Chapter 1568 — Deceiving All Quarters

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao smiled and said nothing. Heavenly Venerable Hao went on: "Could it be that in your heart, Brother Dao, you think Heavenly Venerable Mu and Heavenly Venerable Shen cannot accomplish anything?

" Shen Mu said, "Heavenly Venerable Shen lacks drive; he will find it hard to accomplish anything.

Heavenly Venerable Mu lacks depth; he will find it hard to accomplish anything. In the future I have seen, you are Emperor Hao of Heaven. One word of counsel I have for you: Your Majesty should cherish the people of the world, cultivate the Dao of benevolence, and kill less, and then blessings will flow on without end. " Heavenly Venerable Hao laughed long and loud, full of ambition, and bowed: "Many thanks for your auspicious words, Brother Dao!

Your admonition, We. . . I have noted it!

" The Divine Emperor Langxuan came forward, hope written on his face: "May I ask, Brother Dao Taiyi, can I achieve the Dao? " Shen Mu did not answer.

The Divine Emperor Langxuan asked again, and from within the golden hall came the sound of snoring.

Unwilling to give up, the Divine Emperor Langxuan was about to press further when Jiang Yunjian stepped forward and said, "Those who cannot achieve the Dao, my master cannot be bothered with. Enough, enough.

You may withdraw. " The Divine Emperor Langxuan's face flushed red.

Angrily he said, "I cannot achieve the Dao?

What a joke! Even Taiyi's words cannot be counted on.

. . " Jiang Yunjian smiled: "My master did not speak. If you cannot achieve the Dao, what use is there in speaking to you?

" The Divine Emperor Langxuan was enraged. He wanted to erupt, but dared not make a scene, and could only withdraw.

Heavenly Venerable Xiao, Heavenly Venerable Hao, and the others bowed and withdrew. The Ancestral God King and Heavenly Venerable Xu also wished to ask whether they themselves could achieve the Dao, but at this moment they could only sigh inwardly at the pity of it.

The crowd walked outward.

Before long, golden light suddenly blazed forth, and the Heavenly Venerables turned to look: the golden hall had vanished without a trace.

"Truly a god among men! " the Ancestral God King could not help exclaiming in admiration. Then he recalled that he had had no chance to ask Taiyi his own question, and inwardly chafed: "It is all that blockhead Langxuan's fault.

He had no fate to achieve the Dao, and cost me my chance to ask as well! " The Sun Ancient God was doubtful: "This great hall.

. .

I feel I have seen it somewhere.

. . " Jiang Yunjian led them outward, saying, "Outside right now is the destruction calamity of the sixteenth universe.

You cannot go out lightly, or you will be turned to calamity ash. My master's meaning is that you may remain here a while, and leave after daybreak.

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao's expression was mild.

He smiled and said, "Brother Dao Taiyi is thoughtful indeed. Just now, beneath that cliff, we were contemplating the Dao-pattern array and had not yet comprehended it clearly. Since dawn is still far off, why not go there and continue?

" Jiang Yunjian had no choice but to lead them toward the cliff, saying, "This Dao-pattern array on the cliff is what I use to test you.

If you can comprehend anything from it, you must teach it to me. " Heavenly Venerable Xiao and Heavenly Venerable Hao were in excellent spirits. They laughed and said, "Rest assured, whatever we comprehend, we will pass it all on to you! " Jiang Yunjian led them to the foot of the cliff.

Suddenly the cliffs in the distance trembled, cracking with a crunch, crunch. The Heavenly Venerables' hearts stirred slightly, and they all looked that way. The Ancestral God King said, "Little brother, is there a monster beneath your mountains?

" "Not monsters. Beneath nearly every mountain here, there are prehistoric powerhouses who wish to crawl up from the past worlds. " Jiang Yunjian said, "My master guards this place, keeping watch, lest they crawl out and bring calamity to the world.

But for that very reason, he cannot leave this place. " Heavenly Venerable Xiao, Heavenly Venerable Hao, and the others exchanged glances, and all breathed a sigh of relief: "Taiyi cannot leave this place, so he cannot meddle in the affairs of the world.

So long as he does not oppose me, then in all the world there is no rival for me! " They sat beneath the cliff and contemplated with great care.

Meanwhile, Shen Mu returned to the main hall, his face troubled. Wei Suifeng saw it and asked, "Junior brother, you have fooled these Heavenly Venerables, so why then are you still anxious?

" "Unintentionally, I gave them a stroke of fortune, letting them comprehend the Hongmeng runes. " Shen Mu exhaled a breath of turbid air and said, "But I could not refrain from displaying the Hongmeng runes, or I could not have held them in check.

" Wei Suifeng laughed: "The Dao-patterns of Miluo Palace are incomparably intricate and unfathomably profound. In a single night, what could they comprehend?

" "Do not underestimate them. " Shen Mu's face was grave. He said in a low voice, "One is Heavenly Venerable Longhan, one is the Heavenly Emperor Taichu, and there is half a Taisu, half a Taiji.

Their aptitude and insight are in no way weaker than mine.

If they comprehend something, I fear it will raise their cultivation considerably. .

.

" He shook his head. That night was exceedingly long, but at last the sky gradually brightened.

Jiang Yunjian roused the Heavenly Venerables and ancient gods, saying, "It is time for you all to leave. " The crowd looked at the Dao-pattern array on the cliff wall, reluctant to part, but still, as promised, they taught Jiang Yunjian all that they had comprehended that night.

Jiang Yunjian's head was stuffed full, and he was delighted.

He escorted Heavenly Venerable Hao and the others out of the Black Mountains. He returned to the Black Mountains and came to the foot of the cliff, and was just about to verify his own comprehension when Shen Mu suddenly appeared before him and said in a low voice, "Yunjian, how much did they comprehend? " Jiang Yunjian hastily stirred his divine consciousness. Shen Mu's consciousness brushed against his, and at once he had mastery of everything the seven Heavenly Venerables and three ancient gods had comprehended the night before.

Shen Mu's face was grave.

After a long while he said in a low voice, "They are all outstanding figures, truly remarkable beings.

.

. " What Heavenly Venerable Xiao, Heavenly Venerable Hao, and the others had comprehended that night was more than he had anticipated.

Even Heavenly Venerable Xu, weaker in cultivation, had comprehended things from the Dao-pattern array that were exceedingly profound! "I remember now!

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao halted and turned to look at the Sun Ancient God. He smiled: "What has fellow Daoist remembered? " The Sun Ancient God said, "I remember where I have seen Taiyi's golden hall.

I saw that golden hall aboard Heavenly Venerable Mu's golden ship. That golden ship is a remarkable thing.

My sister and I once saw a similar golden hall aboard that golden ship. " Heavenly Venerable Xiao fell into thought, glanced at the hundred thousand sacred mountains, and suddenly gave a laugh.

The Sun Ancient God mused, "I suppose that after Heavenly Venerable Mu returned, he presented the golden hall from the ship to Brother Dao Taiyi as a filial gift. This fellow is a great schemer; he even intends to move against us, to do away with us. " "Interesting.

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao suddenly laughed aloud: "Truly interesting.

.

. Let us go back! "