Chapter 1298: Can Cause Trouble, Can Clean It Up (Second Update)
At the center of the Thái Sơ mining area, Tần Mục stood on the altar, about to trigger the fourth riot in the mining area, when suddenly he saw the Heavenly Lord's treasure suspended high above the mining area burst into unusual activity.
Nghiên Thiên Phi's extraordinary treasure was an ancient and majestic cauldron, square and upright, with the mouth of the cauldron facing downward. From within the cauldron, streams of light shot out, severing the void and the earth, forming an independent spacetime around the mining area, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.
"Nghiên Thiên Phi has arrived!"
Tần Mục's heart stirred. He immediately abandoned the thought of continuing to trigger the mining area riot, put away the Thái Sơ Egg and the Thái Sơ Origin Stone, and obediently walked outward.
Nghiên Thiên Phi arrived outside the mining area, her expression calm, but her eyes could hardly conceal her fury.
Tú Hồng Tô and the white cat hurriedly greeted her. The white cat Tiểu Thất leaped into her arms, and Tú Hồng Tô whispered, "Nương Nương, Mục Thiên Tôn, he..."
Nghiên Thiên Phi raised her delicate brows slightly, and Tú Hồng Tô quickly shut her mouth, not daring to say more.
Nghiên Thiên Phi looked around and saw many deities lying in ambush all around, clearly waiting for Tần Mục to come out before killing him. She shook her head and said, "With me here, there's no need for this."
Tú Hồng Tô waved her hand, dismissing the blade-wielding assassins.
Nghiên Thiên Phi surveyed the scene, her expression darkening as she saw that not many people had escaped from the mining area—about half had perished within it.
"Mục Thiên Tôn, I sent you to retrieve the origin stone, and you stirred up such a disaster. Do you truly think I'm made of paper?"
She let out a cold laugh and strode into the mining area.
The white cat grew excited, lifting its head in her arms and licking its paw, thinking, "Nương Nương is angry—even I can't soothe her! Mục Thiên Tôn, you won't escape this time!"
Tú Hồng Tô followed Nghiên Thiên Phi, speaking cautiously, "Nương Nương, Mục Thiên Tôn is after all the highest elder of the Heavenly Alliance. If he dies at your hands, it might cause some trouble and invite attacks from other Heavenly Lords. If you truly want him dead, let this disciple do the deed."
Nghiên Thiên Phi made no comment and continued walking forward. She saw that those who had not escaped from the mining area had all become ethereal forms—without physical bodies, without consciousness, drifting in a daze.
Among them were even many female disciples she had personally taught!
Nghiên Thiên Phi's expression grew even darker as she continued forward. After all, her cultivation and strength were astonishingly formidable, and even the strangeness of the mining area could not harm her.
The two women and one cat advanced deeper into the mining area, when suddenly light burst forth ahead—someone was using divine arts.
They hurried forward and saw Tần Mục standing before a figure that had already transformed into an energy body, casting divine arts upon that ethereal form. Miraculously, the deity who had been reduced to a void was slowly regaining his physical body!
Nghiên Thiên Phi showed a look of surprise, raised her hand to stop Tú Hồng Tô who was about to kill Tần Mục, and whispered, "Don't disturb him. Let's see how he does it."
Tần Mục's hands flew rapidly, Dao sounds resonating from within his body. He drew out the two energies of yin and yang, practicing the way of yin-yang transformation, forming a scroll of the Thái Cực Diagram that absorbed the deity's ethereal form into it.
After a moment, the deity materialized from void to substance, looking around in confusion, then examining his own hands and touching his body, somewhat bewildered.
Tần Mục wiped the sweat from his brow and smiled, "Brother, you've come back to life!"
The deity said in confusion, "When did I die? I was perfectly fine just now. You fiend, how did you bring me here? I still need to mine..."
Slap, slap, slap!
Applause sounded, and a voice laughed, "Great Mage, truly miraculous skill, worthy of the title Vạn Kiếp Bất Diệt. This divine art breaks the boundary between life and death. I now understand why Thiên Công and Thổ Bá insist on protecting you."
The deity quickly followed the sound and his face changed dramatically. He hurriedly prostrated himself, kowtowing, "This guilty minister pays respects to Thiên Phi Nương Nương!"
Tần Mục looked over and smiled, "So it's Nương Nương. You startled me. Nương Nương, I have many matters to attend to here—I still need to help these deities restore their physical bodies and primordial spirits, so I can't chat for long."
