Chapter 805: Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing (Long Chapter, Please Subscribe!)
The surging earth suddenly fell still, then the Imperial Tower Divine Blade, embedded in the ground, sliced through the soil and sped westward. Tian Shu Heavenly King grabbed the hilt, trying to steady the blade, but the power beneath the earth was so immense that even he was dragged along by the knife, pulled toward the west.
The Imperial Tower Divine Blade was incredibly sharp. As it passed through a great mountain, the mountain was cleanly sliced in half, split into two!
Seeing this, the Old Farmer let out a thunderous roar and punched the ground. From deep underground came a series of cracking sounds, as if something was being shattered link by link.
Tian Shu finally managed to pull out the Imperial Tower Divine Blade, rising with the knife. His body shifted, transforming into a ram-headed deity with a pair of curved horns. He swung the blade down!
With this strike, he exerted all his skill. Though he only delivered one slash, countless blades of light burrowed into the earth.
His blade technique was exquisite—he was the pinnacle of those who had attained the Dao through the blade in the Kaihuang era. Otherwise, when Kaihuang planned to open Fengdu, he would not have had Tian Shu wield the blade to strike at the Earth Lord.
This slash caused the ground to crack open continuously. Within the earth, blades of light could be seen darting wildly, while massive root-like tentacles writhed amidst the light. The bulging ground sped westward, and soon the distant mountains trembled like waves, retreating at tremendous speed.
On the surface, patches of blood lakes merged into a swamp, their surfaces shimmering with rosy clouds.
Tian Shu withdrew his blade, resting it on his shoulder, and said with confusion, "I clearly struck her. Why couldn’t the Imperial Tower Divine Blade take her soul?"
"If you struck the Earth Lord with one slash, could you take his soul?"
Behind him, the Old Farmer’s voice came: "Let’s go. Back to the capital."
Tian Shu turned and returned to the capital with him.
In the capital’s mansion, Di Yiyue and the Scholar worked together to break the Earth Mother’s Blessing behind Qin Mu’s head. Dispelling the Earth Mother’s Blessing also shook Qin Mu’s spirit, leaving him dazed and disoriented. He leaned against the wall, dry-heaving for a while before recovering slightly, though his face remained pale.
Several Heavenly Masters and Heavenly Kings exchanged glances: "We only broke the Earth Mother’s Blessing, and Mu’er is already this shaken. The Heavenly Lord has hundreds of halos behind his head, and he’s only in the Spirit Embryo realm. Can he endure it?"
Qin Mu shook his head, still feeling the world spin.
When the Woodcutter Sage had removed the Earth Element Dao Fruit, Qin Mu hadn’t felt much, because the Dao Fruit was linked to his soul. The Woodcutter Sage had directly sent his soul into the Nether Realm, severing the connection, and the Dao Fruit had fallen off on its own.
But the Earth Mother’s Blessing was different. It was more complex, drawing on the power of the earth to continuously regenerate, and it was connected to his physical body and primordial spirit. Even if Qin Mu died, the halo would still remain.
Di Yiyue and the Scholar had used the most brutal method—forcibly dismantling the runes that made up the Earth Mother’s Blessing one by one.
Over these days, they had thoroughly comprehended these runes and each devised a method to break them. When they did, the shockwaves also impacted Qin Mu’s body and primordial spirit, making it extremely uncomfortable.
"The Heavenly Lord cannot endure it."
The Woodcutter Sage shook his head and said, "To remove these blessings, we need a powerhouse at the Emperor Throne realm to protect his primordial spirit and body, and we must also guard against the power of living ancient gods encroaching. The Heavenly Lord’s significance is immense. If he is resurrected, it will certainly not escape the notice of the ancient gods who once blessed him. If we break the ancient gods’ blessings, the gods that will be drawn here are not limited to the Earth Mother. We must act quickly, erasing these blessings before those ancient gods can react!"
The Scholar shook his head: "My wisdom is insufficient. I cannot fully break the blessings behind his head."
Di Yiyue also shook her head: "These blessings are far-reaching. I could easily handle the blessings of the Four Emperors and the Heavenly Lord, but some blessings I can’t even understand."
Di Shi Heavenly King, the Old Farmer, the Old Fisherman, and the others each shook their heads as well.
The Woodcutter Sage said, "Then let me and my youngest disciple work together to break them. You all guard against the ancient gods’ intrusion. Bai Gui, come!"
Yankang National Teacher heard the summons and approached, saying, "Teacher."
The Woodcutter Sage said, "You and I will work together to break the blessings of the gods behind the Heavenly Lord’s head. Do you have confidence?"
Yankang National Teacher pondered for a moment, then said, "The Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing is somewhat difficult. Its structure is complex, encompassing a wide range of Dao types. Breaking it will take a lot of time. This is the first time I’ve seen such a strange Dao. But if I work with Teacher, I have about eighty to ninety percent confidence."
The Woodcutter said, "Bai Gui and I will work together. First Heavenly King, stabilize the Heavenly Lord’s body and primordial spirit. Everyone else, guard against lone intrusions."
