The First Marquis of Daxuan

hum!
A visible ripple appeared in the air.

Su Mu suddenly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Three hundred li to the northwest!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Tianzun and Zhu Tongtian, the Lord of the Void Beasts, had already soared into the sky and rushed towards the location he had indicated.

Su Mu's face was slightly pale, and he slowly raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

About two hours later, Li Tianzun and Zhu Tongtian, the Lord of the Void Beasts, returned to him once again.

Both of them looked rather grim.

"We're too slow again!"

Zhu Tongtian, the ruler of the Void Beasts, clenched his fist forcefully, his face filled with rage.

This is already the third time.

Each time Su Mu used the Heart-Illuminating Mirror and the Celestial Instrument to pinpoint the location of the Great Celestial Venerable's reincarnated soul fragment, they were always a step behind the Great Beginning Dynasty when they arrived.

"Something's not right."

Li Tianzun frowned and pondered, "They always happen to be one step ahead of us. What kind of coincidence is that?"

Unless they knew our whereabouts, they couldn't possibly be so coincidentally one step ahead of us every time.

"Are you saying that there was a mole who leaked our information?"

Zhu Tongtian, the ruler of the Void Beasts, frowned.

"How is this possible? Only the three of us know the whereabouts of the Great Celestial Venerable's soul fragments. Which of us would leak this information?"

Zhu Tongtian, the ruler of the Void Beasts, looked at Su Mu, then at Li Tianzun.

The three of them did have periods when they were enemies, but right now, they are at the point when they trust each other the most.

None of the three of them were willing to submit to the Great Celestial Venerable.

It's simply impossible for anyone to leak this information to the Great Chu Dynasty.

If none of the three of them leaked information, how did the other party manage to always be one step ahead of them?

Zhu Tongtian, the ruler of the Void Beasts, and Li Tianzun both looked at Su Mu.

With a thoughtful expression, Su Mu slowly said, "We overlooked something."

"what's up?"

Zhu Tongtian and Li Tianzun asked in unison.

"Although the formula for the Mirror of Reflection came from He Tianzun and Dao Tianzun, it was personally crafted by me."

I resolved the issues in the recipe when I was refining the Heart-Reflecting Mirror.

Therefore, there is no problem with looking in the mirror.

Su Mu said slowly, "But the Celestial Instrument was obtained by the Heavenly Thief from the Azure Sky Sect. In other words, there might be a problem with the Celestial Instrument."

"The celestial sphere belongs to your Azure Sky Sect, Celestial Venerable Li, are you aware that there is something wrong with it?"

Zhu Tongtian turned his head sharply to look at Li Tianzun and asked in a deep voice.

"It's true that the celestial globe belongs to the Azure Sky Sect, but I don't know its origin."

Li Tianzun was taken aback for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "When I first joined the Cangqiong Sect, the Hun Tian Yi was already the sect's most prized treasure. I don't know where it came from."

The Azure Sky Sect has too many treasures, and although Li Tianzun came from the Azure Sky Sect, he did not know the origin of each of them.

This is one of the drawbacks of having a large family and business.

That is because there are too many things to do at home, and even Li Tianzun, the patriarch, does not know much about the affairs of the Cangqiong Sect.

"Su Mu, do you mean that the armillary sphere is faulty, so when we use it to locate targets, they can also get the information?"

Li Tianzun asked in a deep voice, "Then can't we just not use the armillary sphere?"

"No."

Su Mu shook his head and said, "Without using the Celestial Instrument, the Mirror of the Mind's range of influence is very limited. Unless I travel the world with the Mirror of the Mind, it is impossible to find the reincarnation of the Great Celestial Venerable's soul fragments."

"Aren't you a weaponsmith? Why don't you just forge a new armillary sphere?"

Zhu Tongtian said.

"It's not as simple as you think."

Su Mu said, "First of all, I don't have the recipe for forging the Armillary Sphere. Secondly, forging the Armillary Sphere requires some special materials, which I also don't have."

"So we have no other choice now?"

