Chapter 1341: A Thief Has Designs (Second Update)
Youdu Heavenly Lord had no choice but to abandon his plan for a bloody battle with Void Heavenly Lord. The paper boat drifted slowly into Tuba’s brow, where Tuba’s primordial spirit was already waiting for them.
Youdu Heavenly Lord docked the paper boat and carefully tied it up. Qin Mu shot him a glance, feeling quite displeased.
“This is the Nether Realm,” Medicine Master said softly. “Is even Youdu Heavenly Lord so cautious?”
“It’s not the thief stealing that I fear, but the thief having designs. I didn’t tie it up properly before, and one was stolen.” Youdu Heavenly Lord said.
Qin Mu snorted coldly. “Stingy. Wasn’t it just a loan? It’s not like I didn’t return it.”
Youdu Heavenly Lord said earnestly to Medicine Master, “That person also stole my yellow paper.”
Medicine Master nodded in deep agreement. “There really are two thieves in our village. They can’t walk past anything good without taking it. Even I’ve been pilfered by them many times.”
They walked into the palace within Tuba’s eye. Tuba’s primordial spirit greeted Moon Heavenly Lord and said, “Fellow Daoist Moon, your injuries have healed, and you’ve regained your former brilliance and style. Congratulations.”
Moon Heavenly Lord returned the greeting. “I dare not accept such praise. Tuba, you acted righteously to help me. I will remember it in my heart.”
“No need to dwell on it.”
Tuba’s voice was grand and resonant: “This time, Pasture Heavenly Lord opened the Gate of Bearing Heaven without permission, connecting the Nether Realm to the mortal world, alarming Benevolent Sage King. He deliberately used his friendship with Benevolent Sage King as a threat. I could not watch Benevolent Sage King suffer harm, so I was coerced by him and had no choice but to lend a hand. Fellow Daoist Moon need not take it to heart. I’ve already noted this debt against Pasture Heavenly Lord.”
Qin Mu said resentfully, “Tuba truly sees all clearly and handles matters fairly.”
“It is my duty, and I dare not be the least bit negligent.”
Tuba said, “All the ledgers are well kept by Benevolent Sage King and can be settled at any time.”
Youdu Heavenly Lord nodded. “They are well preserved.”
Qin Mu did not want to dwell on the matter and quickly said, “Grandpa Medicine Master, Moon Heavenly Lord’s face was injured. Do you still have any good ointment?”
Medicine Master was puzzled and said, “I do, but you could just use your Creation Divine Ability to treat Moon Heavenly Lord. It’s not too troublesome. Youdu Heavenly Lord’s injuries are more severe. I’ll treat him first.”
Qin Mu sighed, his breath weakening as if he were at death’s door. “I’m injured too. This wound is very serious. I’m afraid I’ll never recover.”
Medicine Master grew even more puzzled. Qin Mu no longer had Dao injuries. Logically, given his medical skill and mastery of the Dao of Creation, he should have long since returned to his peak state, full of vitality. Why was he claiming to be injured and acting as if he might die at any moment?
“I hurt my eye.”
Qin Mu let out a long sigh. “Originally, my vertical eye contained all sorts of treasures. But in my battle with Dawn Heavenly Lord, he burst my head, and even this eye of mine was blown to pieces. The other things are fine—the Heavenly Emperor’s eggshell, the Taiji Primeval Stone—those are easy to get. They’re just small things, not worth mentioning. But the one thing that truly weighs on my mind is that jade pendant of mine.”
Medicine Master understood and said regretfully, “That jade pendant was refined from Tuba’s horn and engraved with the character ‘Qin.’ You’ve always treasured it, carrying it with you since childhood, never letting it leave your side.”
Qin Mu’s eyes reddened, and he choked up. “I’ve always remembered Tuba’s kindness. I knew this jade pendant was refined from his own horn to help me subdue my demonic nature, so I wouldn’t be controlled by it. When I died and was reborn back then, I placed that jade pendant in my vertical eye, turning it into my iris. I never expected Dawn Heavenly Lord to shatter it…”
He looked up at Tuba’s primordial spirit, his eyes glistening.
Medicine Master also looked at Tuba’s primordial spirit with anticipation.
Tuba remained silent.
