Quinn Shepherd had the same doubts in his heart. As the ancient goddess of war, the Western Emperor White Tiger couldn’t possibly be so simple. But for him, it didn’t matter whether she was simple or not—what mattered was that her life had to be preserved, and he had to ensure the Heaven-Craft smiths of Western Extremity Heaven were sent to Everpeace.
Everpeace had many craftsmen, but true Heaven-Craft divine smiths were still few; the new generation was still being trained. That’s why the very best Heaven-Craft smiths from Western Extremity Heaven were needed to guide and mentor them.
Quinn’s relationship with Indra King Buddha was good, but after all, Indra King Buddha was the Pioneer Emperor’s war king—and now lost, trapped by love, his whereabouts unknown.
After experiencing the Everpeace Cataclysm, Quinn realized he couldn’t rely on Indra King Buddha; nurturing Everpeace’s own talent was the wisest path.
Back in the early Pioneer Era, the Pioneer Emperor gathered a group of unknowns who followed him through the world’s chaos. Later, these became his Four Heavenly Kings and Four Heavenly Teachers, renowned across the land. Meanwhile, those famous in the previous era didn’t hold important posts or achieve anything in the Pioneer Era.
This could serve as a reference for Everpeace.
Quinn discussed with the Western Emperor how many Heaven-Craft smiths to send to Everpeace. He watched as those smiths, carrying great furnaces and divine weapons, stepped into the World Bridge—finally able to relax.
The remaining Heaven-Craft smiths stayed behind to repair the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin. The palanquin was extremely complex; those sent to Everpeace were the best, and those left behind were less skilled, so Quinn had to work personally.
The Western Emperor assisted him, joking, “A Heavenly Venerable who actually knows how to use a hammer?”
Quinn wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “I was always a cow-herding blacksmith. This kind of work is my old trade.”
Western Emperor asked curiously, "A cow-herding blacksmith? What else do you know how to do?"
Quinn thought for a moment, then said, "A painter-apothecary, a sword-wielding fortune-teller, a thief versed in Buddhist arts, and, well, I'm also a tailor who can make furniture."
Western Emperor couldn't help but laugh, "You're quite the rustic Heavenly Venerable. Not like the others, all lofty and refined in speech."
Quinn focused on repairing the palanquin and said, "I'm not like them. They were born noble—I'm just a mud-legged commoner."
By the time the palanquin was fixed, two days had already passed.
"Your Majesty Western Emperor, I must hurry on to Southern Extremity Heaven to see the Southern Emperor, so I won't stay here any longer."
Quinn took his leave, saying, "The Ten Heavenly Venerables' apparent infighting is just a plot against you all. I need to go to Southern Extremity Heaven to check on the Southern Emperor's safety."
Western Emperor didn't try to stop him, but said earnestly, "Once you reach Southern Extremity Heaven, send word that you're safe."
Quinn agreed, and God-Queen Langwo had already boarded the palanquin. Western Emperor came to see them off, glanced at the goddess inside, and asked softly, "Heavenly Venerable, is she really a God-Queen among the Creators?"
Quinn hesitated for a long moment and said, "I've met Tu Bo with her."
Western Emperor thought for a moment and said, "Since Tu Bo knows her identity, I have nothing more to say. Tu Bo is much cleverer than the Four Emperors—he's only ever suffered a major loss at the hands of the Heavenly Emperor. But I still want to remind you, Heavenly Venerable: you don't understand the Primordial Age, but I do—and it terrifies me. The Creators were the rulers of that era; even ancient gods were dominated and enslaved by them."
"Even ancient gods were dominated and enslaved by the Creators?"
Quinn felt a chill in his heart, glanced at the stunning woman in the carriage, and after a moment, withdrew his gaze and said, "Your Majesty, farewell."
He boarded the palanquin. Dragon-Qilin transformed into human form to drive, Annie stood beside him, and with a roar, the Heavenly Dragon soared into the sky, flying toward the World Bridge behind Sky-Bulwark City.
God-Queen Langwo gazed out the window and asked softly, "Do you believe what Western Emperor told you?"
Quinn looked at her face, his expression calm. "Do you think I should believe it, elder sister?"
God-Queen Langwo remained silent.
"I believe," Quinn said.
Quinn said seriously, "A single Creator isn't that powerful, but when more than ten thousand adults perform rituals, their sacrificial power can rival even Heaven Palace or Emperor's Throne experts. If there are hundreds of thousands or millions, enslaving and dominating ancient gods is no problem. So Western Emperor wasn't lying."
God-Queen Langwo withdrew her gaze and asked, "Do you fear the Creators too?"
Quinn shook his head and said serenely, "I am a Creator myself—why should I be afraid?"
God-Queen Langwo looked at him seriously. "The Supreme Emperor was a Creator too, and even he feared the Creators—enough to destroy his own kind."
"But I'm not the Supreme Emperor."
Quinn shifted his gaze to the window, watching the World Bridge draw closer, and said softly, "The era when Creators ruled the cosmos is long gone. Now they're just homeless refugees—sister, you're one of them too. Only by integrating into the present age can you survive. That includes you."
The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin gradually slowed as it approached the World Bridge.
