Chapter 1715: Entering the Coffin, Sinking into the River
Hạo Thiên Đế glared viciously at Tần Mục in the distance, then suddenly turned around and came to the front of Lăng Tiêu Bảo Điện. He saw that the hall's doors were sealed by a web of red ropes, making it impossible to enter.
From within the hall came waves of terrifying fluctuations, as if someone was fighting inside.
That should be Tam Công Tử's consciousness wielding the power of Lăng Tiêu Bảo Điện, contending against Tần Mục's red rope knot technique, attempting to break through the Hong Thằng Kết Khấu divine ability!
Hạo Thiên Đế bowed in worship and said, "Lăng Tiêu Công Tử, Mục Thiên Tôn has lost all signs of life. Has he already perished?"
The commotion inside the hall suddenly subsided, and Tam Công Tử's voice came through: "Thất Công Tử of Di La Cung has always been in the universe of the past. How could he possibly die? In the past cosmic epochs, countless people wanted to kill him, yet he still lives well. Even the great calamity of destruction or the calamity of creation might not be able to kill him. He is merely heavily injured and using this opportunity to enter cessation and fake his own death."
Hạo Thiên Đế's heart turned cold: "Good thing I didn't fall for it!"
Tam Công Tử said, "However, his injuries are extremely severe. He shouldn't have much power left, otherwise he wouldn't have spent half a month contracting his divine repositories to enter cessation and fake death. If he were at full strength, with a single thought he could destroy the world and with another open the heavens, healing his wounds. That technique I used was created by my teacher to break through the Thiên Đô Chi Chủ. Having been struck by it, even entering cessation would be incredibly difficult for him! After entering cessation, opening the heavens to be reborn would also become extraordinarily difficult! His current state is neither alive nor dead—he's trying to use cessation to break the dao wound I left him, but he cannot break it!"
Hạo Thiên Đế looked up and blurted out, "What does Công Tử mean?"
"Right now, he has almost no combat power left, little strength, and little threat. You can completely capture him and send him to be sunk in the river at the ancestral court."
Tam Công Tử said in a deep voice, "Throw him back into the Hỗn Độn Trường Hà of Ngọc Kinh Thành, and he won't be able to return here unless he also performs a blood sacrifice! However, the blood sacrifice was presided over by me, laid out over six billion years. I won't give him a chance to return. As long as you send him back to the past, you'll never need to worry about him again, and Diên Khang can be broken with a snap of your fingers."
Hạo Thiên Đế's heart pounded wildly. After giving thanks, he stood up and gazed at Tần Mục from afar.
"This divine ability was created by my teacher to trap Nhị Công Tử Vô Cực. Although Lão Thất only learned the surface of it, if I wanted to break it, I'd probably need five or six years to unravel this technique."
Tam Công Tử's voice came through: "These days, just do your own work. Don't disturb me. I'm focusing entirely on breaking the red rope knot. If I'm distracted, it's easy to suffer backlash. And don't you dare touch this red rope knot, understand?"
But Hạo Thiên Đế's mind was filled with only one thought, and he didn't hear what was said.
Where his gaze fell, Tần Mục sat withered beneath the World Tree. The two Thái Cực Cổ Thần ordered people to investigate. The few scouts from the Heavenly Court hadn't even reached him when suddenly they exploded with a bang, turning into wisps of hỗn độn chi khí!
The two ancient gods were startled and hastily activated their Thái Cực sand table to form a defensive posture. Yet Tần Mục still had no aura at all, still sitting there.
Only the hỗn độn chi khí formed from those Heavenly Court scouts was drawn in, flowing into the hỗn độn blood pool beneath Tần Mục.
All was calm there.
Suddenly, Thái Âm Nương Nương's eyes flickered. She activated a divine ability—a divine river stretching a thousand miles, roaring and surging, charging straight at Tần Mục!
As the river surged, it transformed rapidly. By the time it reached Tần Mục's vicinity, it had become a flesh-and-blood body, like a thousand-mile-long dragon, baring fangs and brandishing claws, ferocious and vicious!
The divine abilities of the Thái Cực Cổ Thần were truly mysterious and unfathomable. This strike was extremely powerful—it was her full-strength attack, and she expected that even a Thiên Tôn would have to rise and defend.
At the same time, Thái Dương Thiên Tôn also activated his divine ability. The two techniques complemented each other perfectly—two dragons, one black and one white, locking head to tail, forming a great Thái Cực divine technique!
But before the great Thái Cực divine technique could reach Tần Mục's side, the branches of the World Tree behind him danced wildly, piercing through the technique and strangling the two black and white dragons!
After the two dragons died, they also turned into wisps of hỗn độn chi khí, flowing into the hỗn độn blood pool beneath Tần Mục.
Seeing this, Hạo Thiên Đế hesitated. Although Tần Mục's physical body was incomparably powerful and retained residual might even after death, it shouldn't be powerful to this extent after death.
Could it be that he still had consciousness, able to control the World Tree and the hỗn độn blood pool to attack approaching gods and demons?
