Chapter 939: Heart Demon Heavenly Emperor
If Qin Mu were on the ship and heard this, he would have jumped up in fright.
He had always suspected that Yun Chuxiu was the Empress Dowager, and there were various signs indicating that the Empress Dowager was the mastermind behind everything, plotting against her own sister, Madame Yuanmu, and then taking over Madame Yuanmu's physical body to return to the Heavenly Court.
The Empress Dowager had also transformed into Jue Wuchen to seduce the Heavenly Emperor's reincarnation, assassinating him. After being killed by Ling Tianzun, she took the opportunity to reincarnate again, infiltrating the Heavenly Alliance and becoming one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables.
He also suspected that Lian Huahun was Madame Yuanmu's reincarnation, and even doubted that Madame Yuanmu had died without decaying, also sneaking into the Heavenly Alliance to become one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables.
He made these speculations and believed them deeply because Yun Chuxiu knew that he had once summoned the Empress Dowager's soul on the ghost ship.
However, Lian Huahun's words, "Call me sister," turned his speculations upside down!
Unfortunately, Qin Mu was not on the ship. Even more regrettably, Luo Wushuang had no interest in the origins of these two women or their sisterly conflict. Instead, he looked toward the upper reaches of the star river.
Above the star river, Qin Mu and his companions moved like fleeting light, with a host of deities chasing after them, biting at their heels.
"If the Qin Overlord Body runs out of the range of the Corpse Walkers' influence, he will trigger the heart demons. Why is he so reckless, deliberately provoking these strong ones on the ship?"
Luo Wushuang followed the star river with his gaze, and suddenly his heart skipped a beat. He saw, in the dark void, a vast, boundless land appearing at the end of the star river.
"The Land of Tai Xu... So that's it. He saw the Land of Tai Xu!"
Two beams of blade light shot from Luo Wushuang's eyes, crossing in midair with a clang, startling everyone on the ship. He shouted, "Immediately drive the ship! Head for the Land of Tai Xu!"
The remaining twenty or thirty people on the ship quickly urged the vessel forward. Yun Chuxiu and Lian Huahun also averted their gazes and began to propel the ship.
The Land of Tai Xu was a continent discovered by Yun Luo Emperor Wei Suifeng, floating in the void of Tai Xu. There, the bizarre and unpredictable heart demons did not exist. This time, Fire Heavenly Venerable and Void Heavenly Venerable were leading many disciples on a tour of Tai Xu, intending to explore the secrets of the Land of Tai Xu and search for traces of Carefree Village and the Kai Emperor.
The ship immediately accelerated, chasing after Qin Mu and his group. Luo Wushuang personally channeled his primal energy, pushing the vessel to its maximum speed. Soon, the ship caught up with those pursuing Qin Mu. Luo Wushuang called out loudly, "The Land of Tai Xu is ahead! Come aboard!"
Streams of light swirled and descended from above the star river, landing one after another on the ship.
The group was filled with murderous intent, staring at Qin Mu running ahead on the river's surface. They prepared their divine abilities and activated their divine weapons, waiting only to catch up and kill him across the Heavenly River.
Just then, cold sweat broke out on Luo Wushuang's forehead, and his voice turned hoarse: "There are no more Corpse Walkers ahead... Stop the ship! Stop the ship immediately!"
At that moment, Qin Mu leaped from the shoulder of the last Corpse Walker. As he jumped, countless teleportation runes lit up around him, spinning with a whoosh, wrapping around his form as he vanished in an instant!
"Pastoral Heavenly Venerable is truly as slippery as an eel!" Yun Chuxiu clapped her hands in admiration.
The ship slowed down, but due to inertia, it still flew past the last Corpse Walker, surging forward over a hundred miles. Fear gripped the hearts of those on board as various heart demons came flooding in.
Luo Wushuang shook his head and shouted, "Don't stop! Push the ship with all your might! Rush into the Land of Tai Xu before the heart demons materialize!"
As his words fell, a clattering sound came from behind. Luo Wushuang broke out in a cold sweat and turned to look. Behind the ship, Qin Mu appeared, standing on his box, staring at him with a cold gaze.
The box ran at full speed, chasing the ship.
At the same time, the space outside the ship trembled. A huge eyeball squeezed out of the void, its gaze cruel and ferocious—it was unclear whose heart demon it was.
