Chapter 1664: Qin Mu Sharpens His Blade
Shang Pingyin saw the Dragon Qilin again, and his Dao heart nearly shattered on the spot.
He still remembered that battle at the North River Xuanwu Heavenly Palace back then.
That was the greatest defeat of his life!
Leading the Heavenly River Navy, the Divine and Martial Guards, and the Northern Fall Army, he had been utterly routed by the Dragon Qilin using the Lapis Lazuli Azure Sky Canopy formation. The casualties were so severe that these four armies were almost erased from the Heavenly Court’s rolls, and he himself had been crippled for hundreds of thousands of years!
His hands trembled slightly. In hindsight, the Dragon Qilin’s formation from back then was still quite crude. After six hundred thousand years of development, formations and mathematical arts had also advanced. Now, Shang Pingyin could easily dismantle the Dragon Qilin’s formation from that era.
But had the Dragon Qilin not progressed?
For someone with such heaven-defying intellect, how terrifying must his progress over these six hundred thousand years be?
Meng Yungui looked up at the Dragon Qilin standing atop the twenty-eight layers of heavens, his heart filled with reverence and awe.
Who was the Heavenly Court’s number one Heavenly Master had never been settled. Some said Shang Pingyin was eternal, the Heavenly Court’s foremost Heavenly Master. Others said Yue Tingge was astonishingly brilliant, his intellect far surpassing Shang Pingyin’s. Still others said Meng Yungui had surpassed his master.
But there was no debate over who was the world’s number one Heavenly Master.
There was only one person who held that title—the Dragon Qilin, who had shaken the world during the Dragon Han era and then suddenly vanished!
The Dragon Qilin could be considered the god in the hearts of all Heavenly Masters throughout history!
That name represented invincibility!
Prince Youming, however, felt uneasy. Shang Pingyin and Meng Yungui didn’t know the inside story of that battle, but he knew it all too well.
Back then, it was Qin Mu who had used the Dragon Qilin to face Shang Pingyin, crushing Shang Pingyin along with the Divine and Martial Guards, the Heavenly River Navy, and the Northern Fall Army, cementing the Dragon Qilin’s unparalleled reputation!
And now, the one who had come was just this lackadaisical Dragon Qilin, all show and no substance. Could the Dragon Qilin truly defeat Shang Pingyin and maintain his undefeated myth?
He had no confidence at all.
The Dragon Qilin didn’t have much confidence either.
Although he had studied mathematical and formation arts diligently over the years, reaching a level far beyond his past self, facing a seasoned Heavenly Master like Shang Pingyin still made him nervous.
“I can’t lose face!”
The Dragon Qilin encouraged himself inwardly: “I’ve studied formation arts all these years. Though I’m not as good as the Sect Leader, Eternal Peace’s formations are far superior to these Heavenly Court bumpkins! More importantly, the Lapis Lazuli Azure Sky Canopy has been reforged by Blind Master and Mute Master, far surpassing its former self! I can win this battle!”
With a thought, he immediately activated the Lapis Lazuli Azure Sky Canopy!
The soldiers of the Feather Transformation Camp within the canopy immediately felt the shift in the formation across the twenty-eight layers of heavens. They were involuntarily carried by the formation, their own divine power spilling out and connecting with the various formations, shifting as the formation changed!
At the same time, they felt themselves linked to powerful treasures, wielding immense strength, and they were both surprised and delighted!
However, Meng Yungui, also within the twenty-eight heavens, hesitated. The Feather Transformation Camp soldiers couldn’t tell, but he could see that the Dragon Qilin’s formation changes were somewhat sluggish.
“The Dragon Qilin has been out of action for hundreds of thousands of years; he’s probably a bit rusty.”
Meng Yungui’s heart stirred: “Let me help him get familiar with the formation’s changes. That should get him back into the swing of things.”
His divine sense rippled, turning into a voice that echoed in the Dragon Qilin’s mind, guiding him on how to alter the formation.
The Dragon Qilin drove the Lapis Lazuli Azure Sky Canopy toward the Divine and Martial Guards. With Meng Yungui’s guidance, he gradually relaxed, and the formation’s operation became smoother.
The Heavenly Court’s army descended upon the Primordial Realm. The first wave of advance troops had already entered the Primordial Realm, beginning probing attacks aimed at finding weak points in its defenses.
The Primordial Realm was vast, surrounded by countless heavenly worlds. Back then, it could accommodate the Dragon Han, Xiao Han, and Dragon Xiao Heavenly Courts. The Heavenly Court’s military forces were but a drop in the ocean here.
Eternal Peace and the Land of No Worries couldn’t defend every point, so attacking from a weak spot was the most efficient approach.