"I've already found the general location of the Creators' Ancestral Court. I still need to pinpoint the exact spot and figure out what kind of seal it is."
Quinn withdrew his gaze and met God-Queen Langwo's eyes. "I promised you—I won't go back on it. I'll help the Creators leave the Beyond-Shore World and return to this universe."
God-Queen Langwo pondered for a moment. "Aren't you afraid the Creators will become rulers again?"
"I'm not afraid."
Quinn leaned back and said, "You can't go back. Even if you find the Ancestral Court, you won't return to what you were. Shu Jun, as a god-king of the Primordial Age, has already accepted this. As a god-queen of the present, you still haven't."
God-Queen Langwo was silent for a moment, then said, "Tell me the general location of the Ancestral Court first."
Quinn wove a Grand-Cosmos Star Map from his yuanqi, marking the sealed Ancestral Court's location. God-Queen Langwo stood up, and Quinn quickly reminded her, "I've only found the general area, not the exact spot!"
Lifting the curtain, God-Queen Langwo stepped out of the palanquin. With her back to him, she turned her head and said, "Saint Baby, you say you're a Creator, but you'll never understand a Creator's pride or our sea of blood-hatred. You're just an outsider who, by chance, became our Saint Baby."
Her figure vanished.
Quinn was stunned. From outside came Dragon-Qilin's voice: "Cult Master, should we enter the World Bridge now, or wait for her to return?"
Quinn said coldly, "No need to wait. Let's go."
Dragon-Qilin was surprised. He looked back at the carriage; through the curtain, he saw Quinn's face dark as still water.
"What's wrong with the young master?" Annie whispered.
Dragon-Qilin hesitated for a moment, then let the Heavenly Dragons pull the palanquin onto the World Bridge without answering.
Annie whispered, "I think the young master likes God-Queen Langwo, but he suppresses his feelings too much. Maybe he needs a Cult Mistress to comfort him—then he'd be happier."
She glanced into the carriage, then hopped onto Dragon-Qilin's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Once we reach Southern Extremity Heaven, let my mother find him one!"
Dragon-Qilin shook his head. "That's not the reason. I'm driving—go back inside and tell the Cult Master, just say he's right."
Annie was puzzled. "That's all? The girl he likes isn't me, so me saying it probably won't help."
Dragon-Qilin sighed, let her take the reins, and returned to his true form, heading inside the palanquin.
Inside the palanquin, Quinn closed his eyes. Two lines of tears slid down his cheeks as he whispered hoarsely, "To seek hope and a future for Everpeace and all humanity—why is it so hard, so exhausting..."
He seemed crushed, gasping for breath.
"Imperial Preceptor, now that I've taken your place, I finally understand the weight you carried. Where are you now?"
He thought of the former Imperial Preceptor, White Jasper. At this moment, what he needed wasn't a Cult Mistress to comfort him, but a comrade who could share the burden and encourage him.
White Jasper once had the Young Patriarch to support him, and later Emperor Evan. He was luckier than Quinn. When White Jasper felt lost or powerless, the Young Patriarch would assure him their path was right.
When he was frustrated, Emperor Evan would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, sharing the pressure together.
But now, Quinn was utterly alone.
Dragon-Qilin came over, sat down at Quinn's feet, and lay down, paws stretched out before him.
"Cult Master, I don't really understand what you're doing,"
Dragon-Qilin hesitated, then said, "But I think it's all right."
Quinn opened his eyes, gently stroked the big beast's head, and whispered, "Only you, Dragon-Fat, truly understand me... Your 'How to Raise Your Human' scripture is complete."
Dragon-Qilin looked up and smiled. "Cult Master, in my heart, you're always that youth who strode past me on a sunny morning. You looked at the Imperial Academy ahead and thought, 'Everyone inside is a bumpkin.'"
Quinn laughed aloud and stood up.
Dragon-Qilin got up too, shaking out his mane and scales, and stood beside him. "Back then, you treated me like the stone lion at the gate, but your eyes were full of spirit and wisdom. I've seen many at the Academy gates, but never a youth like you. I was starving, but in you I saw another Young Patriarch, another White Jasper, another Emperor Evan."
"That's not 'How to Raise Your Human'—that's straight from the heart!"
He smiled. "I didn't stick with you just because you could refine spirit pills—there are plenty of apothecaries who can do that. But there's only one young Cult Master of the Heavenly Saint Cult! I saw your daring spirit, your 'Heaven second, me first' attitude."
"Others think Heaven comes first, then themselves. But for you, it's you first, Heaven second. Your confidence makes everyone take notice—you are the Overlord Body!"
Dragon-Qilin said, "You'll always be that fearless, unbreakable Young Cult Master!"
The sorrow vanished from Quinn's face. He murmured, "That's right, I'm the Overlord Body. I won't be broken, my heart won't grow old—I'm still that Young Cult Master..."
The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin gave a gentle lurch, and outside Annie's cheerful voice called, "Young master, Dragon-Fat, we've arrived at Southern Extremity Heaven!"
Quinn, spirits renewed, stepped out of the palanquin.
Dragon-Qilin grinned and hurried after him.
—Recommended: A popular new novel, 'Global High Martial' by Eagle Eats Chick—it's a hit right now!