Chapter 341: Heart-Piercing
Linxuan Daozi was the first to snap out of it, raising a hand to detain Qin Mu, speaking with utmost sincerity: "Chief Qin, you must stay! You didn't bring the Golden Scripture here just to let me look at it for three days—you were baiting me! Since you've cast the lure and I've taken the hook, why not sit down and talk in detail?"
The old Daoist priests and nuns nodded one after another, speaking in unison: "Talk in detail! There's nothing that can't be discussed!"
"We are all cultivators of the Dao, all Qi Practitioners—there's nothing that can't be discussed!"
"Righteous Dao and Demonic Dao are both Dao, one big family!"
...
Linxuan Daozi invited Qin Mu to sit, and an old Daoist nun immediately went to brew tea, presenting it respectfully. Qin Mu took a sip and smiled: "Excellent tea, only slightly inferior to the Upper Firmament's. What tea is this? Could you give me some?"
"Give!"
The old Daoist nun grinned, revealing a few scattered teeth, and laughed: "This is our Dao Sect's Azure Sky Precious Fragrance. Only tea from the trees growing by the Jade Void Spring can be called Azure Sky Precious Fragrance. There are only three trees by the spring, yielding just a few catties a year! How many catties does Chief Qin want?"
Qin Mu set down his medicine basket, invited the Village Chief out, and poured him tea, saying: "Grandpa Village Chief, can you drink this?"
"Azure Sky Precious Fragrance has a light aroma but a lingering aftertaste—of course I can drink it!"
The Village Chief laughed: "Even the Emperor can't get this tea! Let's start with one catty, and I'll have new tea next spring."
Qin Mu turned to the old Daoist nun and said: "Wrap one catty for tasting, from before the Qingming Festival."
The old Daoist nun hurried off and returned a moment later with a large bundle of tea.
Qin Mu accepted the tea, looked around, and remarked: "The Dao Sect seems quite frugal."
An old Daoist quickly said: "Not frugal at all. We had some possessions originally, but they were stolen. Chief Qin, this Golden Scripture scroll..."
"Oh, it's from my old Qin family."
Qin Mu set the Golden Scripture scroll aside and said: "The Dao Sect and I have had some friction in the past. I've always wanted to come up the mountain to apologize, but I never had the chance. Today, I came first to invite Dao Master Linxuan to read the scripture, and second, to resolve this grudge."
"Chief Qin, say no more!"
Linxuan Dao Master said solemnly: "Grudges can be resolved, but doctrinal disputes cannot. Even if we settle today's grievances, future conflicts over doctrine will arise again, creating new enmities. Chief Qin, let's talk about this Golden Scripture instead."
Qin Mu admired his clear insight and said: "Dao Master Linxuan sees deeply—I am impressed. Then let's discuss this Golden Scripture scroll today. This book records three techniques: Magpie Bridge, Mystic Pull, and Divine Crossing. They are methods to connect the seventh divine repository, the Divine Bridge Repository. I brought this book here, and I believe you can guess my intention."
"So it's a technique to repair the Divine Bridge!"
The old Daoists and nuns were all shaken, barely able to contain their excitement.
Repairing the Divine Bridge, breaking the final shackle, and becoming a deity—this was the lifelong wish of countless people, and the Dao Sect's experts were no exception.
What the Dao Sect called "cultivating immortality" was merely a comforting excuse.
—"Immortal" was a term from the Lesser Jade Capital. The experts of the Lesser Jade Capital often interacted with the Dao Sect's masters, calling themselves immortals, dwelling in the mountains, detached from worldly affairs, even more aloof and transcendent than the Dao Sect.
When these old Daoists and nuns first saw the Golden Scripture scroll, they were stunned by the Magpie Bridge technique recorded on it, immediately recognizing it as a method to repair the Divine Bridge, supremely exquisite. That was why they had spent three days without sleep, food, or rest.
