Inside the Moon Palace, Quinn Shepherd and Queena White were truly exchanging sword arts. Although Queena’s sword technique originated from Quinn, after forty thousand years of tempering, her sword path had undergone a qualitative leap beyond the foundation Quinn once laid.
Back then, when Quinn and his companions traveled back forty thousand years, in Baillong City he demonstrated his sword art to Queena White, Felix White, and others. Yet after the fall of the Supreme Sovereign Era, only Queena White survived among those who had witnessed his sword arts.
After Quinn left, she alone guarded the common folk, searching for a place where the Supreme Sovereign Era could endure. Whatever hardships came, she bore them all herself.
Quinn’s sword art gradually evolved in her hands, turning into a divine path devoted to protecting the ordinary people. She became like another First Human Emperor, but unlike him, she was even more driven and forward‑looking.
Her starting point was much lower: the First Human Emperor, Qin Wu, was a descendant of the Pioneer Emperor, raised from childhood with the finest education and the strongest cultivation arts and divine techniques.
But she was only the daughter of Baillong City’s lord, not of pure dragon blood. The best divine arts she ever learned were Quinn’s sword art and the incomplete Ancestral Dragon Supreme‑Mystic Art he taught her. At the time, Quinn hadn’t managed to transmit his full sword system, and the Ancestral Dragon Supreme‑Mystic Art was also fragmentary.
She could only rely on herself to explore and refine her path. Though traces of Quinn's influence remained in her sword art, its essence and intent had long diverged from his.
This time, Quinn fully imparted his sword system to her, and also taught her the complete Ancestral Dragon Supreme‑Mystic Art without reservation.
The reason Queena White, the Supreme Sovereign sword goddess, could not break through to a higher realm was precisely the incompleteness of the Ancestral Dragon Supreme‑Mystic Art. Now, though it cannot deepen her sword Dao intent, it can allow her cultivation realm to advance further.
Such Dao-entry does not come from Emperor’s Throne Arts, nor is it like the Heavenly Court’s ‘Heavenly Venerable’ method of deconstructing ancient god-rune Daos through numerology.
Dao-entry through Emperor’s Throne Arts relies on the founder’s Dao cultivation, granting supreme insight to those who follow.
Dao-entry by deconstructing rune-Daos is a clever shortcut, letting one wield the divine arts of ancient gods.
Both methods are, in the end, shortcuts.
True Dao-entry means being moved by the spirit of a great era—letting one’s Dao-heart dwell within the times, stirred by its breath and pulse, shaken by the turbulence of the red-dust world, until the Dao-heart resonates and enters the Dao.
"Heaven-Guide Venerable, may I ask how to get to Home’s End Abyss?" Quinn asked the Underworld Courier.
Red-dust Dao-entry is the only genuine Dao-entry.
Village Chief’s sword path was forged through repeated setbacks, honoring fallen comrades and broadening his heart.
The Imperial Preceptor entered the Dao through reform and relentless innovation.
Heavenblade's Dao-entry came from defying heaven, earth, and fate, hacking at the sky, and living with passionate loyalty and settling scores.
"Damn, I've left Heaven-Guide Venerable at Goldenridge Academy for nearly half a year!"
Queena White’s Dao-entry was to use her sword to protect the peace of the common folk, to safeguard their lives, and give them hope to survive.
Her sword Dao reached a standstill only after the Supreme Sovereign Era ended and the commoners finally found peace, for with the end of war, her era’s people could at last flourish.
At that time, her sword Dao had reached the Twenty-Seventh Heaven.
When the Pioneer Emperor and other rising stars emerged, Queena White—the Supreme Sovereign Era’s sword goddess—could finally lay down her burdens. Yet for tens of thousands of years afterward, her sword Dao remained stuck and could not advance.
Still, her sword arts and ideals influenced the Pioneer Era for twenty thousand years, and even reached Everpeace forty thousand years later.
Quinn exchanged sword arts with her, imparted his self-created Eighteenth and Nineteenth Sword Forms, and also learned her great sword Dao divine arts.
Through her great sword Dao divine arts, Quinn could glimpse the suffering she endured and her stubborn resolve.
This time, Quinn fully imparted his sword system to her, and also taught her the complete Ancestral Dragon Supreme‑Mystic Art without reservation.
