"This wreck of a ship is just too bizarre!"
Qin Mu, Dragon-Keeper Lord, and Village Chief all felt their hair stand on end. They had never heard of anything like this—a living being actually fusing and growing together with the great hall itself. It was beyond shocking, yet it was happening right before their eyes!
It's not unheard of for different species to grow together and become one entity, but that's always living things with other living things. This, though, was a living being fused with something dead.
The most terrifying part was that even an existence as powerful as the Emperor's corpse hadn't escaped—he too had become part of the great hall!
Village Chief was the first to step back into the hall, lowering his voice: "Let's go have a look. Be careful. If there's any danger, Mu'er, you activate your teleportation art and escape—don't worry about us, just save yourself!"
Qin Mu shook his head. "My teleportation art is fast enough—I can take you both with me."
Village Chief shook his head, knowing he couldn't persuade him otherwise.
They returned to the hall. Everything inside was neat and orderly, just as before—except for the people now fused with the architecture.
"Autumn Cloud Phoenix escaped."
Qin Mu looked around but saw no sign of Autumn Cloud Phoenix.
Village Chief stared at the mural on the great hall wall and shook his head. "She didn't escape either. Look here."
Qin Mu looked at the mural. It depicted the Feather-Guard Corps suppressing a rebellion—gods and demons in fierce combat, the scene brutally intense. Each Feather-Guard soldier was valiant and formidable.
As for painting technique, the Dragon-Han Heavenly Court era's painting-Dao was only just beginning, not yet refined. It couldn't compare to the painting-Dao of the Kaihuang and Everpeace eras.
The Feather-Guard soldiers in the painting looked flat, while Deaf could paint worlds both inside and outside the canvas.
Painting-Dao is also a postnatal Dao.
The Cult of the Heavenly Saint has three hundred and sixty trades, three hundred and sixty halls. After Qin Mu became Cult Master, he added academies. In fact, many of the Cult's professions could become postnatal Daos—not innate, but pioneered by postnatal beings.
Yet in this mural, which looked crude to Qin Mu, there was a phoenix soaring with outspread wings—so vivid and lifelike that it stood out, completely at odds with the flat Feather-Guard soldiers.
That was Autumn Cloud Phoenix. She got caught while trying to flee—most likely as she reached the hall's edge, the time-reset trapped her inside the painting.
"Where's the Earth-Primordial Sword?"
Qin Mu blinked and looked around. Autumn Cloud Phoenix had revealed her true form—a phoenix—clutching the sword in her talons.
After all, this sword was refined by Earth Mother Primordial Lady—it was incredibly powerful. Golden light spun around the blade, and that light constantly rotated, actually resisting the time-reset. It might even break free from the mural!
Qin Mu tried to grab the sword, but couldn't get hold of it. He could only sigh in regret.
Autumn Cloud Phoenix's eyes could still move. She glared at him, cheeks puffed out in anger.
Qin Mu ignored her and walked over to the Empress Coffin. Inside lay the corpse of a northern Heaven Emperor, stiff and twisted, roaring desperately to break free from assimilation—but unable to escape.
"Mu'er, that emperor's corpse still has imperial might. Don't get too close."
Village Chief's voice came, and Qin Mu felt that terrifying imperial might too. The emperor's corpse was so fierce that it seemed on the verge of breaking free from assimilation, making Qin Mu shudder.
The three of them looked around. The eight divine dragons had turned to stone again, still guarding the Empress Coffin, which was now sealed shut.
Other than themselves and the sealed demigods and gods, there was no one else left in the hall.
Chiming Divine Son, Ancestral Dragon King, God-Knife Logan, Prince Autumnshade, and the rest were gone—presumably they'd escaped.
Village Chief made a snap decision: "Mu'er, Autumn Cloud Phoenix and the emperor's corpse will break free soon—they might attack us. This Ghost Ship is enormous. Let's get out of here fast and search elsewhere for a way off!"
Qin Mu shook his head and walked toward the Empress Coffin. "I want to take another look at Her Majesty the Empress and Absolute Dust."
Village Chief frowned, then suddenly looked relieved. "Mu'er is growing up—he likes looking at beautiful women now. Even the pig I raised has learned to root for cabbage! These past few years, Granny and the others kept worrying this kid would never figure things out, but now he's finally getting it."
Qin Mu cast his spell again and opened the Empress Coffin.
Inside the coffin, Her Majesty the Empress and Absolute Dust lay side by side.
Qin Mu took a deep breath and activated his Overlord Three-Core Art. Suddenly, the Gate of Bearing Heaven appeared behind him!
"Mu'er, what are you doing?" Village Chief asked, instantly alert.
"I'm going to summon the souls of Her Majesty the Empress and Absolute Dust, and get some answers!"
Qin Mu immediately began the ritual, speaking in a deep voice: "Don't worry, Village Chief. I'm not resurrecting them—just summoning their souls to ask questions. Once we're done, I'll send them back. I won't keep them here."
Village Chief let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. Sending Her Majesty's soul back is fine, but keeping Absolute Dust's soul around wouldn't be so bad..."
Qin Mu paused, glancing at him.
Village Chief's old face flushed red and he hurriedly said, "I just think this woman is too pitiful. If you think it's best to send her away, then send them both. I'm getting old, and you're not home much—sometimes I feel pretty lonely and could use some company..."
