Chapter 1387 — Walking Into His Own Doom

Shen Mu was dumbstruck for a moment, then blurted out, "Boyang the Divine King is your mount?

" Thunder crashed in his mind, and in that single instant of distraction, Long Xiao's consciousness assaulted his Supreme Consciousness Domain once more, damaging it all the more grievously. "Indeed.

Boyang the Divine King did wish to subdue me and take me as his mount, but his powers are no match for mine. What virtue or ability has he to subdue me?

" Long Xiao's consciousness kept rending his Supreme Consciousness Domain, pressing ever closer to the wellspring of Shen Mu's consciousness, and he laughed: "Yet on the surface, I still indulged him, letting the foolish Creator believe I was his mount. In truth, he did my bidding in all things, and his entire race made sacrifice to me and worshipped me, so that my strength grew greater and greater, while his abilities fell ever further behind mine. " He laughed proudly: "I became the god of his race, its patron and guardian deity, and my prestige among his people surpasses that of Boyang the Divine King himself! It was by my power that he became first among the Three Kings! " Though shaken, Shen Mu strove with all his might to keep the Supreme Consciousness Domain functioning, and smiled: "So then you are the true founding ancestor of the Classic of Reared Men.

If Long Qilin ever met you, he would surely flatter you to the skies and submit to you in heartfelt admiration. Since you wield such formidable power, enough even to sway Boyang the Divine King, why do you not become a Divine King yourself, instead of putting Boyang forward in your place? " Long Xiao laughed: "Little Creator, you are amusing.

In that primordial age, the Creators were, after all, the rulers of the world. They ruled the ancient gods and created them batch after batch, and before them, we mighty colossal beasts were still the weaker. I could only choose to be a manipulator behind the scenes, controlling Boyang the Divine King as my marionette, and winning for my race the right to survive. " He laughed heartily: "And so, when the great calamity came and the ancient gods rebelled, the Creators were annihilated, while my race survived.

" His laughter brimmed with delight, and he said leisurely: "The ancient gods led the demigods and ruled the myriad heavens and worlds, and for a single stretch of territory they would fight to the death, struggle till their heads ran with blood, with countless dead and wounded. And we? Without spending the least effort, without losing a single soldier, we rule the reverse side of all the worlds! " His nine enormous heads regarded Shen Mu within the consciousness domain from different angles, searching for flaws in the Supreme Consciousness, and he laughed: "Tell me, who is the true victor?

It is I, we colossal beasts, who look so utterly stupid, all head and no brains! Under my rule, the colossal beasts of every reverse side of the worlds live in perfect contentment!

Under my rule, our descendants multiply and flourish without end! Under my rule, we hold half the universe! Under my rule, no alien race may set foot upon our territory! Young Creator, would you like to become my mount?

" . . .

Shen Mu stared blankly at this prehistoric ruler.

In his eyes there was not that gleam which the colossal beasts possess, so scant of thought and wisdom; on the contrary, he possessed inexhaustible wisdom.

"That fellow Shujun still hoped to subdue you and make you his mount.

Looking at it now, it is already a blessing burned for by his ancestors that he did not end up as your mount.

" Shen Mu could not help but sigh with a thousand emotions, shaking his head endlessly over the notions and doings of Shujun, that big-headed youth, wholly unapproving.

Shujun's present strength still fell short of his previous life; should he encounter Long Xiao, he would likely be subdued with ease and made into Long Xiao's mount.

"It is not that I cannot subdue Shujun," laughed one of Long Xiao's heads. "It is that I do not think him worthy.

Among the Three Kings of Antiquity, his strength is neither here nor there, inferior to Boyang's, and ugly besides. " Another of his heads reared high, watching Shen Mu with keen interest, and smiled: "But you are different.

You are better looking than he, and more to the point, you have the potential to become another Tai Di.

To be my mount, one must not only be handsome, but powerful!

" His third head laughed leisurely: "Though Shujun is unqualified, he has brought two people worth a look.

One is named Lan Yutian, the other Xu Shenghua; either could become my mount. As for you, you are the third!

" Shen Mu suddenly burst out laughing, his consciousness quaking violently, and declared in a ringing voice: "Long Xiao, disaster is upon you, yet you still dream your spring-and-autumn dreams! Were I you, I would not be hunting for a mount of outstanding talent and handsome looks; I would at once seek allies, lest calamity overtake me! Yet you, foolish and obstinate, still busy yourself with such nonsense.

As first among the Three Kings of Antiquity, where has your wisdom gone? " Long Xiao's nine heads fixed upon him together, and Shen Mu's expression did not change. "In consideration that this is your first offense, I grant you a chance to explain," Long Xiao said unhurriedly.

"You say disaster is upon me. From where does my disaster come? " Shen Mu smiled faintly: "Your ability to occupy the reverse side of the Ancestral Court rests on nothing more than this: that you are the only powerful being here. But now the Void Beasts within the Ancestral Court have been exterminated, and nothing in the Ancestral Court threatens the outside world any longer. Therefore the seal upon the Ancestral Court is certain to be fully opened by the Ten Heavenly Venerables, and it will become an open space!

When the seal upon the Ancestral Court is lifted, do you think this world of peace of yours can still be preserved?

" One of Long Xiao's heads narrowed its dragon eyes and laughed: "The Ten Heavenly Venerables?

The Ten Heavenly Venerables are but juniors of a later age.

. . " Shen Mu sneered: "Juniors of a later age? You are far too arrogant. Among the Ten Heavenly Venerables, one is Tai Di.

How do you compare to him?

" Long Xiao's expression shifted slightly.

"Among the Ten Heavenly Venerables, one is Tai Chu.

How do you compare to him?

" Shen Mu continued: "Tai Chu and Tai Di are but members of the Ten Heavenly Venerables, and even a being such as the Earth Mother Yuan Jun cannot be ranked among them. You may imagine from this how terrifying the fighting strength of the Ten Heavenly Venerables must be. You are now the ruler of the reverse side of the Ancestral Court, but when the seal upon the Ancestral Court is wholly broken in the future, you will be either a prisoner or meat upon a platter, slaughtered at will! " He said indifferently: "Long Xiao, if you do not wish to be ruled by the Ten Heavenly Venerables, if you do not wish your descendants to become food upon their platters, then you need a cooperator, an ally.

And I—" He smiled proudly: "—am the ally you seek, the hope of your future! Allied with me are the Lord of Heaven, the Lord of Earth, hundreds of other ancient gods, one mighty Heavenly Venerable after another, and the Creators who dwell in the Great Void!

" He swept his sleeve and struck the void, which roared and surged: "Behind me stands a towering empire no less mighty than your world of colossal beasts. My soldiers number in the millions, their powers reaching to Heaven itself. My warships fill the sky; they could cram the reverse side of the Ancestral Court so full that you would never see the sun!