Chapter 1566: The Righteous Path of the Human World
"A dying man's words are kind."
Lang Wan looked at the utterly destroyed Palace Heavenly Sovereign, shaking her head. "But even so, it cannot erase the evil deeds you have done by aiding the tyrant for the past million years. A single phrase urging people toward goodness cannot wipe away the evil you have committed over that million years."
She returned to the Thirty-Three Heavens of Carefree Village and said to Yan Yunxi, "Palace Heavenly Sovereign is dead. Inform Emperor Yan Kang and Yan Xiu to close the net and clear out the foxes."
Yan Yunxi's heart trembled. She immediately ordered a divine being to rush to Yan Kang and notify Ling Yuxiu of this news.
More than twenty days later, Xiong Qier arrived in the capital of Yan Kang and met with Ling Yuxiu.
She was the actual ruler of the Western Lands True Heaven Palace, a figure from the same era as Ling Yuxiu. Although she was about ten years younger than Qin Mu, her status and prestige in the Western Lands surpassed even Xu Shenghua's.
The Western Lands True Heaven Palace was once a sacred ground on par with the Heavenly Saint Sect, the Dao Sect, and the Thunderclap Monastery. This sacred ground selected its female masters by seeking those with pure Dao hearts, the younger the better, to gain the recognition of the Four Spirit Pearls.
Xiong Qier had gained the recognition of the Four Spirit Pearls at the age of eight, possessing power as formidable as a true god, far stronger than Qin Mu at that time.
After more than a hundred years of arduous cultivation, she had reached an extremely high level of Dao heart. That was why Ling Yuxiu had chosen to ask her to kill Wei Shijie, the borrowed body of the Grand Emperor, last time.
"Although Palace Heavenly Sovereign is also a being of immense divine consciousness, she is different from the Grand Emperor."
Xiong Qier listened to the full story, pondered for a moment, and said, "The Grand Emperor dared not touch the latest reform achievements of Yan Kang, but Palace Heavenly Sovereign's reincarnated body dared. Her reincarnated body, Tao Xiufang, possesses vast supernatural powers and is an outstanding figure among the younger generation of Yan Kang, with a great reputation. Your Majesty, although I can kill her, it would be difficult to finish her off. Her divine consciousness illusions would interfere with me, allowing her to escape."
Ling Yuxiu asked, "Then who do you think would have sufficient certainty to kill Tao Xiufang?"
Xiong Qier replied, "To kill Palace Heavenly Sovereign, high combat power alone may not be enough. The one who kills her must possess even stronger divine consciousness, able to see through all her illusions. Therefore, Lin Xuan Dao Lord, Battle Sky Tathagata, and Jade Capital King Immortal probably won't work—she could easily slip away. Divine Blade Luo and Zhe Huali are certainly powerful, but dealing with her divine consciousness would also be difficult. Thus, I recommend one person, whose divine consciousness is vast and whose supernatural powers are immeasurable, capable of breaking Palace Heavenly Sovereign's reincarnated body. However, this person is not in Yan Kang."
Ling Yuxiu's heart stirred, and she smiled. "I know where this person is. Wait two days."
Two days later, Hu Ling'er arrived at the capital. Ling Yuxiu explained the matter, and Hu Ling'er laughed. "So that's it. I'll summon him here."
"Thank you for your trouble, Ling'er."
Hu Ling'er set up an altar and performed the ritual herself. The altar established a connection with another world, and a massive hole appeared in the sky. On the other side of the hole was an endless, vast landscape.
A deep, resonant voice echoed through the sky above the capital: "Who summons the adopted son of the supreme ruler of the beast realm..."
"Pi!"
Hu Ling'er called out loudly, "I'm your sister!"
The deep, resonant voice was startled. After a moment, a huge head descended from the hole. Dragon Qilin poked his head out, his face full of smiles. "So it's Big Sister. What important business does Big Sister have with your little brother?"
"No important business, and I can't call you over?"
Hu Ling'er stood on the altar, hands on her hips, beaming. "But this time, I do have important business. Hurry up and come over!"
"Big Sister, wait a moment."
Dragon Qilin pulled his head back, and voices came from the beast realm: "Adoptive father, my sister is calling me... Nothing will go wrong, don't worry... I won't not come back! I'm going to see the Sect Leader this time, and my wife and children—I haven't seen them in years... Don't worry, I won't leave you alone here..."
After a moment, a young man with a qilin head and dragon horns descended from the beast realm onto the altar. It was Dragon Qilin, dressed in dark clothes adorned with gold and jade, exuding indescribable luxury.
Hu Ling'er looked him up and down and sneered, "You've gotten rich and noble in the beast realm, with a high status. You left your Yan'er at Great Black Mountain to hatch eggs, and your children are already in droves. Aren't you afraid some male bird will seduce your wife?"
