Chapter 1230: Greater Power, Greater Evil (Fourth Update)
Fire Celestial had arrived at this divine city at some unknown time, appearing behind them. It was clear he had overheard their entire conversation!
What shocked Qin Mu even more was that Fire Celestial had known long ago that Bai Yuqiong was the reincarnation of the Southern Emperor, the Vermilion Bird!
Fire Celestial raised his hand, gesturing for Bai Yuqiong to rise, but he did not look at her. Instead, his gaze fell on Qin Mu, his expression rather indifferent.
Qin Mu’s expression turned cold.
“Bai Yuqiong, the Heavenly Teacher, is the reincarnation of the Southern Emperor’s soul. I know this, but because she is human, I have not held it against her.”
Fire Celestial said coldly, “The Southern Emperor was killed by me, and her soul was suppressed within the Fragrant Incense Hall. Mu Celestial, your actions are becoming increasingly disgraceful in my eyes. I could have killed Bai Yuqiong because of the Southern Emperor’s soul, but I did not. Yet you, for the sake of an ancient god who has committed countless evils, would harm the life of one of our human race’s Imperial Seat powerhouses!”
Qin Mu turned and walked away, saying indifferently, “I am not Yun Celestial, nor Yue Celestial, nor Ling Celestial. They trusted you, and so they died. Different paths, no common goals.”
Fire Celestial said coldly, “Stop!”
Qin Mu acted as if he hadn’t heard and continued walking.
Fire Celestial’s voice came from behind him, sneering, “Do you know how many times I tried to persuade Yun Celestial? No less than a hundred times! I urged him not to go against the heavens, not to defy the great tide, not to disregard the lives of the human race for the sake of his own ambitions!”
“And him?”
“He went his own way! He insisted on resisting, on making the human race the supreme among all races! But he also agreed with me!”
“When I went to kill him, he told me he understood my actions!”
Qin Mu stopped, turned his head, and said with a half-smile, “Then what about Red Emperor and Bright Emperor? What about Yue Celestial and Ling Celestial? When Yun Celestial was killed, you were at the forefront. When Red Emperor, Bright Emperor, Yue Celestial, and Ling Celestial were killed, you were also at the forefront.”
Fire Celestial snorted coldly, “I did not kill Red Emperor. Bright Emperor brought it upon himself through his own overestimation! After the chaos caused by Yun Celestial, the human race in the Primordial Realm was severely weakened. They had barely recovered and begun to recuperate, yet Bright Emperor still wanted to rebel—he deserved death! It was I who saw through his weakness and let the Dark Sovereign kill him! As for Yue Celestial and Ling Celestial…”
His expression darkened, and he shook his head, saying, “Although they were my fellow cultivators, they also made the same mistake as Yun Celestial, wanting to overturn the heavens—they deserved death! However, I still spared Yue Celestial’s life. Ling Celestial’s death was an accident; I never intended to kill her.”
Qin Mu laughed loudly, his laughter like weeping, “What a fine ‘sparing Yue Celestial’s life’! How sanctimonious, how merciful! When you went to find Yue Celestial to discuss dealing with the Mother of Earth, I was right there! The plan you and Xiao Celestial devised was instigated by Hao Celestial, wasn’t it? When you eliminated the Mother of Earth, you also planned to eliminate Yue Celestial and Ling Celestial at the same time!”
His face was as cold as frost, and he said icily, “The only reason Yue Celestial and Ling Celestial survived was because I simulated countless times through dream-like enlightenment and chose the only path to survival! And you dare to claim credit in front of me, to gild your own face!”
He fell silent, and after a moment, said hoarsely, “You are no longer the Fire Celestial of the past.”
Fire Celestial’s face was expressionless, and he said woodenly, “You don’t understand me. Yue Celestial, Ling Celestial—they didn’t understand me either. Heh, only Yun Celestial understood me, knowing that I did it all for the human race…”
“If Yun Celestial saw your Southern Heaven World and the state of the human race there, he would be resurrected by sheer anger.”
