Chapter 610: Opening the Box (Second Update!)
Qin Mu and Zhe Huali's hearts trembled. They quickly followed the sound and saw a hand pinching the small box. The owner of the hand was a man with a large axe on his back, wearing a bamboo hat, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with thick eyebrows and big eyes.
He looked like a woodcutter who had just set down a load of firewood from his back, but there was a deep scholarly aura in his brow. His attire and temperament were completely at odds.
The small box rested in his hand, appearing very delicate.
"Woodcutter Saint!" Qin Mu's heart filled with joy.
Zhe Huali was greatly shocked: "Celestial Master!"
On the other side, Qi Jiuyi was still kneeling there, secretly lifting his eyes, his heart pounding: "The one who blood-sacrificed Luofu Heaven, forcing Furi Sun to sign the Earth Lord's Pact with him!"
He quietly stood up and retreated backward, wanting to leave but not daring to.
Chi Xi, with three heads and six arms, his body withered and shriveled, barely lifted his head to size up this woodcutter, sneering coldly: "You want it? Do you dare to take it?"
The Woodcutter Saint held this square box, examining it up and down, and said: "Why wouldn't I dare? Your cultivation hasn't recovered, and neither has your physical body. If you were at your peak, I'd yield to you. But since you're not, I don't even have the desire to fight you. Take it—"
He cut his wrist, and divine blood flowed from the wound.
Chi Xi stared at the flowing divine blood, unable to hold back any longer. He immediately opened his mouth, and the divine blood from the Woodcutter Saint's wrist flew toward his three mouths.
After receiving the Woodcutter Saint's divine blood, his shriveled, withered body began to swell visibly before their eyes. Blood flowed, his heartbeat grew louder and faster, and the various withered organs inside him gradually recovered.
His spirit and energy grew stronger and stronger, his face slowly becoming ruddy, gradually returning to its original form.
Chi Xi could be considered a rather distinguished-looking middle-aged man. The three faces on his three heads were identical, all with sword-like brows and a heavy aura of slaughter between them, likely because he had once been the executioner of the Red Ming Heavenly Court.
His presence also gradually strengthened, soon causing Qin Mu, Zhe Huali, and Qi Jiuyi to stagger and be forced to retreat.
When he had recovered sufficiently, the wound on the Woodcutter Saint's wrist slowly healed, and the bleeding stopped.
"Your primordial spirit has withered for twenty thousand years. Nurture it slowly on your own."
The Woodcutter Saint's gaze had been fixed on the small box the entire time, never once looking directly at Chi Xi. After a moment, he said: "Qin Mu, where did this small box come from?"
Qin Mu said: "Senior Brother found it."
"Him?"
The Woodcutter Saint was surprised and asked: "Where is he?"
"Senior Brother has never appeared. I found the evil dragon he had suppressed in a ruin in the Great Ruin, and I slew it. The star sand in Senior Brother's cauldron that suppressed the dragon revealed many geographical maps, but he himself did not appear."
Qin Mu quickly recounted the entire sequence of events and said: "The area near the God-Beheading Platform on this alien star was one of those maps. I followed the map and found this place, locating the small box. Senior Brother used the All-Heavens Star-Devouring Killing Array to trap the small box, leaving behind a series of mathematical puzzles. I solved them and found the answer to be three hundred and fifty thousand years."
"Three hundred and fifty thousand years..."
The Woodcutter Saint pondered, murmuring: "Why did that fool leave behind a riddle? Was he trying to give me a hint? What does he mean by leaving so many geographical maps... These maps aren't for you; they're for me. He wants me to follow the maps to find the clues he left behind. You finding the maps he left was a stroke of luck."
Qin Mu said: "Three hundred and fifty thousand years ago was the Red Ming Era. This senior Chi Xi comes from three hundred and fifty thousand years ago."
