Chapter 1237: The Strongest of the Ancient Era (Third Update)
Before long, the soldiers in the divine cities of the Heavenly Court were making preparations for battle. A solemn, murderous aura filled the heavens and the earth. Qin Mu felt a chill, knowing that the Heavenly Court was about to dispatch a great army to attack Carefree Village and the Creators.
"This battle probably won't be able to capture the Opening Emperor and Lang Huan either. Why are Fire Heavenly Venerate and Void Heavenly Venerate so eager to make a move?"
His heart stirred. "Heavenly Venerate Hao must be on his way!"
A shiver ran down his spine. Had Heavenly Venerate Hao brought the Divine Artifact Imperial Heavenly Venerate? If he had that artifact, combined with his own unfathomable combat power, could the Grand Emperor really stop him?
"Pastoral Heavenly Venerate."
Suddenly, a divine being from the Heavenly Court passing by him turned his head and smiled at Qin Mu. "Heavenly Venerate Hao has already set out, heading for the Great Void. I am going to intercept him right now! Don't forget your promise—prepare the Primal Chaos Origin Stone! Otherwise, I will wipe out everyone in your Yan Kang, down to the livestock and the ants in the fields—not a single one will be spared!"
After saying this, the divine being shook his head, looked around in confusion, and then continued with his work as if nothing had happened.
"Heavenly Venerate Hao has arrived?"
Qin Mu could barely contain his excitement. "The Grand Emperor and Heavenly Venerate Hao—one is the strongest of the prehistoric era, the other the strongest of the present age! I absolutely cannot miss this battle!"
His blood boiled. He desperately wanted to witness the fight between Heavenly Venerate Hao and the Grand Emperor. Just then, Fire Heavenly Venerate approached and said in a deep voice, "Pastoral Heavenly Venerate, in a few days I will lead the main army to attack the rebels. I would like you to command a force to strike the enemy camp. What do you think?"
Qin Mu was momentarily stunned. "Fire Heavenly Venerate is a shrewd one. The day he chooses will likely be the very day Heavenly Venerate Hao arrives here. At that point, Heavenly Venerate Hao will strike with the Divine Artifact Imperial Heavenly Venerate, surely killing the Opening Emperor and Lang Huan, the Divine King. What a clever plan!"
He put on a smile. "But fortunately, the Grand Emperor has been reborn. He won't anticipate that I have an agreement with him!"
Fire Heavenly Venerate saw that he didn't answer and asked again.
Qin Mu looked very weak and said feebly, "Forgive me, Fire Heavenly Venerate. I haven't been feeling well these past few days and fear I cannot go to the battlefield. Though I wish to serve the Heavenly Court, my body fails me."
Fire Heavenly Venerate frowned, completely taken aback by this response. Just moments ago, this brat had been brimming with vitality, so excited he looked ready to tear down the Heavenly Court's camp. Now, he suddenly wilted and claimed he couldn't go to war.
If he refused to go, could Fire Heavenly Venerate force him?
Frowning, Fire Heavenly Venerate left and found Meng Yungui, Bai Yuqiong, and Zhu Shaoping. He told them about the matter and said, "What can be done now?"
Bai Yuqiong and Zhu Shaoping said nothing, looking at Meng Yungui.
Meng Yungui thought for a moment and then smiled. "Although it's hard to read Pastoral Heavenly Venerate's character from his words and expressions, we can deduce his nature from his past actions."
Fire Heavenly Venerate's gaze fell on him. Meng Yungui continued, "Pastoral Heavenly Venerate reminds me of a kind of mortal animal—the roe deer, a silly deer with an insatiable curiosity that often leads to its death. In the past, if Fire Heavenly Venerate invited him to the battlefield, even knowing it was a trap, he wouldn't be able to resist his intense curiosity and would agree, wanting to see what tricks we had. His refusal now can only mean one thing."
Zhu Shaoping's eyes lit up, and he laughed. "It means there's something else that makes him even more curious, surpassing his curiosity about us!"
Meng Yungui clapped his hands and laughed. "Exactly! The simplest way to kill Pastoral Heavenly Venerate is to pique his curiosity and lure him into an ambush. Even knowing it's a trap, he will still jump in."
Everyone exchanged glances. Thinking of Qin Mu's usual shrewd and slippery demeanor, they found it hard to believe.
Fire Heavenly Venerate looked at Bai Yuqiong, somewhat puzzled. Bai Yuqiong usually had good ideas, but now she was very quiet.
