Chapter 1510: Kicking a Hard Stone
As soon as his words fell, the divine consciousness of Palace Celestial Venerable transformed into a voice, sounding beside them: "God King, rest assured. I will not seek them out alone. I have already rendezvoused with Void Celestial Venerable. With Void here, there is little danger. Moreover, even if I do go after Qiangtian Consort and Mu Celestial Venerable, Qiangtian Consort will not make a move against me. Mu Celestial Venerable alone cannot harm me."
Ancestral God King's heart stirred slightly. Palace Celestial Venerable was a cautious person. If she joined forces with Void Celestial Venerable, then Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort would be unable to do anything to them.
Her divine consciousness was connected to the Dao tree beneath Hao Celestial Venerable's feet, keeping her constantly aware of everyone's movements. At the same time, her consciousness searched for the whereabouts of Qiangtian Consort and Qin Mu, allowing her to advance or retreat as needed.
Within the chaos qi, Qin Mu and Little Boat were pulled rapidly backward by Qiangtian Consort's divine consciousness. After a moment, Qiangtian Consort's figure landed on the little boat, her expression somewhat displeased.
Qin Mu glanced at her. Qiangtian Consort snorted. Without a word, Qin Mu had directly turned the boat around, using her to face Fire Celestial Venerable's full-force strike, and this incident still rankled her.
"Your Majesty, Fire Celestial Venerable has been crippled by us, and Shi Qiluo doesn't dare show his face."
Qin Mu's face lit up with excitement as he laughed: "Have you noticed that when you and I join forces, we are invincible under heaven? As long as we siblings work together in unity, we can sweep away the other Celestial Venerables!"
Although Qiangtian Consort was somewhat bothered by his use of the term "siblings," she deeply agreed with his words.
Joining forces with this scoundrel Qin Mu was indeed always effective. The two of them coordinated as if they had rehearsed countless times. Whether it was Shi Qiluo or Fire Celestial Venerable, under their combined assault, they had little power to resist.
Qin Mu said: "You know I can see through the chaos mist, as clearly as if it were daylight. Although there are many other Celestial Venerables, as long as we coordinate well, we can break them one by one and clear the obstacles!"
Qiangtian Consort was greatly tempted and smiled: "My blade, plus your sword—blade and sword united, invincible under heaven!"
Qin Mu's spirits soared, and he laughed: "We are not weak. If we join forces, we can bathe this Chaos River in the blood of the Ten Celestial Venerables, ensuring they come but never return! From now on, in this universe, you and I will divide the world equally!"
Qiangtian Consort's eyelid twitched, and she thought to herself: "Divide the world equally? Daydreaming! After I eliminate the Ten Celestial Venerables, I'll get rid of you too, to eliminate future trouble! Your growth rate is far too fast!"
Qin Mu opened his vertical eye on his forehead, looking around, and urged the little boat forward, saying: "I've encountered another Celestial Venerable alone! Your Majesty, it's time for us to display our might!"
Ahead, layers of chaos mist thickened. Qiangtian Consort stood at the stern of the little boat, straining to look forward. After a moment, a Dao tree appeared in her line of sight.
On that Dao tree, Xiao Celestial Venerable stood with his hands behind his back, letting the strange winds within the chaos mist howl and blow against his robes.
Qiangtian Consort's heart leaped, and her expression changed slightly.
Qin Mu, however, was full of confidence and laughed: "Xiao Celestial Venerable, what a coincidence to meet you here."
Xiao Celestial Venerable looked at them, smiled faintly, and said leisurely: "Mu Celestial Venerable seems quite pleased with yourself? After joining forces with the Imperial Emperor to defeat a few Celestial Venerables, you've grown complacent. It seems you still haven't suffered enough setbacks. I must also thank you, along with Moon Celestial Venerable and Nether Celestial Venerable, for exiling me. If you hadn't exiled me, I would hardly have achieved what I have today."
His demeanor was elegant and calm, even in the face of Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort.
Qin Mu slowly drew his Calamity Sword and said darkly: "Your Majesty has turned misfortune into fortune, and your cultivation and strength have improved. Truly, it is a cause for celebration. But Your Majesty's luck is truly poor, running into us again. Your Majesty, your godfather, the Imperial Emperor, is here. The Imperial Emperor and I are sworn brothers. By seniority, you should call me uncle..."
