Chapter 1743: The Might of a Single String
"Seventh Young Master, the Five Elders of Fengshu are known as the Undying Freaks beneath the World Tree. The eldest is Feng Hualian, the second is Huang Tang, the third is Cang Yancui, the fourth is Yan Xiuge, and the youngest is called Li Shu—the one before you."
The voice of the Joy Hall Master came through, saying: "These five freaks have always been entrenched beneath the World Tree, guarding it stubbornly, afraid that if the universe were destroyed, they wouldn't have a spot. They rarely leave the World Tree willingly. In past cosmic epochs, no matter when you went to the edge of the World Tree, you could see this great spectacle."
Among the Five Elders of Fengshu, Elder Li Shu laughed and said: "Hall Master is joking. Our skills are meager; we certainly can't compete with others, so we can only go and stake out a spot early. When the great calamity of universal destruction arrives, we can conveniently sneak into the next epoch."
Qin Mu was puzzled and asked: "Then why have the five of you left the World Tree in this epoch and settled in the Heavenly Court?"
He glanced around leisurely and said: "This Heavenly Court imitates the Jade Capital of the Ancestral Court, symbolizing supreme authority. I just heard the Joy Hall Master say that you five should be reclusive experts indifferent to fame and fortune. Why have you stirred up desires for power in this epoch?"
Li Shu quickly said: "Seventh Young Master misunderstands! We Five Elders of Fengshu are just five timid mice, how would we dare to have desires for power? Unworthy, unworthy! We just saw this place empty and temporarily reside here. We wouldn't dare to have any thoughts of occupying it. When the true master of this place arrives, we will yield it."
Although he put on a kindly old man's demeanor, everyone present had been through fire and storm, and they all knew the true thoughts of the Five Elders of Fengshu.
The Hao Heavenly Emperor laughed and said: "The five elders simply saw that the Miluo Palace hasn't descended into this universe and its master has secluded himself, so they felt they had seized the initiative. Coupled with the lack of strong experts in this universe, the five elders were stirred by desires for power, thinking they could control the cosmos and fulfill their lifelong ambitions. This kind of mentality is common to all; why not admit it?"
Li Shu laughed heartily, shaking his head: "We five mice only know how to dig holes and hide beneath the World Tree. We wouldn't dare to have such rebellious thoughts. We only seek a place to stay. If someone could offer us a meal, we would be grateful."
The Hao Heavenly Emperor's eyes flickered: "I can give you this place to stay!"
Li Shu glanced at him and chuckled: "Young man, you're joking. You don't have the authority."
The Hao Heavenly Emperor's face darkened slightly, and he snorted.
Li Shu led them to the Hall of Lingxiao in the Heavenly Court. By now, the Hall of Lingxiao had been leveled to the ground, leaving only a massive altar. On the altar sat four elders, surrounded by prehistoric strongmen who had sneaked over from beneath the World Tree.
Li Shu laughed: "Gentlemen, we Five Elders of Fengshu don't even have a proper palace. This shows we are only temporarily residing here, without any thoughts of fame or fortune."
Qin Mu looked at the heavy divine artifacts arranged all around, constantly aimed at them. Wherever they walked, these heavy artifacts followed. He praised insincerely: "Gentlemen are all of noble character and pure integrity, living in poverty. I admire that deeply."
His gaze then fell on the altar. This altar was extremely peculiar, with strange patterns and structures different from the Miluo Palace's tradition, carrying a hint of mystery.
The divine materials and divine metals used for this altar were all top-grade materials from the Ancestral Court. Qin Mu couldn't discern the altar's function in a short time.
Qin Mu praised: "The five of you truly have a clear and pure character, treating gold like dirt, sitting directly on it."
The eldest, Feng Hualian, coughed and said: "Seventh Young Master is joking. Young Master, Hall Master, Envoy, please come onto the altar for a talk."
The altar was clearly suspicious, but the Hao Heavenly Emperor showed no fear. He stepped forward boldly, walked onto the altar, reached the center, and greeted the five elders: "I, the Emperor, come on behalf of the Third and Fourth Young Masters to pay respects to the five Daoist friends."
Feng Hualian nodded and said: "So you are the Heavenly Emperor of this cosmic epoch. Please, sit."
