have met Lord Tu Bo with her."
The Western Emperor thought for a moment and said, "Since Lord Tu Bo knows her identity, I have nothing more to say. Lord Tu Bo is far more astute than us Four Emperors. In his entire life, he has only suffered a major loss at the hands of the Heavenly Emperor. But I still want to warn you, Heavenly Sovereign. You don't understand the Primordial Era, but I do, and it fills me with dread. The Creators were the rulers of the Primordial Era. Even the Ancient Gods were dominated and enslaved by them."
"Even the Ancient Gods were dominated and enslaved by the Creators?"
Qin Mu's heart tightened. He looked at the beautiful, unparalleled face of the woman in the chariot, then after a moment, averted his gaze and said, "Your Majesty, please stay here."
He boarded the chariot. The Dragon Qilin transformed into human form to drive the chariot, with Yan'er standing beside him. The Dragon Qilin let out a roar, and the Heavenly Dragons soared into the sky, flying toward the Spirit Energy Migration Bridge behind the Heavenly Fortress City.
Langwu Divine King's gaze was deep as she looked out the window and said, "Do you believe what the Western Emperor told you?"
Qin Mu's eyes fell on her face, and he said calmly, "Sister, do you think I should believe it?"
Langwu Divine King remained silent.
"I believe it."
Qin Mu said seriously, "A single Creator is not strong, but when adult Creators number over ten thousand, their collective sacrificial power can rival cultivators at the Lingxiao or even the Imperial Throne Realm. When Creators number over a hundred thousand, their sacrificial power becomes even greater. If millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions worship simultaneously, enslaving and dominating Ancient Gods is entirely within their power. So the Western Emperor is not lying."
Langwu Divine King withdrew her gaze and said, "Do you also feel fear toward the Creator race?"
Qin Mu shook his head and said leisurely, "I am a Creator myself, so why should I fear?"
Langwu Divine King looked at him seriously and said, "The Grand Emperor was also a Creator, yet he feared the Creators so much that he didn't hesitate to destroy the entire race."
"But I am not the Grand Emperor."
Qin Mu shifted his gaze to the window, where the Spirit Energy Migration Bridge was drawing closer, and said softly, "The era when Creators dominated the universe has passed. Today's Creators are nothing but a group of pitiful homeless wretches. Sister, you are one of these wretches. Only by integrating into the present era can you find a way to survive. That includes you."
The Heavenly Dragon Treasure Chariot gradually slowed as it approached the Spirit Energy Migration Bridge.
"I have already found the ancestral homeland of the Creators, but I still need to determine its exact location and understand the specific nature of the seal."
Qin Mu withdrew his gaze and met Langwu Divine King's eyes. "I promised you, and I will not go back on my word. I will allow the Creator race to leave the Other Shore World and return to this realm."
Langwu Divine King pondered for a moment and said, "Aren't you afraid the Creator race will regain their position as rulers?"
"No."
Qin Mu leaned back and said, "You can't go back. Even if you find the ancestral homeland, you can't go back. As the Divine King of the Primordial Era, Shu Jun has already accepted this fact. But as the Divine King of the present era, you have not yet."
Langwu Divine King fell silent. After a moment, she said, "First, tell me the general location of the ancestral homeland."
Qin Mu's Yuan Qi transformed into a cosmic star map, marking the location of the sealed ancestral homeland. Langwu Divine King stood up, and Qin Mu quickly reminded her, "I've only found the general area, not the exact location!"
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Langwu Divine King stepped out of the chariot. She turned her head and said, "Holy Infant, you say you are a Creator, but you will never understand the pride of being a Creator, nor the blood-deep hatred of the Creator race. You are merely an outsider who became our race's Holy Infant by chance."
Her figure vanished.
Qin Mu was stunned. The Dragon Qilin's voice came from outside: "Chief, should we enter the Spirit Energy Migration Bridge? Or wait for her to return?"
Qin Mu said indifferently, "No need to wait. Let's go."
The Dragon Qilin was puzzled and looked back into the chariot. Through the curtain, he saw Qin Mu's face as calm as still water.
"What's wrong with the young master?" Yan'er whispered.
