Chapter 1809: Storming the Jade Capital City
Young Master Lingxiao and Young Master Zixiao had calm expressions, showing no signs of panic. They had clearly anticipated this change in the Ancestral Court, which left Qin Mu somewhat disappointed.
"Seventh Brother, no matter how stably you refine the Ancestral Court, it cannot withstand the Destruction Calamity and the Creation Calamity. But the Jade Capital City can."
Young Master Lingxiao reminded him, "Your desire to refine the Ancestral Court into a supreme treasure to suppress the Jade Capital City is nothing but a fool's dream."
His words held some truth. The Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City was not built in a day. This divine city had been refined by the master of the Miluo Palace since the Second Epoch, only to fail during the Destruction Calamity of that era. When Qin Mu first visited the Miluo Palace, he had even seen the ruins of the Jade Capital City.
In every subsequent epoch, the Miluo Palace attempted to rebuild the Jade Capital City on the ruins, hoping it could carry all living beings safely through the Destruction and Creation Calamities into the next epoch.
Yet, each time, the Miluo Palace failed. It wasn't until the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Epochs that the structure of the Jade Capital City was finalized, finally allowing this divine city to withstand the Destruction and Creation Calamities.
The only regret was that, although the city could endure the great calamities, the people within it could not survive the Creation Calamity. They still suffered heavy casualties, making the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City ultimately a failed creation.
Even so, the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City remained the most magnificent creation. Qin Mu had refined the Ancestral Court into the strongest divine artifact of the Seventeenth Epoch, but compared to the Jade Capital City, it was still far inferior.
Qin Mu smiled faintly. "The Jade Capital City was refined to survive the calamities. Its characteristics are tailored to the Destruction and Creation Calamities; this divine city is not strong in offense. Meanwhile, the Ancestral Court's Hundun Cauldron, which I refined, is meant for attack and sealing. Each has its specialty. Their functions differ, so naturally their power differs as well."
Young Master Zixiao said indifferently, "Seventh Brother, do you know why we agreed last time to wait for you to eliminate Wuya and Second Sister? It's because we know everything about you. Did you think we wouldn't know about you sealing the Ancestral Court and refining it into a treasure? Yet now that the Jade Capital City has descended, all your efforts are in vain, completely useless. Your seals, your Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron, your thousands of Dao Achievers—the Miluo Palace has never cared about any of them."
He looked up at the sky, then at the walls of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron, and said leisurely, "Once the Jade Capital City descends, all your efforts will become utterly laughable. Your seals will be easily broken by the Jade Capital City. Your Hundun Cauldron will be smashed to pieces by its impact. Your Six Paths Heavenly Wheel and Cosmic Bell are also no match for the Jade Capital City. The Jade Capital City spans sixteen cosmic epochs, crossing sixteen Chaos Long Rivers. It does not carry us; it carries the history and civilization of the past sixteen epochs, spanning a trillion years."
He withdrew his gaze, his eyelids drooping. "Its weight is beyond your imagination."
Qin Mu chuckled and said, "Did the two senior brothers invite me here just to boast about the grandeur and magnificence of the Jade Capital City?"
Young Master Lingxiao shook his head. "Of course not. After all, we are fellow disciples, from the same sect, unlike ordinary people. Junior Brother, if you lose this battle, Fourth Brother and I will not trouble your Yan Kang. You can rest assured."
Qin Mu said solemnly, "The magnanimity of the two senior brothers is admirable."
"It's not magnanimity."
Young Master Lingxiao said calmly, "It's because after this battle, you, as the loser, will be sent back to the past by us. The thirty-five billion years of accumulated Dao Achievers in Yan Kang will also be buried in this battle. Yan Kang will be crippled, and the Yan Kang Reforms will become nothing but a dream, no longer posing a threat to the Jade Capital City's strength. Letting them be at that point is not generosity."
Young Master Zixiao interjected, "Junior Brother killed Wuya, eliminated Second Sister, and wiped out Wuya Elder's forces. Even if the Dao Achievers of our Jade Capital City descend, the burden on this universe has not increased. Thus, the descent of the Jade Capital City will not shorten the lifespan of the Seventeenth Epoch. We will have enough time to study how to eliminate the Destruction Calamity and survive the Creation Calamity."
"Moreover, when Seventh Brother returns to the past, the Dao Achievers of Yan Kang will perish, their bodies and Dao extinguished, returning their energy to heaven and earth. This will also extend the lifespan of this epoch."
