Chapter 1174: Two Dreams Intertwined (Fourth Update)
Qin Mu crossed the Nether Sea, walked into the ninth divine city of Fengdu, and arrived beneath the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate. He looked up at this colossal structure.
This Nether Capital Heavenly Gate was jointly forged by the Nether Sovereign and Emperor Yi Yue. Emperor Yi Yue was a Soul Capital Physique, possessing the bloodline of the Heavenly Duke, making her one of the strongest spiritual physiques in the world at that time.
The strength of the Soul Capital Physique lay in the fact that this physique could quickly master any system of Dao techniques and divine abilities it learned, with few obstacles.
The Nether Sovereign's Imperial Throne treasure was the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate. He had begun refining it in the middle of the Dragon Han era, but it had been shattered several times, and he had never been able to complete it.
By the Kaihuang era, the Nether Sovereign had cultivated to the perfect state of the Imperial Throne realm. Knowing he had reached his limit and could make no further progress, he began striving toward the techniques of the Heavenly Court.
However, he was not one of the Ten Celestial Venerables after all. When he tried to use the Nether Realm Great Dao he had cultivated as his foundation to practice techniques from other systems, he encountered immense difficulties.
He attempted to fuse the other techniques he had cultivated with his original techniques, but he failed time and time again.
Similarly, when he tried to forge the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate and use it to integrate other techniques, he failed repeatedly.
It was around that time that Emperor Yi Yue's reputation began to rise, gradually earning her great fame throughout the heavens.
At that time, the Kaihuang Heavenly Court was supported by the ancient gods. The ancient gods wanted to elevate the Kaihuang era to an incredibly powerful state, pushing Kaihuang out to confront the Ten Celestial Venerables.
Thus, the Kaihuang Heavenly Court had a very good relationship with the Heavenly Duke, Earth Lord, and the Four Ancient God Emperors.
Kaihuang sent Emperor Yi Yue to train under the Four Ancient God Emperors, making her their disciple. It was then that Emperor Yi Yue's strength was fully revealed.
Emperor Yi Yue effortlessly learned the Dao techniques and divine abilities of the Four Ancient God Emperors, integrated them thoroughly, and cultivated four great Heavenly Palaces in one go, shocking the world.
Not only that, but she also fused other Imperial Throne techniques and competed with Kaihuang for the throne. Although she lost, Kaihuang valued her even more, and it became a celebrated tale.
It was then that the Nether Sovereign connected with Emperor Yi Yue, seeking her advice on how to forge the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate. Over time, combined with the Nether Sovereign's handsome appearance and deliberate efforts to please her, the two became involved.
Emperor Yi Yue was strong-willed, but she devoted herself wholeheartedly to the Nether Sovereign. She helped him fuse his Imperial Throne techniques and assisted him in forging the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate, holding nothing back.
When Emperor Yi Yue planned to marry the Nether Sovereign, it was also the end of the Kaihuang era. At that time, the situation was treacherous and unpredictable. Kaihuang secretly ordered Emperor Shi Tian Wang Li Youran to build the Carefree Realm, but in truth, it was to forge the Carefree Sword and the Thirty-Three Heavens.
After Li Youran completed the Carefree Realm, he began building the Ark of the Other Shore. It was then that Emperor Yi Yue married the Nether Sovereign. Many advised her against it, but she was blinded by love and could not see the situation clearly, ultimately dying at the wedding altar.
Qin Mu looked up at this heavenly gate. Within this gate were the Nether Sovereign's divine abilities and Emperor Yi Yue's painstaking efforts. Emperor Yi Yue had taken it from the Nether Sovereign. The deeper the love had been in the past, the deeper the hatred was today.
Even so, Qin Mu had to admire the Nether Sovereign's talent. This Nether Capital Heavenly Gate contained the reincarnation divine ability, something not inherent in the Nether Realm Great Dao.
The Nether Sovereign had once used the reincarnation divine ability to harm the reincarnated soul of the Southern Emperor, Que Feiyin. Que Feiyin had now become the Heavenly Court's Third Heavenly Master, Bai Yuqiong, but to this day, Heavenly Master Bai Yuqiong had not broken the Nether Sovereign's reincarnation divine ability.
The Dao of Reincarnation was the Nether Sovereign's true foundation for survival.
