Chapter 798: Imperial Heavenly Lord Enlightens the Dao (Third Update!)
Qin Mu brought the group to a residence in the capital city. The courtyard was spacious and elegantly quiet, with many maids bustling about, managing the daily affairs of the estate.
"Ling’er really does manage finances quite well."
Qin Mu was pleased. After inquiring, a maid said, "Sister Ling occasionally stays here for a while to entertain friends like Tiger Lord and the Princess, but she hasn’t come recently."
"How is she like me, always running around everywhere? The world is in chaos now—it’s very dangerous."
Qin Mu shook his head. He arranged accommodations for Imperial Heavenly Lord, Gongsun Yan, and the others, then immediately began attempting to open the Other Shore Divine Repository.
The Other Shore Divine Repository was rooted in the Life and Death Divine Repository. This type of divine repository was the simplest. Qin Mu’s preliminary work mainly involved designing the Other Shore Ark, which would serve as this repository.
He drew inspiration from the Other Shore Ark in the Great Ruins and also referenced the old yin emissary’s paper boat.
The Other Shore Ark was a treasure ship used to travel to Carefree Village, designed by the Woodcutter Sage and built by the Imperial Shakya Heavenly King Buddha, but it was ultimately destroyed in the Great Ruins. What Qin Mu valued was the ship’s ability to traverse the void.
The old yin emissary’s paper boat could carry people and ghosts through the Netherworld. The sixth divine repository was the Life and Death Divine Repository, which connected to the Netherworld. Therefore, Qin Mu adopted the most expedient method, borrowing the paper boat’s ability to travel through the Netherworld. He would have the Other Shore Divine Repository rise from the Life and Death Divine Repository, cross the void, and fly up to the Southern Heavenly Gate of the Heavenly Palace.
This approach was the simplest because the Other Shore Divine Repository was forged within the Life and Death Divine Repository, providing a point of leverage. Gathering primordial qi and opening it was relatively easy.
Opening it in the void, however, was much harder. Gathering primordial qi in the void within the physical body was extremely difficult—it was like creating a world in the void of the body. Qin Mu didn’t yet have enough confidence for that.
"Among the seven divine repositories opened by the Seven Heavenly Lords, only Imperial Heavenly Lord’s Spirit Embryo Divine Repository was a pure creation from the void. He drew power from the void to open the spiritual platform and forge the spirit embryo, giving all living beings spirit and soul."
"The other six Heavenly Lords all borrowed the power of ancient gods."
"The Five Luminaries Divine Repository borrowed the power of the Five Luminaries Star Lords, the Six Harmonies Divine Repository borrowed the power of the Earth Mother, the Seven Stars Divine Repository borrowed the power of the Sun, Moon, and Five Luminaries Star Lords, the Heavenly Being Divine Repository borrowed the power of the Heavenly Duke, the Life and Death Divine Repository borrowed the power of the Earth Lord, and the Divine Bridge Divine Repository borrowed the power of the Dragon Han Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Emperor of the Dragon Han Heavenly Court no longer exists, so there’s no power to borrow, which is why the Divine Bridge Divine Repository can’t be reopened."
"So, for the Other Shore Divine Repository, which ancient god’s power should I borrow?"
Qin Mu pondered. To open the Other Shore Divine Repository, there needed to be a feedback of power from the repository to the practitioner—that defined a cultivation realm. Among the Seven Heavenly Lords, six borrowed power, but only Imperial Heavenly Lord, with his unparalleled talent, did not. That was supreme genius!
"Borrowing the power of any ancient god doesn’t seem like a good thing."
Qin Mu racked his brain but couldn’t find an answer. Suddenly, he came to his senses and went to find Imperial Heavenly Lord. He saw the man staring blankly into space.
Qin Mu was about to approach when he stopped. The chubby young man was resting his plump chin on his hand, lost in thought, yet primordial qi was flowing both inside and outside his body, opening a divine repository. With his divine eyes, Qin Mu saw that within that repository, Blue Yutian’s spirit embryo was slowly taking shape.
Qin Mu’s body trembled, and he didn’t make a sound to disturb him.
Imperial Heavenly Lord had died a tragic death. During the catastrophic event at the Jade Pool a million years ago, all the divine repositories he had opened within his body were shattered, and even his Heavenly Palace was destroyed. When Qin Mu recreated his physical body, it had no divine repositories or Heavenly Palace at all!
And now, this Imperial Heavenly Lord, who had eaten himself into a chubby state, had, without any teacher, reopened a Spirit Embryo Divine Repository on his own!
