Chapter 1099: A Phoenix Comes with Grace (First Update!)
Qin Mu took out the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar, his vertical eye on his forehead opening wide as he focused his spirit. His primal energy and divine consciousness surged forth, and a beam of light shot from his vertical eye, striking the Grand Emperor Altar!
The Grand Emperor Altar was only the size of a palm. Illuminated by his divine consciousness and primal energy, it emitted a soft hum, and waves of faint, ethereal fluctuations spread outward.
Gradually, runes began to appear on the altar—these were Qin Mu's spiritual imprints. Soon, these runes grew brighter and brighter, and with a hum, beams of light shone upon the Grand Emperor Seal.
Qin Mu paced around the small altar and the Grand Emperor Seal, his hands flying as he imprinted more runes onto these two treasures.
Gradually, more and more of his arms appeared, each hand forming constantly changing seals, imprinting more and more runic marks!
After a long while, Qin Mu stopped to rest.
Gongsun Yan wanted to ask a question, but remembering Qin Mu's words, she held back.
Qin Mu walked to the base of the Primeval Tree and buried the Grand Emperor Altar among its roots. Then he soared into the air, arrived at Upper Capital City, and placed the Grand Emperor Seal within the tree canopy.
Gongsun Yan followed him, watching as Qin Mu completed all of this. His ten fingers moved with lightning speed, forming seal after seal, and suddenly the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar trembled!
Gongsun Yan let out a soft cry, feeling her body tingle and itch, as if countless tiny insects were burrowing through her skin.
But this strange sensation quickly disappeared.
Qin Mu let out a sigh of relief and said, "For the next two days, don't speak to anyone, don't drink water, don't eat, and don't open your mouth."
Gongsun Yan obediently nodded.
"Yan'er, Long Pang, keep an eye on her. Make absolutely sure she doesn't speak."
The Dragon Qilin and Yan'er quickly acknowledged the order.
Qin Mu left the capital and crossed to the other side of the Tu River, choosing a secluded spot. His vertical eye opened wide as he visualized an altar, then immediately set to work, laying down strands of Great Dao runes upon it.
After arranging the runes, he cut his own wrist and used his divine blood to trace over every single rune.
While he was busy, Gongsun Yan busied herself helping Yan'er arrange her bird's nest. Yan'er usually enjoyed serving others, but every time she encountered Gongsun Yan, she would end up being pampered by this girl, feeling an indescribable comfort.
"Yan'er, Long Pang and I will be getting married soon. When the time comes, we'll have a nest full of little birds and let them live here with you," Yan'er said with a laugh.
Gongsun Yan beamed with joy and was about to speak when Yan'er quickly covered her mouth. "You can't talk," she said.
Gongsun Yan's face fell with worry.
The Dragon Qilin said, "The Sect Master is doing this for your own good. His divine ability can protect you from external enemies. But this ability requires you to seal your senses. The moment you speak, the qi leaks out, and his divine ability can no longer guard your physical body. If the Earth Mother attacks then, she can seize your body."
Gongsun Yan blinked, puzzled. "The Earth Mother wants to seize my body?"
Suddenly, colorful clouds filled the sky, and a pair of phoenixes flew over, dancing gracefully around the Primeval Tree. The two phoenixes circled the tree, their dance beautiful, and from their beaks came a song: "Phoenix, why have you come? With fluttering wings you cry upon the high ridge. Mountain winds play the jade flute, bamboo fruits fill the provisions—"
In Upper Capital City, the people heard this and rejoiced, all saying that a phoenix coming was an auspicious omen of great fortune.
Gongsun Yan was also overjoyed. She had long wanted to raise a pair of phoenixes, and now that she saw them actually coming, she couldn't help but want to fly over and lure them into her bird's nest.
Suddenly, a Dragon Sparrow flew out from the bird's nest in the tree canopy and, without any explanation, grabbed the pair of phoenixes and ate them, startling the people in the capital.
Yan'er swallowed the phoenixes, returned to her nest, and said fiercely, "Yan'er, these were sent by the Earth Mother to trick you into speaking. Do not fall for it!"
