Chapter 1505: The Dao Inquiry
As soon as Mu Qing retreated onto the small boat, the ten Heavenly Honored Ones immediately spotted him. Each silently lamented, "This scoundrel is cunning!"
"Mu Heavenly Honored One, since you are here, why must you leave?"
Xiao Heavenly Honored One's voice rang out. Mu Qing's feet landed on the small boat, and only then did he feel at ease. He chuckled, "I see you all like wolves and tigers, surrounding a beautiful young woman. My heart is uneasy, yet I have no desire to act chivalrously, so I had no choice but to retreat."
Ancestral God King snorted, "A beautiful young woman? The Imperial Emperor can be considered a beautiful young woman? What a joke!"
"Patricidal wretch, are you even worthy of commenting on the Imperial Emperor?" Mu Qing roared back angrily.
Qiang Heavenly Consort couldn't help but feel a trace of goodwill toward Mu Qing, thinking to herself, "This bastard actually speaks up for me for once... Bah! This scoundrel is just muddying the waters!"
Ancestral God King was furious, but suddenly burst into laughter: "Heavenly Lord? Mu Heavenly Honored One, don't forget, it was you who ordered the campaign against the Heavenly Lord before the world! Besides, I am the Heavenly Lord now! Who dares to criticize me? Do they not fear living without seeing the sun? Offend me, and I will cut off the sunlight and starlight of the entire world!"
Mu Qing smiled, "Ancestral Heavenly Lord is truly magnanimous, unlike the Heavenly Lord who is petty and narrow-minded. Who says Qiang Heavenly Consort is the Imperial Emperor?"
He shifted the topic, indignantly saying, "Even the Ten Heavenly Honored Ones must have evidence when killing someone, right? Especially a Heavenly Honored One who has rendered service to the world! Qiang Heavenly Consort is the Heavenly Emperor's consort and a Heavenly Honored One. Without solid evidence, you want to kill her—it makes no sense in reason or emotion!"
Qiang Heavenly Consort cast a glance at him, thinking, "When did this scoundrel start speaking so pleasantly?"
Gong Heavenly Honored One suddenly spoke, "Could it be that Mu Heavenly Honored One feels sympathy for his own kind? Are you afraid that after we eliminate the Imperial Emperor, we will turn around and eliminate you as well?"
She hit the nail on the head, exposing Mu Qing's true thoughts. He was indeed worried that after they dealt with Qiang Heavenly Consort, they would turn on him, which was why he spoke in her defense.
Defending Qiang Heavenly Consort was defending himself.
If the Ten Heavenly Honored Ones could tolerate the Imperial Emperor, then tolerating a mere Mu Heavenly Honored One would be no big deal.
Hao Heavenly Honored One said calmly, "Mu Heavenly Honored One, I'm afraid you've guessed wrong. Blocking Qiang Heavenly Consort is to make her lead the way and explore the mysteries of this Jade Capital City, not to kill her."
Mu Qing's heart tightened as he understood his meaning.
Hao Heavenly Honored One, Xiao Heavenly Honored One, and the others had split into two groups, each entering the Chaotic Long River, trying to reach the other side, but they all lost their way in this great river.
They must have encountered Qiang Heavenly Consort by chance and followed her here.
Their purpose in surrounding Qiang Heavenly Consort was naturally not to kill her, but because they saw another Chaotic Long River blocking the path ahead, so they stopped her to force her to lead the way!
Sure enough, Xiao Heavenly Honored One said with a half-smile, "Qiang Heavenly Consort colluded with the powerful beings of the past universe, deserving death. However, she still has her uses. We need her help to cross this Chaotic Long River and explore the secrets of this Jade Capital City, to save the people of the world from disaster."
"Chasing a fox and ending up covered in its stench." Mu Qing secretly regretted.
Shi Qiluo's bearded face broke into a smile, and he stuck out his tongue at Mu Qing, who ignored him, thinking, "I've taken a hit this time, but not too badly. As long as I retreat into the Chaotic Long River, they can't do anything to me..."
Fire Heavenly Honored One sneered, "Mu Heavenly Honored One, by defending Qiang Heavenly Consort, are you also colluding with the enlightened beings of the past universe? I've long known you were this ungrateful, backstabbing scoundrel. I only regret not seeing through your true face earlier and eliminating you!"
