The Daoists, unwittingly infected by his smile, pointed toward the mountaintop Dao Palace and said, "The Heavenly Court envoys are currently in the Dao Palace. Their status is high, so the Sect Master is personally receiving them."
Quinn Shepherd hurriedly thanked them, glanced at the array diagram on the platform, and his mind stirred. He smiled, "This array only governs the basic movement of celestial phenomena. Each star—like the sun and moon—must use far more complex formations. Every star's orbit and power are different, so the formations must be different too. You Daoist brothers have truly worked hard. To be honest, I'm quite proficient in numerology myself, so I could help you solve some problems."
One of the Daoists shook his head. "The star arrays are already set; there's no need to redesign them. Now, we just need to calculate the sky-map and patch up its flaws."
Another Daoist shook his head, "You didn't catch it earlier—the Heavenly Court envoys want the sky-map reforged, and the celestial divine arts must be embedded within it."
"I see," Quinn Shepherd replied.
A Daoist laughed, "No wonder the Dao Institute brothers have been so diligent lately, always buried in their work—turns out they're designing the celestial formations."
Another Daoist chuckled, "I asked the Sect Master about it. He said, once the celestial divine arts are embedded in the sky-map, if a nation like Everpeace rises up again or the lower realms rebel, there's no need to call the Four Emperors—just activate the sky-map and disasters will descend. The Heavenly Court looks down on small countries like Everpeace and can't be bothered, but every time they have to clean up, it's a hassle. Reforging the sky-map will save a lot of trouble."
"No wonder there are so many Heavenly Court envoys this time. Many are disciples of the various Star Lords, here to oversee the work."
"More than that! Even disciples of the Four Emperors are here, all in the Dao Institute, instructing Daoist brothers on how to design the celestial formations!"
Quinn Shepherd's eye twitched; he barely restrained himself from drawing his sword and cutting down these Daoists.
"Embedding the celestial divine arts in the sky-map—it's truly vicious! If the sky-map is reforged, Everpeace will have no path to survival! And not just Everpeace; in the future, no era will ever have the strength to rebel. There will be no threat to the Heavenly Court! The masterminds are the Heavenly Court envoys—killing these Daoists is pointless."
Quinn Shepherd thought for a moment and asked, "Daoist brothers, where is the Dao Institute?"
An old Daoist pointed ahead. "The Dao Institute is just in front of the Dao Palace. The Heavenly Court envoys are in the Dao Palace, but their subordinates are in the Dao Institute."
Quinn Shepherd thanked them, threw Dao Lord Lucas Lin a glance, and the two left. Dao Lord Lucas Lin asked, "Cult Master Quinn, what do you plan to do?"
Quinn Shepherd looked up at the Dao Institute on the mountain and said in a low voice, "We're going to kill."
Dao Lord Lucas Lin hesitated, "We haven't even met the Sect Master of Azurecloud Sect—are we really going to kill before that?"
Quinn Shepherd frowned, "You still have illusions about the Azurecloud Sect Master?"
Dao Lord Lucas Lin shook his head, his voice flat. "I did, but after seeing the sky-map, I don't anymore."
Nothing is more tragic than a heart turned cold. He had come with the goodwill of a fellow Daoist, but after seeing the sky-map, his Dao heart was shattered once again.
Lucas Lin steadied himself and said seriously, "If you kill the Heavenly Court envoys, you won't leave Azurecloud Heaven alive."
"Once they finish reforging the sky-map, whether it's Everpeace or the Yuan World, everyone's fate will be sealed, all lives held in the hands of the Outer Heaven Court. That will be true hopelessness!"
Quinn Shepherd said coolly, "Back when we measured the sky as ten thousand li high and three hundred zhang thick, we founded the Heaven Alliance. Wasn't the Heaven Alliance created to overturn this sky? Now the chance is right before us! As for safety, we'll worry about that later—let's get the job done first!"
Dao Lord Lucas Lin was swept up by his boldness and couldn't help but smile. "Quinn, even though we're friends, I've always had a bit of prejudice against you. I thought your ways were eccentric, even demonic. But despite that, I admire you greatly. Sometimes I even wish I could be like you—do whatever I want, without worrying about consequences."
Quinn Shepherd laughed, "Dao Lord Lucas, do you still care about the righteous versus demonic divide?"
Lucas Lin smiled, "That's how I was raised, and it's hard to shake off. But after meeting you, Quinn, I don't care much about 'righteous' or 'demonic' anymore. I think your ways may be unconventional, but your heart is pure. Once I realized that, the distinction faded, and more often than not, I'm convinced by your actions."
Quinn Shepherd praised, "The old Dao Lord picked you as his successor for good reason."
Lucas Lin grinned, "And the Heavenly Demon Patriarch chose you as Cult Master Quinn—that's true discernment."
The two burst out laughing, climbing the stone steps as they joked and chatted.
Before they knew it, they'd reached the Dao Institute, with palaces layered within. Several old Daoists rushed out in panic, shouting, "Thieves! Thieves! The Azure Ram Hall was robbed—so many treasures stolen!"
Quinn Shepherd stopped, blocking one of the old Daoists. "Elder, there are thieves in Azurecloud Heaven?"
The old Daoist nodded. "No idea how it happened—the thief must've mastered our Daoist wall-walking art. The seals in Azure Ram Hall were untouched, yet all the treasures were cleaned out! And some Daoists were stripped naked and tied to trees with their own golden dragon ropes—couldn't break free! The thief is among us, definitely one of our own disciples!"
Quinn Shepherd was stunned.
Suddenly, the old Daoist doubled back, sizing them up warily. "You look unfamiliar—where are you from?"