The divine and demon advance troops that had entered the Primordial Realm galloped across the land, burning, killing, and looting. Eternal Peace hadn’t occupied the entire Primordial Realm; there were still various divine kingdoms of all sizes. Some were not Eternal Peace’s territory, and some were even enemy states, which immediately surrendered to the Heavenly Court’s advance forces.
Others were Eternal Peace’s vassal states, resisting fiercely while sending pleas for help. Many small states surrendered without a fight at the mere sight of the army.
Before the Heavenly Court’s main force even arrived, a third of the Primordial Realm had already fallen into their hands.
When the Heavenly Court’s main army appeared above the Primordial Realm, the realm’s world barrier was crushed like an eggshell, exposing it to the Heavenly Court’s forces.
Golden and resplendent heavenly palaces floated in the sky. Countless divine and demon beings stood atop the clouds, venting the pent-up emotions of their decade-long journey. The thunder and lightning of the Thunder Lords and Lightning Mothers crackled down from the sky, scorching the land below into patches of charred earth.
The Heavenly Court’s various divine and demon armies marched into the divine kingdoms. Those kingdoms immediately suffered. The Heavenly Court’s troops, having traveled a long distance, were full of frustration with no outlet. Now that they had a chance to vent, they naturally indulged in tyranny, with no shortage of burning, killing, looting, and abusing men and women.
Some soldiers even led groups to plunder, wiping out entire cities, slaughtering the inhabitants of these divine kingdoms, and using their heads as war trophies.
Worse still, some looted the treasuries of the Primordial Realm’s divine kingdoms, even breaking into the emperors’ harems, killing them, and spending their days and nights reveling there.
The various commanders of the Heavenly Court turned a blind eye to this. For this campaign against the Primordial Realm, the soldiers needed an outlet, or else unrest might arise, so they allowed the chaos.
After more than ten days, the Heavenly Emperor Hao issued a decree, instructing, “Tell them not to go too far.”
The commanders received the decree and ordered the troops to be reined in, which finally brought some order.
After this plundering, every military lord had amassed vast wealth, along with supplies, grain, and slaves. All were pleased, but the divine kingdoms that had surrendered to the Heavenly Court were left in ruins, their nations destroyed and families lost.
After a few days of rest, the Heavenly Emperor Hao decreed: “Northern Heavenly Black Emperor, lead the forty military lords of the Northern Heaven and advance from the Northern Kan region of the Primordial Realm.”
The former Northern Heavenly Black Emperor, the Yin Heavenly Emperor, was dead. Nian Guanhe, one of the Five Emperor Inner Seats, succeeded him as the Black Emperor. He immediately led the Northern Heaven’s Three Li Palaces, Gourd Melon, Defeated Melon, Left Banner, River Drum, Heaven, Right Banner, Heavenly Rooster, Fortress Wall Formation, and forty other military lords to attack the Kan Land Ice Plains in the north of the Primordial Realm.
The Demon Ancestor Great Darkness, upon hearing this, led the Demon Ancestor’s army to support him, joining forces with Nian Guanhe outside the Kan Land Ice Plains.
The Heavenly Emperor Hao then decreed: “Southern Heavenly Red Emperor, lead the thirty-nine military lords of the Southern Heaven and attack the Southern Sea.”
The Red Emperor Qi Xiayu received the decree and led the Constant Chen, General Lang, Grand Venerable, Three Platforms, North River, Five Lords, Heavenly Goblet, Department of Monsters, Water Mansion, Four Rivers, and thirty-nine other military lords to attack the Southern Sea.
The Red Emperor and the Bright Emperor immediately dispatched troops to face Qi Xiayu, and both sides drew up battle lines at sea.
The Heavenly Emperor Hao commanded: “Eastern Heavenly Green Emperor, lead the sixty military lords of the Eastern Heaven and attack from the Eastern Sea.”
The Eastern Heavenly Green Emperor stationed his troops at the Eastern Sea, leading the Heavenly River, Eastern Salt, Western Salt, Heavenly Spoke, Rider Official, Chariot Rider, Array Chariot, and sixty other military lords to set up camp at sea.
The Heavenly Emperor Hao commanded: “Western Heavenly White Emperor, lead the twenty-seven military lords of the Western Heaven and attack the Western Lands.”
The Western Heavenly White Emperor immediately advanced to the Upper Firmament, leading the Heavenly Pool, Curled Tongue, Heavenly Gate, Heavenly Street, Moon, Banner Star, Nine Banners, Nine Provinces, and twenty-seven other military lords to attack the Western Lands from the Upper Firmament.