Mu Qing smiled faintly, and the small boat beneath his feet began to drift backward.
Suddenly, Hao Heavenly Honored One said calmly, "Brother Fire, there's no need to say that. Mu Heavenly Honored One is, after all, the leader of the Heavenly Alliance. How could he betray the Heavenly Alliance? Betray the people of the world? Wouldn't that be betraying himself? Betraying the Heavenly Alliance he himself founded?"
Mu Qing was taken aback, not expecting Hao Heavenly Honored One to speak up for him.
Fire Heavenly Honored One hadn't expected this either, slightly bowing, "Senior Brother's lesson is well taken."
Hao Heavenly Honored One said warmly, "Mu Heavenly Honored One, your ability to come here shows your strength has made great progress. The Ten Heavenly Honored Ones have spent a long time breaking into the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City. One more person means one more strength. Since you are our leader, please lead us in exploring this Jade Capital City."
Mu Qing hesitated.
Suddenly, Hao Heavenly Honored One shouted in Dao language, "Mu Heavenly Honored One, will you betray yourself and betray the Heavenly Alliance?"
This sudden shout struck directly into Mu Qing's Dao heart, forming a Dao inquiry within it!
In that instant, Mu Qing's Dao heart roared and trembled, as if all the great Daos he had cultivated within him were questioning him simultaneously, pointing straight at his Dao heart!
Mu Qing was astonished, raising his head to look at Hao Heavenly Honored One as if seeing him for the first time.
Few could communicate in Dao language; it required a profound understanding of the Dao. The Five Supremes of Primordial Chaos communicated in Dao language, but that was the innate talent of Taiyi, Taichu, and others. The Kai Emperor had cultivated to the thirty-fifth level of the Sword Dao and could now communicate in Dao language.
Mu Qing's ability to use Dao language relied on his own high level of Dao realm cultivation and his study of the Five Supremes' great Daos.
Hao Heavenly Honored One's sudden Dao language shout formed a Dao inquiry in his Dao heart, directly targeting it, forcing him not to refuse.
If Mu Qing refused, he would violate his own Dao heart, causing significant damage to it, possibly even leading to self-doubt.
Self-doubt and self-questioning were extremely dangerous for cultivators, especially those who had achieved something in the Dao realm.
On the path of cultivation, self-doubt would lead to regression instead of progress. If Mu Qing refused to accompany them, his cultivation would likely decline from then on, and the various Daos he had cultivated would gradually detach from him, causing him to lose his strength!
This was the Dao Inquiry divine ability!
The Dao Inquiry divine ability had a similar effect to the Nine Abyss Lock Heart Dao Longevity, but it was not as strange as Mu Qing's technique. If Mu Qing had been prepared, he wouldn't have been struck in the Dao heart by Hao Heavenly Honored One's Dao Inquiry.
But the key was that he wasn't prepared!
"Is there really a powerful being from the past universe guiding Hao Heavenly Honored One behind the scenes, or did he comprehend this step on his own?"
Mu Qing's gaze shifted from Hao Heavenly Honored One's face, and he smiled slightly, stepping onto the shore: "If it's the latter, then I've underestimated him. His talent, aptitude, and insight are certainly not inferior to the Kai Emperor!"
As his feet touched solid ground, the turmoil and waves stirred up by the Dao Inquiry divine ability in his Dao heart slowly subsided.
Behind him, the small boat flew up, arcing over Mu Qing's head and landing in front of him. Mu Qing raised his hand, and the small boat turned into a walking stick, which he caught by the handle.
"Hao Heavenly Honored One's lesson is well taken."
Mu Qing's expression was calm, and he smiled, "In that case, as the leader of the Heavenly Alliance, I will lead you all in exploring this dangerous place."
The Ten Heavenly Honored Ones' gazes fell on the walking stick in his hand. Ancestral God King, Langxuan, and the others exclaimed, "It's you!"
Mu Qing was momentarily stunned, following their gaze to the walking stick, and immediately knew what they were surprised about. He chuckled, "It's not me. I just borrowed his walking stick for use. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to cross this Chaotic Long River."
