Chapter 1773: The Dao-Achievement Trial Ground
The City Lord of Zengcheng kept shifting his body techniques, but his Dao tree had already been destroyed, his divine hall shattered—how could he possibly dodge the sword light of Emperor Kaihuang?
He was struck by a hundred or more swords, leaping backward in an attempt to jump off the World-Crossing Golden Ship and flee for his life.
Yet the moment he leaped off the golden ship, he landed inside a divine hall—the Sword Dao Sacred Hall of Emperor Kaihuang Qin Ye himself.
The hall doors slammed shut, sword Dao arrayed within. A miserable scream echoed from inside, followed by torrents of blood plasma flowing out through the opened doorway.
Emperor Kaihuang Qin Ye sheathed his sword and walked forward.
Suddenly, the laughter of Second Young Master Wuji rang out: "Old Seventh, you truly are ruthless—killing your own kin without mercy, and eliminating three more hall masters. The reason the teacher suppressed me back then was because I showed no mercy to the people of Miluo Palace. It seems you and I are kindred spirits! Those who achieve Dao through Guixu share the same philosophy. Your agreement with my ideals brings me great comfort!"
Qin Mu's aura was depleted, but he smiled at her words: "Second Sister, you and I are by no means kindred spirits. You simply want to destroy everything, to plunge all into Guixu, leaving only Guixu in this world, with the sole living being being yourself. That is your philosophy. Mine is quite different."
Everyone on the ship couldn't help but shiver.
The Second Young Master of Miluo Palace, Wuji, actually wanted to destroy everything and stuff the entire universe into Guixu!
Although they all felt that the Third and Fourth Young Masters of Miluo Palace were cruel and inhuman, stopping at nothing to achieve their goals, at least their purpose was to find a way to resolve the great cosmic cataclysm.
But this Second Young Master was purely satisfying her own destructive desires!
The World-Crossing Golden Ship sailed along the Chaos Sea toward one of the lotus root stalks. The enormous face of Second Young Master Wuji appeared beneath the ship, swimming forward alongside it.
Her strands of white hair rose from the Chaos Sea like drifting seaweed, gently caressing the World-Crossing Golden Ship as she laughed: "You're wrong. Old Seventh, you are not a true Guixu Goddess, so naturally you cannot understand the heavy responsibility the Guixu Goddess bears. The Guixu Goddess embodies both destruction and creation—besides ending the world, she must also create a new one, a perfect world!"
Her face gradually emerged from the water, her white hair falling into the sea as her graceful figure rose.
The Red Rope Knot began to exert its power, forcibly binding and suppressing her.
Second Young Master Wuji's white hair flew wildly as she resisted the Red Rope Knot. Her arms rested on the gunwale of the World-Crossing Golden Ship, her chin propped on her hands, revealing a beautiful face as she curiously examined everyone on board.
"The teacher advocates non-interference with the next universe. He wanted to find a perfect solution to the great cataclysm. I once trusted him greatly, believing he could find that solution. But he failed time and time again, and I finally lost hope."
Wuji's gaze swept across everyone's faces one by one. The hearts of all present tightened—they felt that being scanned by her gaze was like falling into boundless darkness, their physical bodies and primordial spirits seemingly on the verge of destruction.
Second Young Master Wuji rested her arms on the gunwale, her form swimming along with the golden ship as she laughed: "Later, when I achieved Dao through Guixu, I finally understood where the teacher went wrong. He believed that Tiandu's Lord's act of creation was wrong, that it would only breed a group of arrogant creation beings lording over others. But his non-interference was also wrong. Dao achievers are the destroyers of this universe, the parasites. To create a perfect world, there is only one path—destroy all Dao achievers! Old Seventh, you must agree with me, right?"
Qin Mu, supported by Ling Yuxiu, staggered to his feet and shook his head: "Second Sister, those who follow different paths cannot plan together. Your philosophy and mine are not the same."
