Chapter 1033: The Death of the Southern Emperor
The Heavenly Dragon Carriage emerged from the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge. Qin Mu stood on the carriage and looked out, seeing a brilliant expanse of flame currents stretching millions of miles before his eyes.
The sun hung close to the ground in the sky, flames erupting from it like soaring Vermilion Birds sweeping across the land. Some bird-headed, human-bodied deities shuttled through the flames, spreading their broad wings as they soared, while long trails of fire continuously fell from the heavens.
For humans, this place was absolutely hellish and terrifying, but for the divine race living in the Southern Heaven, it was extremely comfortable and pleasant.
Qin Mu frowned slightly, watching the deities chasing the solar flame currents. Those deities were not of the Vermilion Bird divine race, but rather the gods of the Heavenly Court.
And the flames falling from the sky, though originating from the sun, were not solar prominences—they were the power of the sun borrowed by those deities through their divine abilities, attacking something!
"Very similar to the divine abilities of the Great Sun Star Lord!"
Qin Mu's heart trembled slightly. "The Great Sun Star Lord, Dan Fenglai, is a disciple of Ancestral God King. Ancestral God King's divine artifact, the Imperial Heavenly Lord, should be in the Xuan Capital. The Great Sun Star Lord couldn't possibly have come here. So whose army is this, capable of wielding the power of the sun?"
His eyelids twitched. Suddenly, the sky blazed bright, and another massive sun descended from outer space to hover over the Southern Heaven. Vast palaces flew out from the sun, like castles flowing with liquid gold!
The booming sound of drums echoed, and tens of thousands of deities stood before the palaces, pressing down toward the Southern Heaven.
Those palaces were as large as divine cities, flying to the skies above the Southern Heaven. The undersides of the divine halls and palaces were like enormous seals. With a resonant hum, beams of light shot downward from beneath the palaces!
Qin Mu saw the light fall like a curtain, stamping onto the Southern Heaven, causing the continent to tremble violently. Thousands of mountain ranges instantly rose up, transforming into countless imprints!
The scene was indescribably magnificent, yet deeply unsettling.
Not far from the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge, many bird-headed deities stood in orderly ranks, guarding the bridge with tight defenses.
As the Heavenly Dragon Carriage emerged from the bridge, it immediately caught the attention of those deities, and some came forward to inquire. Dragon Qilin stepped forward and said, "The Mu Heavenly Lord has come to visit the Southern Emperor. Brother, what is happening in the Southern Heaven?"
Upon hearing the name of the Mu Heavenly Lord, the divine official dared not be negligent. He quickly replied, "Reporting to the Heavenly Lord, the Southern Emperor has rebelled. The Heavenly Court has sent troops to suppress the rebellion. The various lords are currently attacking the Southern Heaven. We have been ordered to guard the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge to prevent the Southern Heaven rebels from escaping into it."
Qin Mu's heart shook violently. He stepped forward and shouted, "The Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird, has rebelled? When did this happen? Are you certain she rebelled?"
The divine official was startled and immediately fell to his knees, trembling as he said, "The Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird, led her forces to attack, forcibly seizing a divine artifact of the Heavenly Court, committing rebellion and defying the Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Court, in its fury, sent troops to suppress her. I am merely following orders..."
Yan'er became flustered and was about to spread her wings and fly. Qin Mu's divine consciousness erupted, trapping her, and he said gently, "Yan'er, the situation is unclear. Be patient for now, and let me investigate."
He frowned. The Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird, was by no means a reckless ancient god like the Western Emperor, White Tiger. On the contrary, from Qin Mu's brief interactions with her, she was very shrewd and knew when to advance or retreat. Under unclear circumstances, she would never do something like this!
Yan'er had no choice but to endure, transforming into a small blue sparrow and pacing on his shoulder, whispering, "My mother, she..."
Qin Mu raised his hand, letting her stand on his finger, signaling her not to say more. He asked the divine official gently, "Which Heavenly Lord's divine artifact is being used to suppress the Southern Heaven?"
"It is the divine artifact of the Fire Heavenly Lord."
The divine official replied, "The Fire Heavenly Lord is stationed at the Southern Heaven."
Qin Mu's eyelids twitched, and his voice turned hoarse. "The Fire Heavenly Lord?"
The divine official nodded.
Qin Mu steadied himself and asked, "Has the Fire Heavenly Lord come in person?"
The divine official replied respectfully, "The Fire Heavenly Lord has descended in person, reclaimed the divine artifact, and fought a great battle with the Southern Emperor, chasing her all the way to the Southern Forbidden Zone. Besides the Fire Heavenly Lord's army, the Southern Heavenly Red Emperor has also led reinforcements. The Heavenly Court's Divine Martial Guards have also come to suppress the rebellion, and I've heard that the Heavenly River Navy is almost here as well."
