Chapter 1180: The Scholar Taiyi (Second Update)
Qin Mu's eyes widened, and he laughed, saying, "I didn't expect you, Daoist brother, to pay such close attention to me."
The scholar Taiyi shook his head. "It's not just you I pay attention to. In truth, I've observed many people. I was one of the little bamboo horses that checked Ling Tianzun's manuscripts, a peach in the Moon Celestial's peach grove, a fish that Emperor Kaihuang Qin Ye hooked but which slipped off, and a ghost beside Earth Lord. Or perhaps a star that drifted past Heaven Duke's eyelids, or a single white hair of Hao Tianzun's that he plucked and discarded."
He smiled. "I have been to too many places and seen too many people. Every figure who left a deep mark on the vast expanse of history, I have gone to meet them. I also saw you abandon your own path and return to the path of the Heavenly Palace and Heavenly Court, and I sighed at that. At that time, I was a single tear that you shed."
Qin Mu's body trembled slightly. He recalled that after seeking advice from Shujun, he had resolutely cast aside his original path and chosen to cultivate the Heavenly Palace and Heavenly Court. Back then, he couldn't help but shed a tear and heard a faint sigh in his ears.
He steadied himself and asked curiously, "Daoist brother, your divine abilities are vast and profound. Yet you have returned here—what is the reason?"
The scholar Taiyi smiled. "I have always been here. It's not a matter of returning or not."
Qin Mu understood that Taiyi's realm was beyond his ability to fathom or comprehend. Perhaps if he hadn't abandoned that path back then, he might have been able to cultivate to Taiyi's level, but now it was too late.
The scholar Taiyi looked around and said, "This tree is an extremely dangerous place. It pierces through various cosmic eras. The powerful beings from those past eras all want to crawl from the past to this place to avoid death. You have chosen this as your territory—it seems we are fated to meet."
Qin Mu laughed. "It's all thanks to the guidance of those two ancient gods in the Taiji vein. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to obtain this foremost treasure land of the ancestral court."
The scholar Taiyi's expression turned peculiar, but he didn't say much. "This place was originally mine. But since you've taken it as your territory, you must also do something to protect the ancestral court."
Qin Mu said solemnly, "Daoist brother, just give the order."
The scholar Taiyi said, "As you said, sealing the Great Black Mountain can only buy us some time; it cannot eliminate the problem forever. In the future, the Great Black Mountain will still crack open, and those past eras will try to invade. What I need your help with is this."
"I will not shirk this duty!"
Qin Mu agreed readily, laughing, "If foreign enemies invade my territory, I will also rely on you, Daoist friend!"
The scholar Taiyi hadn't expected him to make such a request. He thought for a moment and then smiled. "As you wish."
Qin Mu let out a long sigh of relief. He knew that his own strength and influence couldn't compare to the Ten Celestial Venerables, and he always walked on eggshells, treading as if on thin ice. Now that he had obtained the "foremost treasure land of the ancestral court," he was always worried he wouldn't be able to hold it.
But with Taiyi's word, even if the Ten Celestial Venerables personally came, they probably couldn't seize this "foremost treasure land of the ancestral court"!
Little did he know, the Ten Celestial Venerables had never even considered this "foremost treasure land of the ancestral court" worth their attention.
"With Taiyi here, I can safely take the First Ancestor and the others to block their gates!"
Qin Mu rubbed his hands together, brimming with excitement. "In the past, the Dao Ancestor took Lin Xuan, and the Tathagata took the Buddha's Son, to block the gates of the Grand Academy. Basan the Sacrificial Wine also took me to block the gates of the Loulan Golden Palace. But those were all cases of elders encouraging their juniors. The elders would sit there, looking so imposing and fierce! The other side had no choice but to follow the rules, or else the elders would throw a fit! This time, I, the junior, will take the elders to block the gates of the Ten Celestial Venerables' territories. Whoever dares not follow the rules, I'll throw a fit!"
"Anyway, even if I cause a huge disaster, I can just hide here in the Great Black Mountain. Even if the sky falls, Taiyi will hold it up!"
In the ancestral court, the Taichu vein.
The Heavenly Court couldn't be without a Celestial Venerable to guard it. Xiaotianzun had sent his most outstanding disciple, Gao Huaitong, to guard this vein. Xiaotianzun, as the human Celestial Venerable, treated all races equally, but harbored a deep hatred for the ancient gods.
Gao Huaitong was not human; he was a demigod of extraordinary talent, having cultivated to the Imperial Throne realm.