"Tam Công Tử, ordinary people simply cannot approach Mục Thiên Tôn's physical body. How can I send him to the ancestral court's Ngọc Kinh Thành to be sunk in the river?" Hạo Thiên Đế knelt and bowed.
Inside the hall, Tam Công Tử let out a muffled groan. After a moment, he caught his breath and said coldly, "I just told you not to disturb me—you nearly got me strangled to death by the red rope knot! You're so stupid. Fine, I'll teach you how to forge a Táng Đạo Thần Quan. Forge this coffin, put Lão Thất inside, carry it to the ancestral court, and throw it into the Hỗn Độn Trường Hà!"
In Lăng Tiêu Bảo Điện, the red rope knot vibrated incessantly. A wisp of Tam Công Tử's divine consciousness barely passed through the seal of the knot and drilled into Hạo Thiên Đế's mind, saying, "This Táng Đạo Thần Quan—once you're put inside, there's no escaping. It's a coffin for burying dao-achievers. Forge it as quickly as possible, put him inside, then use the Lục Đạo Thần Đinh I teach you to nail down the coffin lid, and you can send him to Ngọc Kinh Thành to be sunk in the river!"
Hạo Thiên Đế was overjoyed and devoted himself to comprehending the forging method of the Táng Đạo Thần Quan that Tam Công Tử had imparted. However, this was a tool-forging technique, and his achievements in tool-forging were limited.
"Summon Tinh Hàn Thiên Tôn of Tạo Phụ Thiên Cung!"
Before long, Tinh Hàn arrived belatedly. Hạo Thiên Đế passed on the forging method of the Táng Đạo Thần Quan to him and said, "Đạo Hữu, as a Thiên Tôn and the master of Tạo Phụ Cung, how long will it take you to forge this coffin?"
Tinh Hàn contemplated it deeply. Countless brains floated in the air, helping him think and calculate. After a long while, he opened his eyes and said, "The army has treasures refined from the sacred lands of the ancestral court. With enough materials, I can forge it in half a year. However, I will need the assistance of all the Đế Tọa powerhouses in the Heavenly Court, as well as several Thiên Tôn and dao-achievers."
Hạo Thiên Đế frowned and said, "Half a year is too long. If that old thief Mục wakes up, it'll be too late! I'll give you three months!"
Tinh Hàn considered it carefully and said, "Three months... the forging might have some minor flaws."
Hạo Thiên Đế asked, "How minor?"
Tinh Hàn calculated for a moment and said, "A one-percent flaw. If you give me another three months, I can forge the most perfect coffin—once someone is put inside, no one can escape."
Hạo Thiên Đế was overjoyed and laughed, "A mere one-percent flaw is nothing to worry about. Go ahead and do it. I grant you access to whatever treasures you need from all the armies!"
Tinh Hàn bowed and immediately set to work.
Among the various armies of the Heavenly Court, there were many treasures refined from the sacred mountains, mines, lakes, rivers, and seas of the ancestral court, as well as various divine materials. Though not as impressive as the World Tree or the Nguyên Mộc, they were still extraordinary.
Tinh Hàn, bearing Hạo Thiên Đế's decree, requisitioned them. The various armies dared not speak out in anger.
Throughout Tạo Phụ Thiên Cung, tens of thousands of heavenly artisans fired up their furnaces, melting down various divine weapons. Tinh Hàn designed the components of the Táng Đạo Thần Quan. After two months, the coffin had taken initial shape.
Hạo Thiên Đế personally led the civil and military officials, directing the ritual refinement of this divine coffin under Tinh Hàn's command. Đế Hậu Nương Nương and Thái Sơ, the two dao-achievers, were also conscripted.
Another month passed, and the Táng Đạo Thần Quan was completed.
Tinh Hàn took out the ninety-nine Lục Đạo Thần Đinh that had been forged and said, "Half of these divine nails are to be driven into Mục Thiên Tôn's body, and half into the coffin itself. Then he will become one with the coffin and can never escape."
After handing over his work, he thought for a moment and said, "Bệ Hạ, I have always wanted to obtain a sample of Mục Thiên Tôn's brain. I'd like to go personally and see if I can cut off Mục Thiên Tôn's head."
Hạo Thiên Đế laughed and said, "Thiên Tôn's loyalty is commendable. However, that thief Mục's residual might is extremely terrifying. With your strength, you cannot get close. Let Thái Thượng Hoàng and Mẫu Hậu handle this matter."
Tinh Hàn had no choice but to give up.
Thái Sơ and Đế Hậu Nương Nương immediately set out with the Táng Đạo Thần Quan and the ninety-nine Lục Đạo Thần Đinh, heading for the place where Tần Mục had "fallen." When they arrived, Thái Sơ suddenly felt his own great dao stirring restlessly, almost being ground away and turned into hỗn độn. He couldn't help but exclaim, "What formidable residual might!"
