Chapter 235: Qin Mu Borrows the Boat
Plop, plop.
The corpses of Crimson Cloud Daoist and Shao Yuan Daoist toppled to the ground. Qin Mu sheathed his sword and looked up. Dragon Jiao Nan had already gone far, her red snake moving swiftly, making it difficult to catch up to her.
“Tonight, the underworld envoys will have more wandering souls to collect. A pity I couldn’t send Dragon Jiao Nan off. This woman is indeed more clever than the others—she escaped the Battle of Skywave City as well.”
Qin Mu let out a breath. Dragon Jiao Nan was now alone, a single palm cannot make a sound. If she dared to pursue him again, she would surely die.
The reason this battle had been so clean and decisive lay mainly in their coordination. Crimson Cloud Daoist’s cultivation and strength were not weak, no less than Dragon Jiao Nan’s.
Crimson Cloud Daoist carried a sword case on his back, indicating that his greatest strength lay in the sword. The Heavenly Capital Demon King’s eight arms blocked the swords, allowing Qin Mu to charge straight to Crimson Cloud Daoist’s side without any scruples.
The Demon Ape’s strength lay in its immense power, and with the Xi Qi Luo Zen Staff and the Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra, its strength was enough to stun Crimson Cloud Daoist. After that, Qin Mu reaped his life with a single sword strike.
As for Dragon Jiao Nan’s combat power, it mainly relied on that large red snake. The snake had been refined by her to the point of nearly transforming into a flood dragon. The Dragon Qilin was its match, overpowering the red snake and forcing Dragon Jiao Nan to be too late to rescue Crimson Cloud Daoist.
If Dragon Jiao Nan couldn’t rescue him in time, Crimson Cloud Daoist had only one path: death.
However, if Dragon Jiao Nan fled, Qin Mu wouldn’t be able to capture her. If he pursued her himself, he would surely die, and the Heavenly Capital Demon King, Dragon Qilin, and Demon Ape couldn’t keep up with her speed. So he had no choice but to let her escape.
“Big fellow, did the Little Tathagata of Little Thunderclap Temple give you any trouble?” Qin Mu asked.
The Demon Ape shook his head, pointing to himself and saying, “I, name, Kong.”
Qin Mu waited for a while. The Demon Ape was saying his monastic name, but how could a monastic name be just one character? Was his name Kong something, or something Kong?
The Demon Ape naturally assumed Qin Mu understood and said no more. This Demon Ape was sparing with his words, truly not uttering a single extra syllable.
“It’s good that you’re cultivating with the Little Tathagata. He also understands the Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra, and since he achieved enlightenment as a non-human being, he can guide your cultivation better.”
Qin Mu waved his hand and said, “My family’s elder is lost. I have to go find them and can’t stay here. Come home when you have time—Ling’er misses you too!”
The two parted ways.
Qin Mu walked in the direction the underworld envoy had indicated. This time, he no longer felt Dragon Jiao Nan’s gaze. It seemed this woman believed she couldn’t kill him and had no choice but to retreat.
“I wonder how the battle between the Little Tathagata and Ling Jing Daoist is going?”
Although Qin Mu was very concerned about this battle, finding Village Chief and the others was more important. He sat on the Dragon Qilin’s forehead and traveled forward, while the Heavenly Capital Demon King stood on the Dragon Qilin’s back, his four faces facing four directions, keeping watch on the surroundings.
The deeper into the Great Ruins they went, the more powerful the strange beasts became. Some beasts were already no weaker than the Dragon Qilin or the red snake. Fortunately, most beasts had their own territories.
Having grown up in the Great Ruins, Qin Mu was very skilled at identifying beast territories. He avoided them all along the way, making the journey dangerous but not fatal.
“If we go further ahead, we’ll reach the Eastern Heavenly Gate.”
Qin Mu recalled the map of the Great Ruins he had seen. There was a place there called the Eastern Heavenly Gate. Besides the Eastern Heavenly Gate, there were three other places named after Heavenly Gates, corresponding to the four cardinal directions: East, South, West, and North.
Just then, the Dragon Qilin stopped, sniffed the air, and said, “There’s a smell of blood.”
“This guy is a big dog, not a Dragon Qilin!” the Heavenly Capital Demon King thought to himself.
Qin Mu’s heart stirred. “A smell of blood? Let’s go take a look.”
The Dragon Qilin followed the scent of blood forward. After a moment, Qin Mu saw an old Daoist reclining under a tree, panting heavily.
“Ling Jing Daoist!”
Qin Mu exclaimed in surprise. He quickly called out to the Dragon Qilin to stop, saying, “He has set up restrictions around him. Don’t step into them.”
Ling Jing Daoist looked up weakly, took a breath, then suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He said, “The Sword God’s disciple has keen eyesight. I’m injured. To avoid being disturbed by strange beasts, I set up seals around here.”
Qin Mu said, “Daoist, I’m quite skilled in medicine. Do you need help?”
