Chapter 786: Grand Entrance
"It's Red Emperor Qi Xiayu again!"
Qin Mu's expression turned strange. Just how many people had Red Emperor Qi Xiayu betrayed?
Her lover, the Imperial Heavenly Buddha Li Youran, had an ambiguous relationship with her. Bai Qu'er was chasing after her to demand an explanation. And now, Feng Qiuyun of the Phoenix Clan under Earth Mother Primordial Lord wanted to beat her to death as well.
Wherever Red Emperor Qi Xiayu appeared, shouts of wanting to kill her followed.
"But what's strange is that Bai Qu'er is chasing Qi Xiayu because she betrayed the Upper Heavenly Court where Bai Qu'er belonged. Feng Qiuyun says she betrayed the Phoenix Clan. The Phoenix Clan is attached to Earth Mother Primordial Lord, who also supported an Upper Heavenly Court with fifteen dynasties of Upper Emperors."
Qin Mu fell into thought: "Are these two Upper Heavenly Courts the same one? Bai Qu'er has divine dragon bloodline, and the Dragon Clan is also half-divine. Could she also be under Earth Mother Primordial Lord's command? But that doesn't seem quite right..."
Bai Qu'er had once told Qin Mu that the Upper Emperor had a saying that was deeply shocking: Human life is greater than heaven!
Qin Mu didn't know much about the Upper Heavenly Court supported by Earth Mother, but he knew its backbone was mostly half-divines. From their actions and words, they didn't seem to value human life much. In fact, they showed extreme contempt and even hostility toward humanity.
For example, when the Water Qilin awakened and saw Qin Mu, Imperial Heavenly Lord, and Imperial Heavenly Buddha Li Youran, it immediately clamored to eat them to fill its stomach, calling them lowly species.
From one spot, one could infer the whole. In the Upper Heavenly Court supported by Earth Mother, humanity's status was extremely low.
Yet in the heavenly court where Bai Qu'er belonged, there was a tradition that human life is greater than heaven. Human lives, even the lives of common people, were extremely important, to the point where deities needed to protect the common people with their own lives!
This was also what moved Qin Mu the most. Before leaving, he had carved this very saying on the cliff.
"So that means Red Emperor Qi Xiayu was originally from the Phoenix Clan under Earth Mother Primordial Lord. Then she betrayed the Phoenix Clan and joined the heavenly court where Bai Qu'er belonged. After killing the previous Red Emperor, she was captured and defected to the Outer Heavenly Court."
Qin Mu blinked: "During the Kaihuang Era, she got involved with Imperial Heavenly Buddha Li Youran again, and then betrayed him. This sister Qi Xiayu's way of doing things seems a bit problematic... But the key issue isn't her—it's that Upper Heavenly Court where Bai Qu'er belonged!"
This Upper Heavenly Court, where human life is greater than heaven, had a philosophy that could be said to be the foundation of the woodcutter sage's reforms and changes during the Kaihuang Era!
Moreover, this philosophy influenced the Yankang Era.
The sage's way upheld by Yankang Kingdom lay in the daily use of the people. It was compiled by Senior Brother Wei Suifeng from the woodcutter's teachings and passed down by the young patriarch to the Yankang National Teacher, becoming the foundation of Yankang's nation.
The philosophies of these three eras could be said to be a continuous lineage, constantly developing.
"Let's set out quickly!"
Feng Qiuyun urged: "We need to catch that little wretch before she escapes!"
Qin Mu couldn't help but say: "Sister Qiuyun, Jade Capital City has gathered almost all the half-divines of the Primordial Realm, along with the fake Earth Mother and other divine and demonic races. There are countless experts. If we barge in recklessly, we'll be killed by other experts before Red Emperor even makes a move."
Feng Qiuyun shook her head: "That Earth Mother is a fake. As long as I expose her identity, the half-divines will return to my side. Then, gathering the power of many half-divines, executing the traitor Qi Xiayu will be easy!"
Qin Mu smiled: "Sister, you're thinking too simply. If you barge in, the fake Earth Mother will definitely incite the half-divines to attack you, making you a target for everyone. You'll probably be killed before you even see Qi Xiayu."
Feng Qiuyun stopped and tilted her head: "Do you have any brilliant ideas?"
Qin Mu said: "Does Sister have any token from Earth Mother? Something to prove your identity and prove Earth Mother's identity?"
Feng Qiuyun sneered: "Earth Mother is Earth Mother. Why does she need to prove her identity? What kind of twisted logic is that?"
Qin Mu said calmly: "If you have no token to prove Earth Mother is Earth Mother, how can you argue that the other is fake? Those half-divines were summoned by the other party. They surely have a token. Without one, how can you gain their trust?"