The two came beneath the World Tree. Just as they were about to approach Tần Mục, Đế Hậu Nương Nương's brow twitched. She let out a sharp cry and waved her hand, sending a Quy Khư Đại Uyên toward Tần Mục's shadow!
Tần Mục's shadow squirmed, and suddenly a blade of light cut into the great abyss. With a tearing sound, it actually split the abyss apart!
"Thương Quân!"
Thái Sơ's heart jumped, and his old wound began to ache again. He hurriedly said, "Tử Đồng, you hold off Thương Quân. I'll put Mục Thiên Tôn into the coffin!"
Đế Hậu Nương Nương snorted coldly. Around her, countless tiny black cracks floated in the air as she engaged in fierce battle with Tần Mục's shadow.
Tần Mục's shadow writhed on the ground, twisted, and grew, taking the form of a blade-wielding figure, fighting her fiercely on the ground!
Thái Sơ hurriedly moved to lift Tần Mục's "corpse." But when he tried to move the "corpse," the hỗn độn pool beneath it was also lifted, and the World Tree rose into the air along with it—incredibly heavy!
"Mục Thiên Tôn is still this heavy even after death!"
Thái Sơ let out a muffled groan. He lifted Tần Mục along with the World Tree and the hỗn độn pool, activated the Táng Đạo Thần Quan, and the divine coffin grew enormous, placing Tần Mục's corpse inside.
Thái Sơ breathed a sigh of relief. He took out the Lục Đạo Thần Đinh and counted them, then hesitated: "Tinh Hàn Thiên Tôn said half the divine nails go into Mục Thiên Tôn's body and half into the coffin lid. But there are only ninety-nine divine nails here—they can't be evenly divided!"
The battle between Đế Hậu and Thương Quân grew faster and faster. Thái Sơ had no time to think further. He inserted fifty divine nails into various parts of Tần Mục's body.
Tần Mục's body had many wounds—wounds left by Tam Công Tử's divine ability. There were exactly fifty wounds, corresponding to the fifty divine nails.
Thái Sơ closed the coffin and drove the remaining forty-nine divine nails into the coffin lid, sealing it shut.
Immediately, the abnormally terrifying power emanating from Tần Mục's body dissipated, completely isolated by the divine coffin.
Thái Sơ breathed a sigh of relief and immediately went to help Đế Hậu Nương Nương deal with Thương Quân. But Thương Quân suddenly split open space with a single slash of his blade, vanished into it, and disappeared.
"Don't chase a routed enemy!"
Thái Sơ stopped Đế Hậu and said, "Dealing with Mục Thiên Tôn is the priority! Thương Quân will inevitably secretly follow the Táng Đạo Thần Quan. We can set an ambush along the way and cut him down!"
Đế Hậu understood. They returned to the Heavenly Court's camp, and Hạo Thiên Đế ordered the Right Wing of the Feather Forest Army: "Escort the divine coffin to the ancestral court's Ngọc Kinh Thành!"
The Feather Forest soldiers were all half-gods with wings, extremely fast. Upon receiving the order, they immediately set out with the Táng Đạo Thần Quan, flying out of the Nguyên Giới and heading for the ancestral court.
Thái Sơ and Đế Hậu Nương Nương—one hiding in the ultimate void, the other hiding within a Quy Khư divine ability—secretly followed, waiting for Thương Quân to appear so they could kill him.
The Feather Forest Army traveled through the starry sky for months. Thương Quân never appeared, and the two grew anxious.
One day, Thái Sơ and Đế Hậu Nương Nương suddenly noticed that one Feather Forest soldier's shadow had shifted abnormally. Overjoyed, the two immediately pounced out and struck together, smashing that Feather Forest soldier to pieces!
"He's not in the shadow!"
The two searched around and saw a blade of light flickering in the starry sky. They immediately charged out, chasing after Thương Quân.
The Feather Forest Army continued onward. Another two months passed, and they were still halfway to the ancestral court.
That day, as the Feather Forest Army dragged the divine coffin through the sky on their wings, about to pass through a sun, a lotus flower bloomed in the starry void—extremely beautiful. Then another lotus flower bloomed before them.
The Feather Forest soldiers hastily halted and formed formation, warily watching the constantly appearing lotus flowers.
They looked closely and saw that the lotus flowers weren't actually lotus flowers at all, but a wondrous divine ability—footprints left by someone traveling through the starry void.
The person traveling was a handsome, refined young man. His long robes fluttered in the wind, exuding nobility. His bearing was unforgettable, and one couldn't help but feel warmth toward him.
The Feather Forest commander stepped forward and shouted, "Heavenly Court Feather Forest Army, escorting Mục Thiên Tôn's corpse to the ancestral court by order of the Heavenly Emperor! All unrelated persons, stand aside!"
The young man stopped walking. He looked at the Feather Forest Army, then at the coffin protected in their midst. His expression was gentle as he said, "Is the person in this coffin Tần Giáo Chủ?"
—Mục Thiên Tôn has been plated... I mean, put in a coffin. The family's emotions are very stable. Hmm, they still want to laugh~~~