Chapter 1511: The Great Benefactor
Qin Mu sighed inwardly. Although Langxuan Divine Sovereign's abilities were extremely formidable, his prowess had only advanced by leaps and bounds after obtaining the prehistoric Dao Fruit.
That Dao Fruit was quite peculiar, causing Langxuan Divine Sovereign's attainment in the Dao realm to improve rapidly, while his mastery of the Dao heart actually regressed instead of advancing. Therefore, Qin Mu believed that with his and Qiang Tianfei's abilities, they could certainly ambush Langxuan Divine Sovereign.
All they needed to do was target Langxuan's Dao heart, and Langxuan Divine Sovereign would surely be defeated!
However, Qiang Tianfei had become like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring; she had been frightened out of her wits by Xiaotianzun and dared not fight again. Qin Mu had no choice but to accept this.
The two of them stood, one at the bow of the boat and the other sitting at the stern.
Qiang Tianfei occasionally spoke, directing him on where to go. After a short while, they finally sailed out of this expanse of chaotic mist.
Qin Mu secretly regretted it. This chaotic mist was the perfect opportunity to pick off the Ten Heavenly Honored Ones one by one, but unfortunately, Qiang Tianfei was not the Kaixuan. If it had been the Kaixuan, the Ten Heavenly Honored Ones would likely have already suffered heavy casualties.
Traveling through the mist had also brought Qin Mu great benefits. Although it seemed he had wasted some time here, doing nothing other than ambushing a few Heavenly Honored Ones, during this period, the World Tree within his domain had grown a section.
This World Tree had been continuously absorbing the chaotic qi from the Chaotic River, drawing energy from the destruction tribulations of past universes, and had actually begun to grow. This truly delighted him beyond expectations.
However, the tree absorbed very slowly, and its growth rate was not very fast. Strangely enough, after the World Tree absorbed a portion of the chaotic qi from one Chaotic River, it would stop absorbing, and only when it reached the next river would it resume.
Even Qin Mu could not figure out the reason for this, so he simply stopped thinking about it.
"Mu Tianzun hasn't reached the Jade Capital realm yet?" Qiang Tianfei suddenly asked.
Qin Mu nodded and sighed. "My potential is exhausted. I'm afraid I'll never enter the Jade Capital realm in this lifetime."
His expression darkened, and he lamented, "Watching all of you cultivate your Heavenly Palaces, I can't help but feel envious and jealous, yet there's nothing I can do."
Qiang Tianfei sneered. "Without having cultivated the Jade Capital, your strength is already this formidable. If you were to cultivate the Jade Capital, that would be truly terrifying! Mu Tianzun, let's not mince words. Your cultivation base is already there. Even the Jade Capital realm, the Empyrean realm, or the Imperial Throne realm wouldn't be difficult for you! So why haven't you cultivated the Jade Capital realm?"
Qin Mu rarely became serious and said in a deep voice, "Because the Jade Capital, Empyrean, and Imperial Throne realms are all traps!"
Qiang Tianfei's expression shifted, and her voice turned hoarse. "What makes you say that?"
"Every realm of the Heavenly Palace can be found in the Ancestral Court as natural treasures formed by the Dao, including the Execution Platform. But the Jade Capital realm alone was not formed by the Dao; it was created by the master of the Miluo Palace."
Qin Mu said calmly, "The power of the master of the Miluo Palace is unfathomable. He built Jade Capital City, and you, Grand Emperor, visualized that city and replicated it, creating the Jade Capital City of the Heavenly Court. When later generations cultivate the Heavenly Court's Jade Capital City, they fall into the Jade Capital trap."
He explained his thoughts, saying, "The master of the Miluo Palace's goal is likely to use the power of all the gods in the world, using the Jade Capital City they cultivate, to reinforce this Ancestral Court Jade Capital City! Until this city is strong enough to carry him through the destruction tribulation and arrive in the present era!"
He said coldly, "Anyone who cultivates the Jade Capital is merely making wedding clothes for the master of the Miluo Palace, allowing him to descend into the present era sooner! Grand Emperor, from beginning to end, you have only been a pawn of the master of the Miluo Palace! He used you to spread the Jade Capital realm, and now he is using the Ten Heavenly Honored Ones!"
Qiang Tianfei's face changed dramatically.
Qin Mu continued, "As long as the Ten Heavenly Honored Ones cultivate the Jade Capital realm and cultivate the Great Heavenly Court, thereby achieving the Dao, this Jade Capital City will be further reinforced. Perhaps he can then escape from the past universe! This is the Jade Capital trap, a trap to catch all the powerhouses of our universe in one net!"
Qiang Tianfei's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and large beads of sweat dripped down, falling onto the small boat.
Her body stiffened, and she turned her head with difficulty to look at the tattered Dao Fruit near her shoulder.
The woman inside the Dao Fruit was naked, and she suddenly sneered, "The Jade Capital trap? You're overthinking it! How powerful is the master of the Miluo Palace? How compassionate and benevolent? Would he set a trap for you ants? The master of the Miluo Palace's purpose is to save you! To pull you out of ignorance, to awaken your intelligence, to allow you to comprehend the Dao, instead of living in a daze!"
Qin Mu's gaze fell on the woman within the Dao Fruit, and he sneered, "Would the master of the Miluo Palace be so kind? Is he the great benefactor of sixteen cosmic epochs?"
"Far more than a great benefactor!"
The woman in the Dao Fruit spoke with reverence and admiration for the master of the Miluo Palace. "Without him and Jade Capital City, you would still be nothing but big, dumb oafs using Primal Chaos Divine Stones to activate your divine consciousness, never entering an age of civilization!"
