Chapter 1589: Innocence and Evil
"But I am not the only one who can do this."
U Tôn gently pushed the Sinh Tử Bộ before him, speaking softly: "You can do it too, Mục Tôn. You were once the Thiếu chủ of U Đô, and you can also master the power of the U Đô Sinh Tử Bộ. Not only can you master this power, but you can also decide the life and death of countless living beings."
"I can also reach this step?" Mục Tôn's gaze fell upon that golden scroll.
The Sinh Tử Bộ was merely a simple golden page, spread flat on the table, without any flaw or texture.
U Tôn said: "If you activate the U Đô Đại Đạo, you can master this power."
Mục Tôn hesitated for a moment, then extended his palm, activating the U Đô Đại Đạo, his hand landing on Thổ Bá's Sinh Tử Bộ.
Suddenly, he leaped up like a startled rabbit, withdrawing his hand, staring at the scroll in terror.
The moment his palm landed on Thổ Bá's Sinh Tử Bộ, he suddenly saw countless living beings across the Chư Thiên Vạn Giới, countless gods, all under the control of the Sinh Tử Bộ!
The moment he activated the U Đô Đại Đạo, he sensed that he could decide the life and death of all living beings and gods across the Chư Thiên Vạn Giới, manipulating their fates!
Mục Tôn paced around the stone table, his gaze occasionally falling on the Sinh Tử Bộ, a demonic light flickering in his eyes.
This Sinh Tử Bộ seemed to possess an invisible demonic power, an extraordinarily powerful allure, tempting him, as if countless voices were whispering in his ears, seducing him to pick up this thin golden tome and grasp this power that could decide the life and death of countless beings!
Mục Tôn panted heavily, the demonic nature within his Đạo Tâm being provoked by the Sinh Tử Bộ!
If he could grasp the Sinh Tử Bộ, he would possess the most terrifying power in this world!
He could directly erase everyone's Sinh Tử Thần Tàng, and all bán thần and hậu thiên sinh linh would have lifespan limitations. Even if they cultivated to the Thần Cảnh, they would still face birth, aging, sickness, and death!
If he did this, it would deal a tremendous blow to the current Thiên Đình!
The Thiên Đình was a community of shared interests among gods and demons.
These gods and demons lived long lives, sharing the same longevity as heaven and earth. They maintained the Thiên Đình, allowing it to rule over more territories, preventing later generations from daring to rebel or being unable to rebel—in truth, they were protecting their own interests.
The Thập Thiên Tôn were merely representatives of these gods and demons.
If these gods and demons could no longer live forever, then this community of interests would collapse and descend into chaos!
This might not threaten beings like the Thập Thiên Tôn, nor those experts proficient in the Tạo Hóa Chi Đạo, but the Thiên Đình's power would certainly decline on a massive scale.
Once these gods and demons became mere Thần Thông Giả, he could borrow the power of the Sinh Tử Bộ to make himself the Thổ Bá ruling over all life!
Mục Tôn, holding the Sinh Tử Bộ, could arbitrarily modify these people's lifespans, or even with a single stroke of the brush, directly erase them!
He could even coerce the gods of the Thiên Đình, forcing them to submit to him!
Unconsciously, Mục Tôn's nguyên khí transformed into dark demonic energy, dyeing his Thiên Cung pitch black, turning his Thần Tàng Lĩnh Vực into a dark domain!
Even more terrifying, the World Tree within his Thần Tàng also transformed into a dark tree. Under the corruption of this terrifying power, all his Đại Đạo turned black!
His aura erupted, plunging the Thiên Tề Nhân Thánh Vương Phủ into darkness. Not only that, the darkness quickly invaded Thổ Bá's twin horns, causing the lava rivers flowing from them to cease burning and freezing the Minh Hà!
Lăng Thiên Tôn furrowed her brow slightly and was about to speak, but U Tôn raised his hand to stop her.
Lăng Thiên Tôn was puzzled and glanced at him. U Tôn shook his head.
The demonic nature around Mục Tôn grew increasingly intense, the darkness spreading ever wider, even completely shrouding Thổ Bá's astonishingly long horns.
His face was also swallowed by darkness, only his eyes gleaming with demonic light. The intense demonic glow intermittently illuminated his features, making them all the more ferocious!
"Just get the Sinh Tử Bộ!"
Mục Tôn's voice was filled with dark demonic nature, his Đạo Tâm twisted. The Nguyên Thần behind him also sank into darkness, like a demon king standing in the pitch-black night!
"Just get the Sinh Tử Bộ, and I can crush the forces of the Thập Thiên Tôn in one blow, destroy the Thiên Đình, and everyone will kneel at my feet!"
