With the Spirit-Energy World Bridges, traveling anywhere has become much smoother. The Earth-Mother Origin World is vast and extremely important, so it is threaded with many World Bridges.
Quinn looked outside and saw that they had arrived at one of the central World Bridges of the Earth-Mother Origin World, built inside a skyborne divine city not far from the Origin-Root Tree. He frowned and asked, "Nethervault Demon King, why didn't we go straight to Everpeace?"
Before the Nethervault Demon King could reply, Elaina Cloud laughed, "Everpeace is a small place, and there are only two World Bridges leading to it—one under my control, the other in Zaofu Palace. Coming by any other bridge, you end up in this divine city. This city is called Origin-Capital City, the center of the Origin World."
Quinn's mind stirred. He took out his travel documents and had the Nethervault Demon King go find the local god-general for registration, asking offhandedly, "So, whose hands does the Origin World belong to now?"
He looked around and saw that Origin-Capital City was imposing and heavily guarded. The divine city floated twenty thousand li above ground, monitoring the operation of all the heavens in the Origin World. Many Dao Gate priests were flying through the sky on clouds, plucking the sun, moon, and stars from the firmament and rolling up the heavens.
That was the Heaven-Chart Sky Diagram.
A new Heaven-Chart Sky Diagram must have already been made. The old one was worn out and too small to cover the whole sky of the Origin World, so these Dao Gate priests from Heavenly Court were taking down the old diagram.
Elaina Cloud also looked up in surprise. "You really don't know? The Origin World was supposed to fall into Venerable Vast-Sky's hands, but he was too impulsive, and Venerable Daybreak took advantage of it."
She sighed, "Venerable Daybreak is still cunning. He took advantage of Earth Mother Primordial Lady's revival and her mutual defeat with Venerable Vast-Sky to drive Vast-Sky out and monopolize the Origin World. This world is extraordinary—originally called Origin-Capital, it was rich in divine treasures. When Heavenly Court was first built, the Heavenly Emperor ordered Origin-Capital's treasures mined to construct Heaven itself..."
Quinn was shocked, barely hearing the rest of her words.
With Venerable Daybreak seizing the Origin World, that means he is a reincarnated soul-shard of the Ancient-God Emperor within Heavenly Court!
Quinn had originally suspected that Venerable Consort was the Ancient-God Emperor, but it turned out he was wrong.
"Maybe the Ancient-God Emperor has two identities in Heavenly Court—one as Venerable Daybreak, one as Venerable Consort."
Quinn smiled. "Good little sister, how much do you know about Venerable Daybreak?"
Elaina Cloud blinked, growing wary. "Whenever you want to fish for secrets, you call me 'good little sister' and your sweet talk is endless. As soon as you get what you want, I'm just a fox spirit and you keep your guard up. What are you really trying to find out about Venerable Daybreak?"
Quinn replied earnestly, "I've been in Heavenly Court for years now—almost five, in fact—and I still know nothing about Venerable Daybreak. He seems so mysterious. That's why I want your guidance. Good little sister, you must know him, right?"
Elaina Cloud rolled her eyes and laughed. "Venerable Daybreak is one of your human race's heroes. If you knew his background, you'd probably admire him. With Venerable Skysoar's support, he once served as the very first Heavenly Emperor of the Southern Supreme Sovereign Heaven Court."
Quinn was left speechless, eyes wide.
Seeing his stunned expression, Elaina Cloud couldn't help laughing. "What's with that look? Venerable Daybreak has another identity: he's the disciple of Cloud-Venerable and Moon-Venerable, following them since the Dragon-Han Era. He was the most radical figure in the Heaven Alliance back then—dead set on exterminating the ancient gods, even believing Venerable Vast-Sky, God-Emperor Jadecrest, and the Ancestral God-King all had to be eliminated."
Quinn felt as if thunder had struck him, too shocked to speak.
The Heavenly Emperor was a disciple of Cloud-Venerable and Moon-Venerable? And later became Venerable Skysoar's student too?
"Venerable Daybreak was very active during the Dragon-Han and Chiming Eras. He was extremely xenophobic, hostile toward both demigods and ancient gods, so he was widely disliked."
Elaina Cloud said, "Cloud-Venerable and Moon-Venerable were helpless against his radicalism, so after a 'not too big, not too small' incident, they expelled him from their sect. Unexpectedly, he grew close to Venerable Skysoar. Later, Cloud-Venerable died, Moon-Venerable retired, and Venerable Skysoar valued him highly, supporting him to become the Southern Supreme Sovereign."
Quinn's mind was muddled, unable to speak for a long while.
"It's precisely because he was Cloud-Venerable and Moon-Venerable's disciple, and so close to Venerable Skysoar, that the other Heavenly Venerables don't like him much. He keeps to himself and rarely shows his face."
Elaina Cloud said calmly, "I suspect that back at Jade Pool, when you were rescued, one of the Heavenly Venerables who helped you was him."
Quinn steadied himself and called for the Nethervault Demon King and the others. "Let's go. We're heading to Everpeace."
Dragon-Qilin probed, "Cult Master, are you really going to Everpeace? What about the Supreme Emperor's corpse?"
Quinn laughed, "The Origin World is Venerable Daybreak's domain—what do I have to fear? He's a human, he'll surely protect his own kind. Back when the Everpeace Cataclysm erupted, it was he who shielded Everpeace's humans. If the Supreme Emperor really dares to come, he'll never return!"
Dragon-Qilin panicked and said to Nethervault Demon King, "Brother Nethervault, let's hurry back to Heavenly Court!"
Qin Mu kicked him and sneered, "Idiot, do you not trust the Human Race's Dawn Venerable? With Dawn Venerable around, I'm in no danger at all!"