The giant eyeball suddenly split open vertically, revealing rows of sharp teeth inside. It opened its massive mouth and lunged at the ship!
Meanwhile, all kinds of demonic monsters emerged from the void!
A dragon longer than the ship, a tentacled monster lurking beneath the vessel, a giant spider covered in countless eyes on its back, a headless bride, and an ancient god wreathed in flames!
And not just monsters—the figure of the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor also materialized from the void.
Not only the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, but also a Heavenly Venerable appeared. It was unclear which disciple had turned their own master into a heart demon!
"Fell into the trap."
Luo Wushuang sighed inwardly. With his single arm, he drew his blade and slashed at the giant eyeball, thinking to himself, "The reason Qin Overlord Body started fleeing before reaching the Land of Tai Xu was to make us chase him. He can use his teleportation ability to get there first, while we, chasing out of the Corpse Walkers' aura range, will be killed by heart demons. This bastard is truly ruthless!"
A divine officer on the ship shouted harshly, "No need to maintain the Non-Thinking, Non-Non-Thinking state! Use all your power to charge into the Land of Tai Xu!"
Before he could finish, a winged dragon swooped down, grabbed him, and dragged him into the void.
A scream came from the void as the divine officer was swarmed by countless monsters emerging from the void, and he quickly perished.
Luo Wushuang killed the giant eyeball monster and immediately pushed the ship with all his might. Everyone on board also exerted every ounce of their strength, driving the vessel to its utmost speed.
The ship moved like a fleeting shadow. Although it was a top-tier divine weapon, under this speed, the hull began to creak and groan. Planks burst with a crack, and rivets flew off, shooting backward.
The ship wobbled, on the verge of breaking apart at any moment!
Luo Wushuang stole a glance and saw the majestic, unparalleled figure of the Heavenly Emperor in the void slowly turning his head to look at the ship.
His heart turned to ice.
The Heavenly Emperor's body was far too enormous.
Although the ship was extremely fast, it seemed insignificant before this colossal being—like a tiny, slow-moving insect flying past the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor's face, brushing past his nose.
Fortunately, even the Tai Xu took time to form a heart demon of the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor. They still had a chance to escape to the Land of Tai Xu.
However, while the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor formed slowly, other heart demons materialized at an alarming rate. The heart demons of those on the ship multiplied, and monsters kept appearing beside the vessel, lunging at the speeding ship.
Thump!
A six-legged, double-winged beast, half wolf and half tiger, leaped onto the deck, opened its massive maw, and swallowed a True God whole.
Luo Wushuang rushed forward, his blade flashing as he killed the monster. But beneath the ship, tentacles flailed, grabbing hold of the hull and slowing it down.
Luo Wushuang vibrated his blade, and the light split into two, then four, then eight. In an instant, the blade light cascaded like a waterfall from the sky, flowing along the deck and the ship's sides.
The blade light avoided everyone on board, cleansing the ship in the blink of an eye, shredding the monsters beneath it into pieces.
Luo Wushuang was a master of the Soaring Clouds realm, having attained the Dao through the blade. His strength was extraordinary, and despite the many monsters attacking, he could still ensure the safety of those on the ship.
Just then, a massive halo appeared ahead, blindingly bright, and then a head slowly rose.
"Hong Heavenly Venerable!"
Luo Wushuang gasped. The Heavenly Venerable rising before him was none other than Hong Heavenly Venerable, one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables of the Heavenly Court.
Although Hong Heavenly Venerable was still a phantom, the halo behind his head had already formed. He raised his hand, reaching for the ship.
"Draw my blade against a Heavenly Venerable?"
Luo Wushuang's face turned ashen. This phantom of Hong Heavenly Venerable was someone's heart demon, but it was also his own.
He dared not strike at a Heavenly Venerable.
That was a Heavenly Venerable!
The supreme being of the Heavenly Court!
Even if it was just a phantom, even if it was only a heart demon conjured by Tai Xu, he dared not attack a Heavenly Venerable.
A Heavenly Venerable represented supreme divine authority, the highest combat power of the Heavenly Court. Not only was attacking a Heavenly Venerable unthinkable, even having such a thought was a grave sin!
"But..."
Luo Wushuang raised his blade with his single arm, leaped into the air, his eyes filled with resolve. He roared in fury, "I dared to strike at Pastoral Heavenly Venerable! So why not Hong Heavenly Venerable! I will break the god within my heart!"
