Chapter 906: The Fighting Spirit Endures
In the dream world, Xu Shenghua finally finished learning all the fruits of the reform. The time in the dream passed slowly; he felt as if two or three years had gone by, truly arduous, yet they had only woken up two or three times to eat.
However, Qin Mu's dream world did not collapse.
Xu Shenghua was puzzled, but then he saw Qin Mu take out a mirror and stand it upright. The mirror's surface grew larger and larger, and within it, countless jade slips projected out.
Xu Shenghua stepped forward, watched for a moment, and said doubtfully, "Ancient god great dao runes? This is… great dao runes analyzed using classical mathematics! Huh, some of these runes you've already recalculated using the Taiwei Calculation Classic!"
He tilted his head, thinking. "Could the Imperial Heavenly Lord who descended to the mortal realm that day have been constructed by the Heavenly Court using classical mathematics and rune structures?"
Qin Mu said, "That was the strongest divine weapon created by the Heavenly Court, bearing the appearance of the Imperial Heavenly Lord, but the one controlling that weapon was a giant from the Heavenly Court's Heavenly Alliance. The Heavenly Alliance can manufacture more of these strongest divine weapons at any time."
Xu Shenghua walked among these jade slips. The number of jade slips was truly immense. Qin Mu had used the Taiwei Calculation Classic to recalculate many of them, but the ones he had calculated were merely a drop in the bucket!
In the dream world, countless copies of Qin Mu were all busy calculating the great dao runes on the jade slips, using the Taiwei Calculation Classic to restructure them.
Such a massive scale startled even Xu Shenghua, though he still maintained his unflappable demeanor.
Xu Shenghua browsed the jade slips and said, "The Heavenly Court is experimenting with a perfect Heavenly Court technique. This technique can unify the great dao of all ancient gods. Creating the strongest weapon isn't their goal; developing a unified Heavenly Court technique is their true aim."
Qin Mu said, "Their Heavenly Court technique is built on the foundation of the seven divine repositories. The reform in the lower realm changed the original seven divine repositories, so the reform must be stopped no matter what. Otherwise, their million years of effort would all be a joke."
Xu Shenghua said, "But this weapon is too powerful. The Heavenly Court is remarkable, even able to conceive and create such a weapon! Comparable to the physical body of the strongest ancient god, combined with a Heavenly Court realm technique, once completed, no force in the world could contend with the Heavenly Court! The only flaw is the lack of the Taiwei Calculation Classic. If that were added…"
He couldn't help but shudder.
Adding the Taiwei Calculation Classic would create the most powerful physical body in history, combined with the Heavenly Court technique. The cultivator's strength would be unmatched in the world. Even if the ancient god Heavenly Emperor were resurrected, even if Heaven Duke and Earth Lord joined forces, they would be far from a match!
"Chief, are you really going to recalculate everything with the Taiwei Calculation Classic?"
Xu Shenghua suddenly said, "I suddenly feel terrified."
Qin Mu looked at him, a puzzled expression on his face.
Xu Shenghua said, "If this Taiwei Calculation Classic falls into the hands of the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Court will have no rivals. Even if it doesn't fall into the Heavenly Court's hands but is held by us, I can't help but feel fear. I'm afraid that in the future, we will become the very Heavenly Court we fear today."
Qin Mu was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "We can barely save ourselves, so why consider such distant matters?"
Xu Shenghua was silent for a moment, then said, "Chief Qin, wasn't the Heavenly Alliance of the Dragon Han Era also the main force of reform and change? Didn't they still become corrupt? If we gain power and status in the future, will we also become corrupt like them? Can you guarantee that in the face of power and desire, you can still keep your original intention? Even if you can, can you guarantee that others will be the same as you?"
Qin Mu looked up and thought for a long time, then shook his head. "I can't guarantee it."
Xu Shenghua remained silent.
Qin Mu patted him on the shoulder and laughed. "If we become corrupt in the future, there will be later generations to overthrow us. Don't worry about it so much."
Xu Shenghua argued, "But the dao techniques and divine powers that combine classical mathematics and Taiwei mathematics are already perfect to the extreme. Even if we become corrupt in the future, future generations won't have any chance to overthrow us! We will possess the most powerful force in all of history, past, present, and for billions of years to come. Crushing those who resist will be effortless! We are creating an even more hopeless future!"