The reason Queena White, the Supreme Sovereign sword goddess, could not break through to a higher realm was precisely the incompleteness of the Ancestral Dragon Supreme‑Mystic Art. Now, though it cannot deepen her sword Dao intent, it can allow her cultivation realm to advance further.
“You want to seek out Home’s End Abyss?”
When Queena White heard Quinn mention Home’s End Abyss, she thought for a moment and said, “Back then, I led my clan into the Eastern Sea. At that time, Origin-Capital was not yet sealed. In one sea region, I encountered a giant dragon—most likely the Lord Drakebar you spoke of. If Lord Drakebar is there, Home’s End Abyss should be nearby.”
Quinn’s eyes lit up and he quickly asked where she had met Lord Drakebar.
Queena White drew him a maritime map and said, “Lord Drakebar has a violent temper—he’s a descendant of the primordial dragons. If you go there, be very careful.”
Inside the Heaven‑Chart Sky Diagram, Everpeace scholars worked diligently like busy bees, repairing damaged formations and modifying the array structure.
The Heaven‑Chart was a treasure. The Imperial Preceptor of the Everpeace Empire wanted to refine it anew and turn it into an array weapon for Everpeace.
The Imperial Preceptor had considered taking the Heaven‑Chart away, but doing so would only make the Heavenly Court forge a new one even faster, which would be a disadvantage for Everpeace.
By exploiting the Heavenly Court’s inertia and making Everpeace seem harmless, Everpeace’s interests were best served.
Quinn and Queena White also left the Moon Palace to help the scholars repair the Heaven‑Chart and improve the array structure. Their days were full and satisfying.
Until one day, Quinn suddenly remembered Heaven‑Guide Venerable.
“Damn, I’ve left You Brother at Goldenridge Academy for nearly half a year!”
Quinn had no choice but to leave; Queena White stood at the entrance of the Moon Palace, waving him farewell.
Quinn stood atop Dragon‑Qilin’s head as the beast bounded away toward the world below.
He glanced back—under the bright moon, she danced with her sword.
Quinn stared, entranced, at the woman’s figure swirling in the moonlight. He sensed Queena White’s sword Dao, long stagnant, suddenly surging forward—advancing once more.
It was as if she had found someone—or something—worth giving her life to protect, and so her sword Dao broke through again!
“Is it Everpeace she wants to protect—the ideals of the Supreme Sovereign? Or… is it just me she wants to guard?”
Quinn shook his head, laughing at himself. “She wants to protect Everpeace. Of course that’s it.”
At Goldenridge Academy, Quinn’s face darkened as he collected the now-plump You Brother and the water kirin, both fattened by Annie’s feeding. Over the past half year, You Brother had trained under State Duke Wei, and his voice had grown so loud that Quinn’s ears buzzed from the noise.
Quinn grew ever more exasperated, strictly forbidding Annie from feeding You Brother and the water kirin any further. On the road, he forced You Brother to train furiously in hopes of shedding his excess weight.
As for the water kirin, Quinn handed him over to Dragon‑Qilin for training.
When it came to slimming down, Dragon‑Qilin had his own methods.
With no one left to feed, Annie turned her attention to Quinn. He bought her sunflower seeds and had her peel them, one by one, for him to eat.
“Young Master, want to eat a demon god?” Annie asked, dragging over a mountain-sized demon god to tempt him.
Quinn shook his head.
Annie pouted, ate the demon god herself, then flew out and caught a deity, asking, “Young Master, want to eat a deity?”
Quinn shook his head again.
After eating her fill, Annie let out a satisfied burp.
They arrived at Jade Capital Academy. Warren Moran’s Jade Capital Academy was less impressive than the others—once the most renowned sacred ground in Everpeace, it had fallen behind due to its aloof detachment and failure to reform quickly, unable to leverage Little Jade Capital’s heritage to attract scholars.
Yet here, Quinn encountered the First Human Emperor. Not only him—the Human Emperors of every generation had gathered here, becoming Imperial Supervisors and teaching the scholars.
Little Jade Capital was originally a fragment of the Pioneer Era’s Heavenly Court. The First Ancestor cherished this place deeply—when he despaired, it was here that he turned into a stone statue.