Chapter 947 — Hard to Tell the True Heavenly Venerable from the False

The Heaven Alliance was founded for one purpose: to overthrow the rule of the Ancient Gods, to overthrow "Heaven"—and in the Longhan Era, "Heaven" meant the Ancient Gods. At that time, Heavenly Venerable Yun, as the Alliance's leader, had to unite every force at hand.

Whether demigod or postnatal being, anyone with the will to overthrow the Ancient Gods could join the Heaven Alliance. After they uprooted the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, the Heaven Alliance grew mightier by the day—until at last Heavenly Venerable Yun realized that in overthrowing "Heaven," they had themselves become "Heaven. " But by then he no longer had the power to change the Heaven Alliance as it was.

He had become an obstacle to its dominion over the world. He knew he was doomed to die. For the sake of what was to come, he devised a plan—a plan to be carried out through the hand of the Dao Ancestor.

"Heavenly Venerable Yun meant to use the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor to split the Heaven Alliance. If need be, the Heavenly Emperor could even be exposed, forcing the Alliance to abandon, for a time, its suppression of the lower world and throw itself into the battle to hunt the Heavenly Emperor down.

" The Dao Ancestor went on: "In this way, an opportunity could be won for the lower world to grow. " Shen Mu was shaken to the core.

How far Heavenly Venerable Yun had thought ahead! There was no way the Heaven Alliance would ever let the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor return to life. Only with his death were they free of rivals.

Should he revive, all their labors would come to nothing.

For every Ancient God had flaws and weaknesses, and each was bound to act by the rules of its own Great Dao—but the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor did not.

He was not bound by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.

Such a Heavenly Emperor was the most terrifying of all. If they knew the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor had died without truly perishing—that his soul had reincarnated and slipped in among their Ten Heavenly Venerables—the alliance of the Ten would at once fracture and crumble to dust. If they learned which of them he was, they would set aside every grievance between them and join forces to destroy him.

"Then why," Shen Mu asked, "when the Jingping Calamity broke out, did the Dao Ancestor not reveal who the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor was? " His heart darkened.

So many had died in the Jingping Calamity.

It was his most helpless hour, the hour he was struck hardest.

He had come within a breath of never rising again—yet for the sake of those who survived, he too had survived, and had carved out an entirely new path. Yet if the Dao Lord had revealed then who the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor was, and turned the flood of calamity upon him, perhaps the Jingping Calamity would never have come to pass. The Dao Ancestor shook his head.

"The time has not yet come. " Shen Mu's voice was hoarse.

"Not yet? When will it be time?

How many must die before it is time? " The Dao Ancestor's gaze was profound. "When the Kaihuang Calamity broke out, I did not speak the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor's name either, and the Jingping Calamity was not the time. The crux is this: the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor's strength is not enough to stand against the Heaven Alliance as it is now.

One against nine—he cannot hold. And after his death, the lower world has neither the strength nor the means to resist the Heaven Alliance.

The postnatal beings must come to possess strength enough to contend with the Heaven Alliance, and the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor must possess strength enough to tear it apart.

Only then will the time be best. " His expression was indifferent.

"As the Sword-Bearer of Heavenly Venerable Yun's plan, I must be absolutely rational and wait for that moment to arrive. Until then, no matter how many die, I must keep waiting. " Shen Mu fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Which Heavenly Venerable is the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor, in the end? " "Heavenly Venerable Mu, I will not tell you. " The Dao Ancestor's face was calm. "You are not suited to be the Sword-Bearer of Heavenly Venerable Yun's plan. You are too impulsive; a moment's passion will often make you show your hand. I will not.

I can disregard the lives of millions. You are a Heavenly Venerable revered by all; a Heavenly Venerable need not bear such infamy and sin. Such sin and infamy must be borne by the Sword-Bearer of Heavenly Venerable Yun's plan.

" A faint smile appeared on his aged face.

"I have prepared for five hundred thousand years.

Heavenly Venerable Mu, do not steal my merit. " Shen Mu bowed deeply to the ground; the Dao Ancestor hurriedly returned the courtesy. "I, Shen, am but a rough fellow, a man of no renown. By chance I traveled back to the early years of Longhan, and by luck I came to behold the elders and sages of that age, and by luck I became a Heavenly Venerable. Yet I have borne the name of Heavenly Venerable in vain; before I had done anything, I returned to the present. " Shen Mu said with feeling, "It is you who struggled for this, who shed blood and made sacrifices.

I am unworthy to be a Heavenly Venerable—it is you who are worthy. " The Dao Ancestor said, "For passing on the method of becoming a god and letting the world know there is a realm called the Heavenly Court—for that alone, the name of Heavenly Venerable is well deserved.

And what you have done does not end there.

Heavenly Venerable Mu, perhaps it is time you left the Heavenly Court. " Shen Mu was slightly taken aback, puzzled at his meaning. The Dao Ancestor said, "Heavenly Venerable Hao came to visit me and asked me one thing: whether the Creation Artifact of Zaofu Heavenly Palace could be used to create a Heavenly Venerable Mu. He wished to ask me to forge one.

On the night of the Jade Pool incident, I too went to the Jade Pool and observed Heavenly Venerable Mu for a long while. Not long ago, I gave him the design blueprint for Heavenly Venerable Mu.

" Shen Mu was dumbstruck. "Dao Ancestor, you—you. . .

" The Dao Ancestor said coolly, "Even if I did not give him the design blueprint, he would find others skilled in the arts of calculation to make a Heavenly Venerable Mu.

So I gave it to him. Once Heavenly Venerable Hao uses the Creation Artifact to create a new Heavenly Venerable Mu, he will seize the chance to put you to death and replace you with the one he created. His great vengeance will be fulfilled, and he can use your prestige to do a great many things. " Shen Mu's eyes went wide; slowly he let out a breath of turbid air. The Dao Ancestor said, "So you see, if the Heavenly Court wishes to deal with you, it has no lack of means. Heavenly Venerable Hao seems reckless, but in truth his mind runs deep.

He was part of it that night at the Jade Pool, yet his aim was not to kill you—only to put on a show, to see how many in the Heavenly Court still oppose him.

He has achieved his aim. And I have recorded the data of your fleshly body, to make another, more obedient Heavenly Venerable Mu. " Shen Mu was greatly shaken. The Heavenly Venerable Hao of the Dao Ancestor's words and the Heavenly Venerable Hao in people's minds were almost two different people! "So it is time you left the Heavenly Court. " The Dao Ancestor said, "I can send you back to the lower world.

" Shen Mu steadied himself and shook his head.

"The Heavenly Court has not yet fallen into chaos. How can I go back? If I vanish the moment I arrive at your place, anyone with eyes will know you sent me away. I cannot bring trouble on you. " He smiled. "It will not be so easy for Heavenly Venerable Hao to kill me. There is one more thing I would ask the Dao Ancestor: do you know the way to the Great Void?

" The Dao Ancestor shook his head. "Do not stir up trouble.

Leave the Heavenly Court as soon as you can.

" Yan'er and the Dragon Qilin were outside the little temple, chatting with the two toads.