Chapter 828: Overbearing Presence, Killing Prestige
The Azure Cloud Heavenly Dao Palace was in complete chaos, with many Daoists flying through the sky and running on the ground, searching everywhere for the thieving Daoist. After the news of the Dao Academy being burglarized was exposed, the other palaces and academies of Azure Cloud Heaven discovered that they too had been robbed, not just the Dao Academy.
However, the thief was exceedingly cunning. The treasuries of the various palaces and academies had been looted without anyone noticing, and it was only when the Daoists' own treasures were stolen that attention was drawn.
Even the Dao Palace itself had been hit. Many elderly Daoists rushed frantically to the Dao Palace treasury, where over a dozen Divine Realm Daoists stood guard outside, while others opened the seals and filed in to check if any treasures were missing.
Lin Xuan Dao Lord watched the chaotic scene at the Azure Cloud Sect and laughed, "Sect Master Qin, when your elder visits our Dao Sect, it's just as chaotic. Every time he comes, our Dao Sect's uncles and masters scour the mountains searching for his trail. We even raised several divine hounds specifically to deal with him."
Qin Mu rubbed his forehead in frustration, saying helplessly, "In the past, when Cripple Grandpa's cultivation was low, you could still catch him. Now that he's reached the Divine Realm and cultivated the Art of Creation, even his scent is hidden. Capturing him is as difficult as reaching the heavens."
The two continued climbing as if nothing had happened, seemingly unconcerned that the disciples of the Zhou Tian Star Lord's main god in the Dao Academy had died.
Some Daoists hurriedly flew toward the outer heavens, summoning divine hounds, divine mastiffs, and divine rats from their subordinate divine nations, along with some constables, to search everywhere.
Qin Mu and Lin Xuan Dao Lord chatted idly, unhurriedly ascending the mountain. The Zha Daoist, Dragon Qilin, and Water Qilin followed behind them. Some Daoists stopped them for questioning but let them pass after a brief interrogation.
"Is Lan Yutian alright?" Lin Xuan Dao Lord asked.
"It's not a big problem."
Though Qin Mu said this, his forehead felt like it was about to split open. He said with a headache, "Yuti has no memories of the past. He's now a blank slate—you can paint the most beautiful picture on it, or you can scribble all over it and make a mess. I'm very worried he'll pick up the habit of petty thievery."
"Petty thievery? Causing such a commotion?" Lin Xuan Dao Lord laughed.
"Cripple Grandpa's rule is: a thief never returns empty-handed."
Qin Mu said seriously, "Whenever he strikes, he has to steal the best things. Just now, he stole from all of us. When he got to Lan Yutian, he found Yuti had nothing valuable on him, so he stole Yuti himself. I'm not worried about Yuti's safety, only that he'll learn bad habits."
"The divine thief should have fled Azure Cloud Heaven with Lan Yutian by now, right?"
"Flee? Impossible. Cripple Grandpa loves to watch the world burn. He's definitely in the Dao Palace right now, disguised, following those Daoists around as they search for the thief's whereabouts."
The two finally arrived at the Dao Palace outside the mountain summit. The palace was on high alert, with many Daoists coming and going, activating various treasures like mirrors to shine light in all directions, searching for the old thief's location.
A young Daoist hurried out from within the palace. Meeting Qin Mu and Lin Xuan Dao Lord face to face, he was slightly startled and lowered his voice, saying, "How did you get up the mountain? I just informed the Sect Leader of your visit, but with the thief causing trouble in the Dao Palace now, the Sect Leader has no time to see you."
This Daoist was Yu Chen.
Qin Mu smiled faintly and said in a clear voice, "Qin Mu, the Overarching Body of Yan Kang, and Lin Xuan, Dao Lord of the Yan Kang Dao Sect, have come to pay respects to the Azure Cloud Sect Leader and the Heavenly Court Envoys! Azure Cloud Sect Leader, you are merely a branch of the Dao Sect—why not come out to welcome us?"
His voice was thunderous, rising from the foot of the mountain and exploding above the Azure Cloud Heavenly Dao Palace, spreading throughout the Dao Palace and its twenty-four halls!
The many Daoists searching for the old thief stopped involuntarily, turning to look in this direction. The atmosphere became oppressively tense.
Yu Chen Daoist's expression changed.
Lin Xuan Dao Lord, however, kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, calm and unruffled, as if he had long expected Qin Mu to say this. He said leisurely, "Sect Master Qin is the Overarching Body of Yan Kang, unparalleled through the ages. By announcing your name, I'm afraid there are countless people in the Dao Palace who want to kill you."
