Chapter 672: The Sword God's Smile (Third Update!)
Qin Mu smiled and said, "I didn't expect to meet again here. Is this the Land of Ill Omen?"
"It is indeed the Land of Ill Omen. However, it has also turned into a sea of magma, and the Land of Ill Omen no longer exists. We were originally planning to guard the Land of Ill Omen and sink into the seabed magma. Just now, we were awakened by the Book of Life and Death, realizing that our benefactor was in trouble, so we came to help."
Yu Liao's gaze passed over them and looked toward the battlefield. He chuckled, "These petty scoundrels are no match for my Southern Dipper Star Division army! Rest assured, benefactor, in just a moment, we can break the enemy!"
Qin Mu said to the Village Chief, "This is the Seven Kill Star Lord from the Kaihuang era, the Military Governor of the Supreme Heaven. He died here during the demon invasion."
The Village Chief nodded slightly, somewhat numbly, "The Military Governor of the Supreme Heaven, and also the Seven Kill Star Lord... How did you two meet?"
Qin Mu scratched his head and said, "When I was captured by Fu Ri Luo and escaped the demon capital, I passed by here and awakened him. That's how we got to know each other."
"Just like that?" The Village Chief widened his eyes, finding it hard to believe.
A Military Governor who died in the Supreme Heaven, still a Military Governor, and they got to know each other just like that? Not only that, but he called Qin Mu his benefactor, and even in death, he came to rescue Qin Mu when he saw him in trouble. Could such a deep friendship really come from a simple meeting?
The Village Chief didn't believe it.
Qin Mu said honestly, "Just like that."
"Then this army of divine and demon skeletons..."
"I awakened them along with him when I woke him up."
The Village Chief was stunned: "Just like that?"
Qin Mu said lightly, "Just like that. However, the underworld messengers almost took me to the underworld for punishment, but fortunately, Star Lord Yu Liao stopped them."
The Village Chief sighed, somewhat despondently, "I shouldn't have stayed in Fengdu for so long; I missed many interesting things. Next time something like this happens, be sure to bring me along."
Qin Mu nodded: "Next time I'm captured, I'll definitely bring Grandpa Village Chief along!"
Yu Liao's skeletal army quickly shattered all their opponents. A group of skeletons excitedly rushed over, but Yu Liao shouted, and the skeletons dared not act recklessly, quickly lining up in formation.
The Butcher, Pang Yuzhen, and other deities walked over in a daze, examining these white-boned divine demons, their hearts filled with doubt and unease.
Lou Yunqu had used the Book of Life and Death to awaken the divine demons who died in the Supreme Heaven to fight for them, but they never expected Qin Mu to also have such a skeletal divine demon army to assist them!
If Yu Liao's Southern Dipper Star Division army hadn't arrived in time, they would likely have suffered casualties by now.
Still, standing alongside these white-boned divine demons inevitably made one feel uneasy.
Yu Liao laughed heartily, "This apocalyptic world is dangerous for you, but not for us dead. Benefactor, let us escort you out."
Qin Mu quickly said, "My enemy possesses the Book of Life and Death, which can resurrect the dead, and it's extremely powerful. Since the Book of Life and Death can resurrect the dead, it can also kill the living. It's better for you all to continue hiding in the Land of Ill Omen..."
Just as he said this, the Book of Life and Death suddenly appeared again, hanging high in the sky. Its pages, like a bright mirror, shone brilliantly, and beams of light shone downward.
Qin Mu's expression changed drastically. He quickly took out several mirrors, infused them with his primordial energy, and with a hum, the mirrors enlarged, shielding Yu Liao and the others above their heads.
"Medicine Master Grandpa, where are your mirrors?"
Qin Mu shouted, "Everyone, activate your mirrors to block the light of the Book of Life and Death!"
Medicine Master hurriedly activated dozens of mirrors of various sizes, and the other cultivators also reacted. Instantly, tens of thousands of mirrors floated in the air, large and small, blotting out the sky, sealing it tightly so that no light could pass through.
The light of the Book of Life and Death fell but was reflected back by these mirrors, failing to shine on Yu Liao and the others.
Among these tens of thousands of cultivators, forty percent were women. Though women who had achieved cultivation were formidable, they still had a natural love for beauty, so they would carry one or two mirrors on them. But the one with the most mirrors was still Medicine Master.
