Battle of Heavenly Venerables, Clash at Close Quarters

The war drums thundered, shaking heaven and earth, as if their sound could rouse Carefree Haven itself—wake the old generation mired in self-pity, wake the young lost in luxury and comfort, and stir them all from their slumber.

Quinn Shepherd wasn’t beating the Pioneer Emperor—he was striking at the decayed spirit of the Pioneer Era. Yet in the eyes of everyone in Carefree Haven, Quinn was no longer Quinn; he had become that Heavenly Court, that oppressive power they swore to resist to the death!

The scene of the Pioneer Emperor being beaten down within Quinn’s domain showed them their leader trampled beneath the iron heel and fists of Heavenly Court’s gods. In Quinn’s domain, the faces of those god-demons twisted into savage grins, mocking the people of the Pioneer Era for their arrogance, mocking the Pioneer Emperor’s persistence and sacrifice that could never awaken this era’s ignorant masses.

The Heavenly Court Quinn represented scorned them, sneering that they had once been the Pioneer Emperor’s peers, his Dao-friends, but had become pitiful dependents and parasites hoping the Pioneer Emperor alone could turn the tide.

They had become mere spectators, waving flags and cheering for the Pioneer Emperor, and after his defeat, they were left cowering and bereft, protected but helpless.

Quinn Shepherd stood aloof, coldly mocking them, declaring they were unworthy to be the Pioneer Emperor’s Dao-friends!

Yet...

This isn’t right!

These elders, too, were once the chosen of their age—full of pride and ambition, daring to defy Heavenly Court and injustice, burning to change the world!

At the start, they weren’t the Pioneer Emperor’s subjects—they were his fellow travelers in the Dao. Only because he had more courage, resolve, and skill did they choose him as the Pioneer Emperor.

They were never people who needed the Pioneer Emperor’s protection.

The Pioneer Era was never the era of the Pioneer Emperor alone—it belonged to all of them!

As the drums roared and thunder rolled, the blood of those who lived twenty thousand years ago began to boil again, began to burn anew.

Within the drumbeats, the spirit of that age seemed reborn, sprouting again in every heart, growing, thriving!

The Pioneer Reform was always the reform of an entire era—pinning all hope on one person betrays the very essence of reform.

When everyone retreats into their own world, waiting for a single leader to change everything, reform loses its fertile soil.

When their blood cools and all that’s left is complaint and blame, the old spirit is gone.

When the new generation grows up in this atmosphere, how could they inherit the fighting spirit of their forebears? How could they carry on the era’s reformist spirit?

When ambition is stifled and dreams cannot be realized, it’s no wonder they drown themselves in luxury and decadence.

If the Dao cannot be carried out, they don’t drift away on a raft to the sea—because here is Carefree Haven. They cannot leave, so they lose themselves in a haze of pleasure and excess.

But now, the spirit of an era, dormant for twenty thousand years, is awakening in the drumbeats.

Some have already awakened, letting their spirit fill the world, rousing more people, reviving the reform and transformation of the Pioneer Era!

It’s not too late—everything can still begin again from the start.

Even now, we can stride forward and start anew!

In the drumbeats, Quinn Shepherd felt that battle spirit from twenty thousand years ago—the indomitable, unyielding will, the courage to defy Heavenly Court and injustice, the burning ambition to shatter cages and break unfairness!

This spirit was much like Everpeace’s, yet also different; for now, Quinn couldn’t tell exactly how.

He let go, and the Pioneer Emperor dropped from between his fingers like a lump of ruined flesh, crashing into the rolling yellow sands below.

Quinn Shepherd’s colossal face descended from the sky, nearly pressed against the battered Kaihuang Heaven Court, his voice booming like thunder, ringing in every ear: "You..."

"Are you rebelling?"

His roar shook the heavens, the gust from his breath whipping across the Kaihuang Heaven Court.

An elder with white hair and a steely chest bared, slapped his chest with a steel blade and shouted fiercely, "Rebel then—let it be rebellion!"

One voice after another erupted, roaring and drowning out Quinn Shepherd’s own: "Rebellion!"

Regroup the banners—attack the Outer Heaven Court!

This Carefree Haven—I'm done with it! I’ll break out of this cage and fight again!

...

Quinn Shepherd’s face darkened, and he barked, "Enough—!"

