Chapter 1618 — Heavenly Venerables Honor Their Promises, the Supreme Unyielding
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
If in this battle, some fellow traveler of your Dao dies because of it? " Venerable Moon frowned slightly. Kaihuang had spoken a great deal today, and his words were sharp; he seemed different from his usual self. Langwan's gaze rested on Kaihuang, and there was doubt in her eyes as well. She had had more dealings with Kaihuang than most; the Kaihuang of ordinary days was always unhurried, unshaken by thunder. Today's Kaihuang seemed to have lost some measure of his composure and his dao heart.
Shen Mu laughed. "I am the Grand Mage of Ten Thousand Kalpas Who Never Perishes; I can revive them. . . " "And if the you of now cannot revive them?
" Kaihuang pressed on.
"Your imperishability is not omnipotence; there are places where your power falls short. If, because you went to save the Earl of Earth, a fellow traveler of your Dao loses his life, and you cannot revive him, will your dao heart not crumble because of it? " Venerable Ling raised her head and looked at Kaihuang with some doubt. Even she, thick-skinned as she was, had noticed something strange about him. Shen Mu found it hard to hold his ground.
Kaihuang advanced another step and said in a low voice, "The battle of the Nether Capital is not a battle between us and Venerable Hao and Taichu; it is in truth a battle against the Third and Fourth Young Masters of Miluo Palace! Our enemy is not Venerable Hao and Taichu; it is them!
Do you think that with the strength we have now, we can stand against the Third and Fourth Young Masters?
" Shen Mu opened his mouth but said nothing. "The Earl of Earth is your ally — but is he ours? " Kaihuang's words grew sharper still, leaving him no ground to stand on.
"The Duke of Heaven and the Earl of Earth saved you, and you have already repaid them!
You saved the Duke of Heaven, and you helped the Earl of Earth sweep away the Heavenly Court's forces in the Nether Capital.
For that you bore a monstrous blame and nearly lost your life! That repayment is enough! Do you mean to drag the fate of Jingping, of Carefree Township, of the Creators, of the entire human race along with you to save him? " Shen Mu fell silent.
"You have done all that benevolence and righteousness require toward the ancient gods. " Kaihuang looked around, his gaze passing over the faces of Langwan, Venerable Moon, Venerable Ling and the others, then coming to rest on Shen Mu's face.
In a deep voice he said, "The ancient gods have in truth done little for you and Jingping; on the contrary, you have done a great deal for them.
The situation grows clearer by the moment. You cannot fight with your back to the river again, staking your life and all you have. " Shen Mu pondered for a long while, then bowed and said, "You are right. " Straightening up, he laughed. "I did not think it through. As for the battle of the Nether Capital, none of you need go, and neither will I.
If the Earl of Earth wants to die, let him die.
What matters most now is this: if the Nether Capital should fall into the Heavenly Court's hands, how is the human race to protect itself?
" Kaihuang smiled. "I am glad you can let it go. As for how the human race is to protect itself, I do have an idea. That is, to alter the Divine Treasure of Life and Death and strike the human race from the death register. " Shen Mu's eyes brightened. He laughed. "Then we need the Earl of Earth's Book of Life and Death.
The Book of Life and Death is in the hands of the Nether Venerable.
The Nether Venerable does not guard against me.
I will go to see Venerable Cloud first, then seek him out, and while he is off guard, steal the Book of Life and Death. " Kaihuang laughed. "Among the shadow thieves of the world you rank second. I am quite at ease letting you steal the Book of Life and Death. " Shen Mu laughed heartily and walked out. Kaihuang watched him leave Wendao Academy, while Venerable Moon's gaze rested on Kaihuang's face.