Zhu Tongtian frowned and said, "If the Great Celestial Venerable takes back all his soul fragments, his strength will reach an unimaginable level, and we will definitely not be his match."

"Is there any way to modify the armillary sphere?"

Li Tianzun pondered and asked.

“You are not weapon makers; these things are not as simple as you think.”

Su Mu sighed, "Even with my current skill in weapon forging, it's impossible for me to modify a divine weapon so easily."

This armillary sphere is no ordinary divine weapon; neither imitation nor modification is easy.

I now even suspect that it might have been made by the Great Celestial Venerable.

"The Great Celestial Venerable is indeed a weapon forger; his weapon forging skills are the strongest I have ever seen in my life."

Zhu Tongtian nodded and said, "No, that's not right, except for you."

"Su Mu, your weapon-forging skills are no less than those of the Great Celestial Venerable. Can't you think of any other way?"

"We can certainly come up with a solution."

Su Mu rubbed his temples and said slowly, "But it will take time, and that's exactly what we need most right now."

He can disassemble the armillary sphere and then deduce its manufacturing method.

However, it would take him at least several years to be able to replicate the armillary sphere.

Several years will pass, and by then the Great Celestial Venerable will probably have emerged from seclusion.

"We can break the law with force."

Su Mu said slowly, "As long as we are fast enough, we can get ahead of them."

“We’ve already tried.”

Zhu Tongtian said with a wry smile, "We've both given it our all."

However, after those Celestial Venerables pledged allegiance to the Great Celestial Venerable, they received guidance from the Great Celestial Venerable, and their strength increased by leaps and bounds.

The Celestial Venerables who were previously weaker than us are now stronger than us; there's no way we can be faster than them.

To put it bluntly, even if we manage to find our target first, we might not be able to stop the Heavenly Venerable of the Great Chu Dynasty once he catches up.

"Fortunately, we don't need to block them at all. We just need to kill the target to stop the Great Celestial Venerable from taking back the soul fragments!"

Li Tianzun said menacingly, "I think what Su Mu said is worth a try."

"Use brute force to overcome skill; as long as we are fast enough, we can solve any problem."

"Then tell me, how can we get fast enough? We just rushed there at top speed, but we were still a step too late."

Zhu Tongtian said, "With our current cultivation levels, it's almost impossible for us to increase our speed."

Unless we can obtain the Great Celestial Venerable's secret techniques.

Li Tianzun's expression shifted slightly.

To be honest, seeing so many Celestial Venerables who were not as good as him surpass him in strength after joining the Great Chu Dynasty, it would be a lie to say that Celestial Venerable Li was not envious.

If he hadn't been so unwilling to be subordinate to others, he would have wanted to join the Great Chu Dynasty.

Which Heavenly Venerable wouldn't want a secret technique that could enhance their strength?
"Zhu Tongtian, aren't you his disciple? Don't you know anything about that secret technique that can enhance the strength of a Celestial Venerable?"

Li Tianzun asked Zhu Tongtian about the Dao.

"I do not know."

Zhu Tongtian shook his head and said, "However, I know a path that might improve our strength!"

"What way?"

Li Tianzun pressed for an answer.

"The Chaos Chronicle".

Zhu Tongtian said in a deep voice, "The cultivation techniques of the Great Celestial Venerable were all comprehended from the Chaos Diagram."

If we can reassemble the Chaos Atlas, perhaps we can discover a way to increase speed.

"Are you joking?"

Li Tianzun was so angry he laughed.

"The method to increase speed that you gleaned from the Chaos Records is less useful than letting me directly challenge the Great Celestial Venerable!"

The legend of the Chaos Record has been passed down for countless years, and every Celestial Venerable has tried to find it.

When Li Tianzun was young, he also found two Chaos Diagrams and tried to understand something from them.

As a result, he wasted several years of his life without figuring anything out.

You must know that Li Tianzun is also one of the top geniuses in the world, with talent and comprehension that are one in ten thousand.

He couldn't glean anything from the Chaos Diagram.

It wasn't just him, Li Tianzun; as far as he knew, almost all the Tianzun in the Yang Realm had had similar experiences.