"It won't be more hopeless than today."
Qin Mu spoke earnestly, his voice deep. "Brother Xu, the Heavenly Court today also believes they have created the strongest divine weapon and found the strongest technique, that their rule is eternal and no one can overthrow them. But we found the Taiwei Calculation Classic and experienced the Yan Kang Reform. Their strongest divine weapon and strongest technique are no longer invincible; we have hope of overthrowing them. How do you know that future generations won't find another path, making our seemingly perfect techniques and divine powers riddled with flaws?"
He was full of confidence and laughed heartily. "From ancient times to the present, dao techniques and divine powers have always been advancing. Each generation surpasses the last; each generation is stronger than the previous. What seemed perfect in the past is full of flaws in the eyes of later generations. What was once the strongest may not be the strongest in the future. Isn't this progress?"
"What we need to do is realize our ideals and ambitions. The way of the sage lies in the daily use of the common people. Gods should no longer be high and mighty, unable to control the life and death of the people, but should serve the people and bring them blessings!"
Qin Mu clenched his fist. "I deeply believe that one day, gods will serve and work for the people. If they don't, there will be reformers to overthrow them! Brother Xu, my dao friend, my close friend! If we truly become corrupt, there will certainly be someone to overthrow us!"
Xu Shenghua calmed down and thought carefully. He felt Qin Mu's words made a lot of sense. "I don't know why, but when you're around, I'm always full of drive and have hope for the future, no longer pessimistic. Chief Qin, you're too good at stirring people's hearts!"
Qin Mu laughed. "Isn't it because we share the same interests that we call each other dao friends? You get lost sometimes, and I just help you find your way out."
Xu Shenghua was stunned for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
He usually remained expressionless, but today he laughed heartily, which was rare.
Qin Mu imparted his insights to him, saying, "Emperor Yan Feng and the National Teacher are also studying the great dao runes of the ancient gods. Dao Lord Lin Xuan has gone even further in this area. They might all come to find you."
Xu Shenghua nodded slightly.
Qin Mu also told him about the Imperial Heavenly Lord opening the Spirit Embryo Divine Repository and the Star River Divine Repository, as well as how his own spirit embryo had created heaven and earth and given birth to a soul. Xu Shenghua was both admiring and worried.
Qin Mu handed over all the achievements of the Yan Kang Reform, the great dao runes of the ancient gods, and even the divine repositories of the Imperial Heavenly Lord and himself, leaving nothing out, as if he were settling his own affairs.
Xu Shenghua studied even more seriously. Even though he couldn't practice Qin Mu's method of recreating a soul—it was useless to him—he still learned it diligently.
Qin Mu also wanted to teach him the Mahavairocana Buddha's Immeasurable Kalpa Sutra, but this Emperor Seat technique was extremely special. When the Mahavairocana Buddha taught it to him, he hadn't taught him any scripture. Qin Mu had simply fallen asleep and naturally learned to use the technique. But when he tried to teach it to Xu Shenghua, he couldn't.
Qin Mu had to give up. He dispelled the dream, and the two walked out of the hall. Outside, only six days had passed.
"This trip to the Heavenly Court is truly dangerous, and we don't even know where the danger lies. Chief, your life and death are uncertain on this journey."
Xu Shenghua said, "I know many people don't understand you. They think you're arrogant, reckless, and willful. But I understand you. They only see your glory and think you like to show off and cause trouble, but they don't know how great the danger you face is, nor how much you've sacrificed. You're risking your life to fight for a future for Yan Kang."
Qin Mu laughed. "Going to the Heavenly Court is dangerous, but it's not without a glimmer of hope. It's precisely because of that tiny glimmer of hope that I must go to the Heavenly Court. If I don't go, then Yan Kang, and even all living beings, truly have no hope at all."
His eyes were clear. "Don't worry too much about me. If I die, the luck of the Overlord Body will transfer to you. With my luck, you won't be the female one anymore; you'll be a true Overlord Body."
Xu Shenghua snorted.
Qin Mu continued, "If you also fail, then a new Overlord Body will receive your luck and continue the path. In the future, there will always be an Overlord Body smarter and stronger than you and me, who will accomplish what we couldn't. Stop here, my dao friend."
A surge of heroic spirit stirred and swelled in Xu Shenghua's chest. He wanted to let out a long roar to vent his passionate feelings, but his upbringing told him not to easily release his emotions or be controlled by them.
