Chapter 1618 — Heavenly Venerables Honor Their Promises, the Supreme Unyielding

"Your imperishability is not omnipotence; there are places where your power falls short. If, because you went to save the Earl of Earth, a fellow traveler of your Dao loses his life, and you cannot revive him, will your dao heart not crumble because of it? " Venerable Ling raised her head and looked at Kaihuang with some doubt. Even she, thick-skinned as she was, had noticed something strange about him. Shen Mu found it hard to hold his ground.

Kaihuang advanced another step and said in a low voice, "The battle of the Nether Capital is not a battle between us and Venerable Hao and Taichu; it is in truth a battle against the Third and Fourth Young Masters of Miluo Palace! Our enemy is not Venerable Hao and Taichu; it is them!

Do you think that with the strength we have now, we can stand against the Third and Fourth Young Masters?

" Shen Mu opened his mouth but said nothing. "The Earl of Earth is your ally — but is he ours? " Kaihuang's words grew sharper still, leaving him no ground to stand on.

"The Duke of Heaven and the Earl of Earth saved you, and you have already repaid them!

You saved the Duke of Heaven, and you helped the Earl of Earth sweep away the Heavenly Court's forces in the Nether Capital.

For that you bore a monstrous blame and nearly lost your life! That repayment is enough! Do you mean to drag the fate of Jingping, of Carefree Township, of the Creators, of the entire human race along with you to save him? " Shen Mu fell silent.

"You have done all that benevolence and righteousness require toward the ancient gods. " Kaihuang looked around, his gaze passing over the faces of Langwan, Venerable Moon, Venerable Ling and the others, then coming to rest on Shen Mu's face.

In a deep voice he said, "The ancient gods have in truth done little for you and Jingping; on the contrary, you have done a great deal for them.

The situation grows clearer by the moment. You cannot fight with your back to the river again, staking your life and all you have. " Shen Mu pondered for a long while, then bowed and said, "You are right. " Straightening up, he laughed. "I did not think it through. As for the battle of the Nether Capital, none of you need go, and neither will I.

If the Earl of Earth wants to die, let him die.

What matters most now is this: if the Nether Capital should fall into the Heavenly Court's hands, how is the human race to protect itself?

" Kaihuang smiled. "I am glad you can let it go. As for how the human race is to protect itself, I do have an idea. That is, to alter the Divine Treasure of Life and Death and strike the human race from the death register. " Shen Mu's eyes brightened. He laughed. "Then we need the Earl of Earth's Book of Life and Death.

The Book of Life and Death is in the hands of the Nether Venerable.

The Nether Venerable does not guard against me.

I will go to see Venerable Cloud first, then seek him out, and while he is off guard, steal the Book of Life and Death. " Kaihuang laughed. "Among the shadow thieves of the world you rank second. I am quite at ease letting you steal the Book of Life and Death. " Shen Mu laughed heartily and walked out. Kaihuang watched him leave Wendao Academy, while Venerable Moon's gaze rested on Kaihuang's face.

She said coolly, "Shen Ye, do you believe he will not go to save the Earl of Earth? " Kaihuang said gravely, "Venerable Mu is a remarkable man. He always keeps his word and always carries through what he says. I believe him. " "The mouth of a man, the tongue of a ghost!

" Venerable Moon sneered. "If Venerable Mu does go to save the Earl of Earth, will you go? " Kaihuang said with a straight face, "I will not go.

I have just laid the gains and losses out before him; how could I go to my death? I will not throw away the human race's bright prospects for his sake, or the Earl of Earth's. You may not believe Venerable Mu, but you must believe me, surely? I, Shen Ye, keep my word and see my deeds through; never have I broken faith with anyone!

If you do not believe me, go and ask Venerable Ling — Venerable Ling knows me better than anyone! " Venerable Ling rose to her feet and walked out.

"Venerable Shen is indeed a man of his word.

I took him roving through history, and he never told anyone. " Venerable Moon hurriedly stood. "Ling, where are you going?

" "I am going with Venerable Mu, to keep watch over him. " Without turning her head, Venerable Ling said, "Forty thousand years ago he passed on to me the Dao patterns of Miluo Palace, and I have not yet had the chance to teach him what I have gained from comprehending them.

Only wait for me to return.

" She hurried away.

Kaihuang also walked out. "After Venerable Mu has seen Venerable Cloud, he will go to the Nether Capital to steal the Book of Life and Death. I too must return to Carefree Township to prepare for striking the human race from the death register. " He left Wendao Academy and vanished without a trace. Venerable Moon blinked and looked at Langwan. She laughed. "They have all gone.

What about you, Langwan? If you have nothing to do, why don't we make a trip to Venerable Cloud's Great Luo Heaven? It has been a long time since you saw Venerable Cloud, has it not?

" Langwan rose and said indifferently, "What would seeing him accomplish?

I still remember how, in those years, for the sake of opposing Taidi, he sat by and watched several million of my people slain by Taidi.

From that day I swore I would never see him again. " Venerable Moon hurriedly caught her hand, apologetic. "What happened in those years — Ling and I had a share in it too.

It was our fault.

. . " Langwan gently freed her hand.

"I never blamed Aunt Moon or Aunt Ling.

I blame only Uncle Cloud. He was the hero of my heart, and yet. . .

Rest assured, there are only a thousand-odd Creators left. I will not go to the Nether Capital. " Venerable Moon could only watch her go. In Wendao Academy only she and the village headman remained.

Venerable Moon paced back and forth, then glanced at the village headman, who was hunched over the Sword Canon, studying it. Half in anger, half in amusement, she said, "Su Muzhe, you compiled the Sword Canon yourself.

What is there in it worth reading? " The village headman raised his head and glanced at her. "Just now Kaihuang pointed out some errors, and wrote some new techniques into the Sword Canon. I am studying them.

" Venerable Moon snatched the Sword Canon from his hands and laughed.

"You know Venerable Mu better than anyone. Do you think he will go to help the Earl of Earth? " The village headman watched the Sword Canon in her hands and said cautiously, "The nine little ones of Hidden Remnant Village have always been men of iron backbone and weighty promises; never do we break our word. Shen'er was raised by the nine of us juniors, so of course he inherited our fine traditions — his family teaching is excellent.

. . Venerable, do not ruin it, this Sword Canon is a treasure!

"