Gongsun Yan felt deeply wronged. Just then, more phoenixes flew over, singing loudly: "The Primeval Realm has phoenixes, perching on my parasol tree branches. Open your heart to welcome the returning wind..."
The Dragon Sparrow soared into the air again and, in front of everyone in Upper Capital City, devoured those phoenixes as well. Then it perched menacingly atop the Primeval Tree's canopy, glaring ferociously in all directions.
The people of Yan Kang's Upper Capital City trembled in fear and dared not say a word.
In Lower Capital City, suddenly fragrant winds blew and golden springs surged from the earth. The wells throughout the city overflowed with fragrance, and from each well, colorful lotuses bloomed. From within the flowers emerged beautiful young maidens, all laughing and saying, "What joy this is! Quick, let's go find our sister!"
With that, these young maidens all headed toward the Primeval Tree, astonishing the people of the capital.
Those girls, dressed in all their finery, found Gongsun Yan and pulled her along, dancing and singing, laughing, "Yan'er, don't you recognize us? We are the fruit trees you planted in your backyard!"
Gongsun Yan was both surprised and delighted. She was about to speak when suddenly the Dragon Qilin let out a furious roar. Flames blazed all around him, burning those maidens to ashes!
"Whatever you do, do not speak!" the Dragon Qilin said gravely.
Gongsun Yan nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at rice.
The Dragon Qilin looked around warily and said, "The Earth Mother will definitely come up with some other trick. She won't give up just like that. As long as you don't speak, the Earth Mother cannot break through the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar to enter your body and seize it."
At that moment, the time agreed upon between Qin Mu and the Earth Mother had arrived. Qin Mu opened the altar and performed the ritual to gather the Earth Mother's soul.
In that desolate area, chilling winds blew, black sand rolled, surging in like a tide.
Qin Mu opened the Heavenly and Earthly Mystic Gate, channeling the power of the Heavenly Duke and the Earth Count. Dao words thundered, Dao sounds shook the heavens, and with supreme wondrous techniques, he reshaped the three souls of the Earth Mother.
Violent tremors continuously came from deep within the earth. The Earth Mother's roots traveled underground, also arriving at this place, waiting for her soul to revive.
After a long while, Qin Mu was drenched in sweat, but at last he had successfully reshaped the Earth Mother's three souls—Heavenly, Earthly, and Spiritual.
The Earth Mother's three souls stood upon the altar. Qin Mu said in a deep voice, "Earth Mother, our agreement has been fulfilled. From this day forth, we owe each other nothing."
The Earth Mother's soul slowly sank into the ground, laughing, "Well said! Well said! The Grand Magister truly lives up to his title. After this sovereign is reborn, I will put in a few good words for you before the other ancient gods."
Qin Mu snorted and flicked his sleeve. "Since your soul is now complete, leave at once!"
The Earth Mother chuckled. "Only my soul has been revived. I still don't have a physical body. Grand Magister, your Yan Kang lacks the protection of a powerful ancient god. Let me fulfill that role for you!" With that, her three souls vanished.
At almost the same moment, beneath the Primeval Tree in the capital, Gongsun Yan remained silent. Suddenly, the Earth Mother's soul appeared before her, a gentle smile on her face. She softly stroked Gongsun Yan's cheek and said tenderly, "Poor child, my daughter. Mother has come to see you."
Gongsun Yan's heart melted, and she choked up, "Mother..."
The Earth Mother burst into laughter. The Dragon Qilin roared and charged at her, but instantly, boundless gravity pressed down, crushing him flat against the ground as the earth continued to sink!
Yan'er transformed into a Dragon Sparrow and swooped down from the sky. The Earth Mother pointed a finger, and countless roots burst from the ground, binding Yan'er tightly!
In the canopy of the Primeval Tree, the Grand Emperor Seal blazed with light, forming an invisible barrier with the Grand Emperor Altar buried among the roots. But the next moment, the Grand Emperor Seal and the Grand Emperor Altar were shaken loose and flew out of the Primeval Tree!
The Earth Mother's body suddenly dispersed and dove into Gongsun Yan's body.