Chapter 1436 — I Know Your Body Better Than You Do

Her Majesty the Empress was roused to killing intent, and Shen Mu, sensing it, said mildly, "Empress, you have stirred your killing intent. You are one step further from attaining the Dao.

" "Daoist Lord Mu, when you attain the Dao in the future, it will be a Dao attained by your tongue!

" Her Majesty raised a hand and pointed, and a vast Guixu abyss surfaced above Shen Mu's head. "That Guixu Sea Eye of mine has ground to nothing I know not how many divinities, how many heroes and champions. You, Daoist Lord Mu, are not the first, and you will not be the last! Today I will use you to fill the sea eye.

If you can hold out a hundred years without dying, then I will spare your life! " Shen Mu's fighting spirit soared to the heavens. He extended a single finger and drew it lightly across the air, and at once a boundless flood appeared, surging and spreading, and in an instant a Yao Sea lay between the two of them, pushing them ever further apart. Shen Mu stood upon the Yao Terrace at the edge of the Yao Sea, gazing at the Empress from afar, his eyes cold.

Behind him light blazed forth, and heavenly palaces appeared one after another, each with a primordial spirit enthroned within it, standing above the Yao Sea — only the Zaiji Heavenly Palace was not yet complete. "If my primordial spirit crosses the Yao Pool and passes through the God-Slaying Terrace into the realm of the Nine Hells Terrace, could I then stand against a Heavenly Venerable and keep from dying?

" The essence-light flickered in his eyes, and a terrible conviction stirred restlessly in his heart: he wanted to contend with a Heavenly Venerable head-on! Her Majesty the Empress was not Venerable Yan herself descended in person; had Venerable Yan come in person, he would not have dared harbor such audacious thoughts.

Consort Yan's strength was unfathomable, but Her Majesty the Empress was merely an ancient god — even if she were driven by Consort Yan's primordial spirit, she could hardly match the full battle power of Consort Yan. If Shen Mu crossed two realms in succession, even if those realms were incomplete, his cultivation and strength would still surge, and the increase would be terrifying.

Under such circumstances, could he contend with a Heavenly Venerable? Ever since he had perfected the Yao Pool, he had needed a chance to show what he was — to see just how far his cultivation, his strength, his Dao realm had truly come!

The two stood on the verge of eruption! Her Majesty the Empress was about to strike when suddenly the Taiji ancient gods within the egg sighed and said in one voice, "Let both of you cool your tempers!

" The primordial spirits in Shen Mu's heavenly palaces had already come to the edge of the Yao Pool, driving his cultivation ever higher, and his primordial spirit was walking toward the God-Slaying Terrace of each heavenly palace. The words of the Taiji ancient gods made him halt his primordial spirit. The Empress's brows lifted, and she too held herself back.

The Taiji ancient gods said, "Empress, Daoist Lord Mu, take one step back and the sea and sky lie open; take one step forward and blood will soak the ground. There is no need to lose your temper over so small a matter.

Daoist Lord Mu, after we emerge into the world, we will temper ourselves in the red dust and grind our Dao-hearts.

We promise you that in the future we will never be your enemies. Does this promise satisfy you?

" Shen Mu dispersed his killing intent and his fighting spirit, laughed heartily, and bowed deeply to the ground. "I am endlessly grateful for the goodwill of you two Daoist brothers!

I only hope the two of you will not forget today's words!

" "We will not forget," said the Taiji ancient gods in the egg, male voice and female voice layered together. "With those words from you two, I am at ease. " Shen Mu stepped back, shot a glance at the Empress, turned and departed, saying, "Empress, I will wait for you outside. " Her Majesty the Empress looked straight through him and asked, "Daoist brother, when do you wish to emerge?

" The Taiji ancient gods were somewhat surprised that Shen Mu had left, but what followed concerned whether the two of them could emerge at all, so they paid it no mind. "Our strength is not enough to break the eggshell.

Therefore we ask the Empress to act, to cleave the eggshell open and help us emerge.

And now the Ancestral Court is likely not far from chaos; the sooner we emerge, the better.

" "Good!

" Her Majesty the Empress turned and walked out of the lode, saying, "My true body will arrive shortly.

By then I will need you two to help me open Guixu and bring Guixu to the mining ground. I need to borrow the power of the Twin Lotuses to break the eggshell. " The Taiji ancient gods said hurriedly, "Rest assured, Empress. Such small arts are within my means. But Daoist Lord Mu.

.

. " "His affairs need not trouble you two. You promised not to move against him, but this palace made no such promise.

" Her Majesty the Empress's figure vanished from the lode and entered the swirling sands of the Taiji Star Domain. Shen Mu had gone toward the other half of the Taiji Star Domain, where white sand danced through the heavens.

Her Majesty's figure soon vanished into the depths of the white sand, and her voice came from far away.

"A person's worth lies in knowing himself, in knowing the height of heaven and the depth of earth. When this palace gives her word, not even a team of four horses can overtake it. If I say I will make him fill the sea eye, then he will fill the sea eye!

If I say I will suppress him for a hundred years, then he will be suppressed for a hundred years! " The Taiji ancient gods in the egg sighed. "Daoist Lord Mu was able to survive in a place as perilous as the Great Blackwood, which shows his own cultivation is no small thing.

There is no need to worry overmuch about him.

" The female voice in the egg said, "Moreover, he threatened us and forced us to hand over one primal stone and a hundred divine stones. That he is suppressed for a hundred years is only fitting.

" The male voice in the egg said, "What you say is reasonable. But that he could survive at the Great Blackwood shows he has already won the recognition of that Daoist brother.

That is something we cannot fail to weigh; we must give that Daoist brother some face, at least. Besides. .

. " He pondered a moment and said, "I sensed the aura of Daoist brother Taishi upon him.

For a moment just now, the fluctuations of Daoist brother Taishi's aura came from him.

" "You fret too much. " The female voice in the egg laughed. "To be wary of Daoist brother Taiyi is one thing, but what sense is there in being wary of Taishi? Taishi's fortune is thin, far thinner than ours. He was the second ancient god egg to be dug out, second only to Taichu, and he lacks even Taichu's luck. Taichu was more mature; though he emerged early, he also received the Creator's sacrifices, and so his strength is great and his authority is great. What does Daoist brother Taishi have?

After he was dug out he was suppressed by Taichu.

Even if he has thrown in his lot with Daoist Lord Mu, Daoist Lord Mu is a figure of no consequence. " The male voice in the egg said, "After all, he came from the same Ancestral Court lode, conceived by the five primordial great Daos.

He is not to be slighted. " "Taishi is far from the Dao; we are much closer to it than he. If we look before and behind us at every step, we will find it hard to attain the Dao. There is no need for so much worry.

" The female voice in the egg said, "With Taishi's help, even if he is suppressed in Guixu he will not die.

For extorting divine stones and primal stones from us, being suppressed a hundred years is nothing. He has offended Her Majesty Taishu, and Her Majesty Taishu loathes him to the bone. On that count alone he will find it hard to attain the Dao in this life.

There is no need to be overly wary of him. " "That is so.