Now, Qin Mu explicitly stated that the Golden Scripture scroll was a technique to repair the Divine Bridge, connecting it to the Heavenly Court, and they nearly felt the urge to snatch it again.
But seeing the old man beside them, who had no hands or feet yet could still drink tea, everyone calmed down.
Three days ago, this old man who emerged from the basket had merely glanced at them, and that look had shown them the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
At that moment, when they saw the old man's gaze, it felt as if a sword was attacking them, leaving them no way to dodge, block, or parry. So they all averted their eyes.
They were renowned elders of the Dao Sect, not at the level of the old Dao Master, but still sect leader-class figures with supreme swordsmanship. Yet this old man made them feel that if they tried to seize the scripture by force, they would die without a burial place.
Linxuan Dao Master's eyes flickered, and his Yuan Qi burst forth, forming a model of the celestial stars in the air, concealing mathematical calculations. He said: "Chief Qin, please explain."
Qin Mu smiled slightly, knowing that Linxuan was testing his mathematical skills. If Qin Mu knew nothing of mathematics, the Dao Sect could drive a hard bargain. Only if Qin Mu showed profound mathematical ability, making the Dao Sect realize he was indispensable, would they willingly help him.
"This is the Great Celestial Star Net Chess Transformation technique."
Qin Mu moved his fingers, rapidly pointing among the celestial stars, and said swiftly: "The Great Celestial Cycle has three hundred and sixty-five stars, but hidden within is the three hundred and sixty-sixth star—the Jade Emperor's Throne. You didn't mark the Jade Emperor, so you want me to solve the Jade Emperor's star number, right?"
As he finished speaking, Qin Mu used his Yuan Qi to draw a star within the Great Celestial Cycle and said: "Here is the Jade Emperor's star number!"
The old Daoists and nuns in the Jade Void Temple were all shaken, exchanging glances: "The Demon Sect Chief's mathematical skills are extremely high—he solved it so quickly! If he can solve the Jade Emperor's star number so easily, calculating the techniques in the Golden Scripture will likely be no trouble for him, just a matter of time."
Linxuan Dao Master dispersed his Yuan Qi and asked doubtfully: "Since Chief Qin can solve it, why come to our Dao Sect?"
"I can solve it alone, but it would take a very long time, and I can't wait that long."
Qin Mu said solemnly: "Moreover, I need the Dao Sect's experts to help me calculate the spatial mathematical model of a divine cannon. Both tasks require many skilled mathematicians. If the Dao Sect helps me, you can keep a copy of both the three techniques for repairing the Divine Bridge and the spatial mathematics!"
In the Jade Void Temple, everyone took a deep breath, but the atmosphere fell silent.
Qin Mu put away the Golden Scripture scroll, stood up, and said: "If Dao Master Linxuan is interested, you can wait for me at the Imperial Academy in the capital. I need to go to the Lesser Jade Capital to invite a few experts in mathematical calculation from there. By the way, Dao Master Linxuan, could you gift me a copy of the Mystic Maiden Calculation Classic?"
Linxuan Dao Master said: "A trivial matter." He ordered someone to fetch the Mystic Maiden Calculation Classic and gave it to Qin Mu.
Qin Mu accepted it, thanked him, and said meaningfully: "Your master, the old Dao Master, is also in the Lesser Jade Capital, isn't he? His lifespan is running out. If there are techniques to repair the Divine Bridge and spatial mathematics..."
Linxuan Dao Master's body trembled slightly, and he remained silent.
Qin Mu walked out of the Jade Void Temple, called to Xiong Xiyu and Xiong Qier, the mother and daughter waiting outside, and descended the mountain.
Linxuan Dao Master exhaled a turbid breath and looked at the many old Daoists in the temple. They were also looking at him.
Suddenly, Linxuan Dao Master stood up and said in a deep voice: "Gather all Dao Sect members skilled in mathematical calculation. We descend the mountain and head to the capital."
"Dao Master, think twice!"
