Chapter 1669 — Two Figures Alike

When they raised their heads, they could see the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court floating above the annihilating calamity, magnificent beyond words — a thing not even the great tribulations of destruction could shatter! But after Shen Mu comprehended the golden lotus planted in Guixu, completed the cycle of birth and death of the cosmos within his spirit treasury, and walked out his own road, what they saw was no longer only the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court.

They would also see a Chaos Hall floating in the sky above the great cosmic tribulation of destruction!

Presumably this peerless mighty one had seen Shen Mu's Chaos Hall, and so had walked through one destruction-tribulation after another to come and probe the truth of it. Shen Mu's heart stirred. Gazing at the figure of light within that mass of Hongmeng purple radiance, he had already guessed at the newcomer's identity, but dared not be certain it was truly that person.

The figure in the purple light asked, "Fellow Daoist of a future age, to have cultivated to this step is truly no easy thing.

Your cosmos has not yet passed through a destruction-tribulation, has it?

" Shen Mu bowed and said, "This latecomer and junior, Shen Mu, the Shepherd Heavenly Venerable of the seventeenth cosmos, pays his respects to you, Fellow Daoist. Our cosmos is still in the formation stage of formation, dwelling, decay, and emptiness; it has not yet undergone a destruction-tribulation.

" The figure in the purple light said in astonishment, "Without ever passing through a destruction-tribulation, you have comprehended to this step — that is no small matter at all. Fellow Daoist, how did you bring it about?

" Shen Mu recounted how he had obtained the World Tree and planted the Guixu lotus seed in his spirit treasury, then said, "I once went to the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court as well, and learned a great many things there. When one's accumulation grows great enough, one arrives at this step.

" The figure in the purple light was silent a long while, then said in admiration, "The road you walk is truly strange and marvelous, but your ideas are stranger and more marvelous still.

There may be others who meet with the same encounters as you, yet they would not necessarily have your wondrous whims, nor necessarily your achievements.

" Shen Mu asked, "Fellow Daoist, I have already come to stand before the Chaos Hall, yet I still cannot enter it. What is the reason for that?

" "Your ideas are there, your arts are there, but your cultivation of the Dao is insufficient. " The figure in the purple light said, "Though you have comprehended the Dao of cosmic birth and death, and thereby cultivated the Chaos Hall, you have never truly passed through a great cosmic annihilation, never lived through a true cosmic creation.

What you have gone through has been your own simulations, one after another, and not the truth. So your Chaos Hall has the form but not the substance of the thing; having only the form and not the substance, you naturally cannot enter.

" His voice was deep and strong, unhurried, as he said, "If you had passed through several cycles of cosmic birth and death, your cultivation of the Dao ought to reach perfection. " His voice was full of anticipation as he laughed.

"I have never met a man as odd as you, nor do I know what will become of you after you achieve the Dao. I see the shadow of my Hongmeng runes in your Dao arts and divine powers; no doubt you have been to the Miluo Palace. So there is a karmic tie between us.

If you do not disdain it, I can lend you a hand, send you back to the cosmos of the past, let you pass through one great tribulation of destruction after another, and help you achieve the Dao. " Shen Mu said with the utmost respect, "May I ask, sir, who you are? " "The Hongmeng runes you learned were created by me.

" The figure in the purple light laughed.

"They call me the Master of the Miluo Palace; some call me teacher.

Some simply call me Miluo — the Undying Thief. I have many followers, and six beings who received the mantle of my legacy; each of them has his own achievements, much like you. Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, are you willing to return to the past? " Shen Mu's heart was greatly moved.

The figure in the purple light stretched out a hand; the chaos qi surged and congealed into a palm, and the Master of the Miluo Palace's voice came: "Take my hand, and I will carry you into the past.

I can pass on to you what I know, and you will surely achieve the Dao in a cosmos of the past! " Shen Mu stretched out his hand. This was a rare opportunity, the perfect moment to become the Seventh Young Master of the Miluo Palace! With the Master of the Miluo Palace to guide him, he would surely make good his deficiencies, witness and live through those magnificent, billowing great tribulations of destruction, achieve the Dao, and become an eternal existence!

But.

.

. Shen Mu drew his hand back again and said, "Fellow Daoist, a Jingping Tribulation is about to erupt. I cannot abandon my people; I cannot abandon Jingping.

I appreciate your good intent.

After the Jingping Tribulation, I will return to the past to find you and seek your instruction. " The figure in the purple light withdrew his palm and said, "Our temperaments are truly alike. Very well.

After the Jingping Tribulation, come to the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court and find me.

" His form scattered and vanished.