Chapter 1353: A New Generation Replaces the Old (Second Update)
"The corpse fiend is my physical body!" Yun Chuxiu couldn't help but grow anxious.
Mingya Crown Prince paid her no heed, lifting the corpse fiend and flying away, vanishing from sight.
"After him!" Yun Chuxiu fumed, both angry and anxious.
The three hurried after him. When they arrived at Nether Heaven Venerable's domain, Yun Chuxiu immediately erupted, fuming: "Nether Heaven Venerable, what is the meaning of occupying my physical body? You're a solitary old man—surely you don't intend to lay a hand on the Heavenly Emperor's woman?"
Nether Heaven Venerable couldn't stand her shrewishness. Moreover, Yun Chuxiu was using Jue Wuchen's appearance, and back when Jue Wuchen first appeared, he had once coveted her beauty.
Now, seeing Yun Chuxiu, Nether Heaven Venerable found himself speechless. He waved at Yun Jianli.
Yun Jianli quickly ran over. Nether Heaven Venerable whispered a few words in his ear, and Yun Jianli nodded, then ran back to tell Yun Chuxiu: "Benevolent Saint King says you can have this physical body, but you must offer something in exchange."
The anger on Yun Chuxiu's face faded, and she smiled: "So what does Nether Heaven Venerable want in trade? Having me spend the night with him won't do—I belong to the Heavenly Emperor."
Yun Jianli ran over again. Nether Heaven Venerable whispered a few more instructions, and Yun Jianli ran back: "He wants you, madam, to repair Xiao Heaven Venerable's divine artifact, the Imperial Heaven."
Yun Chuxiu had been smiling, but her expression shifted drastically. She sneered: "Repair the divine artifact Imperial Heaven? You mean that artifact seized and brought to Nether Capital? Dream on! With the Imperial Heaven artifact, how would we ever kill Earth Count?"
Nether Heaven Venerable said nothing. He waved his hand, about to send Yuanmu's corpse fiend to Xie Wuqi. Xie Wuqi howled repeatedly, reaching out to grab Yuanmu's physical body, drool dripping from his mouth as if he intended to tear Yuanmu Madam apart.
Yun Chuxiu sighed mournfully: "Nether, Nether! Stop at once! I'll yield to you!"
Nether Heaven Venerable withdrew the Yuanmu corpse fiend.
Yun Chuxiu looked at her own physical body, then at Nether Heaven Venerable, and sneered: "You're an honest man, Nether Heaven Venerable. This move of yours doesn't suit you! Who gave you this rotten idea? Was it Mu Heaven Venerable?"
Nether Heaven Venerable silently put his ghost-face mask back on, hiding his expression from her.
Yun Chuxiu sneered: "I knew it was him! Only he is so underhanded. Bringing out Xie Wuqi and Mingya Crown Prince was likely his idea too, wasn't it? You've thoroughly offended Hao Heaven Venerable!"
She turned and left: "I'll go to Nether Capital and repair that divine artifact Imperial Heaven. When that's done, if you don't return my physical body and dare to make any further demands, I'll come down myself and kill you!"
Nether Heaven Venerable lifted his mask and sighed, his old face covered in wrinkles.
Yun Jianli asked curiously: "Was it really Mu Heaven Venerable's idea?"
Nether Heaven Venerable nodded helplessly: "Mu Heaven Venerable knew that Yuanmu Madam controls the Zao Fu Heavenly Palace and the Creation Divine Artifacts. So before leaving Nether Capital, he gave me this idea—to use the Yuanmu corpse fiend to threaten her, forcing her to repair Nether Capital's Imperial Heaven artifact. It worked well indeed."
Yun Jianli hesitated for a moment, glanced at Mingya Crown Prince and Xie Wuqi, and lowered his voice: "And them?"
"Mingya Crown Prince entered Nether Capital of his own accord, begging me to allow him to see Xie Wuqi."
Nether Heaven Venerable said: "He discovered that the Heavenly Emperor in the Heavenly Court is a fake—that the Ten Heaven Venerables created a substitute body for the Heavenly Emperor. This terrified him. His elder brother, Hao Heaven Venerable, is also among the Ten Heaven Venerables, which made him unable to stay in the Heavenly Court for even a moment. These years, he has hidden in Nether Capital, together with Xie Wuqi. The Evil Emperor Xie Wuqi is his elder brother."
Yun Jianli looked at Xie Wuqi and Mingya Crown Prince. Mingya Crown Prince was tending to Xie Wuqi, who only remained lucid when facing him.
