Chapter 671: Skeletal Remains Repay a Debt
They traveled forward for fifty to sixty thousand miles without incident, having long since circled around Luofu Heaven. Although Luofu Heaven was vast and stood in the center of Grand Emperor Heaven, it could no longer be seen, blocked by layers of magma waves and black winds. The only thing that could determine their direction now was Qin Mu's south-pointing chariot.
Everyone was utterly exhausted, even the gods struggling to endure. If they only had to protect themselves, it would be one thing, but the key was guarding tens of thousands of cultivators. This left them extremely fatigued, their primordial energy constantly depleting.
Their stomachs were empty, and their bodies gradually lost all strength.
Xing Han opened his box, took out some dried meat, and handed it to Qin Mu. "You're the leader. You distribute it."
Qin Mu's eyelids twitched. He quickly stored the dried meat in his Taotie pouch. "Village Chief, Grandpa Tu, come over here."
He had the villagers of Remnant Village surround the Butcher. The Butcher hesitated for a moment but still drew his knife. "The children might not be able to handle this kind of meat."
Qin Mu said, "Cut it into small cubes, about the size of a fingernail per person. Give the gods larger portions. Grandpa Tu, can you divide it into tens of thousands of portions?"
"That's not difficult, but I'm afraid they won't dare to eat it."
The Butcher's knife skills were exquisite, and he quickly divided the dried meat. Qin Mu placed it on a plate. The plate of meat cubes was terrifyingly heavy, radiating multicolored divine light. Even with his divine strength, lifting it was somewhat difficult. Some of the meat cubes also carried an extremely thick demonic aura.
"Those who cultivate the divine path, take the meat cubes radiating divine light, one small piece per person. Those who cultivate the demonic path, take the demonic aura meat cubes. Don't take more than your share."
He distributed the dried meat. Xu Huasheng hesitated for a moment before also picking up two pieces, giving one to Jing Yan.
Jing Yan hesitated and whispered, "Chief, what kind of meat is this?"
"It's not human meat."
Qin Mu hesitated and said quietly, "But it's not anything good either. Xing Han's box has many arms, legs, and heads hanging in it. This is one of the few pieces of non-human divine or demonic meat."
After he finished distributing the meat cubes, the Physician called him over. The two of them busied themselves, continuously refining spirit pills. Granny Si used her Creation divine ability to cultivate medicinal herbs. Furnace after furnace of spirit pills were refined and given to the gods and cultivators whose primordial energy was depleted.
Even so, they were living beyond their means. Relying only on spirit pills and miraculous medicines couldn't fill their stomachs or replenish their water.
"Can the Creation divine ability create water?" someone asked quietly.
Someone told him, "Don't talk. You're wasting the water vapor in your body."
Qin Mu rummaged through his Taotie pouch, took out his stored water, and distributed it to everyone, each person receiving only a small amount.
Although he always liked to be prepared and stored some water in his Taotie pouch, he hadn't stored too much.
Cultivators had powerful physical bodies and could survive for a long time even when dehydrated. For now, as long as they could keep everyone with a certain amount of water, they could make it to the junction of Grand Emperor Heaven and Grand Bright Heaven.
"Using the Creation divine ability to create water means changing the most basic structure of matter. It requires an incredible mastery of the Creation divine ability. Only the First Ancestor Human Sovereign could achieve that. And the First Ancestor is seriously injured..."
Qin Mu licked his dry lips and looked ahead. Everyone, including the gods, was already dehydrated, as thin as sticks. But the Dragon Qilin pulling the cart was still very energetic, trotting lightly.
Even his mortal enemy, the Great Deer, was now reduced to a bag of bones, its stamina almost completely spent.
Only the Dragon Qilin was full of energy. He was born to control fire and was in his element here. Even with the extremely high temperature, to him it was just a hot bath.
"Without water, I'm afraid we won't make it to Grand Bright Heaven..." Qin Mu's throat felt like it was smoking. He tried to swallow saliva, but there was none in his mouth. Only his parched throat made a dry cracking sound.
