Chapter 1463: If You Do Not Betray Me, I Will Not Betray You
“I must also return to the Other Shore Void. Celestial Venerable Mu, see me off.” Lang Huan Divine King said softly.
Qin Mu hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
The two walked across the Heavenly Sea. The surface was very calm, only ripples spreading out where their feet fell.
Lan Yutian did not follow. Instead, he sat down. He sensed that this Heavenly Sea contained wondrous great dao, so he planned to quietly comprehend it first.
“You prevented me from meeting with Celestial Venerable Gong in Celestial Venerable Gong’s presence,” Lang Huan Divine King suddenly said.
A wave involuntarily rose beneath Qin Mu’s feet, surging into the distance. Lang Huan Divine King watched this wave, which towered above the other ripples, and sighed softly: “Just as I thought. During the Xuan Du battle, you repeatedly placed yourself between me and Celestial Venerable Gong. I found it somewhat strange, hence this guess. What are you worried about, Celestial Venerable Mu?”
She had always called Qin Mu “Holy Infant” before, but since the Xuan Du battle, she had changed her address to “Celestial Venerable Mu.”
Holy Infant represented the Holy Infant of the Creator race, while Celestial Venerable Mu represented Qin Mu’s lofty status and position, a form of respect.
Qin Mu did not deny it. This Heavenly Sea was too marvelous; even if he denied it, the fluctuations in his dao heart would be revealed by the sea.
“I am worried that after you come into contact with Celestial Venerable Gong, she will persuade you to betray our alliance.”
Qin Mu laid his thoughts bare, saying: “The Xuan Du battle was extremely important. If you betrayed our alliance, it would cause us heavy losses, something I cannot tolerate. Therefore, I asked the Opening Emperor to strike and severely wound Celestial Venerable Gong. But I did not expect Tai Su to heal her injuries, and she still appeared in Xuan Du. So when you met her, I had no choice but to obstruct.”
Lang Huan Divine King looked at him sideways, her skin like warm suet jade. She smiled softly: “When has Celestial Venerable Mu been so lacking in confidence? Do you think that if I come into contact with Celestial Venerable Gong, I will defect to her, defect to the Ten Celestial Venerables, and become one of them? Do you believe your own charm is inferior to theirs?”
Qin Mu’s face flushed slightly, and the ripples beneath his feet fluttered like butterfly wings.
“In my heart, Celestial Venerable Mu, who establishes dao through divine abilities, is beyond the reach of the Ten Celestial Venerables of the Heavenly Court. Xiao Celestial Venerable is Tai Chu, the great enemy of my Creator race. Qiang Tianfei is Tai Di, also bearing a blood feud. Hong Celestial Venerable is dead. Lang, Zu, Huo, and Xu have too narrow a vision; they can barely save themselves, let alone protect me.”
Lang Huan Divine King spoke unhurriedly: “Yan Tianfei and Shi Qiluo are entangled in deep grudges that never end, a complete mess. How could they even settle their own conflicts, let alone have me rely on them? As for Celestial Venerable Gong…”
She smiled faintly: “Celestial Venerable Gong’s life has been one of failure, relying on men to achieve things while lacking real ability herself. First she borrowed Tai Di’s power, then Tai Chu’s, and now she wants to borrow Hao Tian’s. Yet she always schemes and scrapes by, never amounting to much. If you think a few words from her could make me bow my head and entrust the future of the Creators to her, then you underestimate yourself and also underestimate my, Lang Huan’s, judgment.”
Qin Mu smiled slightly: “I was wrong.”
Although Lang Huan Divine King remained in absolute rationality, being with her was both pleasing to the heart and the eye. No matter what one discussed with her, it was always an enjoyable experience.
“You should have let me meet Celestial Venerable Gong. Perhaps if I talked with her, instead of her persuading me, I might have persuaded her instead. That possibility is not out of the question,” the girl said with a smile.
Qin Mu laughed heartily: “Indeed, that is possible. I was too anxious about gains and losses.”
Lang Huan Divine King caught the meaning in his words but did not point it out. She said: “Now that you have resolved your inner knot, I can rest assured. Back then, you and I captured Tai Di’s divine consciousness and split it into three parts, one each for you, me, and Shu Jun. You haven’t used your share yet, have you?”
Qin Mu was slightly startled.
Lang Huan Divine King looked into his eyes and said: “My path of cultivation has reached its peak, with little hope of further progress. If you have no use for Tai Di’s divine consciousness, can I exchange this favor I’ve done for you to obtain that treasure?”
Qin Mu shook his head: “Divine King, you have already used Tai Di’s divine consciousness once. Using it again will make your future path to enlightenment even more difficult! The reason Tai Di could not become invincible, could not refine his divine consciousness into a true dao fruit, is because he relied on sacrificial power to forcibly stack his divine consciousness cultivation to the point of imprinting on the ultimate void. Giving you Tai Di’s divine consciousness would be harming you.”
Lang Huan Divine King smiled serenely, her demeanor graceful: “Do you think I still have room for improvement? My cultivation talent has brought me this far, and I have reached my limit. For beings like you and the Opening Emperor Qin Ye, there is still a road ahead, but for me, there is no road left. Therefore, I must try any means possible.”
Her eyes were as bright as stars and moons, and she said softly: “Your cultivation and strength are advancing rapidly, and the Opening Emperor is even more astonishing. In the past, I could keep pace with him, but now I am far from his equal. In the future, you will catch up to me and surpass me. My usefulness to you will grow less and less, and I will fade into the background.”
Qin Mu opened his mouth but said nothing.
Lang Huan Divine King continued: “Celestial Venerable Mu, I have spent a million years cultivating to this point. I know my own limits. Give it to me.”
Qin Mu was silent for a moment. The corners of his mouth twitched, and he forced a smile. He took out Tai Di’s divine consciousness and handed it to her.
Lang Huan Divine King accepted the jade bottle and said: “As an ally, I will not hold you back. Do not betray my Creator race.”
Qin Mu nodded solemnly.
Lang Huan Divine King drifted away.
Qin Mu watched her figure disappear into the void before withdrawing his gaze and returning to Lan Yutian’s side.
Lan Yutian was now in a state of enlightenment. Dao resonance emanated from his body, and the Heavenly Sea was calm and peaceful. The heavenly dao had been emptied from Xuan Du, but on the Heavenly Sea, heavenly dao was rising anew.
This was a heavenly dao phenomenon caused by Lan Yutian. At this moment, he was in communion between heaven and man, as sacred and solemn as the former Heavenly Lord.
Qin Mu came to his side. For a moment, he felt a stirring in his heart and unknowingly fell into a state of enlightenment himself.
The two sat and stood on the sea, one above the other. In that moment, the Heavenly Sea and Xuan Du seemed to merge into one.
After an unknown amount of time, Qin Mu awoke from his enlightenment. He clasped his hands behind his back, looked up at the broken sky, and murmured softly: “The vast encompasses the Heavenly Sea, the fine does not neglect grass and trees. Is it merely to enjoy the scenery? It also seeks to express the heart’s essence. This Heavenly Sea’s dao heart is the heart of heavenly dao, and also the heart of human dao.”
His eyes brightened as he looked at Lan Yutian, who had already risen to his feet.
Qin Mu began to walk toward the edge of the Heavenly Sea.
“Let’s go. To the Ten Thousand Sacred Mountains. Let’s see what exactly is inside that Pixin Hall!”