"Just get this golden tome, and I will possess the most awe-inspiring power. I will have no restraints. I can become the master of desire, the king of the dark world! No—the king of the entire universe!"
He burst into laughter, his face twisted, his hand trembling as it was about to seize the Sinh Tử Bộ.
"I will become the most brutal tyrant in the world, the most powerful emperor of countless worlds. My position will be more secure than Thái Sơ's, my methods more cruel than the Thập Thiên Tôn's! No one will dare to resist me; everyone will live in fear under my tyranny! Even the Thập Thiên Tôn will be powerless to oppose me!"
"My power will pierce through the sixteen Hỗn Độn Trường Hà, casting darkness over sixteen universes. I will dominate the prehistoric era, and the six young masters of Di La Cung will also kneel at my feet!"
Just as his hand was about to touch the Sinh Tử Bộ, he suddenly withdrew it like lightning. Mục Tôn's face showed terror as he retreated several steps, shaking his head: "No! I cannot do this! If I do, I would become the Thập Thiên Tôn, I would become those Cổ Thần! I cannot do this..."
The darkness shrouding Thổ Bá's horns gradually receded, and light returned to the Thiên Tề Nhân Thánh Vương Phủ.
Mục Tôn's face was gradually illuminated by the light radiating from his own body. The Thiên Cung and Thiên Đình behind his head also gradually emerged from the dissipating darkness, and his Nguyên Thần appeared as well.
The World Tree was still dark, but gradually, the darkness receded from this precious tree.
Mục Tôn clenched his fists, no longer looking at the Sinh Tử Bộ. His clothes were soaked with sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of water.
"Such heavy demonic nature."
He closed his eyes, struggling against the Sinh Tử Bộ's temptation, murmuring: "I cannot do this, and no one else should either. If this is done, the human race will have no hope at all."
Mục Tôn seemed to be speaking to them, or perhaps to himself: "Immortal Cổ Thần would become eternal rulers. Humans and other hậu thiên races naturally have shorter lifespans. With barely a hundred years of cultivation, even if they reach the Thần Cảnh, they would inevitably die, unable to retain high-end combat power. On the contrary, Cổ Thần who can bestow blessings and longevity could use that to gather countless followers. Making the world devoid of gods would only return us to Cổ Thần rule. How many people died back then to overthrow Cổ Thần rule..."
Lăng Thiên Tôn said: "When the Thiên Minh was first established, its purpose was to overthrow Cổ Thần rule."
Mục Tôn let out a turbid breath, opened his eyes, and his gaze regained its brightness. He said: "Humans have limited lifespans. Bán thần live longer than humans. Even without Cổ Thần, it would be difficult for humans to turn the tide with their limited lifespans. U Tôn, you opened the Sinh Tử Thần Tàng, greatly extending the lifespans of Thần Thông Giả, raising their maximum lifespan to eight hundred years! Ngự Thiên Tôn opened the Thiên Cung, allowing people to have unlimited lifespans. That was what began the path of human rise."
He shook his head: "Cutting off everyone's Sinh Tử Thần Tàng is not progress—it is regression! Mortals can become gods through cultivation. This inspires Thần Thông Giả to keep cultivating and improving. If this inspiration is removed, many people will lose their motivation. This is unacceptable!"
U Tôn looked at the Sinh Tử Bộ and said: "Mục Tôn, you have passed Thổ Bá's test. You resisted the demonic nature's invasion within the Sinh Tử Bộ and can inherit Thổ Bá's power to become the new Thổ Bá. Your Đạo Tâm is strong enough to use this power well."
Mục Tôn's gaze fell on Thổ Bá's Sinh Tử Bộ. This Sinh Tử Bộ was a tremendous killing weapon, yet he shook his head: "I managed to resist the demonic nature of the Sinh Tử Bộ this time, but I might not succeed next time. The Sinh Tử Bộ already has its true master, and that person is not me."
He had originally hoped to steal the Sinh Tử Bộ and remove the people of Diên Khang and Vô Ưu Hương from its pages, so that even if the Thiên Đình controlled U Đô, they could not exterminate the human race.
But now, he knew he was not the one who could wield the Sinh Tử Bộ.
"The power of the Sinh Tử Bộ is too great, its significance too vast. It can only fall into the hands of the true Thổ Bá..."
Mục Tôn's gaze reluctantly moved away from the Sinh Tử Bộ, saying: "I am not the true Thổ Bá. I fear that if I master the power of the Sinh Tử Bộ, I might do something foolish."
