Chapter 1370 — Revealing Divine Might
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 3
That mass of karmic fire suddenly parted. Its structure was that of a cocoon, layer upon layer, and each layer of the karmic-fire cocoon was branded all over with the great Dao runes of Youdu, a splendor beyond all measure.
The karmic-fire egg held thirty-six layers of cocoon in all; the deeper one went, the fiercer the karmic fire and the greater its power.
When the final layer of karmic-fire cocoon was peeled away, Shen Mu and Heavenly Venerable Yue saw A Chou, Tu Bo.
A Chou, suppressed within the Jade Lock Pass, enduring the grinding of boundless karmic fire.
A Chou was not within this karmic-fire egg at all, but inside the Jade Lock Pass; yet the energy of this karmic-fire egg was pouring ceaselessly into A Chou's body. A Chou had committed a crime that reached the heavens.
His body was wound about with chains wrought from the great Dao of Youdu, yet he had seized Youdu itself and dragged it along, marching upon the Heavenly Court, washing the Heavenly Court in blood to avenge his family, to fight for his daughter's life. He had destroyed nearly half the Heavenly Court, sent countless ancient gods and half-gods down to death at his hands, and even slaughtered imperial princes and imperial grandsons.
His sins towered to the heavens; even though he was the reincarnated body of Tu Bo, he must atone, sinking forever amid the fire, enduring the torment of karmic fire.
A Chou was Tu Bo, but Tu Bo was not A Chou. Tu Bo must deal justly and could not bend the law for private ends, and so Tu Bo suppressed A Chou.
But Tu Bo could not bend the law alone; he had private desires of his own.
He envied A Chou, he wished to become A Chou, and so he used the karmic fire of all living beings to forge a true body for A Chou. "The sins of all living beings, let them come to rest upon my body.
" Tu Bo's face was calm as he said, "On the day I die, that will be the day I leap free of my bonds.
" Shen Mu frowned and said no more.
Heavenly Venerable Yue's brows drew faintly together, and she too fell silent.
They had looked forward to Tu Bo becoming their ally, fighting shoulder to shoulder with them.
The Ten Heavenly Venerables were at their weakest now.
Heavenly Venerable Hao had been gravely wounded, Heavenly Venerable Xiao exiled, the Great Emperor left with nothing but a head; Heavenly Consort Qiang, even with her wounds healed, would pose no great threat; the Ancestor God King, God Emperor Langxuan and Heavenly Consort Yan were each wounded; and Heavenly Venerable Fire and Heavenly Venerable Void had not yet recovered from their injuries. Heavenly Venerable Hong was the reincarnated body of the Lord of Heaven; Heavenly Venerable Gong would very likely choose neutrality; the only one still at the peak of her fighting strength was Lady Yuanmu. Now was the best moment to strike at the Ten Heavenly Venerables.
If the Lord of Heaven and Tu Bo raised the cry, with Heavenly Venerable Yue, Heavenly Venerable Hong and Heavenly Venerable You at their side, with the East Emperor Azure Dragon, the West Emperor White Tiger and the North Emperor Black Tortoise rising in revolt, and with the Founding Emperor Shen Ye and the God King Langwo cutting their way out of the Great Void, the balance of victory might be said to have tipped in their favor. Yet Tu Bo had a wish to die, longing to cast off his present body of the great Dao.
This was something neither Shen Mu nor Heavenly Venerable Yue had foreseen. "Tu Bo cultivated A Chou, and the Lord of Heaven cultivated Heavenly Venerable Hong. They must both have grown weary of their own bodies of the great Dao, and wish to use a great calamity to cast off their present selves and win their freedom.
" Shen Mu and Heavenly Venerable Yue left Tu Bo's body.
Heavenly Venerable Yue said to Shen Mu, "Or rather, Tu Bo and the Lord of Heaven are in truth indulging the Ten Heavenly Venerables, letting the Ten Heavenly Venerables kill them.