Chapter 308: Undermining Each Other
Banggongcuo was both furious and anxious, stammering, "Chief Qin, don't joke around. I don't have the surname Qin; I'm a barbarian..."
Qin Mu was enraged and bellowed, "Qin Gongcuo, are you denying your own Qin family ancestors? You once said you came from Wuyou Township..."
"Little thief, shut up!"
Banggongcuo erupted with blazing fury and lunged at Qin Mu, who immediately defended himself. One transformed into a bird-headed, human-bodied freak using the Witch Sovereign Loura Sutra, while the other assumed the majestic aura of an emperor with the Nine Dragons Imperial Art. Dragons roared, birds cried, and dragon-shaped divine abilities clashed repeatedly with feathered sword strikes.
Though they appeared young, both were ruthless and merciless, each strike aimed at the other's life. In terms of sheer technique, few at the Six Unions realm could match them.
However, the earlier battle had drained them significantly, leaving their vitality less vigorous than before, yet the power of their techniques remained formidable.
Despite their ferocious fighting, as if eager to kill each other, their feet subtly moved toward the cabin door. Acting in silent accord, they fought their way closer to the exit, hoping to flee. But suddenly, the treasure ship shook violently. The owner of the two eyes outside the bridge grew angry, rattling the vessel until it trembled uncontrollably.
Then, an invisible force wrapped around them tightly, dragging them to the porthole. Both immediately stopped fighting, not daring to resist. This mysterious entity's strength was unfathomable; even Banggongcuo felt his scalp tingle, knowing that even at his peak in a past life, he might not be a match.
Outside the bridge, the two massive vertical eyes burned with rage, and the voice came again from below, chilling and sinister: "Which of you is surnamed Qin?"
Qin Mu and Banggongcuo pointed at each other simultaneously: "Him!"
The voice spoke again: "Both of you are surnamed Qin?"
Banggongcuo shuddered and quickly shouted, "I am not surnamed Qin! I am the Great Venerable of the Golden Palace of Loulan. Senior can go inquire..."
The voice was eerie, scraping across their souls like a blade, numbing their spirits: "If you're not surnamed Qin, then there's no need for you to live."
"Since it's come to this, it seems I can't hide it from Senior anymore."
Banggongcuo said solemnly, "That's right, I am Qin Gongcuo! This scoundrel beside me is the Great Venerable of the Golden Palace of Loulan, reincarnated and body-snatched, named Ban Mu. I beg Senior to strike and eliminate this useless wretch!"
Qin Mu sneered, "You called me Chief Qin just now. Are your words nothing but flatulence?"
The two glared at each other, gnashing their teeth, itching to dig out each other's black hearts and take a bite.
The voice fell silent for a moment, then said, "Which of you is sixteen?"
Banggongcuo and Qin Mu exchanged glances. Qin Mu quickly said, "I am sixteen!"
Banggongcuo hurriedly added, "I happen to be sixteen as well!"
Although Qin Mu was nominally fifteen, that age was calculated from when Granny Si found him. The villagers had always debated it—some thought he was fifteen, others sixteen. Qin Mu himself didn't know his exact age.
Banggongcuo, on the other hand, was only thirteen. But as a grassland native, weathered by wind and sun, he looked older, and both appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen.
The vertically slit pupils showed confusion, uncertain how to handle the situation.
This wasn't what he had expected. He had anticipated either someone from Wuyou Township or a sixteen-year-old surnamed Qin arriving to take the ship back to Wuyou Township. Instead, two seemingly similar-aged youths had come together, both claiming the surname Qin!
Who was real and who was fake was impossible to tell.
"Both of you, activate this ship and head to Wuyou Township!"
The voice continued, "Regardless of which of you is surnamed Qin, as long as you can drive this treasure ship to Wuyou Township, you will both be spared."
Qin Mu quickly removed the silver helmet from his head and shoved it into Banggongcuo's hands, saying earnestly, "Qin Gongcuo, haven't you always wanted this helmet? Now you can take it."
Banggongcuo held the helmet, his head feeling as big as a bucket. He tried to refuse, but Qin Mu insisted on forcing it on him. Cursing Qin Mu countless times in his heart, he reluctantly put the helmet on.
His eyes flickered. Despite having lived for ten thousand years, witnessing countless major events in history, and knowing countless secrets, he knew very little about Wuyou Township—let alone where it was located.
He only knew from records of the Dao Sect, the Great Thunderclap Monastery, and Little Jade Capital that it was a place where one could become a god, where deities roamed, a remnant of the Kaicheng Era.
His purpose in coming was to use this ship to reach that mysterious place and become a god. Now he had the helmet he had dreamed of for controlling the treasure ship, but how was he supposed to get to this so-called Wuyou Township?
