Chapter 1287: A Big Deal (First Update)
One or two Queqi giant beasts would have been one thing, but seeing an entire herd of them here was truly baffling.
Void beasts ruled the Ancestral Court; it was fundamentally impossible for any living creature to survive here. Where did these Queqi giant beasts come from?
"Does Heavenly Lord Mu recognize this kind of giant beast?"
Xiu Hongsu looked at the Queqi giant beast rising from the swamp and smiled. "Heavenly Consort Yan says this giant beast is called a Queqi, and it's relatively docile. Besides the Queqi, various other giant beasts have also been appearing in the Ancestral Court one after another."
Qin Mu's curiosity was piqued. "Other giant beasts have appeared too? Weren't these beasts already extinct? Why are they showing up again?"
Xiu Hongsu replied, "I wouldn't know about that. But Heavenly Consort Yan might know. I've asked her, but she didn't say."
Qin Mu's eyes flickered. *Could it be those two ancient gods in the Taiji vein, using Yin and Yang Qi to create things, bringing forth all these giant beasts in the Ancestral Court? But judging by the way those two ancient gods handle things, they're both stingy and miserly. They probably wouldn't waste their own power to create so many beasts, would they?*
If it wasn't the work of the ancient gods in the Taiji vein, then where did these beasts come from?
Along the way, Qin Mu saw various other giant beasts. There were Shanxu giant beasts, whose backs were covered in mountains and hills. When they walked, mountain winds whistled sharply through the peaks and caves on their backs.
There were also Pomo, with wings spanning a hundred li. They usually lay atop divine mountains that pierced the clouds. When they spotted prey, they would spread their fleshy wings and glide down from the heights to strike.
If they missed, these Pomo would limp and crawl, using the claws under their wings to grip the mountain face and climb back up.
He also saw Daxiong, Xiufeng, and other giant beasts, and even spotted a Taipu!
The Taipu giant beast was an incredibly terrifying creature, with combat power no less than that of a Void beast—even stronger!
Shu Jun, one of the Three Ancient Kings, had tamed a Taipu giant beast. Its combat power was in no way inferior to that of a Void mother beast!
But the Taipu giant beast was supposed to be extinct too!
*Creating one or two beasts with Taiji power is one thing, but creating this many beasts would absolutely drain the life out of such stingy ancient gods! These beasts were definitely not created by them!*
Finally, they arrived at the Taishi vein.
Qin Mu stepped down from the treasure carriage and, under Xiu Hongsu's guidance, walked into the vein.
Deep within this vein, Taishi Qi permeated the air, hazy and rippling. The Taishi Qi was extremely dangerous. Qin Mu saw some divine beings who had become ghost-like existences, their bodies becoming ethereal and transparent.
This was the result of prolonged exposure to Taishi Qi, being assimilated by it!
The Dao of Taishi was to have form but no substance. These divine beings, due to long-term contact with Taishi Qi, had lost their physical bodies, retaining only their empty forms. Their flesh, primordial spirit, vital energy, soul—everything—had ceased to exist!
But they weren't exactly dead.
They had form but no substance, were dazed and confused, without thought, unable to see, hear, or feel—a fate worse than death.
These divine beings stood within the vein, occasionally drifting, passing through the mountain rock.
The eeriness here was utterly terrifying!
"Even with Heavenly Consort Yan's Heavenly Lord treasure suppressing this place, she can't completely suppress the strangeness of this vein."
Xiu Hongsu sighed. "The eeriness here is extremely powerful. I'm stationed here on orders, and even I often feel my heart racing, sensing the risk of being assimilated by the vein. So I have to leave the vein from time to time to consolidate my cultivation outside."
Qin Mu said sympathetically, "If you have time, Xiu Xiu, come visit me more often. My place isn't as dangerous as this..."
Just then, Yan Tianfei's voice rang out with a laugh. "If Hongsu went to your place, she wouldn't even know how she died! This vein, dangerous as it is, is still a gentle haven and a safe harbor compared to your place!"
Xiu Hongsu quickly bowed in greeting. Yan Tianfei waved her hand, dismissing her.
Qin Mu stepped forward and bowed. "Heavenly Consort Yan, why aren't you holding the white cat this time?"
Yan Tianfei returned the greeting gracefully. "I sent him to find out who's been secretly causing trouble, releasing those giant beasts. Xiao Qi is the most alert. What I can't find, he can."
Qin Mu's heart stirred. "These giant beasts were released?"
Yan Tianfei nodded and invited him into her detached palace hall, walking and talking with him. "Exactly."
"Then where did these giant beasts live before?" Qin Mu asked.
"Some lived on the reverse side of the Yuan Realm, some on the reverse side of the Four Extreme Heavens. The Heavenly Court, Xuan Du, You Du—all these worlds have some. Even the reverse side of my Gui Xu has some powerful giant beasts surviving."
Yan Tianfei gave a knowing smile. "Heavenly Lord Mu, you later-born beings and demigods often say that we ancient gods are cruel and savage, but you don't realize that it's actually us ancient gods who maintain order in the world. Before sealing the Ancestral Court, we relocated these giant beasts to the reverse sides of these worlds, allowing them to thrive and multiply. And what about you later-born beings and demigods?"
A hint of mockery appeared on her face. "You overthrew us under the banner of cruelty, but how many races have you exterminated? When it comes to cruelty, you surpass us ancient gods!"
Qin Mu smiled. "Consort, there's no need to say more. I've seen the cruelty of the ancient gods during the Long Han era with my own eyes. Whether it surpasses that of demigods and later-born beings, I'll judge for myself. To you, the ancient gods aren't cruel, but to us, if the ancient gods don't die, we have no way to live."
Yan Tianfei recalled that he had visited the Long Han era more than once, so she dropped the subject and invited him to sit down. "How much of Hao'er's blood essence did you obtain?"
"Hao Tianzun has thirty-five heavenly palaces, though he publicly claims twenty-eight."
Qin Mu sat down and waved his hand lightly. Drops of blood floated before them, each drop of Heavenly Lord's blood crystal clear, shimmering with a gorgeous luster like the purest rubies.
Yan Tianfei's heart pounded twice violently. Qin Mu had laid out thirty-five drops of Heavenly Lord's blood!
Thirty-five drops of Heavenly Lord's blood represented Hao Tianzun's thirty-five heavenly palaces!
"I have a big deal to discuss with you, Consort."
Qin Mu waved his sleeve, and the thirty-five drops of Heavenly Lord's blood vanished. He smiled. "Give me half of the output from this vein, and I'll give you Hao Tianzun's thirty-five drops of Heavenly Lord's blood, allowing you to gain insight into Hao Tianzun's techniques and divine abilities! What do you think of this deal?"
Yan Tianfei's eyes flickered, and she smiled faintly. "Heavenly Lord Mu, you're right here in front of me. If I wanted to take them by force, could you resist me?"
She rose gracefully, shedding her coquettish demeanor and instead exuding an air of sovereign command, a confident smile on her face. "With a snap of my fingers, I could kill you a thousand times over! I could even completely erase your soul, wiping every trace of your existence from this world!"
She laughed. "Your so-called 'Great Master of Ten Thousand Kalpas Indestructibility' means nothing in my eyes. I am the only one in this world who can truly break your divine abilities—not even the Great Emperor can! I am the only one who can firmly keep you in check! Hand over Hao'er's divine blood, and I'll spare your life!"
Qin Mu burst into laughter, his voice echoing back and forth within the detached palace hall.