Chapter 1546 — Striking the Iron Plate

Scarcely had the words fallen when Gong Heavenly Venerable's divine consciousness took shape as a voice and sounded beside them: "Rest easy, Divine King. I will not go seeking the two of them alone. I have already joined forces with Xu Heavenly Venerable, and with Xu at my side there is no great peril. Besides, even if I do go after Qiang Heavenly Consort and Mu Heavenly Venerable, the Consort will not strike at me, and Mu Heavenly Venerable alone is not enough to do me harm.

" The Ancestor Divine King was stirred inwardly: Gong Heavenly Venerable was a cautious one, and if she joined hands with Xu Heavenly Venerable, then Shen Mu and Qiang Heavenly Consort would be able to do nothing to them. Her divine consciousness was bound to the Dao tree beneath Hao Heavenly Venerable's feet, keeping constant watch on the movements of them all, while with that same consciousness she searched out the whereabouts of Qiang Heavenly Consort and Shen Mu — able to advance, able to hold her ground.

Within the chaos qi, Shen Mu and the little boat were dragged hurtling backward by Qiang Heavenly Consort's divine consciousness, and after a moment her figure came down upon the boat, her face somewhat sour. Shen Mu shot her a glance; Qiang Heavenly Consort gave a cold humph.

That he had, without a word, swung the boat's prow about and used her to meet Fire Heavenly Venerable's full-strength blow head-on — that she could not get over. "Your Majesty, we have crippled Fire Heavenly Venerable, and beaten Shi Qiluo until he dares not show his head.

" Shen Mu, wreathed in high spirits, laughed: "Have you noticed? When you and I join hands, we are invincible under heaven!

So long as we brother and sister pull as one, we can sweep aside every other Heavenly Venerable!

" Qiang Heavenly Consort was somewhat put out by the words "brother and sister," yet in her heart she had to admit he was right. Joined with this scoundrel Shen Mu, they were indeed unstoppable; the two of them worked together as though they had rehearsed it many times over, and neither Shi Qiluo nor Fire Heavenly Venerable had been able to put up much resistance against their combined assault.

Shen Mu said: "You know I can see through the chaos mist — it is like broad daylight to me here.

The other Heavenly Venerables may be many, but if we coordinate well enough we can break them one by one and clear the road! " Qiang Heavenly Consort was greatly tempted, and laughed: "My blades and your sword — blade and sword joined, invincible under heaven!

" Shen Mu was elated, and laughed: "We are not weak. With our strength joined we can slaughter the ten Heavenly Venerables on this Chaos River and see that none of them ever returns! From this day on, you and I shall divide the universe between us, Your Majesty!

" Qiang Heavenly Consort's eye twitched.

She thought: "Divide the world? Dream on! Once the ten Heavenly Venerables are dealt with, I will be rid of you too, and root out all future trouble!

You grow far too fast! " Shen Mu opened the vertical eye at the center of his brow and peered all about, spurring the little boat forward: "Another Heavenly Venerable, and he is alone!

Your Majesty, the hour has come for the two of us to show our mettle! " Ahead the chaos mist lay thick and heavy.

Qiang Heavenly Consort stood at the stern of the boat, straining to look forward, and after a moment a Dao tree came into her sight. Upon that Dao tree stood Xiao Heavenly Venerable, hands clasped behind his back, letting the strange winds of the chaos mist howl through his robes.

Qiang Heavenly Consort's heart skipped, and her face changed slightly.

Shen Mu, full of confidence, laughed: "Xiao Heavenly Venerable, where in life shall we not meet?

" Xiao Heavenly Venerable looked at them, smiled faintly, and said with an easy air: "Mu Heavenly Venerable is very pleased with himself?

Having joined hands with the Great Emperor and defeated a few Heavenly Venerables, you are puffed up with ambition — it seems you have suffered too few setbacks. I owe you thanks, you and Moon Heavenly Venerable and You Heavenly Venerable, for exiling me. Had you not exiled me, I could scarcely have attained what I have today. " He was refined and detached in bearing, unhurried even before Shen Mu and Qiang Heavenly Consort.

Shen Mu slowly drew the Tribulation Sword and said quietly: "Your Majesty has turned misfortune into fortune, and grown in cultivation and strength — that is indeed cause for congratulation.

But Your Majesty's luck is truly poor, for you have run into us. Your Majesty, your godfather the Great Emperor is here with me; he and I are sworn brothers, so by seniority you ought to address me as uncle. . .

" Xiao Heavenly Venerable laughed aloud: "Speaking of that, the three of us did once bow and swear brotherhood together, Mu Heavenly Venerable. You will not get the better of me.

" He spoke of the early years of Longhan, when the three of them and the Creator Luo Xiao swore brotherhood. At that time the Great Emperor, borrowing the body of Dahong, sat in the eldest brother's place; the Heavenly Emperor Taichu's reincarnation Gu Xiao ranked second; Luo Xiao third; and Shen Mu, being the youngest, ranked fourth and was called the youngest brother, the little brother. Shen Mu roared with laughter: "Our third brother Luo Xiao has been dead a million years, and he is still waiting for us to come down and keep him company!

The last time I met him he was still angry, saying we had broken our word — we swore to die in the same year, the same month, the same day, and yet he died and we never once went to see him. I told him I would send our eldest brother and our second brother down to keep him company, and only then did his anger turn to joy. From that day I have kept it in my heart, longing to send my two elder brothers on their way. " Qiang Heavenly Consort said angrily: "That sworn brotherhood does not count! " Xiao Heavenly Venerable's gaze fell upon her: "Youngest brother still has his uses; I mean to borrow his face to meet Daoist Brother Taiyi.

But the eldest brother has no further use.

Better to send the eldest brother down to see our third brother first. " Qiang Heavenly Consort gave a cold humph and summoned her two God-Slaying Mystic Blades, saying lightly: "You wish to meet Taiyi, so you would spare youngest brother's life — but youngest brother and I have no need to spare yours.

When you strike you will be bound hand and foot, and you will be buried by us two brothers. " They kept calling him youngest brother, one after the other, and Shen Mu found it deeply uncomfortable. In their tongue, youngest brother sounded all too near to Demon Emperor; he could not shake the feeling that the two of them were cursing him under their breath, pointing at the mulberry to curse the locust.

Xiao Heavenly Venerable laughed aloud: "You truly will not weep until you see the coffin.

In that battle in the peach grove of ten thousand li, I alone could hold off Moon Heavenly Venerable, You Heavenly Venerable, and Tu Bo.

Now my strength is greater still. Never mind the two of you joining hands — add one or two more Heavenly Venerables, and what have I to fear? " Scarcely had he spoken when Qiang Heavenly Consort struck before Shen Mu could, her two God-Slaying Mystic Blades howling left and right toward Xiao Heavenly Venerable upon the Dao tree, as she cried sternly: "Youngest brother, I will deal with him — take the chance to cut down his Dao tree!

" Shen Mu's sword light flashed as he drove straight at the Dao tree! Xiao Heavenly Venerable laughed heartily, and behind him a stretch of celestial palaces emerged, pearl joining with jade, becoming a Great Celestial Court wrought of thirty-five celestial palaces; and at once treasure halls were arrayed throughout that Great Celestial Court, and his aura surged and surged again!