Chapter 777: Inside the Game, Outside the Game
Qin Mu examined the injuries of Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha, smiling as he said, “Although many bones are broken, Martial Combat Heavenly Master showed great restraint. The injuries on the King Buddha are not severe, and the primordial spirit hasn’t been harmed.”
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha looked at him with a complex expression. He had thought Qin Mu was merely joking, but he never expected that the Divine Bridge Divine Treasury would actually be shattered.
“After all, he and I are old acquaintances with some friendship. He wouldn’t strike me down ruthlessly. But you…”
He sighed. “Your Divine Bridge Divine Treasury has been destroyed. From now on, you should… That old bastard, he struck so heavily! Doesn’t he know you are a descendant of the Opening Emperor?”
But Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha also knew that Martial Combat Heavenly Master had always been fearless, never caring about anyone’s face. Back in the day, when the Opening Emperor’s descendants broke the law and caused trouble, he killed them without hesitation, and the Opening Emperor said nothing when he found out.
“Actually, it has nothing to do with you.”
Qin Mu walked around him, his ten fingers flying as he formed various manifestations—lotus flowers, treasure vases, divine Buddhas, and more—using the Creation Divine Ability to reconnect his broken bones. He said, “Rather, it’s an agreement between him and me. He will guard the Yan Kingdom, while I destroy the Divine Bridge Divine Treasury and reopen it anew, completely solving the Divine Bridge problem for everyone in the Bullfight Realm, the Great Ruins, and Yan Kingdom. What I said earlier about taking a punch to save you was just a joke.”
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha still frowned. “But destroying your Divine Bridge Divine Treasury outright is a bit too much.”
Qin Mu stopped, and behind him, a thousand arms bloomed like a radiant display, each forming a different Creation Seal imprinting on his body. Then, with a sweep of those thousand arms, the various manifestations dispersed. He smiled slightly. “Burn the boats to fight bravely; cut off the retreat to move forward. I am very grateful that he took the initiative to shatter my Divine Treasury, removing all my hesitations, allowing me to focus without distraction and stop clinging to false hope!”
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha stood up, stretching his body, and found that his injuries were mostly healed. He was inwardly amazed and gave a silent nod of praise, shaking his head. “You and he are both madmen.”
“Without madness, there is no life.”
Qin Mu steadied his breath, his gaze deep. “I studied martial arts with Martial Combat Heavenly Master for a time. I didn’t learn his techniques or divine abilities, but the spirit of martial arts. What is the spirit of martial arts? Persistence is the spirit of martial arts! With that spirit, you must see it through, finish it, and make it happen! Besides…”
He smiled. “In ancient times, the seven who opened the Divine Treasuries were revered as the Seven Heavenly Venerables. They created something from nothing, establishing the seven Divine Treasuries and the cultivation system of later generations. They created from nothing, while I already know what exists. Opening it will be much easier for me than it was for them. The Divine Bridge Divine Treasury—I can definitely open it.”
He possessed a powerful conviction.
This conviction wasn’t something Village Chief’s claim of being a “Dominating Body” could give him; it came from his long experiences and trials.
Ever since he returned to ancient times, arriving in the early Dragon Han era, meeting the Seven Heavenly Venerables, and experiencing the series of upheavals in that era, his conviction and confidence had only grown stronger!
At the Jasper Lake Gathering, when Imperial Heavenly Venerable was assassinated, the Heavenly Palace God Ascension Method, which should have been spread by Hao Heavenly Venerable, was instead spread by him!
It was he who transformed into Imperial Heavenly Venerable and, on the spot at the gathering, improvised the Heavenly Palace God Ascension Method, teaching it to everyone at Jasper Lake!
His talent and aptitude were no less than anyone else’s!
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha looked at him, his gaze complex. From this youth, he saw the shadow of another person.
“The Opening Emperor back then was also bold and aggressive, with great courage and perseverance. That’s why he could gather so many people with various talents and dreams.”
He thought to himself, “He is more unrestrained than the Opening Emperor, not as steady, and quite mischievous, but his will is more solid, more tenacious, and he dares to act and fight harder.”
He showed a smile. “What do you plan to do next?”
