Chapter 1626 — Crowned as King

The You Heavenly Venerable's primordial spirit seized him once more, its five fingers becoming a cage. Shen Fengqing hammered madly at his fingers. The You Heavenly Venerable's primordial spirit urged its magic power to bind him, yet even so the fingers kept bursting apart beneath his blows!

"Big fellow, wake up!

" Shen Fengqing seized the fingers of the primordial spirit and shook them with all his strength, bellowing at the Earth Lord, "Wake up now! My bad little brother really is going to kill you, I can sense it—" The Earth Lord stood amid Youdu, vast and boundless; the two horns on his head towered high, and rivers of molten rock ran on unending.

His three eyes were open.

Youdu's demonic qi poured ceaselessly into his eyes, and Youdu's demonic dao poured into his body as well, in preparation for the battle of life and death to come. The Earth Lord of this moment was already controlled by the will of the Youdu Great Dao, just as the Heaven Lord had been in years past.

Though the Earth Lord could hear Shen Fengqing's cries, the Youdu Great Dao could not. Shen Fengqing could never break free of the You Heavenly Venerable's grasp.

Like a child he wailed, calling again and again for the Earth Lord to wake. His terror was beyond measure.

His dao-heart was pure, his understanding of the Youdu Great Dao profound; just as the You Heavenly Venerable could sense Shen Mu's and Ling Heavenly Venerable's killing intent toward the Earth Lord, so too did he keenly perceive it.

When the You Heavenly Venerable held up the Book of Life and Death and told him he was to be crowned Earth Lord, he had understood that the Earth Lord's death was at hand.

Though he had said the big fellow could eat for many years yet, when he realized the Earth Lord was about to die, he still could not suppress the grief in his heart, and could not help wanting to wake him. He was filled with affection for the Youdu Great Dao.

No one had told him that the Earth Lord's consciousness had been replaced by the consciousness of the Youdu Great Dao, yet he sensed it, and so he cried out for the Earth Lord to wake.

No one could understand his feelings for the Earth Lord. The Earth Lord was like a father, like an elder brother, like a harbor where he could rest.

Behind Shen Mu's head the Great Dao of Reincarnation spun ceaselessly, shielding them from the Youdu Great Dao's perception, and together with Ling Heavenly Venerable he passed through the You Heavenly Venerable's primordial spirit and walked toward the Earth Lord's third eye. Shen Fengqing watched their receding backs in terror and shrieked, "Big fellow, wake up!

Little brother, bad little brother — let the big fellow go, and I'll be your little brother, you be the elder brother, don't go—" "Brother, it's time you grew up," Shen Mu said, turning his head to smile at the great infant within the You Heavenly Venerable's primordial spirit. "I hate you!

" Shen Fengqing shouted at him, shrill with anguish. "If you dare touch the big fellow, I'll hate you for the rest of my life!

Come back!

" Shen Mu and Ling Heavenly Venerable walked into the Earth Lord's third eye and were swallowed by the divine light within it, vanishing without a trace. Shen Fengqing slumped to the ground, tears pouring like a spring.

The You Heavenly Venerable's mortal body carried the gleaming golden Book of Life and Death into that palm. Holding the Book of Life and Death up in both hands, he walked toward Shen Fengqing. Shen Fengqing's three eyes were full of terror as he watched him come; his legs kicked again and again as he retreated across the palm, and he shook his head.

"I don't want it, don't give it to me!

If I take it, the big fellow will die.

I don't want it—" The You Heavenly Venerable came before him and raised the Book of Life and Death over his head.

"I don't want it!

Take it away—" Shen Fengqing sent the You Heavenly Venerable flying with a single slap, the Book of Life and Death along with him; there came a thunderous boom as the You Heavenly Venerable crashed against a finger of his own primordial spirit, and the huge finger rocked on its base. Blood seeped from the corner of the You Heavenly Venerable's mouth as he slid down.

His primordial spirit was mighty, but his mortal body was not.

The You Heavenly Venerable walked step by step back before Shen Fengqing and raised the Book of Life and Death over his head. Shen Fengqing struck him flying again, yet still he came back holding the Book of Life and Death. Within the Earth Lord's third eye, Shen Mu and Ling Heavenly Venerable walked side by side into the holy hall inside the eye.

The Earth Lord's primordial spirit stood there, controlled by the Youdu Great Dao.

Behind Shen Mu's head, the Great Dao of Reincarnation spun like a wheel, guarding Ling Heavenly Venerable.

Ling Heavenly Venerable stepped forward and came before the Earth Lord's primordial spirit. Shen Mu gazed up at the god who held the lives of countless beings in his hand; his voice was low, heavy, and powerful.

"Dao Brother, today is the day of your transcendence.

Your primordial spirit will be shattered, your three souls turned to nothing.

After you die, I will use every power at my command to restore your three souls and fashion your seven po, to bring you back to life as Achou!

" At that same moment, in the palm of the You Heavenly Venerable's primordial spirit outside, the You Heavenly Venerable went down on one knee, holding the Book of Life and Death high. "Shen Fengqing, today you shall be crowned king of the dark world!

You shall become the sovereign of Youdu, bringing order to the world of the dead, making Youdu your domain and the departed your armies!

You shall rule the underworlds of countless worlds; countless living beings shall sign a covenant with you at the very moment of their birth!

You shall govern death, rewarding good and punishing evil, favoring neither side!

There is no justice in the world of the living, but the world after death must have justice. You will grant that justice to all beings! The lava of hell shall become your blood, the heavens of death shall become your horns, and the Milky Way of this universe shall flow into Youdu and become your long whip, driving out all evil spirits and demons!

" Shen Fengqing's body trembled, and he slumped to his knees.

In that moment he sensed that the big fellow who had looked after him was dead, that the Earth Lord who had cared for him like an elder, like a father and brother, and taught him — that his soul and spirit had been annihilated.

Youdu of a sudden had no order left; only an indescribably dreadful light burst forth from the third eye of the Earth Lord's mortal body, illuminating all of Youdu. The Earth Lord was dead, slain by the hands of Shen Mu and Ling Heavenly Venerable, passing away thus, without sound or sign.

The Great Dao of Youdu, too, was collapsing, was dissipating.

The You Heavenly Venerable placed the Book of Life and Death in his hand.

"From this day forth, you are the .

. .

of the world of Youdu—" "Earth Lord!

"