Nghiên Thiên Phi said softly, "Mục Thiên Tôn is righteous and noble. I thank you on behalf of these people, and I won't disturb you further." With that, she carried the cat and left with Tú Hồng Tô.
Tú Hồng Tô and the white cat Tiểu Thất several times wanted to speak but held back. Only when they arrived at the main hall of the side palace did Tú Hồng Tô finally blurt out, "Nương Nương, the trouble was caused by Mục Thiên Tôn. Why were you so courteous to him?"
"Because he is the Vạn Kiếp Bất Diệt Đại Pháp Sư."
Nghiên Thiên Phi said, "He has survived three mining area eruptions without dying, and he can even revive those who have been reduced to ethereal forms. Such ability—even Thiên Công and Thổ Bá cannot accomplish it, and neither can I. By displaying his skill, he is telling me: he can cause trouble, and he can clean it up. He has the ability to tear down, and the ability to rebuild. Keeping him alive is more useful."
Tú Hồng Tô and the white cat Tiểu Thất still didn't quite understand. Nghiên Thiên Phi had been so furious just moments ago—how could she let him go just because she saw him display a bit of divine art?
"Mục Thiên Tôn's reputation as Vạn Kiếp Bất Diệt is well deserved. He was right—in the coming war, the Ten Heavenly Lords may not necessarily be the victors. I truly should place bets on both sides."
Nghiên Thiên Phi said softly, "In that case, letting him obtain the origin stone is of no consequence. Don't overthink it. The magnanimity of a Heavenly Lord is something you wouldn't understand."
The two fell silent and said no more.
Tần Mục was very diligent, restoring all the deities in the mining area who had been turned into ethereal forms, until he was panting heavily and utterly exhausted.
Nghiên Thiên Phi entertained him warmly, gathering everyone together and having them kowtow in thanks to Tần Mục—a lively affair.
The white cat Tiểu Thất felt a pang of jealousy, but also understood that whether in status, cultivation, or strength, he could no longer compare to Tần Mục. His standing in Nghiên Thiên Phi's heart had also been surpassed by Tần Mục.
He was clever, so he accepted this fact.
"Did Mục Thiên Tôn obtain the origin stone in the mining area?" Nghiên Thiên Phi personally escorted Tần Mục out of the mining area and asked.
Tần Mục hesitated for a moment, then nodded, saying, "I did indeed obtain that origin stone."
Nghiên Thiên Phi's gaze flickered: "Your ability to revive those ethereal forms—was it the effect of the origin stone?"
Tần Mục burst into laughter and shook his head, saying, "Nương Nương, the Thần Tàng Thiên Cung system is fine in every way, but its comprehension of the Dao is far inferior to the Đạo Cảnh system pioneered by Khai Hoàng Tần Nghiệp. Nương Nương has cultivated the Thần Tàng Thiên Cung system for too long, and your understanding of the Dao is not deep. The method I used was not the Thái Sơ Origin Stone, but the way of Thái Cực and the principle of material immutability. If Nương Nương cultivated the Đạo Cảnh, you would not have misjudged."
Nghiên Thiên Phi's mind trembled slightly: "Thái Sơ Origin Stone? Mục Thiên Tôn knows the name of this stone?"
Tần Mục's heart jolted, realizing he had misspoken. He laughed it off, saying, "I just made up a name on the spot. Nương Nương need not take it to heart."
Nghiên Thiên Phi smiled, "Mục Thiên Tôn is thoughtful. Please convey my regards to that Daoist brother in Chiêu Dương Hall. I won't see you off further."
Tần Mục gave her a deep look, and Nghiên Thiên Phi smiled back.
"Đế Hậu Nương Nương is truly a clever woman."
Tần Mục turned and strode away, waving from afar, "Nương Nương, don't forget our deal!"
Nghiên Thiên Phi slightly bowed in return, saying, "Tell that Daoist brother to rest assured—I still have fifty percent of the divine stones preserved here, and in the future I can trade with him again!"
"What a perceptive woman."
The Thái Sơ within the egg sighed, "From a single sentence of yours, she deduced many things, and now she has me cornered!"
Tần Mục laughed, "Offending you, or trading with you—which brings more benefit? Đế Hậu will make the best choice."
Nghiên Thiên Phi watched them go, thinking to herself, "Đạo Cảnh? It's not that I don't want to, but the Đạo Cảnh is even more difficult than the Thần Tàng Thiên Cung..."