The Three Heavenly Kings, Two Heavenly Masters, Eight Guards, Seven Dukes, Four Ministers, Three Masters, Two Advisors, Five Emperor Seats, Five Emperor Inner Seats, and other military lords led the Heavenly Court’s main forces, advancing from the central route, with the Heavenly Emperor Hao personally overseeing the battle.
Among the Three Masters, the Heavenly River Navy occupied the Heavenly River and launched the first attack on the Land of No Worries, which was located north of the Central Lands of the Primordial Realm!
Qin Mu arrived at the Ancestral Court’s Great Dark Mountain, determined the World Tree’s position in the universe, and then rushed nonstop into the Netherworld, heading straight for the Return to Nothing Abyss.
Shang Jun was hidden in his shadow and asked, “Seventh Young Master, who is that person under the World Tree?”
“His name is Xu Shenghua.”
Qin Mu smiled and said, “He’s very powerful, isn’t he?”
Shang Jun replied, “His current strength is hard to gauge, but if he achieves Dao, his power will be unpredictable. I see that his cultivation method differs from all previous Dao-achieving methods. He seems to be analyzing the World Tree, intending to cultivate his own World Tree. If he does that, he might not need to entrust his Great Dao to the void.”
Qin Mu nodded and said, “Brother Xu and Lan Yutian are working on this path to Dao.”
Shang Jun was silent for a moment before asking, “If they achieve Dao without entrusting to the void, can they avoid collapsing the ultimate void due to too many Dao achievers?”
Qin Mu smiled and said, “That’s their plan. But whether it can prevent the ultimate void from collapsing, we’re not sure yet.”
Shang Jun fell silent again. After a long time, he said, “I think the path they’re taking is the right one.”
Qin Mu turned around. Shang Jun’s eyes sparkled in his shadow, clearly thinking about how his own Dao achievement had led to the destruction of the Sixteenth Era.
Shang Jun, who had achieved Dao through killing, had lost the sharpness he once had to cut down anything!
After seeing Xu Shenghua’s method of achieving Dao, his shock was even greater, leading to more self-doubt and questioning of his own path.
Self-doubt leads to self-denial of the Dao heart, which greatly affects the Dao realm, and cultivation strength might even regress!
“The World Tree method of achieving Dao entrusts the Great Dao to the self.”
Qin Mu continued forward, speaking calmly: “The Dao realm method of achieving Dao entrusts the Great Dao to the void. Though the two methods differ, it doesn’t mean one is wrong. Shang Jun, if you keep doubting your path, your cultivation strength will weaken until you become useless. This universe needs Xu Shenghua’s entrustment to the self, and it also needs your entrustment to the void.”
Shang Jun’s Dao heart stopped crumbling, and he silently continued to follow him.
When they reached the Return to Nothing Abyss, Qin Mu determined its exact location, then rose up, taking Shang Jun into the ultimate void.
Now, with the coordinates of the World Tree and the Return to Nothing Abyss, he could pinpoint the locations of all the Dao trees marked on the Taiyi Geographic Map!
He unfolded the Taiyi Geographic Map, marked the positions of the World Tree and the Return to Nothing Abyss, then closed his eyes. In his mind, the image of the Taiyi Geographic Map spread infinitely, connecting with the ultimate void.
One by one, the Great Luo Heavens and Dao trees were imprinted onto the ultimate void in his mind. A clear path appeared in his thoughts!
On the Taiyi Geographic Map, Taiyi’s position aligned with the ultimate void. The place where Taiyi was imprisoned was finally found!
“Young Master, have you sensed it?”
Shang Jun suddenly spoke: “Someone is achieving Dao in the ultimate void!”
Qin Mu was startled and quickly opened his eyes: “You mean someone is entrusting to the ultimate void? That’s impossible!”
He frowned slightly: “No one in this world is closer to the thirty-sixth level of the Dao realm than I am! The next Dao achiever will surely be me, but I won’t take the path of imprinting the void!”
“Unless this person doesn’t come from this universe!”
Shang Jun said solemnly: “I sense the aura of the Sixteenth Era. This being who is entrusting their Great Dao is a Dao achiever from the Sixteenth Era!”
Qin Mu’s expression turned grave: “Heavenly Emperor Hao, you’ve disappointed me. You still went to borrow the power of the Third and Fourth Young Masters. Shang Jun, since you can sense this Dao achiever, can you tell where he is?”
Shang Jun nodded: “What does the Young Master mean?”
“This blade of yours has gone dull. I need to sharpen it until it gleams.”
Qin Mu smiled slightly: “Do you have the confidence to kill this visitor from history?”
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