Qiang Tianfei's face darkened, displeased by the term "big, dumb oafs."
"It was the master of the Miluo Palace's Jade Capital City that nurtured your civilization!"
The woman in the Dao Fruit continued, "His purpose in building Jade Capital City was not to rule over you, but to save people! He hoped that when your universe was destroyed, he could rescue you from the destruction tribulation! You think this city is a trap, but you don't know that this city was forged using his own Dao and the Dao of thousands of those who achieved the Dao! A trap?"
She sneered, "This city contains his insights into the Dao, as well as the Dao insights of thousands of those who achieved the Dao. If you can cultivate the Jade Capital and comprehend the Dao mysteries hidden within this city, you will be enough to achieve the Dao and survive the destruction tribulation!"
A look of fanaticism appeared in her eyes. "This city will also become stronger and more indestructible because of you. It will carry us through one destruction tribulation after another! If the Jade Capital were truly a trap, why would he pass on his Dao? Why would he let thousands of those who achieved the Dao use their Dao to forge this divine city?"
Qin Mu and Qiang Tianfei were stunned, unable to speak for a long time.
Especially Qin Mu. He had long known about the Jade Capital trap and was firmly convinced that it was a trap left by the master of the Miluo Palace to ensnare the cultivators and gods of this era, helping them descend sooner!
It was precisely because of this preconceived notion that he always viewed the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City with various biases.
But hearing the words of the woman in the Dao Fruit suddenly gave him another perspective, making him doubt the existence of the Jade Capital trap.
Indeed, if the master of the Miluo Palace truly wanted to set a Jade Capital trap, why would he imprint his own Dao on Jade Capital City? Why would he gather the power of thousands of those who achieved the Dao and painstakingly forge this divine city?
Did the Jade Capital trap really exist?
Or was the master of the Miluo Palace always well-intentioned, wanting to ferry people across?
"However, when prehistoric achievers of the Dao sneak into our universe, it causes our universe to age and decay rapidly, and the destruction tribulation of this universe arrives early."
Qin Mu sneered. "How do you explain that?"
The woman in the tattered Dao Fruit shook her head. "That is because other achievers of the Dao do not want to die and are greedy for power. What does that have to do with the master of the Miluo Palace? The master of the Miluo Palace has never tried to set foot in your universe. All he thinks and does is build this divine city. As for the actions of others, they have nothing to do with him."
Her reverence for the master of the Miluo Palace reached an unparalleled level, and her words were filled with respect, even to the point where she could not tolerate Qin Mu's doubts about him.
"You can doubt anyone, but you must never doubt him. Any suspicion or doubt you have about him is an insult to him!"
The woman in the Dao Fruit said decisively, "If you can truly comprehend the mysteries of Jade Capital City, you will then discover the greatness of the master of the Miluo Palace and also realize his good intentions! You think it's a trap, a trap deliberately left for you, but you don't know that we also cultivate the Jade Capital City!"
Qin Mu fell silent.
After a long time, he finally spoke slowly. "No matter how eloquently you speak, I will always remain skeptical. Because one of my most respected friends was struck down into the Chaotic River by the master of the Miluo Palace, whom you praise so highly, and has disappeared without a trace! I even suspect that even you achievers of the Dao have fallen into his Jade Capital trap without realizing it."
The woman in the Dao Fruit sneered. "A summer insect cannot speak of ice!" With that, she ignored him.
Qin Mu murmured, "I will always remain skeptical of him... I must remain skeptical!"
Just then, several terrifying auras suddenly approached. Qiang Tianfei looked back and saw Xiaotianzun, Langxuan Divine Sovereign, and others charging out of the thick chaotic mist, chasing after them.
Then, a Dao Tree flew out, drifting out of the Chaotic River. Haotianzun, Zushenwang, Huotianzun, and others stood on that Dao Tree.
"Mu Tianzun, since you doubt the master of the Miluo Palace, why not go to the Miluo Palace and see him?"
Qiang Tianfei said quickly, "Whether the Jade Capital trap exists or not, you'll know once you see him!"
Qin Mu's spirits lifted. He urged the small boat to speed up and said in a deep voice, "In that case, let's go see him!"
Although Qiang Tianfei regarded Qin Mu as her most troublesome opponent, she couldn't help but admire his boldness. She thought to herself, "This little brat is full of cunning schemes, but this kind of heroic spirit is unmatched by anyone."
Qin Mu drove the small boat forward, leaving the other Heavenly Honored Ones behind. Seeing this, Xiaotianzun immediately invited Shi Qiluo, Yantianfei, and Langxuan Divine Sovereign onto the Dao Tree beneath his feet. All the Heavenly Honored Ones worked together to channel their magical power and gave chase.
On the other side, Haotianzun also found Gongtianzun and Xutianzun. The five Heavenly Honored Ones stood on a Dao Tree, greatly increasing their speed.
Qin Mu tried for a long time but was unable to shake off these Heavenly Honored Ones. So he simply focused all his energy on driving the small boat, no longer trying to take down a few of them.
After an unknown amount of time, land appeared in the distance. Qin Mu and Qiang Tianfei leaped into the air and landed on the ground. The small boat turned into a walking stick and fell into Qin Mu's hand.
The two quickly made their way toward the third Chaotic River. Qin Mu's eyes flickered, and he silently thought to himself, "The entire Ancestral Court is a giant altar, using the flesh and blood of the creatures within it as sacrifices in exchange for the arrival of the prehistoric achievers of the Dao! I want to see how the master of the Miluo Palace explains the purpose of such a grand scheme!"