Celestial Bodies Leave the Great Wilderness

Empress Shangguan Tongruo of the Wood Spirit Imperial Dynasty and Princess Mu Wanxiu walked together into the main hall.

All the officials bowed respectfully, but each of them wore a look of surprise and bewilderment in their eyes.

"Your Empress, you just said... you agreed?"

Mu Zhenfeng raised his eyes and looked at Shangguan Tongruo with a puzzled expression!

Even from the dragon throne, Mu Qingcang glanced at it indifferently.

Shangguan Tongruo's expression remained calm as she said:

"Yes, I agree with Elder Mu Zhenyun's point of view."

"The imperial dynasty and the Ancestor Village are of the same lineage; they cannot fight amongst themselves."

"Furthermore, now that a prodigy like the Wood Spirit Celestial Body has emerged in our Ancestor Village, we should immediately invite him to the imperial court. After all, only in the imperial court can the Wood Spirit Celestial Body receive the best treatment!"

She looked at the emperor at the head of the table and said:

"Your Majesty, please send someone to invite Ancestor Village here!"

"Especially that Wood Spirit Celestial Body, if she could enter the court, it would truly be a blessing for our dynasty."

The emperor frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled.

However, the Empress continued, "At that time, Wanxiu... will also have a companion, and can learn from the Wood Spirit Celestial Body."

Mu Qingcang seemed to be deep in thought, then suddenly waved his hand and said:

"I grant your permission."

"As the Empress wishes, Minister Zhenkong, would you please make the trip?"

"To the Ancestor Village, I extend my greetings and apologies, and invite them to come."

Upon hearing this, all the officials in the court were stunned.

Your Majesty... actually made such a decision?

"No, no!"

"Your Majesty, you are too merciful!"

"How can we tolerate the people of Ancestor Village who dared to lay a hand on Elder Mu Zhenyun... Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

The ministers, led by Mu Zhenfeng, strongly advised against it!

In their view, doing so was too time-consuming and laborious, and not worthwhile.

He could have easily led a large army to pacify Wood Spirit Village, and then divided up the treasures...

Now that things have turned out this way, the people of Wood Spirit Village have become honored guests of the royal family, making it... much harder for them to rob them.

Mu Zhenkong, however, was extremely excited.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"Your subject will certainly not fail in the great trust placed in you!"

Having said that, he immediately stood up and said, "Your subject takes his leave!"

He turned to leave.

But the Empress suddenly said:

"Guardian Zhenkong, this matter is of great importance. I will send Great General of the Imperial Guards Mu Long of the Imperial Guard to accompany you."

Great General of the Imperial Guards Mu Long of the Imperial Guard... is the Empress's confidant!

A hint of doubt flashed in Mu Zhenkong's eyes, but he still said:

"I obey the decree!"

The court assembly has ended.

Only the Royal Family of three remained in the main hall.

The emperor glanced at the Empress indifferently and said:

"Tongruo, now, can you tell me what your intentions are?"

He knew the Empress too well.

It should be noted that the Empress has always been standing behind Mu Zhenfeng and the others.

This time they actually supported Mu Zhenkong...

Moreover, he sensed a hidden meaning in the Empress's words at court!

Shangguan Tongruo looked at Mu Qingcang and said:

"Everything I've done... is for my daughter, for the dynasty!"

Leaving the imperial court, Mu Zhenkong and Imperial Guard General Mu Long led their troops at breakneck speed.

They soon entered the Great Wilderness.

Following the route provided by Mu Jingshan, they continued onward, and by dusk they were already close to Wood Spirit Village!

"Elder, why the rush?"

Mu Zhong, a general under Mu Zhenkong, couldn't help but speak up.

"We have no choice but to flee. Mu Zhenyun's arrogance and domineering attitude have made Ancestor Village hostile and wary of the Dynasty... If I were from Ancestor Village, I would probably flee immediately to avoid the Dynasty's retaliation!"

This is what he's most worried about.

He feared that the people of his Ancestor Village would be frightened away by the imperial dynasty.

In that vast wilderness, where could one possibly search?

"Years ago, our ancestor Mu Xuanqing, along with our second ancestor Mu Xuanjian, followed Old Ancestor Mu Xuanfeng and left the Great Wilderness... Although they established a dynasty, Old Ancestor Xuanqing was always troubled by the matter of violating the ancestral oath, and in his later years he even died thinking of the Ancestor Village..."

Mu Zhenkong murmured, a hint of melancholy in his voice.

Their Old Ancestor, Mu Xuanqing, Mu Zhenyun's Old Ancestor, Mu Xuanjian, followed Mu Xuanfeng, a peerless expert from Wood Spirit Village, out of the Great Wilderness and established their dynasty.

Now, a thousand years have passed, and both Mu Xuanjian and Mu Xuanqing have reached their end, withered and fallen, leaving only Mu Xuanfeng, who is still struggling to hold on, but has also encountered the biggest bottleneck.

If they cannot break through, they probably won't have many years left to live—that's why the Wood Spirit Imperial Dynasty is in a hurry to enter the Great Wilderness to search for treasures.

A resolute glint flashed in Mu Zhenkong's eyes as he said:

"Now that we finally have this opportunity, we absolutely cannot leave any regrets. We must ensure that our Ancestor Village leaves the wilderness and enjoys the benefits of the imperial dynasty!"

Upon hearing Mu Zhong nodded deeply.

But beside him, Imperial Guard General Mu Long remained indifferent.

"Elder, we've arrived!"

At this moment, a soldier in front spoke up.

Mu Zhenkong immediately dismounted. He saw the village at the foot of the mountain, and his old eyes immediately filled with excitement.

