Chapter 1086 — Old Friends Reunited in the Wuming Palace

A cataclysm had struck the Heavenly Court. The Southern Emperor, Vermilion Bird, emerged from the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace and lifted her gaze to Achou, who was even then dragging the vast world behind him through the Heavenly Court, advancing step by step, bound about with countless chains of the Great Dao. Her face was cold and indifferent: "The Crown Prince Qi has gone too far. And yet — without that one's connivance, would Crown Prince Qi dare to do such a thing?"

She gave a cold laugh and gazed afar toward the seat of power in the Heavenly Court: "What is it you want to do, Your Majesty?"

"The Heavenly Court was founded, and you have already gathered all our power as gods into your own hands. Are you still not at ease with us?"

She murmured low to herself: "Yes — Tubo and the Heavenly Lord are too strong. They will not submit to your restraints. So long as you can seize upon their faults, you will be able to control them, will you not? The Heavenly Lord has already been taught his lesson by you. Now it is Tubo's turn."

Her expression was bleak and desolate as she said in a low, mournful voice: "I fear it will soon be the Earth Mother's turn, then Tianyin's, then the turn of us, the Four Imperial Ones. But I — I will not sit and wait for death!"

On this day, wind and clouds churned with treachery throughout the Heavenly Court. Achou had slaughtered his way up into the Heavenly Court, bringing about the fall of one ancient god and demigod after another; the Heavenly Court's armies suffered countless casualties.

In the end, he came to the Jade Capital City, whereupon he was struck down by the Heavenly Emperor and plunged into Youdu.

The Heavenly Emperor reached out his palm and caught the infant girl who had fallen from Tubo's shoulder.

At this very moment, Hao Tianzun and Yun Tianzun were escaping one after the other from within the Zhaoyang Hall. The two had just fled that treasure hall when they went their separate ways, without so much as a glance at each other.

After them came Shen Mu, one step behind, also bursting out from the Zhaoyang Hall, transforming again and again along the way to evade the palace maids of the inner palaces, slipping into the Jade Capital City, and then taking on the appearance of Luoxiao as he walked toward the city gates.

And at that same moment, when the Azure Bird bore the palace upon its back and charged into Youdu, it was still one step too late.

The Divine King Gongjun saw Tubo awaken. He opened his eyes and gazed up at the Heavenly Court from within the underworld, and from his three eyes no emotion whatsoever leaked forth.

Tubo's eyes did not look at them. Yet he raised his palm, and the River of the Underworld surged and roared, sweeping toward the Azure Bird and the palace.

His gaze fell upon the Heavenly Emperor's hand — upon his daughter.

The Divine King Gongjun felt terror in his heart. He was just about to mount a defense when suddenly he saw all the bonds upon Dahong snap open. This demon broke free of his restraints and transformed into a great bird, wings beating as it soared away, laughing loudly: "Rest easy, beloved wife! With me here, Tubo dares not harm you!"

Gongjun took the River of the Underworld's strike head-on and was struck until his soul quaked. Yet at this moment, a terrifying power swept in and blocked the River of the Underworld — it was the true body of the Tai Emperor making its move, though he did not reveal himself.

Gongjun knew nothing could be done. With no other choice, he had to flee Youdu with the aid of the Tai Emperor's true body.

"She is, by rights, the daughter of the mightiest demon god in the world, yet she was not born in Youdu — she was born in the world of the living."

The Heavenly Emperor's voice came from on high, yet it passed with perfect clarity into Tubo's ears: "The daughter of the underworld is Void. Then let her be called Void. Youdu's demonic qi and yin qi are too heavy. Let Void remain in the Heavenly Court. What say you, my friend Daoist?"

Tubo lowered his head and watched his reincarnated body, Achou, falling without cease, plunging into deeper darkness.

"Your Majesty is sagacious," he said.

The Heavenly Emperor smiled.

Within the Jade Capital City, Crown Prince Qi witnessed the scene of the Heavenly Emperor driving back Achou, and terror seized his heart: "It seems that to be rid of my father, I still lack the strength. Yet I have struck at Tubo and stirred up such a commotion — I fear my father will no longer tolerate me. I have no choice but to rebel... I still have the demigod clan, I still have the Empress, and many ancient gods support me! I may not necessarily lose to my father!"

At this time, Shen Mu was walking with light, brisk steps through the Heavenly Court, heading toward the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace. A fine, pattering rain had begun to fall from the sky — the Rain Master God of the Heavenly Court sending down rain to wash away the bloodstains on the heavenly streets.

On the streets, the gods who had not died were carrying away corpses.

Achou-Tubo had mobilized the power of Tubo's true body and inflicted tremendous damage upon the Heavenly Court. Yet Shen Mu's mood was not poor. Wealth and honor are sought amid danger — only what he sought was not wealth or honor, but the Primordial Stones of the Great Beginning that he had obtained from the Tai Emperor.

Perhaps these stones could be pieced together into a complete Primordial Stone of the Great Beginning!

Now, he need only go to see the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird, obtain a treasure from her, or warn her in advance to divide out one of her souls and reincarnate it — and thus evade the death tribulation that was to come.

He walked faster and faster. As he passed the Wuming Heavenly Palace, a figure leaned against the palace gate and said mildly: "Luoxiao. It has been a long time."

Shen Mu's heart and spirit were shaken. He turned to look at the man: "Yun Tianzun. It has been a long time."

Yun Tianzun gave a humph and walked toward the interior of the Wuming Heavenly Palace, saying: "Come in. The Wuming Heavenly Palace was the heavenly palace where the Five Luminaries Ancient Gods dwelt. Those five ancient gods have already died at the hands of Mu Tianzun. This place has long been empty."

Shen Mu suppressed the joy in his heart and followed him into the Wuming Heavenly Palace. He was just about to reveal his true form when, at that very moment, he happened to catch sight of Hao Tianzun trailing behind him.

Shen Mu's heart stirred slightly, and he held himself back.

The two walked into the Wuming Heavenly Palace. Shen Mu came to Yun Tianzun's side.

"I saw you die with my own eyes. You died on the Heavenly River, and your corpse was carried away by its waters."

Yun Tianzun suddenly halted his steps: "It is impossible that you survived. And yet I see you again."

Shen Mu sensed that Hao Tianzun had also entered this heavenly palace, and said: "I was rescued."

Yun Tianzun said: "You entrusted me to carry your eyes and your divine consciousness to the Great Void. There I saw your clanspeople, and witnessed you become a primordial spirit. I cannot fathom how, if your divine consciousness became a primordial spirit, your physical body could still be alive."

Shen Mu said: "We Creators are different from you. The death of the soul is not true death for us. The annihilation of the divine consciousness — that is true death."

"Perhaps."

Yun Tianzun nodded and said: "I went to your clanspeople and saw their methods of cultivation. Truly strange, and different from ours. Your clanspeople do not understand schemes and intrigues, do not understand the treachery of the human heart. They do not understand deception. People communicate by touching divine consciousness — a gentle touch, and each knows the other's mind. It is like a pure land. I go there from time to time; it brings me inner peace. But you are different. You would deceive me."