They returned along the same path. When they reached the empty village, Qin Mu walked into the room adorned with the character for joy, picked up the infant's garment, and examined the Qin character embroidered upon it.
Concern clouds judgment. The first time he had come here, his inner peace had been disturbed, unable to settle for a long time, making it difficult to discern any clues. The items the Herbalist brought were almost identical to the Qin character on the infant's garment, as if carved from the same mold. However, upon closer inspection, slight differences could still be seen.
Qin Mu had learned calligraphy and painting from the Deaf One. If he could calm his mind and observe with an ordinary heart, he would be able to see that the Qin character on the infant's garment differed slightly from the one on his jade pendant.
At the time, however, his heart had been in turmoil—great joy and great sorrow—which clouded his judgment.
Now, examining it carefully, the Qin character on the infant's garment must have been traced first and then stitched thread by thread. It was indeed different from the Qin character on his jade pendant.
The other villagers were gathered around the Village Chief and the Ancestor, asking about their ordeal and what they had encountered on that ship. The Village Chief shook his head. "It was far too dangerous inside. We didn't venture deep—just circled the outer perimeter and nearly died. Fortunately, the Mute was there, so we made it out safely."
Everyone immediately turned to the Mute, asking how he had known the safe path and how he had led the Village Chief and the Ancestor in and out.
Qin Mu walked out of the courtyard harboring the same doubt.
Even the Demon King of Dutian had said that even if his true form descended, it would take him a year or two to find a safe route into that shattered giant vessel. How had the Mute managed it so easily?
The crowd pressed the Mute for a long time, but he said nothing, only wearing a simple, honest smile. When pressed too hard, he would just let out a couple of "ah ah" sounds.
Everyone immediately looked at the Deaf One. The Deaf One and the Mute were the closest of friends. The Deaf One understood the Mute's intentions best, and many words that others couldn't comprehend were translated by him.
But at this moment, the Deaf One also looked bewildered, clearly not knowing what the Mute's "ah ah" meant.
"This mute fellow, he won't say a word!" Grandma Si huffed angrily. "He'll burst from holding it in one day!"
The villagers rested in this small village, while the dragonQilin grew attached to the young Ancestor, now actively circling around him, rubbing against him.
The Ancestor made as if to hit him, driving the creature back a bit, but the next moment it was back again, lifting its tail covered in reverse scales, leaving the young Ancestor's clothes riddled with holes.
"You've gotten too fat!" the young Ancestor lamented. "I've told you already—I'm about to die of old age. I don't want you anymore, don't come rubbing against me... Don't think about jumping into my arms, I can't hold you now! Shoo, shoo, go away!"
Meanwhile, the Blind One was pestering the Demon King of Dutian with questions about numerology. The Demon King, somewhat fearful of the village people, answered diligently enough, but only answered the Blind One's questions and did not proactively teach him more advanced numerology.
The Herbalist bustled around everyone, checking their injuries and treating them.
Qin Mu walked into that house. Although this might not be his parents' home, being here gave him a sense of peace.
The Mute also walked in, looking around. His rough palm touched the small wooden horse, then picked up that garment. The burly, rough man's gaze was remarkably gentle.
Qin Mu looked at him, and the Mute turned his head, grinning broadly at him.
"It's time to go!" Grandma Si urged. "Back to the village for New Year's! Ancestor, that pig you've been raising is fat enough—let's slaughter it and share the feast for New Year! The Butcher is a fine hand with a knife and passable at stir-frying—he can put together two tables of good dishes!"
"Don't you dare!" the young Ancestor said nervously. "Stop eyeing my dragonQilin! Ever since you were young, you've been looking at it with those greedy eyes, always wanting to eat it... Get away, stop rubbing against me, I'm not going to pet your head... Discipline, chase him away!"
The Elder of Discipline drove the dragonQilin over toward Qin Mu. The young Ancestor watched as the dragonQilin waddled over, its two buttocks so fat and round, like a rhinoceros in water, each round cheek jiggling as it walked.
"This fellow must have been eating and drinking at the Cult Master's place, and eating well at that. When I first met him, he was no bigger than a kitten, running over to rub against my legs begging for food. The more I fed him, the fatter he got, and then he stuck to me and wouldn't leave..." The young Ancestor sighed. Back then, the dragonQilin had been so small, small enough to hold in one's arms and pet its head.
"What a massive ship!"
The crowd arrived before the Moon Ship and couldn't help but exclaim. The Cripple intended to take this ship away, but Grandma Si shouted: "You damn Cripple, even if you could take it, where would you put it? If you bring it to the village, I'll cripple your other leg!"
The Cripple had no choice but to give up. He asked Qin Mu how he had sailed this ship here, and upon hearing Qin Mu describe his experience sailing the ship, the Cripple's mind became active again: "Becoming the Sun Keeper grants one godlike power?"
He rushed onto the ship and touched the great pillar, but found no change, and had no choice but to retreat.
The Great Ruins held too many unsolved mysteries. The Moon Ship was merely one of them.
