Chapter 1842 — Everything Returns to the Origin

The battle of Guixu had consequences of immense reach. The Great Abyss of Guixu was utterly destroyed, leaving only the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel forged of chaos stone standing upon the Sea of Chaos in the sky, while Old Man Wuya and Young Master Wuji were each gravely wounded, and the Third and Fourth Young Masters failed to finish their work and destroy them. And in the battle for the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court, three powers fought bitterly, with grievous death and injury on all sides.

When Shen Mu marched on the Jade Capital City, Young Master Zixiao and Young Master Lingxiao, who were then hunting Old Man Wuya and Young Master Wuji, had no choice but to abandon the two men and return to the Jade Capital.

They had the strength to slay Old Man Wuya and Young Master Wuji, but had they done so, the power of the Jade Capital City would in turn have been uprooted by Shen Mu. To preserve the Jade Capital City, they were forced to give up that splendid chance.

Shen Mu led the mighty ones of Jingping out of the Jade Capital City, and at the same time reached out to shield the retreat of the forces under Old Man Wuya, to the utter astonishment of those mighty ones. "If you die, you will only profit the Third and Fourth Young Masters of the Miluo Palace.

" Kaihuang joined Shen Mu and the others in holding the rear, explaining to those men, "Taishi can dissolve the blood sacrifice, but only part of its power.

If you die, the Third and Fourth Young Masters will gather still more energy to ease their descent. So you cannot yet die.

When Taishi can wholly dissolve the sacrificial energy, then you may die.

" The mighty ones under Old Man Wuya had felt some gratitude at first, but at these words even the last shred of it vanished. "Old Seven! " Young Master Lingxiao knew he could not detain them, and at once ordered the pursuit halted. Facing Shen Mu from afar, he said coldly, "Second Sister Wuji has been released after all.

Even if you destroyed the Great Abyss of Guixu, sooner or later she will return to her peak.

Then it will be calamity for all living beings!

That evil fruit must be counted upon your head! " Shen Mu summoned back the Universe Hong Bell and hung it before the Chaos Hall, standing against him from afar. "Old Three, the descent of the Miluo Palace will shatter all heavens and myriad worlds and plunge the Seventeenth Era Universe straight into collapse and ruin, with countless lives perishing. Upon whose head should that evil fruit be counted?

The Teacher's command was for each of you to return to the universe that gave you birth, yet you defy the Teacher's command. How shall that be reckoned? " Young Master Lingxiao leaned upon his spear and gave a cold snort. "The Teacher betrayed his own ideals. As disciples, we must take up his ideals and carry them onward, and only so are we his true heirs!

Of the Seven Young Masters of the Miluo Palace, only Zixiao and I inherit his ideals. The rest, like you, like Wuji, like Taishang, are all betrayers! " Shen Mu burst into laughter and led his host away. Young Master Lingxiao watched him go into the distance, then led his own host back to the Miluo Palace, yet he did not see Young Master Zixiao.

"The Fourth Young Master has gone back to the past.

" The Attainer whose mortal body the Fourth Young Master had seized had now regained control of his flesh, and said, "When he left, I felt fierce grief and longing within his Dao heart.

" Young Master Lingxiao fell silent, knowing that Zixiao had been moved to longing for his dead wife by his own act of striking down Moon Tianzun and breaking off the Zixiao Enlightenment Song.

"Fellow Daoist Hao, this mortal body of yours passed through the great war of Guixu and was shattered time and again, and later was pierced between the brows by Old Seven's sword, yet it took no wound. It is most strange.

" Young Master Lingxiao returned the body to Hao Tianzun and said, "Old Seven is cunning beyond measure, and it is hard to say whether he hid some mystery within that sword stroke, yet after my probing I felt no lingering divine power. Still, we cannot fail to guard against it.

You are an Attainer of my Miluo Palace, and I will not watch you come to harm. " He summoned the many Hall Masters and Attainers of the Miluo Palace and commanded, "Fellow Daoist Hao's foundation is shallow.

You may impart to him the arts of my Miluo Palace, whether the arts of Attainers or Hall Masters, or even the arts of us Young Masters, all may be studied by him at will. As for that sword wound between his brows, you must study it closely and see whether Old Seven tampered with it. I must go and look in on Old Four, lest his Dao heart be harmed. " All assented.

Hao Tianzun's heart was seized with shock and joy, for this time he could count it a blessing in disguise, having at last won the recognition of the Miluo Palace. "How mighty are the arts of the Miluo Palace? That fellow Mu Tianzun rose only after touching upon them, leaving my cultivation and strength far behind! If I gain the whole inheritance of the Miluo Palace, my speed of cultivation will only be faster than his, never slower! This is fortune turning, adversity spent and prosperity come!

" He was confident he was weaker than no man, lacking only a chance, and now the chance had come before him at last!

The Attainers and Hall Masters in the Jade Capital City examined one by one the sword wound on Hao Tianzun's brow, but even Young Master Lingxiao had found no lingering divine power, and they naturally found nothing either.

They examined Hao Tianzun's body as well and found no hidden peril, and each sank into thought. Hao Tianzun smiled. "My lords may rest easy. Though I took no part in the battle of Guixu, I watched it throughout.

At that time Seventh Young Master Shen Mu had exhausted every shred of his strength to undo Guixu and had no power left to strike at Young Master Lingxiao.

That sword of his was mere bluff. " "So we hope.

" They let the matter drop and led him into the Dao treasury of the Miluo Palace, leaving it open to him.

"The arts of the Miluo Palace may be studied by any man. Fellow Daoist Hao, here the records are vast as the sea of mist. Read as you please.

If there is aught you do not grasp, come and ask us freely.

" Hao Tianzun was again shocked and delighted, thanking them repeatedly. "May I study the Palace Master's own records as well? " Hall Master Huadu smiled.

"You may.

Not only may the Attainers of the Miluo Palace study the Teacher's arts, but all others may study them as well. The records of the Miluo Palace were never a secret.

" He looked deeply at Hao Tianzun, his meaning pointed. "Yet how much one can learn, and whether one can comprehend the mysteries, rests wholly upon one's own talent and insight. Fellow Daoist Hao's insight is uncommon, but your foundation is unsteady. I advise you to begin with the supreme arts of the Hall Masters and Attainers and first make your foundation firm. When your foundation is firm, study the Young Masters' arts, and only last touch upon the Teacher's arts. That will be easier to take up.

To study the Teacher's arts directly requires wit and insight like that of the Young Masters.

" Hao Tianzun said solemnly, "The clumsy bird flies first.

I am willing to spend the extra care and study the Teacher's arts first. " The other Hall Masters laughed softly among themselves, led him before the collection left by the Master of the Miluo Palace, and left him there, each going his own way. Hao Tianzun's heart pounded wildly.

"My fortune has come at last! Mu Tianzun comprehended a single Hongmeng rune and could become a Seventh Young Master.

With the Master's supreme arts in hand, my attainment is bound to soar far above his!