Chapter 523: Forgiveness
Qin Mu crashed to the ground, mud flying everywhere, his body drenched in blood. Blood droplets and dirt mixed together as he stood up, his hair flying wildly in anger, and walked toward the First Ancestor Human Sovereign, who had just risen to his feet.
"You are a deserter on this battlefield, unqualified to look down on anyone!"
Qin Mu roared like a thunderclap as he attacked the First Ancestor Human Sovereign.
Though his injuries were severe, his momentum was even more ferocious than before, and the power of his techniques was astonishingly greater.
Rage filled his chest. When the First Ancestor had tried to destroy the Second Ancestor's bones, Qin Mu felt as if all the blood in his heart was about to explode. His primordial spirit merged with his physical body. Within his divine treasury, the primordial spirit fetus stood atop the spiritual platform, its head touching the heavens and its feet planted on the earth. The six directions of cloud energy surged from all sides, pouring into the primordial spirit.
Primordial energy fused with the primordial spirit, and the primordial spirit fused with the physical body. Suddenly, the primordial energy flowed unimpeded through his limbs and bones.
In that instant, he comprehended the power of the First Ancestor's unity of primordial spirit and physical body.
Cultivation techniques require time to circulate; any divine ability needs time to erupt. The only difference lies in the length of time and the strength of the ability.
But with the primordial spirit residing in the divine treasury, primordial energy entered the body directly from the treasury, eliminating the need for circulation time.
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign's striking speed was incredibly fast, not only because every aspect of his physical body had reached the divine realm, but also because of the unity of primordial spirit and body.
At this moment, the Five Luminaries Divine Treasury's five luminary stars perfectly corresponded to his five organs—heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—matching fire, wood, earth, metal, and water. The five stars entered the five organs, and the five luminary lords each took residence in his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Each organ housed a deity!
The Fire Luminary, the Ox-headed, human-bodied Blazing Luminary Lord, resided in the heart chamber. The Wood Luminary, the human-headed, bird-bodied, bird-footed Year Star Lord, lived in the liver chamber. The Earth Luminary, the human-headed, snake-bodied Guardian Star Lord, dwelled in the spleen. The Metal Luminary, the tiger-headed, human-bodied White Star Lord, occupied the lung chamber. The Water Luminary, the human-headed, red-haired, snake-bodied Chen Star Lord, resided in the kidney chamber.
With the five luminaries integrated into his physical body, his power surged exponentially, allowing him to blast away the First Ancestor, who had been about to destroy the Second Ancestor's remains!
"They lost! They lost miserably!"
Their palms collided, unleashing a terrifying burst of force. The surrounding thick mist was instantly sliced apart with a sharp *chi* sound by the airflow generated from their palm strike.
Their palm power was like razor-sharp blades, cleanly cutting the mist within a hundred zhang radius into two halves.
"They acted! You did nothing! What right do you have to blame them?"
Qin Mu roared, unleashing all his primordial energy. His muscles bulged fiercely, writhing beneath his skin as he pushed the First Ancestor backward. *Boom, boom, boom, boom!* The ground beneath their feet continuously exploded. Around them, a pure space of a hundred zhang formed, completely free of mist.
The mist had been forcibly compressed by Qin Mu's violent palm power, all gathering behind his palm force—that is, behind the First Ancestor.
"Aside from establishing the Human Sovereign Hall, what have you ever done?"
Qin Mu demanded. Behind him, a volcano suddenly erupted with a roar, flames shooting into the sky. It was the fist technique of the Qikang Human Sovereign, gathering heart fire into momentum, brewing and exploding.
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign's expression shifted slightly. The power in Qin Mu's palms suddenly surged, sending him flying!
"You did nothing!"
As the First Ancestor Human Sovereign hung in midair, he saw Qin Mu standing on one leg, spinning his body in a full circle. *Shua, shua, shua!* Primordial energy transformed into countless spiritual weapons of all kinds, hurtling toward him in the air!
It was the Spiritual Weapon Forging Technique of the Lanpo Human Sovereign!
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign swept his sleeves, shredding all the spiritual weapons. Before he could land, Qin Mu pointed a finger at him. A continuous chain of green mountains burst forth from his fingertip, engulfing him.
The Linked Green Mountains Technique!
"They were inferior to you, weren't they? Then teach them! Teach them!"