An old Daoist quickly said: "Are you truly allying with the Demon Sect? The Demon Sect has wolfish ambitions, and this generation's Demon Sect Chief is both brilliant and treacherous. In the battle at the capital, he killed countless of our Dao Sect brothers and sisters!"
Another old Daoist nun said: "Demon Sect Chief Qin is indeed more cunning and ruthless than Li Tianxing, and harder to deal with! Bringing the Golden Scripture scroll this time is likely to lure us into a trap!"
"The enmity between our Dao Sect and the Demon Sect runs deep. This Demon Sect Chief has a wolfish, hawk-like gaze—he's no good. Dao Master, think thrice before acting!"
...
"The capital must be visited! The method to become a god must be obtained!"
Linxuan Dao Master flicked his sleeve and said calmly: "Uncles and aunts, say no more. Chief Qin is right—even if we don't help him, he can decipher the contents of the Golden Scripture scroll. Moreover, the Imperial Academy and the Lesser Jade Capital also have experts in mathematical calculation. Figuring out the spatial mathematical model is just a matter of time. If our Dao Sect falls behind by one step, we'll fall behind at every step, only to be overtaken by the Demon Sect and left behind by the times!"
He turned to pack his bags and said: "Our Dao Sect needs its own god, a living deity to protect the sect. In an era of great change, an unchanging sacred land has no way out!"
The old Daoists stopped persuading him and went to pack their belongings, selecting disciples with outstanding mathematical skills to prepare for the journey to the capital.
Suddenly, an old Daoist let out a earth-shattering scream: "Which bastard stole the Sect Leader's whisk?"
From another direction came an angry voice: "Who ate my fish?"
"Who stole my landscape screen? That was my treasured possession for years!"
"Who saw my Qiankun Bay? I refined it into a miniature mountain in a basin."
"My hairpin was on the dressing table—who took it? Say something!"
...
At the foot of Jade Void Mountain, Qin Mu passed by the mountain gate. The old Daoist guarding the mountain stood outside his thatched hut, returning Qin Mu's clothes, and said suspiciously: "That old thief stole our Dao Sect's treasures again, didn't he?"
Qin Mu took his clothes and shook his head: "I didn't see him on the mountain."
The old Daoist stamped his foot and said: "Damn! If you had seen him, he might have rested a bit. If you didn't see him, in these three days, that old scoundrel could have ransacked even the ancestral graves!" He then called for his big yellow dog, led it by the leash, and hurried up the mountain.
The big yellow dog was incredibly agile, leaping and bounding across Jade Void Mountain, sniffing everywhere. Suddenly, barking came from the mountain, followed by chaos—chickens flying and dogs jumping.
"If we don't leave soon, the Dao Sect's experts will come down to kill us," the Village Chief in the basket reminded Qin Mu.
Qin Mu snapped to attention and quickly urged the Dragon Qilin: "Run fast!"
The Dragon Qilin hurriedly sprinted, racing out of the towering Kunlun Mountain range.
After running for a while, they finally left the Kunlun peaks. Qin Mu looked worried and said: "Can Grandpa Cripple escape..."
Before he finished, he saw Cripple sitting under a large tree ahead of them, in the shade, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
Qin Mu was dumbfounded. Just as he was about to speak, Cripple suddenly jumped up as if his butt was on fire, sprinted away, and disappeared into the air, his voice drifting back: "Mu'er, you go to the Lesser Jade Capital first—I'll catch up later!"
A large dog crashed to the ground, carrying several old Daoists, both men and women, on its back, murderous intent radiating.
The dog sniffed under the tree, then clouds formed beneath its feet as it soared into the air, chasing after Cripple at lightning speed, a blur of light and shadow.
Qin Mu was stunned for a moment, then looked at the Dragon Qilin and said gently: "Fat Dragon, can you catch up to that dog?"
The Dragon Qilin shook his head: "That thing runs too fast—I can't catch it."
"It runs faster than you even when eating shit!"
Qin Mu said with heartfelt pain: "And you still have the nerve to eat spirit pills every meal!"