But no one has actually benefited from the Chaos Atlas.

Gradually, people stopped paying much attention to the Chaos Diagram.

Jue Tianzun did manage to create some kind of opportunity at Nanheng Mountain, but in the end, he gained nothing.

Li Tianzun was unaware of what Qi Lingyun had comprehended from the Chaos Diagram, nor did he know that Su Mu had grasped the Chaos Void Heaven Technique from the Chaos Diagram.

However, what Li Tianzun said was not wrong.

Trying to deduce what is from the Chaos Chronicle is almost impossible.

"Let's not even talk about whether we can glean anything from the Chaos Chart. Just consider that the Chaos Chart has split into nine pieces. Over the years, they have long been lost and their whereabouts are unknown. It's impossible to find all nine pieces of the Chaos Chart."

Li Tianzun said.

"I have."

Zhu Tongtian said solemnly.

“I have four Chaos Diagrams! We just need to find the other five to collect all nine.”

Zhu Tongtian said solemnly.

Li Tianzun: "..."

You somehow managed to get four Chaos Diagrams without making a sound?

"how did you do that?"

Li Tianzun couldn't help but say.

"I'll live a little longer than you."

Zhu Tongtian said, "The longer you live, the more things you can do."

Originally, I wanted to wait until I unified the Saha world before searching for the other five Chaos Diagrams, but now I'm afraid that opportunity is gone—”

"If you really have four Chaos Diagrams, then I think we should have collected nine Chaos Diagrams by now."

Su Mu spoke slowly.

With a wave of his hand, five Chaos Diagrams were neatly arranged on the ground.

Li Tianzun: "..."

He looked at Su Mu, then at Zhu Tongtian.

He felt like an outsider, no, he felt like a fool.

He, Li Tianzun, is a Tianzun after all, and he comes from the former number one sect in the Yang Realm. Why does he feel like a complete idiot who knows nothing? These two guys must have planned this all along.

You think you can just pull out something like the Chaos Atlas like that?
Zhu Tongtian's eyes lit up, and he gave Su Mu a thumbs up.

"I knew it, Su Mu, that you were the man who could become my lifelong enemy."

Zhu Tongtian couldn't help but say, "Others think the Chaos Records are rumors, but only you can see their true value!"

As they were talking, Zhu Tongtian also took out four pieces of the Chaos Diagram and placed them together with Su Mu's five pieces.

The nine chaotic diagrams were placed together to form a larger square diagram.

The surface is covered with dense lines, which have no discernible pattern. Staring at it for a while can make you feel dizzy.

Li Tianzun only glanced at it a few times before he couldn't help but look away.

He couldn't discern any pattern, and after observing for a while, he even felt as if the power within his body was about to spiral out of control.

"It seems that nothing special has happened even after all nine Chaos Diagrams have been collected."

Li Tianzun said, "Zhu Tongtian, are you sure you can figure out anything?"

"I'm not sure, but we have no other choice but to try our best."

Zhu Tongtian said, his eyes fixed on the nine Chaos Diagrams, and began to comprehend them.

Su Mu didn't waste any words; his gaze also fell on the nine Chaos Diagrams.

Unlike Zhu Tongtian and Li Tianzun, Su Mu's understanding of the Chaos Record far surpasses theirs.

Su Mu had previously deciphered the Chaos Void Heaven Technique from it.

He also considered further refining his Chaos Void Heaven Technique after collecting all the Chaos Diagrams.

Now that he has unexpectedly collected the Chaos Records, he certainly won't let this opportunity slip by.

Whether he can increase speed is another matter, but at least Su Mu is confident that he can further improve his Chaotic Void Heaven Technique.

Staring at the Chaos Diagram, Su Mu suddenly raised his hand and rearranged the order of the nine Chaos Diagrams.

Then he slowly sat down cross-legged, and a faint light emanated from his body.

Li Tianzun looked at Su Mu with some surprise, and a look of shock appeared on his face.

"No way."

He muttered to himself.

You think you've actually figured out anything from this bunch of messy lines?

Zhu Tongtian couldn't help but turn his head to look at Su Mu.

