Chapter 1425: Friends, Bound by Life and Death (Fourth Update)
"This kid sensed my killing intent and escaped as demonic energy." Nàng Thiên Phi lowered her hand, sighed inwardly, and walked down from the Execution Platform.
Below the Execution Platform, her bedchamber had already been destroyed, leaving only a lone gate standing there. The reason the gate had not been destroyed was because of Nàng Thiên Phi's seal upon it.
Nàng Thiên Phi walked to the gate, paused to look at it for a moment, shook her head, and turned to leave.
Behind her, the gate creaked and collapsed, breaking into pieces.
Her seal had still been worn away completely.
"Why does Your Highness look so troubled?" Phương Tử Yên greeted Nàng Thiên Phi, glanced at her expression, and asked cautiously.
Nàng Thiên Phi sighed and recounted what Tần Mục had suggested, saying: "I know he has ulterior motives, but I still find myself tempted, wanting to bring the Execution Platform to Huyền Đô. However, I don't know where exactly he has dug the pit, and that truly worries me."
Phương Tử Yên thought for a moment, then said: "Your Highness, when Mục Tôn Chủ spoke with you, he only mentioned the benefits, not the drawbacks. If Your Highness considers it from that angle, you can avoid misfortune and seek good fortune."
Nàng Thiên Phi's eyes lit up, and she praised: "You are indeed clever. This is a solution—perhaps I need not fall into the pit. If I bring the Execution Platform to Huyền Đô and simply use the killing aura to enhance the divine blades, then no one will stop me. But if I were to plunge both divine blades into Thiên Công's body to seize his vital energy and blood, then I would offend Tổ Thần Vương."
Phương Tử Yên said: "Although Tổ Thần Vương's strength is formidable, his power is not the pinnacle among the Ten Tôn Chủ."
Nàng Thiên Phi smiled slightly: "That is the reasoning. Even if Tổ Thần Vương wants to contend with me, he cannot win against me. The only difficulty now is whether the other Tôn Chủ will block me. One Tổ Thần Vương is not a concern, but if the other Tôn Chủ join in, then I must think carefully."
Phương Tử Yên's gaze flickered, and she said: "Your Highness, will the other Tôn Chủ block Your Highness, or will they block Tổ Thần Vương?"
Nàng Thiên Phi giggled: "Tử Yên, you are indeed clever! The other Tôn Chủ will definitely guard against Tổ Thần Vương! Tổ Thần Vương is the son of Thiên Công. If he were to obtain Thiên Công's power, he would surely surpass all past and present, becoming the number one powerhouse under heaven, and cultivating to the Thiên Đình realm would be effortless! The others will guard against him, and most will demand an equal share of the benefits—that gives me an opportunity to exploit."
She smiled slightly: "Once the divine blades are forged, the Ten Tôn Chủ will be of no concern. By then, it will be too late for them to notice me!"
She was full of ambition, flicking her sleeve, the fabric striking the air with a resounding crack: "Mục Tôn Chủ thought he dug a chasm-deep pit for me, but he never imagined it would instead fulfill my ambitions! By then, the expression on that little brat's face will be absolutely wonderful!"
Phương Tử Yên flattered: "Although Mục Tôn Chủ is cunning and an old fox, compared to Your Highness, he is far inferior."
Nàng Thiên Phi could not help but feel smug and burst into charming laughter.
A wisp of demonic energy fled far away, distancing itself from the Execution Platform. Sure enough, the demonic energy condensed, and Tần Mục walked out from the black smoke. The black smoke followed him, swarming into his body until it completely vanished.
"Human hearts are greedy. Nàng Thiên Phi will definitely not be able to sit still. In the battle at Huyền Đô, she will surely make her move to contend with Tổ Thần Vương for Thiên Công's physical body. However, Nàng Thiên Phi probably won't realize that she is not the only one eyeing Thiên Công's body—there is also Hồng Tôn Chủ!"
Tần Mục looked up, seeing that most of the Thiên Đình had already descended upon Tổ Đình. Complete descent would likely happen within the next ten or so days. He thought: "Hồng Tôn Chủ will absolutely not allow Thiên Công's physical body to be lost. Hồng Tôn Chủ is the true old fox. As long as Nàng Thiên Phi makes her move, she cannot escape his schemes!"
Eliminating Thiên Công would inevitably be an unimaginably fierce battle. Tần Mục did not know how many of the Ten Tôn Chủ would be dispatched, but he imagined Hạo Tôn Chủ would not go.
Although Hạo Tôn Chủ's strength had recovered considerably, he had not yet reached his peak state.
Hiểu Tôn Chủ had been exiled and would not appear either.
As for the other Tôn Chủ—Cung Tôn Chủ, Hỏa Tôn Chủ, Nghiên Thiên Phi, Lang Hiên Thần Hoàng, and Hư Tôn Chủ—how many of them would appear?
"Hư Tôn Chủ will not go. Huyền Đô's heavenly dao suppresses her U Đô great dao, unless she can unify the heavenly dao and the U Đô great dao. She will most likely remain in the Thiên Đình to guard against sneak attacks from Khai Hoàng and the other three ancient god great emperors of Tứ Cực Thiên."
"Nghiên Thiên Phi has the support of Thái Cực Cổ Thần, and her strength is formidable. Whether she will go is hard to say."
"Lang Hiên Thần Hoàng obtained a withered prehistoric dao fruit. His strength has greatly increased, and he will most likely go this time. This is a good opportunity for him to display his brilliance."
"The Eleventh Tôn Chủ, Thạch Kỳ La, will definitely go! He has just become a Tôn Chủ and must seize this opportunity to establish his authority, otherwise it will be difficult to convince others!"