Qin Mu laughed, "There are many in the world who want to kill me, yet I'm still alive. Though I have the title of Overarching Body, that reputation was earned more through killing than through flattery. You shouldn't worry about me—you should worry about yourself. I called the Azure Cloud Sect a branch of the Dao Sect. Do you think they'll tolerate you?"
Lin Xuan Dao Lord flicked his whisk and laughed heartily.
Yu Chen Daoist frowned and said in a low voice, "You two have no sense of propriety! I let you up the mountain out of fellow sect fellowship. If you had come quietly, the Sect Leader would have seen you discreetly, given you some benefits, and sent you on your way. But now you've announced your names—do you think the Heavenly Court Envoys will let you off?"
As he finished speaking, an aged voice came from within the Dao Palace, saying, "Yu Chen Zi, invite the young friend from the Yan Kang Dao Sect and the Overarching Body Qin to come in."
Yu Chen Daoist had no choice but to bow in acknowledgment and said, "Follow me. You've stirred up trouble. It's hard to say if you'll leave alive..."
Qin Mu smiled, "Brother Yu Chen, we're not poor relatives coming up the mountain to beg for scraps and be sent away with a few handouts. What are the Heavenly Court Envoys? Didn't I kill the Heavenly Court's Prince Qiu Ming? When you were in Deer County, Brother, your insight and vision were extremely high, and I admired you. Why have you become so pathetic since returning to the Dao Sect?"
Yu Chen Daoist frowned deeply, leading them into the Dao Palace, shaking his head, "You don't know your place."
The two smiled and walked into the Dao Palace under the watchful eyes of everyone.
Inside the Dao Palace, the main hall was extremely spacious, a hundred zhang in each direction. But strangely, there was no ceiling—the hall was open to the sky, with sunlight shining down from above.
Qin Mu looked carefully and saw that because the Dao Palace had no ceiling, the light of the sun, moon, and stars could all shine down. The space here seemed peculiar. After the sun passed, the moonlight would fall here, keeping the Dao Palace perpetually illuminated.
The man-made stars and star rivers in the sky, after having their light gathered, appeared much larger here than elsewhere. Even with the naked eye, without activating any divine abilities, one could see the textures and palaces on those stars.
The stars were brilliant and colorful, very wondrous.
At this moment, in the main hall of the Dao Palace, several dozen elderly Daoists sat on prayer mats, floating in the air, with various auspicious energies swirling around them.
These old Daoists had ancient appearances, their ages unknown. Their long brows and long hair were snow-white. They sat there in stillness, their dim old eyes open, their expressions solemn.
Though their eyes were dim, from time to time, terrifying glints burst forth from their pupils, showing that their cultivation was unfathomably deep.
There were also some relatively younger Daoists—young only in comparison. These Daoists were probably also quite old, with graying hair and faded Dao robes, some of which were tattered. Their straw sandals were worn through, with toes poking out.
Qin Mu glanced around and noticed a few of the most well-dressed people.
One of them was a middle-aged man wearing a yellow Daoist crown and a purple sash, holding a whisk in his hand and a Daoist sword at his waist. He should be the Sect Leader of Azure Cloud Heaven.
The others were likely guests from the Heavenly Court, mostly young boys and girls with delicate features, curiously watching Qin Mu and Lin Xuan Dao Lord as they entered.
Strangely, the Azure Cloud Sect Leader was not seated in the highest position but on a lower step, his status slightly below those young boys and girls.
Those young boys and girls were not in the highest seat either. The highest seat held a wooden statue of the Dao Ancestor, which seemed to be from a very ancient time.
The statue was about ten zhang tall, depicting a slovenly Daoist. A whisk was stuck behind his back, and he held a peculiar compass in his hand, hunched over, with the compass extended forward. The slovenly Daoist's gaze fell upon the compass.
The wooden carving was lifelike and very vivid.
"It really is him."
Qin Mu smiled. This slovenly Daoist was the one he had encountered at the Yao Chi Banquet, attending together with the young Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha.
At that time, the Daoist did nothing but study numerology all day, while Great Brahma begged for spiritual pills, using the pills he collected to support the two of them. And Great Brahma had a temper—if too many pills were offered, he would firmly refuse, saying it would ruin his cultivation.
"The Dao Sect of the lower realm was founded by a disciple abandoned by the Dao Sect. During the Kai Huang era, they assisted Kai Huang in rebellious acts, which is a crime."
