From Tu Bo's perspective, Qin Mu watched the entire Heavenly Court battle unfold—from Tu Bo rampaging through South Heaven Gate, to Jade Pool, shattering the Execution Platform, and destroying one Heaven Palace after another.
He arrived at Jade Capital City, the seat of the Heavenly Emperor. By then, the chains binding him had multiplied, locking him down tight—chains forged from Youdu's Dao rules. Tu Bo was bound so completely, yet still he charged forward, killing without restraint.
The chains wound ever tighter—not only from Youdu, but also from Tu Bo's own nature.
As the incarnation of the Dao, every action he took had to conform to its laws. The stronger the ancient god, the tighter the constraints imposed by their own rules.
Tu Bo was no exception.
Even in reincarnation, he remained the Dao's incarnation—reborn among humans, still bearing bull horns and a tiger's head.
Youdu's rules limited his power in the living world; even if he awakened his Youdu might, his own nature would still restrain him.
The harder he fought, the more he killed, the deeper his own suffering grew.
Chaos reigned in the Heavenly Court. The gods were struck with terror, unable to fathom the source of Tu Bo's rage.
Ancient gods live as long as the heavens, enduring through the ages. They cannot grasp the life and death, love and hate of mortals, nor the weight of mortal grudges and passions.
A mortal's life and death last barely a century—a mere blink for ancient gods. Before they've even noticed these humble little insects, the insects have already grown old and died.
Tu Bo reincarnated, and for the deaths of his wife and children in that mortal life, he unleashed a massacre—storming into the Heavenly Court. To the gods, this was intolerable.
Even more outrageous, he slaughtered the gods of the Heavenly Court, driving them to death or flight.
To ancient gods, mortals are just insects breeding in each world; for one of their own to reincarnate as an 'insect,' then massacre the gods over the death of insects, was utterly incomprehensible.
Sacrificing mighty ancient gods and demigods of noble bloodlines for the sake of a few mortals—this, to them, meant Tu Bo had gone mad.
Yet not even the most heavily fortified Jade Capital City could withstand Tu Bo's fury. Its gates were smashed open, gods wailed and scattered in panic.
Tu Bo ignored the fleeing gods, continuing deeper into Jade Capital City. Behind him, half the Heavenly Court was already shrouded in Netherworld Miasma.
Within that miasma, chains pierced his flesh.
The chains stretched taut, blood streaming from his wounds and pooling on the ground, transforming into Netherworld demon-fire.
Still, he pressed on, heading straight for Regal Splendor Palace's Hidden-Dragon Hall within Jade Capital City.
Regal Splendor Palace, Hidden-Dragon Hall—one of the Thirty-Six Heaven Palaces and Seventy-Two Treasure Halls—was home to the imperial princes.
The Heavenly Emperor's sons and daughters lived there.
Tu Bo's aim was clear: to reach that place and destroy it.
The Slaughter Cauldron's power was overwhelming. Forged from the Heavenly Court's God-Slaying Headsman's Blade—once the Court's deadliest weapon—Tu Bo reforged it into the Slaughter Cauldron. Whether demigod at their peak or ancient god, none could escape its slaughter.
The great cauldron devoured the gods' power, growing ever stronger.
Ahead lay Hidden-Dragon Hall and Regal Splendor Palace, but Tu Bo's strength had reached its limit.
He roared in fury, struggling to advance, but could not break free of the shackles of Youdu's Dao.
Tu Bo howled in grief, hurling the Slaughter Cauldron at Regal Splendor Palace's Hidden-Dragon Hall. The cauldron spun downward, its might enough to crush the Heavenly Court itself!
That was a blow of pure vengeance, driven by Ugly Ox's thirst for retribution—determined to annihilate every life within, no matter if they were the Heavenly Emperor's children or sinners beyond redemption.
But then, a single hand caught the world-crushing Slaughter Cauldron, locking it in place and suppressing its deadly power.
"Fellow Daoist, now that you've fought your way here, hasn't your anger run its course?"
The Heavenly Emperor stood before the towering High Heaven Hall, one hand gripping the Slaughter Cauldron, his gaze fixed on Tu Bo. His voice echoed from afar: "I didn't stop you before because I knew they were in the wrong, so I let you vent your wrath. Now that you've done so, why insist on annihilating my children?"
Behind him, a host of ancient gods appeared—all of them unimaginably powerful.
Tu Bo panted heavily, blood streaming along the chains embedded in his flesh, demon-fire blazing around him.
The Heavenly Emperor sighed. "Those gods deserved their fate. But now you're consumed by rage, trapped in a mortal body, your reason and Dao heart lost. You think you're right, but once you return to Youdu and your Dao heart recovers, you'll see how absurd your actions today were. We're fellow Daoists—I'll not make things difficult for you. Go back."
Tu Bo struggled against the chains, panting furiously—fire spewing from his nostrils like dragons, blood and flame pouring from all three eyes.
The Heavenly Emperor sighed softly. "Reincarnating as a human was meant to temper your spirit, but you've sunk too deep. Let me lend you a hand—I'll send you back to Youdu."
With a wave of his sleeve, Tu Bo could no longer stand firm in the Heavenly Court. Chains dragged him into darkness, the continent of Youdu behind him plunging downward, carrying him into the depths of shadow.
In Youdu, Tu Bo's vast true body finally awakened—three eyes opening one after another, gazing up at the Heavenly Court from the darkness.
Meanwhile, the reincarnated Tu Bo—once Ugly Ox—was dragged ever downward by countless chains, falling to the deepest darkness at the feet of Tu Bo's true form, becoming a continent of shadow.
The chains wrapped him tight, locking him in place.
Soon, a great dark city would be built on that land—crafted from black jade and named Jade-Lock Pass, meant to suppress those steeped in sin.
And Tu Bo's reincarnated self would be its very first prisoner.
"Fellow Daoist."
Above, in the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Emperor's gaze met Tu Bo's from afar. His voice rang out from beyond the nine heavens: "Awake now? Do you agree with what I said before? Now that you've returned to Youdu, your Dao heart restored, your true self regained—you must see how wild your actions were just now."
Tu Bo, towering and mighty, looked down—his gaze falling on Ugly Ox's shoulder.
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Ugly Ox's shoulder was empty.
He lifted his gaze again, looking toward the Heavenly Court.
When he was cast back to Youdu, the baby girl on his shoulder fell, caught by the Heavenly Emperor's hand.