The reason Qin Mu hadn’t taught him any divine techniques or methods, letting him realize things on his own, was because he knew Imperial Heavenly Lord’s talent was extremely high—perhaps even surpassing his own. Though he wouldn’t admit it aloud, deep down he admired Imperial Heavenly Lord immensely.
He was very eager to see what the reborn Blue Yutian would become—another Imperial Heavenly Lord!
Now, Imperial Heavenly Lord had entered a wondrous state of enlightenment, so Qin Mu didn’t interrupt him.
The state of enlightenment was rare. This was an opportunity for Imperial Heavenly Lord, and also an opportunity for Qin Mu to observe the methods Imperial Heavenly Lord used to open the Spirit Embryo Divine Repository.
While Imperial Heavenly Lord remained in enlightenment, Qin Mu focused on observing and comprehending. Gradually, he sensed where the power to shape the spirit embryo and the Spirit Embryo Divine Repository came from.
It was the power of heaven and earth, as well as the power from within himself. The enlightened Imperial Heavenly Lord simultaneously harnessed both the power of heaven and earth and his own to shape the spirit embryo.
To Qin Mu, it felt as if Imperial Heavenly Lord had become one with heaven and earth!
This wasn’t the Western Land’s unique perception that all things have spirits and gods; it was a genuine fusion.
"Such talent is truly unbeatable."
Qin Mu sighed inwardly. "If I had been born in the same era as him, I’d only dare to call myself a fake Overlord Body, while he would be the true Overlord Body. But I’m not bad either."
He was quite proud of himself.
Having single-handedly created twenty-six types of seventh divine repositories, Qin Mu had the right to be proud.
Finally, Imperial Heavenly Lord awoke, looking around in confusion before noticing Qin Mu. He hurriedly said, "Brother, when did you get here?"
"Just a little while ago."
Qin Mu waved his hand, telling him to stay seated, and sat down beside him. "You suddenly opened a divine repository just now. Can you tell me what you were thinking?"
"I’m too fat."
Imperial Heavenly Lord blushed, scratching his head. "When I look down, I can’t see my toes anymore. So I thought about refining this fat away, and then I started pondering how to cultivate. I sensed many wondrous powers in heaven and earth, and also many wondrous powers within myself. Then I thought about opening a place in my body to gather and store these powers. After that, my thoughts became clearer and clearer, as if I’d done this before. It came very easily."
Qin Mu smiled. "You’ve done very well. Do you have any ideas about a cultivation technique for the Spirit Embryo stage?"
Imperial Heavenly Lord said, "I’ve read many books in the Heavenly Record Tower. Can I learn techniques from there?"
Qin Mu shook his head. "You need to comprehend and create your own technique."
Imperial Heavenly Lord asked curiously, "Do others also create their own techniques?"
"We are different from others."
Qin Mu’s expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "We are Overlord Bodies! Remember this: every Overlord Body is unique. A true Overlord Body must create their own techniques and divine abilities! If you fall short of others, it means you haven’t worked hard enough!"
Imperial Heavenly Lord looked solemn and bowed his head in acknowledgment.
Qin Mu stood up. "Think carefully about your technique. I also need to go and create the Other Shore Divine Repository!"
Imperial Heavenly Lord continued his contemplation. After a while, he looked up groggily and turned to look behind him. Where Qin Mu was, the wind and clouds suddenly churned, forming a massive vortex in the sky that spun wildly. On the ground, darkness spread outward from the room where Qin Mu was, as if the earth itself had ceased to exist!
The darkness also swirled, as if the ground had vanished!
Crack!
Suddenly, thunder erupted from the sky, and lightning surged from the earth, all striking toward Qin Mu’s room. The lightning rained down like a storm, shattering the building to pieces!
The scene was terrifying, as if a great demon king had been born and was being punished by heavenly retribution.
"Brother truly is brother."
Imperial Heavenly Lord turned back and continued contemplating his own technique, thinking to himself, "He draws on the power of heaven and earth far more strongly than I do. I wonder if he also draws on his own power?"
At the center of the lightning strikes, Qin Mu was already using his own power to mobilize the power of heaven and earth. With the combined forces of heaven, earth, and himself, he was shaping the Other Shore Ark within the Life and Death Divine Repository. A grand and majestic ship gradually took form in the dark Netherworld.
Strange demons and monsters swam through the dark Life and Death Divine Repository, approaching and retreating. Clearly, the commotion of opening the seventh divine repository had attracted the attention of Netherworld creatures.
However, Netherworld creatures couldn’t enter the Life and Death Divine Repository of the living, so they could only watch from afar.
