Chapter 212: Parting Is Inevitable
Translator: Ninetales Editor: DarkGem
There weren't many words on the scroll, and Qin Mu gave the writing a quick once-over. Instantly, various types of cultivation logic regarding the soul appeared in his mind.
Dutian Devil King had told him that there were spells of Youdu on the scroll, but it showed up that was just another lie to entice him.
"At least there is still one sentence out of ten I say that is true. Since in Dutian Devil King's speech, only one sentence among a hundred of them is true," Qin Mu thought to himself. "Out of all the things he said to me, only the language of Youdu was true, everything else was a lie!"
He analyzed the scroll in detail. If he comprehended the entire marvel of the writings there, he could indeed comprehend some spells regarding souls. However, the most important use of this scroll was to strengthen the soul, while the soul spell was only secondary.
Qin Mu memorized the writings on the scroll and closed it to meditate. He tried to figure out the marvel of the writings, trying to comprehend a kind of soul spell.
Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scriptures had spells related to soul and Barbarian Di Empire also had these kinds of spells. The Thunderclap Eight Strikes that Old Ma had taught him as well as the Great Freedom Mudra of the devil race were also spells that were targeted at souls.
Soul Guide of Nine Spectres Sect was an even more outstanding divine art.
If he could compare the runes of the words, he could increase his power!
Qin Mu thought for a long time before slowly walking into his courtyard. With every action and step, he incorporated the words of Youdu into the move Sunshine Refining Yang Soul In The Sky.
This was one of the moves of Thunderclap Eight Strikes, the greatest battle technique in Rulai's Mahayana Sutra. Its power was strong and fierce since it had been improved by the previous generations of Rulai to its extreme, to the point it couldn't be improved anymore.
Yet now, Qin Mu was improving this move. He had never cultivated Rulai's Mahayana Sutra, but ever since Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scriptures had fused with Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique and unified all skills, the power of Thunderclap Eight Strikes had become stronger and stronger, being no weaker than of those who cultivated Rulai's Mahayana Sutra.
He practiced move after move, one punch after another. With the fist as heart mudra and the heart mudra as the sun, every punch gave off the sound of rolling thunder and the intensity of the blazing sun. As the yang soul was refined, the power was gradually raised.
The move Sunshine Refining Yang Soul In The Sky had not much use against the corporeal body. Even if it looked powerful, it was only targeted at the soul.
Qin Mu practiced this move over and over again, and a trace of fire was gradually forced out from the fist mudra. This flame was different from ordinary flames, it was the karma fire that burns the soul.
Every punch of his brought along karma fire, and gradually, the karma fire became more and more intense, turning the surroundings of the fist into a blazing scarlet-red sun.
The more he punched, the more he used to it he got, which left him unable to resist howling endlessly. Suddenly, a huge sun exploded out in the sky, and flames surged forth in all directions, covering the entire courtyard in karma fire.
Qin Mu retracted his stance back and let out a shallow breath. Suddenly, his heart wavered and he opened his door to see Sword Hall Master walking over with quick steps.
Qin Mu invited him in and asked, "Sword Hall, what's the rush?"
"Heavenly King Lu is injured," Sword Hall said in a low voice, his expression solemn. "He's at my place now and wants to meet cult master. His condition… is very bad!"
Qin Mu's heart leaped out, and he hurried out of his courtyard with Sword Hall.
"Cult master, I'm embarrassed to meet you with these injuries since I can't greet you due to their severity," Heavenly King Lu said with embarrassment as he lay on the bed and struggled to get up yet was unable to.
Qin Mu shook his head and went forward to check on his injuries, frowning slightly. The man's clothes were tattered, and there were even bloodstains on his white hair and beard.
Heavenly King Lu's injuries were even worse than those of Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor. He must have been injured by fighting with a few strong practitioners of the cult master level!
His injuries were not only on the physical body, but even his divine treasures were injured. The damage to his soul was also extremely serious!
All of his seven great divine treasures had suffered devastating blows. His spirit embryo was petrified, three of his Five Element Gods were destroyed, only two pillars of his Six Directions Divine Treasure were left, while his Seven Stars Divine Treasure, Celestial Being Divine Treasure, Life and Death Realm were crushed in their entirety. The only flying bridge in his Divine Bridge Realm was also broken.
It would have been fine if it was only these injuries, but the crucial point was that he was already old and his body was no longer like it was in the past. It was difficult for his physical body to hold together his soul which was about to crumble.
Heavenly King Lu took in a deep breath and said, "Cult master, I've located Heavenly King Qian's whereabouts…"
"Stop talking first."
Qin Mu took out two bottles of dragon's saliva to heal the injuries on his body. He then let him drink another bottle and muttered to himself irresolutely while writing down the names of herbs, telling Sword Hall Master to grab them from the warehouse. As for whether those herbs could heal Heavenly King Lu, he had no certainty. The best result would be him surviving but becoming useless, while the worst result…
Sword Hall Master left in a hurry. The injuries on Heavenly King Lu's body got better, but those on his soul and divine treasures became even more serious as he panted. "Heavenly King Qian has already died. I followed his trail, but someone used his clothes to bring me on a wild goose chase that led into an ambush…"
Qin Mu frowned. "Who ambushed you?"
"They didn't reveal their faces, but I recognized their divine arts."
Heavenly King Lu's body contorted. This was due to the injuries bursting forth in his soul and causing him pain. Heavenly King Lu gritted his teeth and endured it. His white hair shook along with his body as he chuckled. "They did it for the art of teleportation of our sacred cult… Cult master, I can't assist you anymore, I'm ashamed for failing Patriarch's instructions—"
"Don't worry, you won't die or become disabled." The corners of Qin Mu's eyes twitched as he said in a low voice, "Even if you die, I'll drag your soul back from Youdu!"
