Chapter 1088: Say Farewell (Second Update!)
People fled in panic, dragging their families along, while the human cultivators used their divine abilities to transport those who couldn't move on their own.
The Heavenly River cascaded down, and one by one, human gods used their own bodies to hold it up. Constantly, some couldn't bear the weight and were crushed to pieces, only for new gods to rush in, taking the burden on their shoulders to give those below a chance to escape.
At the same time, all the gods in the Xiao Han Heavenly Court flew out, heading upstream and downstream. Cloud Heavenly Venerable, Moon Heavenly Venerable, and Ling Heavenly Venerable led the gods, doing everything in their power to lift the Heavenly River, delaying the great flood that was sweeping across the world.
Their cultivation was formidable, but they could only temporarily postpone the Heavenly River's fall; they couldn't send it back to the sky.
Gods were being crushed to death one after another. Even with the Heavenly Venerables taking action, they couldn't withstand the immense pressure of the Heavenly River. Cloud Heavenly Venerable and the others could only do their utmost to give people more time to flee to higher ground.
"Someone needs to dig a channel!"
Cloud Heavenly Venerable shouted loudly: "Moon, you're skilled in spatial abilities—dig a channel! Once it's dug, we can place sections of the Heavenly River into it, and the flood won't be a concern!"
Moon Heavenly Venerable set down the section of the Heavenly River she was holding, and the weight pressed down on everyone's shoulders, making them all sink lower.
Fortunately, Moon Heavenly Venerable had already activated her divine ability, splitting the earth and beginning to carve out a channel hundreds of miles wide from the east.
The gods there immediately placed the Heavenly River into the channel, and the water became docile, flowing along the channel toward the Eastern Sea.
The gods who had set down their sections of the river quickly flew upward to help others hold up the rest.
Moon Heavenly Venerable worked tirelessly, splitting the mountains that blocked the Heavenly River and carving a massive riverbed into the earth. The channel grew longer and longer, and even though she was a Heavenly Venerable at the Imperial Throne realm, she was utterly exhausted and had to stop to rest.
Her disciples immediately took over, continuing to dig the channel, but one by one, they collapsed from fatigue.
After more than ten days, they had dug nearly half the channel, and sections of the Heavenly River were gradually placed into it, flowing along the riverbed.
"What about upstream?"
Moon Heavenly Venerable asked during her rest: "Which Heavenly Venerable is holding it up there?"
Cloud Heavenly Venerable looked at Ling Heavenly Venerable, somewhat confused. Ling Heavenly Venerable was also supporting the Heavenly River, so clearly she wasn't the one holding it upstream.
"I'll go check upstream," he said.
These past days, he had been very tired, and his speed had slowed considerably. But as he flew, he saw too many human gods whose bodies were nearly pressed into the ground, yet they still raised their hands high, holding up the Heavenly River to prevent the flood from descending.
Some gods had already died from exhaustion but still stood there, their obsession propping up their bodies even after death.
"Who's upstream?" Cloud Heavenly Venerable asked the fleeing people.
"Don't know—it's a god with three heads and six arms, but we don't know his name," they told him.
Cloud Heavenly Venerable continued rushing upstream. In the distance, he saw a towering figure with six arms holding up the Heavenly River. The god was hunched over, his three heads tilted in different directions, his skin nearly completely burst open, rivers of divine blood streaming from his body, yet he still held on with all his might.
Cloud Heavenly Venerable hurried over, his heart filled with indescribable emotion.
Then, he saw mist gradually rising from the Heavenly River. Beneath the water's surface, a massive multi-decked ship was sailing, its long shadow moving toward the figure supporting the river.
It was the Ghost Ship.
Cloud Heavenly Venerable was stunned for a moment.
Qin Mu was dazed and confused, and he also saw the Ghost Ship. Wei Suifeng was probably worried about his safety and had come to find him.
Long Qilin and Yan'er had obtained the Lapis Lazuli Heavenly Canopy and likely returned to the Ghost Ship before him, which had caused Wei Suifeng's concern.
It made sense—they were fellow disciples, after all. Wei Suifeng was afraid he might die in the past.
The Ghost Ship rose higher and higher, its mast breaking through the water's surface.
"Go away! Senior Brother, go away!"
Qin Mu's three heads shouted together: "Don't take me back! I have to hold up this river!"
