Chapter 471: The Flaw
True Heaven Matriarch felt a dull ache in her head. Qin Mu had shoved the Xuanwu Pearl into her hands again. If they were simply looking for someone, would they need such a treasure?
This was clearly another test!
“Is this kid a fox? He’s already tested me five or six times, and he’s still testing!”
True Heaven Matriarch returned the Xuanwu Pearl to Qin Mu, her gaze gentle, and said with a faint smile, “There’s no need for such a treasure just to find someone. Does Chief Qin have a portrait of the Great Venerable?”
Qin Mu, acting like a blind man, remained oblivious to her charming and enchanting smile. He quickly sketched a portrait of Banguo Cuo and handed it to her.
True Heaven Matriarch was very patient. She cast a spirit-summoning spell, awakening the white clouds in the sky, the rocks, and the trees, questioning them one by one. After a moment, she finally located Banguo Cuo’s whereabouts.
“The spells of True Heaven Palace aren’t bad. If they were used as constables, they would surely be top-notch experts.”
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher mused, “Perhaps we could have disciples from True Heaven Palace enter Yan Kang and serve as female constables.”
True Heaven Matriarch said softly, “The National Teacher has extraordinary insights.”
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher remained expressionless. “This is just a rough opinion, not worth mentioning.”
Along the way, True Heaven Matriarch attended to Qin Mu and the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher’s meals and daily needs, serving them tea and water, washing their clothes, and cooking their meals. A smile was always on her face, giving the impression of a virtuous and considerate person.
But Qin Mu and the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher acted as if this was only natural. Qin Mu even had her feed the Dragon Qilin and take care of that big fatty.
True Heaven Matriarch never showed any resentment, remaining gentle and considerate, but inwardly, she was truly uncertain.
Qin Mu acted innocent and naive, his mouth sweet as honey, calling any woman he met “elder sister.” Yet he was like a block of wood; no matter how she tried to seduce him, he remained dull and unresponsive, showing no interest at all.
As for the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher, he was even more formidable. This man seemed devoid of any emotion, only knowing how to work, completely unmoved by her allure.
And the Dragon Qilin? That beast was even worse. He was always staring at his own food basin, seriously and solemnly counting every single spirit pill inside. If even one was missing, it was unacceptable.
When not eating, this Dragon Qilin was always worried that his fur wouldn’t grow back, that his scales, blackened and full of holes from the lightning, wouldn’t recover. He complained that he wasn’t as handsome as before, scheming about how to trick more food out of her, engaging in a battle of wits with True Heaven Matriarch, arguing until her head felt like it was about to explode.
“I’m going to kill them all!”
True Heaven Matriarch nearly couldn’t hold back several times, wanting to make a move, but she realized that in front of the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher, she had no opportunity.
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher never showed any flaws. Even at night, this man would stay awake with his eyes open.
True Heaven Matriarch also discovered something even more terrifying. Even when the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher was eating, using his chopsticks to pick up food, he was simultaneously executing sword techniques. From extending the chopsticks to retracting them and bringing them to his mouth, this freak actually performed hundreds of different sword technique stances!
Even more frightening was that the act of picking up food even involved the coordination of various parts of his body, the movement of muscles and tendons, and the changes in his primal energy. He was constantly in the optimal state for attack, perfectly reaching a level where no flaw could be found!
In comparison, Qin Mu was full of flaws. She could make him die in whatever gruesome way she wanted without much effort.
But if she didn’t eliminate the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher first, and killed Qin Mu instead, then she would be the next to die.
True Heaven Matriarch never dared to make a move, so she had to patiently wait for an opportunity.
“I don’t believe he can remain perfect and flawless forever. He’s bound to show a flaw! Even gods in this world cannot be without any flaws!”
During the journey, Qin Mu constantly sought advice from the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher on sword techniques. True Heaven Matriarch listened carefully, hoping to find a flaw in the National Teacher’s swordsmanship, but she discovered that the sword techniques they discussed were completely beyond her comprehension.