Ling Jing Daoist raised his hand, withdrew the seals, and tried to stand up but couldn’t move. Panting, he said, “Come over.”
Qin Mu had the Dragon Qilin approach the tree. He jumped down from the Dragon Qilin’s head and examined Ling Jing Daoist’s injuries. The old man was quite seriously hurt, likely wounded by the Little Tathagata.
The key issue was that Ling Jing Daoist was older, and his physical body was far from what it used to be, making these injuries more severe and difficult to heal on their own.
Qin Mu pondered for a moment, then took out some dragon saliva to treat his external wounds. He then took out a few Spirit Buddha Pills to repair the damage to Ling Jing Daoist’s spirit. Qin Mu rummaged through his Taotie pouch. He had bought some medicinal herbs from the Grand Academy for emergencies. The quantity was small, but it should be enough to refine healing pills for Ling Jing Daoist.
Qin Mu immediately began refining the pills. His techniques were swift and masterful. Before long, he had finished a batch of pills and had Ling Jing Daoist take them.
Ling Jing Daoist’s complexion improved somewhat. He said in surprise, “The Sword God’s disciple is also highly accomplished in medicine! Little friend, how about becoming my disciple? I have many enemies, and having you by my side would ensure my safety. Don’t worry—although the old Sword God is formidable, what I can teach you is not inferior.”
Qin Mu shook his head and said, “I am the Holy Teacher of the Heavenly Saint Cult. I cannot become your disciple.”
“So you’re the Demon Cult Leader.”
Ling Jing Daoist struggled to his feet, his expression solemn, and greeted him with a bow, saying, “I originally thought I was a generation above you, but I didn’t expect you to be a fellow senior brother. Ling Jing greets the Demon Cult Leader.”
Qin Mu quickly returned the bow and said, “Senior Brother Ling Jing, you’re too kind. Although your injuries are no longer life-threatening, to completely eradicate the hidden ailments, you still need some recuperation.”
Ling Jing Daoist laughed and said, “It seems I gave you those two Fengdu coins correctly. The old Sword God still owes me two Fengdu coins, but I doubt that fellow will ever repay them. He’s very stingy—he even cut off one of my fingers back then.”
He opened his right hand and said, “Look.”
The ring finger of his right hand was severed, a sword wound.
“If this finger hadn’t been broken, how could the Little Tathagata of Little Thunderclap Temple have seriously injured me? But this time, he was also heavily wounded. Heh heh, without a divine doctor by his side, that kid will probably have to crawl back to Little Thunderclap Temple and suffer for two or three years before he recovers.”
Ling Jing Daoist let out a breath and said, “That guy is younger than me and has a better physical foundation. He was once a disciple of the previous Tathagata and is a fellow disciple of the current old Tathagata. Before the previous Tathagata died, he passed the position of Tathagata to his senior brother. The Little Tathagata was resentful, believing that the previous Tathagata didn’t pass it to him because he was a demonic being. So he fought his way out of Thunderclap Temple and established Little Thunderclap Temple. By the way, why are you walking alone in the depths of the Great Ruins?”
Qin Mu prepared several medicines and brewed a medicinal decoction. He said, “The elders from my village are lost. I came out to find them.”
“Elders from your village?” Ling Jing Daoist was puzzled.
“That is, the old Sword God and a few other elders, including the Jade-Faced Poison King, the Divine Thief, the Horse King God, and the founder of my Heavenly Demon Cult. Senior Brother, have you encountered them?”
Ling Jing Daoist was stunned. Suddenly, he burst into loud laughter, laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face. The newly healed wounds split open, causing the old man to gasp in pain: “The old Sword God and the Heavenly Demon Founder got themselves lost? Those two old bastards—they actually managed to get themselves lost!”
He laughed until he couldn’t breathe. Qin Mu quickly said, “Stop laughing, your wounds have burst open again. Senior Brother, have you seen them?”
“No,” Ling Jing Daoist shook his head.
Qin Mu took out portraits of Ma Ye, Granny Si, and the others and asked, “Then what about them?”
Ling Jing Daoist looked them over, a thoughtful expression on his face. He said, “I’ve seen this blacksmith carrying a box. He’s very fast, no weaker than me. When I met him, I even competed with him in foot speed. He didn’t say a single word—a very strange temper. Such a strong person is rare, but I’ve never heard of such an expert.”
Qin Mu’s spirits lifted. “That’s Grandpa Mute from our village! Senior Brother, do you know where he went?”
Ling Jing Daoist said, “He went into a forbidden zone in the Great Ruins. It’s very dangerous, one of the deadliest places in the Great Ruins. I chased him to the edge of that forbidden zone and stopped, not going in. He’s mute? No wonder he ignored me when I spoke to him.”
“Grandpa Mute went into a forbidden zone in the Great Ruins?”
Qin Mu’s heart tightened again. He thought for a moment and then asked, “Senior Brother, have you ever heard of the Land of No Worries?”
“The Land of No Worries?”