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader sat high above, looking down at Lin Xuan and the Zha Daoist, explaining the origins of the Yan Kang Dao Sect. He said unhurriedly, "My Azure Cloud Heaven, also called the Azure Cloud Sect, is the orthodox lineage passed down by the Dao Ancestor, and has always resided here. Back then, the rebel Kai Huang started a rebellion, and Azure Cloud Heaven hid in the heavens of the Yuan Realm, ordered to seal the Yan Kang sky dome. According to Heavenly Court law, the Yan Kang Dao Sect should have been exterminated. It was I who petitioned the Heavenly Court to spare you. Young friend Lin, now that you know the truth, do you still say my Azure Cloud Heaven is a branch of your Dao Sect?"
An old Daoist beside him sneered, "Young friend Lin, why don't you bow to the Sect Leader?"
Lin Xuan Dao Lord saluted the Azure Cloud Sect Leader with a clasped-hand greeting, saying, "Senior Brother."
The Daoists frowned and shouted, "Outrageous! Why don't you kneel?"
Lin Xuan's salute was one of equals. According to the rules, he should have performed the great kneeling bow of a junior to an elder—three kneels and nine prostrations!
Qin Mu laughed, "We are all from the same Dao Sect, fellow disciples. To perform a great kneeling bow to a fellow disciple—you're not the Dao Ancestor himself. Do you deserve it?"
"I carry the three treasures passed down by the Dao Ancestor: the whisk, the Daoist shoes, and the Daoist crown. They represent the Dao Ancestor, so naturally I deserve young friend Lin's kneeling bow."
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader's eyes were sharp as he looked at Qin Mu, saying, "The Heavenly Saint Sect Leader of Yan Kang, also known as the Overarching Body Qin Mu. Young friend Lin is a fellow disciple, and I acknowledge him as a junior brother. He doesn't need to bow. But why don't you bow to me?"
Qin Mu laughed in disbelief, saying, "My bow—not only can you not bear it, even if the Dao Ancestor himself came, he couldn't bear it. If I bow to you, it will shorten your life."
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader flicked his whisk and said leisurely, "Yan Kang is a small nation. My Azure Cloud Heaven governs twenty-four divine nations, any one of which is no smaller than Yan Kang. You are the sect leader of a small sect in a small nation. I can accept your bow."
He smiled slightly and said, "Behind me are the Heavenly Court Envoys, representing the Heavenly Court and symbolizing the Heavenly Emperor's authority. They too can accept your bow. Overarching Body Qin, you may kneel and pay your respects."
The young boys and girls behind him sat on their thrones, watching Qin Mu with interest.
Qin Mu laughed heartily and shook his head, saying, "Since the Sect Leader insists I bow, then I should first bow to the Dao Ancestor. Little brats of the Heavenly Court, step aside—don't block the Dao Ancestor!"
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader frowned and stepped down from his throne.
The Heavenly Court boys and girls chuckled lightly and also left their seats.
Qin Mu stepped forward, looked up at the wooden statue of the slovenly Daoist, and laughed, "Old Daoist, Mu has come to see you. Your disciples and descendants want me to bow to you. So I will bow!"
He had just lifted the hem of his robe when suddenly, with a thunderous crash, the Dao Ancestor's wooden statue split apart!
In the Dao Palace, all the old Daoists were startled. The Dao Ancestor's statue, after cracking open, suddenly burst into Dao fire and quickly burned to ashes!
Qin Mu laughed heartily without bowing. He turned to face the Azure Cloud Sect Leader and said in a clear voice, "Old Daoist, your disciples and descendants want me to bow to your Daoist crown, your shoes, and your whisk. Bowing to these three treasures is bowing to you. So, accept my bow!"
He made as if to bow, and suddenly the Daoist crown on the Azure Cloud Sect Leader's head exploded with a crack, the whisk in his hand burst into flames, and the Daoist shoes on his feet turned to ash and grass in an instant!
Qin Mu straightened up, looking at the flustered Azure Cloud Sect Leader with a half-smile, saying, "Sect Leader, now you understand. You cannot bear my bow, and even the Dao Ancestor cannot bear my bow. Put away your arrogance."
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader's hair was disheveled. He dropped the whisk that had burned to ashes and stood there barefoot, at a loss.
The other old Daoists were horrified and equally bewildered: "Is the Overarching Body really this powerful? Even the Dao Ancestor dares not accept his bow?"