Chapter 1287: Big Business (First Update)
One or two Xích Kỳ giant beasts would have been one thing, but here there was actually an entire herd of them, which truly puzzled him.
The void beasts dominated the ancestral court; it was impossible for any living creature to have survived here. Where did these Xích Kỳ giant beasts come from?
"Does the Mục Thiên Tôn know of these giant beasts?"
Tú Hồng Tô looked at the Xích Kỳ giant beasts rising from the swamp and smiled: "The Heavenly Consort said these beasts are called Xích Kỳ. They are relatively docile. Besides Xích Kỳ, there are other giant beasts that have also been appearing in the ancestral court one after another."
Tần Mục was curious and asked: "Other giant beasts have appeared too? Weren't these beasts already extinct? Why are they appearing again?"
Tú Hồng Tô said: "I don't know about that. However, the Heavenly Consort might know. I did ask her, but she didn't say."
Tần Mục's eyes flickered, and he thought to himself: "Could it be those two ancient gods in the Thái Cực mineral vein, who used the yin-yang energies to create things, and created all these giant beasts in the ancestral court? But looking at how those two ancient gods conduct themselves, they are both stingy and petty. They shouldn't be willing to expend their own power to create so many beasts, right?"
If it wasn't the work of the ancient gods in the Thái Cực mineral vein, then where did these beasts come from?
Along the way, Tần Mục saw various other giant beasts. There were Sơn Hư giant beasts with entire mountains growing on their backs. When they walked, mountain winds rushed through the mountains and caves on their backs, producing howling sounds.
There were also Bà Hạc, with wingspans of a hundred li. Normally they lay atop divine mountain peaks that pierced the clouds. When they spotted prey, they would spread their fleshy wings and glide through the high sky to strike.
If they missed their strike, these Bà Hạc would crawl along lamely, using the claws under their fleshy wings to hook onto the mountain face and climb back up.
He also saw Đại Hung, Súy Phong, and other giant beasts, and even spotted a Thái Bồ!
The Thái Bồ giant beast was an extremely terrifying creature, its combat power not inferior to the void beasts—even stronger!
Thúc Quân, one of the three ancient kings, had subdued a Thái Bồ giant beast, and that beast's combat power was in no way inferior to the void mother beast!
But the Thái Bồ giant beast was clearly extinct as well!
"Thái Cực creation—creating one or two giant beasts is one thing, but creating this many would absolutely cost those stingy ancient gods their lives! These beasts were definitely not created by them!"
Finally, they arrived at the Thái Thủy mineral vein.
Tần Mục stepped down from the treasure carriage and, under Tú Hồng Tô's guidance, walked into the mineral vein.
Deep within this vein, Thái Thủy energy permeated the air, dense and rippling. The Thái Thủy energy was extremely dangerous. Tần Mục saw some divine beings that had become ghost-like existences, their bodies becoming ethereal and transparent.
This was the result of prolonged exposure to Thái Thủy energy, being assimilated by it!
The Thái Thủy path had form but no substance. These divine beings, due to long-term contact with Thái Thủy energy, had already lost their physical bodies, retaining only their shape. Their flesh, primordial spirits, vital energy, souls—everything was gone!
But they weren't exactly dead.
They had form but no substance, dazed and confused, without thought. They couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't feel—alive yet worse than dead.
These divine beings stood in the mineral vein, occasionally drifting, passing through the mountain itself.
The strangeness here was extremely terrifying!
"Even with the Heavenly Consort's heavenly venerate treasure suppressing this place, it cannot completely suppress the strangeness of this vein."
Tú Hồng Tô sighed and said: "The strangeness here is extremely powerful. I was ordered to guard this place, and I often find my heart racing with fear, feeling the risk of being assimilated by the vein. So I have to leave the vein from time to time to consolidate my cultivation outside."
Tần Mục was full of sympathy and said: "If you have free time, Tú Tú, come sit with me more often. My place isn't as dangerous as this..."
