Chapter 1347 — The Original Returns to Its Owner

Shen Mu seemed utterly unaware, yet his steps were swift; soon he had covered a thousand li. The moment the Earth Mother Yuanjun's roots stretched out a hundred li, fresh roots would at once burst from the earth behind them, while the old roots were swiftly drawn back. So they traveled on for several hundred thousand li, and still the Earth Mother Yuanjun had not managed to undo the Four Ore Seal upon the treasure seal!

The Grand Emperor's eyes flickered: "The Earth Mother still cannot do it—she cannot break the seal of that wretch Shen Mu at all!

" Suddenly, several dozen roots curled gently, wrapped themselves about the treasure seal, and tore it bodily from Shen Mu's back.

The seal fell to the ground and vanished at once, dragged down into the earth and gone from sight.

Shen Mu stretched lazily, and without so much as a backward glance, went on his way.

After a moment, the treasure seal surfaced from the ground tens of thousands of li away; with it rose countless thick roots, and all around the mountains swiftly returned to verdant green, numberless trees growing with wild frenzy, grasses and flowers lush with green, blossoms blooming in profusion.

Root after root danced in the air and became an altar; from that altar the Earth Mother Yuanjun rose slowly, and bowing toward the treasure seal at its center, said, "Your Majesty the Grand Emperor, Yuanjun pays her respects. " The Grand Emperor nodded slightly and said mildly, "No need for such courtesy, Yuanjun. Rise.

" The Earth Mother Yuanjun straightened and smiled: "That young man's seal is exceedingly strange. I could not break it without alerting him, and so I had no choice but to snatch Your Majesty away. I beg Your Majesty's pardon.

" In the Primordial Age, the Grand Emperor had ruled the cosmos, and though he was incomparably cruel, all the ancient gods were his vassals; therefore the Earth Mother Yuanjun, following the old customs, still addressed him as Your Majesty.

Of course, in the Blood Rust War of the Primordial Age, the Earth Mother too had taken up arms in the train of the Heavenly Emperor Taichu, and had brought great strength to bear in the campaigns that eradicated the Creator and did away with the Grand Emperor. The Grand Emperor said in a low voice, "Yuanjun, why did you not simply do away with Mu Tianzun? Why instead steal the seal away by stealth?

With your strength, had you struck to kill outright, he would surely have been no match for you. " The Earth Mother Yuanjun studied the treasure seal, then suddenly shuddered, alarm showing in her eyes: "Mu Tianzun has someone behind him.

On the Chaos Sea, the being behind him drove back the Four Tianzuns with a single blow! That being is far more terrible than any of the Ten Tianzuns!

I feared that being had not gone far, and so I dared not raise a hand against him. " "Driven back the Four Tianzuns with a single blow? " The Grand Emperor's expression turned grave, and he murmured, "The Four Tianzuns were gravely wounded by me; their strength is not what it was at its height.

To drive them back—at my peak I could have done it, and the Heavenly Emperor Taichu at his peak could have done it as well. . . Since when has there been such a being in the Ancestral Court?

Could it be Hong Tianzun.

. . " Toward Hong Tianzun he had always been wary. Hong Tianzun's identity was Dahong.

In those years the Grand Emperor had borrowed Dahong's body to be born again, walking the world under the name of Dahong.

Because Yun, Ling, and Yue had plotted against his true body in Taixu, he had flown into a rage and made ready to destroy the Xiaohan Heavenly Court—only to be intercepted there by Shen Mu. The two had fought upon the Heavenly River; Shen Mu was gravely wounded, and Dahong was gravely wounded by Shen Mu as well. Each withdrew, and in the course of his flight Dahong encountered a terrible power that wiped out the Grand Emperor's divine consciousness within him entirely!

Afterward the Grand Emperor took the form of Ming Fangyu, but he did not expose Dahong's identity. For by leaving this fearsome rival alive, he could let the other Tianzuns suspect that Hong Tianzun was the Grand Emperor, and never suspect him. In truth, Hong Tianzun had indeed taken the blade for him time and again—even Gong Tianzun had beaten Hong Tianzun more times than one could count!

Earlier the Earth Mother Yuanjun had only used her roots to try to break Shen Mu's Four Ore Seal; now she struck with her full strength!

Her power was immense; in so short a time she had recovered to the level of a powerhouse comparable to the Lesser Heavenly Court! Yet what baffled her was that no matter how mighty the divine ability she brought forth, no matter how she strove to break the Four Ore Seal upon the treasure seal, the seal could not be undone!

Not only could it not be undone—none of her attacks could even take effect upon the treasure seal! Even when she hurled every ounce of her strength at the seal, not the slightest power fell upon it!

Every divine ability of hers passed straight through the seal, never touching it in the least!

After a long while, cold sweat poured down the Earth Mother Yuanjun's brow, and she panted heavily.

The Grand Emperor looked at her with a blank face, coldly, then said abruptly, "Yuanjun, enough! I understand your intent.

You may take refuge with me.

I have another identity among the Ten Tianzuns, and I can shelter you and preserve your life.

" The Earth Mother Yuanjun flushed slightly and bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace.

This seal.

. . " "This seal—never mind that you cannot undo it; even if I struck with my own hand, I could not undo it.

" The Grand Emperor said indifferently, "Among the Ten Tianzuns, there is not one who could undo his seal!

His seal has surpassed the knowledge of this age; it belongs to the unknown.

Even I can comprehend only half the lore within one of its seals. The Heavenly Emperor might comprehend the other half, but he will not join hands with me to break it. " The Earth Mother Yuanjun was startled and blurted out, "Mu Tianzun is truly so formidable? " "He is merely a little weak in cultivation, that is all.

" The Grand Emperor said lightly, "If his cultivation were raised to the level of a Hao Tianzun, heh heh, then even in a contest for the world against me and Taichu at our peaks, he would not come off the worse.

Of the Heaven Alliance's five elder chieftains—Yun, Ling, Yue, Shen, Mu—Yun is dead, Ling is gone, Yue is wounded, Shen has withdrawn, and only Mu Tianzun remains.

His divine abilities are indeed worthy of the title of chieftain. No wonder that at the last council of the Heaven Alliance, all wished him to be present. . . " The Earth Mother Yuanjun was deeply shaken; recalling Shen Mu as he had once been, she found it all somewhat inconceivable. In those days Shen Mu had been nothing but a bumpkin led in by Gongsun Yan to the Earth Mother Yuanjun's underground palace, gawking this way and that, with no breadth of vision or understanding at all.

And now even the Grand Emperor said Shen Mu was not to be underestimated, plainly treating him as a true rival!

One must understand: apart from Taichu, the Grand Emperor had never regarded anyone as a rival—not even the Earth Mother Yuanjun was qualified for that! The Earth Mother Yuanjun hesitated, then ventured, "Your Majesty, then now.

.

. " The Grand Emperor said with a blank face, "Now, send me back.

" The Earth Mother Yuanjun was startled.

The Grand Emperor gave a cold snort: "Not back to where I was.

Take me straight to the Great Black Wood, and wait for him there.

" The Earth Mother Yuanjun looked incredulous and blurted out, "Your Majesty, you had such difficulty. .

.

" "Earth Mother, your wisdom has been clouded by baleful aura; you have grown somewhat muddled, and that is most perilous.