Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The dragon qilin got a fright. âFive million rings arenât even ten percent? Does that mean Mother Earth has lived for at least 50 million years?â
Qin Mu was still counting the growth rings as he said, âThe number you mentioned is too little. This wooden rod is just the core of the Primordial Tree. This isnât the entire trunk, who knows how many layers are on the outside. With a conservative estimate, the tree core could be displaying only ten percent of her actual age.â
Yanâer got a fright as well, as this implied that Mother Earth was at least five billion years old.
âYoung Master, if this wooden rod doesnât show Mother Earthâs real age, why are we counting the growth rings?â Yanâer was puzzled.
Qin Mu continued counting as he distractedly said, âThe goal isnât just counting the growth rings but determining the age of this treasure so that we can decide what to refine it into. Also, the growth rings hide the secrets of Mother Earthâs early years. For example, this set of growth rings are very close to each other, showing that roughly two million years after Mother Earth was born, there was a major incident that caused the Primordial Tree to almost stop growing. This means that the Primordial Realm was facing a calamity at that time.â
The lifeforms after the beginning didnât know of the matters that happened before Dragon Han. No one would be able to find out unless the ancient gods reveal it.
That was the ancient primordial era, and the world didnât have records of that era.
Qin Mu carefully completed his count of the growth rings and said softly, âThe core of the Primordial Tree spanned more than 76 million years, within which there were 10 calamities that caused the Primordial Tree to almost stop growing. It seems that during the rule of the ancient gods, the Primordial Realm wasnât peaceful. However, these ancient gods were the most powerful existences during the ancient primordial era. How did they encounter such dangers? Unless they killed each other, or could there have been some other powers?â
Logically, the ancient gods were the most powerful during the ancient era, and there had been nothing able to threaten them. Mother Earthâs existence was on par with Earth Count and Heaven Duke, and her abilities were only inferior to the ancient Celestial Emperor.
She shouldnât have encountered any danger in the ancient primordial era unless Earth Count, Heaven Duke, or ancient Celestial Emperor attacked her. However, during that period, their conflicts hadnât reached the point that they were unable to exist alongside each other. Hence, it was impossible that they tried to kill each other.
Qin Mu thought for quite a while but couldnât figure anything out.
âThe core of the Primordial Tree has so many growth rings. It will be very difficult to refine it into my divine weapon and attune it to a state where I can control it at will. Maybe I can imprint rune markings on each yearâs growth ringâone formation and one heaven on every growth ring. That would be more than 76 million formations! Just the energy of the formations would be enough to destroy heaven and earth!â
Qin Mu was full of fighting spirit, but soon, his expression darkened. There were too many growth rings on the core of the Primordial Tree, and he didnât have sufficient knowledge to imprint formations on each and every growth ring.
His accumulation of knowledge hadnât reached such a profound level.
âHow about I use it as a spear? However, Iâm not proficient with spears... How about a flying sword?â
He gave it some thought and tried to channel vital qi into the core of the Primordial Tree. Following this, his expression was as black as coal.
His vital qi had already recovered to its peak and wasnât inferior to a god. However, when his tremendous magic power poured into the core, it was like clay oxen entering the sea, gone forever. There was no way to fill it up.
Mother Earth had indeed given him a remarkable treasure. Even existences on the Emperorâs Throne Realm may not be able to refine such treasures. However, he was unable to invoke the power of the core of the Primordial Tree!
Qin Mu continued to execute his vital qi and finally managed to levitate the core of the Primordial Tree. However, the wooden rod was too long. After he performed a few stabs, he was out of magic power.
âNo wonder Mother Earth was in such a hurry!â
Qin Mu stretched out his hand and grabbed the rod, laboriously swinging it a few times. He realized if he were to use it as a spear, he lacked a spearhead, and if he were to use it as a rod, it would be too long.
âIf only I could shorten it a little...â
Just as he thought this, the core of the Primordial Tree immediately shortened by quite a bit.