Quinn Shepherd smiled. "I'm the Everpeace Overlord Body, Cult Master of the Heavenly Saint, and Grand Rector of Everpeace Heavenly Saint Academy—Quinn Shepherd. This is Dao Lord Lucas Lin of the Everpeace Dao Gate. We heard Azurecloud Sect is a Dao Gate branch, so we've come to pay our respects."
The old Daoist circled them twice, sneering, "So you're country bumpkin relatives come to climb the social ladder. You don't have what it takes."
[Irrelevant system prompt omitted.]
Quinn Shepherd just smiled and said nothing.
The old Daoist hurried off. Suddenly, Quinn Shepherd stiffened, quickly checked his waist, and his face changed. He chased after the old Daoist but couldn't find any trace!
Quinn Shepherd stopped, his eye twitching.
Lucas Lin asked in confusion, "Cult Master Quinn, what's wrong?"
"One of my Glutton Dragon Pouches is missing."
Quinn Shepherd's face turned green, his teeth grinding. "That old Daoist just swiped it!"
Lucas Lin jumped in alarm and probed, "That kind of skill isn't typical of a Yuan World demigod—it's more like something one of Cult Master's family elders would pull off. But that old Daoist didn't look like your family... Wait, I think I'm missing something too!"
Daoist Chaz quickly patted himself down and cried, "The steel fork I hid in my Daoist crown is gone!"
"A bunch of my spirit pills are gone!" the Dragon-Qilin wailed in despair.
The water kirin's face changed; he frantically checked his spirit pills—they were still there. Suddenly, he realized, "Where's my master? He was just on my back, and now he's gone!"
Everyone looked and saw that Heaven-Guide Venerable, who had been on the water kirin's back, had vanished without a trace!
When did Heaven-Guide Venerable disappear?
None of them had even noticed!
Everyone was stunned.
Quinn Shepherd took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He sneered, "When that old thief makes a move, he never leaves empty-handed! A career thief rarely shows his true face—his disguise arts are so advanced he can change his bones, his features, even his height and build. And after I taught him the Creation Art, he could stand before me as a woman and I still wouldn't recognize him!"
Dao Lord Lucas Lin looked awkward and coughed. "Our Dao Gate has often been 'visited' by that senior as well."
"Never a moment's peace—one day he'll get caught and have his legs broken!"
Quinn Shepherd fumed as he continued toward the Dao Institute. "That old thief has stolen his way through Everpeace, always playing the reformed good man with Blind Grandpa! Now that the Yuan World is open, he's the happiest of all. No wonder we didn't see him in the capital—Azurecloud Heaven is hardly his first target. Who knows how many heavens and sacred lands he's robbed by now! By the way, what did you lose?"
Lucas Lin's face was dark and he said nothing. His gait was a little odd—the old Daoist had stolen his undergarments, but he was too embarrassed to say so.
As soon as they entered the Dao Institute, a crowd of Daoists rushed out shouting, "Did you see those old Daoists just now? After they came, the Dao Institute lost a bunch of things—even the Heavenly Court guests were robbed!"
Quinn Shepherd pointed. "Those Daoists went that way!"
"Thanks!"
The Daoists surged out, murderous intent in the air. "When we catch those old Daoists, we'll break both their legs so they can't run!"
"Those old Daoists are all uncles from the Dao Palace—are we really going to break their legs too?"
"Robbing our Dao Institute deserves a broken leg!"
[...]
Soon, the Dao Institute was nearly empty, leaving only a handful of strange-looking demigods staring at them.
Quinn Shepherd turned, leaving the Dragon-Qilin and water kirin outside to keep watch. He closed the Dao Institute doors, smiled at the demigods, and said, "Gentlemen, I am Quinn Shepherd, one of the Everpeace Reform's Three Heroes—known as the Everpeace Overlord Body and Cult Master of the Heavenly Saint. This is Dao Lord Lucas Lin of the Everpeace Dao Gate. Have you heard our names before?"
The demigods bore all sorts of astral divine traits: one disciple of the Earth Star Lord had a human head and serpent body; one of the Fire Star Lord had a bull's head and human body; one of the Great Sun Star Lord had a bird's head and three legs. Few were truly human-shaped.
Their eyes swept over Quinn Shepherd and Dao Lord Lucas Lin. One wolf-headed demigod—probably a disciple of Kuimu Wolf Star Lord—said lazily, "Everpeace's Overlord Body? Never heard of you."
Quinn Shepherd opened his remaining Glutton Dragon Pouch, and his Sword Pill floated up. He grasped it, and it transformed into a horsetail whisk in his hand. Smiling, he said, "You'll hear of me soon enough—though it'll be the last time."
Dao Lord Lucas Lin tossed aside his whisk and drew his sword. Light flashed—the Fourteenth Dao Sword Chapter unleashed!
The Dao nourishes the heavens and earth, bestows myriad laws, and all under heaven return to one!
At the same time, the whisk in Quinn Shepherd's hand suddenly expanded in the wind. Each whisk thread stretched out wildly, razor-thin swords snaking for dozens of li, winding through every corridor and palace of the Dao Institute!
Each whisk thread was a sword, and every thread displayed a different sword art!
Daoist Chaz, now weaponless, could only stand behind them to hold the line.
Inside the Dao Institute, furious roars erupted. Astral constellations and star visions rose overhead, transforming into a star-river—only for geomagnetic force to explode, dragging the star-river down and smashing it to the ground. Not a single demigod escaped!
After a moment, everything fell silent.
Quinn Shepherd opened the Dao Institute doors; he and Lucas Lin walked out calmly, Daoist Chaz bringing up the rear to shut the doors. Blood streamed out through the crack.
[Irrelevant author note omitted.]