Chapter 1716 — The Fall of a Heavenly Venerable

He put away the Azure Heaven Banner and the Southern Heaven Gate and set off in pursuit of Meng Yungui and Crown Prince Youming, saying, "Celestial Master Bai, you are a clever one; you should know which side the tide favors.

Where the tide runs, all who stand in its way will be ground to powder by the rolling surge! Meng Yungui is the example!

" Bai Yuqiong said nothing, and followed in his steps. She sent down order after order, shifting the arrays, hunting and blocking the remnant of Meng Yungui's force.

In the Beast World, within the heavenly palace of Heavenly Venerable Long Xiao.

Thud! Long Qilin knelt and knocked his head on the ground like a pestle pounding garlic, tears falling like rain: "Why did you recall us, Adoptive Father? Adoptive Father, you have broken your oath with the Cult Master—" "Enough!

" Heavenly Venerable Long Xiao sat upon the imperial throne of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, his nine faces dark, and shouted, "Pi, your father is saving you! Can you not see the tide of the world? Emperor Haotian has the support of the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court behind him. The tide runs his way; whether Jingping or Wuyou Township, all will be ground to powder and cease to exist!

Even your so-called Cult Master Shen, Heavenly Venerable Mu, is nothing before such a tide! You nearly dragged my Beast World into ruin!

" Long Qilin dashed his head against the ground until blood smeared the floor, the tears in his eyes turning to blood, and wept aloud: "Adoptive Father, I do not want to see you die! You cannot beat the Cult Master!

If you set your heart with the Cult Master and send troops to the Southern Heaven at once, there is still a way to live.

.

. " Heavenly Venerable Long Xiao was enraged. He rose from the throne and cried sternly, "Long Pi, you have lost your head!

What good would it do me to throw in with Heavenly Venerable Mu? Can he promise me the seat of a Heavenly Venerable?

Or endless ages of glory and wealth? He can give me nothing! And Emperor Haotian has already made me one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables! The vast power of the Beast World is wholly in my hands!

If that Heavenly Venerable Mu should succeed, would the power of the Beast World still be mine?

" At his command, several mighty ones of the Beast World stepped forward and seized Long Qilin.

"Lock Crown Prince Pi away and let him think it over carefully!

" Heavenly Venerable Long Xiao flicked his sleeve.

"When this battle is settled, release him! " Long Qilin was dragged out, weeping: "Adoptive Father, have you forgotten the covenant of the Little Tubo you signed with the Cult Master?

Break your oath and you will die!

You cannot beat the Cult Master! Adoptive Father, do not throw away your own life! " Long Xiao flew into a rage. With a thunderous shout, a small thing rolled out of Long Qilin's ear — it was the Little Tubo, ox-headed, tiger-faced, man-bodied, with an ox tail. Long Xiao pointed at the Little Tubo and said in fury, "The covenant of the Little Tubo you speak of — is it this? Heavenly Venerable Mu made a fool of me, and you make a fool of me too!

" He picked up the Little Tubo and flung it into Long Qilin's arms. "Lock him up as well! He is not to come out and make trouble again!

" Clang. Long Qilin was imprisoned in a cage of divine consciousness, with several of the mightiest giant beasts standing guard outside, their consciousness sealing the cage. Before long, several of Long Qilin's children were thrown in as well — no doubt Long Xiao feared they would slip down to the mortal world and send word to Shen Mu. Long Qilin's face was ashen. The Little Tubo crawled up from his arms and looked at him with a grave expression.

Long Qilin avoided his gaze.

"Moo.

" The Little Tubo spoke to him with great solemnity.

Long Qilin's tears would not stop falling. "I know. It is only that I do not want my adoptive father to die like this.

. .

" "Moo! " The Little Tubo grew graver still, and opened his mouth to spit out a scroll — a book of covenant.

Long Qilin raised a hand as if to stop him, then drew it back. This book of covenant was the pact Shen Mu had made with Long Xiao, stipulating that Long Xiao must not betray him, or else the Little Tubo would take his soul.

The Little Tubo here was not the Little Tubo before him, but Shen Fengqing.

The Little Tubo lifted his hooves and with difficulty unrolled the book of covenant.

Two of Long Qilin's children hurried forward to help him spread it open. The Little Tubo opened his mouth and read aloud the words upon the covenant.

Long Qilin closed his eyes, tears falling beyond his control.

He knew that the covenant the Little Tubo read aloud was Long Xiao's death warrant.

When the Little Tubo finished reading it, Shen Fengqing would descend.

This was Shen Mu's final hand against Long Xiao.

Long Qilin knew it, yet he could not stop it.

"Where my body stands, there is Youdu!

" The Little Tubo spoke the Dao language of Youdu, his form spinning, and a little Youdu only four feet square appeared within the cage of divine consciousness in the Beast World.

This patch of Youdu was joined to the Youdu of the Yuan World.