They stepped out of that invisible barrier. Outside, the sun hung high—it was noon. The weather was very cold, and at some point it had snowed again. The ground was blanketed in white, crunching underfoot as they walked, and the mountains were dyed white.
Several bears were hiding in tree hollows among some ruins, a mother bear hugging her cub in deep sleep. When the mother bear saw Qin Mu and the others suddenly appear, she opened her eyes in surprise, but was too lazy to move, just shifting her body before continuing to hibernate.
Qin Mu looked back and saw that the barrier had vanished without a trace. The inconceivably vast ship that had been sealed within the barrier, along with the Moon Ship and that incredibly complex cubic seal—all had disappeared without a trace.
In their place stood the vast and boundless forest of the Great Ruins.
Presumably, this mysterious seal would only reappear when night fell.
"Let's go, back to the village for New Year's," the Village Chief said calmly.
The group set out on their return journey. They were still a day or two away from the Village of Broken Elders. The New Year had already passed, but fortunately everyone was safe.
The following evening, they finally returned to the Village of Broken Elders. Qin Mu, Grandma Si, Old Ma and the others busied themselves, hanging lanterns and decorations, preparing the New Year's feast.
Qin Mu had brought red paper, and the Cripple was writing spring couplets and the character for fortune, calling Qin Mu over to paste them on everyone's doors.
"Paste them on the chicken coop too! And on that ancient tree at the village entrance, paste one for 'opening the door to joy,'" Grandma Si instructed.
After much work, the entire village finally sat down together, eating food, drinking warmed wine, laughing and chatting. The young Ancestor and the Elder of Discipline also sat down. This belated New Year's feast was enjoyed with great warmth.
Early the next morning, the young Ancestor and the Elder of Discipline took their leave, saying: "The Great Ruins still hold countless secrets. To see and seek them before one dies is a joyful thing. Fellow Daoists, no need to see us off." With that, the old and young pair trudged away through the thick snow.
The Demon King of Dutian looked at Qin Mu and said: "Cult Master, it's time you fulfilled your promise."
Qin Mu said solemnly: "Rest assured, Demon King. I keep my word. I will definitely release you."
The Blind One, the Cripple and the others crowded around. The Demon King of Dutian was extremely nervous, shouting: "Cult Master, do you mean to release me and then have them capture me again? You've got some nerve!"
Qin Mu looked embarrassed, shaking his head at the Cripple and the Blind One.
The Cripple muttered: "This fellow is a good helper. If I could keep him, I could steal even more things..."
Qin Mu said gently: "Rest assured, Demon King. I will remove these sealing runes from your body, and you will be free."
He undid the sealing runes on the Demon King of Dutian one by one. Only then did the Demon King relax, saying: "Young friend Qin, Dutian and here are two different worlds. After we part today, you and I may never meet again. After all, mortals' lives are short—your lifespans to me are merely a snap of the fingers, passing in an instant. By the time I think of you, you may have been dead for hundreds or thousands of years. It's actually a bit sad to think about..."
Qin Mu smiled: "Demon King, I can also contact you regularly. I do understand the summoning command talismans of the Hongshan Sect."
The Demon King of Dutian laughed heartily: "This world of yours is far too dangerous. Even if you summoned me, I wouldn't come. After I return, I will go search for another new world—a world where my people can survive."
Qin Mu removed all the seals from his body, saying: "Demon King, you may return now."
The Demon King of Dutian tested and found that all the seals were truly gone, only then feeling at ease, saying: "Never contact me again!" With that, a wisp of consciousness drilled into the void and vanished without a trace.
Qin Mu looked up at the sky and smiled: "Who can say what the future holds."
That wisp of the Demon King of Dutian's consciousness returned to the Dutian world, rejoining his true body. That towering Demon King of Dutian immediately grasped the experiences of this wisp of consciousness, his mind greatly shaken, and he exhaled a turbid breath: "A dangerous world, monitored by the gods—it truly is not a dwelling place for my Dutian people. It seems I should search for a new world..."
"Mu'er, come here," the Village Chief called.
Qin Mu quickly walked over. The Village Chief hesitated for a moment, then said: "I've thought it over, and there are some things I must tell you. On that ship, besides finding many Qin characters, I found other things as well. Herbalist, bring the items."
The Herbalist hesitated: "Is it appropriate to give them to him now?"
The Village Chief shook his head: "My lifespan is nearly at its end. If not now, when?"
The Herbalist took out a mirror and handed it to Qin Mu.
Qin Mu took the mirror and looked at it, finding nothing unusual. The Village Chief said: "This mirror is a route map to the Land of Carefree. We found it on that ship. Don't try to examine it—the mirror has already been sealed by me. Only when you can break my seal will you see the route within. It's far too dangerous there, and I don't want you to go now."
Qin Mu fell silent, then suddenly knelt and bowed to the Village Chief.
The Village Chief quickly said: "Rise. There's one more thing. I suddenly feel that you already bear many burdens—the young Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult, an orphan from the Land of Carefree—perhaps adding my burden wouldn't be too much. Today, I take you as my disciple and entrust my burden to you. From now on, you are the next..."
"Human Emperor!"