Chapter 769: The Secret of the Great Sun Star Lord
Qin Mu flew through the night sky like a demon king, scanning and searching everywhere. After a long search, he still could not find any trace of Lu Li and the other three. The Netherworld was simply too vast; searching it thoroughly would take a year or two, and Lu Li and his companions certainly would not stay in one place waiting for him to find them.
"Little brother, I'm tired. I'm going back."
Qin Fengqing had lost interest. After saying this, he suddenly fell silent.
Qin Mu was stunned. He immediately felt his own power rapidly fading. Qin Fengqing had actually returned to the Qin Continent and voluntarily entered the seal!
When Qin Fengqing returned to the seal, the Life-Slaying Cauldron followed him, drilling into Qin Mu's brow and entering the Qin Continent along with him!
Qin Mu immediately stopped searching for Lu Li and the others. Without Qin Fengqing's power, he was still just a cultivator at the Heavenly Human realm. Searching for Lu Li would be suicide!
What struck him as strange was that Qin Fengqing clearly detested being sealed, yet this time he had willingly thrown himself into the seal, and even seemed content about it!
He did not use the willow leaf to seal the third eye on his brow. A wisp of indestructible divine consciousness flew into the Qin Continent, where he saw the big-headed doll excitedly counting the arms and legs of the powerful beings' primordial spirits stored in the continent, muttering numbers under his breath.
Qin Mu found it both amusing and exasperating. Clearly, Qin Fengqing had food now, so being sealed was a minor matter. Outside, he could never find such "nutritious provisions."
"Glutton."
Qin Mu shook his head. He was now returning to the Netherworld's Jade Lock Pass to retrieve the paper boat. Without Qin Fengqing's help, flying back to Tu Bo's Eye on his own would take over a decade. Retrieving the paper boat and sailing back would save him that time.
He saw the Tu Bo Life-Slaying Cauldron. The massive vessel was still following Qin Fengqing, who was happily counting his provisions, completely ignoring the cauldron.
"This cauldron devoured half the Nether Sea, which was made of soul black sand. The Nether King must have expended immense effort to refine the Nether Sea to such a scale. Now all that work has come to nothing."
Qin Mu also recalled the half-beam of dark light that the Life-Slaying Cauldron had swallowed. That dark light was a treasure refined by the Nether King, likely also extraordinary. But now the cauldron had fallen to Qin Fengqing, seemingly recognizing him as Tu Bo, not Qin Mu.
"Then those faces in the cauldron probably weren't calling me Ugly, but calling brother Ugly..."
Just as he thought this, demonic energy surged from the massive cauldron, spilling outward like darkness, shrouding Qin Fengqing.
A face floated out of the demonic energy, staring straight at the big-headed doll, and said in a strange tone, "Ugly."
Qin Fengqing glanced at the face and shook his head. "Little brother isn't here. Where was I counting?"
"Ugly," the face continued.
"Little brother isn't here! Annoying!" Qin Fengqing said angrily.
More faces emerged from the demonic energy in the cauldron, calling to him, "Ugly."
Qin Fengqing grew furious and shouted, "I told you, little brother isn't... Wait, are you calling me?"
The faces smiled and slowly nodded. "Ugly."
"I'm not ugly. Little brother is ugly," Qin Fengqing said.
Qin Mu heard this and sneered, "Big brother has no self-awareness. I knew those faces weren't calling me."
The white-bearded old man who was the Heavenly Duke's incarnation appeared from nowhere and said, "Those faces are calling you, little one. Your consciousness is here too."
He pointed, and Qin Mu's wisp of consciousness involuntarily descended, taking on its original form.
Qin Mu looked around and saw the Crimson Emperor's consciousness and a bird-headed, human-bodied divine being hiding in the Qin Continent, peering in their direction.
"That bird god looks familiar..."
Qin Mu was momentarily puzzled. "I think I saw him in the Dragon Han Heavenly Court. He's the Great Sun Star Lord who was beaten up by Senior Brother Niu Sanduo..."
The Heavenly Duke's incarnation said, "That's the Great Sun Star Lord. He died long ago. Little bird, Daoist Crimson Emperor, come here. Don't worry, he has food now, so he won't eat you!"
The Crimson Emperor's consciousness walked over, but the Great Sun Star Lord still hesitated. Qin Mu smiled and said, "Star Lord, rest assured. Your flying speed is unmatched in the world. My brother can't catch you."
The big-headed doll glanced at the Great Sun Star Lord and said, "I can catch him. Just grab his wings, and he can't escape."
The Great Sun Star Lord hesitated a moment longer, then cautiously stepped out, ready to flee at any moment. "I only got caught because I let my guard down. If I'm prepared, no one can catch me."
Qin Mu asked, "Star Lord, how did you die?"
The Heavenly Duke sneered, "He died of stupidity. He knew too much and couldn't keep his mouth shut. He talked himself to death."
Qin Mu became intrigued. "What did the Great Sun Star Lord know? And how did knowing too much lead to his death? Star Lord, would you care to explain?"
The Great Sun Star Lord grunted. "I died because I talked too much. If I tell you, won't I be utterly destroyed?"
Qin Mu said kindly, "Star Lord, if you don't tell me, you'll soon be utterly destroyed anyway. My brother will eat you."
The Great Sun Star Lord hesitated, glancing at the Heavenly Duke and the Crimson Emperor. The white-bearded old man coughed repeatedly, while the Crimson Emperor looked up at the sky.
"Heavenly Duke..."
"Don't look at me. I'm also curious how you died."
The Heavenly Duke shook his head. "By the middle of the Dragon Han Era, the Heavenly Court was shrouded by the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web. I couldn't see it anymore. You were the chief of all the stars and constellations, commanding the gods of the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web. You know more about the Heavenly Court than I do. To this day, I still can't see what's happening there."
