991 They Are Not You (2/2)
He looked at Princess Consort Zhen, bowed to her, and walked out of the King Zhen Residence with Shu Jun.
Princess Consort Zhen looked at his back and opened her mouth, but she didn't say anything. Qin Hanzhen came to her side and stood with her as she lay on his shoulder in a strengthless manner.
”I guess Mu'er will never return again,” she whispered.
Qin Mu looked at the Qin family disciples cultivating hard and walked by them.
”Cousin—” That little girl named Qin Siying waved at him.
Qin Mu waved back. This place had the warmth of home, but he could never stay there.
He took Shu Jun with him through the graves of his ancestors. As they went, Qin Mu took some dirt and stored it in the Qin word land.
Shu Jun was perplexed. Qin Mu, in return, smiled and said, ”When I die, I can't be buried here, but there must always be dirt from my home on my grave.”
They reached the thirty-third heaven, which was where the Founding Emperor Celestial Heavens was.
The various officials of the celestial heavens were already there, quietly waiting for this battle of the Celestial Venerables. Their corporeal bodies were large, and they stood at various corners of the celestial palace. They silently watched him walk through the Southern Heavenly Gate and between the solemn-looking palaces and halls. He walked through the Celestial Street and passed by the Jade Stage and Jade Pool on his way to the Jade Capital.
The Founding Emperor Celestial Heavens was arranged in the same way as the Dragon Han one, but the Dragon Han Celestial Heavens was simpler in decoration. The realm wasn't as vast either. However, in terms of luxury, the former was far more luxurious than the latter.
After all, this was Carefree Village, a part of the Paramita World. It was way easier to visualize and create things here than any other place.
Qin Mu didn't use any divine arts and walked a step at a time. Although the Founding Emperor Celestial Heavens wasn't vast, it still took awhile for him to walk through.
He looked like an earnest seeker of the path as he examined things every step of the way. He was examining his moral compass, not the celestial heavens, however.
There were no masters of creation here aside from Shu Jun, for it was something between the two of them. The masters of creation wouldn't interfere in things that didn't involve them. They had no need to witness their duel either.
There were only the old guards of Founding Emperor present. The Dao Master of Founding Emperor's Dao Sect, Su Maiqing, Sun Guardian Yan Rinuan, the four assistants—Fang Youji, Gao Baixun, Zhou Jingmeng, and Zhou Xunfang—and other old gods from various departments all watched Qin Mu as he approached the Jade Capital.
They were visibly expectant as they rubbed their palms. Yan Rinuan was sharpening his blade and gradually eradicating its rust.
Besides them, there were new gods as well. They were in the Jade Capital, which was the most luxurious place there. Some of them were happy that Qin Mu was here, while some whistled. Others were restless.
Qin Mu pretended not to see or hear them.
Qin Hanzhen and Princess Consort Zhen brought countless Qin family disciples as well. They had complicated expressions as they watched Qin Mu walking through the streets of the Jade Capital from the Vermillion Bird Gate to the Gate of Heaven Influence.
The Gate of Heaven Influence stood tall, and in front of it was the Web Cover Palace Numinous Sky Hall, the grand hall of the emperor that symbolized his absolute authority.
Under the gate, Qin Mu stopped, turned around, and bowed to Shu Jun, saying, ”Please stay here, Divine King.”
Shu Jun returned the greeting and stopped beneath the gate. He watched Qin Mu as he climbed the stairs towards the Numinous Sky Hall.
After an unknown amount of time, he was in front of the hall.
In it, an emperor sat on a throne. Upon his arrival, the emperor stood up.
Founding Emperor took off his imperial robes and folded them nicely, placing them on his throne. He then took the crown on his head and placed it on his robes.
He lifted the Carefree Sword on his waist, and with one ”zhnng” sound, the Carefree Sword was drawn from its sheath. With a light tap, the sheath was placed on the hall's pillars.
The sword light was bright, and it illuminated the entire hall, which was filled with sword shadows.
He watched Qin Mu as he entered, quietly anticipating him. His figure stood there, unmoving, just like his Dao heart.
Despite the passage of time, his original aspirations hadn't changed.
Qin Mu walked to him, smiled, and said, ”It has been a long time, Qin Kai.”
Founding Emperor smiled back. ”Mu Qing, it has been a million years. What did you see coming from the Supreme Emperor Heaven?”
”I saw the corruption in your celestial heavens.”
Qin Mu retrieved his sword pellet and shook it. It became a divine sword that resonated in his hands. Qin Mu flicked the pellet, and the sword vibrated relentlessly. He leisurely said, ”Your intentions in moving here were good, but only you could persevere in keeping your aspirations. Your old guard couldn't accept defeat and let their Dao hearts fall into pain and bitterness. They can't carry this burden like you. They will only be angry and hate you. They are not you.”
Founding Emperor nodded and said, ”I suppressed any dissent and moved here out of my own volition. The blame is on me. What else did you see?”
Qin Mu said, ”I saw that your Founding Emperor reform failed. People's hearts have collapsed and crumbled. When you decided to move here, the reform had already failed. All you are left with are the superficial things.”
Founding Emperor nodded. ”In the Founding Emperor Era, serving the people as gods was the country's founding principle. I gave it up, allowing them to have no such duty, causing the reform to fall apart. The blame is on me. What else did you see?”
Qin Mu continued, ”I saw that the new generation lacks any spirit of reform. All they do is indulge. They lack bloodthirst and the ability to fight. They can't innovate. A great abyss separates the young and the old. They are not you.”
Founding Emperor agreed, ”The blame is on me.”
”I even saw how our family's bloodline died for your decisions, one generation after another.”
Qin Mu sighed deeply and continued, ”They are not you. They can't become you. All they can do is make up for your mistakes with their lives.”
Founding Emperor was silent before admitting, ”The blame is on me.”
”I even saw how you want to go out, but how you can't, for the only one who can do so is you. Everyone else here can't. They can't walk out of Carefree Village. They are burdened by you, so you can't walk out either.”
Qin Mu shook his wrists and changed his swords. They pointed at the ground as they drooped. Qin Mu plainly said, ”Qin Kai, allow me to break the Carefree Village in your heart!”
Boom—
The Web Cover Palace Numinous Sky Hall fell apart. Giant buildings slid down slopes from the top of the stairs, and giant pillars and boulders rolled down as sculptures and paintings were pulverized!
On the Numinous Sky stage, Founding Emperor's sword pointed towards the ground as he smiled and said, ”Mu Qing, I have been waiting for you for a long time. Please.”
Qin Mu's pupils contracted as he returned the favor. ”You too.”