Young Master Lingxiao smiled. "Seventh Brother, by eliminating Second Sister and Wuya—two powerful enemies who could threaten the Jade Capital City—you have allowed the Jade Capital City to descend. Your contribution to the Miluo Palace even surpasses ours, your two senior brothers. I am ashamed."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow and said with a half-smile, "The two senior brothers have already begun learning my art of psychological warfare. It seems that in these thirty-five billion years of confrontation, you have come to understand me better and better."
"Just speaking the truth."
Young Master Lingxiao said, "The foundation of the Jade Capital City is right here. Why would we need psychological warfare? We didn't think of it that way, but our honest words become psychological warfare for you, Junior Brother."
Qin Mu laughed heartily, stood up, and said, "In that case, let's see the real deal."
Young Master Lingxiao stood up from the Lingxiao Treasure Hall and laughed, "Alright, let's see the real deal."
Young Master Zixiao also stood up and said, "I'll see you out, Junior Brother."
Qin Mu quickly said, "The two senior brothers need not see me off."
The two young masters saw him off. Qin Mu looked back and saw the fifty-six hall masters of the Miluo Palace and eighteen thousand Dao Achievers lined up neatly, following behind the two young masters to see him off.
Qin Mu arrived at the gate of the Jade Capital City, turned around, and smiled. "Everyone, stay here."
"Then we won't see you off," Young Master Zixiao said.
Qin Mu waved his hand and said farewell, "No need to see me off. Please go back." With that, he returned to the Ferry World Golden Ship.
On the ship, everyone was about to ask questions when Qin Mu's expression darkened. He spoke in Dao language, containing the mysteries of the Great Dao. The Dao sound echoed back and forth in the Ancestral Court: "Miluo Palace, a place of decay! Jade Capital City masses, a group of rotten beings! You have plagued sixteen epochs, manipulated the lives of all beings, treated their lives as playthings, and caused countless deaths and sufferings. The crimes of the Miluo Palace are too numerous to record! The blood on the hands of the Jade Capital City masses cannot be washed away even by the Heavenly River!"
"Now that the Miluo Palace and the Jade Capital City masses have descended to plague the Seventeenth Epoch, for the sake of the people and all living beings, we, who are unworthy to be Dao Achievers of the Seventeenth Epoch, swear to fight to the death to punish them!"
As his voice fell, the Dao sound in heaven and earth vibrated endlessly. The Great Dao contained within the entire Ancestral Court boiled over. The walls and ground of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron shifted continuously, rumbling loudly. The power of the cauldron, which Qin Mu had refined for thirty-five billion years, was pushed to its limit. The vast power of the Great Dao pressed down toward the Jade Capital City with a thunderous roar!
The Great Dao of the Hundun Cauldron became visible, transforming into countless rays of colorful light, forming a sea of light composed of Dao radiance. The tidal waves surged from all directions, rushing straight toward the Jade Capital City!
The surging Dao sound roared. Within the colorful light, countless Dao patterns and Dao chains intertwined, brilliant and dazzling, like a dream. Yet within this beauty lay a terrifying tremor capable of destroying everything. Even the Dao Achievers and hall masters felt their Dao fruits and Dao hearts trembling incessantly in the face of such ferocious artifact power!
Qin Mu stood at the bow of the ship. His form shifted, transforming into three heads and six arms. His six arms spread wide, and the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel, refined from Chaos Stone in the Chaos Sea, began to spin with a thunderous roar, pressing down toward the Jade Capital City!
At the same time, the Chaos Sea boiled over, also pressing down toward the Jade Capital City!
In this moment, the power of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron, the Dao might of the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel, and the weight of the Chaos Sea all surged toward the Jade Capital City at once!
On the Ferry World Golden Ship, Kai Huang, Lan Yutian, and others heard the Dao sound surging like tidal waves. The light of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron had already engulfed them. The surging colorful light posed no threat to them. As it passed through their Great Luo Heavens, it even stimulated the Great Dao contained within their Great Luo Heavens, further amplifying the power of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron!
At that moment, within the Lingxiao Treasure Hall of the Jade Capital City, a Dao spear flew out and plunged with a thud into the center of the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City!
Buzz!
The Dao spear instantly grew taller and thicker, like a giant pillar supporting heaven and earth. With a thunderous roar, the upper end of the Dao spear pierced into the Chaos Sea, like a sea-stabilizing pillar, holding up the Chaos Sea!
The Dao spear bent under the pressure. Around it, countless Hongmeng runes overflowed, growing brighter and brighter, spinning wildly around the spear. However, the Chaos Sea was thus unable to descend!
