Chapter 1330 — The Divine Venerable Descends into the World

"The Grand Emperor has come?

" Shen Mu was briefly taken aback, then smiled. "You fear the Grand Emperor will seize the Void Mother Beast, and through it take command of every Void Beast?

" Long Qilin nodded again and again. "I was just now about to raid the fleet that bears the Ancestral God King's treasure. I caught sight of the Ancestral God King and fled at once; but in that moment I felt a divine consciousness vast as a sea of mist come chasing after me, and it nearly took hold of the Void Beasts. So I drove the Void Beasts in flight, dodging through layer upon layer of Void, and only thus did I shake that consciousness off. " Shen Mu mused a while, then asked, "You are saying that you drove the Void Beasts and shook that consciousness off?

" Long Qilin nodded. "Then that man was not the Grand Emperor.

" Shen Mu sank into thought.

"The Grand Emperor's divine consciousness is the strongest there has ever been.

If he wished to seize the Void Mother Beast back, then never mind you — even if God King Langwo and I joined hands, we could not guard it. " Long Qilin was perplexed. "That man's divine consciousness was incomparably overbearing.

I was riding the Void Mother Beast then, and it held myriads of Void Beasts under its will, and all of them shrieked together. Even the consciousness of so many Void Beasts combined could not stand against that man — it broke at the first touch. How could such overbearing consciousness not be the Grand Emperor's? " Shen Mu shook his head. "Even if that man's consciousness is so overbearing, it is still far, far inferior to the Grand Emperor's.

The Grand Emperor has now obtained a portion of the Taichu Primordial Stone; the strength of his consciousness is such that never mind myriads of Void Beasts — even the consciousness of the Ten Heavenly Venerables joined as one could not contend with it! As for the one who struck, I know now who he is. I never thought he would not remain in the Celestial Court, but come here too. " A strange expression crossed his face. Long Qilin was baffled. "The son of Heavenly Venerable Gong and of the Heavenly Emperor Taichu, God Emperor Langxuan, has already arrived at the Ancestral Court.

" Shen Mu paced to and fro, studying the Void Mother Beast beside him.

"As a God King among the Creators and a son of the Heavenly Emperor Taichu, God Emperor Langxuan's attainments in divine consciousness are not to be slighted.

The aim of his journey must be this Void Mother Beast.

Langxuan is, after all, the most ancient of God Emperors, and of the Heavenly Emperor's own blood; he will not be content to rank beneath Heavenly Venerable Hao. " He lifted his head. The Void Mother Beast's eyelids rolled back, and it bared its teeth at him, a whole mouth of keen fangs. Shen Mu was unperturbed, and went on: "Heavenly Venerable Hao has taken a grievous wound — this is God Emperor Langxuan's grand opportunity! In cultivation Langxuan is of course no match for Heavenly Venerable Hao; but if he once takes the Void Mother Beast in hand, then he holds the whole tribe of Void Beasts in hand. Such power would be terrible beyond words!

" He spoke decisively: "With the Mother Beast, he is the mightiest force in this world; only Long Xiao could stand against him! And his aim is, after subduing the Void Beasts, to go to the dark side of the Ancestral Court and subdue Long Xiao!

By then it will be as though two Heavenly Venerables fought at his side — what other Heavenly Venerable would dare defy him? " Long Qilin let out a breath. "Thank goodness the Void Mother Beast was not snatched away by God Emperor Langxuan. " Shen Mu smiled faintly. "Long Pi, you truly have grown up.

You did very well. The Void Mother Beast is indeed of the utmost importance. Since Langxuan has come to the Ancestral Court, and the Ancestral Court has now been blasted open, a great hole torn through it — that is to say, the Void Beasts may leave the Ancestral Court. I have a task for you: take all the Void Beasts out of the Ancestral Court and go to the Great Void! " Long Qilin was startled, and ventured, "The Sect Master means for me to lead the Void Beasts against the Celestial Court in the Great Void?

" Shen Mu nodded.

"With that army of Void Beasts, the Celestial Court's hosts are no match for you at all! But the Void Beasts must be moved with care; God Emperor Langxuan is a Heavenly Venerable, after all, and exceedingly formidable. Take heed lest he sense anything amiss. " He walked round and round the Void Mother Beast, musing, then said, "Through the Mother Beast you will give the order for the Void Beasts to gather in the Sixteenth Void; then, at the hour, burst out all together. I fancy God Emperor Langxuan will not have time to react!

" Long Qilin assented. "Here I will have the Mother Beast summon the Void Beasts; there I must still make a trip to Yuanmu, to fetch Yan'er and bring her along.

" Shen Mu laughed. "Naturally. " At his laugh Long Qilin lowered his head and looked at his own claws.

"Long Pi has grown up. " Shen Mu said it with feeling, and left the Seventeenth Void with him, hastening toward the Great Black Wood and the Hundred Thousand Black Mountains. And in the Seventeenth Void, the Void Mother Beast kept shaking the mountain of bone upon its body, giving out strange shrieks, summoning the Void Beasts of the Ancestral Court.

Shen Mu and Long Qilin had scarce stepped out of the Void when Long Qilin's face changed drastically and he cried out, "Sect Master, I can no longer sense the Void Mother Beast! " "Do not shout.

" Shen Mu's expression did not change; he smiled.

"Keep walking on.

Once we reach the Great Black Wood, we may count ourselves safe.

" Long Qilin was bewildered. The smile on Shen Mu's face did not fade, and he said softly, "The Grand Emperor is watching us. " A chill ran through Long Qilin, and his heart filled with dread. "The one who hunted you was God Emperor Langxuan, but the Grand Emperor has come as well.

God Emperor Langxuan's attainments in divine consciousness should be above mine, though a little beneath God King Langwo's. Had he truly hunted you down, you and the Void Mother Beast could never have escaped, and the Seventeenth Void was no safe place either.

There is only one explanation for your escape.

" The smile on Shen Mu's face was bright as sunlight, making him seem utterly innocent, and unhurried he said, "Some being with an even stronger divine consciousness interfered with God Emperor Langxuan's. In this world, the only one with the means to do it without stirring Langxuan's notice is the Grand Emperor; not even God King Langwo could.

The Grand Emperor was roused by Long Xiao, and so he has come to the Ancestral Court. " Long Qilin was about to stir his divine consciousness and speak with him through it, when Shen Mu smiled.

"Do not use your divine consciousness.

Use it, and the Grand Emperor will sense it. Having obtained the Taichu Primordial Stone, his consciousness is now unfathomable. " Long Qilin split his great jaws in a grin and said in a muffled, rumbling voice, "The Sect Master means the Grand Emperor has been beside me all along? " Shen Mu smiled, the smile somewhat stiff. "Just now he was beside us.

" Long Qilin wanted to shiver, but dared not; he whispered, "Then the Void Mother Beast. . . " "Was long since under his control. " Shen Mu could not help rubbing his face, stiff with smiling, and went on smiling.

"With his powers, even had he taken control of the Void Mother Beast, you would never sense anything amiss; you would still believe the Mother Beast was yours to command. And that little weighing of gains and perils I made just now was not spoken for your ears, but for his. Once the Grand Emperor holds the Mother Beast, he will use it to lure God Emperor Langxuan, wound this strong foe first, and then go alone to subdue Long Xiao!