"One of the people that injured me was a first ranking high official of the imperial court!" Heavenly King Lu' regained his composure. "I recognized his technique, which was Spirit Treasure Unmovable Meditation Technique. Among the first ranking high officials, Sun Nantuo, the grand preceptor of the crown prince, has refined this technique to its extreme. Sitting on his Thousand Banner Pagoda, his spirit treasure is unmovable."
Qin Mu made swift moves, his hands dotting on Heavenly King Lu's body. His ten fingers moved up and down, leaving afterimages. In an instant, he sealed Heavenly King Lu's soul in his body, preventing it from leaving.
He used Heavenly Devil Creation Technique which was used by the higher-ups in Heavenly Devil Cult to strip the skin and make clothing; however, in his hand, it was a life-saving method.
Heavenly King Lu's three souls and seven spirits were sealed, but it was still difficult for Qin Mu to stop the momentum of his soul dispersing.
"Cult master, even though you're a divine physician, you won't be able to save a person that's going to die."
Heavenly King Lu revealed a smile and got down from the bed with his trembling body. Once he sat down on the ground, a rosy color appeared on his face as he smiled. "There's no need for you to waste your energy. My soul is going to disperse soon and my divine bridge is broken anyway. I can't endure it anymore. I thought I could assist cult master to help our sacred cult prosper after Patriarch had left, but never would I have thought that I wouldn't be able to see that day."
Crumbling sounds came from his body. It was his Divine Bridge Divine Treasure starting to crumble when its support was lost.
The crumbling Divine Bridge Divine Treasure crushed the Life and Death Divine Treasure which crushed the Celestial Being Divine Treasure. The divine treasures crumbled one after another.
Sorrow filled Qin Mu's heart. Now even the herbs Sword Hall Master retrieved wouldn't be able to save him.
Blazing flames burst out of Heavenly King Lu's body. His soul was shredded, and this kind of shred was irreversible. His injuries were too serious, especially those on his soul. It was on the verge of dispersing.
If his soul dispersed, he wouldn't be able to enter Youdu. He couldn't even become a ghost then.
"The blazing sacred fire, incinerate my broken body…" Heavenly King Lu muttered in the blazing fire. "Life and death are impermanent, and partings are inevitable. I won't be able to see you become the sacred teacher. How I wish to return to Saint Arrival Mountain to see the sacred teacher tree… I can almost hear the woodcutter cutting into its wood…"
That elder shuddered in the fire, then revealed a smiled. "Cult master, I'm very cold…"
Qin Mu stretched his palm out, wanting to grab the elder's hand, but all he grabbed was ashes.
The blazing fire dissipated, and all it left behind were gray-white ashes.
The sound of Sword Hall Master's footsteps came from outside, and he rushed in while carrying big and small packages of herbs. Qin Mu turned around and said with a stupefied expression, "Sword Hall, there's no need for them anymore, Heavenly King Lu has already gone to heaven…"
The packages of herbs dropped to the ground from Sword Hall Master's hands. This nine feet burly man knelt down on the ground and bowed deeply. His shoulders trembled continuously, but no cries came out.
After some time, Qin Mu swept Heavenly King Lu's ashes up and placed them into a green jar, then stood in a daze in front of it.
He had been pushed into his current position out of nowhere, sold by Granny Si to Heavenly Devil Cult, and still muddle-headed became the cult master of Heavenly Devil Cult. He didn't have much sentiments with Heavenly Devil Cult, only with Granny Si and the young patriarch.
However, as he learned more and more about Heavenly Devil Cult, he gradually fell in love with the cult's doctrine and the interesting people in the cult. He admired their conduct and way of handling things.
He already treated himself as one of the members of Heavenly Devil Cult, trying his best to become a qualified sacred cult master.
Qing Mu hadn't spent much time with Heavenly Devil Lu. The other had treated him less like the sacred cult master and more like a mischievous disciple, cleaning up the mess he had left behind in Saint Arrival Mountain. The old man was like an elder who doted on the younger generation, having eyes full of admiration.
And now, he had died, become a pile of ashes in the green jar...
"Sword Hall…" A trace of sharpness appeared in Qin Mu's blank gaze, and he said slowly, "Order the disciples to gather all the resources and investigate. I want all the information available on Sun Nantuo, the grand preceptor of the crown prince. His entire life, his family, his sect, his disciples, everything about him!"
Sword Hall Master rose. "As cult master's commands!"
Qin Mu continued, "Bring Heavenly King Lu back as well, he wants to return to the side of the sacred teacher tree, you shall… bury him there."
Sword Hall Master brought the green jar away.
Qin Mu walked out of Sword Hall's residence and found Si Yunxiang who had returned from the Floor of Heavenly Record to take back his book tablet. He then headed to the Floor of Heavenly Record.
There, he came to the third level where there were not many classics. There were only a hundred scrolls in this place, and many white-haired secretaries were researching all kinds of techniques to push out old ideas and bring in new ones.
Qin Mu found Spirit Treasure Unmovable Meditation Technique and studied it carefully. He didn't sleep or rest, but studied for two days straight. He then walked out of Floor of Heavenly Records, returning to his residence to sleep.
The next day, Sword Hall Master brought a thick dossier over.
Qin Mu read through it while paying attention to every detail, spending half a day to look through everything gathered on Sun Nantuo. He then closed his eyes.
Sword Hall Master had waited beside him quietly through it all, and after some time, Qin Mu opened his eyes and said, "Nantuo Monastery, Sun Nantuo, Spirit Treasure Unmovable Meditation Technique… The impact would be too huge if we eliminated his whole family in the capital city, so we'll do it outside."