"The Grand Micro Numerology Canon is still a blank territory. It can derive high-order Dao laws that were previously overlooked, but to deduce them requires a large number of expert numerologists."
"Primordial Magnetism Divine Arts are much easier. Cult Master Quinn has already designed several equations to deduce primordial magnetism runes. As long as deeper equations are derived to establish the foundational runes, the outline of this divine art system will be clear."
Victor Bloom discussed with Selena, "I’m planning to establish High Heaven Academy, but High Heaven isn’t under my control yet. Founding the academy is essential—otherwise, Everpeace won’t have a foothold in High Heaven in the future. Selena, what do you think?"
Selena replied, "There’s no academy in the Western Lands so far. Why not recruit talent from there? The Western Lands are full of capable people, but the noble clans are deeply entrenched. If you start a High Heaven Academy that sets aside clan prejudice, the True Heaven Palace Mistress will be eager to help you. Helping you means helping her break the grip of those powerful families."
She thought for a moment, then said, "The Western Lands were conquered by Cult Master Quinn, and the great noble houses there respect him most. If High Heaven Academy is built there, you should invite Cult Master Quinn to serve as Chancellor. With his reputation and the support of the True Heaven Palace Mistress, there’ll be no resistance. Once the academy is established, you can reclaim High Heaven and drive out the Heavenly Court’s lackeys—then High Heaven will be under your control. And if High Heaven joins Everpeace, the emperor will fully support you."
Victor Bloom’s eyes lit up and he laughed, "Selena, that’s an excellent idea—let’s do it. Now, for Cult Master Quinn’s Grand Micro Numerology Canon and Primordial Magnetism Divine Arts, which direction should High Heaven Academy choose?"
Selena pondered, "Dao Gate has a long history and deep foundations, while High Heaven Academy hasn’t even been founded yet, so you don’t have the resources to compete with the Dao Lord. Besides, the Grand Micro Numerology Canon will be extremely difficult—even in a few years, it’ll be hard to see results. But Primordial Magnetism Divine Arts will yield results much more easily. In a few years, High Heaven Academy and Heavenly Saint Academy can share the fruits of Primordial Magnetism Divine Arts, and with Heavenly Saint Academy’s reputation, you’ll make a name for yourself. Scholars everywhere will naturally want to study at High Heaven Academy."
She smiled, "By then, Dao Gate’s research into the Grand Micro Numerology Canon probably won’t have produced much. Once you’ve built your reputation and gathered talent, you can join the research on the Grand Micro Numerology Canon."
Victor Bloom felt completely reassured and laughed, "With a wife like you, what more could I ask for?"
With their plan settled, Selena said, "Princess Lynn Ling is a first-rank Commandery Prince in the Western Lands. The emperor trusts her deeply, and she’s a heroine among women—since the Western Lands honor women, she’s widely respected and has a broad network. I’ll go visit Princess Lynn Ling to build that connection, and through her, connect with the True Heaven Palace Mistress. You can discuss things with Cult Master Quinn to secure his support. With these ties, there will be no obstacles."
Victor Bloom made a prompt decision and told Quinn Shepherd about the plan.
Quinn Shepherd smiled, "There’s only one True Heaven Palace in the Western Lands, and it was originally subordinate to High Heaven. But in recent years, their grip on the Western Lands has loosened, so the noble houses have flourished. In peaceful times it’s fine, but if chaos breaks out, the Western Lands will surely rebel. Victor, founding High Heaven Academy is a great idea. I can lend my name to it. You should also meet with Lynn Ling—she’s deeply rooted in the Western Lands—and then petition the emperor together. The emperor will provide funding and people to help you get High Heaven Academy up and running as soon as possible."
Victor Bloom was overjoyed.
After Quinn Shepherd wrapped up some affairs at Heavenly Saint Academy, the First Human Emperor said, "Quinn, it’s time for us to set out!"
Quinn Shepherd acknowledged, bid farewell to Granny Sue, and followed the Woodcutter Sage, Aurora Yates, and the others.
"There’s a Disaster God statue ahead in Baston Prefecture."
The Woodcutter Sage asked, "Should the Heavenly King go take a look?"
Aurora Yates replied calmly, "Let’s go have a look."
Quinn Shepherd followed them to Baston Prefecture. The statue had emerged from within Baston City, towering over the city like a mountain.
The statue had a bird’s head and a human body, with half-spread wings and piercing eyes. It was the statue of a woman.
