Chapter 1100: I Am Heavenly Venerable Mu (Second Update!)
Cong Sunyan looked up and smiled: "Great Sorcerer, no matter how carefully you calculate, you could never have calculated against me. This body will still fall into my hands! Primordial Liquid, come!"
The ground beneath trembled, and a thick root burst through the surface, blooming into a great flower filled to the brim with Primordial Chaos Liquid, pouring down toward the Yan Kang World Tree.
Having successfully seized this body, she poured all the liquid she had treasured into nurturing her new vessel, intending to use the Primordial Chaos Liquid to enhance the power of this new flesh, pushing herself back to her peak state as quickly as possible!
The Earth Mother's roots and the Yan Kang World Tree drank in the Primordial Chaos Liquid, their root systems intertwining, growing together, binding tighter and tighter!
The roots of the Yan Kang World Tree merged with the Earth Mother's roots, thick tendrils spreading out in every direction beneath the earth, passing through countless divine mountains, great rivers, streams, and even reaching down into the molten magma at the depths of the world!
Soon, the entire Yan Kang realm lay beneath the canopy of the World Tree's roots!
The roots continued to spread in all directions, covering the entire Primordial Realm, drawing nourishment from the soil of the world itself!
Cong Sunyan's aura grew stronger and stronger. Measured by cultivation realm, her power reached the Jade Capital realm within a few breaths, then the Heavenly Court realm, racing toward the Imperial Throne level at a terrifying speed!
In no time at all, her strength soared to the Imperial Throne realm, and it kept climbing, growing to an inconceivable degree!
"Heavenly Venerable Mu, the Great Sorcerer who has survived countless kalpas—you never placed yourself in the correct position!"
Cong Sunyan laughed with great delight, her voice carrying across the Yan Kang capital, reaching the desolate zone where Qin Mu was summoning souls. She chuckled: "You are merely a tool for us ancient gods to be reborn—a dog we keep. If you had simply known your place as a good dog, but instead you presume to call yourself a partner, even acting arrogantly toward me! You must remember..."
Her voice turned cold, utterly frigid: "You are not worthy!"
Outside, thick mist surged, rolling toward the base of the World Tree. From within the fog came Qin Mu's voice, unhurried: "Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign, did you think that to deal with you, I only used the simple method of sealing Cong Sunyan's body?"
Cong Sunyan was momentarily startled.
The mist churned as Qin Mu walked forward, soon swallowing the surrounding area.
Qin Mu stood in the fog, stopping before her, and said flatly: "Earth Mother, I already warned you not to lay a hand on Cong Sunyan. Yet you insisted on going your own way, treating my warning as wind passing your ears. Cooperating with you ancient gods truly gives me a headache. It seems I must establish my authority."
Cong Sunyan sneered: "You are nothing but a dog raised by us ancient gods, useful only for resurrecting us. Do you truly think of yourself as Heavenly Venerable Mu? You are merely a brat who borrowed Heavenly Venerable Ling's divine ability to travel back through time..."
Qin Mu raised his hand toward her, spreading his five fingers, and said softly: "Bang."
His voice was light, but when it reached the Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign within Cong Sunyan's body, it struck like thunder shaking heaven and earth—a deafening boom! Her soul suddenly burst apart, dissolving into countless black grains of soul-sand that poured out from Cong Sunyan's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth!
Her other two souls were seized with terror. Her soul had been fully restored—she had examined it and found no trace of Qin Mu's tampering!
Yet now, her soul was completely beyond her perception!
"I am Heavenly Venerable Mu, who established the Dao through divine ability."
The fog grew thicker, and from within it came Qin Mu's voice, calm and detached: "You have never accepted this fact, believing that anyone sent back to the ancient era could become Heavenly Venerable Mu. But there has only ever been one Heavenly Venerable Mu, past and present—and that is me. It can only be me! I can grant you life, and I can grant you death."
Cong Sunyan's pupils contracted sharply. Root after root silently probed into the fog, searching for Qin Mu's whereabouts.
At the same time, the World Tree gently extended its branches into the mist.
"I need to establish my authority—not against you specifically, but against all the ancient gods."
Qin Mu's voice came again. Cong Sunyan's eyes lit up, and countless roots and branches immediately lashed toward that direction!
At that very moment, the Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign's heavenly soul collapsed, scattering into black soul-sand that burst apart in all directions!