Just as he was about to speak, Princess Consort Hansen grabbed him, whispering, "Quinn, that’s enough. Don’t say another word!"

Elena Cloud swooped in, waving her hand to conjure thick clouds overhead, cloaking their figures.

Layer upon layer of clouds covered the sky, gradually blanketing the Kaihuang Heaven Court. Hidden in the mist, Princess Consort Hansen tugged Quinn downward, Elena Cloud guarding beside them, eyes sharp. She said quickly, "The people’s hearts are usable, but now their blood is running too hot. If you keep talking, some madmen will take you for a Heavenly Venerable of the Outer Heaven Court and kill you!"

Quinn Shepherd jumped, stammering, "It can’t be that bad, can it?"

Elena Cloud sneered, "You’ve beaten the Pioneer Emperor so badly, made yourself into Heavenly Court—and now you’re the symbol of Outer Heaven Court. Right now, some can still tell you from Heavenly Court, but others can’t. In the frenzy, killing you is normal. They hate you to death."

Quinn Shepherd muttered, "But the Pioneer Emperor beat me up too. Just now, his Thirty-Fourth Heaven Sword Dao ran me through."

Elena Cloud just sneered.

Quinn looked to Princess Consort Hansen. "Mom—isn’t that right?"

Princess Consort Hansen nodded helplessly. "The Pioneer Emperor really did wound Quinn badly."

Just then, Prince Hansen’s voice came quietly: "Quite a few hotheads have charged up to the sky, clearly ready to kill you and vent their energy. I’ll go find the Pioneer Emperor and ask him to calm the crowd—only he can do it now."

He hurried off again.

Princess Consort Hansen and Elena Cloud hustled Quinn from place to place, trying not to be seen. Right now, the people of Carefree Haven were swept up in emotion; reason was buried, passion ruled, needing release. Quinn had become the stand-in for Heavenly Court—if discovered, he’d be dead for sure.

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"No staying in Heavenly Court—let’s get out!"

Princess Consort Hansen and Elena Cloud whisked him away from Kaihuang Heaven Court. Quinn only heard the Pioneer Emperor’s deep voice echoing from within, surely urging the people of Carefree Haven to step out, to keep fighting, to keep reforming.

But as Princess Consort Hansen and Elena Cloud led him farther away, Quinn could no longer make out what the Pioneer Emperor was saying.

They reached Even-Nurture Heaven; Princess Consort Hansen led them toward Prince Hansen’s Manor. Quinn saw it from afar and shook his head: "I’ve already fought the Pioneer Emperor, I won’t go in. I’ll sit here a while. Celestial Teacher Elena, could you fetch God-King Shu Jun for me?"

Princess Consort Hansen paused, silent.

Elena Cloud immediately departed, heading back to Kaihuang Heaven Court to find God-King Shu Jun.

Time ticked by. Whatever happened after in Kaihuang Heaven Court, Quinn Shepherd didn’t know and didn’t need to. All he knew was that Carefree Haven had come alive again, and its people would no longer keep drowning in dreams—they’d try to step out into the world.

And the Creators would not stay stuck in place—they, too, would step out into the world.

He gazed at the Keane Clan Ancestors’ tombs, watching pale mist rise and spread among the graves.

His heart was completely at peace.

He longed to resurrect his ancestors, to see those vibrant lives return to the world. But this isn’t the outside world—here, he can’t borrow Heaven Duke or Tu Bo’s power, and without flesh, he can’t revive them.

He sat quietly, longing to speak with them, but their consciousness had long since faded—they were not Creators, after all.

The dead have their own path—the body returns to the mountainside.

They died as they should—that is enough.

After some unknown time, the Pioneer Emperor and Hansen Keane approached, God-King Shu Jun and Elena Cloud at their side.

Quinn Shepherd stood, dusting the dirt from his robes. "I guess I can’t stay in Carefree Haven anymore. No one here will welcome me. It’s time I left—after all, I’m not one of Carefree Haven’s people. I’m the Creators’ Saint Baby."

Hansen Keane and Princess Consort Hansen’s faces were complicated with emotion.

Quinn Shepherd had offended all of Carefree Haven. Not only could he not remain in the Keane clan’s genealogy—he couldn’t even stay in Carefree Haven.

