Chapter 902: The Heavenly Lord Visits the Prison
The Wooden Core flew back silently. The warden intended to examine it closely, but he had no idea where Qin Mu had hidden it.
After a moment, he led Qin Mu and the others to a white bone divine palace and said, "If you wish to visit Jiang Baigui, you must first register with Judge Yan."
Just then, a deity walked out of the white bone divine palace, his face full of smiles. "Lord Mu is a Heavenly Lord; why would he need to register? You may withdraw. Heavenly Lord, the great prison is dangerous. I will personally escort you down."
Qin Mu expressed his thanks.
"Why is the Heavenly Lord being so polite? What virtue or ability do I, Yan, possess to deserve such courtesy?"
Judge Yan quickly returned the courtesy, laughing. "You are a Heavenly Lord. Throughout history, only nine beings have been worthy of the title. If the Heavenly Lord were to bow to me, wouldn't that be an overwhelming honor? Please!"
Qin Mu followed him, watching as Judge Yan led them to the entrance of the great prison. The prison was built beneath the roots of the Primeval Tree. An opening had been carved into one of the root systems, as thick as a mountain, and a door had been crafted from the Primeval Tree itself. It was heavily guarded, with strict defenses.
After stepping through the door, a wooden staircase spiraled downward. On either side, the bones of gods and demons hung on the walls for illumination, though the divine and demonic light they emitted was somewhat dim.
"How should I address Judge Yan?" Qin Mu asked, looking around.
"Your junior is Yan Shaoqing."
Judge Yan smiled. "I am unknown in the Heavenly Court. Lord Mu may not have heard of my name."
Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat. He laughed. "Yan Shaoqing, the Left Junior Attendant of the Heavenly Court, skilled in spiritual divine abilities. You tricked Tian Shu, the Nether King of the Kaihuang Era, into the Imperial Que Divine Saber, trapping that king inside for seven or eight million years."
Judge Yan looked surprised. "The Heavenly Lord has actually heard of my name?"
Qin Mu said, "I was also trapped in the Imperial Que Divine Saber for several years and barely escaped. Inside the saber, I saw the fine wine you used to deceive King Tian Shu. In terms of spiritual divine abilities, you are the foremost among all the experts I have encountered—unmatched!"
Dragon Qilin said, "I drank your wine and even swore brotherhood with Tian Shu."
Yan Shaoqing laughed. "The Heavenly Lord flatters me. I am not the foremost. What you call spirit, I call divine sense. The true foremost in divine sense divine abilities was actually Emperor Chi of the Chiming Era."
Qin Mu's mind stirred.
Emperor Chi's Three Primordial Spirits Indestructible Divine Sense had indeed been passed down to him, but the divine abilities within that Imperial Seat cultivation technique had not been taught to him by Emperor Chi.
After all, Emperor Chi was a figure from the early ancient era. His Indestructible Divine Sense focused on cultivating the three primordial spirits and strengthening one's own primordial spirit. The development of divine sense abilities lagged far behind that of later talents like Yan Shaoqing.
In terms of divine sense abilities, Yan Shaoqing could be considered the most supreme existence in the Heavenly Court!
Yan Shaoqing and Tian Shu held the same official position—one was the Left Junior Attendant of the Outer Heavenly Court, the other the Left Junior Attendant of the Kaihuang Heavenly Court. Tian Shu excelled in Netherworld divine abilities, with extremely high talent and mastery in Netherworld demonic arts, on par with the Nether Emperor.
Yan Shaoqing, on the other hand, excelled in divine sense abilities. He had been able to ambush Tian Shu effortlessly, and Tian Shu himself called him an old rival, indicating that Yan Shaoqing's strength was likely extremely high, and the two had clashed more than once.
Both of them should have cultivated the Netherworld's dao system, just in different directions.
"The Heavenly Court has long lacked a divine sense cultivation technique at the Imperial Seat level. Unfortunately, Emperor Chi died four hundred thousand years ago, and his Three Primordial Spirits Indestructible Divine Sense was lost."
Yan Shaoqing said, "The Heavenly Court placed its hopes on me, expecting me to create an Imperial Seat divine sense technique. But I repeatedly failed to meet the Heavenly Court's high expectations, so I was demoted and made the judge of this great prison. After arriving in the lower realm, I discovered that the Three Primordial Spirits Indestructible Divine Sense, which the Heavenly Court had been desperately searching for, was as common as cabbage. Almost every cultivator had learned it, though their mastery varied."
Qin Mu smiled.