She was draped in Vermilion Bird fire-patterned feathers. Though her body was enormous, her figure was slender and graceful—if not for the bird head and talons, the overall impression would be quite beautiful.
Bricks and stones had been piled up around the statue, but outside the wall were heaps of incense ash and candles—left behind by townsfolk who came to offer worship, unaware of its true nature.
"Do these people not realize the statue is a Disaster God, here to wipe them out?"
Aurora Yates saw that some citizens were still burning incense and praying, and shook her head. "Once the statue awakens, it’ll bring disaster to Everpeace. These ordinary people with no cultivation will be the first to die. Praying to a Disaster God that’s about to kill you—what sense does that make?"
Quinn Shepherd said, "Sister, that’s the challenge in breaking the inner temple of the heart. The more terrifying the god, the more the common people revere them, and the easier it is for them to receive worship. The Imperial Preceptor’s reforms of folk customs are meant to break the people’s inner gods—whether divine practitioners or demons, they should serve humanity and be used by people."
The statue’s feathers had already transformed from stone to real plumage, clearly having absorbed much blood and essence from the dead—showing subtle signs of awakening.
The scales on her legs grew clearer, and even the skin on her neck faintly showed divine blood flowing beneath the surface.
Although Lowell Yunch had fled, the damage he left behind was severe—many statues across Everpeace were on the verge of awakening, and Baston’s was just one among them.
In truth, even without Lowell Yunch, these statues would eventually revive. Whenever ordinary folk in Everpeace died, they became offerings for the statues.
Lowell Yunch had only accelerated the process by many times.
Aurora Yates approached the statue and said softly, "So you’re a junior apprentice under the Southern Emperor. You may return and report to the Southern Emperor that your senior sister Aurora Yates is now in Everpeace, and this tribulation should be called off."
The bird-headed goddess statue did not respond at all.
Aurora Yates chuckled softly and said unhurriedly, "You should be able to hear my voice. Your physical body is here, but your Primordial Spirit remains with the Southern Emperor; whatever I say here, you can hear."
Suddenly, a clear birdsong came from the bird-headed goddess statue. The birdsong turned into a woman’s voice: "You’re also a disciple of the Southern Emperor? If you’re my senior sister, then why help outsiders? Senior sister, it’s not that I refuse to give you face, but if I left just because of your words, where would my dignity be?"
"I’m giving you face, which is why I’m asking you to leave politely."
Aurora Yates smoothed a strand of hair by her temple, half smiling, "You joined late, didn’t you? I suppose you don’t know you have a senior sister—or what I’m capable of."
The bird-headed goddess statue suddenly moved, lowering its head and staring at Aurora Yates with its stone eyes. "May I ask for a lesson?"
Aurora Yates raised her hand and pressed lightly at the air. The mountain-sized bird-headed goddess statue vanished with a thunderous boom, leaving behind a shattered spatial rift. From the rift came shrill bird cries!
Aurora Yates hooked her hand backward and pulled—the bird-headed goddess statue came whistling back, crashing into Baston City. The statue shuddered violently as fragments of space behind it swirled and quickly re-knitted the rift until not a trace remained!
The bird-headed goddess statue’s flesh and blood rapidly regenerated, and in no time it transformed from a statue into a living deity.
The bird-headed goddess stood frozen in place, her face showing terror. Her body trembled, not daring to move.
She had turned her own body into stone to send her statue to Everpeace, but her Primordial Spirit contained too much power and couldn’t cross the world barrier to descend into this world.
So she had to wait for flesh and blood sacrifices to exchange energy, allowing her Primordial Spirit to descend and revive her body—only then could she bring tribulation and destruction to Everpeace.
Yet just now, with a single press of her hand, Aurora Yates sent her physical body straight back to her palace in the other world.
Not only did she send her back home, she even forced her Primordial Spirit back into her body!
With a backward hook and pull, Aurora Yates dragged both her body and Primordial Spirit into Everpeace, allowing her to revive!
Such power, such terrifying strength—it was almost on par with her master, the Southern Emperor!
She had never heard of such a senior sister among her fellow disciples!
Aurora Yates said calmly, "Junior sister, this is what it looks like when I don’t give you face. Earlier, I already gave you plenty of face—don’t push me."
The bird-headed goddess hurriedly stepped back and bowed, "I obey Senior Sister’s command."
She was about to leave when she suddenly froze.