Dragon Qilin smiled apologetically. "My adoptive father can't manage the beast realm alone, so I help him out. I want to come back, but he won't let me go. Yan'er and I have already consummated our relationship, and the Southern Emperor has approved it! Besides, I manage all the beast clans in the world—who would dare poach from me?"
Ling Yuxiu said, "Dragon Xiao treats you as his adopted son, but he also keeps you as a hostage against the National Teacher. Naturally, he won't let you return."
Dragon Qilin finally noticed her and quickly bowed. "Your Majesty."
Ling Yuxiu replied, "No need for formalities. The National Teacher let you go only after you grew up, so you could make a name for yourself. Over the years, you've cultivated with Dragon Xiao and must have achieved something. Just now, the little princess of True Heaven Palace said you could deal with Palace Heavenly Sovereign's reincarnated body, Tao Xiufang, so we called you back."
Dragon Qilin looked at Xiong Qier and immediately recognized her. Xiong Qier ran over, jumping for joy. "Slide once! Slide once!"
Dragon Qilin sighed helplessly. "You're now the head of True Heaven Palace, and I'm the young master of the beast realm. How can we do something so undignified?"
"Slide once!" Xiong Qier insisted firmly.
Dragon Qilin had no choice but to reveal his true form, becoming a colossal creature. He raised his tail, forming a huge arc.
Xiong Qier clumsily climbed to the tip of his tail and slid down from the top. Dragon Qilin's body curved, and the girl slid onto his back, carried by inertia into the air, giggling uncontrollably, then falling back down.
It wasn't just a simple slide. Xiong Qier slid for a long time without stopping. Ling Yuxiu sighed helplessly. "My dear minister, urgent matters come first."
Xiong Qier quickly stopped, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Dragon Qilin transformed back into a robust young man and said, "When she was little, the Sect Leader didn't want to entertain her, so I played with her like this. Where is Tao Xiufang now? After dealing with her, I need to go see my wife and children. I don't want some male bird to get any ideas..."
Xiong Qier took out the Book of Life and Death and Tao Xiufang's dossier, handed them to Dragon Qilin, and said excitedly, "I'll go with you!"
Dragon Qilin quickly looked at Ling Yuxiu, who smiled and said, "Dragon Pi hasn't been back for many years and still needs to go to the Ancestral Court to see Yan'er and his children. Let's leave it for another time, my dear minister."
Xiong Qier had to give up.
Dragon Qilin immediately set off for Binzhou on the coast of the Eastern Sea.
His speed was extremely fast. Originally, his speed had surpassed Qin Mu's. Over the years, he had cultivated hard in the beast realm, trying to help Dragon Xiao establish a beast realm civilization, accomplishing many pioneering feats. His abilities were extraordinary.
Qin Mu rarely returned to Yan Kang, but Dragon Qilin was often summoned by Hu Ling'er and others to catch up, so he hadn't fallen behind on Yan Kang's reform achievements.
Dragon Qilin had gained much more maturity and steadiness, along with the authority of the beast realm's young master. Along the way, he reviewed the dossier on Palace Heavenly Sovereign's reincarnated body, covering everything from the techniques Tao Xiufang had learned, the supernatural powers she mastered, her research directions, and her battle achievements—all meticulously recorded without omission.
—Ever since Qin Mu discovered that Xiao Heavenly Sovereign's reincarnated body had entered Yan Kang and quietly climbed to the center of Yan Kang's power, a network of surveillance and traps targeting the reincarnated bodies of the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns had begun silently.
Dragon Qilin closed the dossier and looked down. He had already arrived at Binzhou.
Binzhou, north of Jiangling, was a divine city that had flourished in recent years.
A hundred years had passed since the last Yan Kang Calamity. In that time, Yan Kang had undergone earth-shattering changes. Wealth had grown, but problems had also arisen. Divine cities expanded larger and larger, accommodating more and more people, but a city couldn't expand indefinitely, so other divine cities had emerged.
Binzhou was one of them, a relatively successful one, alleviating Jiangling's population pressure. Many young people liked to gather here.
Dragon Qilin entered the city and found Tao Xiufang's residence. A grand wedding feast was underway. Upon inquiry, he learned that Tao Xiufang's family had added a child and was holding a grand hundred-day celebration.
"Palace Heavenly Sovereign's reincarnated body got married? The dossier didn't mention this."
Dragon Qilin was surprised and continued to inquire. Tao Xiufang had married a cultivator from Binzhou, not from a prominent family. She had been married for two years.
"How could someone like Palace Heavenly Sovereign marry? Could the man be the reincarnation of some Heavenly Sovereign?"