His voice was still somewhat hoarse: "The Sinh Tử Bộ must never fall into the hands of the Thiên Đình. U Tôn, Thổ Bá chose you to guard the Sinh Tử Bộ—he must have his reasons."
U Tôn's gaze fell on the Sinh Tử Bộ. After a moment, he put it away, saying: "I am not the rightful master of the Sinh Tử Bộ either. After Thổ Bá handed the Sinh Tử Bộ to me, he hoped I would succeed him. But for these million years, I have also been resisting the demonic nature's invasion. Back then, it was Thổ Bá who helped me suppress the demonic nature. If Thổ Bá dies..."
He did not continue.
If Thổ Bá died, no one would be able to help him suppress the demonic nature of the Sinh Tử Bộ. How terrifying would U Tôn be if controlled by that demonic nature?
"How about destroying the Sinh Tử Bộ?"
Lăng Thiên Tôn said: "Just destroy this evil treasure directly."
"It cannot be destroyed."
U Tôn shook his head: "The Sinh Tử Bộ is a treasure formed from the collective of the sixty-four U Đô Đại Đạo. Unless you can destroy these sixty-four Thiên Địa Đại Đạo, it would be impossible to destroy it."
Lăng Thiên Tôn fell silent as well. She too could not destroy the sixty-four U Đô Đại Đạo.
"After you kill Thổ Bá, I might be controlled by the Sinh Tử Bộ."
U Tôn said: "If that happens, let me die in battle alongside the Thiên Đình's Thiên Tôn."
Mục Tôn frowned deeply, then suddenly stood up, laughing: "Wait for me here for a moment. I'll be right back."
He vanished, then suddenly returned, laughing: "Lend me your paper boat!"
Without waiting for U Tôn's answer, he leaped onto U Tôn's paper boat and sped away with a whoosh.
Lăng Thiên Tôn looked at the Sinh Tử Bộ on the table and asked: "Will I be controlled by the demonic nature?"
U Tôn shook his head: "You do not understand the U Đô Đại Đạo, so you cannot activate the power of the Sinh Tử Bộ. The Sinh Tử Bộ can only unleash its power in the hands of someone proficient in the U Đô Đại Đạo."
Lăng Thiên Tôn said no more and waited quietly.
After a long while, U Tôn said: "Lăng, talking with you is very comfortable."
Lăng Thiên Tôn said: "Talking with you is very effortless."
Not long after, the paper boat flew back with a whoosh. On the tiny paper boat stood a colossal big-headed infant, struggling to shrink his feet to fit on the boat.
Mục Tôn stopped the boat, and the big-headed baby jumped down, shaking the entire Thiên Tề Nhân Thánh Vương Phủ.
"Brother, be gentle!" Mục Tôn said with a serious expression.
Tần Phượng Thanh curiously looked around, giggling: "Big Thổ Bá is really big. Should be enough to eat for a long time."
Mục Tôn led him into the Thánh Vương Phủ. Tần Phượng Thanh's body was bulky, and along the way he knocked down walls and collapsed roofs, leaving a trail of destruction.
Mục Tôn pointed at the Sinh Tử Bộ on the stone table, laughing: "Brother, look at this golden paper..."
Tần Phượng Thanh reached out and picked it up. Mục Tôn and U Tôn immediately tensed up, staring at him intently. If he were controlled by the demonic nature of the Sinh Tử Bộ, the two of them would immediately strike to suppress him!
Tần Phượng Thanh was the embodiment of U Đô's demonic nature, extremely evil. If the Sinh Tử Bộ further provoked his demonic nature, the two combining might be even more terrifying than when Mục Tôn was controlled by the Sinh Tử Bộ!
Tần Phượng Thanh shook the Sinh Tử Bộ, puzzled: "Is this the paper Thổ Bá used to wipe his butt? You treat it like a treasure..."
He casually tossed the Sinh Tử Bộ aside. Mục Tôn and U Tôn were stunned.
U Tôn hastily picked up the Sinh Tử Bộ and stuffed it into his hands, saying in a deep voice: "Tiểu Thổ Bá, use the U Đô Đại Đạo to activate this paper!"
Tần Phượng Thanh glanced at him, giggling: "Are you an Âm Sai? Strange, you've become younger..."
He tried using the U Đô Đại Đạo to activate the Sinh Tử Bộ. The Sinh Tử Bộ grew brighter and brighter, but strangely, Tần Phượng Thanh was not invaded by the demonic nature within it. He remained the same adorable, chubby baby.
U Tôn's expression was dazed as he said to Mục Tôn: "When you two brothers were separated, did you cut out all the innocence and give it to him, leaving the evil and demonic nature for yourself?"