Xiao Celestial Venerable chuckled: "Speaking of which, the three of us once swore brotherhood and became sworn brothers. Mu Celestial Venerable, you won't gain any advantage over me."
He was referring to the early Long Han era, when the three of them, along with the creator Luo Xiao, had sworn brotherhood. At that time, the Imperial Emperor, borrowing the life of Da Hong, took the position of eldest brother. The reincarnated body of Celestial Emperor Tai Chu, Gu Xiao, was the second brother. Luo Xiao was the third, and Qin Mu, being the youngest, was the fourth, called the youngest or little brother.
Qin Mu laughed heartily: "Third brother Luo Xiao has been dead for a million years, still waiting for us to join him down below! Last time I met him, he was still angry, saying we broke our promise—sworn to die in the same year, same month, same day—yet he died, and we never went to see him. I said I would send big brother and second brother down to accompany him, and only then did his anger turn to joy. Since then, I've kept it in mind, always thinking of sending my two elder brothers on their way."
Qiangtian Consort fumed: "That oath of brotherhood doesn't count!"
Xiao Celestial Venerable's gaze fell on her, and he said: "Little brother still has his uses. I still need to borrow little brother's face to meet Dao brother Tai Yi. But big brother is useless. It's better to send big brother to see third brother first."
Qiangtian Consort snorted, urged her two God-Slaying Mysterious Blades, and said flatly: "You want to see Tai Yi, so you'll spare little brother's life. But little brother and I have no reason to spare yours. When we strike, you will be restrained and will fall into our hands, us two brothers!"
The two of them kept calling him "little brother," which made Qin Mu very uncomfortable.
"Little brother" sounded like "demon emperor," and he always felt they were using it to insult him.
Xiao Celestial Venerable chuckled: "You really won't cry until you see the coffin. Back in the battle at the Ten Thousand Li Peach Forest, I could already match Moon Celestial Venerable, Nether Celestial Venerable, and Earth Lord. Now my strength is even greater. Even if you two join forces, or add one or two more Celestial Venerables, what do I have to fear?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qiangtian Consort attacked before Qin Mu could, her two God-Slaying Mysterious Blades howling as they slashed toward Xiao Celestial Venerable on the Dao tree. She shouted: "Little brother, I'll handle him! You take the chance to cut down his Dao tree!"
Qin Mu's sword light flashed as he charged straight for the Dao tree!
Xiao Celestial Venerable laughed heartily. Behind him, a heavenly court emerged, perfectly integrated, forming a Great Heavenly Court composed of thirty-five heavenly palaces. Then, various halls appeared throughout the Great Heavenly Court, causing his aura to surge again and again!
Seeing this, Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort were horrified. The number of halls in Xiao Celestial Venerable's heavenly court was more than a dozen greater than Fire Celestial Venerable's!
These thirty-seven halls settled down, and then another heavenly palace rose up, joining the Great Heavenly Court.
Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort's hair stood on end, and they exclaimed in unison: "Great Heavenly Court!"
Xiao Celestial Venerable's aura exploded. He flicked his fingers twice, and the two blood-fiend evil dragons let out mournful cries, sent flying by his two fingers, unable to get close!
Qin Mu's Calamity Sword reached the base of the tree. Xiao Celestial Venerable smiled faintly, raised his hand, and pressed down slowly. Qin Mu immediately felt his control over the Calamity Sword's power nearly slip away, and the sword uncontrollably plunged into the Chaos River.
Xiao Celestial Venerable stepped on his Dao tree, which actually lifted off the Chaos River and soared through the air, landing above the little boat with a roar.
Qin Mu's expression changed drastically. A sword light rose from the river, exploding like spring blossoms. The sword light split into two, then four, then eight. By the time it met Xiao Celestial Venerable, it had become a sky full of sword light!
On the other side, Qiangtian Consort controlled her two God-Slaying Mysterious Blades, slashing toward Xiao Celestial Venerable from behind!