Everyone agreed.
Di Yiyue summoned the Heavenly Lord, using her own power to protect his soul and body, and gave a slight nod.
The Woodcutter said, "Bai Gui, which ancient god’s blessing should we break first?"
"First, the Earth Mother, then the Heavenly Lord and the Earth Lord, and then the Heavenly Emperor."
Yankang National Teacher said, "The Earth Mother is dead and just retreated in defeat. Breaking her blessing is the simplest. Then break the Heavenly Lord and Earth Lord. These two ancient gods have ties with Second Senior Brother; they won’t interfere or alert other ancient gods. Then break the Heavenly Emperor. Second Senior Brother told me the Heavenly Emperor is dead. Though breaking his blessing is difficult, he won’t dare to appear. Then break the blessings of the Empress and her sister, and the Four Emperors. After that, break the blessings of the gods of the stars and heavens."
The Woodcutter asked, "Will any ancient god intervene to stop us?"
Yankang National Teacher shook his head: "The key lies with the Empress and her sister, and the Four Emperors. If we break these six ancient gods’ blessings quickly enough, the Outer Territory Heavenly Court won’t have time to react. As for the remaining ancient gods, they are mediocre and can be broken at will—nothing to fear. Speed is paramount. Strike before the enemy can react. No ancient god will be able to pinpoint our location and descend to stop us."
The Woodcutter Sage’s eyes grew brighter, and he laughed, "I have three disciples. You are the only one who has truly inherited my teachings."
Qin Mu snorted, quite displeased: "What true inheritance? Teacher, whenever you taught Junior Brother, you never let me sit in. You’ve never taught me anything. Where is this true inheritance coming from?"
The Woodcutter Sage ignored him. The two immediately set to work, circling around the Heavenly Lord.
Yankang National Teacher drew his sword, and the Woodcutter Sage took down his axe. One struck like lightning with his sword, the other wielded his axe like the wind. Every move was exquisitely refined, a marvel to behold.
"Jiang Baigui is very similar to the Woodcutter."
The Old Farmer watched for a while and whispered to the Scholar, "But his talent and comprehension seem even higher than the Woodcutter’s. His cultivation is already not far behind the Woodcutter’s."
The Scholar nodded slightly: "The Grand Heavenly Master was too distracted by other matters, causing his cultivation to stagnate. His energy was limited; he single-handedly supported the Kaihuang Reforms, which delayed his own practice. Jiang Baigui, on the other hand, has already absorbed eighty to ninety percent of his knowledge and is still advancing rapidly. He is indeed no ordinary man."
The Old Farmer glanced at Qin Mu, who was looking very displeased, and whispered, "Why doesn’t the Woodcutter teach that boy Qin Mu? He’s angry now, his face longer than your donkey’s."
The Scholar shook his head: "I don’t know about that. But Qin Mu’s learning is also quite eclectic. Though varied, it is refined and skilled, not bad at all. Especially his swordsmanship—even I can’t block it."
"I know why Big Brother doesn’t teach him."
The Old Fisherman approached and said in a low voice, "I spent some time with that boy Qin Mu and admired him greatly, so I asked Big Brother why he didn’t teach him. His expression was very strange at the time. He told me that of his three disciples, he knew what to teach the eldest and the youngest, but with this second disciple, he didn’t know what to teach or how to teach. So he chose to teach nothing and just let him grow freely."
The Scholar was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. She asked the Old Farmer, "I noticed his martial arts are also strong. Did you teach him?"
The Old Farmer grunted and shook his head: "Never taught him. At the time, I had thrown the Woodcutter into a ditch to soak. This boy came looking for me, full of big talk, saying he could solve the problem of the people of the Bullfighting Realm having no Divine Bridge and wanted to trade that for the Woodcutter. I let him try to break into the Bullfighting Heavenly Palace, and then he comprehended the Dao through martial arts on his own. I taught him nothing. Who would have thought that boy would actually solve it..."
The Scholar was stunned for a moment. She looked at Qin Mu, who was still pulling a long face, looking very unhappy.
"Having such a disciple—I wonder if it’s Wen Tiange’s fortune or misfortune," she thought to herself.
In just a short time, the Woodcutter and Yankang National Teacher had broken the Earth Mother’s Blessing. They immediately began breaking the Heavenly Lord’s Blessing, also at great speed, and then tackled the Earth Lord’s Blessing. The several Heavenly Masters and Heavenly Kings watched with expressions of surprise.
Even Di Yiyue frowned deeply. The speed at which these two broke the blessings was too fast. Even she couldn’t match it.
Achieving such speed required immense intelligence and terrifying deductive ability, as well as flawless coordination without any mistakes.
The Woodcutter and the National Teacher had not rehearsed beforehand but acted directly. Their cooperation was absolutely perfect!
Soon, the two finally began dealing with the Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing. This was the most difficult blessing. Their pace gradually slowed, each sword stroke and axe swing becoming extremely slow and heavy.