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher’s attainment in the Way of the Sword was progressing rapidly, and Qin Mu’s skill in swordsmanship was also extraordinary. Each had their own specialty. True Heaven Matriarch had a very high attainment in the Way of Natural Creation, but her understanding of swordsmanship was far inferior to theirs.
The two often sparred in mid-air. Qin Mu would attack the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher with his sword techniques, while the National Teacher always kept one hand behind his back and held his sword with the other, effortlessly blocking all of Qin Mu’s attacks.
Qin Mu’s offensive was extremely fierce, his sword techniques varied and dazzling, but the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher’s sword techniques were extremely simple, using the most basic sword forms, yet he could easily break Qin Mu’s complex techniques.
When Qin Mu got tired, he would stop to rest, burying his head in thought about how to improve his sword techniques. The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher didn’t offer any guidance, letting him think quietly.
True Heaven Matriarch became curious and said, “National Teacher, your swordsmanship is divine. Why don’t you give him some pointers?”
“I cannot guide him.”
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher shook his head. “He has already reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Any further understanding can only come from himself.”
True Heaven Matriarch was startled. Even the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher couldn’t guide the current Qin Mu?
“National Teacher, why don’t you seal your divine repositories and fight him at the same cultivation level?” True Heaven Matriarch’s eyes flickered as she asked.
“I dare not.”
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher said honestly, “His cultivation base is too strong. At the same level, I could at most rely on my strong swordsmanship attainment to fight him to a mutual destruction. His dharma power is so pure and abundant that if I were hit by one of his moves, his dharma power would blast me to death.”
True Heaven Matriarch looked at Qin Mu, thinking to herself, “So young and already at this level. This kid cannot be allowed to live! Otherwise, who will be able to control him?”
Just as this thought crossed her mind, suddenly a sound like heaven and earth splitting apart came from within Qin Mu’s body, shaking the surrounding white clouds away. True Heaven Matriarch’s heart shook violently, and she showed an expression of disbelief.
This was the sound of a divine repository breaking through its walls, so violent it seemed like the Heavenly Man divine repository breaking through!
Buzz, buzz, buzz—
Light burst forth from around Qin Mu, transforming into seven stars that revolved around him. There was pure yang energy like a blazing sun, pure yin energy like a bright moon, a fiery Mars as big as a dipper, a heavy Saturn thick with earthy yellow, a shining Venus emitting white light, a watery Mercury filled with surging water vapor, and a wooden Jupiter emitting Azure Dragon energy, accompanied by rumbling thunder.
On each of these seven great stars stood a deity, strange and bizarre in form: ox-headed with a human body, three-legged with a bird’s head, tiger-headed with a leopard’s tail—the seven star lords, each with a different appearance.
Qin Mu’s body shook violently, and behind him emerged a primordial spirit over five or six zhang tall, its hands cupped in the air, the seven stars floating between its palms.
True Heaven Matriarch exclaimed, “Such a strong primordial spirit! He’s at the Heavenly Man realm, so why is he manifesting the Seven Stars phenomenon?”
“Did you hear how terrifying the sound of his wall-breaking was?”
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher exhaled a turbid breath, his demeanor desolate. “I thought I was a straight line, without any shortcomings. Now I realize I was wrong. He is the straight line; I am a triangle. Is the Overlord Body really this strong?”
True Heaven Matriarch was shocked and uncertain, stunned by the astonishing phenomenon of Qin Mu’s Seven Stars wall-breaking. The sound of a Seven Stars wall-breaking shouldn’t be this shocking, and the momentum couldn’t be this strong.
But even more shocking was the Overlord Body.
She had never heard of such a constitution in this world!
“National Teacher, what is the Overlord Body?” True Heaven Matriarch humbly sought instruction.
“The Overlord Body originates from an ancient legend.”
