Chapter 1266: Qin Mu and Tai Shi (Fourth Update)
Tai Shi inside the egg sneered, “What you call Dao injuries are nothing in our eyes. Tai Su has form and substance but no physical body; her abilities can heal those Dao injuries with ease.”
Qin Mu’s heart sank. He pressed on, “Then what about the cultivation that Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable had abolished? Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable had twenty-six heavenly palaces destroyed—I worked hard to take those down. Surely she can’t just restore all those heavenly palaces for Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable in one go, right? I don’t think Tai Su has that level of cultivation strength!”
“Tai Su indeed does not have that level of cultivation strength.”
Tai Shi inside the egg sighed and said, “Her current strength is far inferior to the Heavenly Venerables. Of course, you, as a Heavenly Venerable, are an exception.”
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief. Although the words of the ancient god inside the egg annoyed him, at least Tai Su couldn’t restore Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable. Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable, not at his peak, was a waste; killing him wouldn’t be troublesome.
“Heavenly Emperor Tai Chu was incomplete when he emerged, but he can be considered the most complete egg-born ancient god aside from Tai Yi.”
Tai Shi inside the egg continued, “Now, the strength of the Ten Heavenly Venerables has all approached that of Heavenly Emperor Tai Chu back then. That level of power far exceeds Tai Su’s. Tai Su’s strength is a bit stronger than the Four-Colored Emperors but weaker than the Four Ancient God Emperors.”
Qin Mu’s heart tightened. Even so, it was still no small matter.
The Four-Colored Emperors—Yin Heavenly Emperor, White Emperor, Qi Xia Yu, and East Heaven Azure Emperor—were all formidable, and the Four Ancient God Emperors were beings that only Heavenly Venerables could contend with!
Tai Su’s strength fell between them, roughly comparable to a Small Heaven strongman who had cultivated over ten heavenly palaces.
“But Tai Su can restore Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable’s heavenly palaces.”
Tai Shi inside the egg continued, “She can control the chaotic energy within Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable’s body, allowing his nine heavenly palaces to recover quickly. As for the other twenty-six heavenly palaces, it’s just a matter of time for her.”
Qin Mu pondered for a moment and asked, “How much time do you think it would take?”
Tai Shi inside the egg thought for a while and said, “If it doesn’t affect Tai Su’s own strength, it would take a hundred years.”
Qin Mu decisively said, “Then within fifty years, Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable can return to his peak state!”
Tai Shi inside the egg considered it and nodded, “You’re right. After Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable’s nine heavenly palaces recover, he can cultivate on his own to perfect the heavenly palaces. With Tai Su’s restoration, fifty years should be enough for him to reach his peak.”
Qin Mu paced around the Tai Shi egg, which sat quietly without moving.
“Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable can only recover nine heavenly palaces in the short term, meaning he’s not a concern for now. I was originally planning to flee, but it seems unnecessary. With his strength not yet restored, he’ll surely lie low and hide his edge, afraid of being exposed.”
Suddenly, Qin Mu stopped and looked at the Tai Shi egg: “Tai Su grants whatever is asked. If Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable asks for a thirty-sixth heavenly palace, can Tai Su give him one?”
Tai Shi inside the egg thought and said, “It’s not impossible…”
Qin Mu shuddered several times.
Tai Shi inside the egg continued, “If that happens, Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable would become too deeply controlled by Tai Su, turning into her puppet. Tai Su’s granting of wishes isn’t free; the more one asks, the more one is controlled by her.”
Qin Mu blinked and asked, “What do you mean?”
Tai Shi inside the egg said, “If Tai Su gives Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable a thirty-sixth heavenly palace, then Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable won’t truly reach the Heavenly Court realm, unable to achieve the peak of the heavenly palace system. His Dao path would be like Tai Emperor’s, always lacking that final touch. The Heavenly Court system focuses only on power, but Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable likely won’t reach the ultimate peak in terms of power.”
“Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable is no ordinary man either. For Tai Su to control him will be difficult!”
Qin Mu’s eyes flickered as he probed, “Then, Brother Tai Shi, do you think the thirty-six-layer heaven Dao realm system is a perfect system?”