Yan Shaoqing continued, "Jiang Baigui passed this technique on to me, so I have taken good care of him and not let him suffer. I have benefited greatly from studying the Three Primordial Spirits Indestructible Divine Sense these past days. Heavenly Lord, your ability to remain alive without a soul must also be due to the Indestructible Divine Sense, right?"
Qin Mu laughed. "I was the one who spread this technique, so naturally, I understand it."
Yan Shaoqing chuckled. "Then I won't try to teach my grandmother to suck eggs."
His words carried a warning, cautioning Qin Mu not to show off in front of him.
They had already gone deep underground. The place was increasingly dark and damp, with a foul stench. A river of blood flowed down from the outside, winding along a channel past rows of cages.
The roots of the Primeval Tree were intricate and intertwined. Thick roots formed cages, suppressing prisoners within. Thinner roots, like chains, bound gods and demons, piercing through their physical bodies and primordial spirits.
These prisoners hung in their cages, wailing day and night. Their divine and demonic blood dripped down along the roots into the blood river below.
The blood river was filthy and polluted, giving birth to many demonic creatures, like giant insects with many hands and feet, bizarre and grotesque. They clung to the prisoners, sucking their blood.
When the wardens walked by, the demonic creatures hid in the shadows behind the prisoners. After the wardens passed, they cautiously crawled out to continue feeding.
Wardens patrolled the great prison back and forth, maintaining strict defenses.
Qin Mu observed carefully. The roots of the Primeval Tree were incredibly hard. This Primeval Tree was the main body of Mother Earth, the Primordial Deity. The hardness of such a primordial deity's body was comparable to an Imperial Seat divine weapon; only treasures like the Imperial Que Divine Saber could cut through it.
Moreover, the runes on the surface of the Primeval Tree's roots were the dao runes of Mother Earth's main body. Therefore, escaping from here was almost impossible!
Among those imprisoned here were beings at the Jade Capital and Empyrean realms, leaders of various races under Mother Earth's command, rulers of the various heavens in the Yuan Realm. But now, they had become prisoners.
The wardens took good care of them, using large basins to collect the divine and demonic blood dripping from their bodies. Once a basin was full, they carefully carried it outside.
"Their blood is very useful—it's the best pigment."
Yan Shaoqing led the way ahead, saying, "When building divine cities and inscribing runes on the city walls to stabilize them, ordinary divine or demonic blood can be used. Only the palaces of rulers are worthy of using the precious blood of experts at the Empyrean and Jade Capital realms. Different races have different blood colors. Using the precious blood of such experts as pigment for murals ensures the paintings never fade and remain forever fresh, so it's in high demand. Some high-ranking gods in the Heavenly Court also enjoy drinking blood, but they don't like ordinary blood, so they rely on my prison for supply."
Qin Mu narrowed his eyes. Among the wardens, there were also deities skilled in medicine, treating the prisoners' injuries to prevent them from dying, thus ensuring a continuous supply of "pigment."
"Yan Shaoqing, I'm going to kill you!"
A prisoner with a qilin head and a human body roared angrily. "If I ever get out of here, I'll tear you apart limb by limb!"
Yan Shaoqing laughed heartily. Suddenly, an eye opened in his forehead, and a lotus flower flew out from the eye, sinking into the mind of the qilin race leader.
The qilin race leader immediately became dazed, a gentle expression appearing on his face as he stopped shouting.
"Divine sense abilities can make him forever dwell in a land of gentle dreams, living a life of drunken stupor."
Yan Shaoqing explained to Qin Mu, "I used my ability to create a realistic fantasy world in his consciousness. Inside, he has everything he wants and can never escape. He can even work hard and struggle in the fantasy world I created for him, eventually becoming the Heavenly Emperor and experiencing great joy. This also reduces his pain and allows him to happily produce pigment."
Dragon Qilin shuddered several times. He recognized that qilin race leader. Back in the underground palace of Mother Earth, that leader had guided his cultivation.
He never expected that such a powerful being would end up in such a state.
This place was less a prison and more a factory for producing divine and demonic blood!
"Ahead are the cages of Jiang Baigui and Yanfeng Emperor."
Yan Shaoqing led them to two cages. Qin Mu looked inside and saw that Yanfeng Emperor and the Yan Kang National Teacher were not pierced through by roots; they were simply locked in the cages.
Yanfeng Emperor was holding a squeaking demonic creature and was about to eat it when he suddenly saw Qin Mu outside the cage. He froze, hastily shoved the creature behind him, and sat up straight.
In the other cage, the Yan Kang National Teacher was using a flame divine ability to roast a demonic creature until it was half-cooked. When he saw Qin Mu, he was calm and didn't bother hiding the creature.