"And Hỏa Tôn Chủ will definitely go! After all, he hates evil as much as an enemy and harbors the deepest hatred for the ancient gods."
"As for whether Cung Tôn Chủ will go, that is somewhat difficult to say."
Tần Mục pondered for a moment. Thổ Bá could not go to Huyền Đô and had no way to join forces with Thiên Công. Moreover, Thổ Bá most likely knew of Thiên Công's plan, so he would absolutely not interfere in this matter.
The only ones who could interfere were Khai Hoàng, Lãng Oản, and Nguyệt Tôn Chủ. With the strength of these three, if they were joined by the three ancient god emperors, perhaps they would have a chance to fight.
However, the Ten Tôn Chủ of the Thiên Đình possessed the divine artifact Ngự Tôn Chủ, which first and foremost restricted the three ancient god emperors, preventing them from daring to leave their respective territories.
Therefore, those who could actually go into battle would probably still be Khai Hoàng, Lãng Oản, and Nguyệt Tôn Chủ.
"Or perhaps, we could open a different battlefield and launch a surprise attack on the Thiên Đình! Use this opportunity to eliminate the other Tôn Chủ remaining in the Thiên Đình, at the very least eliminate Hạo Tôn Chủ! But if we do that, we must abandon Thiên Công, and eliminating Hư Tôn Chủ would anger Thổ Bá..."
Tần Mục's heart sank. Abandoning Thiên Công in exchange for the deaths of Hạo Tôn Chủ and Hư Tôn Chủ, while losing the ally Thổ Bá, was something he could not bear.
"In the battle at Huyền Đô, relying only on Khai Hoàng, Lãng Oản, and Nguyệt Tôn Chủ, even self-preservation would be difficult! Therefore, whether Thiên Công can be saved still depends on U Tôn Chủ!"
Tần Mục's eyelids twitched. U Tôn Chủ's mastery was also of the U Đô great dao. Sending him to Huyền Đô would greatly suppress his dao cultivation. In Huyền Đô, he would face extreme danger.
This was the reason Tần Mục judged that Hư Tôn Chủ would not go to Huyền Đô, and also the reason U Tôn Chủ should not go.
"I cannot let U Tôn Chủ go on such a risky venture."
The sky over Tổ Đình gradually darkened. Tần Mục steadied himself and walked toward Thập Vạn Hắc Sơn, thinking: "If he goes to Huyền Đô, he may lose his life."
Suddenly, ghost fire flickered ahead, and a paper boat emerged eerily, floating in front of Tần Mục.
Tần Mục stopped. He saw an old man on the paper boat holding a horse lantern, its light shining toward him.
The old man got off the paper boat, moored it, and sat by the boat in the lamplight, quietly folding paper figures and paper horses.
Tần Mục walked forward, passing by the paper boat, ignoring him.
"Mục."
The old yin official's fingers were very nimble, and a paper horse was quickly formed in his hands. He said calmly: "You are short-handed right now, aren't you? Điền Thục, Lạc Vô Song, Triết Hoa Lê, and Thiên Đao—they were captured by me, and Thổ Bá is currently hosting them. Điền Thục is shouting to leave, saying that if the four of them join forces with you, you can unleash the power of the Thập Tam Trọng Thiên of the blade dao. Although you cannot defeat a Tôn Chủ, you can preserve your lives."
Tần Mục stopped behind the boat, his gaze complex, and said: "I have cultivated the blade dao battle technique convergence with them, and it indeed possesses tremendous power."
"Their lowest cultivation is at the Trảm Thần Đài realm, which is nothing in front of a Tôn Chủ. Even a Đế Tọa powerhouse like Điền Thục is captured with a single shine of my lantern light."
The old yin official did not raise his head, staring at the paper figure he was about to finish folding, and said: "You even invited them, so why did you not invite me? Do you look down on me?"
Tần Mục shook his head: "Your strength is formidable, and I do want to invite you, but you cultivate the U Đô great dao, and in Huyền Đô you cannot unleash much of your power."
"You invited Khai Hoàng, you invited Nguyệt Tôn Chủ, you invited Lãng Oản Thần Vương."
The old yin official blew a gentle breath, and the paper figures and paper horses immediately came to life. He said: "Among the Long Hán Nine Tôn Chủ, the one I admire most is Ngự đại ca, and the one I have the best relationship with is Nguyệt Tôn Chủ. But do you know who I have spoken with the most?"
He raised his head and looked at Tần Mục on the other side of the paper boat: "It is you."
"I have known Nguyệt Tôn Chủ for a million years, and the total words I have spoken with her do not exceed ten. It is always her speaking, and me listening."
His wrinkled face broke into a smile: "But every time I see you, I have so much to say. Do you know why?"
Tần Mục turned around.
"Nguyệt Tôn Chủ is a woman. Facing a woman, I cannot speak. Ngự Tôn Chủ is a big brother. I respect him and keep it in my heart, never saying it aloud. As for the other Tôn Chủ, I cannot be bothered with them."
The old yin official stood up: "Only you are different. I regard you as a friend to whom I can entrust my life, a dao companion! You have no connection to Ngự Tôn Chủ, yet you are willing to risk your life for him, to offend Hạo Tôn Chủ for him, to offend Nguyên Mỗ, to offend Thiên Đế, to offend the Thiên Đình!"
"From that moment on, with a single word from you, I could wait for you in U Đô for a million years, only to await your return to resurrect Ngự Tôn Chủ! And you accomplished it!"
"Now, it only takes a single word from you, and I will accompany you to fight our way up to Huyền Đô!"
————Fourth update has arrived! Wishing everyone a happy Lantern Festival. The new year begins, moonlight fills the sky, the first full moon night of the Year of the Pig, silver light spills across heaven and earth. May all your writings bring wealth and good fortune!