Chapter 657: The Sealed Crimson Emperor
(At the end of the chapter, I begged for subscriptions and was mocked by readers, who said readers couldn't possibly see it there—it had to be at the beginning of the chapter. I was stunned on the spot. For ten years, I've been begging for subscriptions at the end of chapters. I've been doing it wrong for ten years, been foolish for ten years... A three-thousand-eight-hundred-character chapter, begging for subscriptions!)
Crimson Ming Divine Son stared blankly ahead. The Crimson Emperor's Brain, which should have been shimmering with constantly flowing light, containing the Crimson Emperor's thoughts, consciousness, and boundless insights and experiences, had now gone dark!
This giant brain, covering several acres, no longer flickered with light but had fallen into darkness. Not a single glimmer of brain-light could be found, indicating that the Crimson Emperor's thoughts were no longer here!
If the Crimson Emperor's thoughts weren't here, where else could they be?
He suddenly turned, flipped over and leaped up, his face dark as he walked out of the hall.
"Thief..."
His murderous intent surged. Before he even left the sacred hall, the sky outside was thick with dark clouds, wind and rain raging, lightning and thunder wreaking havoc. Bolts of lightning crackled down from the oppressive black clouds, streaking across the dark sky.
The Divine Son's anger was no small matter—truly, the heavens changed color!
However, when he reached the hall's entrance, his chaotic mind gradually calmed. The lightning in the sky grew fewer, then the wind and rain ceased, and the dark clouds slowly faded.
"Even I cannot escape the Crimson Emperor's thought maze. Why didn't he fall into it?"
Crimson Ming Divine Son lifted his foot, holding it suspended in the air without stepping down. "The Crimson Emperor's thoughts are so vast, even I cannot bear them. Yet he could. Moreover, the Crimson Emperor's thoughts have remained here for fifty thousand years, never once recognized by any clan member. Why did he gain the Crimson Emperor's recognition? And what was the Crimson Emperor's purpose in leaving his thoughts behind? Why can't even I obtain the knowledge contained within the Crimson Emperor's thoughts?"
His foot still hung in the air, his expression shifting between uncertainty and gloom. Outside the hall, the sky churned with wind and clouds, sometimes clear, sometimes overcast, sometimes cloudless, sometimes flashing with thunder and lightning.
Crimson Ming Divine Son struggled inwardly. The Crimson Emperor's thoughts were left by the Crimson Emperor himself and absolutely could not fall into the hands of outsiders or foreign clans! But if the Crimson Emperor's thoughts had vanished, did that mean the Crimson Emperor had chosen Qin Mu? Did the Crimson Emperor's action have some deeper meaning?
"Chief Sacrificer Qin does not represent Crimson Ming!"
His decision was made. His foot landed, causing the sacred mountain and hall to tremble slightly.
At that moment, Qin Mu was beside the First Ancestor, examining his condition. The First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, had fallen into a coma. He had likely touched the Crimson Emperor's thoughts and been struck by the Crimson Emperor's vast and terrifying consciousness, overwhelming his brain and causing him to black out.
"This isn't a real injury. He'll be fine after some rest. But strangely, why wasn't I knocked unconscious by the Crimson Emperor's thoughts..."
Just as this thought crossed Qin Mu's mind, he suddenly saw the sky change color. Startled, he quickly tried to drag the First Ancestor's body. But the First Ancestor was a deity, and a god at the Execution Platform realm at that—how could he possibly move him?
The sky churned with shifting clouds. Qin Mu's expression also shifted between light and dark. The sky's clear or stormy weather reflected Crimson Ming Divine Son's mood. Clear meant no killing intent; overcast meant overwhelming murderousness. The constant change showed that Crimson Ming Divine Son was locked in an internal struggle, weighing whether to kill Qin Mu over the extinguishing of the Crimson Emperor's thoughts!
"The Crimson Emperor's thoughts are extremely important to the remnants of Crimson Ming. After weighing the pros and cons, Crimson Ming Divine Son will surely be moved to kill!"
Qin Mu continued dragging the First Ancestor but still couldn't move him an inch. Just then, the First Ancestor's right index finger twitched slightly. Qin Mu was momentarily stunned.
The First Ancestor remained motionless, eyes tightly shut.
Thump.
Crimson Ming Divine Son's footstep landed, shaking the mountain. His footsteps approached one by one. Qin Mu stood up, forcing a smile, and said, "Divine Son, letting us enter the sacred hall to touch the Crimson Emperor's thoughts seems ill-intentioned. It's caused our First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, to fall unconscious."
Crimson Ming Divine Son's face was expressionless. "It is my fault. I did indeed intend for you to fall into the thought maze and be unable to escape."