Feng Qiuyun frowned. After a moment, she said: "What should we do?"
Qin Mu smiled: "Since Sister has decided to go to Jade Capital City to confront the fake Earth Mother, then naturally, the bigger the spectacle, the better. Does Earth Mother have any carriage symbolizing her status?"
Feng Qiuyun said: "Yes. But it's too grand. It requires eight dragons and eight phoenixes to pull it. And moving the carriage would likely alert Earth Mother, which would be bad. Earth Mother won't agree to me going to kill that wretch Qi."
Qin Mu thought for a moment and said: "Does Earth Mother have any other fancy branches or twigs? Something that looks more ornate?"
Feng Qiuyun's eyes lit up, and she laughed: "Earth Mother once forged a wooden sword to suppress the divine saints of the heavens. It's called the Primordial Lord Kunyuan Sword. It's right in the temple. I'll go get it!"
She excitedly walked into the main hall of the dilapidated temple. Qin Mu followed her in and saw Feng Qiuyun bow respectfully to Earth Mother Primordial Lord's statue, then go behind it. On the wall hung a wooden sword.
Qin Mu was dumbfounded. He tested: "This wooden sword is the Primordial Lord Kunyuan Sword that suppresses the heavens? It's just hanging here?"
Feng Qiuyun nodded: "That's right. It's usually hanging here."
Qin Mu's expression turned strange. He glanced around the rest of the dilapidated temple, his gaze falling on the offering table, shrine, incense burner, incense tripod, screen, cushion, and other items.
"Are those two large bronze bells hanging under the eaves also good stuff?"
Just as he thought this, Feng Qiuyun urged them to head to Jade Capital City. Qin Mu smiled: "Sister, what is your status before Earth Mother Primordial Lord?"
Feng Qiuyun hesitated, feeling ashamed, and said: "My Phoenix Clan originally lived on the Primordial Tree, dependent on Earth Mother's shelter. So I usually pulled Earth Mother's treasure carriage. I am one of the eight phoenixes pulling the carriage. Qi Xiayu was also one of the eight phoenixes, but she later rebelled."
Qin Mu pondered: "You're a carriage puller, Sister Yan is a maid. There will definitely be half-divines who recognize you and doubt your identities. My younger brother has low cultivation, and Long Fatty and Water Qilin are too stupid to be useful. So I'll have to reluctantly play the role of Earth Mother Primordial Lord's disciple."
Feng Qiuyun was stunned, not understanding his meaning.
Qin Mu sighed and said: "I'll reluctantly act as Earth Mother's envoy and disciple, going to suppress the rebellion. You two will be my maids. Sister Qiuyun, you'll have to bear with it and hold the Primordial Lord Kunyuan Sword for me. Sister Yan and Brother Lan still have empty hands. Are there any other treasures? Otherwise, it'll look too shabby and we'll be seen through."
Feng Qiuyun said: "Wait a moment. There's also a horsetail whisk, forged by Earth Mother from the roots of the Primordial Tree and rivers, called the Six Harmonies Chaotic Yuan Sword. And there's the Mountain River Tripod, used by Earth Mother to suppress mountain and river earthquakes. I'll go get them!"
She rummaged under the offering table, pulled out a horsetail whisk from a pile of clutter, then poured out the incense ash from the incense tripod, cleaned it, and said: "It can still be used."
Qin Mu's heart twitched. This little broken temple had so many good things, so terrifying!
"Yan'er, you hold the whisk."
Feng Qiuyun handed the whisk to Gongsun Yan and said: "This whisk is very heavy. When activated with primordial energy, each whisk strand will turn into sword lights formed by mountains, rivers, and great rivers. It's dangerous to control, so be careful. Imperial Heavenly Lord, you..."
She looked at the dazed Imperial Heavenly Lord, shook her head, and said: "You'd better not hold the tripod. I'll put it in the halo behind your head."
She lifted the Mountain River Tripod, and the great tripod flew up, drifting into the halo behind Imperial Heavenly Lord's head, floating and sinking. Then she looked at Qin Mu and said: "Can we set out now?"
Qin Mu showed a troubled expression: "I don't have any treasures on me. It looks a bit shabby..."
Feng Qiuyun blinked: "We are your maids, and there's a young servant boy. The treasures in our hands are all for you to use. If you personally carry the treasures, wouldn't that lose your dignity?"
Qin Mu gave a dry laugh, his expression somewhat gloomy: "That makes sense. But the grand entrance isn't big enough. If only we had Earth Mother's treasure carriage..."
Feng Qiuyun sneered: "That would be Earth Mother herself traveling! The grand entrance is enough now. Let's set out quickly, or that little wretch will escape! She's very fast!"