Qin Mu’s eyes flickered. “King Buddha, would you be interested in visiting Earth Mother Primordial Lord?”
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha’s expression shifted slightly, and he was reluctant in his heart.
Qin Mu laughed. “King Buddha, as one of the Four Heavenly Kings of that era, you fled the Buddha Realm carrying a huge black pot, evading the Red Emperor’s pursuit. If you, King Buddha, aren’t afraid of the Red Emperor, how could you fear the already dead Earth Mother Primordial Lord?”
“It’s not that I fear Earth Mother Primordial Lord, but that I fear dragging you down.”
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha sighed. “You really shouldn’t get too deeply involved with the Opening Emperor’s remnants. It’s too dangerous for you. The Opening Emperor’s remnants have preserved a lot of power. The Outer Territory Heavenly Court doesn’t take Yan Kingdom seriously yet, but if you add the Opening Emperor’s remnants, they can no longer afford to ignore it. Woodcutter Heavenly Master, as the leader of the Four Heavenly Masters, still has blind spots. For example, allowing the Opening Emperor’s remnants to help Yan Kingdom is, in my view, a mistake.”
Qin Mu listened quietly.
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha continued, “The Outer Territory Heavenly Court doesn’t fear Yan Kingdom; it fears the Opening Emperor, fears the Land of No Worries. Woodcutter Heavenly Master using the power of the Opening Emperor’s era to help Yan Kingdom rise will certainly make the Outer Territory Heavenly Court target Yan Kingdom. Yan Kingdom, which they once ignored, now must be watched. Moreover, this time, the sealing of the Origin Realm has been broken, and I see an even worse prospect ahead.”
The layers of Buddha light behind his head, which had been extinguished by Martial Combat Heavenly Master’s blow, began to glow again. “The remnants of the Red Ming era have settled near the Southern Sea, the Opening Emperor’s remnants have appeared in the Great Ruins, and with the Origin Realm’s seal broken, the Upper Emperor’s remnants have also emerged. Yan Kingdom, the Opening Emperor, the Upper Emperor, the Red Ming—four eras’ surviving forces and elites are now all appearing in the same world.”
Qin Mu suddenly shuddered.
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha went on, “You haven’t been to the Great Thunderclap Temple yet, have you? I was once the Tathagata there. I know what the Great Thunderclap Temple looked like before it was sealed. Heh, with the Origin Realm’s seal broken, Mount Sumeru of the Great Thunderclap Temple has likely already merged with Mount Sumeru of the Buddha Realm. Above the Great Thunderclap Temple are the Twenty Heavens of the Buddha Realm!”
Qin Mu felt a creeping dread.
“The Origin Realm’s seal breaking has dragged the Buddha Realm into it as well. So many eras, so many factions—all forces the Outer Territory Heavenly Court wants to eradicate—are now gathered in the Origin Realm. What does this mean? It means a fight among themselves, a clean sweep!”
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha sighed and walked out of the village. “Whether it’s a fight among themselves or a clean sweep, it’s a great calamity for Yan Kingdom. This time, it’s not just the Red Emperor Qi Xiayu chasing me; the Heavenly Court has sent other experts. Following you will only drag you down. Don’t stir things up. Go to the Great Thunderclap Temple; the Buddhist sect will keep you safe. But… that’s only temporary safety. With the Origin Realm’s seal broken, the Buddha Realm itself is in dire straits.”
He drifted away with his wide sleeves.
Qin Mu watched him leave, silent.
The Four Heavenly Masters and Four Heavenly Kings of the Opening Emperor’s era—each was an outstanding genius. Whether it was Martial Combat Heavenly Master, who seemed all brawn, or Emperor Sakra Heavenly King, who appeared detached and transcendent, they all possessed extraordinary wisdom.
Emperor Sakra Heavenly King Buddha’s words about the four eras’ forces gathering in the Origin Realm truly made Qin Mu’s hair stand on end, revealing a terrifying prospect.
This was clearly a golden opportunity for the Outer Territory Heavenly Court to eliminate all four eras at once!
