Chapter 1864 — The Youth, Tiandu, and Tai Yi

He looked back and saw the endless historical scenes of the Second Epoch; he looked forward and saw the future about to unfold in the Third Epoch. He could not see all of the Third Epoch, for the future is the evolution of material particles, and the disturbance of any single particle gives rise to countless scenes; even with his formidable wisdom, he could not see through the future at a single glance.

He was not yet strong enough, but he wished to see the future, to see through the future, to see whether he himself had succeeded.

At that moment, Chaos and his daughter also walked into the eve of the Calamity of Creation, and the scenes of the future were a vast, chaotic blur. The Master of Miluo Palace had only time to glare at the father and daughter before the Calamity of Creation erupted, and he could only do his utmost to shield Tai Shang, to keep him from being buried in the catastrophe.

At this time Tai Shang had no ability to withstand the Calamity of Creation. As for Wuji, she needed no worry from him. The Five Great Primes evolved, and the Third Epoch arrived.

The Old Man of No Bounds chatted desultorily with Shen Mu and his daughter, and said with feeling, "Two epochs have passed, and only you father and daughter count as my old friends, people I can chat with. Miluo is too busy, Tai Shang is a silent craftsman, and that girl Wuji has a repulsive look about her; only you father and daughter are easy on the eyes. " They watched as the Master of Miluo Palace walked the new world with Tai Shang and Wuji.

The new universe was desolate, yet life was faintly brewing within it.

The power of Taiji gave this new universe many more lives.

Taiji is the mother of all things. The Master of Miluo Palace met the ancient god of Taiji of this generation.

The ancient god of Taiji achieved the Dao the moment he was born; he was a young man who named himself Tiandu.

Tiandu cultivated under him for a long time, but his ideals did not accord with Miluo's, so he walked out of Miluo Palace and established his own school. Shen Mu brought his daughter Shen Lingyun over. Tiandu founded Tiandu Divine City; he had seen the Jade Capital City reduced to ruins, and hearing the Master of Miluo Palace speak of the Calamity of Destruction and the Calamity of Creation, he conceived an idea of his own and resolved to build a divine city that could survive both great calamities. Shen Mu and his daughter secured two seats in Tiandu City, and were well acquainted with many of the Dao Achievers there, on excellent terms.

Tai Shang was rather indignant and lodged a complaint with Miluo. Miluo said, "You must be steady.

Your junior brother's actions have their own rationale; there is no need to fuss over trifles.

Though Miluo Palace and Tiandu City differ in ideals, both labor for the future; there is no difference between them.

" Tai Shang grew a little steadier still. The Third Epoch soon entered its stage of decline.

The Dao Achievers in Tiandu City toiled over the impending Calamity of Destruction and Calamity of Creation, arguing back and forth, devising countless methods.

Only Shen Mu and his daughter merely occupied their seats and never once offered an idea. In the end, Shen Mu and his daughter were driven out of Tiandu City. Tiandu was quite regretful, and said to Shen Mu, "Fellow Daoist Chaos, they do not know your abilities, but I know that your abilities may even stand above mine and our Master's.

They take you for a scoundrel, yet I feel that every word and every act of yours carries deep meaning. Still, I cannot keep you, and can only see you off.

The gates of Tiandu City stand open for you at all times, awaiting your honored arrival. " Shen Mu spoke evasively: "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, I will return. " The Third Epoch perished; Tiandu City was utterly destroyed, the Jade Capital City suffered grievous losses, and scarcely any Dao Achievers survived, leaving only a few broken Dao Trees and Dao Fruits.

Tiandu wept bitterly in the Chaos.

The Master of Miluo Palace came with Tai Shang to console him, with the air of fellow sufferers commiserating together. At that moment they saw Shen Mu and his daughter bustling back and forth in the Calamity of Destruction, and that girl called Shen Lingyun busy drawing on the power of the calamity. Tiandu was furious and made to go up and argue it out, but Miluo stopped him, saying, "He comes from the future; there are some things that cannot be said.

" "To know and not speak, what use is returning?

" Tiandu still could not calm his anger. Miluo pursed his lips, and Tiandu saw the abandoned ground and the chaotic space within the Calamity of Destruction; the father and daughter were moving certain things born of the Chaos into those two places. "You cannot beat him," said Miluo. "Even I cannot see through his abilities. " Tiandu fell silent.

"Chaos, how is the future?

" the Master of Miluo Palace asked Shen Mu again. "The future is very good.

" Tiandu sneered.

Yet in the Fourth Epoch, Shen Mu came running over again, and Tiandu neither reproached him nor had the leisure to pay him heed. Tiandu had a great undertaking: he meant to beat the Master of Miluo Palace to it and take the Innate Five Great Primes of the Fourth Epoch under his command.

He would prove that his ideals were better than his Master's, that his magnanimity and breadth of mind were greater than his Master's too. Tiandu City grew strong; he had many followers, and the divine powers and Dao arts of Tiandu City gradually formed a system of their own, growing ever more different from those of Miluo Palace.

Tai Shang was somewhat displeased, for Tiandu City proclaimed abroad that Miluo Palace was not the orthodoxy, that Tiandu City alone was orthodox.

He went to argue and was beaten by the crowd of Tiandu City, and returned to complain to the Master of Miluo Palace. The Master of Miluo Palace said, "He and I both strive to ferry the world across; what difference does it make who is orthodox?

" Some years later, Tai Shang said to Miluo, "Old Seven is making trouble again!

The people's resentment is immense; many have come to complain, saying he has done no end of evil!

" The Master of Miluo Palace examined Shen Mu's deeds and laughed: "They are all trivial matters, harmless to the greater scheme.

Tai Shang, broaden your heart.

" Some years afterward, the Old Man of No Bounds came to see the Master of Miluo Palace, saying that Tiandu did evil and was a blasphemer of the Dao: "Fellow Daoist, they mean to ruin your Dao lineage!

" The Master of Miluo Palace laughed: "The saying that all Dao arts under heaven come from Miluo may be somewhat biased.

Fellow Daoist, perhaps they are the orthodox ones. " The Old Man of No Bounds had no choice but to let it be. When the Calamity of Destruction of the Fourth Epoch arrived, the people of Tiandu City said to Tiandu, "That father and daughter have run off!

" Tiandu said, "Pay them no mind.

We face the catastrophe head-on! " "Father, what are we doing here?

" Shen Lingyun asked in confusion, flustered, when she saw Shen Mu bring her to the place where the catastrophe erupted.

"Waiting for a person! " Shen Mu stared fixedly at the place where the Calamity of Destruction erupted, where the qi of Chaos swirled and surged, linking into a long river; soon the Calamity of Destruction would spread through the entire universe, sweeping over all the heavens. Suddenly a man fell from the long river of Chaos into the river.

It was a giant, his body vast, an enormous axe in hand. Just as he was about to fall out of the Calamity of Destruction into the Fourth Epoch, he mustered his magic power and strove to leap free of the calamity!

At that very moment, Shen Mu reached out and grabbed. His palm fell into the calamity and transformed into countless white bones that seized the giant in a death grip and dragged him into the calamity.