At that moment, the voice of Nghiên Thiên Phi came through, laughing: "If Hồng Tô went to your place, she wouldn't even know how she died! Although this vein is dangerous, compared to your place, it's a gentle haven, a shelter from the storm."
Tú Hồng Tô quickly paid her respects. Nghiên Thiên Phi waved her hand, dismissing her.
Tần Mục stepped forward and bowed: "Why isn't the Heavenly Consort holding the white cat today?"
Nghiên Thiên Phi returned the greeting gracefully and said: "I sent him to search for whoever is secretly causing trouble, releasing the giant beasts. Tiểu Thất is the most alert—what I cannot find, he can."
Tần Mục's heart stirred, and he asked: "These giant beasts were released?"
Nghiên Thiên Phi nodded, inviting him into her palace hall, and spoke as they walked: "Exactly."
"Then where did these giant beasts live before?" Tần Mục asked.
"Some lived on the reverse side of the Nguyên Realm, some on the reverse side of the Tứ Cực Heaven. The Thiên Đình, Huyền Đô, U Đô—all these worlds have some. Even the reverse side of my Quy Khư has some powerful beasts living there."
Nghiên Thiên Phi smiled enigmatically: "Mục Thiên Tôn, you later-born beings and demigods often say that we ancient gods are cruel, but you don't know that it's actually us ancient gods who maintain order in the world. Before we sealed the ancestral court, we migrated these beasts to the reverse sides of these worlds, allowing them to thrive and multiply. And what about you later-born beings and demigods?"
She revealed a mocking expression: "We were overthrown by you under the banner of cruelty, but how many races have been exterminated at your hands? When it comes to cruelty, you are far more brutal than us ancient gods!"
Tần Mục smiled: "No need for the Consort to say more. I have seen with my own eyes the cruelty of the ancient gods during the Long Hán era. Whether they were more cruel than the demigods and later-born beings, I have my own judgment. For you, the ancient gods are not cruel, but for us, if the ancient gods do not die, we have no path to survival."
Nghiên Thiên Phi remembered that he had traveled to the Long Hán era more than once, so she stopped discussing the matter and invited him to sit down, saying: "How much of Hạo Nhi's blood essence did you obtain?"
"Thiên Tôn Hạo has thirty-five heavenly palaces, though he publicly claims twenty-eight."
Tần Mục sat down and lightly waved his hand in front of him. Drops of blood floated before them—each drop of heavenly venerate blood crystal clear, radiating a resplendent luster, like the purest rubies.
Nghiên Thiên Phi's heart pounded twice violently. Tần Mục had laid out thirty-five drops of heavenly venerate blood in total!
Thirty-five drops of heavenly venerate blood represented Thiên Tôn Hạo's thirty-five heavenly palaces!
"I have a big business deal to discuss with the Consort."
Tần Mục waved his sleeve, and the thirty-five drops of heavenly venerate blood disappeared. He smiled: "Give me fifty percent of this vein's output, and I will give you Thiên Tôn Hạo's thirty-five drops of heavenly venerate blood, allowing you to gain insight into Thiên Tôn Hạo's techniques and divine powers! How about this deal?"
Nghiên Thiên Phi's eyes flickered, and she smiled slightly: "Mục Thiên Tôn, you are right here before me. If I wanted to take it by force, could you resist me?"
She rose gracefully, no longer having the coquettish charm of a heavenly consort, but instead possessing an aura of one who rules the world. A confident smile appeared on her face: "With a snap of my fingers, I could kill you a thousand times over! I could even completely erase your soul, wiping away every trace of your existence in this world!"
She laughed: "Your so-called Vạn Kiếp Bất Diệt Đại Pháp Sư means nothing in my eyes. I am the only one in this world who can truly break your divine powers—even Thái Đế cannot! I am the only one in this world who can firmly hold you in check! Bring Hạo Nhi's divine blood here, and I will spare your life!"
Tần Mục burst into laughter, his laughter echoing back and forth through the palace hall.