Qin Mu glanced back at the bells hanging under the temple eaves, then at the screen, incense burner, cushion, and other items. He silently regretted them and said: "Give me a little more time, and I can forge a treasure carriage. Long Fatty and A Shui pull the carriage, Brother Lan sits on the shaft holding a small whip, the two sisters lean on my legs left and right, and I sit on the throne behind the curtain..."
Feng Qiuyun urged: "After we kill that little wretch and revive Earth Mother, I'll let you have this kind of prestige once, okay? There's no time now. Let's hurry over!"
Qin Mu glanced at Dragon Qilin. Dragon Qilin understood and rolled on the ground, transforming into a forty-zhang-long giant beast.
Qin Mu pinched Imperial Heavenly Lord's face, changing his appearance to make him look like a young servant boy.
He took out his sword pellet, which flowed and turned into a collar with a rope. He had Water Qilin transform into a half-divine with a human body and qilin head, leading the rope in front.
Gongsun Yan and Feng Qiuyun came to Dragon Qilin's head. Qin Mu sat down, had Imperial Heavenly Lord stand behind him, pulled Gongsun Yan over to lean on his shoulder, and then tried to pull Feng Qiuyun. Feng Qiuyun glared with phoenix eyes and made a move to draw the wooden sword.
Qin Mu had to give up that idea and said: "Long Fatty, let's go. Let's go meet this fake Earth Mother."
Dragon Qilin quickly generated clouds under his feet, riding mist, with Water Qilin leading him in front, heading toward Jade Capital City.
Qin Mu showed a faint smile, looking ahead, and thought to himself: "Sister Qiuyun is sent by Earth Mother Primordial Lord to monitor me, to keep me from slipping away. If Qi Xiayu kills Sister Qiuyun, then I can take these treasures and gleefully slip away!"
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, and his faint smile gradually deepened: "Qi Xiayu is a nine-headed phoenix with nine heads, and she's at the Imperial Throne realm. Her strength is unfathomable. Just her zither music made Imperial Heavenly Buddha Li Youran vomit blood uncontrollably. Even if Feng Qiuyun has the Primordial Lord Kunyuan Sword in hand, she's definitely just delivering herself to be killed. I can take the chance to escape this place."
He held Gongsun Yan's little hand, a smile on his face, making the girl's heart pound wildly as she kept glancing at him.
But Qin Mu didn't notice the girl's strange behavior at all. He continued to channel the energy of the Earth Primordial Fruit into Gongsun Yan's body, thinking: "The scholar is also in Jade Capital City. She can help me dissolve this Earth Mother blessing. Plus, Sister Yan absorbing the Earth Primordial Fruit's energy, I can completely shake off Earth Mother's surveillance."
Gongsun Yan absorbed the Earth Primordial Fruit's energy even faster than him, but what made Qin Mu a bit anxious was that despite their constant absorption, the energy in this fruit showed no sign of decreasing.
"I can't absorb the Earth Primordial Fruit cleanly in a short time. Then the only option is to abduct Sister Yan." Qin Mu looked at the girl beside him, showing an innocent and sunny smile.
Gongsun Yan's face flushed red. She turned her head away, staring at the mane on Dragon Qilin's neck, her heart flustered: "If he suddenly kisses me, what should I do? Should I struggle and resist, or pretend to be angry? Or let him kiss me first, then slap him?"
Qin Mu made no move. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a bit disappointed, thinking: "So he's even shyer than me..."
"Abduct Sister Yan, and then I can use her primordial spirit to drain the Earth Primordial Fruit's energy dry!"
Qin Mu's brow twitched, and he almost burst into joy: "I can also get my hands on the Primordial Lord Kunyuan Sword, the Mountain River Tripod, and the Six Harmonies Chaotic Yuan Sword. Perfect... Ah, it's a pity I didn't get Earth Mother's treasure carriage..."
Ahead was Jade Capital City.
Water Qilin led Dragon Qilin into the city.
——The anniversary book review event for "The Record of the Shepherd God" ends on the 28th. The winners will be announced on Zhaizhu's public WeChat account and the book review section. Please pay attention.
Also, some readers have reported that the updates have been a few minutes late these past two days, and they're quite unhappy about it. Let me explain: the daily update times are around noon and around eight in the evening. It could be a bit earlier or a bit later. There have been many chapters updated ten minutes early.
Recently, the updated chapters are often 3,500 or 4,000 words, which takes more time to write, so they're a bit later. If readers aren't used to it, I can go back to 3,000-word chapters, and then I can update on time without waiting a few minutes. Of course, I could also do 2,000-word chapters, three updates a day, which would seem like more updates, but the actual word count wouldn't be as much as the usual two chapters.
I'm asking for everyone's opinion.