Meng Yungui continued, "However, we don't know what this thing is that has sparked his intense curiosity now."
Everyone frowned. None of them knew what it could be.
Fire Heavenly Venerate took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "First, monitor his movements. If there's a chance, eliminate him, and then report to the Heavenly Court that Pastoral Heavenly Venerate sacrificed his life for the nation."
The three Heavenly Masters agreed. Just then, someone reported, "Heavenly Venerate, Pastoral Heavenly Venerate has disappeared without a trace!"
Fire Heavenly Venerate's heart stirred, and he immediately said in a deep voice, "He must have gone to the Great Void Netherworld! Quickly, find the Nether Emperor!"
Soon, word came from the Nether Emperor that Qin Mu had not gone to the Great Void Netherworld. Fire Heavenly Venerate immediately ordered the Celestial Eye Tribe to search for Qin Mu's whereabouts.
However, after a long search, the Celestial Eyes could not find any trace of Qin Mu in the Great Void.
"I should still be able to make it in time for the battle between the Grand Emperor and Heavenly Venerate Hao!"
Qin Mu was already in the Collapsed Void, carrying the lantern of Moon Heavenly Venerate and moving swiftly. The Collapsed Void had been opened up by the Heavenly Court. At intervals, divine artifacts of the Four Emperors—Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, White Tiger, and Azure Dragon—were stationed, preventing masterless divine consciousness from approaching.
In addition, powerful gods and demons guarded the Four Emperor artifacts, with tight security. They had built divine cities around the artifacts, and powerful beings radiated overwhelming auras. From a distance, the divine cities looked like torches in the darkness.
The lantern of Moon Heavenly Venerate distorted space, allowing Qin Mu to travel quickly. It was only by using this lantern that he could evade the Heavenly Court's surveillance and leave the Great Void to come here.
Of course, once here, he no longer needed to hide his tracks and could walk along the road built by the Heavenly Court.
"Heavenly Venerate Hao must have passed through this road as well. So the best place for the Grand Emperor to intercept him would be the center of this road."
He walked for several days carrying the lantern, then stopped at the center of the Collapsed Void.
The Grand Emperor's chosen ambush point would have to be far enough from the entrance to the Great Void to prevent Heavenly Venerate Hao from escaping, and also far enough from the Great Void itself to prevent Fire Heavenly Venerate and Void Heavenly Venerate from coming to his aid.
Thus, the center of the Collapsed Void was the perfect spot.
With the lantern of Moon Heavenly Venerate, Qin Mu was extremely fast, no slower than a Heavenly Venerate traveling, and even a bit faster. Even if Fire Heavenly Venerate and Void Heavenly Venerate rushed here, it would take them at least four days.
If Heavenly Venerate Hao was defeated and tried to flee the Great Void, it would also take him four days to escape. The Grand Emperor only needed to pursue him relentlessly, and four days would be more than enough to kill him!
"The Grand Emperor should already be here!"
Qin Mu hovered high above the road, his eyes blazing as he looked down. Below was a pass—a stone city built by the Heavenly Court's soldiers at the midpoint of the road.
The city was large, with tens of thousands of stationed divine and demon soldiers. It had flying chariots, tower ships, and cannon towers, and the soldiers were mostly equipped with bows and arrows.
The stone city's walls were stained with blood, likely from scattered mind demons wandering into the Collapsed Void and attacking the road and the city.
"If I were the Grand Emperor, I would choose to hide in the city."
Qin Mu opened his vertical eye on his forehead and examined carefully. To his surprise, however, after scanning everyone in the city, he could not find any trace of the Grand Emperor.
"Has he not arrived yet? I wonder if he has broken through the Lotus Continent. If not, his strength hasn't reached its peak. But judging by how easily he controlled Shang Pingyin, his divine consciousness should have recovered to its peak..."
Just as he thought this, his vertical eye saw two people walking along the void road. He was startled. One was Bai Yuqiong, and the other was a chubby boy in blue clothes.
"Lan Yutian! Imperial Heavenly Venerate!"
Qin Mu almost cried out in shock. At that moment, an incredibly dazzling divine light came from behind the two. Qin Mu strained his eyes to see, and a magnificent carriage came into view, radiating divine light ten thousand feet high, illuminating the void!
"Damn it! Heavenly Venerate Hao has arrived!"
Qin Mu's mind exploded. His divine consciousness surged out, rushing toward Bai Yuqiong and Lan Yutian: "Get out of here, now!"