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign forcibly broke through the technique. Before he could land, a massive bell came crashing toward him. Qin Mu had already closed in. The bell enveloped Qin Mu as he attacked from within, his fists and feet striking the bell's walls.
The bell's sound rumbled and boomed, its power growing fiercer. The bell tilted, inverted, turned sideways, righted itself, and sometimes aimed its opening at the First Ancestor.
The Five Ancestors' Five Thunder Heaven-Supporting Bell!
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign retreated repeatedly, the bell's sound mixed with Qin Mu's angry accusations: "How did the Second Ancestor die? Of old age!"
*Boom!*
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign was shaken, his steps faltering.
"How did the Third Ancestor die? Of old age!"
"How did the Fourth Ancestor die? Of old age!"
"Were all the Human Sovereigns inferior to you in talent or understanding? If you couldn't do it, pass down your method of becoming a god! Let them take over! Why did you let them die of old age?"
Qin Mu unleashed the techniques of the thirty-four generations of Human Sovereigns—techniques he had learned in Fengdu. They had taught him only to test his talent and understanding, not fully imparting them. They only hoped Qin Mu would return to the Human Sovereign Hall to receive their complete inheritance.
They had taught him roughly, not expecting him to learn much. Yet these techniques exploded with astonishing power in Qin Mu's hands, forcing the First Ancestor Human Sovereign to retreat step by step.
"You clearly had the cultivation method to become a god! Teach them! Why didn't you teach them?"
"What did they get from you? Nothing but a broken seal! Nothing but a mountain of responsibility and burden!"
"They couldn't learn your techniques or divine abilities, yet they fought and died for the burden you couldn't fulfill, battling the enemies you feared! And you destroyed their life's work, and you would destroy their bones! Even on their deathbeds, they felt they had failed you, failed you as the First Ancestor Human Sovereign, too ashamed to face you after death!"
"And you dare call them useless, call them incompetent? What right do you have?"
With Qin Mu's final technique, the First Ancestor suddenly reached out, grabbed his fist, swung him around, and slammed him hard into the ground.
Qin Mu flipped back to his feet. The First Ancestor Human Sovereign counterattacked—fist techniques, body techniques, sword techniques, formations. Every divine ability was executed with exquisite perfection, effortlessly breaking Qin Mu's offense, effortlessly forcing him onto the defensive, into a beating.
He was still overwhelmingly powerful. His earlier retreat seemed only to wait for Qin Mu's initial surge of momentum to wane. Now, he intended to completely crush Qin Mu, destroying his confidence along with his physical body!
His combat experience was immense, his physical functions still in perfect condition, his control over primordial energy reaching an inconceivable level. Qin Mu gave free rein to his emotions, pouring his feelings into his techniques, while the First Ancestor perfectly controlled his own emotions, wasting no energy on emotional outbursts.
*Thud, thud, thud.* Qin Mu took countless punches, kicks, and techniques. Compared to the First Ancestor Human Sovereign's youthful, god-like body, he was still far too immature.
His True Dragon Overlord Body could not be maintained. The First Ancestor Human Sovereign struck suddenly with a finger, its tip landing on Qin Mu's brow, shattering his True Dragon Overlord Body.
Qin Mu's body flew high into the air, like a tattered sack full of grain, crashing down before the Second Ancestor's thatched hut.
He struggled to rise but couldn't.
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign walked over, his expression cold, and stopped before him. "Saying all this—does it help? If you have the ability, defeat me. Otherwise, you will never bear the title of Human Sovereign. To become a Human Sovereign, the enemies you must face are far stronger than me, far more ruthless."
Qin Mu's eyes widened as he watched the First Ancestor walk toward the Second Ancestor's hut and lift the Second Ancestor's bones.
"No..."
Qin Mu crawled over with difficulty, grabbing the First Ancestor's ankle, his voice choked with tears: "Please!"
*Crack.*
The Second Ancestor's bones shattered, falling to the ground.
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign raised his foot and stomped twice, saying coldly, "If you can't defeat me, you'll never defeat them. I'm giving you the chance to defeat me. This is the first time. You have thirty-four more chances."
Qin Mu's vision blurred, his cheeks cold. The First Ancestor Human Sovereign picked him up and slammed him onto the box with a *bang*, saying coldly, "Every time you lose, I'll destroy one Human Sovereign's bones. If you keep losing, these failures will all be left without remains. Now leave!"
Dragon Qilin opened his mouth, wanting to roar at him, but his mouth was still sealed, unable to make a sound.