Ling Jing Daoist shook his head. “Never heard of it.”
Qin Mu pondered for a moment. Ling Jing Daoist often roamed the Great Ruins and knew many hidden secrets. If even he didn’t know where the Land of No Worries was, then Qin Mu’s chances of finding it were slim.
After much deliberation, Qin Mu suddenly said, “Senior Brother, could I ask you for another favor? I want to go to the Land of the Living Dead again.”
Ling Jing Daoist laughed and said, “That’s simple. When night falls, I’ll take you there.”
Qin Mu calmed down and treated his injuries. When dusk arrived, Ling Jing Daoist had mostly recovered and was no longer in danger. He led Qin Mu through the dark Great Ruins, saying, “The Land of the Living Dead is the territory of King Yan. This world is very mysterious, only appearing when the two worlds overlap at night. To enter the Land of the Living Dead, you need Fengdu coins. I made a pact with King Yan: after death, I will not enter the Netherworld but will only go to Fengdu.”
He looked around, took out a token, and shone it into the darkness, saying, “Fengdu’s origins are very strange. It has no fixed abode, always drifting around the Great Ruins, forming its own world—very mysterious. I have a Fengdu token. As long as I activate it, a Fengdu envoy will come to welcome me.”
As he spoke, a beam of light shot out from between two great mountains in the darkness. Ling Jing Daoist immediately led Qin Mu toward it. The light flickered on and off, guiding them forward.
Unknowingly, they passed through several mountains and approached the light. The light turned out to be a ball of ghost fire, which suddenly vanished.
On Qin Mu’s chest, the jade pendant emitted a faint glow, slowly floating up to guide the way.
Ling Jing Daoist led Qin Mu and the others forward, as if passing through an invisible barrier. The scenery ahead suddenly changed. The vast and mysterious Land of the Living Dead appeared before them. Amid countless bone mountains and a vast sea of mist, a small boat drifted leisurely toward them.
Ling Jing Daoist led Qin Mu and the others aboard the boat. A skeleton on the boat poled the small vessel deep into the mist. After a long time, they reached a dock.
The stele of the Land of the Living Dead stood ahead.
Ling Jing Daoist asked curiously, “Demon Cult Leader, what are you doing here? Your cultivation is too weak—even if you wanted to sell your soul, Fengdu wouldn’t accept it.”
Qin Mu walked forward, passing through the empty village, crossing the mountain ahead, and looking at the enormous moon boat lying in front of Fengdu. It was like a three-legged giant toad carrying a colossal hull. He said in a deep voice, “I’ve come to borrow the boat to travel!”
“Borrow the boat to travel?”
Ling Jing Daoist was taken aback. Qin Mu sprinted forward, and before long, he leaped into the air and landed on the moon boat in a few bounds.
On his chest, the jade pendant he had worn since childhood floated up, its glow growing brighter.
The Heavenly Capital Demon King looked around, his heart filled with awe. He murmured, “Is this a divine creation?”
“A visitor from the Land of No Worries…”
On the chaotic moon boat, remnants of stars in the sky turned into fireballs and kept falling, making it very dangerous. A strange voice came, trembling: “Are you from the Land of No Worries? What are you doing here? I’m not a traitor—I just ran away! Their deaths are not my fault, heh heh, not my fault—I’m just a coward…”
Qin Mu followed the sound forward, arriving at the central hub of the moon boat. Between several giant pillars, a face the size of several acres was pressed against the ground, staring in terror at the jade pendant floating from Qin Mu’s chest.
“It’s not my fault—I didn’t betray my people!” the face shrieked.
Qin Mu hesitated for a moment, then let out a breath and reached out his hand toward one of the pillars. Ling Yun Daoist frowned and said, “I’ve been here before. There’s nothing else here except this madman. I’ve also examined these pillars—there’s nothing unusual about them.”
“Don’t touch!” the face cried out in despair.
Qin Mu’s hand touched the giant pillar. Suddenly, an incredibly terrifying force surged into his body, pouring in wildly. His body emitted a series of cracking sounds as he grew taller and larger. The surging divine power rolled in, causing his physique to undergo earth-shattering changes!
He felt his tailbone growing wildly, and soon a third leg grew out behind him, standing firmly on the ground. Under his armpits, bones and flesh rapidly grew, forming additional arms.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Qin Mu’s palms shot out one after another, grasping the other giant pillars. Everything around him seemed to be rapidly shrinking. In truth, nothing around him was shrinking—he was growing, becoming taller.
From within his body came the rumbling sound of impact—the sound of divine power within the moon boat transforming his body. The rumbling was the sound of divine repositories opening. In the blink of an eye, the Six Harmonies, Seven Stars, Heavenly Man, Life and Death, and other repositories all opened. Then the Divine Bridge repository opened, and a divine bridge stretched straight to the other shore!
Qin Mu couldn’t help but roar. In the midst of his roar, the enormous moon boat slowly stood up. A crescent moon hung in the sky, drifting into the distance.