Second Young Master Wuji flicked her hair, casting off the five chains of the Red Rope Knot. As long as the Red Rope Knot's power wasn't pushed to its extreme, it couldn't easily restrain her.
"Don't be so hypocritical."
She rested one hand on the gunwale, leaning back as she swam through the Chaos Sea, speaking leisurely: "Your goal is to eliminate all Dao achievers, to return the cosmic energy these parasites have devoured back to the universe. My goal is the same. These Dao achievers are a band of thieves—stealing the mysteries of heaven and earth while contributing nothing to the universe. They deserve death!"
She released her grip, lying face-up beneath the sea's surface, swimming in circles around the World-Crossing Golden Ship, her voice drifting near and far, front and back: "My purpose after eliminating them is to recreate the world. I won't interfere with the new world like Tiandu did—I'll simply let it develop naturally. Isn't that the same as your philosophy?"
Suddenly, her form appeared on the left side of the golden ship, attempting to board.
Qin Mu's expression shifted slightly. He spread the five fingers of his right hand, forming the Red Rope Knot seal.
Second Young Master Wuji let out a tinkling laugh, leaning back and falling into the sea: "With only your strength and these few worthless fish and shrimp, you cannot possibly contend with Miluo Palace. If you don't go back to the past, you can't kill Third and Fourth. But if you release me, I'll help you eliminate them!"
Splash!
She excitedly burst out of the water like a fish living in the Chaos Sea, the five chains of the Red Rope Knot trailing behind her like long, magnificent fins.
Thump.
She plunged back into the water, her voice filled with temptation: "Only with the Second and Seventh Young Masters of Miluo Palace joining forces can we destroy Miluo Palace! I can also help you eliminate Old Man Wuya—that old man is full of wicked schemes. We'll kill him and refine him into a treasure, and the treasure is yours! I can even help you kill the creation beings!"
She said excitedly: "The creation beings of Tiandu are hidden away. These fellows are more evil than you can imagine—killing them won't be easy! But I can do it! Old Seventh!"
The World-Crossing Golden Ship was suddenly seized by her hair, unable to move forward. Second Young Master Wuji's form rose from before the bow, looking down at Qin Mu from above: "There are so many benefits to joining forces with me—what are you still hesitating about?"
Ling Yuxiu, Xu Shenghua, and the others were also quite tempted. Wuji's words were indeed alluring—Yankang's strength was far too weak compared to Miluo Palace and Old Man Wuya, not to mention the mysterious creation beings of Tiandu.
Relying only on themselves, without Qin Mu, they could barely handle even a hall master-level existence.
Qin Mu was certainly extraordinarily powerful, but Yankang only had one Qin Mu. Every time, Qin Mu had to fight with his life on the line, exhausting every ounce of wisdom to block Miluo Palace's descent and stop Old Man Wuya!
Every time, Qin Mu either fought until utterly exhausted or was gravely wounded at death's door.
This time was no different—if Qin Mu hadn't used every ounce of strength to block Old Man Wuya's small World Tree and the Third Young Master's divine techniques, they all would have died!
If they had the Second Young Master's help, Qin Mu's pressure would be greatly reduced, and Yankang wouldn't face the threat of annihilation.
Qin Mu looked up at Second Young Master Wuji's face and suddenly smiled: "Second Sister, your words are so eloquent they make even me tempted. Let me ask you just one question."
He suddenly spoke in the Hongmeng Dao Language, his voice deep: "After Second Sister destroys Miluo Palace, Old Man Wuya, and Tiandu, how will you face this universe?"
He asked in the Hongmeng Dao Language, catching Second Young Master Wuji completely off guard. The Dao question struck directly into her Dao heart!
If Second Young Master Wuji lied, she would violate her Dao heart and damage her own cultivation!
Second Young Master Wuji paused briefly, then answered in the Dao Language as well, a hint of anger in her words.
The two exchanged questions and answers, both using the Hongmeng Dao Language. To the others listening, their speech was obscure and difficult to understand, containing profound mysteries beyond comprehension.