Qin Mu shed tears and said, “This eye of mine was praised by an ancient existence in the Ancestral Land as the strongest divine eye, precisely because Tuba’s horn had become my iris! And now it’s been ruined by Dawn Heavenly Lord. From now on, it will just be an ordinary eye.”
Tuba still said nothing.
Qin Mu gritted his teeth. “That ancient existence lives in the Great Black Tree, mending the Great Black Mountain every day. If I have the chance, I could introduce you…”
Tuba’s expression was unreadable. Suddenly, he said, “I’ll give you another piece. What do you think?”
Qin Mu let out a breath, and Medicine Master also breathed a sigh of relief.
Tuba continued, “But it won’t be for free. The Ancestral Land is now open, and I can reach it too. Since you have the face for it, then introduce me to that existence.”
Qin Mu’s heart churned. Taiyi could go see anyone he wanted directly, but it wasn’t so easy for others to see him. If Taiyi didn’t want to see someone, even if that person stood right in front of him, they wouldn’t be able to perceive him!
Who knew if Taiyi would agree to meet Tuba?
“Fine!”
Qin Mu’s expression didn’t change. “Then I’ll swallow my pride and make the introduction for Tuba. But I want the strongest piece of Tuba’s horn to be my iris!”
Tuba hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Agreed.”
Qin Mu was overjoyed. “Then can Tuba contact Heaven Duke? I can help Heaven Duke get an introduction to that person too.”
Tuba frowned, and his ox tail flicked.
Qin Mu explained, “Although my vertical eye has Tuba’s horn as its iris, it still lacks the anterior chamber of the pupil. If I could use a treasure from the Mystic Capital to form that chamber, it would be even more outstanding!”
Tuba said, “I can inform Heaven Duke. You return to the Ancestral Land first. Heaven Duke and I will meet you there to complete the transaction.”
Qin Mu felt relieved. Heaven Duke must also have treasures. If his vertical eye could combine the power of Heaven Duke and Tuba, along with the Taichu Eggshell and the Taiji Primeval Stone, it would surely be even stronger than before!
Of course, the most important thing was to get some water from Taiyi’s bucket and drip it into his eye.
Youdu Heavenly Lord was puzzled. Although Tuba’s horn could be recreated, the strongest horn was refined from the land of the Ancestral Land. Even the Nether Realm and Fengdu, which Nether King and Kaihuang had borrowed, were horns refined from other heavens later on.
For Tuba to directly use his original horn just to meet the mountain-mending person in Qin Mu’s lair was far too extravagant.
Even stranger was that Tuba agreed to contact Heaven Duke. Who exactly was that mountain-mending person, that these two existences would go together to see him?
Moon Heavenly Lord and Youdu Heavenly Lord’s injuries were not too severe. Medicine Master diagnosed them, refined some spirit pills, and treated their wounds.
Meanwhile, Tuba’s primordial spirit took Qin Mu to see Dawn Heavenly Lord’s divine artifact, Imperial Heavenly Lord. The two of them looked at this colossal being, and Tuba’s primordial spirit suddenly sighed and shook his head. “This Imperial Heavenly Lord won’t last much longer.”
Qin Mu was startled and didn’t understand.
“Dawn Heavenly Lord forced this Imperial Heavenly Lord to execute the perfect Heavenly Court realm, and the pressure was too great. The divine artifact’s physical structure has been damaged beyond repair.”
Tuba shook his head. “After one or two more uses, this Imperial Heavenly Lord will completely shatter and turn to dust. However, the Heavenly Court realm is indeed overwhelmingly powerful. Given time, once Dawn Heavenly Lord masters the Heavenly Court, he will be close to the strength of his previous life. If he finds his original body, then he will surpass his former self.”
Qin Mu opened his vertical eye on his brow, trying to see through the internal structure of the divine artifact Imperial Heavenly Lord, but his current vertical eye had not yet fused with the Taichu Egg or the Taiji Primeval Stone, nor did it have Tuba’s horn, so its vision was not strong enough.
“Tuba, Heaven Duke has means to protect himself. Do you?”
Qin Mu closed his vertical eye. It really felt bad not being able to see through everything. He steadied himself and asked, “Heaven Duke hides among the Ten Heavenly Lords, his strength unfathomable, to deal with the coming calamity and completely break free from the shackles of the ancient gods. What about you, Tuba? What means have you hidden?”