Chapter 890: Darkness Approaches
What is Ugly?
Ugly was simply a person who had lost everything.
The Ugly that Earth Lord had transformed into—his parents, wife, and children had all perished in the conspiracy the Heavenly Court had orchestrated against him. At that time, even Earth Lord's power restricted him from seeking revenge.
Ugly and Earth Lord were two consciousnesses within the same life. Earth Lord was controlled by the rules, while Ugly wanted to break the rules. Yet in the end, he was left alone and desolate, beaten back to the Netherworld by the Heavenly Emperor, and suppressed by Earth Lord at the Jade Lock Pass of the Netherworld.
Qin Mu was now also Ugly. Like Ugly, he was merely an appendage of the original body. Ugly was Earth Lord's reincarnated body; he was the second consciousness born from the infant body after Qin Fengqing had been sealed away.
Ugly had no soul of his own. Neither did he.
Ugly was a guardian, a avenger, burning with rage in his desire to protect his loved ones, yet no matter how he tried, he could not protect them. In the end, he fell into the grasp of the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor.
Qin Mu also wanted to protect Yan Kang. He also wanted to avenge those who had died in this catastrophe.
Ugly was powerless to turn the tide and was ultimately suppressed at Jade Lock Pass, enduring the endless burning of karmic fire.
Ugly eventually became a sinner against the rules of the Netherworld.
He should have been Earth Lord—impartial and selfless, possessing only divinity. Yet he had given birth to humanity within himself.
Qin Fengqing was the Little Earth Lord. The other consciousness born from his shell, Qin Mu, should also have possessed only divinity. Yet Qin Mu was the humanity of the Little Earth Lord.
The same circumstances, the same fate. That was why he was Ugly—a person who wanted to protect, wanted to avenge, yet was powerless to resist.
Qin Mu laughed grimly, his hand tightly gripping Ling Tianzun's peachwood hairpin, pointing it at the center of his brow. Where his third eye should have been, there was only a deep eye socket.
"Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, you have been waiting all this time, not making a move. Are you waiting until I am utterly despairing, until I have no choice but to rely on you?"
Blood still flowed from the socket of his third eye, streaming down both sides of his nose. Even so, his hand remained steady as the peachwood hairpin pressed deeper into that hollow eye socket. He chuckled softly: "If Yan Kang is gone, then I have nothing left. Nothing matters anymore. As long as I activate Ling Tianzun's hairpin, the Heavenly River will surge forth from it, destroying my body and annihilating my consciousness. You will have no chance of resurrection!"
A vast surge of thought came from the sky, transforming into a thunderous voice within his mind. The Ancient God Heavenly Emperor's voice carried coldness: "You should not have gouged out your own eye. After doing so, you don't even have a soul left. You are already crippled. What ability do you have left to break Ling Tianzun's divine power? You cannot retrieve my physical body, so why should I still help you?"
His voice grew even colder: "You think you can control everything. You think you can toss my imperial edict to that black boar demon. You think you can negotiate with me, make me your arm, your pawn. But in the end, you were always one move short. Do you remember Wei Suifeng?"
Qin Mu was momentarily stunned.
"My Feather Forest Army's Right General Wei Suifeng once managed the right wing of my Feather Forest Army. He was like you—arrogant beyond measure."
The Heavenly Emperor's voice carried mockery: "He was as self-righteous as you, thinking he could infiltrate the Heavenly Alliance, thinking he could deceive heaven and cross the sea, thinking he could do something for the lower realms. But he could never deceive me. Because his official position was granted by me! The moment he infiltrated the Heavenly Alliance, I saw through him and captured him! He too had comprehended Ling Tianzun's divine power. I have already ordered the Eastern Heaven Azure Emperor to take him and sink him into the river, to exchange for the Ghost Ship!"
His laughter was hearty: "As long as I can swap out the Ghost Ship, I can also swap out my physical body that Ling Tianzun has locked in the Heavenly River. I can also use the Empress's body to threaten the Empress. I still have the Dao Ancestor as my helper. I can even seize Earth Lord's daughter to threaten Earth Lord!"
"Why would I still rely on you? I used you to reshape my soul, to complete my three spirits. I used you to gravely wound Heavenly Lord Hao, forcing him to return to the Heavenly Court, not daring to interfere in the Primordial Realm. I then used Heavenly Lord Hao to eliminate Earth Mother Primordial Lord, obtaining her physical body, and thereby obtaining the entire Primordial Realm! Half of this universe, half of heaven and earth, is now within my grasp!"