He suppressed this heroic spirit and stopped in his tracks. He didn't see Qin Mu off, afraid that he would be unable to resist being as unrestrained and free-spirited as Qin Mu.
The longer he spent with Qin Mu, the easier it was to be infected by him.
"Husband, he said he's going to the Heavenly Court. Does he know how to get there?" Jing Yan walked over and asked.
"Qi Jiuyi knows. He's going to find Qi Jiuyi."
Xu Shenghua put his arm around her waist, looked up at the Red Emperor's Palace, and said slowly, "Chief Qin carries a heavier burden than I do. I never really felt it before. But this time, when he passed on his teachings to me and said that if he died in the Heavenly Court, the burden of the reform would fall on my shoulders, only then did I truly feel how heavy the burden he's been carrying all along is."
Jing Yan leaned on his shoulder and said softly, "Chief Qin is always busy and working hard. I've never seen him have any leisure time. Compared to him, we are much happier."
"Yes."
Xu Shenghua was filled with emotion. "But I don't know how long this happy life can last. I hope Chief Qin can return alive. If he returns alive, I can continue to take it easy."
He paused, then said, "In the dream world, Chief Qin called me his dao friend. When I was lost and confused, he guided me out of my bewilderment. But I could feel that he also had his own confusion and doubts, yet I couldn't point out a path for him. He sees me as a dao friend, but I can't live up to it."
Jing Yan looked at him quietly.
Xu Shenghua smiled bitterly. "I was once a visitor from the Upper Firmament, obsessed with the dao. It was his challenge that stirred my unwillingness to admit defeat. I was determined to surpass him, and that's why I joined the Yan Kang Reform. All along, I've been chasing him. Without his encouragement, I would probably still be a false god in the Upper Firmament. Even if I achieved something, it wouldn't be much. It's because of his encouragement that I am where I am today. This title of 'dao friend,' I am unworthy of it."
Jing Yan took his hand and smiled. "Husband, who do you think is smarter, you or Chief Qin?"
"Me!"
Xu Shenghua answered without hesitation. "Chief Qin is also very smart, but he's still a step behind me!"
Jing Yan chuckled. "Since my husband is smarter than him, what's wrong with being his dao friend? I think my husband is no worse than Chief Qin in any aspect. What you lack is simply his sharpness and edge. That fearless spirit of his, daring to fight against heaven, that never-say-die fighting spirit!"
Xu Shenghua was stunned for a moment, then pulled her into his arms. "The luckiest thing in my life wasn't meeting Chief Qin, but meeting you."
At the Red Emperor's Palace.
Qi Jiuyi waved his hand, dismissing the southern heavenly gods in the palace, and said, "Second Brother has already told me. Chief Qin wants to go to the Heavenly Court and plans to borrow a path from me. Fine, I'll go with you to the Heavenly Court."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow, about to speak, when Qi Jiuyi sneered, "It's not that I care about you, but I care about Second Brother's safety! I swore a brotherhood oath with Second Brother, bound by the Earth Lord's covenant. If he follows you to the Heavenly Court and dies there, I'll die too!"
He was indignant. Every time he thought about getting drunk in the Imperial Gate Divine Saber and swearing brotherhood with Dragon Qilin, he felt a belly full of pent-up anger with nowhere to vent.
Qin Mu glanced at Dragon Qilin and thought to himself, "Strange. How is Dragon Fatty getting smarter and more sensible? He was smart before, but he was too lazy to bother. Now he's even taking the initiative to share my worries. Could it be…"
He glanced at Yan'er, who was earnestly feeding Dragon Qilin.
Qin Mu smiled and said, "Brother Qi, how do you plan to get to the Heavenly Court?"
Qi Jiuyi said, "If it were just cultivators, we could have a god directly break through the world barrier and send us. But this Yan'er…"
Dragon Qilin coughed. "Third Brother, call her sister."
Qi Jiuyi's eye twitched, but he suppressed his temper and said, "But this Sister Yan'er is a half-god at the Lingxiao (Heavenly Court) realm. To go to the Heavenly Court, there are only two ways. Either several emperors blast through the world barrier together, or we borrow a boat from the Red Emperor. We're not Emperor Seat powerhouses, so the only option is to borrow a boat from my master."