Xu Shenghua looked at Lan Yutian, who was also frowning deeply. After pondering for a moment, he said sheepishly: "I only understood one or two syllables..."
Qin Mu's expression turned serious. He flicked his sleeve: "Second Sister, please return!"
Second Young Master Wuji let out an angry snort, wanting to lash out but worried about him triggering the Red Rope Knot, so she fell back into the sea face-up.
Qin Mu walked to the bow and looked down. He saw her face slowly sinking beneath the surface. Their gazes met, and Second Young Master Wuji gradually descended to the seafloor, the white hair that had been wrapped around the World-Crossing Golden Ship releasing its grip one by one.
The World-Crossing Golden Ship arrived beneath the Guixu lotus of the Seventeenth Era and flew upward along the lotus stalk. Ling Yuxiu whispered: "Husband, what did the Second Young Master say?"
"She said the Seventeenth Era is not perfect. Since she wants to create a perfect world, she naturally must destroy the Seventeenth Era."
Qin Mu let out a turbid breath and said solemnly: "This time, when I went to the filthy grounds of the Ultimate Void, I encountered the First Young Master Tai Shang and understood a simple truth. Lean on a mountain and the mountain falls; lean on a wall and the wall collapses. In this world, no one can be relied upon—not even Tai Yi! The only ones we can rely on are ourselves!"
His eyes flickered. Tai Yi had certainly been good to him and had shown great kindness to the Seventeenth Era. But Tai Yi was the Lord of Tiandu. If he merged with the paralyzed one, the hidden creation beings would appear!
From what he understood, the creation beings' deeds were even worse than Miluo Palace's!
If the creation beings descended, that would be a true catastrophe!
The World-Crossing Golden Ship roared out of the Guixu Abyss. The moment it leaped from the abyss, Qin Mu activated the Guixu Great Dao. One after another, lotus leaves grew from Guixu, the enormous leaves connecting with the void, covering the void of the Ancestral Court.
The veins of the lotus leaves were like enormous Dao chains, threading through the void and merging with it, their patterns gradually disappearing.
After a moment, the lotus leaves vanished completely.
Everyone focused their senses but could no longer perceive the Ultimate Void.
Qin Mu had completely sealed the Ultimate Void of the Ancestral Court.
His cultivation had not yet recovered, and forcibly activating the Guixu lotus leaves to seal the Ancestral Court's Ultimate Void left him gasping for breath, weak and exhausted. Ling Yuxiu quickly helped him into the golden hall of the ship to rest.
Moon Celestial had wanted to ask him to treat Lord Shang, but seeing his condition, she could only hold back.
Granny Si, Village Chief, and the others had been hiding in the golden hall of the ship the whole time and hurried forward to greet him.
"Granny, once I recover a bit, I'll send you all out of the Ancestral Court."
Qin Mu let out a breath of relief and said: "After you leave, I will continuously strengthen the seal on the Ancestral Court until even hall masters cannot escape!"
The Village Chief frowned: "Mu'er, blocking is not as good as channeling. Why not leave a passage so that Yankang's experts can enter the Ancestral Court for training? Only through life-and-death combat can one grow rapidly."
Qin Mu pondered for a moment: "Only those with Celestial-level combat power can hold their own in the Ancestral Court..."
Granny Si smiled: "Then the Ancestral Court becomes a Dao-achievement trial ground. Throughout the myriad worlds, anyone who has cultivated to the Celestial level can come here to train and help themselves achieve Dao! This way, more and more Dao achievers will emerge across the myriad worlds, and we may not lack the strength to oppose Miluo Palace and Old Man Wuya!"
Ling Yuxiu clapped her hands and laughed: "Then my husband won't have to work so hard anymore!"
"A Dao-achievement trial ground?"
Qin Mu was taken aback. He walked to the front of the golden hall and gazed out at the majestic Ancestral Court—towering mountains, vast seas, magnificent and awe-inspiring.
"Very well." He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze deep, and spoke in a low voice.