Chapter 1830 — The World-Opening Great Bell
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 5
The Lord of Heaven knew well how much he owed her, and in his helplessness could only look to the First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign Shen Wu.
"How is Daoist friend Shen's attainment in the heavenly dao? Could you hold the operation of the heavenly dao for a time? " The First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, said, "I am still far from attaining the Dao, but I can hold it for a while. " The Lord of Heaven breathed out in relief.
Lady Tianyin said, "King Yama can hold the operation of the Tianyin Realm for the time being.
" King Yama bowed and assented, then said, "And who is that outside the door? " They had long since seen Zhu Santong hiding outside; they had simply not spoken of it.
King Yama was blunt by nature and said it straight out.
Shen Fengqing said, "A fellow who does not fear death.
In my early years my brother and I duped him, and so I did not drive him off.
Zhu Santong, come in.
" At these words Zhu Santong hurried into the hall and cried aloud, "Lord Tu, you owe me! On this trip to the Ancestral Court, I mean to go too!
" The assembly frowned, each in their own way, and looked one after another toward Shen Fengqing. Granny Zhu said, "Santong's abilities are not weak, but they are no more than those of a Yin Sovereign; going there is simply seeking death.
" Shen Fengqing said, "Granny, it was my brother who did wrong and owes the man. Since he wants to go, let him go.
The yellow earth will bury a man anywhere. " Heavenly Venerable You said, "Set your mind at ease, Daoist friend.
On this journey we have the Lord of Heaven, Lord Tu, and Lady Tianyin among us; even if he is beaten to ashes, he can be brought back. So long as he is not beaten into primal chaos.
" Zhu Santong shivered, rather regretting that he meant to go, but he could only stiffen his neck and refuse to show any sign of cowardice. Some days later, when all was prepared, they set out for the Ancestral Court.
Half a year afterward they came to the outside of the Ancestral Court, and saw that it had been refined by Shen Mu into a perfectly square great cauldron, immeasurably vast, like some enormous exotic treasure, with radiant clouds roiling on every side, dazzling to the eye.
Zhu Santong's heart quailed.
"This Ancestral Court is well on its way to being refined into a treasure! Only, who could ever drive this great cauldron?
" Their party was led by the Lord of Heaven and Shen Fengqing; the two stepped forward and each performed seal-form divine powers, and a passage covered in resplendent Hongmeng runes appeared before them, and the company filed in. For how long they walked in that passage, Zhu Santong could not say; he looked at the four walls, where there were not only Hongmeng runes but other, stranger runes, like dreadful creatures of primal chaos, shifting their forms within the walls.
"The Seventh Young Master's seal! " Ahead the way suddenly opened into emptiness; they had come out of the passage at last, and found themselves upon one of the four walls of the great cauldron.
Looking down, they took in the whole vast and magnificent landscape of the Ancestral Court! The most striking thing of all was the World Tree, a spectacle beyond measure! By now, beneath the World Tree, an enormous bell-shaped treasure lay crosswise, running through the sixteen rivers of chaos beyond the World Tree; the great bell was like the cosmos at the moment of its birth, its mouth turned toward the World Tree, and it gave out a bell-note like the cleaving of heaven and earth!
And within the great bell, Kaihuang Shen Ye, Heavenly Venerable Yue, Jiang Baigui, the Dao Ancestor, and the others who guarded the Ancestral Court were fighting desperately!