The Pioneer Emperor said, "I’ll see you off."

Quinn Shepherd nodded, stepping into the void, heading for the heavens beyond.

The Pioneer Emperor walked beside him, with God-King Shu Jun trailing a few steps behind, not daring to come closer.

He sensed something strange between these two and thought it best to keep his distance.

They walked all the way to the edge of the heavens. Looking back, Quinn saw Hansen Keane and Princess Consort Hansen had vanished from sight. Outside, the Creators had withdrawn their forces, and the starry sky beyond Carefree Haven was empty.

"Qin Kai, did I hit you too hard?" Quinn Shepherd asked with concern.

The Pioneer Emperor’s left eyebrow twitched at the name, and he replied, "Pretty hard—but I can take it."

"You’ve always had thick skin—you can handle it."

Quinn Shepherd grinned. "Don’t you want to know which of us is stronger?"

The Pioneer Emperor remained impassive. "We’re probably even—fifty-fifty."

Quinn Shepherd chuckled. "I think so too. Let’s stop here—your Carefree Haven has a lot to rebuild, and there’s work to do."

The Pioneer Emperor nodded and stopped walking.

Quinn Shepherd walked toward the Creators’ territory. God-King Shu Jun wanted to follow, but suddenly found himself unable to move.

The Pioneer Emperor drew the Worryless Sword and asked softly, "Mark Shepherd, you’ve reached Revered God realm?"

Quinn Shepherd paused and turned back, smiling. "That’s right."

"Then your vital energy must be abundant—even greater than mine."

The Pioneer Emperor gripped the Worryless Sword, saying calmly, "In terms of magical power, I might not match you. You’ve mastered more rune-paths and created your own domain. With sheer power, you could crush me."

Quinn Shepherd turned, a sword pill appearing in his hand, slowly morphing into a divine sword that shimmered with flowing light. He smiled, "That’s true."

The Pioneer Emperor said, "But a real fight isn’t just about magical power or sword skills. How about your Everpeace Reform? Is it any good?"

Quinn Shepherd grinned, "Why not try and see? How else will you know if my Everpeace Reform is stronger than your Pioneer Reform?"

God-King Shu Jun quietly backed away, sweat beading on his forehead.

The Pioneer Emperor smiled, suddenly surging with power. His sword domain exploded to its limit. "Mark Shepherd, have you ever seen Sword Twenty?"

Boom—

A blinding burst of light erupted—Quinn Shepherd unleashed his Divine Treasury domain, the Taiji diagram spinning and expanding, sun, moon, and star rivers rising from within him as the divine sword in his hand surged with power!

"That’s what I was waiting for! Let me see your sword domain—and Sword Twenty!"

Their radiant sword lights collided. At that moment, God-King Shu Jun’s eyes stung, tears streaming as his vision blurred. All he could feel was the intense sword Dao piercing the void!

It was as if ten thousand swords pierced his skin, his body, his soul, and his god-sense, filling him with overwhelming fear!

Soon, the dazzling sword Dao light faded. Quinn Shepherd clutched his chest and turned to leave.

The Pioneer Emperor sheathed his sword, blood dripping from the blade.

"Shu Jun, let’s go!"

Quinn Shepherd’s voice came, a bit short of breath: "I can’t walk—carry me back…"

God-King Shu Jun hurried after him, stunned, stealing a glance at the Pioneer Emperor.

The Pioneer Emperor watched them go, a sense of longing in his gaze.

His sword domain surpassed Quinn Shepherd’s, and Sword Twenty lived up to his expectations—it pierced Quinn’s Divine Treasury domain and broke through his sword art.

Yet, in his Divine Bridge and Divine Treasury, a stunning sword light brushed past his Divine Bridge—graceful as a startled swan, agile as a swimming dragon.

Quinn Shepherd’s Calamity Sword didn’t sever his Divine Bridge—just grazed it, but left him drenched in cold sweat.

Had that sword truly cut his Divine Bridge, his Heaven Palace would have collapsed, crushing the other six Divine Treasuries and utterly destroying his cultivation!

He couldn’t tell if Quinn Shepherd was too weak to finish the strike—or had held back.

Zheng.

The Pioneer Emperor sheathed his sword and turned back toward Carefree Haven. "I need to go see Everpeace’s Reform for myself."