Chapter 1099: A Phoenix Comes in Auspicious Sign (First Update!)
Qin Mu took out the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar. The vertical eye on his forehead opened wide, concentrating his spirit. His primordial energy and divine consciousness surged forth, and a beam of light shot from his vertical eye, striking the Grand Emperor Altar!
The Grand Emperor Altar was only the size of a palm. Illuminated by his divine consciousness and primordial energy, it emitted a soft hum, and waves of faint fluctuations spread outward.
Gradually, some runes began to appear on the altar. These were Qin Mu's spiritual imprints. Soon, the runes grew brighter and brighter, and with a hum, beams of light shone onto the Grand Emperor Seal.
Qin Mu walked around the small altar and the Grand Emperor Seal, his hands moving swiftly as he imprinted more runes onto these two treasures.
Gradually, he grew more arms, each hand forming different seals, imprinting more and more runic marks!
After a long while, Qin Mu stopped to rest.
Gongsun Yan wanted to ask a question, but remembering Qin Mu's words, she held back.
Qin Mu went to the foot of the Primeval Tree and buried the Grand Emperor Altar among its roots. Then he soared into the air, arrived at Upper Capital City, and placed the Grand Emperor Seal within the tree canopy.
Gongsun Yan followed him. She saw Qin Mu finish all this, then his ten fingers moved with lightning speed as he formed a series of seals. Suddenly, the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar trembled!
Gongsun Yan let out a soft cry, feeling her body tingle and itch, as if countless tiny bugs were burrowing through her skin.
But this strange sensation quickly disappeared.
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "For the next two days, don't speak to anyone, don't drink water or eat, and don't open your mouth."
Gongsun Yan nodded obediently.
"Yan'er, Fatty Long, keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't speak."
Dragon Qilin and Yan'er quickly acknowledged.
Qin Mu left the capital, crossed to the other side of the Tu River, and chose a deserted spot. He opened his vertical eye, visualized an altar, and immediately set to work, laying down a series of Great Dao runes on it.
After arranging the runes, he cut his own wrist and used his divine blood to trace over the runes again.
While he was busy, Gongsun Yan bustled about, helping Yan'er arrange her nest. Yan'er usually enjoyed serving others, but every time she met Gongsun Yan, she ended up being served comfortably by the girl, feeling an indescribable sense of ease.
"Yan'er, Fatty Long and I will be getting married soon. When the time comes, we'll have a nest full of little birds for you to keep here," Yan'er said with a smile.
Gongsun Yan beamed with joy and was about to speak when Yan'er quickly covered her mouth. "You can't talk," she said.
Gongsun Yan looked dejected.
Dragon Qilin said, "The Sect Leader is doing this for your own good. His divine ability can protect you from external enemies. But this ability requires you to seal your senses. If you open your mouth, the energy will leak, and his divine ability won't be able to guard your physical body. If the Earth Mother attacks, she can possess you."
Gongsun Yan blinked, puzzled. "The Earth Mother wants to possess me?"
Suddenly, colorful clouds filled the sky. A pair of phoenixes flew in, dancing gracefully around the Primeval Tree. Their dance was beautiful, and from their beaks came a song: "Phoenix, why have you come? With a flutter of wings, you sing on the high ridge. The mountain wind plays the jade flute, and bamboo fruits fill the provisions—"
In Upper Capital City, the people heard this and rejoiced, all saying that a phoenix coming was a great omen of good fortune.
Gongsun Yan was also overjoyed. She had always wanted to raise a pair of phoenixes. Seeing them arrive, she couldn't help but want to fly over and lure them into her nest.
Suddenly, a Dragon Sparrow flew out from the nest in the tree canopy. Without any hesitation, it grabbed the pair of phoenixes and ate them, startling the people in the capital.
Yan'er swallowed the phoenixes, returned to her nest, and said fiercely, "Yan'er, these were sent by the Earth Mother to trick you into speaking. Don't fall for it!"