The Great Sun Star Lord wavered, glanced at the big-headed doll still counting, and steeled himself. "I don't even know which secret got me killed. I died during the war, when we attacked the Heavenly Court built by Cloud Heavenly Venerable. I was struck by an arrow from behind. I was charging forward when someone shot me from behind, and then I died."
Everyone fell silent.
Qin Mu coughed and said, "Then, Star Lord, which matter do you think led to you being shot by that arrow?"
The Great Sun Star Lord thought for a moment. "It wasn't the Imperial Heavenly Venerable's death. That caused a huge uproar, but there were many rumors. I said a few things, but so did everyone else. It wasn't the Eastern Palace Crown Prince incident either. Crown Prince Wuqi's rebellion—I knew a lot of inside details, but I didn't tell many people. Could it be the Empress's assassination attempt? Or the Jasper Lake upheaval? Or the Tu Bo Massacre? Probably the Tu Bo Massacre. I knew a lot of inside information there. But it could also be the Feather Forest Army's time-travel incident. Oh, and there's the Heavenly Duke's reincarnation incident. That one also had a lot of shady dealings..."
Qin Mu was dumbfounded. So many things had happened in the Dragon Han Heavenly Court?
He had traveled back to the early Dragon Han Era but only stayed a short time. He had no idea so many interesting events had occurred later!
Every matter the Great Sun Star Lord mentioned, he wanted to hear about and understand the full story!
"Great Sun Star Lord, why not explain them one by one?"
His eyes sparkled. "One by one! And you should know who the current Heavenly Emperor is, right?"
The Great Sun Star Lord hesitated, glanced at the Heavenly Duke, and said, "This involves the Heavenly Duke's reincarnation incident. I'm not sure I dare speak of it. Besides, I died early, so I don't know which side won..."
The Heavenly Duke's incarnation coughed. "Young Qin, the Great Sun Star Lord knew too much, so he died. If you know too much, you'll die quickly too. You can leave now. Tu Bo still wants to see you."
He flicked his sleeve, and Qin Mu's wisp of consciousness was sent flying out. Faintly, he heard the Heavenly Duke's voice from below: "If he ever asks you about my reincarnation, and you dare speak of it, I won't kill you—I'll just refine you until you wish for death but cannot die. Now, tell me about the Eastern Palace Crown Prince incident..."
Qin Mu snorted, feeling quite displeased. "I could just not listen to the Heavenly Duke's reincarnation incident. There was no need to kick me out!"
He arrived outside Jade Lock Pass. Two demon gods stood at the gate, and when they saw him approaching, they shuddered and turned to flee.
Qin Mu quickly called out, "Fellow Daoists, wait! I'm not here to eat anyone! I've come to retrieve my paper boat! It's inside the pass. Don't close the gate yet."
"You really won't eat us?" The two demon gods pulled open the city gates, hiding behind them, trembling with fear.
Qin Mu smiled. "When have I ever eaten anyone? I'll take my boat and leave."
The two demon gods fled in a flash. Qin Mu approached the city gate, which was left slightly ajar.
He entered the pass, retrieved the paper boat moored by the gate, and looked toward the divine demon camp. There, countless divine demons stood in neat formation, on high alert, fearing he might go on a killing spree.
But these divine demons were trembling, their legs shaking, their morale low.
Qin Mu gazed at the camp but didn't see his father, Qin Hanzhen, in his tree-man form. He felt a pang of loss.
"Farewell!" He bowed deeply to the camp, remaining bent for a long time.
The divine demon army was stunned. Countless divine demons hurriedly returned the bow, thinking, "The Netherworld God Son is bowing to us? Is the sun about to rise over the Netherworld?"
Qin Mu straightened up, glanced at the forest of steles, and turned to leave.
His father and mother were both here. He suddenly felt at ease, his long-wandering heart finally able to settle.
He went outside the pass, sat at the bow of the small boat, and the boat rose, sailing toward Tu Bo's Eye.
After a long time, the boat reached Tu Bo's Eye, sailed into the enormous luminous eye, and landed before the sacred hall.
The old yama official didn't wait for him to disembark before shouting sternly, "Mu Heavenly Venerable, your crimes are exposed! You stole my paper boat, trespassed into Jade Lock Pass, and killed so many divine demons..."
Qin Mu said, "I know I was wrong. I brought Imperial Heavenly Venerable."
The old yama official was stunned. His prepared speech faltered, as if he had punched empty air and was left feeling stifled.
The Karmic Fire Tu Bo walked out of the sacred hall, standing at the doorway, and said, "He is wise. He understands the reasoning behind all this."
Qin Mu said solemnly, "Though I am dull, I can read between the lines. Tu Bo let me see my mother, used my hand to purge the Netherworld and eliminate the Heavenly Court's forces, and because of my mistakes, let me take Imperial Heavenly Venerable away. One black pot after another has been placed on my head. Tu Bo, rest assured, I will not refuse!"
The Karmic Fire Tu Bo looked at him, karmic fire flickering in his three eyes, and said, "I have wronged you. Your parents will live well here."
Qin Mu's heart trembled slightly.
Tu Bo pushed Imperial Heavenly Venerable toward him and said, "You can leave now. You've killed so many Heavenly Court heavyweights; it's not safe here for long. Prefect, see him out."
Qin Mu blinked, then suddenly smiled. "Tu Bo, don't you want to know who is sealed in the Qin Continent between my brows?"
Inside the Qin Continent, the Heavenly Duke's incarnation suddenly changed color and flew into a rage. "Little brat, you're ruining my reputation! This time, I'll lose face in front of Tu Bo!"
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