Many divine abilities in the world could be classified according to the Five Elements, but water-type divine abilities often used the free water vapor in the world mixed with one's own water primordial energy to create the phenomenon of a great flood. However, this wasn't real water. When the primordial energy dispersed, the water vapor would quickly dissipate as well.
The Creation divine ability, on the other hand, could change the most basic structure of matter. It required an extremely high level of mastery in the Creation divine ability, essentially creating things out of thin air.
This kind of skill was something none of them could accomplish.
They trudged forward with difficulty. Everyone was roasted until they had lost their original spirit and energy, relying only on willpower to drag their weary bodies forward.
The First Ancestor Human Sovereign had woken up, but his injuries were severe. He still needed to be carried by True God Pang Yu. For now, Qin Mu could only hope that the Physician would rescue him from the jaws of death as soon as possible, and then the First Ancestor could use his Creation methods to create water out of thin air.
Suddenly, a light appeared in the sky. The gods on the periphery resisting the shockwaves looked up and saw a rolled-up book flying rapidly through the sky. Bright light burst from the book, shining down on the magma sea.
The book was spread out, bright as a mirror, and names were rapidly jumping on its pages!
"The Book of Life and Death!"
Qin Mu was startled. The flying book was the Book of Life and Death—more precisely, the one in the hands of Lou Yunqu and his group!
It was by relying on the power of the Book of Life and Death that Lou Yunqu had captured the altar of Luofu Heaven and blood-sacrificed it, causing Luofu Heaven to crash into Grand Emperor Heaven!
And now the Book of Life and Death had suddenly appeared, continuously shining its light on Grand Emperor Heaven, which had turned into a sea of magma. What exactly did Lou Yunqu and his group plan to do?
"If it were just to capture me, there would be no need to use the Book of Life and Death again. Then he must be trying to wipe us all out in one fell swoop!"
Qin Mu looked around and saw only exhausted troops. The current group had no strength left to fight. Even the gods were completely drained.
"In the midst of the destruction of Grand Emperor Heaven, the environment is extremely harsh. Lou Yunqu should only be able to awaken some divine and demonic skeletal remains. But fortunately, the number of divine and demonic skeletons shouldn't be too many..."
Just as he thought this, a huge demonic skeleton slowly rose from the flames in the magma sea, with magma still flowing over its bones. After a moment, the magma and flames on the skeleton's body extinguished. The skull was empty, with only faint ghostly flames flickering in its eye sockets.
More divine and demonic skeletons rose from the magma sea—one, two, ten, a hundred... The number was growing!
Qin Mu's eyelids twitched. He wanted to speak, but his voice was hoarse. "True God Pang Yu, can you still fight?"
True God Pang Yu, Venerable God Sang Ye, and the others had withered complexions, their lips dry, cracked, and white, with blood seeping from the cracks. The villagers of Remnant Village were no better off. To protect these tens of thousands of people, they had been forcibly resisting dangers from all directions along the way and were completely exhausted.
Qin Mu looked at Xing Han. Xing Han was opening his box, taking out several arms and legs, removing his own limbs, and replacing them with new ones.
After changing his body parts, he took out some divine blood and transfused himself.
"I can fight."
Xing Han finished the blood transfusion and said calmly, "But there are too many divine and demonic skeletons. I can't protect you for long. The body parts in my box are also limited. And I have one condition."
He looked at the Physician and said solemnly, "I want the Jade-Faced Poison King to completely resolve the hidden dangers in my body! If you don't agree, I'll turn around and leave!"
The Physician frowned. "If I don't agree, where can you go? You can't leave Grand Emperor Heaven, you can't return to Eternal Peace!"
Qin Mu sighed. "He can leave Grand Emperor Heaven. After the south-pointing chariot was built, it showed him the way to Grand Bright Heaven. Xing Han is a smart man; he must have thought of that."
Xing Han smiled. "Now, only I can save you. So, Poison King, will you agree to my condition?"
"Fine."
The Physician said readily, "I'll write you the prescription, but you must fight to the death!"
Xing Han shook his head. "No. If my life is in danger, I will retreat. I won't waste my life here."
