Qingyou Hermit's evaluation of Qin Mu's sword art was extremely high. To dominate the world with swordsmanship wasn't as simple as learning a few profound moves. It required an understanding of the sword that reached an extraordinary realm—advancing from technique to art, creating one's own sword art.
Qin Mu's current level had surpassed sword technique and reached the realm of sword art. Although he claimed his sword art was full of flaws, only those who had half a foot into the Way of the Sword or had already entered it could see these flaws!
Such individuals were extremely rare in the world, countable on one's fingers.
Qin Mu had entered the realm of art at such a young age. Even though his sword art might seem full of flaws in his eyes, in the eyes of those who hadn't reached this level, it was a masterpiece of exquisite brilliance.
And yet, Village Chief was still unsatisfied, saying he was like a leaky sieve, full of holes, not knowing how he'd die.
This standard was simply too high.
And Qin Mu actually admitted it, without any dissatisfaction or pride. This humility was far more sincere than his self-deprecation after defeating Long Yu.
Qingyou Hermit shook his head. "This master-disciple pair are both eccentric."
His eyes flashed with sharp light as he said in a deep voice, "Human Emperor Qin, defeating my three disciples from Little Jade Capital doesn't prove how brilliant you are. Your strength is actually only a fraction better than Long Yu and the others. Triple Origin Hall and Five Qi Hall are the true tests!"
When he said this, Long Yu and Mu Qingdai both showed ashamed expressions, thinking Qingyou Hermit was forcing them to save face. Wang Muran, however, seemed lost in thought.
"Immortal Qingyou indeed has keen eyesight."
Qin Mu nodded. "My strength is indeed only a fraction better than theirs."
This wasn't self-deprecation anymore, but a statement of fact.
At the same Six Harmonies realm, when strength reached their level, being a fraction better meant you could defeat the opponent in one or two moves!
Being a fraction better meant an entirely different perspective and insight!
At their level, wanting to improve further required tenfold effort for just a fraction of progress. Improvement was already extremely difficult.
This fraction of advantage was incredibly precious!
If Qin Mu hadn't entered the realm of art, defeating Long Yu, Mu Qingdai, and the others wouldn't have been a matter of one or two moves.
"Muran, you three withdraw. Human Emperor Qin, come with me. I'll take you to Triple Origin Hall." Qingyou Hermit walked down the mountain.
Wang Muran and the other two showed envy. Long Yu whispered, "When will I be able to enter Triple Origin Hall and Five Qi Hall..."
Village Chief quickly said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Qingyou!"
Qingyou Hermit shook his head. "Human Emperor has the qualification to enter Triple Origin Hall and Five Qi Hall."
Qin Mu followed him, feeling puzzled. "From what they're saying, Triple Origin Hall and Five Qi Hall aren't tests, but rather some kind of incredible opportunity. Village Chief Grandpa has thanked Immortal Qingyou twice already. To make Village Chief offer thanks must be extraordinary. But didn't Xu Shenghua also enter Triple Origin Hall and Five Qi Hall? He took ten days to pass through them—that doesn't sound like something worth Village Chief Grandpa's thanks..."
He had always thought the two halls of Triple Origin and Five Qi were personal trials targeted at him by these Little Jade Capital immortals. Now he wasn't so sure.
Village Chief floated over and smiled. "Since both Triple Origin Hall and Five Qi Hall have allowed Mu'er to enter, why not go all the way and open Six Harmonies Hall?"
Qingyou Hermit sneered. "Fellow Daoist, you're pushing your luck!"
Village Chief sneered back. "You allowed Xu Shenghua from Celestial Court to enter Triple Origin and Five Qi Halls. Is Human Emperor not as good as Xu Shenghua?"
Qingyou Hermit shook his head. "Celestial Court is extremely powerful, not inferior to Human Emperor Hall at all, possibly even much stronger. I need to keep things fair and impartial, otherwise it would give others ammunition to criticize."
Village Chief goaded him. "The first sacred land isn't so impressive after all. Still worried about Celestial Court making things difficult for you?"
Qingyou Hermit remained calm. "Your goading won't work on me. Little Jade Capital being called the first sacred land is a title outsiders forced upon us. We've never had such thoughts. Fellow Daoist, you should stop focusing on this."
As they spoke, they arrived at an immortal island. Ascending the immortal mountain, Triple Origin Hall appeared before them. Outside the hall, three elderly immortals of Little Jade Capital had been waiting for quite some time. These three looked even older than Village Chief and Dao Master, their eye sockets sunken deep, making their eyes appear round and small. Their white hair and long eyebrows dragged on the ground, and though they stood there, they appeared quite short.
These three elderly immortals were about the same height as Xiong Qi'er.
"Three Senior Brothers, thank you for your trouble." Qingyou Hermit greeted them.
The three elderly immortals returned the greeting. "Human Emperor is visiting, so we naturally must show proper hospitality."
Village Chief's eyes flickered. "The Three Origins of Little Jade Capital? How are you still alive? You're much older than me!"
The three elderly immortals looked at him. One elderly woman, now toothless, pursed her lips and said, "Perhaps Earthly Earl forgot about us, so he hasn't come to take our lives yet."
Village Chief looked uncertain.
The three elderly immortals dragged their long eyebrows and white hair into the hall. "Human Emperor, please follow us."
Qin Mu followed them, afraid they might step on their own hair or eyebrows, but fortunately, that didn't happen. Their white eyebrows and hair seemed alive, automatically avoiding their footsteps.
"Could it be that because they've lived so long, their hair has developed spirits?" Qin Mu secretly speculated.
Suddenly, he stepped on empty air and quickly sprang upward. His qi surged, forming a pair of wings behind him. Qin Mu flapped his wings and hovered in the air, his body rising and falling.