Qin Mu's heart tightened. Crimson Ming Divine Son saying this showed his resolve was firm—he would definitely not let Qin Mu go!
This man possessed supreme intelligence, but he also had a habit: when moved by evil intent, he would reveal some secrets.
When they entered the sacred hall, he had revealed the secret of the Divine Son's identity and origins to Qin Mu and the First Ancestor. Then the First Ancestor had fallen into a coma, and Qin Mu had nearly fallen into the Crimson Emperor's thought maze.
And now, revealing his earlier thoughts was also a secret within him—a precursor to killing!
"If Chief Sacrificer Qin can hand over the Crimson Emperor's thoughts, I can let bygones be bygones," Crimson Ming Divine Son said coldly.
Qin Mu was taken aback, then laughed. "Divine Son, you're being quite reasonable, aren't you? To be honest, I don't know why the Crimson Emperor's Brain went dark, let alone how to hand over the Crimson Emperor's thoughts. If the Divine Son knows, please enlighten me."
Crimson Ming Divine Son said softly, "The Crimson Emperor's Brain was the vessel for the Crimson Emperor's thoughts. When the Crimson Emperor's thoughts left the Crimson Emperor's Brain, the brain's light went out. Now, the Crimson Emperor's thoughts have entered your brain."
Qin Mu's mind churned. There were indeed many strange images and sounds in his brain, but though numerous, they could never contain the Crimson Emperor's thoughts. He laughed, "There are indeed some strange images and sounds in my mind, but how do I return the Crimson Emperor's thoughts? Extracting thoughts from the brain—I've never seen such a divine art, nor heard of it. Please, Divine Son, enlighten me."
Crimson Ming Divine Son's stiff face barely managed a smile. "Very simple. The Crimson Emperor's thoughts are eternal and indestructible. His thoughts are too strong; even if the host is destroyed, his thoughts won't be harmed. Therefore, the simplest method is to cut off the host's head, smash it into pieces, and the Crimson Emperor's thoughts will appear."
He said solemnly, "Then I will gather the Crimson Emperor's thoughts and return them to the Crimson Emperor's Brain. Chief Sacrificer Qin, how would you like to be buried? I can give you a grand funeral befitting a prince or high official. I can also use the finest divine metal to forge you a head, guaranteed to be lifelike and vivid."
Qin Mu's face turned ashen. He stepped back, forcing a laugh. "The Divine Son must be joking, right? I don't think the Crimson Emperor's thoughts are in my brain. If they were, I'd be another Crimson Emperor by now. Divine Son, think twice..."
Crimson Ming Divine Son's purple robe hem fluttered gently. He said seriously, "This is the most effective method I can think of at the moment. Chief Sacrificer Qin can also try to escape, as far as you like. But do you think you can escape this Floating Realm? Why not stand still, cut off your own head, and let me examine it properly?"
Qin Mu turned and ran, sprinting down the mountain in a flash.
Crimson Ming Divine Son's face was stern. The eyelid of his third eye slowly opened to the sides. He sighed, "Such a clever person, why would he make such an unwise move? It seems that in the face of life and death, everyone has a moment of foolishness."
Divine light swirled in his third eye and shot forth. Just as the divine light was about to strike, the First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, leaped up, thrusting the Yu Ming Sword straight into his third eye!
Crimson Ming Divine Son cried out in pain. Crystal from his eye pupil mixed with blood flowed down. Suddenly, two more heads grew wildly from under his purple-red robe, and four arms sprouted from his armpits. Six arms struck at the First Ancestor with terrifying force!
The First Ancestor did not dodge. The moment he stabbed the third eye, he immediately abandoned the sword, crossed his hands, and unleashed the Heaven and Earth Seal Technique. He let Crimson Ming Divine Son's attacks land on him while the first form of the Heaven Toppling Three Styles of the Heaven and Earth Seal Technique—Heaven Topples, Earth's Veins Severed—erupted with full force, slamming into Crimson Ming Divine Son without reservation!
The two struck each other almost simultaneously. Cracking sounds came from within the First Ancestor's body as ribs snapped one by one, piercing through his back, tearing through his clothes. His face was also hit, twisting grotesquely, his jawbone broken. His entire body flew backward, faster than Qin Mu running down the mountain, and crashed to the ground a step ahead of Qin Mu, smashing a huge crater into the earth.
Nearby palaces and temples collapsed with a roar, tumbling into the giant pit.
On the other side, atop the sacred mountain, Crimson Ming Divine Son's body twisted in a bizarre posture. His waist folded like a paper doll, and the middle of his three necks snapped, his head tilting backward.