Young Master Zixiao flicked his sleeve. An ancient zither played itself, flying into the sky. The zither's sound transformed into a vast Heavenly Net, blocking the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel and preventing its power from falling into the Jade Capital City.
Boom!
The power of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron surged from all directions—above, below, left, right, front, and back. The tidal waves of colorful light slammed into the Jade Capital City. It was a power capable of destroying heaven and earth, yet the Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City stood firm amidst the impact!
Within the city, the forest of Dao trees was like a forest swept by a hurricane. The branches and leaves of each Dao tree danced in the wind, but not a single tree was damaged!
Qin Mu's pupils contracted sharply. This Jade Capital City had withstood the great Destruction Calamity and the Creation Calamity. When it had not fully descended, it could still be breached. But now that it had fully descended, it was indestructible!
Whoosh—
The Six Paths Heavenly Wheel flew down from above. Qin Mu floated in the air, stepping through the void toward the Jade Capital City. The Six Paths Heavenly Wheel immediately surrounded him at the center. The massive reincarnation wheels, constructed from six Chaos Stones, spun around him, growing larger and larger.
Kai Huang Qin Ye stepped out of the golden ship. As his foot landed, he stepped onto one of the reincarnation wheels. His forty levels of Dao realm fully unfolded. The supreme palace of the Sword Dao stood at the highest point of the forty levels of Sword Dao heavens, shining brightly within the Six Paths Reincarnation.
Lan Yutian also stepped onto a reincarnation wheel. His Ancestral Court Dao realm unfolded. The World Tree stood tall, and another treasure hall sat atop it.
On the golden ship, Xu Shenghua, Qin Fengqing, Jiang Baigui, Xing Han, and others all stepped onto the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel, taking their positions on the positive and negative sides of the Six Paths Reincarnation. They unfolded their Dao realms, raised their Great Luo Heavens, and planted their World Trees in the Ancestral Court's Great Luo Heaven, with the Five Supremes guarding them.
Boom!
The second and third waves of attacks from the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron followed one after another, passing by the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel and striking the Jade Capital City. The Dao radiance almost submerged this ancient divine city!
Throughout the Ancestral Court, mountain ranges either sank or rose. Rivers either disappeared or appeared. The geography of the land changed continuously, altering the Dao structure of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron!
The sun, moon, and stars, the vast oceans, became incredibly bright. Hongmeng runes lit up from all over the Ancestral Court, causing the Hundun Cauldron to attack the Jade Capital City with various Dao techniques, trying to find its weakness!
Within the Ancestral Court divine treasures of Lan Yutian, Xu Shenghua, and others, the Four Heavenly Gates, the Yao Lake and Yao Terrace, the Heavenly Sea, the Heavenly River, and other sacred lands lit up continuously, reflecting the geography within the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron.
Qin Mu alone could hardly push the power of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron to its limit. But with the support of the magical power of his three thousand Dao Achievers, the power and might of the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron grew stronger and stronger!
Boom!
The Six Paths Heavenly Wheel, accompanied by the fluctuations of the Hundun Cauldron's radiance, sliced toward the gate of the Jade Capital City. The gate tower of the Jade Capital City shook violently, but it was not breached!
Boom!
Another violent collision came. The Jade Capital City still remained unbroken. Qin Mu's eyes were a blur of chaos. Suddenly, the Chaos Hall behind him flew up and crashed into the Jade Capital City. The Six Paths Heavenly Wheel and the Ancestral Court Hundun Cauldron's attacks arrived simultaneously!
Boom!
The gate of the Jade Capital City cracked open. A deep fissure appeared on the gate tower, but it still did not break. At that moment, the Cosmic Bell hanging in the Chaos Hall rang with a clang. The power of the Creation Calamity surged out and struck the Jade Capital City!
The Cosmic Bell then contracted, transforming into the power of the Destruction Calamity and striking the Jade Capital City again. At the same time, Qin Mu reached out and drew the Chaos Sword, thrusting it forward!
Crack!
The gate tower shattered and flew backward, crashing toward the forest of Dao trees in the city!
The Ancestral Court's Jade Capital City, which had withstood the Destruction Calamities of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Epochs without being breached, was finally broken for the first time!
The gate tower whistled through the air, about to crash into the forest of Dao trees, when suddenly a large hand reached out. Young Master Zixiao's eyes flickered as he raised his hand to catch the gate tower.
The city gate shattered with a crackling sound. The massive Six Paths Heavenly Wheel crushed the gate. Qin Mu stood at the center of the wheel, stepping through the air into the city.
—I feel like the comic team won't be able to draw this scene...