Dragon Qilin muttered, "But Dawn Venerable isn't actually here..."
Qin Mu pointed ahead and laughed, "Who said Dawn Venerable isn’t here? His divine artifact, Imperial Venerable, is suppressing the Yuandu Realm. If I’m in trouble, Dawn Venerable will activate his artifact and come to my rescue!"
The Nethervault Demon King returned with the travel pass and said, "Cult Master, it’s been registered."
Qin Mu burst out laughing, full of spirit, and waved, "Dawn Venerable already knows I’m here. Since that’s the case, let’s head back to Everpeace!"
The nine dragons roared, their bodies growing, transforming into divine dragons a hundred li long, riding clouds and mist, pulling the imperial palanquin. A river of light stretched eastward across the sky.
Nine celestial dragons thundered along the river, lightning flashing and winds howling, their speed astonishing.
Meanwhile, in the south of Yuandu Realm, towering mountains stood. There lay a range called Venerable Ridge, deep and unfathomable, shrouded in mist year-round. Even gods and demons who wandered in would never return.
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It’s said that a Venerable is buried here, surrounded by more than a dozen celestial realms, all guarding this place, but none dare enter.
That day, Venerable Ridge blazed with light, strange phenomena erupting. Rays of every color burst from deep within the mountains. The gods and celestials guarding the place all stood on clouds, peering downward, seeing the ridge shimmering with treasures as if something precious was about to emerge.
Many gods and demons were tempted. "They say Venerable is buried in Venerable Ridge—could it be his treasure is about to be unearthed? We’re stationed here by order, but maybe fortune favors us!"
Countless gods and demons flew into the mountains, hoping to find treasure.
But Venerable Ridge was truly perilous. Those gods and celestials who entered vanished without a trace—only a burp echoed from within the ridge.
"With these fools sacrificed to me, I can barely replenish some of my dried-up vitality."
From deep in Venerable Ridge, countless white-boned gods and demons flew out, dressed in flowing robes, carrying a massive bronze coffin. Their sleeves billowed as they rode the clouds away.
Origin-Capital City.
The general guarding Origin-Capital hurried to the Celestial Palace in the crown of the Origin-Root Tree, entered Jade Capital City, stepped into High Heaven Hall, and bowed to a divine idol seated on the throne, reporting Shepherd Heavenly Venerable’s arrival.
The idol, made of clay, opened its eyes at the news and said, "I know. You may leave."
The general withdrew.
The clay idol sneered, "That brat does nothing but cause me trouble! You could have gone east, but you insist on returning to Yuandu Realm. How could the Supreme Emperor spare you? If I save you, the other Venerables will know I was one of the three who intervened at Jade Pool. If I don’t, you’ll probably die! Miserable, miserable!"
The divine artifact Imperial Venerable floating above Yuandu began to slowly awaken, its aura rising. At that moment, a portal suddenly appeared in the Origin-Root Celestial Palace.
The clay idol froze. "That door opened again! Last time, rumor had it someone saw Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, and a demon barged in through that door, slaughtering many experts in my palace. My army tried to hunt him down, but couldn’t keep him! Now it’s open again—what trouble is brewing this time?"
Just as he thought this, the door swung open. Out stepped a middle-aged man: thick brows, striking features, gray at the temples, his eyes full of world-weariness.
His clothes were plain, a sword hung at his waist. He appeared in the Origin-Root Celestial Palace, gazed up at the sky, lips moving as if he had much to say.
"Roaming in spirit through my old country, I’m mocked for my sentimentality, graying before my time..."
He sighed deeply. With a sweep of his gaze, though separated by hundreds of li, the Dawn Venerable idol in High Heaven Hall shattered with a crack.
The middle-aged man seemed to feel a chill in the spring air, tightened his collar, folded his arms, and walked away.
"This world has finally returned to its original state, but the people of old are gone, and so are their hearts..." He sighed again and vanished.
In High Heaven Hall, the clay idol quickly reformed into a mud figurine, leaped down from the throne, hurried out of the hall, and looked out—the middle-aged man had already disappeared.
"Qin Ye, Qin Heavenly Venerable!"
A human voice came from the mud figurine, muttering, "He’s left Carefree Haven? This is no small matter... That traitorous Venerable couldn’t sit still in Carefree Haven any longer..."
He looked up at the Imperial Venerable artifact, hesitating. Sending it to kill Pioneer Emperor Qin Ye wouldn’t benefit him; there was no need to risk his life against the Pioneer Emperor.
"Should I inform the other Heavenly Venerables that Qin Heavenly Venerable has appeared?"
The mud figurine paused, returned to the throne in High Heaven Hall, and closed its eyes. "No need to bother. Just pretend you don’t know. If Qin Ye shows up, he won’t let Shepherd Heavenly Venerable be killed by the Supreme Emperor. So I’ll just sit back and watch the tigers fight!"
"Stop the carriage."
As the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin flew toward the upper reaches of Yong River, Qin Mu suddenly spoke, smiling, "Nethervault, we’re almost at my hometown. I’m feeling a bit homesick—let’s travel by land."
The Nethervault Demon King was baffled and laughed, "Cult Master, you get homesick too? If we travel by land, it’ll take more than ten days to reach Everpeace."
"No problem," Qin Mu replied with a smile.
The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin descended, traveling along the river’s surface.
Qin Mu stepped out of the palanquin, took out a jade bottle, and dripped a drop of Origin-Root Primordial Essence, sighing, "I offer my hometown a drop."
The drop of Origin-Root Primordial Essence fell into the river. Moments later, the mountains on both banks of Yong River began to quake, as if something huge was stirring underground, tossing the ranges so they couldn’t settle.