Gongsun Yan felt terribly wronged. Just then, another pair of phoenixes flew in, singing loudly: "In the Primordial Realm, there are phoenixes, perching on my parasol tree. Open your heart to welcome the returning wind..."
The Dragon Sparrow soared into the air again and, in full view of everyone in Upper Capital City, ate those phoenixes too. Then it perched menacingly on the crown of the Primeval Tree, glaring fiercely in all directions.
The people of Yan'gang Upper Capital City trembled in fear and dared not speak.
In Lower Capital City, a fragrant breeze suddenly arose, and golden springs burst forth from the ground. The wells in the city overflowed with fragrance, and colorful lotuses bloomed in each well. From the flowers emerged beautiful young women, all laughing and saying, "How delightful! Let's go find our sister!"
With that, these young maidens headed toward the Primeval Tree, astonishing the people in the city.
The girls, dressed in colorful attire, found Gongsun Yan and pulled her into a dance, laughing, "Yan'er, don't you recognize us? We are the fruit trees you planted in your backyard!"
Gongsun Yan was both surprised and delighted. She was about to speak when suddenly Dragon Qilin let out a furious roar. Flames erupted around him, burning those women to ashes!
"Don't you dare speak!" Dragon Qilin said gravely.
Gongsun Yan nodded frantically, like a chick pecking at rice.
Dragon Qilin looked around warily and said, "The Earth Mother will definitely come up with other tricks. She won't give up so easily. As long as you don't speak, she won't be able to break through the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar to enter your body and possess you."
At that moment, the agreed time between Qin Mu and the Earth Mother had arrived. Qin Mu opened an altar and performed a ritual to gather the Earth Mother's soul.
In that deserted area, a chilling wind blew, and black sand rolled in like a surging tide.
Qin Mu opened the Heavenly and Earthly Mystic Gate, channeling the power of the Heavenly Duke and the Earth Lord. The Dao language boomed, and the Dao sound vibrated. Using supreme mystical techniques, he reshaped the three souls of the Earth Mother.
The earth trembled violently. The Earth Mother's roots traveled underground and arrived at this place, waiting for her soul to revive.
After a long time, Qin Mu was drenched in sweat. He had finally reshaped the Heavenly, Earthly, and Human souls of the Earth Mother.
The Earth Mother's three souls stood on the altar. Qin Mu said solemnly, "Earth Mother, our agreement is fulfilled. From now on, we owe each other nothing."
The Earth Mother's soul slowly sank into the ground, laughing, "Well said! Well said! The Great Sorcerer truly lives up to his name. After I am reborn, I will put in a good word for you before the other ancient gods."
Qin Mu snorted and flicked his sleeve. "Since your soul is complete, leave at once!"
The Earth Mother chuckled. "Only the soul is reborn. I still don't have a physical body. Great Sorcerer, your Yan'gang lacks the protection of a powerful ancient god. Let me fulfill that role for you!" With that, her three souls vanished.
Almost at the same time, beneath the Primeval Tree in the capital, Gongsun Yan remained silent. Suddenly, the Earth Mother's soul appeared before her. With a gentle smile, she softly stroked Gongsun Yan's face and said tenderly, "My poor child, my daughter, your mother has come to see you."
Gongsun Yan's heart melted. She choked up and said, "Mother..."
The Earth Mother laughed heartily. Dragon Qilin roared and charged at her, but an immense gravitational force pressed down, pinning him to the ground. The earth beneath him kept sinking!
Yan'er transformed into a Dragon Sparrow and swooped down from the sky. The Earth Mother pointed a finger, and countless roots burst from the ground, binding Yan'er tightly!
In the canopy of the Primeval Tree, the Grand Emperor Seal blazed with light, forming an invisible barrier with the Grand Emperor Altar buried among the roots. But in the next moment, the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar were shaken out of the Primeval Tree!
The Earth Mother's body suddenly dispersed and drilled into Gongsun Yan's body.