Before him, boundless fire suddenly surged forth, blindingly bright. Layers of formation patterns appeared in Qin Mu's eyes as he activated the Nine Heavens Eye-Opening Technique and opened his Azure Sky Eye, only then able to gaze upon the incredibly bright fire.
Before him, a great fire filled the entire sky. Then the fire rapidly retreated, a scorching sun moving further and further away before stopping in the sky.
The heat remained as the sun blazed with fierce fire. If Qin Mu hadn't及时 activated his Vermilion Bird qi, his physical body wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
At that moment, a coolness came from behind. Qin Mu quickly turned around to see an enormous bright moon blocking the sky behind him. The moon was also rapidly moving away.
"Heavenly Origin is the sun, Water Origin is the moon. Then where is Earthly Origin?"
Qin Mu looked downward. Boundless yellowish-brown qi surged, churning beneath his feet. From within the tumbling yellow qi, mountains rose from the earth, peaks scattered in disorder.
The Three Origins converged, and immediately the mountains became clear, the waters pure, all things flourished, and heaven and earth were harmonious.
"Human Emperor, do you choose Heavenly Origin breakthrough, Earthly Origin breakthrough, or Water Origin breakthrough?" A booming voice rang out, deafening.
Qin Mu looked toward the voice. Within the sun stood a magnificent divine being radiating golden light. Behind it flew three-legged golden crows. The divine being also had three legs, a third eye in the center of its forehead, and held a great bell.
Qin Mu turned to look behind him. Within the moon was another figure—a woman, silvery bright, her hair like silver threads. Behind her floated an enormous toad with dim, hazy eyes. This goddess held a cassia tree, her silvery-white robes fluttering.
Qin Mu looked downward and saw the third divine being—a towering figure, tall and imposing, wrapped in a yellow dragon. Yellow qi churned beneath its feet, constantly surging.
Qin Mu breathed in the air here and immediately felt several different forces rushing toward him, causing his Spirit Embryo to grow unconsciously.
He was astonished. Having cultivated to this level, the mysteries of his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasury had been almost completely developed. No further improvement should have been possible. Yet here, it seemed his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasury could still improve!
"What is this place?"
Qin Mu called out loudly. "Where are the three elders just now?"
"This is the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasury of a deity."
The voice of the golden divine being in the sun rang out like thunder. "This deity is dead, only its shell remains. I am Heavenly Origin True Master, who used a secret technique to become this deity's Heavenly Origin."
"I am Water Origin True Master."
The voice of the silver-robed woman in the moon behind Qin Mu carried over. "I used a secret technique to become this deity's Water Origin."
"And I am Earthly Origin."
Beneath Qin Mu's feet, the earth rotated and rose up. The giant stood in place but rose with the rotation, a twisted mountain carrying it up to Qin Mu's level.
The giant looked down at Qin Mu from above. "Earthly Origin True Master greets Human Emperor!"
Qin Mu's mind buzzed, and he suddenly realized. "You're much older than Village Chief Grandpa. The reason you're still alive isn't because Earthly Earl forgot about you—it's because you've survived using this deity's Spirit Embryo Divine Treasury!"
Earthly Origin True Master showed none of the senile appearance he'd had outside the hall. His voice was incredibly deep. "Your guess is correct! Human Emperors are truly clever people. The three of us have all lived over two thousand years. For anyone else, they would have died three or four times by now. Even those near-divine strength cannot escape the cycle of life, death, sickness, and old age. But we managed to survive."
Heavenly Origin True Master's golden light drifted around him, flames like rainbows and wings sweeping through the air. "We're not merely clinging to life. We're here to select the best talents of Little Jade Capital and help them advance further. To let them glimpse the mysteries of a deity's divine treasury and achieve breakthroughs."
"However, to gain the benefits, you must pass the test of the Three Origins."
Behind Qin Mu, Water Origin True Master's ribbon-like sash trailed like a rainbow as she drifted to his side. Her voice also reached him. "The test of the Three Origins is to challenge the elites formed from this deity's Three Origins. Do you feel it? Here, the Three Origins are dense enough to allow your Spirit Embryo to advance another step! But since ancient times, few have obtained even one Origin from a deity. Those who obtain even a single Origin are already supreme figures."
"Little Jade Capital has such a place?"
Qin Mu's eyes lit up. If he could obtain all three Origins, his Spirit Embryo realm would surely break through again!
Now his Spirit Embryo had already reached a monstrous level. If it broke through again, what level would it reach?
However, from what these three True Masters were saying, he needed to challenge the deity's Three Origin elites to gain the benefits. Fighting against a deity made him quite uneasy.
"Triple Origin Hall only allows one challenge! So, do you choose Heavenly Origin breakthrough, Earthly Origin breakthrough, or Water Origin breakthrough?" The three divine beings asked in unison.
Qin Mu thought for a moment and called out, "Three Seniors, which breakthrough is the strongest?"
"Of course, Triple Origin breakthrough is the strongest!" all three said simultaneously.
Qin Mu's spirits soared. "Then I'll challenge all Three Origins!"
The three divine beings exchanged looks, showing surprise.
"As you wish!"
The sun shook, and a streak of fire flew out. At the same time, a silver light flew from the moon, and a yellow light flew from the earth. They transformed into three young men, their auras incredibly powerful. Strangely, they all looked identical.
All three young men were at the Six Harmonies realm. Suddenly they walked together, their bodies overlapping. Their combined aura surged again, making Qin Mu's eyes twitch!
"Perhaps Heavenly Origin breakthrough would have been more prudent..." he thought uneasily.
————Tomorrow, the explosion~