Some cultivators practiced unique spells and techniques, using mirrors as spiritual weapons. Once refined, these mirrors could expand to cover dozens of acres, a truly spectacular sight.
Seeing that the light of the Book of Life and Death couldn't fall, Qin Mu still didn't dare relax. He said solemnly, "The Book of Life and Death moves extremely fast, and we can't adapt quickly enough. If it moves rapidly, it can still shine on you. Military Governor, you should take cover."
Yu Liao gripped his ceremonial axe and said gravely, "The Book of Life and Death can illuminate the Nine Springs of the Underworld. Where can we hide? Besides, the beings of the Nether Capital are mortal enemies of our Southern Heaven and Southern Dipper! We've already died once; dying again is no big deal!"
Qin Mu frowned and said, "Military Governor Yu Liao, if Lou Yunqu sends you to the Underworld, I still have a way to retrieve you. But if you're sent to the Nether Capital, I won't have that ability. As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood. Please reconsider!"
Just then, everyone saw the light and shadow rapidly shifting, indicating that the Book of Life and Death was moving swiftly. It seemed that Lou Yunqu and the others, seeing the Book of Life and Death's power being reflected by the mirrors, had changed direction.
"There's nowhere to retreat, so why retreat again?"
Yu Liao was about to charge out from the protection of the mirrors when suddenly a familiar voice came, saying, "Military Governor, there's no need for unnecessary sacrifice. Sect Leader Qin, don't you have a volume of the Book of Life and Death? If you activate it, can't it counter the power of the enemy's Book of Life and Death?"
Qin Mu's heart leaped with joy. He turned around and saw the Yan Kang National Teacher walking toward them across the sea of fire, still as calm and composed as ever, exuding an air of strategic mastery.
"Junior brother, you've come out of seclusion? You didn't die in Luo Fu Heaven?"
Seeing him, Qin Mu's panic suddenly vanished. He quickly took out the Book of Life and Death and asked, "Where is the teacher? Why hasn't he appeared? If the teacher were here, he could activate the power of the Book of Life and Death..."
The Yan Kang National Teacher took the Book of Life and Death and said calmly, "The teacher has other important matters. However, I do know how to activate the Book of Life and Death."
His divine power erupted, and the Book of Life and Death suddenly unfurled with a swoosh, shining brightly, high above. A curtain of light shone down, illuminating Yu Liao and the other white-boned divine demons. He said, "Junior brother, you can withdraw these mirrors now."
Qin Mu was astonished but ordered everyone to remove the mirrors. They saw another volume of the Book of Life and Death flying over, also emitting light, but Yu Liao and the others remained unharmed.
The Yan Kang National Teacher had indeed activated the power of the Book of Life and Death, blocking the power of the enemy's volume!
However, the Book of Life and Death was a treasure refined by the Black Emperor of the Nether Capital. Even Qin Mu couldn't fully utilize its functions. To unleash more of its power, one needed a deep understanding of the Nether Capital's techniques and spells. Qin Mu had never studied the Nether Capital's techniques or spells, so he was at a loss.
So when had the Yan Kang National Teacher learned the Nether Capital's techniques and spells?
"The teacher is erudite and knows how to control the Book of Life and Death."
The Yan Kang National Teacher said unhurriedly, "I studied under him for two years, mastering all kinds of knowledge. One insight leads to a hundred insights; one understanding leads to a hundred understandings. Controlling the Book of Life and Death is not difficult."
In the sky, a large hand suddenly appeared, reaching for the Book of Life and Death!
As the hand moved, darkness surged, enveloping the Book of Life and Death, seeming to pull it into a different dimension, another space-time.
Qin Mu's heart tightened: "Lou Yunqu and the others have made their move, trying to seize the Book of Life and Dea—"
Swoosh—
The Yan Kang National Teacher thrust his sword, a bright sword light piercing into the darkness. Qin Mu was about to speak when he saw the sword light strike the large hand in the darkness, severing several fingers.
The large hand reached for the Book of Life and Death but, missing its fingers, grasped at nothing and withdrew in pain.