If they didn’t want to suffer losses or deplete their strength, the Outer Territory Heavenly Court could simply sit back and watch the infighting among the four eras in the Origin Realm, reaping the benefits like a fisherman!
“Then, is the breaking of the Origin Realm’s seal and Grandmother Si’s rediscovery of the Origin Magnetic Runes a coincidence, or was it premeditated?”
Qin Mu pondered.
In an era of a divine ability explosion, reforms and changes brought forth new divine abilities and techniques.
Lost divine abilities and techniques from history, those that had been annihilated, would also be unearthed.
If the person who sealed the Origin Realm had left a condition for breaking the seal—that once the Origin Magnetic Runes were rediscovered, the land of the Origin Realm touching those runes would break the seal—then what the Great Ruins were experiencing now would happen.
In other words, that person had set this trap as early as the Opening Emperor’s era!
Everyone—whether the Red Ming remnants like the Red Ming Divine Son, Earth Mother Primordial Lord, the Opening Emperor’s remnants, or Yan Kingdom—was inside this trap. Even the Twenty Heavens of the Buddha Realm were caught in it!
Setting a trap that would last tens of thousands of years, waiting for the moment to sweep everything clean, even eliminating future potential threats—such intellect and strategy were what made Qin Mu’s hair stand on end.
“The only one not in the trap is the Land of No Worries!”
Qin Mu took a long breath, his eyes growing brighter. “As long as the Land of No Worries isn’t in the trap, the Outer Territory Heavenly Court won’t act. They’re waiting for a one-and-done opportunity. When the Land of No Worries enters the trap, that’s when they’ll strike.”
“The Land of No Worries is the key to triggering all of this.”
“Before the Land of No Worries enters the trap, the Outer Territory Heavenly Court will let the four eras in the Origin Realm fight among themselves, reaping the benefits!”
His eyes shone brighter and brighter. This was an opportunity for growth!
A hard-won opportunity!
And the only flaw in that person’s plan!
“Fatty Dragon, Brother, let’s go!”
Qin Mu called for Dragon Qilin and Imperial Heavenly Venerable. Imperial Heavenly Venerable was in the village, freeloading food, holding a large sea bowl filled with fragrant white rice topped with sauce, squatting by the wall with a group of villagers eating.
Imperial Heavenly Venerable hurriedly wolfed down the meal, repeatedly bowing to the villagers in thanks, then called for Water Qilin to follow.
“Brother, where are we going to scrounge a meal?” Imperial Heavenly Venerable asked.
Qin Mu laughed and cried at the same time, bidding farewell to the villagers. “We’re going to Earth Mother Primordial Lord’s place to freeload.”
Imperial Heavenly Venerable was overjoyed. “What good stuff is there to eat?”
“All kinds of flavored demigods!”
Qin Mu laughed heartily, riding Dragon Qilin as they galloped into the distance.
When Water Qilin heard he was going to see Earth Mother Primordial Lord, his face turned ashen. Then, suddenly realizing something, he was overjoyed. “If those demigods kill and eat them, then I won’t be breaking my pact with Little Earth Lord, and I’ll be free!”
He moved swiftly, a great river appearing under his feet as he stepped on it and surged forward.
Beneath Dragon Qilin, clusters of Qilin fire erupted with explosive force, even faster than Water Qilin. This was likely the result of Old Farmer’s training over the past few days.
Qin Mu had Dragon Qilin slow down to observe Water Qilin’s divine abilities. After a moment, he took out some medicinal herbs and refined elixirs tailored to Water Qilin’s elemental properties.
Once the elixirs were ready, Qin Mu let the demigod taste them. “How is it?”
“Fragrant!”
Qin Mu thought for a moment, adjusted the elixir formula, and refined another batch. Water Qilin tasted it again and praised, “Even more fragrant!”
Qin Mu finalized the elixir formula and taught it to Imperial Heavenly Venerable, showing him how to refine the elixirs. “From now on, even if I’m not by your side, you can refine these yourself so he doesn’t go hungry. Just don’t feed him too much, or he’ll get very fat. Yeah, really fat…”
—Thanks to Huang Jie Xiao Xiao and Big Senior Master, the Master Was Captured by the Demon, for their patronage as Alliance Leaders!