Both of them possessed Celestial Venerable-level combat power. With their full strength, even an existence like Fire Celestial Venerable would be severely wounded!
But Xiao Celestial Venerable laughed heartily. The Dao tree beneath his feet seemed to come alive suddenly, its thousands of branches and countless tendrils blocking Qin Mu's sword lights one by one. Then, his two fingers tapped the God-Slaying Mysterious Blades. Those two divine blades could not even cut through his fingers; instead, their power was drained, neutralized by the Tai Chu Dao hidden in his fingers!
The Dao tree pressed down on the little boat, and both Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort coughed up blood!
The power of that complete heavenly court was simply too overwhelming—so strong that even their combined strength could not match it!
Qin Mu gritted his teeth, raised the teaching whip of Yuan Sheng, and lashed it toward Xiao Celestial Venerable's forehead!
Xiao Celestial Venerable reached out to grab it, but failed to catch the whip. The strike hit his body, causing his mind to falter for just a moment.
By the time he regained his senses, Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort had already urged the little boat away, their figures disappearing into the chaos mist.
"Do you think you can escape?"
Xiao Celestial Venerable's divine consciousness erupted, attacking the two. Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort each activated their divine consciousness, blocking his mental assault entirely. But in that brief instant, Xiao Celestial Venerable had already closed in, laughing: "The true Tai Chu Dao combines divine consciousness and primordial one qi. I was born to be the master of Tai Chu Dao. Let me show you."
He struck out with a palm, and ten thousand Daos resonated. Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort, one urging the Calamity Sword, the other the God-Slaying Mysterious Blades, met his palm strike.
Boom—
The Chaos River shook violently. Blood sprayed from the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth of Qin Mu and Qiangtian Consort. The little boat nearly capsized from the intense shock!
"His heavenly court hasn't reached true perfection! The seventy-two halls are incomplete!"
Qin Mu forced a breath, desperately driving the Calamity Sword to resist Xiao Celestial Venerable's follow-up attacks, shouting: "He can't stay in this heavenly court realm for long!"
Qiangtian Consort also fought with all her might. Under Xiao Celestial Venerable's terrifyingly powerful techniques, their bones were nearly crushed, their skin burst open, and their bodies were battered and torn, a miserable sight.
They didn't even have a chance to escape!
Finally, Xiao Celestial Venerable's cultivation suddenly dropped by a notch.
"Counterattack!" Qin Mu rejoiced.
"Counterattack your head!"
Qiangtian Consort was furious. Her two baleful qi divine blades pressed against both sides of Qin Mu's neck. Qin Mu activated his Overlord Body Three Dan Art, steering the little boat away with a roar.
Xiao Celestial Venerable rode his Dao tree onto the river, urging it in pursuit, but the little boat was extremely fast, quickly leaving him far behind.
"Without the seventy-two halls, I still can't stay in the heavenly court realm for long." Xiao Celestial Venerable sighed, continuing to lock onto Qiangtian Consort and Qin Mu with his divine consciousness, pursuing them at a leisurely pace.
On the little boat, Qin Mu activated his Creation Mysterious Art to quickly repair his body. Qiangtian Consort also put away her two divine blades, visualizing her body to avoid leaving wounds.
The two exchanged glances, both still shaken.
"I see Langxuan God King!"
Suddenly, Qin Mu's eyes lit up. His vertical eye looked into the distance, and he said happily: "Langxuan must be a soft persimmon, easy to squeeze! Let's go take him out!"
Qiangtian Consort was furious beyond measure. She grabbed her two divine blades, pointed them at Qin Mu, and snarled: "Mu Celestial Venerable, that's enough! I originally thought your bad ideas were only meant to screw me over, but I didn't expect your bad ideas would screw you over too! We're in the same boat here. If you keep stirring things up, this little boat could capsize at any moment! If you keep it up, I'll chop you to death!"
Qin Mu carefully pushed the divine blades aside and laughed: "Langxuan God King is definitely not as strong as Xiao Celestial Venerable. He's an honest man. I'm very skilled at ambushing him..."
Qiangtian Consort's blades didn't budge.
—The doctor said to rest more and exercise, but the test results won't be available for a few more days.