The Joy Hall Master's Dao Tree drifted over and also entered the altar to greet the five elders. The five elders stood up to return the greeting, saying: "The Hall Master's reputation is extremely loud. We mountain wild men may have some small fame in the martial world, but compared to someone of orthodox origin like the Hall Master, we are just children playing house. The Hall Master, with a disabled body but strong will, has managed to earn such a great reputation, which we five old bones deeply admire."
The Joy Hall Master's face changed slightly, knowing that these five old fellows were mocking him for having his legs severed after descending into the Seventeenth Epoch.
Qin Mu stepped onto the altar, and the five elders quickly greeted him. Feng Hualian said: "Seventh Young Master has come from afar. We five old bones are afraid of being raided by the Young Master, so we dare not rise to welcome you. Please forgive us."
"Well said, well said."
Qin Mu smiled broadly, raised his hand, and said: "You five are all highly respected seniors. No need to stand; please sit."
The Five Elders of Fengshu quickly thanked him and each sat down.
Qin Mu also sat down and made small talk: "Although I have respected and loved you five elders in past universes, for you five elders, that is a matter of the past. For me, it is a matter of the future, yet to happen. Our encounters are so extraordinary and bizarre that I can't help but sigh with emotion." He laughed heartily.
The Five Elders of Fengshu exchanged glances but couldn't laugh.
The Hao Heavenly Emperor coughed and said loudly: "You five seniors are all accomplished Daoists. The Miluo Palace is about to descend. The Third and Fourth Young Masters have ordered me to come and join forces with you five to carry out the great plan of the Miluo Palace's descent. What do you five think?"
He got straight to the point, directly stating the purpose of his visit, giving the impression of riding the momentum of the Miluo Palace to pressure the prehistoric smugglers into submission and allegiance to the Miluo Palace.
Cang Yancui, an old woman, chuckled upon hearing this: "The Miluo Palace has quite the airs. Just a lackey under its command dares to order us around. Do you really think we Five Elders of Fengshu are made of mud?"
"Third Sister, don't lose your manners."
Huang Tang laughed: "This young friend has just gained his master's favor, so naturally he wags his tail and barks a couple of times to curry favor. Third Sister, don't blame him."
The Hao Heavenly Emperor's face turned cold, and he was about to flare up when the Joy Hall Master laughed: "The Hao Heavenly Emperor is a Daoist friend supported by our Miluo Palace in this epoch. He will enter the Miluo Palace in the future. The Third and Fourth Young Masters even address him as a Daoist friend. For the Five Elders of Fengshu to humiliate him like this—isn't that humiliating our Miluo Palace and humiliating our Miluo Palace's teacher?"
Yan Xiuge's expression turned serious, and she said solemnly: "We wouldn't dare. The master of the Miluo Palace is indeed an unparalleled expert, and we five old bones deeply admire him. However, the master of the Miluo Palace no longer manages the palace; power has fallen into other hands. As for the young masters of the Miluo Palace..."
She sneered: "They are nothing but petty schemers, not necessarily more brilliant than us!"
"Fourth Sister! Don't be reckless!"
Feng Hualian's face darkened as he scolded her. He then said apologetically: "Joy Hall Master, please don't take offense. We five have eccentric temperaments, as you know, and sometimes our words go too far. Seventh Young Master, we already know the purpose of the Envoy and the Hall Master. May I ask what purpose the Seventh Young Master has for coming here?"
Qin Mu smiled faintly and said leisurely: "Please return to the World Tree. However you came to this world, go back the same way."
The Five Elders of Fengshu's faces changed simultaneously.
The Hao Heavenly Emperor had brought the decree of the Third and Fourth Young Masters, and his purpose was already excessive. Unexpectedly, Qin Mu's purpose was even more excessive—he wanted them to go back to where they came from!
Yan Xiuge sneered: "Seventh Young Master, in the past, your skills were unfathomable, and we respected you. Now, your skills are nothing special! Perhaps we five elders should send you back to the past and let you become the Seventh Young Master!"
Qin Mu smiled without speaking.
Feng Hualian chuckled: "Seventh Young Master is the host. Fourth Sister, don't be rude. Seventh Young Master, your request is too excessive. Aren't you afraid we might side with the Third and Fourth Young Masters?"
"Would you five?" Qin Mu asked.
"Hahahaha!"
