Chapter 1435: Emperor Yi Yue’s Father (Second Update)
Tianfang was the eleventh Heavenly Dao among the forty-nine Heavenly Daos, and Tianfang City was one of the forty-nine Divine Cities of Xuandu. It gathered immense power, with the aura of the Heavenly Dao being the most intense there.
By the time they arrived at Tianfang City, they saw the Heavenly Dao empowering the entire divine city. Above the city, it had condensed so densely that it had taken physical form. Countless Sun Guardians, Moon Guardians, and Star Lords had gathered there.
The divine city was surrounded and protected by tens of thousands of suns, moons, and stars, floating as if at the center of a vast galaxy. Its light was dazzling and brilliant, almost impossible to look at directly!
At that moment, Tianfang City was under siege by the army of Ancestral God King, led by the Great Sun Star Lord Dan Fenglai, one of his subordinates. Countless Golden Crows dragged sun after sun, and from those suns flew out innumerable Fire Crow troops, attacking Tianfang City.
However, faced with the fortress-like defenses of Tianfang City, Dan Fenglai was utterly unable to break through.
Dan Fenglai had once been responsible for mapping the Heavenly Dao and surveying the Heavenly Duke in Xuandu. But the Heavenly Duke had indulged Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign, sweeping away all the forces the Heavenly Court had left in Xuandu. Millions of his personal guards, all gods and demons, had died at the hands of Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign. The army he now commanded was a newly assembled one, composed of Golden Crow deities conscripted from the myriad realms, far inferior to his original personal guard.
He was a being at the Imperial Throne realm, leading from the front, charging into battle.
When Qin Mu and the others arrived, the battle was at its most intense. Just as Dan Fenglai seemed about to break into the divine city, suddenly the Heavenly Dao within the city trembled. A group of Sun Guardians, Moon Guardians, and Star Lords shouted in unison, their magical powers linked. The Heavenly Dao in the sky condensed into a single Heavenly Seal, which crashed down with a thunderous roar!
Before the Heavenly Seal had even fully descended, Dan Fenglai’s eyes twitched violently. His body suddenly felt as if it were bound by chains of the Heavenly Dao, unable to move. Boundless pressure bore down from above. Before the Heavenly Seal even reached his head, his bones cracked and popped, his skin burst open, and his divine blood evaporated!
Dan Fenglai shrieked repeatedly, then suddenly shook his form, transforming into a Fire Phoenix. Three Heavenly Palaces soared up from him. His primordial spirit and magical power were unleashed to their fullest, dragging the perfected suns he had refined to meet the Heavenly Seal. Nine perfected suns, like nine stars in a line, struck the Heavenly Seal in succession. The violent explosions lifted the Heavenly Seal slightly, and then the Fire Phoenix flapped its wings and fled.
Boom!
The Heavenly Seal crushed the nine perfected suns and slammed down. On the battlefield, severed limbs and broken arms flew everywhere. Countless divine soldiers and generals under Dan Fenglai had their physical bodies and primordial spirits shattered into pieces. Countless limbs flew through the air, then were turned to ash by the scorching hurricane!
The shockwave from this impact reached Qin Mu and the others, throwing them off balance. Even their tower ship couldn’t get close to Tianfang City.
After the impact of the Heavenly Seal had passed, suddenly a Heavenly Well appeared on the battlefield. This well was different from ordinary wells. Its upper end connected to the sky, and its lower end reached the ground. Its body was like that of a dragon.
As soon as the Heavenly Well appeared on the battlefield, the entire well acted like a devouring monster, inhaling Dan Fenglai’s army. Countless divine soldiers and generals flailed in the air, trying to grab onto something, but they caught nothing. They were all sucked into the well, turning to dust.
“Isn’t the power of the Heavenly Dao a bit too strong?” Tian Shu murmured.
Dan Fenglai, having suffered defeat, immediately sounded the retreat. He called out to his broken and scattered troops, and they fled in a frenzy. From within Tianfang City, countless burly Sun Guardians charged out, pursuing them closely.
Qin Mu waited outside the battlefield for a short while, then started the ship and sailed toward Tianfang City.
The defenders in Tianfang City sensed the aura of the Heavenly Dao emanating from them and did not block their way. They opened the city gates and let them enter.
As soon as they were inside the city, they heard someone shouting, “Shoot the villain! Shoot the villain!”
Qin Mu followed the sound and saw that the children, presumably the children of the Sun Guardians and Moon Guardians of Xuandu, were carrying bows and shooting arrows at several straw men.