As he put on the helmet, he felt his head swell several sizes larger and groaned.
What a trap.
He had been set up by that surnamed Qin.
No wonder that bastard had called him Qin Gongcuo from the start—he had been waiting for this!
"But thinking you can trap me here underestimates me! Over ten thousand years, countless prodigies have perished—Dao Lords, Tathagatas, Immortals—all dead when their time came. In all these millennia, only I have survived, not because of my talent or insight, but because of my extraordinary skills! I didn't earn my reputation for nothing!"
Banggongcuo's eyes gleamed as he quickly figured out how to control the silver helmet. He tried tapping the geographical map on the helmet, and the treasure ship shuddered but still couldn't break free from the hive seal.
"Senior."
Banggongcuo quickly said, "This ship is stuck and can't move."
Suddenly, the treasure ship shook violently, dislodging the surrounding hive seal. Clearly, the terrifying entity outside had shaken the ship free.
The hive seal loosened, and countless honeycomb-shaped seals cracked, then collapsed like glass. The demonic energy of the Netherworld surged, rushing into the Great Ruins.
At the same time, the two white bat god statues in the Nether Valley, as massive as mountains, rumbled. Rocks and stones fell away from the thousand-zhang-tall statues.
Where the stones fell, the white bat statues revealed flesh tones, with blood visibly flowing beneath the skin.
Thump!
Suddenly, heartbeats came from within the two statues, deafening.
Ahead of the treasure ship, the massive statue half-buried deep underground also shook, black stones flying in all directions, smashing into the surrounding cliffs with cracking sounds, a terrifying sight!
As the black stones fell away, it too revealed flesh tones, as if a petrified deity was about to awaken!
Banggongcuo felt a surge of joy. He knew many obscure secrets about the Great Ruins. In one of his past lives, while exploring a treasure site there, he had encountered an incredible incident.
At that site, there had been a seal. He thought it must contain some earth-shattering treasure, but when he forcibly broke it, what was sealed inside wasn't treasure—it was a demon god!
Just as he thought he was doomed, a divine beast statue in the treasure site suddenly transformed from stone to flesh, as if a beast god had revived, beating the demon god half to death and resealing it.
Afterward, the divine beast returned to its stone platform, gradually petrifying back into a stone sculpture.
From then on, Banggongcuo rarely set foot in the Great Ruins. He knew it held too many secrets, too many dangers and killing opportunities—one wrong move and death would come inexplicably.
But this time, he was using the Great Ruins' strangeness to counter this mysterious entity!
The treasure ship was embedded in the hive seal. If it moved, the seal would break, and the gods and demons who had set it would awaken from their stone state!
That would resolve his current crisis!
From the violent tremors outside, things were progressing as he had anticipated. Soon, the awakened statues would clash with the terrifying entity controlling them, leaving it no time to focus on him!
And he would get the treasure ship and the silver helmet to control it!
Indeed, the shaking outside grew more intense. Though he couldn't see the scene, from the collision's fluctuations, he could imagine the terrifying entity being discovered by the revived statues and engaging in battle!
"Hahaha, this ship is finally mine..."
Boom—
Before his laughter could fade, a fist slammed into his chest. The helmet was torn from his head. Qin Mu grabbed the silver helmet's red tassel, punched Banggongcuo flying, and laughed heartily.
Banggongcuo was furious. A swarm of locusts buzzed into the air, attacking Qin Mu.
Qin Mu raised his hand, using the Carefree Sword along with other flying swords to block the locusts, while moving toward the cabin door. Banggongcuo guarded the entrance, his face full of murderous intent as he struck ruthlessly.
They clashed again, exchanging thousands of blows in an instant. Suddenly, the treasure ship gave a slight lurch, slipping out of the shattered hive seal and drifting into the dark Netherworld.
Both were startled and quickly looked outside the bridge. The ship floated silently in the gloom, drifting. Behind them, the hive seal was disintegrating, the glowing honeycombs extinguishing one by one, growing farther away.
Qin Mu hurriedly put on the helmet, trying to steer the ship back. The hive seal was their gateway out of the Netherworld—if they drifted deeper in, who knew what dangers they'd face?
But as soon as he put on the silver helmet, Banggongcuo struck him hard, sending him crashing into the porthole. The helmet was snatched off and placed on Banggongcuo's own head.
Qin Mu sent a sword flying, lifting Banggongcuo into the air. In the next instant, he flashed beside him and snatched the helmet off.
They landed, glaring viciously at each other. Suddenly, the last hive seal shattered, the light vanished, and the treasure ship moved. Both felt a chill in their hearts—neither knew where the entrance back to the real world was.
"It's all your fault!" Qin Mu and Banggongcuo said in unison.
—Today, Zhai Zhu is feeling much better. If his condition improves further tomorrow, he'll post three chapters!