Ancestral God King, Langxuan, Qiang Heavenly Consort, and Xiao Heavenly Honored One had besieged the Imperial Emperor, breaking into the thirty-fifth layer of void and reducing the Imperial Emperor's true body to just a head. Later, Mu Qing was cornered by the four Heavenly Honored Ones on the Chaotic Sea of the Ancestral Court.
At that time, this walking stick suddenly rose from the sea, striking out and sending all four Heavenly Honored Ones flying, forcing them to retreat!
Earlier, the walking stick had been in the form of a strangely shaped boat, so they hadn't recognized it. Now that it had returned to its original form, the four Heavenly Honored Ones immediately recalled that humiliating incident and were filled with caution.
Xiao Heavenly Honored One said politely, "Mu Heavenly Honored One, is that senior brother well?"
Mu Qing sighed emotionally, "Very well. He has been in my sacred land, eating and drinking well, like an ancestor. When I left this time, he told me there were many bad people outside and made me take his walking stick for self-defense. I said, how could there be bad people in this world? And then I ran into them..."
He swept his gaze deeply over the Ten Heavenly Honored Ones.
Xiao Heavenly Honored One was unfazed, smiling, "That senior brother is immensely powerful, an enlightened being with no distinction between good and evil in his heart. Mu Heavenly Honored One, please don't joke. If he had a sense of good and evil, the current universe and world would no longer be as they are. Since he is a guest at Black Mountain, after this matter is settled, may I visit him?"
Mu Qing's heart tightened again, secretly lamenting.
Now, where could he find a Taiyi to impersonate?
But if he refused, he would reveal his weakness, and the old foxes like Xiao Heavenly Honored One would see through him.
"Whether the old senior brother will see you is not for me to decide."
Mu Qing hesitated for a moment, then said, "Xiao Heavenly Honored One is also his Dao friend, after all, the Taichu Heavenly Emperor. I must give you this face. Rest assured, after I return, I will put in a good word for you with the old senior brother..."
Just as he said this, the two Taiji Ancient Gods behind Yan Heavenly Consort exchanged glances. The male Ancient God said, "Mu Heavenly Honored One, can you also put in a good word for us siblings? We also wish to meet that senior brother!"
Hao Heavenly Honored One and the others were greatly shaken, looking at the walking stick in Mu Qing's hand, puzzled: "Who exactly is this senior brother? Even the Taiji Ancient Gods seek an audience with him?"
Mu Qing said with difficulty, "It's not that I don't want to give you two face, but that old senior brother isn't someone just anyone can see... Alright, alright, you two are also my acquaintances, our friendship is like iron. I'll swallow my pride and speak for you..."
Suddenly, from behind Hao Heavenly Honored One, Taisu's voice came, indifferent: "Mu Heavenly Honored One, if you can introduce me, I can spare your life."
Mu Qing looked behind Hao Heavenly Honored One, seeing Taisu transform into a great cauldron, then a divine sword, then a great bell, various forms of treasures shifting, then turning into Bai Qiu'er, then into Lang Wan, then into Ling Yuxiu, and then back into a treasure form.
Taisu sensed his various thoughts and was furious: "This fellow is a robe spirit, isn't he? His thoughts are so chaotic and messy, daydreaming without the demeanor of an enlightened being!"
Mu Qing beamed, "Since Taisu Dao friend has the intention to turn hostility into friendship, how could I not oblige? After this matter is settled, I'll go ask him. As for whether he will see you, I dare not make any promises."
"So she's called Taisu!" The other Heavenly Honored Ones looked behind Hao Heavenly Honored One, each seeing something different, reflecting their own thoughts.
Taisu snorted coldly, "I am not turning hostility into friendship with you. You caused me to be born prematurely. Even if you introduce me, I won't let you off easily. I'm just sparing your life."
Mu Qing didn't mind, leaning on his walking stick as he came to the edge of the second Chaotic Long River, secretly troubled: "Who can I find to impersonate Taiyi? Lan Yutian won't work, the Kai Emperor won't either... Maybe I'll just shamelessly impersonate Taiyi myself, then take advantage of Taisu's unpreparedness to finish off this little girl..."
——Tomorrow is the weekend, and Zhai Zhu can finally sleep in, no need to get up early to take his daughter to school. These past few days, he's been waking up at five or six in the morning, exhausted.