Just as Gao Huaitong had settled in and ordered his divine soldiers to begin mining the divine stones from the vein, a divine messenger reported, "Mu Tianzun has arrived with over twenty oddly shaped individuals. He says he has come to pay a visit and, according to the rules, wants to block the gate and challenge the disciples under Xiaotianzun's command."
"The rules for blocking the gate?"
Gao Huaitong was puzzled. "When has the Heavenly Court ever had such a strange rule?"
He summoned Yan Qiling and asked, "Junior sister, you've spent time in the lower realm. Do you know the rules of the lower realm regarding Mu Tianzun's gate-blocking?"
Yan Qiling said, "There is indeed an unwritten rule in the lower realm. An elder takes a junior to block the gate for a challenge. The fight must be at the same cultivation level. Neither side can break this rule, or they lose face. However, this rule has a key condition: the elder must have the strength to intimidate the other side."
Gao Huaitong laughed. "The people of the lower realm are all ruffians, unlearned and unskilled, and they come up with such strange rules. There's no such thing as gate-blocking in the Heavenly Court. But that said, although Mu Tianzun's skills are lacking, his reputation is loud. We can't afford to be rude. Junior sister, your skills are superb, and you rarely meet your match at the same level. Go and deal with him."
Yan Qiling shook her head. "I have fought him several times and never won."
Gao Huaitong's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated. "If you can't beat him, it will be hard for me to win either..."
The divine messenger added, "This time, Mu Tianzun is just overseeing. He says others will do the challenging."
Gao Huaitong laughed dismissively. "If Mu Tianzun himself were challenging, I might be a bit wary. But he's got the audacity to let others do it. Fine, let us brothers and sisters spar with the people he brought and show him the vastness of heaven and earth."
He led over a dozen of Xiaotianzun's disciples out to meet them. They saw Qin Mu arriving at the mining area on that small, swift boat. The boat was indeed filled with oddly shaped individuals—tall, short, fat, thin—only two or three of them looked somewhat presentable.
These people seemed to have deep conflicts among themselves, glaring at each other with hostility, and crammed together on the boat, they nearly started a fight.
But the one they hated most was Qin Mu. Everyone on the boat looked at him with displeasure.
Gao Huaitong greeted Qin Mu with a smile. "Mu Tianzun visits, and I have been remiss in not welcoming you. Forgive me. Since the Celestial Venerable leads these Daoist friends to block the gate and challenge us, we, as disciples of Xiaotianzun, naturally cannot tarnish our master's name. I accept the challenge."
Qin Mu replied politely, "Rest assured, young nephew. My people know their limits. To be honest, they are all my elders. I was worried they might slack off in their cultivation, so I wanted to use your hands, young nephews, to temper them."
The Human Sovereign Qikang, the Human Sovereign Yishan, and the others glared at him, their beards bristling with anger.
After exchanging pleasantries, Gao Huaitong invited Qin Mu to the seat of honor. Qin Mu said earnestly, "Grandmaster, ancestors, I've secured the venue for you. Don't embarrass me."
The Human Sovereign Qikang jumped out, furious. "Surnamed Qin! You're defying your elders and betraying your ancestors! Let's fight first!"
Gao Huaitong looked at Qin Mu with a smile. Qin Mu said apologetically, "Dear nephew, this is my grandmaster. He has a bit of a temper, but he does have some skill. Pick a good fighter, nephew, and beat him to death!"
The Human Sovereign Qikang was so angry that smoke billowed from his seven orifices. His body shook, and a brilliant radiance burst forth from behind him. Three Heavenly Palaces leaped out from the light with the sound of a bell tolling. He said, "Over the years, I've trained with the First Ancestor and seen many Imperial Throne techniques. In this life, I've advanced with vigor and courage! Surnamed Qin, regardless of others, let's settle this according to the rules of the Human Sovereign Hall!"
Gao Huaitong looked at Qin Mu with a smile. "Celestial Venerable, what do you think?"
Qin Mu said with full apology, "My elder is unruly and hard to control. Bear with me, nephew. Let me teach them a lesson first."
He stood up. The Human Sovereign Qikang focused all his attention, on high alert, waiting for his attack.
Qin Mu took a single step forward. A thunderous crash rang out, shaking everyone present until their blood and qi churned. When they looked again, the Human Sovereign Qikang had already been slapped deep into the earth of the ancestral court by a single palm strike.
Qin Mu returned to his seat and laughed. "He's calmed down now. We can begin."
The Human Sovereign Qikang crawled out of the dirt, disheveled and covered in dust, but his spirits were high. He didn't mind his defeat at all and laughed heartily. "Who will grant me a lesson?"