Chapter 1427 — The Chance to Grasp the Dao
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 5
The content of their discussion was no longer limited to the Jingping Reforms; they had gone on to the Dao of divine consciousness and the Primordial One Qi. Shen Mu's research into divine consciousness and the Primordial One Qi was exceedingly profound, while the God-Emperor Langxuan was the son of Taichu and Gong Yun, born with a deep comprehension of these two great Daos, and having pondered them for over a million years, his attainment was naturally profound as well. This discussion lasted even longer, and they developed all manner of principles, divine abilities and applications of divine consciousness and the Primordial One Qi. After who knows how long, as the two spoke in the highest of spirits, each gained an insight, and a wondrous Dao resonance began to emanate from each of their bodies; this was a sign that they were about to comprehend the Dao.
Suddenly the two of them each fell quiet, watching the other warily, forcibly suppressing the impulse to enter the Dao. Only at this moment did they suddenly remember that they were not friends on the Dao, but enemies. Outside, the divine general slipped quietly in again, intending to see whether the two were still discoursing on the Dao; instead he saw the two standing each where they were, staring at the other's every move, the Dao resonance upon each of them growing ever denser.
The Primordial One Qi coiled about each of them, their divine consciousness surging, both on the very edge of entering the Dao. Yet the accumulated store of each was not enough to sustain this entry into the Dao; if they could but join the other's insights to their own, they could enter the state of the Dao. Strange as it was, though the Dao resonance that flowed from them needed only to touch and collide ever so slightly for both to enter the Dao at once, they stopped.
"Han Feng, how long have Heavenly Venerable Mu and I been here? " Langxuan suddenly asked.
The divine general said hastily, "Master and Heavenly Venerable Mu have been discoursing on the Dao here for three months now. " "Three months?
" The corners of the God-Emperor Langxuan's eyes twitched. "So long?
I seldom discourse on the Dao with anyone for so long; this is the first time.
Heavenly Venerable Mu, you are worthy of being a Heavenly Venerable. Never have I discoursed so deeply, even with the other Heavenly Venerables. You are remarkable.
" Shen Mu nodded.
"As are you. " "But we are not friends, still less friends on the Dao," said the God-Emperor Langxuan.
Shen Mu nodded.
"Those whose Daos differ cannot take counsel together.
" The God-Emperor Langxuan nodded. "I will not take counsel with you, nor need you take counsel with me.
" The Dao resonance within the two of them faded by degrees, growing fainter and fainter, until at last it vanished entirely.
They walked out together, and the God-Emperor Langxuan said, "Since we have already come to Yaochi, I will keep my promise: this Yaochi is yours to ponder and comprehend. " "My thanks," Shen Mu said stiffly, and stepped down from the tower ship.
The God-Emperor Langxuan stood on the ship, watching his receding back, much moved in his heart, and suddenly spoke. "Heavenly Venerable Mu.
" Shen Mu turned his head and looked at him, smiling.
"God-Emperor, what is it?
" The God-Emperor Langxuan paused a moment, then shook his head and smiled.
"Nothing. Only, a fancy rose in me for a moment, a fancy that I might have a friend, but then reality came to mind and the fancy went out. Go and ponder.
" Shen Mu nodded and smiled.
"I too once had such a moment of fancy, wondering if you and I could ponder with all our hearts, to what heights we might carry the Dao arts and divine abilities, whether we could deduce the true Dao of Taichu, and how many Taichu divine abilities we could derive.
But when I think it over carefully, I still find it impossible.
" The God-Emperor Langxuan forced a false smile onto his face.
"Indeed it is impossible.