Qin Mu was taken aback and said, âShorten a little more.â
Again, the core of the Primordial Tree shortened by a little.
Qin Mu said, âContinue to shorten a little more.â
The core of the Primordial Tree had shortened until it was only three feet. Qin Mu brandished it in his hands, treating it as a sword. It was so much easier to use. He couldnât resist but to delightfully say, âLengthen!â
Thudâ
Suddenly, the core of the Primordial Tree in his hand expanded dramatically, turning into a long staff that managed to stab the top of a mountain that was hundreds of miles away. The staff created a narrow hole in the mountain as it exited through it.
Qin Mu got a fright. He forcefully tried to pull it out but was unsuccessful, so he helplessly said, âShorten...â
With a whoosh, Qin Mu involuntarily flew off the dragon qilinâs head as the shortening rod dragged and smashed him into the top of the mountain, creating a loud boom.
The dragon qilin and Yanâer were astonished. They saw that the impact had created a crack on the mountain peak. After a while, Qin Mu jumped out from within the mountain peak, looking very miserable.
Qin Muâs heart stirred, and he took out his sword pellet. It flew and landed on top of the rod, becoming the spearhead. The spear then followed him wherever he wentâits thickness, length, and hardness all in a state of flux. It looked as though a big python was floating and circling around his body, absolutely terrifying.
âIt seems that this core of the Primordial Tree is quite alright.â
Qin Mu turned and flew back, exclaiming in admiration as he put away his sword pellet. âItâs a pity I canât transform it into a wooden sword, as Iâm unable to kill anyone with it. Iâm unfamiliar with spears, so itâs a pity this weapon is in my hands.â
He stored the core of the Primordial Tree in his taotie sack as Yanâer stepped forward to help him tidy up his messy attire.
Qin Mu took out a small jade bottle, opened the seal, and used his vital qi to draw out a drop of the primordial liquid. âYanâer, this is for you.â
Yanâer was surprised and delighted, and she quickly swallowed the primordial liquid.
The dragon qilin looked on with lots of envy. Qin Mu said, âFatty Dragon, youâre still unable to suppress the primordial liquidâs energy, so even a drop will kill you. I have put away a drop for when you are older.â
The dragon qilin agreed and was relieved.
âWith the core of the Primordial Tree, maybe itâs possible to save Big Senior Brother...â
Qin Mu found himself alone and took out the peachwood hairpin. He faced the Surging River and activated the hairpin, and the vast and mighty celestial river gushed out and merged with the Surging River.
After Cripple saved him, he told him what Human Emperor Qi Kang saw at the Surging River. Green Deity of the Eastern Sky tried to drown Wei Suifeng after capturing him, but Wei Suifeng fused together with the ghost ship and escaped.
When they were in the Eastern Celestial Palaceâs sphere of influence, Qin Mu hadnât wanted to alert the Eastern Celestial Palace. Now that Mother Earth dared to appear, it meant that he was out of the Eastern Celestial Palaceâs territory. Hence, Qin Mu wanted to see if it was possible to use the peachwood hairpin to save the ghost ship, together with Wei Suifeng, from Celestial Venerable Lingâs divine art.
The divine art in the peachwood hairpin was activated, and a fog immediately rose from the heart of the river, its mists looking like they came from the past as the river water churned and surged!
The Surging River and celestial river used to be one body that was then cut into two. Today, it was reunified. Immediately, apparitions of all kinds appeared as strange light radiated from the river, brightening up the sky.
Large ships with overlapping palaces, countless gods and devils, and a myriad of apparitions surged forward, all sorts of deafening noises clashing together.
These apparitions represented the history of the Surging Riverâthe people and buildings of the past, as well as the historical incidents that happened. This was all driven by Celestial Venerable Lingâs unchanging divine art, bursting forth all at once!