After a moment, a light shone through. A paper boat drifted silently, arriving here. The old yin emissary on the boat raised his horse lantern, shining it on Qin Mu’s Life and Death Divine Repository. When he saw Qin Mu, he was startled. "Pastoral Heavenly Lord, it’s you again. I was wondering what demon or monster dared to stir up trouble here. Don’t cause any mischief… What are you doing?"
He suddenly froze, staring at the forming Other Shore Ark. Realization dawned, and he exclaimed, "Are you opening an eighth divine repository?"
Qin Mu’s voice came from above. "It’s a seventh divine repository! Netherworld Heavenly Lord, wait a moment!"
The old yin emissary looked up and saw Qin Mu’s primordial spirit standing beneath the Jianmu Tree, above the Six Harmonies Continent, stepping through the stars and performing rituals.
He waited quietly. After a long time, the Other Shore Divine Repository was finally fully formed.
Qin Mu’s primordial spirit staggered, somewhat weakened. After a while, he said, "I asked the Martial Combat Heavenly Master to destroy my Divine Bridge Divine Repository, so I needed to create another seventh divine repository. Netherworld Heavenly Lord, are you passing through?"
The old yin emissary nodded. "I was passing by and saw the commotion, so I came in to see who was causing trouble. Sure enough, it was you. Did you successfully open this divine repository?"
Qin Mu nodded, smiling. "With the primordial spirit riding this Other Shore Ark, as cultivation improves, one can pilot the ark to ascend to the Heavenly Palace. This can solve the suffering of the Yan’kang people whose Divine Bridge was severed."
The old yin emissary said, "You really know how to stir things up. If Cloud Heavenly Lord were still alive, he’d be furious. What about Imperial Heavenly Lord? Since I’m here, I might as well see him."
Qin Mu felt uneasy. "Imperial Heavenly Lord has entered enlightenment and has already opened the Spirit Embryo Divine Repository. He’s now contemplating his own technique. It’s better not to see him and disturb his cultivation."
The old yin emissary was skeptical. "I’ll just take a distant look at him; it won’t disturb him."
"In broad daylight, you’ll scare people to death. Go, go! See him another time—I guarantee he’ll be very strong by then."
Qin Mu shooed him away, relieved. "If he sees Imperial Heavenly Lord turned into a Blue Fatty, he’ll definitely write me up for demerit. No, I need to get Imperial Heavenly Lord’s figure back to normal as soon as possible. But this fatty is so greedy—how can I make him lose weight?"
Just then, a familiar voice called from afar: "Junior Brother Qin! Junior Brother Qin!"
Qin Mu was both surprised and delighted. He quickly opened his eyes and saw an old ox carrying an old farmer charging into the residence. The ox spoke in human tongue, laughing, "Junior Brother Qin, the National Teacher said you wanted to see the master, so we rushed over!"
On the ox’s back, the old farmer looked displeased and unwell, as if seriously injured. He said flatly, "What’s the urgent matter you wanted to see me about?"
Qin Mu studied the old farmer. "Uncle Master, you’re injured. Forcibly suppressing the filthy blood in your chest will cause even greater damage to your physical functions."
The old farmer stared coldly at him, then spat out a mouthful of black blood, his energy flagging.
The old ox was startled and quickly said, "Master, you’ve been holding in the injury from that clash with the Great Black Heavens all this time?"
"The Great Black Heavens, as the Demon Ancestor, is indeed more skilled than I am."
The old farmer spat out the blood, looking somewhat better. "Seeing my abilities, he won’t dare to act rashly against Yan’kang. Nephew, why did you summon me?"
Qin Mu smiled. "I’ve already opened the seventh divine repository."
The old farmer was both shocked and delighted, his voice trembling. "Really?"
Qin Mu nodded and continued, "I urgently needed to see you because I want you to destroy the seventh divine repository I just opened."
The old farmer’s eyes widened. "What?"
Qin Mu repeated himself. "Help me destroy it so I can open other seventh divine repositories. I’ve prepared twenty-six types of seventh divine repositories. The Other Shore Divine Repository I just opened is the first. There are twenty-five more waiting to be tested."
The old farmer stood frozen, his mind blank.
Qin Mu stepped forward and probed, "Uncle Master, has your injury flared up?"
"I’m fine…"
The old farmer waved his hand, muttering, "I’m fine. I was injured by the Great Black Heavens, and suddenly my heart aches… How many types of seventh divine repositories did you say?"
"Twenty-six," Qin Mu answered honestly.
The old farmer barely suppressed the urge to spit blood, swallowing it back down with a gulp. His heart was bitter: "Twenty-six types… In twenty thousand years, I never thought of a single one…"
—Here comes the third update of the day! Three chapters, nearly twelve thousand words—pretty substantial, right? Please vote for monthly tickets!