The Dragon Qilin hesitated for a moment, then had the Heavenly Dragons pull the chariot into the Spirit Energy Migration Bridge without answering.
Yan'er whispered, "I think the young master likes Langwu Divine King, but he suppresses his emotions too much. Maybe he needs a Chief's wife to soothe his heart, and then he'll be happier."
She looked into the chariot, then jumped onto the Dragon Qilin's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "When we get to the Southern Extreme Heaven, I'll have my mother find him one!"
The Dragon Qilin shook his head and said, "That's not the reason. I'm driving the chariot. Go back and tell the Chief that he is right."
Yan'er asked in confusion, "Just saying that will work? The girl the young master likes isn't me, so saying that probably won't help."
The Dragon Qilin had no choice but to have her take the reins while he transformed back into his true form and walked into the chariot.
Inside the chariot, Qin Mu had his eyes closed. Two clear tears slid down from the corners of his eyes, and his voice was a little hoarse as he murmured, "Why is it so hard, so exhausting, to find a way out and a glimmer of hope for Yankang and the human race..."
He seemed to be suffocating, gasping for breath.
"National Teacher, after I became the National Teacher, I finally understood the pressure you once bore. Where are you now?"
He thought of the former National Teacher, Jiang Baigui. At this moment, what he needed was not a Chief's wife to soothe his heart, but a fellow Daoist who could support and encourage him.
The Yankang National Teacher, Jiang Baigui, once had the support of the Young Ancestor, and later the support of the Yanfeng Emperor. He was far luckier than Qin Mu. When he felt lost and powerless, the Young Ancestor would tell him that what they were doing was right. When he faced setbacks, the Yanfeng Emperor would stand shoulder to shoulder with him, sharing the pressure.
But now, Qin Mu had nothing by his side.
The Dragon Qilin walked over and sat down at Qin Mu's feet, lying down with his front paws tucked under him.
"Chief, I may not fully understand what you're doing."
The Dragon Qilin hesitated before speaking, "But I think it's all right."
Qin Mu opened his eyes and gently stroked the massive creature's large head, murmuring, "Only you, Dragon Fatty. Only you by my side understand me... Your Art of Domestication has reached its pinnacle."
The Dragon Qilin looked up and smiled. "Chief, in my heart, you will always be that young man who walked past me on that sunny morning. You looked at the Yankang Imperial Academy ahead and thought to yourself, 'Everyone in there is a bumpkin.'"
Qin Mu laughed heartily and stood up.
The Dragon Qilin also stood up, shaking the mane and scales on his body, standing beside him. "Back then, you thought I was just a stone lion at the gate. Your eyes were full of vitality and wisdom, and you were brimming with confidence. I had seen many people in front of the Imperial Academy, but I had never seen a young man like you. I was starving at the time, but I saw in you another Ancestor, another Jiang Baigui, and another Yanfeng Emperor."
"This is not the Art of Domestication—these are words from the heart!"
He laughed. "It's not entirely because you can refine spirit pills that I followed you, shamelessly begging for them. There are plenty of pharmacists in the world who can refine spirit pills, but there is only one young Chief of the Heavenly Saint Cult! I saw in you a spirit of daring, a spirit of fearing nothing!"
"Others say 'Heaven is the greatest, I am second,' but you say 'I am the greatest, Heaven is second.' Your confidence is so strong that it makes everyone take notice. You are the Overlord Body!"
The Dragon Qilin said, "You will always be that spirited, fearless, unbreakable young Chief!"
The gloom on Qin Mu's face vanished completely, and he murmured, "That's right, I am the Overlord Body. I will not be broken. My heart will not grow old. I am still that young Chief..."
The Heavenly Dragon Treasure Chariot gave a slight jolt, and Yan'er's cheerful voice came from outside: "Young master, Dragon Fatty, we've arrived at the Southern Extreme Heaven!"
Qin Mu's spirits lifted, and he stepped out of the chariot.
The Dragon Qilin smiled and quickly followed him.
—Recommend a popular novel: Lao Ying Chi Xiao Ji's masterpiece, "Global High Martial Arts"! It's very popular right now!