Chapter 759: Mother and Son
Qin Mu looked at the suppressed reincarnated form of Lord Tu. In the Long Han Era, he must have been an immensely powerful demon god, but burdened with a mountain of sins, he had no choice but to endure constant torment in the flames of karma.
Lord Tu was selfless. Even if the one who erred was himself, he showed no leniency.
However, this also gave a glimpse of just how many ancient gods and demigods had died at Lord Tu's hands back then.
The karmic flames had burned for a million years and were still blazing fiercely. Lord Tu used hundreds of karmic merit steles to suppress himself, hoping to wash away his own sins.
"At that time, the reincarnated Lord Tu must have been in a state of immense rage. That rage even allowed him to break through his shackles. Back then, he was completely controlled by demonic nature."
Thinking of his own brother and comparing the two, Qin Mu felt that Lord Tu, when controlled by demonic nature, harbored only a desire for slaughter. This was still different from Qin Fengqing.
Qin Fengqing was more like a ferocious but ignorant child. Although many people told Qin Mu that Qin Fengqing was controlled by demonic nature and only knew how to kill, Qin Mu still felt that his brother was not controlled by demonic nature but had instead controlled it.
Now, comparing the actions of Lord Tu's reincarnated form with Qin Fengqing's conduct, he became more and more certain of this point.
"Further ahead is where Qin Fengqing received his punishment."
The Left Envoy of Soul Suppression hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll see you this far. I won't go in."
Qin Mu smiled and said, "Walk a bit further with me. Once we get there, I won't force you to stay, brother."
The Left Envoy of Soul Suppression had no choice but to steel himself and continue forward. Ahead, there were many karmic merit steles, forming a dense forest of stone tablets. After walking for three or four miles, the surroundings suddenly opened up. A stretch of green mountains appeared, lush and verdant. A small stream flowed down from the mountain, passed through a rice paddy, and entered a lake.
A few chicken-dragons were running wildly through the fields, chasing a three-legged toad, clucking incessantly. The toad jumped into the lake with a splash, and the chicken-dragons stood on the shore, angrily clucking at the toad floating on the water.
Qin Mu was stunned. In this barren and desolate Netherworld, no green could be seen anywhere. It was all volcanic lava, demons, monsters, and ghosts everywhere.
But here, in the famous Netherworld's Jade Lock Pass, a forbidden area that imprisoned the most vicious criminals, there was actually such a landscape of green mountains and clear waters. What an absurd anomaly!
He looked down the mountain and saw a few houses there. A woman was spinning yarn in front of her door, working a loom. A few farm girls were picking mulberry leaves to feed silkworms.
In the fields, a few farmers were picking vegetables.
This place didn't look like the Netherworld or a forbidden area holding heavy criminals. Instead, it resembled a peaceful and happy little village in the Great Ruins.
"They don't have any karmic flames on them. Even if they did, they would have burned out long ago."
The Left Envoy of Soul Suppression whispered, "Back then, after they broke into the Netherworld, they almost walked right into a trap. The four Grand Marshals of the Heavenly Court in the Netherworld, along with other forces lurking here, were all waiting. They broke in and hid for a few days. Soon after, you were born, and then the pursuers from the Heavenly Court found them. What happened after that, you should still remember, right?"
Qin Mu shook his head and said hoarsely, "My brother remembers. I probably hadn't been born yet back then."
"Those who hit mother were all eaten by me!" Qin Fengqing said viciously.
"Back then, you caused too much trouble. You destroyed the armies of the four Grand Marshals of the Heavenly Court in the Netherworld. The four Marshals were severely wounded and still haven't recovered."
The Left Envoy of Soul Suppression said, "These four Marshals were no saints either. They had wide connections in the Netherworld, sought out friends and allies, and invited other Netherworld overlords. Those overlords were beaten, killed, and eaten, which in turn attracted many ancient beings. Then they were beaten, killed, and eaten too. At that time, the Netherworld was too lively. Many beings who didn't belong to the Netherworld sneaked in to watch the spectacle. Because the chaos was too great, Lord Tu had no choice but to intervene and suppress you. Your mother took the punishment for you and willingly sealed herself here. Qin Fengqing, go and acknowledge your kin."
He paused, then said, "Don't think about taking her out. Back then, Lord Tu went to great lengths to protect you. Otherwise, you would have died long ago. It wasn't just a simple matter of your mother taking the punishment for you. Those who sneaked into the Netherworld back then weren't just there to watch the fun. In reality, there were undercurrents and hidden dangers everywhere."
Qin Mu was silent.
More than twenty years ago, that Netherworld rebellion indeed attracted many powerful beings to come and watch. Just from what he knew, the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha and the Heavenly Lord had each sent avatars.
Besides them, the Netherworld Emperor had also sneaked into the Netherworld.
These were only the ones he knew about. There must have been many more that he didn't know!
"Besides, Lord Tu hasn't made things difficult for you and your mother. This time, don't put Lord Tu in a difficult position."
The Left Envoy of Soul Suppression said, "Don't try to take her away. She is safe here. It would be more dangerous for her outside. Also, be careful when you leave."
Qin Mu bowed and said, "Thank you, brother!"
Qin Fengqing hesitated for a moment, then said, "I won't eat you this time. Next time you meet me, run faster. If I can't catch you, I won't eat you. Remember, you have to run fast!"
The Left Envoy of Soul Suppression smiled, turned around, and left.