Qin Mu looked up, his expression desolate, “You’re wrong. He didn’t understand you. From beginning to end, he never saw that what you call ‘for the human race’ is actually just for your own position and your own life.”
The flame wheel behind Fire Celestial’s head flickered, his mind somewhat unsettled. Suddenly, he laughed, “It doesn’t matter if Yun Celestial doesn’t understand me. I don’t need his understanding either. The only one in this world who understands me is Imperial Celestial.”
Qin Mu cast a cold glance at him, then turned and left.
“Only Imperial Celestial will understand me!”
Fire Celestial’s voice came from behind him, “Only a great hero of the human race like him, the most outstanding existence of our kind, can understand me! If he hadn’t died, he would have been the one to support me the most! I don’t need the understanding of selfish and self-serving people like you. As long as he understands me, that’s enough!”
Qin Mu let out a scornful laugh and walked away.
Fire Celestial watched him go, sneering, “Only Imperial Celestial is my true fellow cultivator… Bai Yuqiong, you can rest assured. With me here, Mu Celestial won’t dare to act recklessly.”
He clasped his hands behind his back and said solemnly, “He may act willfully, but he still knows his limits. It’s best if he doesn’t touch you. If he dares to, I will surely kill him!”
Bai Yuqiong frowned slightly and said softly, “Fire Celestial, for a small figure like me, is it worth killing a human Celestial?”
“Of course it is.”
Fire Celestial turned to look at her and said seriously, “Mu Celestial indeed has talent and ability, but the more capable such a person is, the greater the harm when they do evil. You are different. Although your soul is that of the Southern Emperor, you are wholeheartedly committed to being human, and you are also a Heavenly Teacher of the Heavenly Court. You are more reassuring than him.”
Bai Yuqiong smiled serenely, “Is it because I won’t reform the laws or rebel?”
Fire Celestial nodded and said unhurriedly, “If Mu Celestial doesn’t make a move against you, I have no reason to act against him. However, from what I’ve observed of his actions, this man will rebel in the future, plunging the human race into a life-or-death crisis. I cannot allow him to do that, so I must find a reason to eliminate him.”
Bai Yuqiong nodded, “So, if he tries to awaken the Southern Emperor’s soul within me, that will be the reason for the Celestial to kill him.”
Fire Celestial smiled, “As expected of a Heavenly Teacher—you catch on quickly.”
He turned and walked away.
Bai Yuqiong shivered.
Fire Celestial seemed straightforward, but he was actually quite cunning. He had always known she was the reincarnation of the Southern Emperor, yet he had kept her alive all this time, all to deal with Qin Mu!
He had kept her alive to give Qin Mu a chance to “make a mistake,” to give himself a reason to kill Qin Mu!
“Fire Celestial, for the sake of his own ideals and principles, killed Yun Celestial, killed Bright Emperor, killed Yue Celestial and Ling Celestial, and now he wants to kill Qin Celestial. Could it be…”
Her gaze was complicated. Yue Celestial was her master. Although she had lived many lives, she had always regarded Yue Celestial as her closest person. And yet, Fire Celestial, for the sake of his principles, had even made a move against Yue Celestial!
“Doesn’t Fire Celestial realize that if they had joined forces, even if they couldn’t overthrow the Heavenly Court, they could at least stand as equals?”
She watched Fire Celestial’s retreating figure and thought silently, “Fire Celestial, you guard the Southern Heaven and protect the human race there. Is your Southern Heaven truly so perfect that even these Celestials cannot compare? Have you really found a path that solves the human race’s oppression and ensures their continuous growth?”
Her mind stirred. She wanted to go to the Southern Heaven and see for herself.
“Once the chaos in the Supreme Void is settled, I will go to the Southern Heaven… No!”
Her thoughts shifted, and she stepped into the air, disappearing. Meanwhile, another Bai Yuqiong remained in the divine city, managing the war.
Bai Yuqiong used spatial divine abilities to conceal her form and flew outward, “I’ll go to the Southern Heaven right now and see Fire Celestial’s perfect world!”