In this regard, no one could surpass him.
Emperor Yi Yue walked out from behind the gate, looking a bit embarrassed. She smiled and said, "Little brother, during the Yan Kang Calamity, I didn't come to save you. It wasn't that I didn't want to, but Kaihuang gave a direct order, and I dared not disobey. I once made a mistake that caused the Kaihuang Heavenly Court to fall so quickly. Now, I no longer dare to act on my own, fearing I might make another mistake."
Qin Mu smiled and said, "That matter is in the past. Am I not still perfectly fine? I came here to break the Nether Sovereign's reincarnation divine ability, and I need your help, sister."
Emperor Yi Yue said joyfully, "I also plan to break his divine ability. Although the Nether Sovereign's moral character is extremely poor, his mastery of the Dao of Reincarnation is unmatched. In these past few years, I still haven't had enough confidence to break it. With your help, it will definitely be faster!"
She caressed the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate, her fingertips gently gliding over the runes on the gate, and said, "The Nether Sovereign has only cultivated four Heavenly Palaces, but the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate is equivalent to another him. His strength is not among the top tier in the Heavenly Court; both the Dao Ancestor and the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha are far stronger than him. However, when combined with the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate, his strength is not inferior to that of the Dao Ancestor or the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha."
Qin Mu's heart trembled slightly. He carefully examined the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate and said solemnly, "Sister, what secrets does this gate you helped him build hold?"
"His talent is limited; he is not the most gifted person. Fusing four Imperial Throne techniques was already his limit."
Emperor Yi Yue said, "However, I realized that his Dao of Reincarnation could be improved further. That is the function of the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate. This gate contains four Imperial Throne techniques. If fully activated, he would be equivalent to having eight Heavenly Palaces, not far from the Dao Ancestor or the Great Brahma Heavenly King."
Qin Mu was greatly impressed.
Emperor Yi Yue said, "But that was twenty thousand years ago. Back then, relying on the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate, he could be equivalent to an Imperial Throne powerhouse who had cultivated eight Heavenly Palaces. As for now, I don't know."
She revealed a smile: "This Nether Capital Heavenly Gate was forged by him, but also by me. That's why, back then, I could prevent him from unleashing the gate's full power and take it back from him. These days, I have been studying the Dao of Reincarnation. I also obtained some Dao techniques of reincarnation from him in the past. Come, take a look."
Emperor Yi Yue took out the records of her research over these days. The sheer volume of papers was enough to fill a room, showing how hard she had worked to take revenge on the Nether Sovereign.
Qin Mu carefully flipped through them, cross-referencing them with the runes on the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate, verifying them against each other.
Then, he entered a dream again, quickly reading through all of Emperor Yi Yue's research from these years, verifying it once more before waking from the dream.
Qin Mu pondered, contemplating what he had gained. After a moment, he looked up and smiled, "Sister, how about we enter a dream together and take a walk there?"
"Enter a dream together?"
Emperor Yi Yue smiled in surprise. "Your dream is yours, and my dream is mine. How can we enter a dream together? How can we walk together?"
Qin Mu's gaze became extremely eerie. Emperor Yi Yue looked into his eyes and saw what seemed like countless circles, starting small and growing larger, passing by her.
But after a moment, she still felt no drowsiness. She smiled and said, "Little brother, your divine ability isn't working... Huh?"
She looked around and saw that the world around her had changed. She was no longer in Fengdu but had arrived at the Nether Capital!
She looked down and saw the Nether Sea. At the same time, she saw the Nether Capital Heavenly Gate standing tall above the Nether Sea!
Not only that, but she also saw another version of herself, dressed in bright red wedding robes. Heavenly Lady Tian Yin, Fisherman Heavenly Master Han Tang, Nether Capital Heavenly King Tian Shu, and others were attacking the heavenly gate, while inside the gate, the Nether Sovereign stood there, fending off the crowd's assault!
Emperor Yi Yue was stunned. When had she entered the dream? When had the dream replayed? She was completely unaware.
"Sister, look over there." Qin Mu appeared beside her without her knowing, raising his hand to point into the distance.
Emperor Yi Yue followed the direction of his finger and couldn't help but tremble slightly, murmuring, "Divine skill."
— Happy birthday to Ruo Chen!