Qin Mu looked at the small village at the foot of the mountain. His heart was restless for a long time. Finally, he steadied his mind and walked forward.
His body grew smaller and smaller, quickly shrinking from a towering giant to an ordinary size.
His pace quickened. Suddenly, he stopped. Qin Fengqing didn't want to go any further.
Qin Mu was surprised and said in a low voice, "Brother, aren't you the one who most wants to see mother?"
"She doesn't want to see me."
Qin Fengqing lowered his head, somewhat bitterly, "It was she who put the jade pendant on me to seal me. I always remember the fear in her eyes when she looked at me. I don't want to make her feel scared. I'll go back to the seal. You go see her yourself. Tell her that I'm fine in the seal, that I can't get out, and that she shouldn't be afraid..."
A strange feeling welled up in Qin Mu's heart. Then, the power receded, and he felt the other self inside him dissipate.
Qin Fengqing had already returned to the Qin Continent.
Qin Mu stood there in a daze. In the Qin Continent, the big-headed doll sat on the ground, also lost in thought.
After a moment, the doll crawled rapidly, looking for the Heavenly Lord's avatar and the Red Emperor's consciousness to vent his anger.
Qin Mu steadied himself, dispelled his three-headed, six-armed form, and walked toward the small village.
As he got closer and closer to the village, the village was peaceful and harmonious. The farmers in the vegetable fields straightened their backs and stared blankly at him as he approached.
Qin Mu smiled and nodded at them.
Those farmers were baffled by his smile but instinctively nodded back with a smile.
"So similar..."
A farmer murmured, "He looks so much like Prince Zhen. Who is he?"
Qin Mu arrived at the village entrance. The farm girls who were feeding silkworms saw him and tilted their heads to look at him. These girls had bright eyes and were all deities who had cultivated to the Heavenly Palace realm. Even wearing coarse cloth clothes in the Netherworld, they couldn't hide their beauty.
Qin Mu smiled and said, "Sisters, my name is Qin Fengqing. I'm from the Land of No Sorrow. I drifted to the Great Ruins. I am twenty-two years old this year, twenty-three by the lunar calendar. I've come to find my mother."
Those farm girls were stunned. The winnowing baskets in their hands fell to the ground, scattering mulberry leaves everywhere.
The woman who was spinning yarn in the village suddenly trembled, her hand shaking as she turned her head.
Qin Mu saw her face. It was the face he had seen on his father Qin Fengqing's ship. It was the face of his mother, the one he had dreamed of and longed for day and night.
On that treasure ship, he had seen a flashback of history, the encounter of his father and mother as they sailed from the Land of No Sorrow to the Great Ruins.
That was the first time he had seen his father and mother, making him realize that he still had family in this world.
He could never forget that scene.
The woman in front of the spinning wheel stood up and looked at him, at a loss. Even though she was dressed in coarse cloth, her demeanor was dignified and elegant. But now, her mind was in turmoil, and she didn't know where to put her hands.
She stumbled over, examining the youth at the village entrance. She knocked over a rack draped with gauze, tripped over a water vat, and nearly fell.
"Fengqing? Is it Fengqing?" she called out from a distance.
"Mother."
Qin Mu knelt at the village entrance, bowing deeply. "Your child has returned."
A pair of warm but trembling hands helped him up. Those moist, excited eyes looked at him, examining him. Her voice trembled slightly: "Is it Fengqing? I've been thinking about you..."
"Every time I dream, I dream of the moment I hung the jade pendant around your neck. I feel so guilty. I always wake up from nightmares, dreaming that you died outside, died in that basket..."
"I've been thinking about you, worrying about you, afraid that you might encounter danger out there..."
...
Qin Mu revealed a heartwarming smile and firmly grasped her hand. "Mother, I've come back alive."
"Back." The woman choked up, tears falling. She held his hand tightly, afraid that this was just another dream, afraid that he would disappear like when she woke up.
A few farmers from the village walked over and looked at the mother and son. The farm girls stepped forward and said softly, "Princess Zhen, the young prince's return is a good thing. Don't be sad anymore."
"It's a great joy."
Another woman laughed, "I'll go catch some frogs and kill a chicken. We'll have a good meal today! Hey, Left Attendant, come catch frogs with me! There are also a few fish in the lake, catch them too!"
That Left Attendant hurriedly said, "The vegetables at the village entrance can also be picked. Go prepare some!"
"There are fruits on the mountain. I'll go pick a few plates of fruit!"
They busied themselves. The mother was still examining Qin Mu, still worried that she might be dreaming. Qin Mu, on the other hand, chattered on about his experiences in the Crippled Elderly Village, about being chased by chicken-dragons, about practicing by the Yong River.
He brought up funny and embarrassing stories from his childhood, embellishing them, trying his best to make his mother happy.
The woman listened quietly, then suddenly laughed, but tears fell again.
"Where is Ping'er?"
She asked, "Ping'er sent you back to the mortal world. Why isn't she by your side?"
Qin Mu's face darkened, but he quickly forced a smile and said, "Mother, let me tell you about the interesting things I encountered in Eternal Peace."
"Your Aunt Ping'er is dead, isn't she?"
Qin Mu was silent, then said hoarsely, "Granny Si found me by the river. Aunt Ping'er's body was underwater, holding me above the surface. After that, she was swept away by the river. Later, I saw her on the river. I told her that I was fine, and only then did she leave in peace... Mother, brother also wants to see you."
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