Now, these "two brothers" depended on each other.
Yun Jianli thought to himself: "If Xie Wuqi hadn't died, he would probably have had a place among the Ten Heaven Venerables. But history has no 'what ifs.'"
On the other side, Qin Mu's tower ship sailed into the Ancestral Court. This vessel represented the highest achievement of Yan Kang's craftsmanship. The furnace could now be made very large, and the ship's speed had greatly increased.
However, although Yan Kang now had many skilled artisans, they still couldn't forge warships like floating continents, as the Heavenly Court or the Kai Huang era had done.
The pinnacle of Kai Huang-era craftsmanship was represented by Carefree Village and the Ark of the Other Shore!
Forging such warships required not just mastery of craftsmanship, but a nation with immense national strength!
The Heavenly Court's warships also reached this level. Although the Heavenly Court lagged behind both the Kai Huang era and Yan Kang in craftsmanship, its foundation was far too deep.
The Kai Huang era's wealth could only forge two such giant ships like the Ark of the Other Shore, while the Heavenly Court had dozens of similar warships!
The tower ship sailed over the Ancestral Court. Qin Mu looked down, surveying the geography of the Ancestral Court.
Wei Suifeng, Granny Si, Hua Xuanxiu, and Youming Crown Prince marveled at the Ancestral Court's breathtaking beauty and grandeur. The scenery was awe-inspiring, and the ancient giant beasts flying past the tower ship were equally astonishing.
The tower ship flew between various divine mountains and sacred lands, leaving them wide-eyed. From time to time, cries of amazement rang out from the ship.
Qin Mu frowned. The Ancestral Court's territory was vast beyond measure, and finding the locations of the Four Heavenly Gates would not be easy.
"I should go back and fetch Shu Jun. He likely knows where the Four Heavenly Gates of the Ancestral Court are. Otherwise, searching like this, who knows when I'll find them."
He hung up Moon Heaven Venerable's lantern. After a few days, the tower ship reached the Ten Thousand Black Mountains.
Long Qilin and Yan'er hurried out to greet him. Suddenly, Long Qilin spotted the young Wen Yuan and froze. Abandoning Qin Mu, he rushed straight toward Wen Yuan.
Qin Mu's heart ached: "A new generation surpasses the old. I suppose I truly am past my prime..."
Long Qilin exchanged pleasantries with the young Wen Yuan, then ran back, speaking cautiously: "Cult Leader..."
"Call me Old Cult Leader."
Qin Mu said listlessly: "Where are the First Ancestor and the other Human Sovereigns?"
"Lost," Long Qilin said, even more carefully.
"Lost?"
Qin Mu was surprised and laughed: "They went to tame giant beasts, didn't they? And Shu Jun?"
Long Qilin lowered his voice: "Also lost..."
Qin Mu paused, studying him for a moment, and raised his left eyebrow: "What about Jiang Yunjian and the others?"
Long Qilin's face fell: "They got lost along with Xu Shenghua, Lan Yutian, and the others."
Qin Mu steadied himself and looked into the Ten Thousand Black Mountains. There were still many divine beings here—mining, forging treasures—but the key figures of the Ancestral Court were all missing!
"How did they get lost?"
Qin Mu's voice was hoarse: "Did they go out at night?"
Long Qilin quickly shook his head: "They weren't as bold as you, Cult Leader. They didn't dare go out at night. It was Shu Jun who tempted them, saying he had a way to enter the reverse side of the Ancestral Court to capture the beasts there—the ancient giant beasts there were even stronger. So they all ran off to the northern side of the Ancestral Court..."
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they hadn't gone out at night, there was still hope. Then he said coldly: "Shu Jun doesn't know reverse summoning. I never taught him that technique. In this world, besides me, the only ones who know reverse summoning are Lang Huan Divine King and you!"
Long Qilin hung his big head low and whispered: "Shu Jun said he wanted to go to the reverse side of the Ancestral Court, where the world's most powerful giant beast, Dragon Xiao, lived. But they didn't know how to get there. I like to show off, so I taught him..."
Qin Mu's vision went dark. He steadied himself.
The most learned person in this world, besides himself, was Long Qilin.
——Zhai Zhu is on the high-speed rail, heading straight to Nanjing to participate in the Jiangsu Influence Summit's online literature segment... He won't return until tomorrow, but he'll do his best to keep writing, striving not to miss an update!