His heavenly palace flew out behind him with a hum. His primordial spirit stood in the Soaring Clouds Hall of the heavenly palace, simultaneously drawing its blade, and slashed down at Hong Heavenly Venerable's phantom!
As the blade fell, a surge of heroic spirit burst from Luo Wushuang's chest. His blade technique had always been precise, upright, and deeply rooted in rules and order—exquisite but lacking in passion.
But now, he stepped beyond those rules and order!
The blade light cut into Hong Heavenly Venerable's massive hand, splitting the phantom's palm. Then, the incredibly bright blade light struck Hong Heavenly Venerable's face, cutting deep into his head.
Crack!
With a sharp sound, Luo Wushuang's blade shattered. Even though it was just a phantom, Hong Heavenly Venerable's power was still unimaginably immense, shattering the divine blade that had grown with him!
Luo Wushuang was sent flying, spitting blood. The ship behind him surged forward, and his body crashed onto the deck, sliding for hundreds of feet.
The ship passed through the halo behind Hong Heavenly Venerable's phantom and sped away.
Ahead lay the Land of Tai Xu.
Hong Heavenly Venerable's phantom slowly turned, while behind him, the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor's phantom raised its hand and slapped at the ship.
The ship rushed into the Land of Tai Xu with a whoosh, but at that moment, the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor's hand also reached the land. The people on board were terrified, staring blankly at the ever-growing hand of the Heavenly Emperor, left only with despair.
The massive hand entered the atmosphere of the Land of Tai Xu and immediately began to burn, turning to black ash and scattering in an instant.
Clearly, this Land of Tai Xu was protected by some strange power, preventing outside monsters from invading.
However, the force of that palm strike still unleashed a terrifying shockwave. Though it didn't hit the ship directly, the vessel shattered with a boom, divine wood exploding.
Those on board were struck heavily, spitting blood. Some weaker ones were crushed to pieces, their bodies exploding in midair, their primordial spirits turning to ash!
The Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, someone's heart demon, was still just a phantom that hadn't fully materialized. Even though his hand collapsed upon entering the Land of Tai Xu, the residual force of that strike nearly wiped them all out!
Luo Wushuang fought desperately to withstand the blow, bearing the brunt of the attack. His entire body burst open with countless wounds, blood spraying everywhere as he fell from the sky.
He failed to protect the disciples of the various Heavenly Venerables and the Heavenly Court's big shots. At least half of the divine beings perished in the aftermath of that strike.
Luo Wushuang's heart turned cold, and an unbearable sorrow surged within him.
This expedition was led by Qin Mu, but he was responsible for protecting the disciples of these Heavenly Venerables and big shots. With so many dead, he was inexcusable.
Even if he managed to leave Tai Xu alive and return to the Heavenly Court, he would still face death.
He was utterly despondent, letting his body fall from the sky. Below, he saw majestic mountains, larger and more imposing than normal, with broader rivers and waterfalls that truly seemed to fall from the heavens, cascading hundreds of miles.
White clouds drifted lazily, vast as an ocean. As his falling form cut through the air, slanting past a high mountain, he saw a flying waterfall like a Milky Way descending from the sky.
He saw Qin Mu standing at the top of that waterfall, looking up at the hundred or so figures from the shattered ship, trailing long flames and smoke as they crashed from the sky, scattering across the world of the Land of Tai Xu.
Qin Mu withdrew his gaze, seeming to notice him, and even smiled at him.
"This demon king!" Luo Wushuang was furious. He crashed into the deep pool beneath the waterfall with a boom.
At the top of the waterfall, Qin Mu unrolled a geographical map, examined it carefully, then looked around, comparing it to the mountains and rivers.
After a moment, the waterfall suddenly reversed, shooting upward like a colossal water blade, cutting through the sky.
Luo Wushuang stood atop the reversed waterfall, walking toward him with murderous intent, speaking each word deliberately: "Pastoral Heavenly Venerable, you are a threat to the entire Heavenly Court, with deep schemes and a ruthless heart!"
Qin Mu rolled up the geographical map and smiled, "I saved your life."
"I am not here to kill you for the Heavenly Court, but to continue the battle from forty thousand years ago and slay the demon within my heart."
Luo Wushuang stood like an unsheathed divine blade, a surge of heroic spirit stirring in his chest. He said solemnly, "Luo Wushuang of the Lingxiu Army challenges the Supreme Overlord Body! Please—"