The Yan Kang National Teacher sheathed his sword as if nothing had happened and continued, "If you can see through the Underworld's spells, you can see through the Nether Capital's spells, the Fengdu spells. All spells and techniques have a fundamental principle, and that principle is called the Dao. Once you understand the Dao within, you can see the methods within the Book of Life and Death clearly, and activating it becomes less difficult."
Qin Mu was deeply shocked. That sword strike from the Yan Kang National Teacher should never have been able to hit the hand hidden in the Nether Capital. The demonic energy emanating from that hand was the dark demonic energy of the Nether Capital, and the area shrouded by that energy was the Nether Capital itself.
Qin Mu had fought with Lou Yunqu's junior brother, Lou Qianzhong, and knew the eerie nature of the Nether Capital's spells and techniques. Xu Sheng Hua had been defeated by Lou Qianzhong in this way, and Qin Mu had killed Lou Qianzhong because he was born in the Underworld and could enter the Nether Capital space created by Lou Qianzhong's demonic energy.
The Yan Kang National Teacher's sword strike was clearly not an Underworld technique, yet it could hit that hand. It seemed, as he himself said, that he had already understood the Dao, and the Nether Capital's spells and techniques held no secrets for him!
"In just two years, you've comprehended to this level..."
Qin Mu showed admiration and murmured, "Just how erudite is the teacher to allow you to advance so rapidly?"
The Village Chief floated forward and said solemnly, "National Teacher, your swordsmanship has already surpassed mine."
The National Teacher returned the greeting, saying, "I dare not accept that. Senior brother."
The Village Chief used his primordial energy to form limbs and returned the greeting, saying, "Senior brother."
The Yan Kang National Teacher showed a hint of surprise, which gradually turned into a faint smile, and the smile grew wider until it became a hearty laugh, as bright as spring sunshine and clear as green waters and blue skies.
The Village Chief also burst into laughter.
The laughter of the two Sword Gods echoed through this apocalyptic world, reaching the highest heavens.
High above, Fu Yanqi's face turned ashen as he withdrew his hand, which was dripping with blood, leaving only a thumb. It wasn't Lou Yunqu who had been activating the Book of Life and Death just now, but he himself, controlling its power.
The three of them, as senior and junior brothers, had each received a part of the Black Emperor of the Nether Capital's inheritance. Lou Yunqu could activate the Book of Life and Death to resurrect the dead, even if the other's soul had been taken by Tu Bo, he could forcibly reclaim it using the Book of Life and Death.
Wei Qingpei could control the Book of Life and Death's blood sacrifice power, directly dissolving divine flesh and blood along with their primordial spirits.
As for Fu Yanqi, he could control the Book of Life and Death to drain the life force of the living and send them to the Nether Capital.
This time, he had activated the Book of Life and Death but encountered the Yan Kang National Teacher, failing to achieve his goal. So he had planned to seize Qin Mu's volume of the Book of Life and Death, but his technique was broken, costing him four fingers.
On the other side, Lou Yunqu quickly withdrew the Nether Capital's Book of Life and Death, shone it on the Yan Kang National Teacher, and his heart trembled slightly. He murmured, "The leader of the Yan Kang reforms has finally appeared!"
Fu Yanqi endured the pain and looked at the Book of Life and Death, seeing a name appear on its pages.
—This is today's third update! Thanks to the support of our brothers, The Legend of the Shepherd God has broken the monthly ticket record, but it's only broken the male channel's monthly ticket record. It's still four thousand votes short of the female channel's monthly ticket record!
Records are meant to be broken. Since that's the case, let's make ourselves the top of the list and wait for others to break The Legend of the Shepherd God's record!
The last hour of April, I ask for the brothers' support! Throw all your monthly tickets at us, let The Legend of the Shepherd God become the record waiting to be broken!
Please give us your monthly tickets!
The All-Site Monthly Ticket Record, Broken!
I'm informing everyone of good news: the all-site monthly ticket record has finally been broken by The Legend of the Shepherd God.
This monthly ticket record includes Qidian, QQ Reading, Yunqi, and WeChat.
From now on, every month's monthly ticket competition will have to go around the monthly ticket record that everyone smashed out in the last hour for The Legend of the Shepherd God, until someone breaks our record!
Thank you, everyone. The glory belongs to the Divine Dynasty, to every fan of The Legend of the Shepherd God!