Qin Mu ignored him, casting the Soul-Summoning spell. He chanted in Youdu demon-speech, then switched to Xuandu god-tongue, mixing all sorts of languages together—the power of his magic grew ever stronger.
After a while, Qin Mu suddenly stopped. "Strange!"
He paced around the Empress Coffin, muttering to himself, "No soul—how is that possible? There can't be no soul! Even if Heaven Venerable's soul was scattered for a million years, I could gather his fragments. This woman must have a soul..."
Village Chief asked, "Mu'er, what's wrong?"
"Absolute Dust has no soul."
Qin Mu was baffled. "I just used the Soul-Summoning spell to gather her soul. No matter where her soul was scattered across time and space, my magic should sense it. But I couldn't feel even a trace—not a single soul-particle! This body is just an empty shell!"
"You mean..."
Village Chief looked puzzled. "Is it possible Absolute Dust is still alive? She only abandoned this body, but changed her face and lives on in the world?"
"No—even if she changed bodies and faces, her soul wouldn't change. My Soul-Summoning spell draws out souls; even if she changed her appearance, her soul would still be summoned by my magic. Even if I couldn't summon her, I would sense where her soul is."
Qin Mu's expression grew even stranger. Suddenly he declared, "Absolute Dust was created—she's artificial!"
Village Chief was startled. "A beauty like that—artificial?"
Qin Mu stopped and looked at the breathtakingly beautiful woman in the coffin. "It's not impossible to create someone so stunning. But you'd need extraordinary mastery of creation-arts. You could make a perfect woman, but creation-arts can't generate a new soul. That's why Absolute Dust has no soul."
Village Chief glanced at the woman in the coffin. Suddenly, it was as if a weight lifted from his heart—just now, she'd unsettled his Dao heart, but now she no longer affected him.
"Mu'er, you're saying someone created this beauty to tempt the Heavenly Emperor into reincarnating, then killed him?"
Village Chief added, "But the Heavenly Emperor—he's so powerful. Wouldn't he notice she had no soul?"
Qin Mu pondered. "Someone would have to send their own Primordial Spirit into Absolute Dust's body—to become Absolute Dust."
Village Chief thought for a moment. "And that person would need to know the Heavenly Emperor intimately—know his tastes, so he wouldn't suspect a thing. The one hiding inside Absolute Dust must have been someone close to him."
The two exchanged a glance.
Suddenly, Village Chief said, "Mu'er, try summoning the Empress's soul. I just had an idea."
Qin Mu instantly understood Village Chief's idea, but didn't say it aloud. Instead, he followed his advice and activated the Soul-Summoning spell again, trying to summon Her Majesty the Empress's soul.
"If my guess is right, summoning the Empress's soul will be dangerous. I'll protect you!"
Village Chief drew his sword, closed his eyes, and his aura erupted. The sword in his hand grew brighter and brighter, like a startled dragon ready to soar!
He pushed his sword path to the limit!
Qin Mu began chanting in Youdu god-tongue. The Gate of Bearing Heaven opened behind him, radiating ominous demonic energy.
After a moment, he finally sensed Her Majesty the Empress's soul!
It was a complete soul!
Her Majesty the Empress's soul was utterly undamaged—all three souls intact, incomparably powerful. To Qin Mu, she felt like a mighty deity standing high above the nine heavens!
The moment Qin Mu sensed her, Her Majesty the Empress sensed him too. Her phoenix eyes opened, gazing at him across endless space.
Suddenly, darkness fell before Qin Mu's eyes, as if he had plunged into an unfathomable abyss. His soul twisted, seeming ready to leave his body and fall forever!
Clang—
Village Chief's sword flew up, its light piercing the void, slashing through space. In an instant, the dazzling sword light severed Qin Mu's connection to the Empress. When the light faded, Village Chief's body trembled, and blood gushed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
Suddenly, Qin Mu saw only sword light—his Primordial Spirit snapped back to his body. Sweat drenched him, and his hands and feet shook uncontrollably.
"Alive! The Empress is still alive!"
He gasped for air like a drowning man, voice hoarse. "The Empress didn't die!"
Village Chief's sword hand still trembled, the divine sword buzzing violently. Suddenly—crack!—his sword exploded, shattering into countless fragments!
Village Chief released the hilt, which turned to dust and slipped from his palm.
"Old hand—she's an old hand at this!"
Village Chief spat out blood, his breath weak and body limp as he collapsed, chuckling, "Her Majesty the Empress is a true old hand! Mu'er, when you left the village, I told you the jianghu is treacherous—now you see?"
Qin Mu immediately began healing his wounds, replying in a low voice, "I understand, Village Chief."
Lord Dragonkeeper was utterly confused, still not understanding. He blurted out, "Wasn't Her Majesty the Empress dead? How is she alive? And how is she an old hand at this?"
Qin Mu and Village Chief didn't answer.
In the Qin character continent, Heaven Duke, Tu Bo, Scarlet Emperor, and Great Brahma King Buddha were all dumbfounded, speechless for a long time.
Big-headed baby Qin Fengqing suddenly pounced, smashing Lava Tu Bo to bits, snatching up the Slaughter Cauldron and running off.
The chunks of lava reassembled themselves, and Tu Bo's body returned to normal. But he didn't chase after the Slaughter Cauldron—he just stared blankly.
"Old hand at this."
He sighed. "A true old hand. So the Empress is Absolute Dust!"