They moved slowly, treating lightness as if it were heavy. Each strike took longer and longer. Sweat steamed from their bodies, turning into clouds of vapor, and their blood energy grew increasingly vigorous.
Two days later, beads of blood seeped from Yankang National Teacher’s skin. The Woodcutter’s eyes also shed two lines of bloody tears, and his hair turned gray.
The Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing was too powerful, forcing their wisdom to its limits. Their brains operated at an astonishing speed. This was still under the condition that they had already discerned the mysteries of the runes within the Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing. If they had been completely ignorant, they would have had no way to start.
Another two days passed, and the Woodcutter’s aura weakened. Yankang National Teacher, being younger and gaining more insights as he broke the Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing, saw his blood energy increase rather than decrease.
Finally, the two shattered the halo formed by the Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing!
The Woodcutter’s lips were stained with blood as he stepped back and said, "Bai Gui, can you handle the remaining blessings on your own?"
"I can try!"
Yankang National Teacher let out a long cry. His form suddenly accelerated, turning into a series of afterimages. In that moment, it seemed as if countless Yankang National Teachers appeared around the Heavenly Lord, their numbers growing. Each one used a different sword technique, stabbing at the halos behind the Heavenly Lord’s head. Multicolored light burst forth, dazzling and vibrant!
Di Yiyue, the Scholar, the Old Farmer, and the others tensed up.
The blessings they had broken earlier—those of the Heavenly Lord and Earth Lord—would not be opposed, and the Earth Mother and Heavenly Emperor were dead. But now only Yankang National Teacher remained, and the ancient gods of those blessings might still be alive!
Suddenly, the Empress’s Blessing shattered with a pop. After a few more breaths, the Empress’s Sister’s Blessing also shattered. Then the Four Emperors’ Blessings dimmed one by one and vanished with soft popping sounds!
Yankang National Teacher’s speed increased further. His afterimages multiplied, forcing everyone to retreat and give him more space to work.
The halos behind the Heavenly Lord’s head grew fewer and fewer, and the speed of their destruction accelerated, dazzling the onlookers and filling them with admiration.
"You are perfecting your youngest disciple."
The Scholar whispered, "You are not so weak as to be coughing up blood."
The Woodcutter Sage smiled: "I am old, and I am a Heavenly Master of the Kaihuang era. I cannot help Yankang forever. A teacher passes on the Dao, imparts skills, and resolves doubts. Now that I have passed on the Dao, imparted the skills, and resolved the doubts, I am truly a teacher."
The Scholar nodded toward Qin Mu and said in a low voice, "What about that disciple of yours? Have you passed on the Dao, imparted skills, and resolved his doubts?"
The Woodcutter Sage’s head felt as big as a bucket. He said helplessly, "I don’t know what I can teach him, or how to teach him... He is like the Heavenly Lord. He learns some basics, then comes up with something that leaves you dumbfounded and terrified. I dare not teach him..."
Finally, Yankang National Teacher shattered all the ancient gods’ blessings. He suddenly sheathed his sword, holding it behind his back with one hand, closed his eyes, and concentrated. Involuntarily, he entered a mysterious state.
This time, breaking the ancient gods’ blessings had gained him much, leading him into a profound state of enlightenment.
This was the result of the Woodcutter’s deliberate effort. The Woodcutter had drawn him into a battle of wits—competing with the ancient gods, with the Dao of heaven and earth, and with the Woodcutter himself. Then the Woodcutter withdrew, allowing Yankang National Teacher to fully display his intelligence and talent, leading to this enlightenment.
"This may be the most crucial enlightenment in Jiang Baigui’s life, laying the foundation for his future achievements."
No one disturbed him. Everyone quietly withdrew.
When Yankang National Teacher awoke, a month had passed. He looked around and saw that Qin Mu’s mansion was empty, everyone having already left. Looking up, he saw a lush Primeval Tree covering the entire capital.
"Qin Mu has gone to the Surging River with the many Human Sovereigns and Dao Lords."
Under the tree, Gongsun Yan told him, "He asked me to tell you not to worry and to prepare the technique for sealing the Southern Heavenly Gate as soon as possible."
Yankang National Teacher was stunned. He smiled and asked, "Why didn’t you go with him?"
"I’m used to taking root here," the girl said with a smile.
Qin Mu sat on the back of the Dragon Qilin, traveling with the many Human Sovereigns. The majestic mountains and beautiful rivers were a delight to the eye. Suddenly, he spotted a black wild boar and was overjoyed. He quickly said, "Catch that boar demon!"
The Water Qilin rushed over and seized the bewildered black boar demon.
Qin Mu took out the Heavenly Emperor’s Sacred Edict and said with a smile, "I was just worrying about how to deal with this Heavenly Emperor’s Blessing." He opened the edict toward the dazed black boar demon.
After a moment, Qin Mu tossed the edict aside and rode off with the others.
"Pastoral Heavenly Lord, we finally meet." An ancient, obscure divine consciousness subtly stirred, suddenly appearing in the black boar demon’s mind.
"Oink, oink!" The black boar exclaimed in surprise.
—A four-thousand-word long chapter!