He stepped forward directly and said:

"Elder Mu Zhenkong, Protector of the Wood Spirit Imperial Dynasty, and General Mu Long, Imperial Guard, have come to pay their respects to the Ancestor Village on the orders of the Wood Empress!"

He spoke loudly!

Inside the village.

The villagers are all preparing for war!

Upon hearing the news, they immediately grabbed their weapons and rushed out of the village.

"Are those bastards from the Wood Spirit Imperial Dynasty here again?"

"Let's fight them!"

Everyone was shouting.

Mu Rantian, Mu Nanshan, and Mu Wanqing were the first to step forward.

Mu Rantian looked at Mu Zhenkong and said coldly:

"Our Wood Spirit Village has had no connection with the Wood Spirit Imperial Dynasty for over a thousand years."

"Now, your people are acting arrogantly and domineeringly, attempting to destroy our village and steal our things... This is truly outrageous!"

"Now that your elders have been captured, you must either sign a peace treaty and promise never to invade our village again, or... don't blame us for killing you!"

He waved his hand, and two villagers immediately came up, supporting an old man.

The old man was barely breathing, like a cripple, his face pale and his whole body trembling.

It was Mu Zhenyun!

Mu Wanqing released him from the rice bag, but he was completely ruined, losing all his cultivation and becoming mentally unstable.

Mu Rantian, being old and prudent, spared his life as a bargaining chip in negotiations.

After all, compared to an imperial dynasty, their Wood Spirit Village was still far too weak.

Peace is the best outcome.

When Mu Zhenyun looked up and saw Mu Zhenkong and Mu Long, he screamed in agony:

"Brother Zhenkong, General Mu Long, quickly, kill all these ants, kill all these ants... avenge me!"

His eyes were filled with hatred!

My generation of protector has come to an end just like that!

However, Mu Zhenkong shouted loudly, "..."

"Shut up!"

"Mu Zhenyun, you are audacious, arrogant, and have forgotten your ancestors!"

"You deserve to have fallen so low!"

He stepped forward and bowed deeply to Mu Rantian, Mu Wanqing, and the others, his face utterly sincere, and said:

"Everyone, on behalf of the Wood Empress, I apologize to you!"

"You... you've suffered!"

He spoke from the bottom of his heart.

Everyone in Wood Spirit Village was stunned by what they saw.

What's going on here...?

Weren't we here to fight?

Mu Rantian frowned and said:

"Your Excellency... what does this mean?"

Mu Zhenkong stood up and said:

"Mu Zhenyun's attack on Ancestor Village was purely for his own selfish reasons, which the Imperial Dynasty cannot tolerate. Now, Wood Empress and Empress have specially sent me here, firstly to apologize, and secondly... to request Ancestor Village to leave the Great Wilderness!"

"The Great Wilderness... is too harsh!"

Mu Rantian and the others were even more surprised.

Please, Ancestor Village... leave the wilderness??

The group looked at each other in bewilderment.

"No! We will not betray our ancestral teachings!"

"Yes, we won't be like you traitors!"

"Don't even think about dragging us into this!"

Unlike the Wood Spirit Imperial Dynasty, Wood Spirit Village... strictly adheres to its ancestral precepts.

They won't change easily.

Mu Rantian also spoke up, saying, "We accept your apology, but as for leaving the village... let's not talk about it anymore. You can leave now!"

Reject.

Mu Zhenkong grew anxious and said:

"This is for your own good!"

"The evil power of the Great Wilderness is terrifying beyond measure. The higher one's cultivation level, the greater its influence. Otherwise, why would the three Old Ancestor have fled the Great Wilderness back then? They... did it to survive!"

Mu Zhenkong pointed at Mu Wanqing and said:

"Moreover, now that an unparalleled celestial body has finally awakened in our Ancestor Village, if it were to sink into the Great Wilderness, it would only lead to a life of melancholy!"

A hint of hesitation flashed across Mu Rantian's face.

That's true.

The evil power of the Great Wilderness... is terrifying.

Even experts at the Spirit Refining Realm are extremely rare in the Great Wilderness!

This situation... might really affect Mu Wanqing's development!

"Oh, right,"

At this moment, the usually taciturn Mu Long suddenly stepped forward and said:

"Four or five years ago, did the village send out a man and a woman to search for a way to prolong the life of the Sacrificial Spirit?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Rantian was startled and looked sharply at Mu Long.

"You've seen them?!"

He spoke in a daze.

Since the lifespan of Sacrificial Spirit is difficult to extend, the Wood Spirit Village began searching for various treasures several years ago.

At that time, Mu Wanqing's parents, the two strongest middle-aged men in the village... left the Great Wilderness!

They're gone forever!

And now, you've actually heard news about them?

Mu Wanqing immediately looked over nervously!

Mu Long, however, said:

"Only Her Empress knows anything about those two."

"Why don't you all come with us to the Imperial Palace and meet Her Empress?"

A sly glint appeared in his eyes.

This is why the Empress summoned him!

Having this leverage ensures absolute security.

Even Mu Zhenkong, who was standing next to him, was taken aback for a moment and said:

"Why wouldn't I know about this?"

Had the Empress already met the people from the Ancestor Village?

"I'm sorry, Protector Zhenkong, I'm afraid only the Empress can answer this question for you."

Mu Long spoke calmly.

A shadow fell over Mu Zhenkong's eyes.

Wood Spirit Village, Mu Rantian, and others hesitated.

Mu Wanqing had already stepped forward. She gritted her teeth and said:

"I'll go to the Imperial Dynasty with you!"