A short while after walking, Qin Mu and the other two arrived at a secret chamber. Inside the chamber was a stone platform, and above the platform, a piece of paper floated in the air.
From a distance, the paper was blank, emanating a faint golden light. Although it was just a piece of paper, it gave Qin Mu a strange sense of dread, as if he were but an ant before it.
“This is… a Heavenly Book Fragment!”
From within the Sea of Consciousness, the Divine Dragon Senior’s voice rang out.
“Heavenly Book!?”
Hearing this, Qin Mu was greatly shocked.
So this was the legendary bug-level treasure, the Heavenly Book!
“I truly never expected that I would encounter the legendary Heavenly Book here.”
The Divine Dragon had lived for so long, yet had only ever heard of the Heavenly Book, never seen it with his own eyes. But according to the legends, this piece of paper truly matched the Heavenly Book’s description.
If the Divine Dragon had never seen it, then Qin Mu certainly hadn’t either.
In his previous life, he’d played plenty of games where the Heavenly Book was a common trope—obtain the Heavenly Book, conquer the world, and all that.
“Then, Divine Dragon Senior, if I obtain this Heavenly Book, doesn’t that mean I’m about to rise up!?”
Qin Mu’s heart was racing with excitement. Heavens above! Earth below! This Qin Mu was finally about to be a little cow riding a rocket—shooting straight to the top!
“It’s possible, but I don’t know much about this thing myself. Let’s secure the Heavenly Book first, then study it once we’re back.”
Unlike the Divine Dragon, who recognized it at a glance, Lu Qian and Chu Jiujiu stared at the golden paper floating in midair with confused expressions.
“What is this?”
Lu Qian looked at the paper right before her eyes, feeling a sense of powerlessness well up inside her, like facing a cultivator of a higher level—that vast chasm between heaven and earth.
Chu Jiujiu shook her head and said, “Not sure, but by the looks of it, it’s a treasure.”
With a casual wave, Chu Jiujiu produced a jade bottle. As she opened the stopper, a buzzing sound filled the air.
Then, a red beetle flew out. Judging by its appearance, it was a Gu insect that Chu Jiujiu had raised herself.
“Go, bring me that paper.”
Chu Jiujiu pointed at the paper floating in midair.
As her words fell, the red beetle flew toward the Heavenly Book Fragment. But just as it was about to get close, it suddenly stopped flying and dropped straight to the ground.
Seeing this, Chu Jiujiu issued a forceful command, but no matter what she ordered, the red beetle wouldn’t budge. Finally, the red beetle simply flew back on its own.
This was the first time Chu Jiujiu had encountered such a situation.
“What’s wrong?”
Chu Jiujiu extended her index finger, and the red beetle landed on it, its tiny body trembling as if it had seen something terrifying.
“Aunt Lu, I think I can give it a try.”
At that moment, Qin Mu spoke up.
Just moments ago, after watching Senior Chu’s red beetle fail, the Divine Dragon Senior in his Sea of Consciousness had said that he had a way to retrieve the Heavenly Book.
“No! Mu’er, this is too dangerous.”
Lu Qian refused outright. Facing this paper, even she felt a warning deep within her, telling her not to approach. Let alone Mu’er, who was only at the Qi Refining Stage—his strength was far too weak.
“Young Master Qin, Sect Leader Lu is right. This paper is too dangerous.”
One should know that Chu Jiujiu, as the Great Priest of the Gu Tribe, raised Gu insects that were far from ordinary—they could be called kings among Gu insects. Even facing a Great Ascension Realm Elder Ancestor, they’d still have the courage to take a few bites.
Seeing Aunt Lu and Senior Chu so unsupportive, Qin Mu came up with an idea.
“If Aunt Lu and Senior Chu are truly worried, how about this—tie a rope around my waist. I’ll go try, and if there’s any danger, pull me back in time.”
Qin Mu didn’t want to waste such an absurdly heaven-defying treasure. This was a Heavenly Book Fragment, after all! Maybe if he obtained it and comprehended the great truths within, he could directly step into the Golden Core realm.
Though that was a bit unrealistic, a man still needed his dreams.
Seeing how persistent Mu’er was, Lu Qian hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Fine, but Mu’er, remember—don’t push yourself.”
Lu Qian waved her delicate hand, and a thin thread formed from True Qi wrapped around Qin Mu’s waist.
“Alright then, Aunt Lu, I’m going!”
Qin Mu turned to look at the Heavenly Book Fragment, rubbed his hands together, and grinned. Heh heh, my precious, here I come!
Step by step he approached the Heavenly Book. As the distance closed, a sudden pressure descended upon Qin Mu’s body. Had the Divine Dragon Senior’s power not arrived in time, he would have been crushed flat to the ground, unable to move an inch.
“Thank you, Divine Dragon Senior.”
“Heh, kid, between us, there’s no need for thanks. Don’t be so formal.”
The Divine Dragon’s golden eyes were also fixed on the Heavenly Book Fragment. If it weren’t for his nature as a Primordial Being, resisting the Heavenly Book’s pressure wouldn’t have been easy at all.
“Alright, kid. Leave the rest to me for now. This thing requires some special methods to subdue.”
“Okay, got it!”
The next moment, Qin Mu’s eyes turned golden once more.
As an incantation Qin Mu couldn’t understand was chanted from his lips, it was visibly clear that the golden radiance on the Heavenly Book Fragment was slowly fading. By the time the Divine Dragon Senior finished the chant, the golden glow had completely vanished. At the same time, the fragment slowly descended from midair and settled quietly onto the stone platform.
“Alright, the deed is done. But I must warn you—never put the Heavenly Book Fragment into a storage pouch, or the pouch will be destroyed in an instant.”
“Don’t worry, Divine Dragon Senior. I’ll obey.”
Gradually, Qin Mu regained control of his body.
On the other side, seeing that Qin Mu had safely subdued the paper, Lu Qian and Chu Jiujiu let out a breath of relief. Had any accident occurred, they were both ready to rescue him at a moment’s notice.
“Hehe, Aunt Lu, Senior Chu, I did it!”
Qin Mu said happily, holding the Heavenly Book Fragment.
“Good, good! Mu’er, you’re amazing!”
Lu Qian cheerfully pinched Mu’er’s tender cheeks, feeling the kind of joy a parent feels when their child independently accomplishes something that makes them proud.
As for exactly how Mu’er had subdued the paper, Lu Qian didn’t plan to ask. After all, even her own child was entitled to their little secrets.
Chu Jiujiu’s eyes also lit up as she said, “I never would have thought that Young Master Qin had such abilities.”
All along, Chu Jiujiu had believed that she should protect Young Master Qin and keep him from harm. After all, Young Master Qin was only at the Qi Refining Stage—his cultivation level was far too low.
As Qin Mu subdued the Heavenly Book Fragment, the light beam vanished. Immediately after, the surroundings began to shake violently.
“Wh… what’s happening? Is it an earthquake?”
Qin Mu stumbled, nearly falling, but Senior Chu beside him reached out to steady him.
“The situation has changed. Let’s get out of here.”
With that, Lu Qian grabbed Qin Mu, formed a protective barrier of True Qi around them, and flew out.
Chu Jiujiu quickly followed.
Whoosh—
Two streaks of light arrived outside the temple in the blink of an eye.
The moment Qin Mu’s feet touched the ground, he heard a loud rumbling from behind. Turning around, he saw that the temple, perfectly fine just moments ago, had now completely collapsed.
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