From Cong Sunyan's mouth came the Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign's shrill, piercing scream—a cry filled with panic and the terror of death.
It was the first time she had ever encountered something so horrifying.
Clearly, her current power surpassed Qin Mu's by an immeasurable margin. With her present strength, crushing Qin Mu would take no effort at all. Yet her life and death were held entirely in Qin Mu's hands!
From the ancient era to the present, she had survived countless calamities. Through the fierce battles of the primordial age, she had endured. Even at the end of the Supreme Emperor era, when she was severed by Heavenly Venerable Ling and the others of the Heavenly Alliance, she had not died.
Even when Heavenly Venerable Hao personally struck at her, she had managed to escape with her life.
But now, she truly felt death so close at hand!
She did not even understand where Qin Mu had planted his trap!
"I regarded myself as an equal ally, joining hands with the ancient gods—but you have never truly treated me as an ally."
Qin Mu's tone was indifferent, tinged with desolation and weariness. He said: "Using me is one thing, but you even dared to lay hands on those close to me. Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign, your audacity has reached a point I can no longer tolerate! Today, I will use your death to declare to all the ancient gods: I am an ally, not your livestock!"
He was about to completely extinguish the Earth Mother's earthly soul when suddenly darkness surged within the fog. At the same time, the sky blazed with light—a radiance coming from beyond the heavens, piercing even the star chart that shrouded the Primordial Realm, shining down upon the Yan Kang capital!
Qin Mu's heart stirred, and he stayed his hand.
The darkness surging from beneath the earth began to spin, fire flickering within the gloom. A molten-rock Earth Lord rose, rotating as he ascended.
Meanwhile, the light in the sky converged, taking the form of an elder with white brows and white beard, descending from above. He arrived at the Yan Kang capital and walked into Qin Mu's courtyard.
Qin Mu offered a salute: "Brother Earth Lord, Brother Heavenly Duke."
The molten Earth Lord and the Heavenly Duke's avatar quickly returned the gesture: "Heavenly Venerable Mu."
The Heavenly Duke smiled: "We came together because we sensed that you were using our power to resurrect the Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign, so we observed this place. We never expected the Earth Mother to act foolishly and provoke your wrath. The Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign is a majestic life that has lived since the ancient era, maintaining the Primordial Realm, sheltering all living beings, standing tall for billions of years. Her crimes do not warrant death."
The molten Earth Lord added: "The Heavenly Court grows ever more powerful—even the Heavenly Duke and I can barely protect ourselves. If you kill the Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign, would we not lose a like-minded ally?"
Qin Mu shook his head: "Like-minded? I would not presume. She has bullied me too far—where did she ever treat me as an ally? Did the two brothers not just hear her? She said I was a dog raised by you ancient gods!"
The molten Earth Lord and the Heavenly Duke exchanged a glance. The Heavenly Duke laughed: "The Earth Mother is a crude sort. You need not bother with her—she speaks without thinking. She has already learned her lesson now. Please, brother, grant her a path to survival."
Qin Mu dispersed the fog, his expression softening slightly, and said with reluctant grace: "The two brothers have shown me great kindness. It is also by borrowing your power that I am called the Great Sorcerer of Ten Thousand Kalpas Without Extinction. I cannot disregard your teachings. Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign, today I spare your life. Get out of Cong Sunyan's body at once!"
Cong Sunyan's face twisted with resentment and fury, and she cried out sharply: "My roots have already fused with this World Tree—they cannot be separated! If I leave this body, where am I to go?"
Qin Mu took out the World Tree Core and tossed it to the ground, saying flatly: "This stick—I lend it to you as a place to dwell."
Cong Sunyan gnashed her teeth in hatred. The Heavenly Duke coughed meaningfully, and the Earth Mother's earthly soul had no choice but to fly out of Cong Sunyan's body and dive into the World Tree Core.
Her voice came from within the core, hoarse: "I have only my earthly soul left, and this World Tree Core is so weak. How am I to fight the Ten Heavenly Venerables in the future?"
Qin Mu tossed her a bottle of Primordial Chaos Liquid and sneered: "Resurrecting you has cost me money! When you begged me to revive you, all you offered was a bottle of Primordial Chaos Liquid and the World Tree Core. Now I return them to you in full—you've gotten the better deal!"