Tai Shi inside the egg chuckled, “How could there be a perfect system in this world? If it were perfect, how would Mu Heavenly Venerable, Great Qin Cult Leader, reform and change things?”
Qin Mu laughed heartily but remained vigilant inside: “This Tai Shi is an old hand who’s been through the wringer and come out seasoned! He’s watertight in his words.”
“Back when Brother Tai Shi and Brother Tai Su were communicating inside the eggs, what did you talk about?” he asked casually.
Though he appeared casual, Qin Mu was deeply concerned about this matter.
Tai Shi and Tai Su had exchanged words more than once, holding secret discussions, and they would immediately stop when Qin Mu’s divine consciousness arrived.
“That matter…”
Tai Shi inside the egg laughed, “Just trivial things. I told her about Tai Chu imprisoning me, and she told me about almost being refined by Xuan Emperor and Wu Emperor. We were discussing how to deal with Tai Chu and Xuan Wu, to take revenge.”
Qin Mu didn’t believe a word of it, but since Tai Shi inside the egg was unwilling to say more, he didn’t press further.
Tai Shi inside the egg suggested, “Even if Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable recovers nine heavenly palaces, you still can’t match him. Why don’t we return to the Ancestral Court to avoid his edge? The Tai Shi vein in the Ancestral Court is in Yan Tianfei’s hands, and she’s in the Heavenly Court. Let’s attack the Tai Shi vein and seize that woman’s territory! We’ll split the gains fifty-fifty!”
Qin Mu was amused and exasperated. Had the ancient god Tai Shi become so worldly? He was an existence like Heavenly Emperor Tai Chu, who would never say such things.
“I still have a younger brother in Tai Xu, and I need to find him.”
Qin Mu smiled, “Fifty-fifty split, I’ll remember that. Don’t worry, after I find my brother, I’ll leave this place of trouble and head to the Ancestral Court.”
The ancient god inside the egg was silent for a moment, then said, “The fifty-fifty split was just a joke; don’t take it seriously.”
Tai Xu Netherworld, Nether City.
Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable’s injuries were growing lighter. He opened his eyes, struggled to stand up, turned around, and bowed in thanks, “Thank you, fellow Daoist.”
He raised his head and saw the woman’s face. Suddenly, his expression froze, and a hint of infatuation appeared in his gaze.
The woman standing behind him had features and a demeanor somewhat similar to Yuan Mu Madam.
“Ask and you shall receive, wish and it shall come true. Whoever you think of in your heart, I will appear as that person to you.”
The woman named Tai Su smiled, “If you can rid yourself of that thought, you will see my true face.”
Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable closed his eyes. When he opened them again and looked at Tai Su, her appearance had changed.
In his eyes, Tai Su was no longer in the form of Yuan Mu Madam but a strange woman, proud and aloof. Behind her head was a light that had form and substance but no physical body, shimmering like dark blue, shifting between reality and illusion.
The laughter Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable had heard earlier wasn’t the woman’s laugh but the laugh from his own heart.
In truth, Tai Su Goddess had never smiled.
The form of this ancient god was already beyond ordinary comprehension.
Tai Su Goddess looked at Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable, seeing that he had quickly awakened from her wondrous Dao rhythm, and showed a hint of approval. She said, “Tai Chu’s son, Hao, indeed has extraordinary abilities. Hao, you are severely injured now. With my abilities, I can restore you to the state of thirty-five heavenly palaces within a hundred years, or even give you an extra heavenly palace to fully cultivate the Heavenly Court.”
Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable lowered his head and said, “Thank you, Aunt Su. Aunt Su only needs to restore the nine heavenly palaces within me. I will handle the other heavenly palaces myself.”
Tai Su Goddess looked at him, her gaze flickering, but she couldn’t see the expression on his lowered face.
After a moment, Tai Su Goddess smiled, “Very well. I will restore your nine heavenly palaces. You may now bow to me.”
Hao Tian Heavenly Venerable promptly knelt and kowtowed.
—The last four hours of 2018. Suddenly, there’s an inexplicable excitement. Is this year coming to an end? Tai Su first wishes everyone that your wishes come true! May the Records of the Divine Emperor receive many monthly votes!