"Pastoral Heavenly Lord, do you truly think you have the qualifications to negotiate with me?"
He was the true victor of this Primordial Realm war!
Whether it was Qin Mu, the countless living beings of the Primordial Realm, the divine demon armies of the Heavenly Court, the Four Emperors of the Heavenly Court, or even Earth Mother Primordial Lord, or even Heavenly Lord Hao—they were all his pawns!
He was about to make his comeback. He would obtain half of heaven and earth!
In the past, he had lost because he was in the open. Everyone was scheming against him—whether demigods, post-heaven beings, or ancient gods, all wanted him dead.
But now he was in the shadows. Who could still scheme against him?
He was the victor, the sole great victor of this Primordial Realm war!
Qin Mu said coldly: "The Eastern Heaven Azure Emperor? The Eastern Heaven Azure Emperor is right behind me. Why doesn't Your Majesty ask him about the results of the exchange?"
The Heavenly Emperor's voice disappeared. His consciousness withdrew, evidently going to ask the Eastern Heaven Azure Emperor, who was walking toward Qin Mu from the east.
After a moment, Qin Mu sensed another surge of consciousness enter his mind.
It was the Heavenly Emperor's consciousness. This time, the Heavenly Emperor did not chatter on like a lofty victor as he had just done.
He fell silent.
Qin Mu said indifferently: "Wei Suifeng is my senior brother. The most stubborn person under heaven is him, and the most slippery person is also him. He has roamed through ancient and modern times for a million years. You cannot keep him."
The Four Emperors of the Heavenly Court had already drawn near, ready to capture Qin Mu at any moment, or erase him at will.
The Heavenly Emperor's voice sounded again. This time, it did not resonate within Qin Mu's mind but came from beyond the heavens: "Four Emperors, halt."
Qi Xiayu, Netherworld Son-in-Law, and the others stopped in their tracks and looked up. They saw a lush World Tree descending from the sky, planting itself at the center of the Primordial Realm.
Another "Imperial Heavenly Lord" descended from the heavens along with the World Tree—majestic, towering, his body radiating ten thousand beams of light, exuding an air of upright righteousness.
The root ball formed by the World Tree's root tendrils gently expanded, and enormous root systems extended outward, burrowing into the earth.
The roots tunneled underground, causing mountain ranges ten thousand li long to rise across the surface.
The scene resembled a grand and spectacular orogeny, even more magnificent. The life force contained within the World Tree caused the suddenly appearing mountains, flowers, and grasses to grow wildly, trees forming forests, with beautiful mountains and clear waters.
This strange spectacle fully displayed the power of Earth Mother. Yet it was not Earth Mother Primordial Lord who wielded this power—it was the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor.
That "Imperial Heavenly Lord" walked over and said to the Four Emperors of the Heavenly Court: "You may withdraw. He is no longer the Netherworld God Son."
Qi Xiayu and the others were momentarily stunned.
Netherworld Son-in-Law said: "This child is one of the Three Heroes of the Yan Kang Reform, and also the famous Yan Kang Overlord Body, a remnant of Emperor Kai. He cannot be kept..."
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" glanced at him, smiling ambiguously: "Yin Chaojin, he has another identity. He is called Pastoral Heavenly Lord."
Netherworld Son-in-Law's face turned deathly pale in an instant.
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" said calmly: "Pastoral Heavenly Lord's merits overshadow the world. He transmitted the Dao at Jade Pool, blessing ten thousand generations and beyond. How many people in this world are qualified to kill him? If you kill him, you will only bear infamy. Withdraw. He is already crippled. Without a soul, only spirit and flesh remain. He is no longer the Overlord Body."
Netherworld Son-in-Law was dazed and confused.
He wanted to examine Qin Mu carefully, but because of guilt in his heart, his gaze kept dodging, not daring to meet Qin Mu's eyes.
Though he was the Black Emperor of the Heavenly Court, an existence at the Imperial Throne realm, governing the Netherworld Capital with power that swayed the court, when his gaze met Qin Mu's, he could not help but think of a million years ago.
Qin Mu, by contrast, was composed.
The Ancient God Heavenly Emperor had not spoken falsely. He now had no soul, only his spirit embryo and physical body.
He himself was a consciousness born from this body after Qin Fengqing had been sealed away. Even, to be strict about it, the body was not even his own—it was Qin Fengqing's.
From beginning to end, he had only ever been an orphan.
On that night thirty-two years ago, when Granny Si had picked him up from the basket by the riverbank, his consciousness had been born.
