Chapter 1622 — Had He Died Then, Who Would Know Truth from Falsehood
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
Celestial Venerable Fire cast his mind back. "In those days we talked long in secret. You thought the human race could scarcely prevail, that we had not the strength to contend with the ancient gods and the demigods, that at any moment we might be plunged into irrevocable ruin. You wished me to help you."
Celestial Venerable Yun sighed. "You said that all one's eggs must not be put in a single basket, that there must be two plans. Plan one: I would continue to resist, to fight on for the human race."
Celestial Venerable Fire said, "Plan two: I would lead a portion of the human race to throw in our lot with the demigods, and with them stand against the ancient gods. Should you fail, the human race would not be extinguished; the portion that followed me would survive."
Celestial Venerable Yun nodded. "So I raised no objection to your siding with Celestial Venerable Hao. And the facts have proven that your vision was exceedingly far-sighted, your judgment of men unerring. Celestial Venerable Hao was indeed incomparably formidable: he defeated the ancient gods, defeated me, and seized the final victory of the Longhan Era."
Celestial Venerable Fire said in a low voice, "And we agreed then that if you led the human race in rebellion and failed, I, to prove my loyalty to the demigods, would have to kill you. And I did go."
His voice choked. "I went to kill you with tears in my eyes. When you died, my heart suffered most of all! And yet for it I bore the name of traitor! Yun, do you blame me for killing you?"
Celestial Venerable Yun shook his head. "I never blamed you for that."
Celestial Venerable Fire laughed heartily, his voice brimming with relief. "I knew it, only Yun is a true hero, only Yun understands me best! What Celestial Venerable Shen, what Celestial Venerable Mu, they are not fit to carry Yun's shoes!"
"Later, in the Chiming Revolution, Fire, you also went to kill Emperor Ming with tears in your eyes, did you not?" Celestial Venerable Yun asked.
The brows upon Celestial Venerable Fire's mask knitted slightly. "Emperor Ming was not even your equal. He could hardly accomplish anything; he was only an obstacle."
"In the Shanghuang Era, you must likewise have gone with tears in your eyes to kill Celestial Venerable Yue, to kill Celestial Venerable Ling."
Celestial Venerable Yun walked to his side and gazed at the sky behind him, burned red by flame and grown somewhat distorted, and said with feeling, "In the Kaihuang Era, you went with tears in your eyes to kill Celestial Venerable Shen. In the Jingping Era, you went with tears in your eyes to kill Celestial Venerable Mu..."
The brows upon Celestial Venerable Fire's mask drew tighter. He looked at the sky behind Celestial Venerable Yun.
Suddenly he cut Celestial Venerable Yun short. "Yun, in strategy, in statecraft, neither Emperor Chi nor Emperor Ming could match you. Celestial Venerable Yue and Celestial Venerable Ling were two remarkable women, but their methods were far inferior to yours; they could never have contended with Celestial Venerable Hao, never have contended with the Ten Celestial Venerables! As for Celestial Venerable Shen, Shen Ye, by the time he rose, the great order of the universe was already fixed; the Ten Celestial Venerables ruled all under heaven, and no one else had any hope of turning the tide! And Celestial Venerable Mu was nothing but a child's mischief. Yun, you must understand this."
Celestial Venerable Yun smiled. "Then tell me, when did it begin? When did you stop killing them with tears in your eyes?"
Celestial Venerable Fire whipped his head around.
The two of them, four legs, stood almost upon a single line, only one faced east, the other west.
As Celestial Venerable Fire turned his head, so too did Celestial Venerable Yun.
The Village Headman felt the flames between the two great mountains suddenly blaze hotter still; the Dao fire rolled and surged, and a dry, searing wind struck his face, carrying to his nostrils a smell of scorching.