Boom—
His body crashed into the sacred hall. A deafening explosion came from within. As the back wall of the hall suddenly exploded and debris flew in all directions, Crimson Ming Divine Son's twisted body flew out, tracing a straight streak of light through the air.
The stone steps beneath Qin Mu's feet kept collapsing, falling into the pit. The youth leaped and bounded, stepping on the shattered stone steps as he rapidly descended to the bottom.
The First Ancestor lay sprawled on his back. Intense pain made his facial muscles twitch uncontrollably. He hissed, "He's stronger than me, in a higher realm, and has three heads. I only destroyed one of his heads. Get out of here!"
Qin Mu tried to lift him, but the First Ancestor roared angrily, "All twelve of my ribs are broken! Only my spine is left! I can't fight anymore! Get out!"
"Where can I go?"
Qin Mu shook his head. "The Crimson Ming era's techniques excel in physical creation. Not only can broken bones regenerate, but even heads can grow two more, and arms can grow four more. With your injuries, as long as you cultivate creation divine arts, you can reforge your ribs. See? This is the benefit of my research into the Creation Divine Wheel. Back then, you looked so resentful, not saying it out loud but secretly blaming me for not learning your seal techniques..."
The First Ancestor was furious, lying motionless. "At this critical moment, you're still rambling! Get lost! Get lost now!"
Qin Mu laughed. "I can't escape the Floating Realm anyway. Where can I get lost to?"
Unable to drag the First Ancestor, he gave up. He took out the God-Slaying Mysterious Blade, snapped the small box onto it, and fixed his gaze on the top of the sacred mountain.
Whoosh—
A streak of light flew back. Crimson Ming Divine Son returned to the front of the sacred hall on the sacred mountain. His central head was still tilted back, blood constantly spitting from his mouth along with broken bone fragments—the shattered cervical vertebrae from his broken neck.
After spitting out the bone fragments, his central neck slowly straightened, and his central head gradually righted itself. The wound on his neck healed rapidly.
The Crimson Ming era indeed had extraordinary mastery in the art of physical creation, enough to make one envious!
The reason Qin Mu had been captivated by the Creation Divine Wheel, besides its nearly invincible power, was seeing the strength of the physical creation arts.
The broken bones in Crimson Ming Divine Son's waist were also pushing out from the wound, one piece after another. His injuries were severe. The First Ancestor had caught him off guard and struck him hard despite being a realm lower, severely wounding him. If it had been any other deity, they would likely have been crippled or killed. But for him, the injuries were within controllable range.
As for the damage to his primordial spirit and divine repositories, though also serious, compared to the First Ancestor, he had already won.
"The God-Slaying Mysterious Blade in your hands poses no threat to a deity at the Jade Capital realm like me."
Crimson Ming Divine Son raised his palm from afar. The earth rose, lifting Qin Mu and the First Ancestor onto a stone pillar. The pillar began to rotate, turning Qin Mu's back toward him.
Qin Mu quickly turned, but no matter how he spun or how fast, he always ended up with his back to Crimson Ming Divine Son!
He simply couldn't lock onto Crimson Ming Divine Son with the God-Slaying Mysterious Blade!
Cold sweat broke out on Qin Mu's forehead. The God-Slaying Mysterious Blade was his greatest reliance, and now that reliance was completely useless!
Crimson Ming Divine Son had used the simplest method to directly counter the God-Slaying Mysterious Blade!
Around them, many deities of the Floating Realm flew over. Seeing this scene, they hesitated and dared not approach.
Suddenly, Qin Mu threw down the God-Slaying Mysterious Blade, tapped his brow, and shouted, "Other me, come out!"
His vertical brow eye showed no reaction. Instead, his finger hurt from the poke.
Qin Mu shouted, "Unseal!"
Still no response from his brow.
"Qin Fengqing?" Qin Mu tried.
Still nothing.
Qin Mu blinked, then roared angrily, "When I don't need you, you always love jumping out and causing trouble. Now that I need you, you ignore me! What use are you?"
Deep within his third eye, inside the Qin Continent seal, the three-eyed giant infant Qin Fengqing showed a look of terror. Another head had grown from the infant's neck—a head completely different from young Qin Mu's appearance!
The Crimson Emperor's head.
The giant infant stood up. The white-robed, white-haired old man beneath its buttocks immediately fled for his life. The infant raised its chubby fists and began pounding wildly at the head on its neck.
Thump, thump, thump, thump—after a storm of blows, a dignified middle-aged emperor was beaten out from within its body, his face swollen and bruised, lying on the ground.
That middle-aged emperor was both shocked and furious. He immediately stood up, ready to counterattack, but suddenly saw his surroundings and was startled.
"Heavenly Lord, Great Brahma Heaven, and Tu Bo's seal! Where is this? How did I end up here?"