He quietly infiltrated the feast and used the Book of Life and Death to examine the male head of the household. He found that the man had a clean background and was not a reincarnated Heavenly Sovereign.
The man's talent and comprehension were not extraordinary—neither too good nor too bad. He could probably reach the divine realm, but achieving earth-shattering feats was unlikely.
Dragon Qilin thought for a moment and then examined Tao Xiufang. She was indeed the reincarnation of one of Palace Heavenly Sovereign's souls, with no tricks.
His expression turned strange. Why would a dignified Heavenly Sovereign marry an ordinary person?
"Could it be Palace Heavenly Sovereign's illusion?"
His divine consciousness was powerful, and his abilities had grown over the years. He looked carefully—it wasn't an illusion.
Tao Xiufang's cultivation was inferior to his. If it were an illusion, he would have seen through it.
Tao Xiufang also noticed Dragon Qilin among the guests. This oddly shaped man was hard to ignore.
"Dragon Pi, can we wait until after today?" Her divine consciousness rippled, transmitting into Dragon Qilin's mind.
Dragon Qilin nodded silently.
The hundred-day celebration was lively. Tao Xiufang, as the mistress of the household, entertained guests diligently, holding the child with great affection, as if she wanted to compensate for the heartlessness of her previous life in this life, through this infant.
Dragon Qilin stayed at the feast, quietly observing. When the feast ended, he left Binzhou and waited quietly outside the city.
The sun rose in the east, leaping out of the sea.
The sea breeze was cool, brushing against the young man's clothes. He stood by the sea, watching the sunrise, the sunlight casting a red glow on his face.
Tao Xiufang walked up behind him, her expression complex. "Creators are also human. Even though I am honored as a Heavenly Sovereign, after reincarnation, I cannot avoid being disturbed by the mortal world, developing a worldly heart. Young master of the beast realm, you were sent to kill me, weren't you?"
"Palace Heavenly Sovereign was heartless and devoid of affection. I never expected you to become a wife and mother."
Dragon Qilin turned around and said, "If I had known, I wouldn't have taken this task. Now, you don't seem like a Heavenly Sovereign; you seem more like a virtuous wife and loving mother. It makes it hard for me to strike. So I gave you half a day to settle your affairs."
Tao Xiufang looked at him and said softly, "Without the power struggles of the Heavenly Court, my heart is at peace, and I understand mortal love. Mu Heavenly Sovereign killed me, but I don't want revenge. I have no more thoughts about the Heavenly Court's power. Young master of the beast realm, can you show mercy and let me live as an ordinary person? I only wish to be a good wife and mother, living an ordinary life."
It was hard for her to humble herself, but now she did.
Dragon Qilin looked at her calmly. After a moment, he said, "The Sect Leader once taught me not to be too harsh on good people, nor too kind to bad people. This isn't about fairness, but about justice. Being too kind to bad people wrongs the good and ordinary people hurt by them. Being too harsh on good people wrongs the good deeds they've done. If you can't even do those good deeds yourself, why magnify the few stains on a good person?"
Tao Xiufang listened quietly.
Dragon Qilin continued, "I once asked him why he didn't resurrect an old friend of his. He had the ability and the power. He said resurrecting the Great Venerable would remind him of the countless ordinary people who died at the Great Venerable's hands. The good deeds the Great Venerable did at the end of his life cannot change the evil he did in his life. Palace Heavenly Sovereign, in your long years, many people must have begged for mercy from you, right?"
Tao Xiufang nodded silently.
"Did you spare them?" Dragon Qilin pressed.
Tao Xiufang shook her head silently. Suddenly, she said, "For the sake of my little family, I won't just wait to die!"
Dragon Qilin bowed to her. "Have you arranged a wet nurse for the child? If not, I can give you another half day."
Tao Xiufang returned the bow and shook her head. "It's already arranged."
Dragon Qilin smiled. "Then, please make your move."
Tao Xiufang shouted, erupted, and threw all her strength, all her supernatural powers, at him!
Boom!
The sea breeze over the Eastern Sea suddenly rose, and great waves crashed against the shore, producing a deafening roar. Dragon Qilin walked westward, not directly toward Binzhou but taking a detour.
He didn't want to enter Binzhou again.
Behind him, Tao Xiufang's corpse was swallowed by the waves.
"If heaven had feelings, heaven would grow old; the righteous path of the human world is the vicissitudes of time."
He looked back once. The waves of the Eastern Sea were raging. He turned his head forward, where Bell Mountain of Jiangling City lay, coiled like a dragon and crouching like a tiger.
The wind and rain over Bell Mountain began to rise, and heaven and earth turned a bleak yellow.