The celestial river and Surging River trembled violently, and suddenly, the entire celestial river rose into the air, flying towards the sky. The thousand-mile-long river surface floated in the sky as apparitions of all kinds appeared. These floating palaces seemed as though they rose from the ashes of history to materialize in this era!
Boomâ
Buildings, gods, and devils from each and every era clashed as countless fragments fell from the sky. It was an incomparably astonishing scene.
The fog was getting thicker as a ghost ship appeared among the mists. Black mists covered its exterior, along with chains circling the ghost ship like dragons and large pythons. However, they didnât touch the ghost ship.
The hand that held the peachwood hairpin was shaking violently. Qin Mu quickly used both hands to grab the hairpin and stabilized his body. Even so, the peachwood hairpin felt like it was going to slip out of his hands.
âWei Suifeng!â
Qin Mu shouted loudly, arms burrowing out of his armpits as he held onto the peachwood hairpin with all his might. âBig Senior Brother, why are you not out yet?â
The ghost ship appeared hazily as it moved through the black fog, nearing him.
The space surrounding Qin Mu appeared more and more unstable, and it started collapsing. Each and every era seemed to overlap, and with that, the palaces, gods, and devils. Even the ghost ship showed signs of crumbling.
On the ghost ship, a middle-aged man appeared at the bow. He opened his mouth and said something, but the echoes of each and every era appeared at the same time, making it extremely noisy and difficult to make out what he was trying to say.
Qin Mu freed up a hand and quickly took out the core of the Primordial Tree, shouting, âEnlarge!â
Whooshâ
The core of the Primordial Tree expanded rapidly towards the ghost ship, as though it was trying to build a bridge between the past and the present.
The current length of the core of the Primordial Tree was already immeasurable, but the ghost ship among the black fog was still far away. On the ghost ship, Wei Suifeng tried to fly onto the Primordial Tree, but the moment he flew up, his body dispersed and reappeared again at the bow of the ship. It was as though he had never left.
âMap...â
His voice was faintly heard.
Qin Mu was unable to hold onto the peachwood hairpin anymore and could only disperse his magic power. The celestial river immediately broke in two, with one half vanishing as the Surging River fell from the sky. The ghost ship, the large ships, the palaces, and the countless gods and devils rapidly retreated and faded into history.
The fog also shrunk quickly, soon disappearing without a trace.
The rod of the core of the Primordial Tree fell into Qin Muâs hand.
Qin Mu looked around as the trembling space suddenly stabilized, returning to a calm state, as though the apparitions that happened a moment ago were just illusions.
âThe peachwood hairpin is unable to pull the ghost ship out of Celestial Venerable Lingâs divine art, unless the map is the only thing that can save him?â
Qin Mu was stunned. He put away the peachwood hairpin and shouted, âYanâer, quickly bring us away!â
Yanâer quickly transformed into the dragon sparrow, picking up the dragon qilin and throwing him on her back. Qin Mu also got on her back, after which, she spread her wings and immediately took off.
Right after they left, the surrounding space warped, and many strange-looking and strong gods arrived. They surveyed the area but didnât find anything.
Suddenly, a god raised a gate. The gate opened, and Son of Heaven Yin walked out, taking stock of his surroundings.
âBlack Deity, strange apparitions burst upon the celestial river. History was reenacted, and the broken river was reconnected. Do we need to report this to the celestial heavens?â a god asked.
Son of Heaven Yin frowned and said, âThe celestial river that was broken into two was rejoined?â
The god said, âThe other half of the celestial river suddenly appeared, and after a while, it disappeared.â
Son of Heaven Yin inspected the area and shouted, âThis is a serious matter, check it thoroughly and find out which monster is inciting trouble. I will personally report this matter to the celestial heavens!â
Those gods and devils left one after another.
Son of Heaven Yin turned and returned through the gate, muttering softly, âCelestial Venerable Ling, ghost ship... Canât the world have some peace? Who exactly is going through the old grudges of the past?â