The changes in Su Mu also shocked it.

You've figured it out already?
This is too fast.

Zhu Tongtian hadn't even sat down yet.

Zhu Tongtian looked at the Chaos Diagram and then at Su Mu, and suddenly felt a similar sensation to that of Li Tianzun.

It felt like a fool compared to Su Mu.

This Chaos Diagram doesn't seem to have any profound mysteries, but Su Mu only glanced at it and clearly entered a state of enlightenment.

Is this the difference between geniuses and ordinary people?

Zhu Tongtian was also a genius in cultivation, but compared to Su Mu, he was clearly just an ordinary person.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Tongtian simply stopped looking at the Chaos Diagram.

"Why aren't you trying to understand it anymore? Weren't you very confident?"

Li Tianzun glanced at it and transmitted his voice, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Zhu Tongtian rolled his eyes and responded by transmitting his voice in return.

"Do you think it's still necessary? We can just wait for Su Mu to figure something out and then pass it on to us."

Zhu Tongtian said, "Even if I continue to study it, do you think I can surpass him?"

"Makes sense."

Li Tianzun nodded and said, "Compared to him, I feel like I'm just an ordinary person."

"Tell me, Zhu Tongtian, who's more monstrous, your teacher, the Great Celestial Venerable, or Su Mu?"

Seeing that Su Mu had entered a state of enlightenment, Li Tianzun and Zhu Tongtian simply stood guard for him while chatting idly.

"I do not know."

Zhu Tongtian shook his head and said, "When I met the Great Celestial Venerable, he already possessed the cultivation level of a Celestial Venerable. No one knows his growth process."

However, I think that even if Su Mu is not as good as the Great Celestial Venerable, he is not too far off.

The only thing he lacks now is age. When he reaches the age of a Great Celestial Venerable, he might not necessarily be weaker than one.

"I think so too, but unfortunately, the Great Celestial Venerable may not give him that time to grow."

Li Tianzun sighed.

"By the way, I've always been curious, you're clearly not a Celestial Venerable, so why do you have the strength to kill a Celestial Venerable? And Su Mu, why hasn't he broken through to the Celestial Venerable realm yet?"

Logically speaking, there should always be vacant positions for Heavenly Venerables in our mortal realm.

Li Tianzun suddenly remembered something and looked at Zhu Tongtian to ask.

In the world today, there are only two people who are not Heavenly Venerables, yet can sit on equal footing with them: Su Mu and Zhu Tongtian.

Zhu Tongtian is a disciple of the Great Celestial Venerable, so it's understandable that he possesses such heaven-defying power, but Su Mu has never broken through to the Celestial Venerable realm.

Several Heavenly Venerables in the Yang Realm had died, and if Su Mu wanted the vacant Venerable positions, no one could take them from him.

But even though there were vacancies in the position of honor, Su Mu deliberately refused to break through.

It's one thing if he doesn't break through, but he doesn't even know how he cultivated. When he was at the Heavenly Fate Realm, he was already able to kill a Heavenly Venerable-level Void Beast.

Li Tianzun wasn't familiar with Su Mu before, so it wasn't appropriate for him to ask such questions.

Now that he has some free time, he can't help but want to ask.

"That's why I say Su Mu is a peerless genius who is no less than the Great Celestial Venerable."

Zhu Tongtian lamented, "It was only much later that the Great Celestial Venerable realized that the path he created for the Celestial Venerable was a wrong one."

No one told Su Mu, yet Su Mu was able to grasp this point on his own.

Although I hate to admit it, I have to say that Su Mu is actually stronger than me.

"Is the path of the Celestial Venerable wrong?"

Li Tianzun frowned and said, "Are you saying that I've gone down the wrong path?"

"Yes."

Zhu Tongtian said, "But it doesn't really matter. With your talent, reaching the Heavenly Venerable level is already your limit. Whether you're on the right path or the wrong path doesn't matter."

Li Tianzun: "..."

You dare to look down on me? If we weren't comrades in arms now, do you believe I'd beat you up right now?
How do you know I can't go any further?