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher became interested and said, “An elder told me about it. Let me explain in detail. It is said that the Overlord Body… there can only be one in this world…”
They tracked for four or five days. Qin Mu stabilized his Seven Stars realm, his cultivation base growing even more profound. He simultaneously opened the Spirit Embryo, Five Luminaries, Six Harmonies, and Seven Stars divine repositories, his cultivation base’s strength rivaling that of the Dragon Qilin, a divine beast.
The Dragon Qilin became very nervous, feeling a strong sense of crisis. “Damn! If the Chief’s cultivation base catches up to mine, I’ll be useless! Where else can I find a top-tier meal ticket like the Chief?”
True Heaven Matriarch breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, “We are not far from the Great Venerable.”
Qin Mu looked up and saw the Flame Desert ahead. He said in surprise, “Banguo Cuo has run out of the Western Lands. As expected of the Great Venerable, his escape skills are truly unmatched. If it weren’t for Sister Siyu, he would have gotten away again.”
In the Flame Desert, flames blazed fiercely. As soon as they got close, strange patterns began to appear on Qin Mu’s body, spreading all over him.
True Heaven Matriarch’s eyelids twitched, and she asked with concern, “Chief Qin, these patterns on your body…”
“Probably some kind of curse.”
Qin Mu didn’t mind and said, “When I came here last time, these patterns appeared on my body. They grow all the way down to the soles of my feet, and I can’t get rid of them. They only disappear automatically when I leave the Flame Desert.”
“Even the soles of your feet?”
True Heaven Matriarch’s mind shook violently, and she nearly cheered with excitement: “Royalty! He is royalty!”
She had killed countless nobles among the abandoned people of the Great Ruins, but royalty—the bloodline of the Opening Emperor—she had never killed a single one!
“He’s not a noble among the abandoned people of the Great Ruins; he is royalty!”
True Heaven Matriarch felt a surge of satisfaction, and the humiliation she had endured over the past few days seemed to vanish. “I’ve searched high and low without finding him, but now I’ve stumbled upon him without any effort! The higher-ups are most worried about the royalty among the abandoned people. If I can eliminate him, I can rise to prominence, leave this godforsaken lower realm, and enjoy the blessings of the upper realm!”
Her eyes flickered. “This kid is the easiest to deal with, but he is also the most valuable! His life is far more valuable than the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher’s! But before that, I must first eliminate the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher! It’s hard to deal with the National Teacher elsewhere, but once we enter the desert, I’ll have the means and opportunity to handle him! As for the Great Venerable… I’m sorry, but you’ll have to be sacrificed.”
She gathered sand and cast a spell, awakening a group of sand dune giants to ask about Banguo Cuo’s whereabouts.
The Dragon Qilin sped up and chased forward.
By the next morning, the Dragon Qilin finally arrived at a ruin in the desert. The ruin was relatively well-preserved, with a massive sun ship beside it and a sun half-buried in red sand.
True Heaven Matriarch revealed a smile. “With this sun ship, the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher will find it hard to avoid death.”
Qin Mu’s spirits lifted, and he laughed, “National Teacher, Sister Siyu, you stay here to support me and make sure he doesn’t escape again. I’ll go find that brat Banguo Cuo!”
The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher gazed at him and asked, “You don’t need my help?”
“No need!”
Qin Mu quickened his pace and, in a few leaps, arrived at the ruin, landing on a dilapidated hall. He laughed heartily, “Banguo Cuo, a friend has come from afar. Why don’t you roll out and accept your death?”
“Qin, you persistent ghost!”
A figure shot up from the ruin, exploding a cloud of sand into the air. With a loud bang, he landed on the other end of the hall. It was a young man, none other than Banguo Cuo, full of vigor and spirit. He laughed heartily, “You’ve come at the right time! My cultivation has increased greatly these past few days. Today, I will fulfill my lifelong wish and arrange your corpse into a big ‘submit’ character!”
At that moment, True Heaven Matriarch fixed her gaze on the back of the Yan Emperor’s National Teacher. The Yan Emperor’s National Teacher had finally shown a flaw!