Qin Mu's eyelids twitched wildly. The Fire Heavenly Lord had come in person, along with two Divine Martial Guards of two hundred thousand divine demons, likely all at the Jade Capital or Empyrean realms. Add the Heavenly River Navy to that, and the Fire Heavenly Lord was clearly determined to take the Southern Heaven in one fell swoop!
As he was thinking, more suns were forcibly pulled into the sky above the Southern Heaven. Powerful magnetic forces twisted space, and thousands of divine demons descended from the heavens, flying to clash with the divine demon army of the Southern Heaven and the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace!
"But why is the Southern Heavenly Red Emperor, Qi Xiayu, also here?"
Qin Mu felt some confusion. The Red Emperor, Qi Xiayu, was a disciple secretly cultivated by the Moon Heavenly Lord. Not only was she a disciple of the Moon Heavenly Lord, but she was also a disciple of the Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird. These two women had planted her as a spy in the Heavenly Court.
The Red Emperor, Qi Xiayu, would never betray the Southern Emperor.
Yet she had personally led the Southern Heaven's army here. There was something strange about this.
However, the Fire Heavenly Lord had always hated evil like an enemy and was hostile toward ancient gods. If he came to kill the Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird, he would absolutely show no mercy!
"The Nether Heavenly Lord once said that the Fire Heavenly Lord is no longer the same person he once was. Has he truly changed?"
He felt uneasy. Yan'er on his finger was almost breaking his finger with her grip. Qin Mu endured the pain and continued asking, "How many days has it been since the Fire Heavenly Lord went to suppress the rebellion?"
The divine official replied, "It has been four days."
Qin Mu's heart twitched violently. He said calmly, "The Southern Emperor has rebelled and caused chaos. I shall personally go to suppress the rebellion. Long Pi, move out."
The divine official hesitated for a moment and said, "Heavenly Lord, the front lines are extremely dangerous. It would be better for you to stay here."
Qin Mu gave a faint, ambiguous smile. "Am I the Heavenly Lord, or are you?"
The divine official was startled and quickly waved his hand, ordering the surrounding heavenly soldiers and generals to clear a path.
Qin Mu returned to the carriage. The Heavenly Dragon Carriage sped toward the Southern Heaven's forbidden zone. The Southern Heaven's forbidden zone was the birthplace of the Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird. If the Fire Heavenly Lord had charged in there, it likely meant the Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird, was already in grave danger!
"She couldn't be this foolish. It's impossible..."
Qin Mu set Yan'er down. The little blue sparrow paced anxiously inside the carriage, constantly poking her head out the window to look outside.
With a thought from Qin Mu, the windows of the Heavenly Dragon Carriage clanged shut, and the walls along with them retracted into the carriage body, leaving everything exposed to the outside.
The six heavenly dragons also transformed into their full forms, each a hundred miles long. The carriage grew larger and larger, radiant and magnificent, moving through the sky with great momentum.
"Yan'er, don't worry."
Qin Mu calmed the restless little blue sparrow and said, "Your mother is no less cunning than I am. Since she has rebelled, there must be a reason. Besides, I am the indestructible Great Master. Even if she dies, I can bring her back to life."
Yan'er stopped and transformed back into the little maidservant who had been by the Moon Heavenly Lord's side.
Qin Mu thought for a moment, then took out the Moon Heavenly Lord's lantern and handed it to her. "This is something the Moon Heavenly Lord gave you. Carry it for protection. We are entering the battlefield, and stray attacks are inevitable. Protect the Heavenly Dragon Carriage."
Yan'er suppressed her anxiety, holding the lantern as she stood at the front of the carriage. The lantern's light spread out like ripples, enveloping the Heavenly Dragon Carriage.
Powerful divine abilities flew through the sky and across the ground, but when they reached the vicinity of the Heavenly Dragon Carriage, they touched the lantern's light and vanished, only to reappear thousands of miles away, where their power exploded spectacularly.
Even the solar fire streams they encountered on the way disappeared upon touching the lantern's light.
Even the great halls flying out from the sun, upon touching the lantern's light, would reappear thousands of miles away, unable to approach the carriage.
This lantern was a treasure the Moon Heavenly Lord had given Yan'er to pass on to Qin Mu, meant to protect him in the Great Void. Qin Mu had never used it before. Now, seeing its marvelous effects, he couldn't help but admire the Moon Heavenly Lord's vast divine powers.
The lantern protected the carriage as it advanced, while Yan'er directed Dragon Qilin on the direction. Dragon Qilin controlled the reins, guiding the heavenly dragons forward.
The six heavenly dragons roared continuously, their roars stirring up thunder and lightning, their speed increasing.
But the Southern Heaven was vast, and the Southern Forbidden Zone was far away. It would take at least a day to reach it.
Just then, Qin Mu heard a faint sound of zither music from ahead. He quickly stood up and looked into the distance.
