Chapter 1190 — The Venerable's Lantern

The one who had destroyed Shen Mu's altar and wiped out the two Heavenly Venerable treasure carriages and the eighteen heavenly dragons beyond all trace was an incomparably mighty artifact-wielding Heavenly Venerable! "The number of artifact-wielding Heavenly Venerables is limited.

To this day, though the Zaofu Heavenly Palace has produced many of the lesser sort, only ten truly possess a power that can rend heaven and earth. " Divine Emperor Langxuan's face shifted between light and shade, and his voice came out hoarse: "And now there is an eleventh! Who in the world forged this eleventh artifact-wielding Heavenly Venerable?

" "Lady Yuanmu, of course. " Venerable Gong looked all around and said, "Not the slightest trace is to be found here.

Our treasure carriage, Venerable Mu's altar — they seem to have been utterly destroyed.

Such means belong only to the Empress and her sister. " Heavenly Consort Yan and Heavenly Consort Qiang nodded. "Only the Empress and Lady Yuanmu, with their Guixu divine art, can annihilate matter completely.

" The eight Heavenly Venerables wore anxious looks. The Ancestral God King said in a low voice, "But Lady Yuanmu was already killed by Venerable Ling.

.

.

" No one spoke.

In the Heavenly Court there was, he feared, indeed an eleventh Heavenly Venerable, and that one was none other than Daosheng of the ancient gods, Lady Yuanmu, who held the power to destroy matter! Shen Mu said abruptly, "Could Lady Yuanmu be Venerable Fire or Venerable Xu?

" Every heart turned solemn.

Shen Mu blinked and said, "Of the ten Heavenly Venerables, only those two are absent from this place.

They are the most suspect! " Venerable Hao coughed once and said mildly, "Venerable Mu, do not try to muddy the waters.

They are leading the Heavenly Court's armies against Taixu and have no strength to spare; it cannot be them. " Shen Mu smiled faintly and said no more.

His purpose had been precisely to muddy the waters.

Even if Venerable Hao spoke thus, in his heart he could hardly keep from suspecting Venerable Fire and Venerable Xu; and so long as there was suspicion, his words had not been wasted. "Troublous times. " Venerable Hong gave a melancholy sigh and said with feeling, "These ancient gods are dead yet unyielding.

When will they be rooted out, and the countless beings of the world given back a bright and clear heaven and earth?

Ah — away, away! " His great sleeves fluttered; graceful and free, he fled far into the distance.

The other Heavenly Venerables departed one after another as well, leaving Shen Mu stranded where he stood.

Shen Mu's face went black, and he set himself dutifully to the road.

The starry sky stretched vast and endless.

Though his speed was not slow, it was still slower by he knew not how much than these Heavenly Venerables; his form became a streak of flowing light, and he raced on for several months before he finally came upon the first star. "If I travel on these two legs, I fear it will take more than ten years to return to the Heavenly Court! " Shen Mu steadied himself, and suddenly recalled that he still had the lantern Venerable Yue had given him.

His heart stirred despite himself: "Venerable Yue established her Dao upon the art of space and became a Heavenly Venerable of her generation.

Might there be something strange about her lantern? " He took out the lantern, hoisted it on its pole, and drove it with his vast and surging primal energy. Where the lamplight shone, the endless starry sky contracted beneath his feet.

Under that light even the sun in the distance grew exceedingly small, as though a single step could carry him across it. Shen Mu was stunned a moment, then tentatively took a step — and in that one step he crossed the whole solar system; several dozen steps in succession carried him over an entire nebula.

"This divine art. .

. it is worthy indeed of the name of Heavenly Venerable!

" He walked on carrying the lantern, passing through the endless river of stars, and could not help but marvel inwardly.

That lantern Venerable Yue had given him was worthy of being a treasure used by a Heavenly Venerable; one could only admire it.

"Venerable Yue is so mighty in her divine arts — how then was her leg broken?

Why can it not be healed no matter what?

" Shen Mu was perplexed and doubtful, and he thought again of the scroll painting Venerable Yue had given him — the painting Shen Mu himself had painted and given to Venerable Yue; in the peach grove, Venerable Yue had given it back to him. "I still have two chances to return to the past.

I mean to use both to rescue Venerable Ling; and the other chance, perhaps, may let me see Venerable Yue again. .

. " He walked on through the night carrying his lantern, threading through the starry sky.

He raised a hand and took out the Egg of Taishi, studying closely the Dao sound that issued from it.

Imperceptibly he sank once more into a deep sleep, and yet his feet walked on without cease. His dream rose up out of his mind: amid its countless scenes, hundreds of miniature Shen Mus burrowed out, and while listening to the Taishi's Dao sound they diligently wrote and drew.

More than ten days passed, and Shen Mu caught up with Venerable Gong; under Venerable Gong's dumbstruck gaze, he carried his lantern off in fine style. Another half day, and Shen Mu overtook Heavenly Consort Yan and the Ancestral God King.

The two Heavenly Venerables goggled at him; Shen Mu, as though no one else were present, hoisted his lantern and left them far behind. "This whelp, with an egg propped on his head, looks down his nose at everyone!

" The Ancestral God King was furious and strove forward in pursuit, but instead of catching Shen Mu he fell ever farther behind.

The Ancestral God King raged and stamped and cursed without cease. Shen Mu caught up as well with Venerable Xiao and Venerable Qiang, who were chatting and laughing like the closest of friends, and who watched helplessly as Shen Mu walked straight past them.

The two stared blankly at the sleeping Shen Mu, then exchanged a glance. Heavenly Consort Qiang laughed.

"Daoist Brother, look at that egg — does it not resemble the treasure lost from Zhaoyang Hall? " Venerable Xiao said mildly, "I am no man of the Imperial house.

How would I know what treasures are kept in Zhaoyang Hall? Heavenly Consort, do not jest.

" Venerable Hao and Divine Emperor Langxuan walked at the very front. Suddenly something stirred in their hearts, and they turned their heads together — and there was Shen Mu, snoring, coming up from behind, passing by them at a speed that made the eyes ache. "Venerable Yue's divine art is worthy to be counted among the strangest of divine arts," Divine Emperor Langxuan could not help praising.

Venerable Hao said mildly, "However strange, she is no more than a paralytic who cannot move. The only parts of her that still stir are her two hands and her head.

If she does not behave herself, even her head will not move. " Divine Emperor Langxuan laughed. "Back then it took considerable trouble to cripple her, and the methods were none too honorable.

" "The victor is king and the loser a bandit; a defeat is a defeat. " Venerable Hao's gaze was deep and profound.

"After Venerable Yun died, she had already announced to all the world that she would retire and not emerge for a hundred thousand years.

Yet when Venerable Ling went to invite her, she broke her word and came forth. Two women, daring to try to overturn the heavens! " Divine Emperor Langxuan said, "And we have Venerable Xiao to thank for his great understanding of what is right.

" Venerable Hao nodded slightly, a strange light in his eyes.

"Xiao Weisu, heh heh — an interesting fellow. .

.

In the past he never got the better of me, and in the future he never will!

" He flung out this remark from nowhere; Divine Emperor Langxuan did not know what he meant, but he did not venture to ask.