The Physician sneered. "If you won't fight to the death, what use are you? Don't expect to get the prescription from me!"
Xing Han's eyes flashed with sharp light. At that moment, a group of divine and demonic skeletons, as if receiving an order, roared and charged toward them!
Xing Han turned and left, his voice drifting from afar: "You'll beg me yet!"
He quickly disappeared into the distance, abandoning the group.
The Butcher drew his knife and shouted, "Fight to the death!"
His blade aura soared into the sky. The other gods also took out their divine weapons, gritted their teeth, and stared intently at the charging divine and demonic skeletons.
Although they were already exhausted, the lives of these tens of thousands of cultivators rested on their shoulders. They had already put their own lives on the line.
The divine and demonic skeletons grew more numerous and closer. Those tall skeletons ran across the magma sea, their steps kicking up monstrous waves, their momentum terrifying.
Venerable God Sang Ye suddenly laughed. "Senior Brother Pang Yu, if these little ones survive, many of them will be able to cultivate into gods, right?"
True God Pang Yu carried the First Ancestor on his back and smiled. "Of course. This generation of young people is much smarter and more capable than their predecessors. Among them, no fewer than their predecessors will become divine or demonic, and some young people can even achieve things we could never reach."
The gods laughed. "Then even if we die fighting for them, it will be worth it!"
The Butcher laughed heartily and shouted, "Village Chief, Granny, you escort them away first. We'll hold the rear. Can you two handle the obstacles ahead?"
Granny Si became serious and said solemnly, "Until death!"
"Good!"
The gods roared and charged toward the oncoming divine and demonic skeletons. Their battle cries shook the heavens and earth.
The Village Chief sighed and said solemnly, "Let's go! I will use my lifelong cultivation to clear the way for you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the magma sea suddenly boiled, bubbling up with huge bubbles. The Village Chief was startled. His primordial energy formed limbs, and he rested his hand on his sword, staring at the violent changes in the magma sea.
Splash—
Magma shot into the sky. A huge bone dragon, covered in tattered armor, burst out of the magma sea. Behind the bone dragon, a group of divine and demonic skeletons, also wearing armor and helmets, leaped out of the magma sea. There were as many as a thousand of them!
The Village Chief's face turned pale. The hand of primordial energy holding his sword trembled slightly.
On the forehead of that fully armored bone dragon stood a divine and demonic skeleton wearing a tattered cloak and holding a tattered ceremonial axe. He suddenly raised his axe and laughed heartily. "Soldiers of the Southern Heaven Southern Dipper Star Division, clear out these monsters for me!"
Whoosh! Countless divine and demonic skeletons leaped over the heads of the Village Chief and the others, roaring as they charged at the skeletons fighting the Butcher, Pang Yu, and the others.
The Village Chief stared blankly, turning to look. He saw the skeleton army collide with the other skeleton army, sending bone fragments flying everywhere!
The skeletons that had rushed past them were clearly a well-trained army. They formed battle formations, charging straight ahead like cutting through vegetables, quickly routing the enemy!
Everyone was stunned by this turn of events. The Village Chief turned back, and suddenly saw the bone dragon lower its head. The skeleton general standing on its skull put down his ceremonial axe and bowed. "Imperial Court of the Opening Emperor, Southern Heaven Southern Dipper Star Division, Grand Emperor Heaven Military Governor, Wei Liao, pays respects to our benefactor! It is rare to see our benefactor again, but I never expected it to be under these circumstances."
Although he was a skeleton without flesh and blood, he had an extraordinary bearing and a heroic spirit. Just hearing his voice, one could imagine that he must have been a mighty and extraordinary divine general in life!
The tens of thousands of people were bewildered, not knowing what to do.
Suddenly, a voice came from the crowd. "Governor Wei Liao, you are too polite. Please rise."
Everyone turned to look. They saw Qin Mu walk out from the crowd. This young chief slightly bowed and raised his hands in a gesture of lifting.
— This is the last four hours of the month. Thinking back to this time last month, I am filled with emotion. Thank you, everyone, for your strong support this month! The Divine Dynasty is not inferior to anyone!