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign glared at him. Dragon Qilin lowered his head, carrying the box with Qin Mu on it back the way they came.
"I will beat you to death!"
Qin Mu's voice came from the box: "I will definitely beat you to death!"
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign's body trembled, but he did not turn around. Dragon Qilin carried the box, and the box carried Qin Mu, walking out of this ancient fragment of the celestial court.
"I'm sorry..."
*Plop.*
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign knelt before the Second Ancestor's hut, raising a cloud of dust. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to destroy your bones. I'm sorry..."
"I forgive you."
A ghost rose faintly from the shattered bones. The Second Ancestor's form was ethereal, a smile appearing on his face. "I forgave you long ago. I know what you're thinking. You want him to grow up quickly. He's an Overlord Body, isn't he? He can bear the burden we couldn't, right? I forgive you. Go back to Fengdu. They will all forgive you too..."
In each dilapidated thatched hut, skeletons raised their heads, silently watching the kneeling First Ancestor Human Sovereign.
"We all forgive you..."
They looked at their founder. The First Ancestor Human Sovereign had not passed down the method to become a god, but he had passed down an indescribable spirit—a spirit of unyielding defiance.
"I cannot forgive myself."
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign knelt, his body gradually turning to stone as his primordial spirit departed.
The box ran with a *da da da* sound, carrying Qin Mu over mountains and ridges. Ahead, Dragon Qilin warily scanned the surroundings, guarding against attacks from wild beasts in the desolate mountains.
Two days later, they arrived at Xianglong City. Si Yunxiang and Fox Ling'er quickly took Qin Mu in and cared for him. After a few days, Qin Mu recovered somewhat and began to recuperate on his own.
"I will beat him to death."
Qin Mu sat on the dragon head of the city's dragon pillar, his eyes vacant, speaking to Ling Yuxiu, who had moved him there. "I will definitely beat him to death. I will never forgive him..."
Ling Yuxiu saw how despondent he had been these past few days but didn't know how to comfort him. She had placed him here, where they used to play together, hoping he could dispel the gloom in his heart.
"My father summoned me back. He said he's sending me to the Western Lands."
Ling Yuxiu hesitated, then said, "Although the Western Lands have submitted, the court's forces have never been stationed there. Why don't you come with me to the Western Lands to clear your mind? Don't keep brooding over things—it's frightening... Talk to me about it. Maybe I'll have an idea!"
Qin Mu stared at her blankly, his eyes lifeless. He used to pluck out the stubborn whiskers sprouting from his chin, but these days he hadn't, leaving him stubbly and unkempt. He asked woodenly, "How do you beat a true god to death?"
Ling Yuxiu was stunned.
Qin Mu lay back down. "Go to the Western Lands. The Emperor is sending you to the Western Lands and Yushu Crown Prince to the north. Both places were just conquered. If you govern the Western Lands better than your second brother, you'll become the crown prince. If you want to be the crown prince, I can help you. I have people in the Western Lands. I can't go with you. There are things I need to think about carefully."
Ling Yuxiu lay down beside him, hands behind her head, staring blankly at the white clouds in the sky. Suddenly she said, "A few years ago, when we lay here together, we were so carefree. I liked you, and you liked me. Now that we've grown up, why are there so many troubles? I miss those days..."
"Probably because we've grown up," Qin Mu said softly, closing his eyes.
Ling Yuxiu rolled over, lying on her side, looking at him. She plucked a stray whisker from his cheek and asked, "Are you still the same you?"
Qin Mu was startled, then said, "Xing Han said a person's body completely changes every seven years. It's been three or four years now, so I should only be half of who I was."
Ling Yuxiu shivered, then yanked out a few more of his whiskers, saying angrily, "You're scaring me again! Don't turn into Xing Han!"
She tilted her head, thinking, then said, "If you don't want me to go to the Western Lands, I can stay and keep you company."
"Do you want to go?" Qin Mu asked.
"Yes!"
Ling Yuxiu stood up, looking down at the rivers and mountains of the Great Ruins, full of ambition. "I want to be the Empress! I want to defeat my father! I want him to see that I'm better than all his sons, better and stronger!"
A glimmer of light flickered in Qin Mu's dull eyes. He was inspired by this girl. Some color returned to his face, as if he had come back to life.
"You say Zhai Zhu is short? Do you know? Today's two chapters are both over 3,500 words. Zhai Zhu is long! Zhai Zhu is the longest!"