Feng Hualian stood up, his body towering like a mountain, his white hair like snow on a snowy peak, his voice rumbling like thunder, shaking through the Heavenly Court: "Of course not! We Five Elders of Fengshu are also renowned figures in the world, beings who have achieved the Dao, living through countless eons, experiencing the changes and destructions of the universe. In the past, when the Miluo Palace was present, we were willing to lie low. But now that the Miluo Palace is trapped in the calamity of destruction, we naturally no longer need to be timid!"
Though he appeared old, he was filled with heroic spirit, his voice spreading throughout the Heavenly Court: "The Miluo Palace has suppressed one cosmic epoch after another, causing countless geniuses to be unable to realize their ambitions! How many heroes have had their heroic spirit turn to smoke? How many brave men have had to bend their knees and submit unwillingly? Now, the opportunity has come!"
Qin Mu smiled, listening quietly.
In the Heavenly Court, the prehistoric smugglers cheered thunderously.
Feng Hualian, full of vigor, shouted loudly: "Under the oppression of the Miluo Palace, one universe after another has quickly withered and perished, causing fewer and fewer Dao achievers in the world. If the Miluo Palace continues its tyranny, no one will be able to achieve the Dao! When the calamity of destruction of the Seventeenth Epoch comes, we will all die! Let us submit to the Miluo Palace—absolutely impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible!" The thunderous shouts of the prehistoric smugglers echoed through the Heavenly Court.
Feng Hualian stepped forward, looking down at the Hao Heavenly Emperor and the Joy Hall Master from above, and said coldly: "You two, please go back. Tell the Third and Fourth Young Masters that as long as the Five Elders of Fengshu are here, the Miluo Palace will never desce—"
Suddenly, a faint sound of a zither string rang out.
Qin Mu held the hand of the Moon Venerable beside him, signaling her not to move.
The sound of the zither came, and the vast, boundless Heavenly Court trembled slightly, so subtle it was almost imperceptible. The Moon Venerable, who cultivated the Ultimate Void, was extremely sensitive to spatial changes and immediately detected that tremor.
The Joy Hall Master also noticed the vibration, but the others did not have such profound cultivation.
Feng Hualian's last word came out: "...end!"
As the word "end" was spoken, the Southern Heavenly Gate suddenly tilted slowly, a diagonal crack appearing silently. The upper half of the Southern Heavenly Gate slid downward as if on a perfectly smooth slide, without making a sound.
After Feng Hualian finished his impassioned speech, he also noticed the abnormality of the Southern Heavenly Gate and quickly turned his head, a look of confusion on his face.
It wasn't just the Southern Heavenly Gate that was splitting. Other palaces, one grand hall after another, one divine palace after another in the Heavenly Court, were all being neatly cut in half by something.
The upper halves of thousands of palaces and tens of thousands of halls were now silently sliding downward!
He looked toward the other heavenly gates and saw that the Western Heavenly Gate, the Northern Heavenly Gate, and the Eastern Heavenly Gate were also being neatly sliced and were sliding down!
Boom.
Suddenly, the upper part of a heavy artifact beside the altar fell to the ground, followed by more booming sounds. The heavy artifacts that the prehistoric smugglers had painstakingly built were all split in half!
Beside him, a prehistoric smuggler raised his hand to touch his neck, where a bloodstain appeared.
He blinked, his gaze dazed, and then he saw the heads of his fellow Daoists around him falling from their necks, the cross-sections perfectly neat. Even their primordial spirits were cut just as neatly.
"My head..." He saw his own vision tilting as his head slowly slid off his neck.
Feng Hualian's body stiffened. He stood on the altar, not daring to move, cold sweat pouring from his forehead.
The Hao Heavenly Emperor blew a breath, and a bloodline appeared on Feng Hualian's chest. His upper body flew backward flatly, dying a violent death!
"Who else?"
The Hao Heavenly Emperor glanced around and suddenly burst into harsh laughter, shouting fiercely: "Who else dares to defy me? You, you, or you?"
He pointed at Huang Tang, at Cang Yancui, at Yan Xiuge, at Li Shu. The other four elders were terrified and dared not meet his gaze.
The Hao Heavenly Emperor's finger was about to point at Qin Mu when the Joy Hall Master coughed. The Hao Heavenly Emperor immediately withdrew his finger, full of pride, and sneered: "Go on, keep talking! Why have you stopped? Calling me a dog—you're not even worthy of that!"