"Haven't you noticed that the Celestial Venerable realm has significant flaws?"

Zhu Tongtian glanced at Li Tianzun and said.

"You mean the Celestial Venerable's mission?"

Li Tianzun frowned and said, "That is indeed a problem, but our martial arts cultivation comes from the gifts of this world. When we reach the Tianzun realm, we are just giving back to this world. We can't say that the path of Tianzun is wrong just because of that, can we?"

"Stop deceiving yourself. Martial arts practitioners cultivate to achieve true freedom."

Zhu Tongtian said disdainfully, "To become a Heavenly Venerable, one becomes a servant of the Heavenly Dao, with one's life and death entirely in the hands of the Heavenly Dao. Do you think this is the right path?"

"Does the path you choose exempt you from the constraints of Heaven's will?"

Li Tianzun frowned.

The Heavenly Venerable's mission is a tight rein, and Li Tianzun is certainly aware of this.

In fact, over the years, countless celestial beings have tried to solve this problem, but so far no one has succeeded.

Compared to the constraints imposed on the Celestial Venerable, his power is even more irresistible.

That's why countless people have tried to become Celestial Venerables over the years.

If there really is another way, who wouldn't want to take it?
But as it turns out, becoming a Celestial Venerable is the only way to increase one's strength.

“I don’t know what path Su Mu took, but I can tell you that the path I took also has flaws.”

Zhu Tongtian said, "The path I am walking on now was conceived by the Great Celestial Venerable back then."

After you achieve the status of Celestial Venerable, you become slaves to the Heavenly Dao, while I take the path of borrowing power.

Simply put, I borrow the power of the Heavenly Venerable from the Heavenly Dao, and each time I borrow it, I only need to repay it with a certain price.

In this way, my relationship with the Heavenly Dao is one of transaction, and I am not bound by the Heavenly Venerable's mission.

Li Tianzun frowned. Borrowing strength didn't seem much better than he was now.

"Did Su Mu also use this method of leveraging external forces?"

Li Tianzun asked.

"do not know."

Zhu Tongtian shook his head and said, "But it doesn't seem like it. The way he walked is more like the self-contained path that the Great Celestial Venerable once spoke of."

What is a self-contained way?

Li Tianzun asked curiously.

"I don't know the specifics either. I only once heard the Great Celestial Venerable mention something about the physical body forming its own universe."

Zhu Tongtian said, "Knowing all this is useless. You can't walk this path, and neither can I. We can't turn back now."

"What path does the Great Celestial Venerable take?"

Li Tianzun remained silent for a moment, then couldn't help but ask.

“He definitely started on the path of the Heavenly Venerable, but later he abandoned his cultivation and started over. Now I don’t know what his situation is.”

Zhu Tongtian said.

"If he could cripple his cultivation and start over, why can't we?"

Li Tianzun snorted coldly; he didn't want to continue down the wrong path either.

"You can try."

Zhu Tongtian shrugged and said, "At your current age, if you were to cripple your cultivation, you would die of old age before you could even start cultivating again."

Li Tianzun: "..."

He has never been speechless more in his entire life than he has been today.

What Zhu Tongtian said was true, but it just sounded so unpleasant.

Does being young make you special?
Does being young give you a chance to start over?

Well, youth is indeed remarkable.

Su Mu is probably not even a hundred years old yet.

Li Tianzun felt a sense of helplessness; getting involved with such a monster was simply asking for trouble.

Zhu Tongtian was right. In any case, his aptitude is what it is, so whether he takes the right or wrong path doesn't seem to matter much.

Isn't it just about bearing some missions from the Heavenly Venerables?

As long as he possesses the strength of a Celestial Venerable, he, Li Tianzun, will be the most powerful being in this world.

As long as you don't compare yourself to Su Mu, it's fine, right?
"Don't be discouraged. Think about it, what if Su Mu can glean something from this Chaos Record? Maybe it can change your situation. Who knows, maybe he can guide you to become stronger, just like the Great Celestial Venerable?"

Zhu Tongtian patted Li Tianzun on the shoulder and said. (End of Chapter)