Now that she had been dragged into Everpeace’s world, a world barrier still separated her from her own realm, and with her current strength, she couldn’t cross it.
Cold sweat broke out on the bird-headed goddess’s forehead as she looked at Aurora Yates.
Aurora Yates smiled, "Junior sister, have you forgotten something?"
The bird-headed goddess suddenly understood and focused her mind. In the capital’s treasury, a tribulation weapon sealed under many barriers suddenly shook violently, breaking the seals apart. A vermilion-red gourd shot into the sky, blew open the treasury, and streaked toward Baston Prefecture.
Soon, the bird-headed goddess raised her hand and caught the vermilion-red gourd, respectfully asking, "Senior sister, may I return now?"
Aurora Yates smiled faintly, "When my junior brother from the Northern Emperor’s line came to bring tribulation, he not only took away the Northern Emperor’s weapon, but also left behind one of his arms."
The bird-headed goddess’s face changed dramatically. Suddenly, her wings lifted behind her like a blade of fire, and with a flash she sliced off her other wing.
The severed wing streamed with fire, its flames dazzling and splendid, as if woven from countless divine-script feathers.
The bird-headed goddess endured the pain, placed her wing down, and stepped back respectfully.
Aurora Yates smiled, "Junior sister, that’s enough. When you return, tell Master that Senior Sister Aurora Yates is here—after twenty thousand years, I haven’t paid my respects. Give her my regards for me."
The bird-headed goddess was sweating from pain, her voice hoarse, "I will definitely see Master!"
Aurora Yates smiled, "Tell her that if she comes to bring tribulation herself, I won’t show mercy. You may go."
With a flick of her finger, the bird-headed goddess spun uncontrollably and plunged into the depths of space, disappearing.
Aurora Yates waved her hand gently at the spatial rift, smoothing it over until not a trace remained.
Qin Mu asked worriedly, "Sister, by making her leave a wing behind, won’t that create trouble later? She’ll surely hold a grudge."
Aurora Yates smiled, "Trouble is inevitable, but I don’t worry about grudges from junior disciples. My masters are the real threats. Mostly, I’m just lazy—too lazy to hunt down all these statues. If the junior disciples suffer, they’ll report to the Northern and Southern Emperors. When those Emperors know I’m here, they’ll realize tribulation can’t succeed, and forcing disciples into it will only end badly. So they’ll recall the other statues, sparing each disciple from losing a limb. And I won’t have to go searching for them, a win-win."
Qin Mu picked up the bird-headed goddess’s wing. Aurora Yates quickly said, "Don’t touch that! It’s Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire…"
Qin Mu had already picked up the wing. Aurora Yates was surprised and examined his hand, seeing Qin Mu’s vital energy transform into intricate rune flames, crystalline in form, perfectly blocking the Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire. No matter how fierce the fire’s power, it couldn’t harm him at all.
"Is this the Celestial Capital Divine Fire?"
Aurora Yates exclaimed, "You used the Taiwei Calculation Scripture to deduce the Divine Fire Dao?"
Qin Mu nodded and smiled, "I’ve been accustomed to frugality since childhood. That senior sister just now must be a master of the Divine Platform realm—her wing should make a fine divine blade or sword, so I’ll keep it for now."
He placed the wing into the Taotie pouch, clearing a space so the Vermilion Bird Sacred Fire wouldn’t burn his treasures to ash.
Aurora Yates leaned in to look, seeing another arm inside the Taotie pouch—it was the arm of the Disaster God under the Northern Emperor, which Qin Mu had also collected.
"You really are thrifty, little brother," Aurora Yates praised.
The Woodcutter and the First Ancestor Human Emperor looked at each other with strange expressions.
After several days of travel, they arrived at the capital. Qin Mu first visited the Tujiang Manufacturing Plant to remove the sword pill from Long Qilin’s back, where the factory’s mechanical giant refined it.
Tujiang Manufacturing Plant was the largest in Everpeace, perfectly suited for forging mountain-sized sword pills. No other plant in the region had facilities so large.
Soon news arrived that all the statues across Everpeace had vanished overnight. The capital’s treasury exploded several times, and the tribulation weapons stored inside disappeared without a trace.
Thus, a great tribulation was quietly resolved.
The Woodcutter waited for Qin Mu to finish his arrangements, then smiled, "Now we can go meet the Imperial Preceptor and Emperor Yan Feng."