925 Prosperous Peacefulness (2/2)
Nevertheless, Qin Mu and Celestial Empress both knew that the common lord, the ancient Celestial Emperor, who was the ruler of the celestial heavens in name, had died a long time ago during the Dragon Han Era. The reason that the celestial heavens still kept him as the ruler in name was because of the conflict of interest between the ten Celestial Venerables.
If there were no ancient Celestial Emperor, who amongst them should take his place?
They had to maintain the identity of the ancient Celestial Emperor and weaken the power of the ancient gods whilst trying to strengthen their own. It was only when one's power and authority overrode that of the other nine Celestial Venerables that they could destroy the ancient Celestial Emperor and claim the throne for themselves.
If they couldn't do that, none of them would actively expose the fact that the ancient Celestial Emperor had already died and would continue to recognize the ancient Celestial Emperor as their common lord.
As for Yun Jianli, he didn't know that the ancient Celestial Emperor had died, as the Yun family didn't pass on that fact.
Due to how big the relation between the Yun family and the ancient Celestial Emperor was, if they were to pass on that fact, the Yun family would have been eliminated. It wouldn't have become a large and influential family of the celestial heavens.
Sometimes, ignorance was required for one to survive. This became one of the unwritten rules of the celestial heavens.
Suddenly, a voice came to break the stalemate at the Jade Sea. ”An imperial decree has arrived! Celestial Venerable Mu has contributed greatly. Coming up from the lower bounds without any grievances over the hard work he has done. To reward Celestial Venerable Mu, I gift upon him fine wine and beautiful ladies!”
Yun Chuxiu glanced at Qin Mu, and Qin Mu revealed a smile.
Yun Chuxiu snorted.
On the Jade Pool, a Celestial Venerable also snorted as he retreated into the darkness without a trail. The thousand-mile peach forest also vanished at an astonishing rate. Ultimately, the peach forest disappeared with the palace within it, leaving behind a single peach flower floating in the sky that disappeared after rotating.
The other Celestial Venerables followed. Heaven Duke became a beam of light that rose into the sky, while Earth Count sunk into the darkness. At the same time, Celestial Venerable You's paper boat went into Youdu. Soon, the place became empty, and all that was left was the broken Jade Sea. The space that was rippling couldn't settle down within the moment.
Countless divine soldiers and divine generals lined up, escorting a god official who opened a shattered space whirlpool, taking a lot of effort to descend upon the island. He held an imperial edict in his hands and proclaimed, ”Celestial Venerable Mu shall receive the decree!”
Behind him were palace maids of great beauty, and in their hands were various precious artifacts, fine wine, and all sorts of peculiar treasures gifted to Qin Mu by Celestial Emperor.
Qin Mu bowed and submissively said, ”This subject shall receive the decree.”
That god official placed it into his hands and swiftly told him, ”Please rise, Celestial Venerable. You are a Celestial Venerable and should act like one. No one can accept your respects. People, please tidy up the residence of the Celestial Venerable!”
The countless divine soldiers and divine generals retrieved their precious artifacts and took all of the shattered space fragments before fusing them together to repair the Jade Pool. The rest of them took out an artifact of creation to create land and the island. They went about their ways, busy yet silent.
The rest of them found many bodies from the shattered Jade Pool and ordered people to load them onto ships to be shipped off and buried.
It wasn't the first time that the celestial heavens had experienced something like this. They were prepared, so when they executed their plan, it was in an orderly manner.
In the sky, there were heavenly ladies that danced and performed gracefully. The sounds of the drum were pleasing, and their dance was enthralling. It was a sight of prosperous peacefulness.
That god official was refined and courteous to Qin Mu as he said, ”It has been a long time since Celestial Venerable Mu returned to the celestial heavens. Are you used to it? Celestial Emperor was worried that you wouldn't be able to get used to the surroundings, so he sent these ladies to be enjoyed by you. If Celestial Venerable still has other requirements, please tell me. Although I can't play host, I can inform Celestial Emperor, and he will be fast in granting your request.”
Qin Mu observed the palace maids and joked, saying, ”There are already enough palace maids in the Jade Pool, so why bother with more maids?”
That god official seemed to not understand him as he asked, ”Palace maids at the Jade Pool? Since when were there palace maids at the Jade Pool? It's because there's nobody serving you in the Jade Pool that Celestial Emperor sent me to bring people to serve you.”
Qin Mu was stunned as cries of agony filled his ears. He quickly turned around.
The divine soldiers and divine generals that followed the god official were capturing the Jade Pool's palace maids. After handcuffing them, they beheaded them, obliterated their primordial spirits, and dispersed their souls.
The divine soldiers and divine generals were swift, massacring the palace maids before dragging the many bodies onto a boat and ordering them to be shipped off.
There were still divine ladies dancing in the sky, and divine music melodiously surrounded them. They sang and danced as if they couldn't see the river of blood beneath them.
Cold air flooded out of Qin Mu's heart as he turned to look at the god official.
That official was full of smiles as he informed him, ”They heard what shouldn't have been heard, saw what shouldn't have been seen. Therefore, they had to be eliminated. Please don't make my job difficult. These are the customs.”
Qin Mu stayed silent.
The thing that was frightening wasn't what the god official said, it was the fact that these were the customs.
He looked at Qi Jiuyi and Yun Jianli, who remained motionless. Clearly, they were used to such things in the celestial heavens, which was the most frightening thing.
'The reform shouldn't only reform the paths, skills, and divine arts, it should also change this disgusting way of thinking. If we only reform paths, skills, and divine arts and not this way of thinking, even if we do overthrow the corrupt celestial heavens, all we'll be doing is building a more corrupt one!'
His heart was filled with sorrow.
During the High Emperor Era, the philosophy at hand was that human lives were greater than heaven. During the Founding Emperor Era, the philosophy promoted was that humans were important and that gods should serve humans. Eternal Peace's philosophy became that of the path of the saint, destruction of the god within one's heart, which was used by the everyday people. During all of these eras, generation after generation fought and sacrificed with their blood.
Yet, such philosophies were never spread to the celestial heavens.
Reform, if only applied to the paths, skills, and divine arts, wouldn't be a proper one!
”What are you thinking?” that god official asked.
”I am thinking…”
Beneath the calm appearance shown on Qin Mu's face, there was magma gushing up, as if he were a volcano that was about to erupt. He said, ”I will one day smash this corrupt world.”
That god official was stunned as he said, ”Well thought out, Celestial Venerable. However, the trend is already set in motion, and it can't be stopped by anyone. Faster!”
He hollered at the divine soldiers and divine generals, ”Clean this place up! Don't disrupt the Celestial Venerable's rest!”
Soon, the darkness that shrouded the Jade Pool dissipated. The Jade Pool was restored, and it resembled a sea. As vast as it was, the divine turtles who carried the divine mountains and islands all died during the battle that night. At this moment, from who knows where, another batch of divine turtles appeared, along with some divine mountains and islands, allowing them to bear these mountains and islands in the Jade Sea while roaming.
Some of the divine ladies planted some giant lotuses, and they bloomed. Many little ladies who were flower spirits lived in these flowers. They sat beside the sea and rinsed themselves, singing and playing their instruments. It was a sight of utmost beauty.
That god official bowed to Qin Mu. ”Celestial Venerable, this place is essentially back to normal. Are you satisfied?”