Among those straw men, one was Ancestral God King, another was Fire Heavenly Venerate, and the third was Qin Mu.
One of the children shot several arrows in a row and cheered, “I hit Qin Mu, the little villain!”
“I hit him too!”
The other children who hadn’t hit Qin Mu’s straw man went up and spat on it several times.
Qin Mu was silent. He touched the black cloth on his face.
The Butcher came to his side, patted him on the shoulder, and said in a deep voice, “Not everyone can understand what you’ve done.”
“I know. They’re just children. What do I have to fear?”
Qin Mu let out a snort of disdain, stepped forward, and walked into the city. “I’ve borne enough slander. I don’t care about a little more.”
The Butcher watched his back, shook his head, and followed his steps.
Tian Shu pulled down his black cloth and said, “The Xuandu leader guarding Tianfang City, I might know him. He’s most likely Emperor Yi Yue’s father, Emperor Qing. He’s said to be a descendant of the Heavenly Duke. Back in the Kaicheng era, he was the Sun Guardian of the Yuan Realm. He descended to the mortal world on the orders of the Heavenly Duke to help the Kaicheng Emperor. Later, Emperor Yi Yue was born, showing astonishing talent. He entrusted Emperor Yi Yue to the Kaicheng Emperor. You are one, the Mu Heavenly Venerate; two, from the Heavenly Court’s Lingxiu Army; and one is the Mu Heavenly Venerate’s teacher. None of you should show your faces easily. I have a past connection with him. Come with me to see him.”
The others agreed and followed his steps.
“I heard that Emperor Qing and Emperor Yi Yue don’t have a good relationship.” Luo Wushuang suddenly spoke.
Tian Shu said, “That’s old news. Emperor Yi Yue’s mother was a human, and Emperor Qing was a god, with the bloodline of the Heavenly Duke. After she became pregnant, Emperor Qing abandoned her. Later, she gave birth to Emperor Yi Yue, and the two of them depended on each other. But her mother’s life was bitter; she was plagued by illness and died. Emperor Yi Yue met Emperor Qing by chance, and Emperor Qing recognized her as his child. Only then did he take her in. But he also felt that having a child with a human was a stain on his record, so he gave her to the Kaicheng Emperor. Originally, he intended her to be the Kaicheng Emperor’s child bride…”
He was one of the Heavenly Kings under the Kaicheng Emperor. When he came to seek out Emperor Qing, it caused quite a stir. His arrival represented the Kaicheng Emperor’s stance. Emperor Qing hastily led the many garrison commanders of Tianfang City to meet him.
“When the Kaicheng Emperor saw Emperor Yi Yue’s talent, he was astounded and sent her to study in various places. Because of this, Emperor Yi Yue harbored a deep hatred for Emperor Qing. She never spoke to him when they met. Later, when the Kaicheng Tribulation broke out, Emperor Qing directly abandoned the Kaicheng Emperor and left, which made Emperor Yi Yue despise him even more…”
When Tian Shu saw Emperor Qing and the others approaching, he quickly stopped talking and laughed heartily. “Brother Emperor Qing! It’s been so long!”
Emperor Qing was tall and sturdy, with white hair and silver eyes, bearing some of the Heavenly Duke’s unusual features. He laughed heartily and said, “The Kaicheng Emperor hasn’t forgotten our past friendship. Sending you here puts my mind at ease!”
The two hugged each other firmly. Emperor Qing laughed, “Now that the Heavenly Dao is flourishing and protecting Xuandu, even if you hadn’t come, the Heavenly Court couldn’t harm Xuandu in the slightest! Your arrival is good; you can share in some of the credit!” He laughed again.
Qin Mu and the others frowned but said nothing.
Tian Shu’s expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, “On the way here, I saw the Four Emperor Artifacts being transported. Besides the Four Emperor Artifacts, there are also the Imperial Heavenly Venerate Artifact and the Dao Fire Ancestral Land. Tianfang City simply can’t withstand them! Moreover, six of the Ten Heavenly Venerates are on their way. Before a Heavenly Venerate, Tianfang City is like an egg; one touch and it breaks!”
“Nonsense and scare tactics.”
Emperor Qing shook his head and said, “Tian Shu, have you come to help or to spread rumors and cause panic? My Tianfang City is empowered by the Heavenly Dao, unbreakable. Even if the Ten Heavenly Venerates came to attack, they couldn’t breach this Heavenly Dao Divine City! We have a past connection, so I won’t hold this against you. Has my daughter come?”
Tian Shu shook his head.
Emperor Qing sneered coldly, “Another heartless and ungrateful one.”