From beneath the surface of the Heavenly River came a vague, murky sound. It was probably Wei Suifeng speaking, but since the Ghost Ship was still in another dimension, the sound couldn't reach here.
The mist on the river grew thicker, drawing closer to Qin Mu. His consciousness was already fading, and he called out: "Senior Brother, give me some time! I'll come back on my own!"
The murky sound continued, rustling and strange from the other dimension, but the Ghost Ship's mast rose higher and higher, and the mist grew heavier.
The ship was traveling through time and space, arriving in this era.
"I can't leave yet..."
Qin Mu's vision grew blurrier, his mind less clear, and he murmured: "I can't leave yet. If I go, the flood will rage, and countless people will die..."
Just then, he dimly saw a figure take over the burden of the Heavenly River, and a voice, both unfamiliar and familiar, reached his ears: "Mu Heavenly Venerable, let me take over. You can go now."
Qin Mu looked up and saw Cloud Heavenly Venerable taking the Heavenly River, bearing its weight.
His body lightened, and he fell backward. At that moment, the Ghost Ship burst out of the water with a loud crash, and the mist swallowed Qin Mu as he toppled over.
Qin Mu's body vanished, and the next moment, he appeared on the Ghost Ship.
On the ship, Yan'er reached out with both hands to steady the falling Qin Mu, laying him down on the deck.
Long Qilin quickly began healing him.
Cloud Heavenly Venerable, shouldering the Heavenly River, gazed into the distance at the ship shrouded in mist, unable to contain his excitement.
"Mu Heavenly Venerable—" he called out loudly toward the ship.
His voice reached the Ghost Ship, turning into a rustling sound, but Qin Mu struggled to his feet. Supported by Yan'er, he came to the bow. The two Heavenly Venerables looked at each other through the mist.
"Cloud Heavenly Venerable!"
Qin Mu swayed unsteadily, motioned for Yan'er to let go, straightened his robes, and through the mist, he saluted the man holding up the river: "Daoist friend!"
Cloud Heavenly Venerable couldn't hear what he was saying, but he could see the salute and read his lips. He laughed heartily: "Forgive me for not returning the gesture! Daoist friend, will we meet again in the future?"
Qin Mu watched his lips, hesitated, and shook his head.
"What a pity!"
Cloud Heavenly Venerable was stunned for a moment, then laughed loudly: "I really wanted to meet you and have a long, heartfelt talk!"
"Me too!"
Qin Mu clenched his fist, raised his thumb, and pointed at his own heart, shouting: "I also wanted to talk with you!"
"You said we won't meet again—is it because I'm going to die?" Cloud Heavenly Venerable asked loudly.
Qin Mu opened his mouth but said nothing.
Cloud Heavenly Venerable understood. He looked up at the sky, then at the Ghost Ship growing hazy, and laughed heartily: "That's fine too! Mu Daoist friend, I'll rule the past, and you rule the future!"
Qin Mu read his lips, and tears unconsciously wet his cheeks. He shouted: "Senior Brother, do we have any wine?"
Wei Suifeng grumbled: "You're this badly injured, and you want to drink? What nonsense!"
Even so, he took out a jar of fine wine stored in the Ghost Ship and handed it to Qin Mu, saying: "Drink up. This was gifted to me by the Heavenly Emperor, and I never had the heart to open it. But on this Ghost Ship, the wine has turned into a non-material substance, so you'll come back after drinking it."
Qin Mu slapped the seal off the jar with one palm, and the aroma of wine filled the air.
He raised the jar, his chest swelling with boldness: "Cloud Daoist friend, I toast you!" He tilted his head back and drank deeply.
"Good!"
Cloud Heavenly Venerable laughed heartily: "I have no wine here, so I'll use the water of the Heavenly River as a substitute!" He opened his mouth and drank deeply from the river.
Qin Mu finished his drink, smashed the jar on the ground, and was already tipsy.
Cloud Heavenly Venerable seemed a bit drunk as well, laughing cheerfully: "Mu Daoist friend, go back. I'll handle things here!"
Qin Mu cupped his hands and bowed: "Then I entrust it to you, Daoist friend! Take care!"
"Take care!"
Cloud Heavenly Venerable bowed slightly: "The future is also entrusted to you, Daoist friend!"
He straightened up, and saw the mist receding. The Ghost Ship had already vanished.