The Woodcutter Saint nodded: "I know. As soon as I saw his three-headed, six-armed form, I knew he was from the Red Ming Era. I've found some ruins from that era before, and I discovered that people of that time considered three heads and six arms to be the strongest physical form, with vast divine powers, capable of moving mountains and filling seas, chasing stars and catching the moon. This small box also comes from that era, and its form is similar to the so-called Heavenly Court's God-Beheading Mysterious Blade. I wonder which imitated which."
Qi Jiuyi didn't dare to speak, but sneered inwardly: "It must be the Red Ming Heavenly Court imitating our Heavenly Court's God-Beheading Mysterious Blade!"
Qin Mu thought for a moment, then took out the military tally that Green Desolate Elder had given him, saying: "Saint, Senior Brother left this item with Green Desolate Elder. Green Desolate Elder doesn't know which era this military tally is from either."
The Woodcutter Saint took the military tally, examined it, and laughed: "Green Desolate Elder? That must be Green Emperor, right? That old fellow has a bad temper and ignores everyone, but he has a good heart, a very warm one. Did he badmouth me behind my back?"
Qin Mu quickly shook his head, saying seriously: "No! Absolutely not! Green Desolate Elder spoke very kindly, with a benevolent brow and kind eyes. He treated me warmly, saw me off reluctantly, and didn't curse anyone!"
"Impossible! He definitely said something. Not only did he curse me, he probably cursed the Kai Emperor too. He definitely drove you away!"
The Woodcutter Saint tossed the military tally back to him and laughed: "I've long figured out his temper. I can't tell the origin of this military tally either, or from which year it was left behind. Keep it for now."
"Wait!"
Chi Xi's gaze fell on the military tally in Qin Mu's hand, and he said in a deep voice: "Let me see that military tally. I might recognize it!"
Qin Mu looked at the Woodcutter, who nodded slightly.
Qin Mu stepped forward and handed the military tally to Chi Xi. Chi Xi examined it thoroughly and said: "This is a military tally from the Dragon Han Era. There were still many ruins from the Dragon Han Era in the Red Ming Era. I've seen things like this before. Child, return the tally to him."
Qin Mu took back the military tally and asked doubtfully: "Senior Brother left a Dragon Han Era military tally with Green Desolate Elder for safekeeping. What was his intention? Green Desolate Elder is the Eastern Lord of the Kai Emperor Era. Senior Brother asking him to keep it shows that he must have valued this item greatly. What secret is hidden in this Dragon Han Era military tally?"
The Woodcutter Saint laughed: "Since he left behind so many geographical maps, just follow the maps and search. That kid will eventually uncover the secret one day."
Qin Mu agreed.
Chi Xi said calmly: "Fellow Daoist, this small box is an item of my Red Ming Heavenly Court. Please return it to me. Since you have given me your blood, the conflict between me and this child is settled."
The Woodcutter Saint finally turned his head to look at him, saying seriously: "Old friend, this small box was left to me by my eldest disciple, so it is mine. I cannot give it to you. I gave you my blood because I was afraid you would tear up the agreement, and I wouldn't want to fight you. So I let you recover some of your cultivation. If you tear up the agreement, I will fight you. I just forced King Furi Sun to retreat, then came here and found you bullying my disciple and these two juniors. That's hardly the conduct of a senior, and it left me somewhat displeased."
Chi Xi sneered. His physical body and primordial spirit had not fully recovered, and he was wary of this woodcutter. He said: "Even if you have my small box, it's useless. Without the runic array of my Red Ming Heavenly Court, you cannot open the lock."
The Woodcutter Saint smiled. The small box floated up from his rough hands. His fingers danced, and strange runic symbols burst from his fingertips, one after another disappearing into the small box. He said leisurely: "I've dabbled in too many things, which has delayed my cultivation. I've visited the ruins of the Red Ming Era a few times, so I have some understanding of the runes of your era."
From inside the small box came the clicking sound of locks opening. The sounds grew more and more dense, as if layers of locks were being released and tumblers were retreating.