Qin Mu—that was the name the Village Chief had given him.
Netherworld Son-in-Law turned and left. Qi Xiayu's gaze fell on Qin Mu, and after a moment, she too spread her wings and departed.
"Pastoral Heavenly Lord? Qin Overlord Body?"
The Azure Emperor and the White Emperor shook their heads and left coldly: "Already crippled."
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" held Qin Mu in the palm of his hand, examining him from left to right, then shook his head: "A person without a soul—how could they possibly help me reclaim my physical body? Pastoral Heavenly Lord, I find it hard to trust you."
Qin Mu put away the peachwood hairpin and sat down in his palm, saying calmly: "Indeed. If I had not cultivated the Indestructible Divine Sense, I might have died the moment I gouged out my third eye, my consciousness dissipating. Your Majesty's lack of confidence is only natural. However, Your Majesty needs to take a gamble."
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" revealed a smile: "I rarely gamble. But after meeting you, I gambled correctly. For the Heavenly Court and the Heavenly Alliance, the threats have grown few. This descent of the ultimate divine artifact is merely a distribution of benefits within the Heavenly Court. We have come to divide the spoils—someone obtained the Netherworld, someone obtained the Mystic Capital, someone obtained the Return to Void, someone obtained the Four Heavenly Extremes. But I snatched the Primordial Realm from Imperial Heavenly Lord's hands! In the future, I will seize even more."
Qin Mu's aura was withered and failing, yet he managed a faint smile: "Your Majesty has obtained the Primordial Realm. Then what of Yan Kang..."
"I can spare Yan Kang. I promised you."
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" smiled: "My word still holds. I will not break my promise. The forces in the Primordial Realm are complex and difficult to govern. Giving your human race a small place to survive is also the virtue of heaven's love for life. Moreover, I am heaven itself."
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief.
"However, the reform must cease. The Three Heroes of Yan Kang must be beheaded, made to walk the Execution Platform. Otherwise, where would the Heavenly Court's authority stand?"
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" looked at his face and smiled: "You may live. The people of Yan Kang may also live. A new Heavenly Map will shroud the entire Primordial Realm. This is the future I give to you, to Yan Kang, and to all living beings of the Primordial Realm."
Qin Mu's heart sank deeper and deeper.
A future shrouded by the Heavenly Map—a future of utter despair.
Emperor Yanfeng and the Yan Kang National Preceptor would become the sacrifices to end this Yan Kang reform.
"There are still some forces in the Primordial Realm that need to be suppressed and subdued. For example, the Great Black Heaven, the Red Ming God Son, and the Netherworld Capital."
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" set him down and laughed: "Your friend has come to find you. Go with him."
Qin Mu saw the Cripple sprinting toward him at lightning speed, fear and anxiety clearly written across his wrinkled face. He seemed to have made up his mind, gathering his courage as he charged toward Qin Mu and "Imperial Heavenly Lord."
Among the elders of the Crippled Elder Village, the Cripple had the smallest courage. Yet he was willing to sacrifice his own life to save Qin Mu.
"Imperial Heavenly Lord" laughed heartily and floated away into the sky.
"Cripple Grandpa."
Qin Mu looked at the old man who rushed to his side, a smile appearing on his face: "I'm fine. I'm just too tired."
"Don't talk!"
The Cripple hoisted him onto his back and ran desperately toward the east. The old man felt warm blood flowing down his back, soaking through to his chest. He could feel Qin Mu's breath growing weaker and weaker.
"Cripple Grandpa, I remember when I was little, Granny would give me away to people from other villages, and every time it was you who stole me back."
Blood flowed continuously from Qin Mu's mouth, his voice growing softer and softer as he murmured: "I couldn't remember things from my childhood before. Back then, I was just a very faint consciousness in this body. But now, suddenly, I remember... I am just a consciousness born within this body, slowly growing up, able to remember many things..."
"Don't talk."
The Cripple's eyes widened as he ran with all his might.
"Mu'er, don't talk. I'm taking you to see the Medicine Master... Medicine Master, why the hell haven't you come yet? I'm too slow, too slow!"
He ran with desperate effort, coughing up blood from exhaustion. The Qin Mu on his back had gone silent, and the Cripple grew worried again, saying: "Mu'er, talk to me for a bit. Don't fall asleep. Mu'er?"
Qin Mu opened his eyes, gazing hazily ahead. A Roc flew through the sky, dancing with the heavens, and Yan Qiling stood on the Roc's back with Dragon Qilin beside her.