Chapter 1569 — Helping the Sovereign Attain the Dao

The Dao-pattern array on the cliff had been designed by Shen Mu to appear as profound and unfathomable as possible; he had set the runes of primordial Hongmeng qi at its core, supplemented it with the transmutations of the Five Supremes, and blended in Dao patterns drawn from all the great Ways. His own foundation was too shallow, and so he had transcribed many fragments of the Miluo Palace Master's Dao patterns, altering them to confuse the sight and judgment of these nine.

Yet even so, in the course of a single night, Heavenly Venerable Hao, Heavenly Venerable Xiao, and the others had already groped their way into extremely profound reaches. When Shen Mu carefully sorted through the night's comprehensions of the seven Heavenly Venerables and the two Ancient Gods, he discovered that each of the nine excelled in his own domain.

Heavenly Venerable Xu had already felt his way to the threshold of the Demonic Way's transformation into the Taiji Way; the Ancestral God King had groped out the edge of the Heavenly Way's transformation into the Taiji Way; both offered great enlightenment to Shen Mu.

Divine Emperor Langxuan, meanwhile, had glimpsed the Taichu Way from within the Dao-pattern array and left behind many insights, some of which even Shen Mu had not realized, displaying extraordinary natural aptitude and comprehension.

The Sun Ancient God's realization concerned the way of Taiji's evolution; he had even touched upon tracing Taiji's evolution backward to infer the way of Taisu. And Taisu had perceived in it the principle of the Taisu Way, proved in reverse, reaching Taishi, and then evolving Taiji.

What Heavenly Venerable Xiao had pondered out was the path by which the One Qi combined with divine consciousness to evolve Taichu, along with fragmentary interchanges between Taishi and Taichu. Heavenly Venerable Hao too had essentially pondered his way to this same step.

"These nine are of extraordinary intelligence, to comprehend so much in a single night. They have likely held something back as well; what they taught Jiang Yunjian was only the inconsequential parts, while what they deemed most important, they concealed. " Shen Mu could not help but sigh in admiration: "I truly wish I could imprison them here, make them contemplate day and night, and deduce for me every secret of the Miluo Palace Dao patterns.

" Even though the seven Heavenly Venerables and the two Ancient Gods had each held back, not imparting all their comprehensions to Jiang Yunjian, they had still given Shen Mu great inspiration, enabling him to grasp still more. He was just about to settle his mind and carefully organize it all when, suddenly, Jiang Yunjian came rushing over with a panicked face and said hurriedly: "Foster father, Heavenly Venerable Xiao has come back again!

" Shen Mu's expression shifted.

Jiang Yunjian took out a sheet of paper and said: "Heavenly Venerable Xiao told me to give this painting to Taiyi! " Shen Mu took it and looked; what was drawn upon the paper was a golden ship. "So the cloven hoof has shown after all.

" Shen Mu drew a long breath. In order to exhibit Taiyi's majesty, so that these people would not dare entertain doubts, he had moved a golden hall down from the World-Crossing Golden Ship to serve as Taiyi's palace.

The hall was filled with chaos qi, sufficient to blind the sacred pupils of Heavenly Venerable Xiao, Heavenly Venerable Hao, and the others, so that they could not see Shen Mu's true countenance and thereby discover that this Taiyi was Shen Mu in disguise. The one flaw was that the Sun Ancient God had once boarded the golden ship! The exposure had no doubt occurred there.

"Who else is by Heavenly Venerable Xiao's side? " he asked.

Jiang Yunjian said: "No one else, only Heavenly Venerable Xiao himself. " A sharp light flickered in Shen Mu's eyes.

He said in a grave voice: "Yunjian, invite him over!

" Jiang Yunjian's heart leaped in alarm, and he said in a low voice: "Foster father.

. .

" "Go! I have my own plan. " Jiang Yunjian had no choice but to hurry away.

Before long, Heavenly Venerable Xiao strolled over, walked to Shen Mu's side, and raised his head to look at the stone carvings on the cliff.

After a moment, he laughed: "Heavenly Venerable Mu, you were quite the fright last night.

A single speech of coaxing and bluffing nearly fooled me; your art of deception surpasses even the Taiji Ancient God's.

So, then, Taiyi is not here.

" Shen Mu said calmly: "Taiyi is a divine dragon that shows its head but hides its tail; even I do not know where he resides, so I had no choice but to resort to this inferior scheme.

I trust I did not startle you, Brother Dao?

" "Not at all, not at all.

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao smiled faintly and said with composure: "In truth, Taiyi has run into danger, has he not?

He may even be dead already! " Shen Mu raised an eyebrow. "Had Taiyi been safe and sound, you would have had no need to go to such trouble, would even have braved the risk of being unmasked by us. You needed only to tell us Taiyi was not here; what could we have done to you?

Out of awe for an accomplished Dao master like Taiyi, we would not have dared to touch you. " Heavenly Venerable Xiao smiled: "Precisely because Taiyi has encountered unimaginable peril, perhaps even death, that you would risk such tremendous danger to masquerade as Taiyi!

Your purpose was not to play a grand role, but to protect this holy land, to protect Jingping.

I can keep your secret for you. " Shen Mu smiled: "But it will come at a price.

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao laughed: "Everything good in this world comes at a price.

When I helped you preserve Jingping back then, you paid a price too. It is no different now. Heavenly Venerable Mu, you can never escape my Five-Finger Mountain.

" Shen Mu gave a cold snort and said nothing. "You may go to the rescue of Heavenly Venerable Ling, but you and I must join forces. " Heavenly Venerable Xiao said tranquilly: "The moment you rescue Heavenly Venerable Ling shall be the moment the Great Emperor dies, the moment I retrieve my own body. Do you understand that?

" Shen Mu nodded slowly: "I understand.

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao smiled: "I have the magnanimity of an emperor. Whether it is you, or Emperor Kai, or Heavenly Venerable Yue or Heavenly Venerable Ling, I can tolerate you all, even bestow upon you power and rank, so long as you cease your reforms, cease attempting to resist. Heavenly Venerable Huo has conducted himself very well.

Do you understand?

" Shen Mu answered: "Your subject understands, and Emperor Kai will come to understand as well.

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao smiled: "When the day of success arrives, I shall not treat you ill. " "I thank Your Majesty for your grace.

" Heavenly Venerable Xiao laughed heartily, turned, and walked away, saying unhurriedly: "In the Jingping Calamity you could not overcome me, and so it remains now.

When you make ready to rescue Heavenly Venerable Ling, inform me beforehand; do not act on your own again. I shall not give you a second chance. " "I bid Your Majesty farewell. " Shen Mu watched him disappear into the distance, then broke into a smile and murmured: "With Heavenly Venerable Xiao's assistance, the rescue of Heavenly Venerable Ling is assured.

The rescue of Heavenly Venerable Yun, too, is assured.

" He let out a long breath; he had never felt so at ease as at this moment.

"Heavenly Venerable Xiao, it is not that you have grown old; it is that I have grown up.

" The smile on his face deepened, and he murmured: "In the old days, I was weak, at your mercy. But now I have grown to the point where I can stand as your equal. You may wish to grip me still, but grip me you can no longer.

Take care that you do not end up with your own head bloodied.