Chi Xi's face changed drastically. He stepped forward, his aura surging, ready to strike, but then he held back!
On the other side, Zhe Huali and Qi Jiuyi's faces turned ashen, thinking to themselves that this was bad. The Woodcutter Saint was an enemy of the Heavenly Court and the demon race. If he opened the God-Beheading Mysterious Blade, he would surely want to consecrate the blade!
Every time the Heavenly Court's God-Beheading Mysterious Blade was opened, it needed to be consecrated, using human blood to moisten the blade's edge!
"Judging by this woodcutter's demeanor, hopefully he won't consecrate us, but rather that three-headed, six-armed fellow."
They were both terrified and somewhat eager, wanting to see this fierce weapon hidden in the box that could intimidate gods and demons!
Suddenly, the small box made a soft *da* sound, opening a crack.
Instantly, a flood of blood-red light burst from the box, illuminating everyone around, turning their eyebrows and beards red, and their hair also turning crimson.
In the sky, blood-red clouds surged, spinning like plasma. At the very center of this red cloud vortex, corresponding directly to the small box!
Although the light emanating from the box was blood-red and appeared warm, everyone felt as if they had fallen into an ice cavern.
The murderous aura emanating from the box froze their primordial spirits, rendering them unable to move. Their souls were completely frozen, as if the slightest movement would bring a blade of light to strike them down!
"What a fierce weapon!"
The Woodcutter Saint's expression was grave. He lifted the small box, grabbed the lid with his other hand, and said in a deep voice: "You've been fighting over this small box for a long time, haven't you? Today, I will open it and let you see!"
Chi Xi showed a look of fear, retreating rapidly, fleeing far away.
Qi Jiuyi and Zhe Huali wanted to leave but couldn't. They could only watch helplessly as the Woodcutter Saint opened the box!
The box slowly opened. The Woodcutter Saint's expression grew even more solemn, his hands trembling slightly, clearly under great strain.
He was suppressing the fierce power within the small box. Suddenly, he let out a roar, unleashing his full strength to suppress the murderous aura, and opened the box!
Qin Mu, Zhe Huali, and Qi Jiuyi involuntarily looked into the box. Inside this small box was indeed a human head!
This head had no skin, as if someone had peeled off its face and scalp, yet no blood was visible. The flesh beneath the skin was crystalline white, as if composed of light.
Behind the head, tendrils resembling blood vessels or flesh connected to the inner walls of the box, as if they had grown together with it.
It was unknown what sorcery the Red Ming Heavenly Court had used to fuse the head of a Throne-level powerhouse with the box.
That crystal-like head was still alive. It opened its eyes, revealing swirling white light within, restrained and not released. There were no black pupils, only white, as if not made of substance.
Light extended from the eyes for about a foot, sometimes long, sometimes short.
The tendrils behind the head vibrated continuously, making a rustling sound like insect wings rubbing together, as if the head was very excited, eager to kill and drink blood!
Qin Mu saw that where the tendrils touched the head, there were indeed some extremely thin membranous wings.
*Thump!*
The Woodcutter Saint closed the box, panting heavily. Opening the box and controlling its bloodthirsty power was more exhausting than his fierce battle with Furi Sun!
"Saint, aren't you going to consecrate the blade?" Qin Mu glanced at Qi Jiuyi and Zhe Huali and asked.
--- Thank you all for voting so many monthly votes on the first day. Zhai Zhu is deeply moved! Wearing women's clothing was something Zhai Zhu mentioned in the book club group the month before last. Many readers said that if Mu Shen Ji could reach the top three in monthly votes, Zhai Zhu would wear women's clothing. I said okay, if we reach the top three, I'll wear women's clothing. So this isn't an April Fool's Day event. Not today. Guo Guo is still at home, and Zhai Zhu doesn't dare to try, afraid that Guo Guo will think Dad is a pervert. I'll wait until she goes to school before trying to see if I can fit into my wife's clothes. If not, I'll go buy the right size. After all, a promise is a promise.