Chapter 1021 — Reunion with the Old Demon of Dutian

By rights, now that the trail of the Land of No Sorrow had been found, they ought at once to raise troops and march there; even at grievous cost, they must eradicate the Land of No Sorrow and do away with Kaihuang. Yet now, none of them had any such intention.

Comparatively speaking, the Land of No Sorrow was but a scabies of the skin, while Taidi, hidden among them, was the malady of the heart.

Whichever Venerable committed his own forces to the campaign against the Great Void would face the resistance of the Great Void's Creators and the Land of No Sorrow; his own side would lose troops and commanders, and his power would wane.

The Ten Heavenly Venerables of the Heavenly Court were no longer as they had once been. If one's own power declined and one then fought Kaihuang Shen Ye to the death, one might well not die by an enemy's hand, but by a cold arrow from one's own side!

After all, there was the precedent of the Great Sun Star Lord.

"The Land of No Sorrow must be attacked," said the kindly-browed Venerable Hong with feeling. "This old man had thought the Land of No Sorrow where Venerable Shen dwells was a carefree paradise; I never expected it to be such a perilous place. For such a wretched spot to be named the Land of No Sorrow—how laughable.

To attack it, one must first pass through all the perils of the Great Void.

Better to let the children go first and scout the road.

Once the perils outside are cleared, we shall go and have a meeting with Shen Ye and those Creators. " The other Venerables nodded in agreement, saying, "Let the children of the various heavens go first and clear the road; we shall deal with Shen Ye after that.

" Venerable Huo frowned. "My friends, for ordinary gods and demons to go to the Great Void is of no use whatsoever—it is simply to go and die! " The other Venerables laughed one after another.

"Venerable Huo has disciples beyond count and mighty men thick as clouds beneath his banner—why not lead your troops to the Great Void yourself and subdue Shen Ye?

" Venerable Huo was enraged.

He flicked his sleeve, rose, and stormed off: "I entered the Great Void, braved death a hundred times, and brought back word—and you sit here bickering among yourselves. Fools! I am ashamed to be counted among you! " "Venerable Huo still has that fiery temper," the others said, shaking their heads. The residence of Venerable Mu. Xue Hu'er had already descended to the mortal realm, while Shen Mu remained in the Venerable's residence, studying day after day that eggshell within his eye, pondering the runes and marks upon it, and occasionally joking and romping with Yun Chuxiu and the Divine King Langwan.

Yun Chuxiu had taken up residence in the Venerable's residence, occupying a room and unwilling to leave; Lian Huahun came by from time to time as well, with the Divine King Langwan keeping them company—the three women were a great clamor. When the three women were together, Shen Mu did his best not to join in.

Soon word came that the Heavenly Court had decided to send troops against the Great Void and was conscripting gods and demons from the various heavens into its ranks. Xue Hu'er also sent word by messenger, saying that the Heavenly Court's Zaofu Palace had assigned Jingping a great deal of work, rushing to forge the divine weapons and sharp instruments the war would require.

"Venerable, a poor relation has come up from the mortal realm, saying he has come to throw himself on your mercy," a palace maid reported. "A poor relation?

" Shen Mu was surprised and laughed despite himself. "What poor relations do I have? They are all quite rich.

Show him in.

" After a moment, an eight-armed demon god came forward, led by the palace maid.

The demon god had eight arms, four faces, and twelve eyes; he was mighty and imposing of bearing. Bowing, he said, "The Demon King of Dutian pays his respects to Venerable Mu! " Shen Mu hastened forward and said with a smile, "Old Brother Dutian, how did you come to be here?

" That demon god was none other than the Demon King of the Dutian World. Ashamed, he said, "The Dutian World has been destroyed.

We could not make a living there, and so we wandered the starry void.

After we left, Tubo took the Dutian World and forged it into a horn. These days, countless of us demons of Dutian have starved or worked ourselves to death. Hearing that the Heavenly Court meant to send troops against the Great Void, and with nowhere else to turn, we thought to seek refuge with the Heavenly Court.

I never expected to hear that there was a Venerable Mu in the Heavenly Court—I found it rather strange, and upon inquiring, it was indeed you.

" Shen Mu laughed.

"And who else should it be?

" The Demon King of Dutian was overcome with feeling. "Who would have thought that the young sect master of those years would be today's Venerable Mu? To come and seek refuge with you, I had to bribe the guards of the Jade Capital City with a great sum before I could even enter the city.

Now the common folk and subjects of the Dutian World have no way to live.

I beg Venerable Mu, in memory of the pleasant days we once shared, to grant them a way to live. " Shen Mu looked him up and down and said with a smile, "Was it not your wish to seek refuge with the Heavenly Court and march against the Great Void? " The Demon King of Dutian hesitated, then said in a low voice, "I suspect the Heavenly Court means no good. If the Great Void were so easy to conquer, there would be no end of gods and demons in the Heavenly Court scrambling for military merit. The reason they select gods and demons from all the heavens and myriad worlds is likely that they mean to send them over as sacrifices to the banner. " Shen Mu roared with laughter and raised a hand to pat him on the shoulder, but alas, he could not reach.

The Demon King of Dutian hastily stooped, and Shen Mu finally patted his shoulder, well pleased.

"Indeed. Old Brother Dutian is as sharp-witted as ever, seeing through it at a glance. This campaign against the Great Void is simply the Ten Heavenly Venerables unwilling to expend their own power, deliberately sending some to their deaths. " The Demon King of Dutian's face was weathered as though carved by knife and axe; clearly these years had not been kind. He forced the wrinkles of his face into a smile and said timidly, "Then, Venerable, might I ask you to shelter the common folk of my Dutian?

" Shen Mu's gaze rested on his face, and he said nothing.

The Demon King of Dutian dropped to his knees with a thud, bowing his head deeply. "The demons of the Dutian World are few enough now. I beg the Venerable to grant them a way to live!

I know well that in earlier years I wronged the Venerable and offended you; I am willing to bow my head and await execution.

" Shen Mu shook his head. "Rise. My Jingping can scarcely protect himself—how would he have territory to settle your clansmen? " The Demon King of Dutian said hastily, "Venerable, first help me guard my clansmen; I shall go to the Great Void and win merit.

With military merit comes territory, and then I shall bring my clansmen back! " Shen Mu laughed despite himself. "Going to the Great Void—you would be going to your death.

Never mind you; even beings of the Lingxiao realm or the Imperial Throne realm would not dare claim they could retreat unscathed from the Great Void.

Military merit—you would not gain the least bit of it. "