922 How to Acquire a Turning Point and Drag a Son From the Celestial Heavens (1/2)
Serenity surrounded the Slow Winding Pavilion.
Que Jingxue and others sunk into silence, their faces revealing the complex emotions and dilemmas within.
The Celestial River Divine Treasure moved them, but Qin Mu's extremely convincing speech moved them more.
Qin Mu wasn't wrong. The reason that the celestial heavens looked at reforms in a hostile fashion wasn't that they were afraid that their rule would be threatened by the lower bounds. Considering its scale, even if Eternal Peace was given thousands of years, it wasn't the celestial heavens' opponent.
The reason that the celestial heavens viewed reforms with hostility was that those in power within the celestial heavens couldn't attain any benefits from them. If they supported or ignored it, the foundation of their rule would be shaken!
If they accepted the reform, they would very likely fall and be taken advantage of by political enemies.
Even if they didn't reincarnate, they would still have to alter their own techniques and comprehend them again, which was akin to starting from scratch!
The energy needed to reform was too large, and the time taken was too long. What if some new youngling surpassed them during this period? What if they were replaced by some new youngling?
Why would they be willing to hand over their power and position?
If they ignored the reform, that would constitute a replacement of the old gods with new ones, and these new gods would be stronger than them, the old gods. Eventually, they would be overthrown, just like how they overthrew the reign of the ancient gods!
Hence, the simplest way to deal with reforms was to treat them like a betrayal, a rebellion to be purged!
Only then could they ensure the longevity of their reign and that they wouldn't fall, as it made sure that there was no chance of being replaced by future generations.
Even though they understood, Que Jingxue and the others faced a difficult dilemma.
Should they cultivate the Celestial River Divine Treasure? Should they accept Eternal Peace's reform?
If they didn't accept it, they would die on the battlefield in the future since the benefits of the Celestial River Divine Treasure couldn't be matched by the traditional Divine Bridge Divine Treasure. If they met someone who had opened the Celestial River Divine Treasure on the battlefield in the future, they would certainly be eliminated!
However, accepting the reform would mean that their sects would no longer tolerate them. The elders of their sects would immediately change sides and eliminate them and their clansmen!
Qi Jiuyi entered the pavilion and sat down quietly.
The scent of blood was oozing from him.
Those in the pavilion were shocked. Qi Jiuyi had said that he was going to send off those who left, and now, the scent of blood was oozing from his body. The likelihood was that they had died.
Qin Mu appeared curious, so Qi Jiuyi explained, ”They have been dealt with. The celestial heavens clearly had the intent to kill Celestial Venerable Mu when they ordered them here. Thus, they were to die at the hands of Celestial Venerable Mu.”
Qin Mu frowned and questioned, ”Why did you kill them? Couldn't you just let them go?”
Qi Jiuyi smugly replied, ”Let them go? Cult Master Qin, were you hoping to use them to disrupt the celestial heavens? You underestimate it. After they leave, anyone that dared to come to the Jade Pool will die mysteriously. Not one will live, including me!”
Que Jingxue and the others felt scared as their hearts turned cold.
Qin Mu asked, concerned, ”Was it dealt with cleanly?”
”Very clean, their souls were dispersed.”
Qi Jiuyi continued with a tinge of pride, ”There's no need to doubt my abilities, Cult Master Qin. Ever since I opened the Celestial River Divine Treasure, I have improved by leaps and bounds. Their divine arts were all outclassed. In the past, I may not have been a worthy opponent to them, but now, they couldn't even take a hit from me.”
Behind him, a nine-headed phoenix appeared atop the celestial river. Its primordial spirit was arrogant and conceited, and the phoenix itself was abnormally vicious as it said, ”They were killed by Celestial Venerable Mu. They challenged Celestial Venerable Mu, but they didn't know of Celestial Venerable Mu's fiendish nature, which led to him obliterating their primordial spirits directly! I believe Celestial Venerable Mu won't mind such a charge, right?”
Qin Mu smiled. ”I don't care, I can bear that.”
Qi Jiuyi observed his surroundings, his eyes carrying a sinister aura. He comforted everyone, saying, ”Everyone can relax. They have been killed by me. Even if you cultivate the Celestial River Divine Treasure, no one will know.”
A young man murmured, ”What if one of us here doesn't cultivate the Celestial River Divine Treasure?”
Qi Jiuyi stopped talking, and the nine-headed phoenix behind him flapped its wings, which radiated flames.
In despair, that man pleaded, ”We certainly can't hide the fact that we opened the Celestial River Divine Treasure from our sect brothers and our masters! My master is the heavenly king of the celestial heavens too!”
Yun Jianli interrupted him. ”You can go to the Primordial Realm.”
Everyone was stunned, confused by the purpose of his speech.
Yun Jianli continued, ”Going to the Primordial Realm is a way to live, as it will allow everyone here to avoid being detected by their sects. Additionally, there's Eternal Peace's reform in the lower bounds, which allows one to absorb more of the reform's benefits. After witnessing the capabilities of Celestial Venerable Mu, I too would like to head down. Staying in the celestial heavens is akin to watching the sky from a well, making one narrow-minded and limited in knowledge, unable to experience true heaven and earth. My generation of divine arts practitioners are also seekers of the path. Since the celestial heavens is a dead world where the high gods hold onto their positions of power, reluctant to improve, I see no hope in staying in the celestial heavens. Thus, why not head down below!”
Que Jingxue rose and laughed. ”Celestial Venerable Mu, Yun Jianli, and the savage with nine brains, we will meet again in the Primordial Realm!”
Suddenly, she stopped, turned, and vaguely smiled at a silent youth in the pavilion that wore a yellow shirt. She then said, ”Prince Yu, you are a member of the royal family, and thus, it's impossible that you would support the reform, right? It's also impossible for you to cultivate the Celestial River Divine Treasure, right?”
That youth with the yellow shirt's expression changed rapidly, and he rose immediately. In a state of alarm, he rebutted, ”What are you talking about, Sister Jingxue? I have no chance of being the emperor, no matter how high my level of cultivation is! Celestial Emperor doesn't age and doesn't die. Naturally, I am to be rebellious! I support the reform!”
”Well said! Although I don't trust you.”
Que Jingxue laughed and called on the others, saying, ”All of us here are on the Splendid Youths List and Divine Talents List, and it's clear that we all need to dirty our hands in order to feel assured. Otherwise, should the news break out that we have cultivated the Celestial River Divine Treasure, none of us will live!”
Those in the pavilion rose.
The youth in the yellow shirt knew that the situation was bad for him, so he immediately rose into the air and attempt to bust out of the roof of the Slow Winding Pavilion and escape from the top.
The moment his body moved, nearly everyone in the Slow Winding Pavilion acted as well. One by one, figures flashed as countless divine arts were activated to crush the youth in the yellow shirt.
His primordial spirit didn't escape either, being completely obliterated by them.