He saw a Phoenix Ship sailing in from beyond the heavens. The massive bow pierced through the atmosphere. The Phoenix Ship spread its wings, and countless heavenly soldiers and generals of the Southern Heaven slid down from the ship on smaller vessels. On those vessels, countless feather swords flew out, like plows, cutting across the land and mountains!
Wherever the feather swords passed, mountains and rivers were shattered!
Qin Mu's eyelids twitched. The divine demons under the Southern Heavenly Red Emperor were showing no mercy to the Southern Heaven, which was completely unexpected!
The Red Emperor, Qi Xiayu, was undoubtedly a military genius. In the late era of the Sovereign Shang, she had personally led troops into battle and killed the then-Southern Heavenly Red Emperor of the Heavenly Court!
Her army was extremely formidable. With her personally leading the campaign, few would be left alive wherever she passed!
"Fat Dragon, approach the Phoenix Ship!"
Upon hearing this, Dragon Qilin adjusted the carriage's direction. The Heavenly Dragon Carriage drew closer and closer to the Phoenix Ship. The divine general guarding the ship was a woman, with a nine-phoenix primordial spirit manifesting behind her, extremely powerful. She called out from afar, "May I ask if the one in the carriage is the Mu Heavenly Lord? Heavenly Lord, please stop!"
Dragon Qilin quickly halted the carriage.
Qin Mu sat inside the carriage and asked, "Is the Red Emperor on the ship?"
The female general bowed. "The Red Emperor has already charged into the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace to suppress the rebellion. She is not on the ship."
Qin Mu waved his hand, and the Heavenly Dragon Carriage continued on. After a while, they finally saw the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace.
The Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace was the most ancient of heavenly palaces, but now it was riddled with holes, countless halls collapsed, and massive buildings fell like mountains crashing to the ground.
At that moment, a nine-headed phoenix of immense size was tearing through the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace with its wings, its nine heads spitting out multicolored light in all directions, sweeping toward the divine demons of the palace.
On one of the phoenix's heads, Qi Xiayu stood barefoot, holding a long zither. Her robes fluttered, and her fingers danced. The zither music was sharp and urgent, the notes cutting down like the sharpest sword energy, slaughtering the strong warriors of the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace who charged at her.
Around her, bodies fell like rain. No one could withstand even a single blow.
Around her, many divine maidens flew back and forth, shouting and unleashing their divine abilities, killing those who slipped through the net. Sometimes they transformed into human forms to use their abilities, sometimes into phoenixes to soar and swoop.
Among the Imperial Throne-level powerhouses, the Red Emperor, Qi Xiayu, was no less formidable than the Black Emperor, Yin Tianzi!
"Master..." Yan'er turned back to look at Qin Mu, her eyes pleading.
Qin Mu gritted his teeth. He simply couldn't figure out what the Red Emperor, Qi Xiayu, was trying to do.
"Red Emperor!"
Qin Mu's divine consciousness rippled, turning into a thunderous roar. The Red Emperor, Qi Xiayu, turned to look. She tapped her foot, and one of the heads of the nine-headed phoenix beneath her shook, transforming into another Qi Xiayu. This clone flew toward the Heavenly Dragon Carriage and bowed. "I pay my respects to the Mu Heavenly Lord."
Qin Mu's gaze was complicated. Qi Xiayu had only sent a clone to pay respects; her true body was still attacking the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace, showing no intention of holding back.
"Red Emperor, heaven has the virtue of loving life. Where one can forgive, one should forgive. Why must you exterminate them all?" Qin Mu said gently.
Qi Xiayu gave him a deep look. Suddenly, her true body shook, transforming into eight phoenixes. They spread their unmatched wings and flew over the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace, flames blazing, melting the most ancient of heavenly palaces. Countless deities perished in the sacred phoenix fire!
The eight phoenixes gathered together, merging into an eight-headed colorful phoenix. It turned and flew toward the Heavenly Dragon Carriage, then with a swoosh, merged into the Qi Xiayu standing before Qin Mu. Behind Qi Xiayu, the nine phoenixes spread their wings, filling the sky with fire!
The nine-phoenix primordial spirit folded its wings and slowly disappeared.
Yan'er glared at her with fury, grinding her teeth. "I raised you when you were little! And this is how you repay me!"
Qi Xiayu boarded the carriage, stood before it, and bowed. "Heavenly Lord, have you ever wondered why the Southern Emperor immediately sent the princess away the moment she was born? There is no one left in this Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace who is truly on her side. I am merely helping her by doing this."
Qin Mu asked, "Then where is the Southern Emperor now?"
"In the forbidden zone."
Qi Xiayu pointed into the distance. "If the Heavenly Lord arrives in time, you might still be able to see her one last time."
——Recommend an interesting new book, "So I'm a Second-Generation Demon," a masterpiece by the author Mai Bao Xiao Lang Jun!