"Left Junior Attendant, could you grant me a moment of privacy?"
Qin Mu smiled. "I have some things to say that are not convenient for outsiders to hear."
Yan Shaoqing remained still, smiling. "The Heavenly Lord has a reputation as a great strategist. Leaving you alone here would make me uneasy. I don't know if others would dare to break into the prison, but I know the Heavenly Lord certainly would. You are someone who dared to cause a scene at the Yao Pool Banquet, so what is my humble great prison?"
Qin Mu had no choice but to address Yanfeng Emperor and the Yan Kang National Teacher. "How are you two faring here?"
Yanfeng Emperor said angrily, "Try living here for a few days and see if you find it comfortable!"
The Yan Kang National Teacher remained composed, very calm, and said, "Senior Brother, why have you come?"
"I came to let you know that all is well."
Qin Mu laughed. "Yan Kang is safe. You can rest assured. I plan to leave the Yuan Realm and head to the Heavenly Court. I don't know if I will live or die on this journey, so I came to see you."
Yanfeng Emperor was silent for a moment, then said hoarsely, "Heading to the Heavenly Court? To be a hostage?"
Qin Mu laughed heartily. "I am a Heavenly Lord. How could I go to the Heavenly Court to be their hostage? Your Majesty is joking. I am going to visit an old friend."
The Yan Kang National Teacher's eyes flickered. "Senior Brother, going to the Heavenly Court is indeed a good idea. Placing yourself in a deadly situation to seek survival is perhaps the only way out. But your body..."
Qin Mu yawned. "My body is getting worse by the day. Without a soul, my cultivation and strength are declining. I can barely hold on to life. I often fall asleep while walking, sleeping for three or four days at a time."
The Yan Kang National Teacher frowned. "Going to the Heavenly Court in such a state—wouldn't that be walking to your death?"
Qin Mu's energy seemed to flag again, his eyes drowsy. "I have my own plans..."
Suddenly, he began to snore, falling asleep right there.
Yan Shaoqing stood by with a smile, saying nothing and not helping Qin Mu, letting him lie down.
Dragon Qilin and Yan'er seemed accustomed to this, showing no surprise.
Yanfeng Emperor choked up, tears falling. "Lord Qin really is done for..."
Yan Shaoqing waited for three or four days before Qin Mu finally woke up slowly. He exclaimed in alarm, "Did I fall asleep again? How long was I out?"
Yan Shaoqing said, "The Heavenly Lord slept for three days and five hours."
Qin Mu apologized. "I slept for so long, delaying your affairs, Left Junior Attendant. Well, this visit ends here. I should be going! Your Majesty, Junior Brother, farewell!"
Yanfeng Emperor and the Yan Kang National Teacher stood up and bid him farewell.
Yan Shaoqing escorted Qin Mu out of the great prison. The wooden door of the prison closed, sealing the underground dungeon. Yan Shaoqing meticulously checked the runic lock on the door before feeling at ease.
He then escorted Qin Mu out of the White Bone City. Qin Mu turned around and said, "Left Junior Attendant, please stay. No need to see me off any further."
Yan Shaoqing bowed. "I respectfully see off the Heavenly Lord."
He watched as Qin Mu sat on Dragon Qilin's head and rode off into the distance, disappearing from sight. Only then did he return to the Judge's Divine Palace. He opened his official ledger, picked up his brush, and was about to record Qin Mu's prison visit when he suddenly paused.
Yan Shaoqing's expression changed. He put down the brush and quickly flipped through the ledger. All the other pages were blank!
Cold sweat broke out on Yan Shaoqing's forehead. This official ledger should have had his handwriting, recording all the major and minor events of the great prison. But now, every word he had personally written had vanished without a trace!
"Lord Mu, my divine sense abilities have reached their peak, and I have obtained the Three Primordial Spirits Indestructible Divine Sense. I am only half a step away from the Imperial Seat! And you dare to show off in front of me?"
Yan Shaoqing's divine sense erupted from his forehead. He roared, "Break for me!"
His divine sense ability rippled, surging in all directions. In the next moment, heaven and earth shifted. The world seemed to lose its color, transforming from vibrant hues into black and white!
Then, the black and white faded, and Yan Shaoqing realized he was not in the Judge's Divine Palace. He was still standing deep within the great prison, in front of the cages of the Yan Kang National Teacher and Yanfeng Emperor!
—This morning, I called my hometown. The floodwaters haven't receded yet. Once they do, I'll go pick up my parents.