Chapter 1061 — Proving the Dao Through Law

You make offerings to me; I grant you favorable wind and rain, I make your crops ripen in abundance, I let you hunt and gather herbs in the mountains safe from tigers and snakes. For livestock like you, have I not done enough? And you haggle with me over a few boys and girls to eat!

" Shen Mu frowned and pointed. A streak of sword light flew out.

The Great King of Lingshan sensed it and turned his head at once, laughing: "You livestock, so you have invited a god of the human race.

. . " He had got that far when his head suddenly fell to the ground; primordial spirit and all, he was slain by a single sword stroke. Heavenly Venerable Moon rushed out of the thatched hut and, seeing this, knit his brows. The people of the tribe were struck dumb. Then suddenly an old man wailed to heaven and earth, pointing at Shen Mu and cursing furiously: "You have doomed us all! " Another old woman rose to her feet and spat a thick gob of phlegm at Shen Mu, crying in fury, "The Great King of Lingshan is a god under the Divine Emperor!

Kill him and the Divine Emperor will wipe out our nine clans! " "Do not you run! We will take you to the Divine Emperor to pay with your life!

" The people rushed forward to seize Shen Mu, shouting harshly, "Do not let him go!

Let him pay with his life.

It has nothing to do with us! " "Seize him!

" The Dragon Qilin stood before Shen Mu and suddenly let out a roar that shook heaven and earth; the houses all around shattered and collapsed. The Dragon Qilin shook himself and became a colossal creature, blocking the way before them all, larger even than the Great King of Lingshan had been. The people were shaken this way and that; at the sight of the monstrous beast they fell back onto the ground in terror, and some fainted away.

Shen Mu frowned.

"Pi, there is no need for this. " The Dragon Qilin withdrew his true form, his body shrinking smaller and smaller.

Shen Mu looked at the devastated tribe around him, then raised a hand and swept it about.

It was as if time flowed backward: one by one the collapsed houses were swiftly restored, exactly as they had been before. Shen Mu lowered his hand, and saw Heavenly Venerable Moon staring at him in amazement, as though seeing him for the first time.

Shen Mu walked to the front of the Dragon Qilin and looked at the people prostrate on the ground, his gaze complicated. Heavenly Venerable Moon came up to him.

"The Great King of Lingshan was a subordinate of Divine Emperor Langxuan. Divine Emperor Langxuan rules more than half the Yuan Realm; his strength is unfathomable.

This time you were indeed a little rash.

.

. " "Then I shall go and pay a visit to Divine Emperor Langxuan. " Shen Mu strode forward.

"The demigods under Divine Emperor Langxuan rule over many of the human race.

Now that the human Heavenly Court has been established, the human race should no longer be treated as livestock by his demigods.

" Heavenly Venerable Moon hesitated. "Divine Emperor Langxuan is the first demigod in the world; his strength is unfathomable. He is a fearsome being whom the Heavenly Emperor invited to the grand gathering of the Heavenly Court.

We are no match for him.

. . " Shen Mu said calmly, "I am no longer Heavenly Venerable Yun.

I am Heavenly Venerable Mu, who established his Dao upon divine ability. What Heavenly Venerable Yun and the rest of you cannot do, I can. " He was about to leave when an old woman threw herself on the ground and clutched his leg, wailing, "You cannot go!

You must stay and pay for the Great King of Lingshan's life! " Heavenly Venerable Moon stepped up and helped the old woman to her feet.

"We are going to see Divine Emperor Langxuan. There is no need to worry.

. .

" "He may go, but you may not!

" The old woman seized her hand and screamed, "Keep this woman here to pay for the Great King of Lingshan's life! " Heavenly Venerable Moon wanted to pull free but feared to hurt her; yet the other villagers crowded in, grabbing at her with a dozen hands, wailing, "You cannot go!

" Anxious at heart, Heavenly Venerable Moon stirred his vital essence a little and forced them back. The old woman, furious and frantic, rolled up her eyes and swooned away.

"The education of a people serves only to advance their virtue, open their wisdom, and increase their strength. " Shen Mu walked on, his voice heavy with anger he could not suppress.

"If their virtue does not advance, their wisdom does not open, their strength does not grow, then even a million years from now they will be just as benighted as they are today!

" Heavenly Venerable Moon hurried after him. "If one generation cannot change it, then two; if two cannot, then three, then four! One day it will change!

" Shen Mu said with a half-smile, "And if a million years cannot change it, will you still have the fighting spirit you have today? " Heavenly Venerable Moon was slightly taken aback and said nothing. Shen Mu said decisively, "Yue, where does Divine Emperor Langxuan live?

I am going to find him! " Heavenly Venerable Moon was puzzled.

"Divine Emperor Langxuan naturally resides in the Langxuan Divine Palace.

It is a place of great luxury.

When we were preparing to establish the human Heavenly Court, you even went there to call on him. " "I have forgotten," Shen Mu said flatly. Heavenly Venerable Moon grew more puzzled still, and led the way ahead, with the Dragon Qilin and Yan'er following behind, Yan'er still carrying the lantern, and Luo Xiao following Shen Mu as well, secretly anxious.

"This fellow is hot-tempered; no wonder he has so many enemies.

Now he wants to go fight this Divine Emperor Langxuan. Must I go along too? Divine Emperor Langxuan. . . it seems there is such a figure in the memories of my forebears, one who took part in the Blood Rust Campaign.

. . " The Langxuan Divine Palace was immeasurably vaster than the human race's Xiaohan Heavenly Court, magnificent and splendid, luxurious and grand.

Seen from afar, that was a true Heavenly Court; the human race's Xiaohan Heavenly Court was no more than a shabby little town. This Heavenly Palace was different from the rest. It too was built in the sky, but many colossal demigods bore palaces upon their backs, standing upon the earth; thousands upon thousands of demigods held up the Heavenly Palace, their sinews and bodies monstrous to behold.

The spectacle was so magnificent it left one gaping, marveling at the mighty power of the demigods!

"Once we reach the Langxuan Divine Palace, you must hold your temper and speak properly with Divine Emperor Langxuan.

" Heavenly Venerable Moon instructed him: "He admires you greatly. Last time you went to see him, he received you in person, bestowed fine wine upon you, and called you a fellow Daoist. Clearly he thinks highly of you.

.

. " "Langxuan—" Shen Mu suddenly spoke, his voice rolling like thunder. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, thunder crashed; clouds spanning ten thousand li came howling and swirling, and in an instant they had arrived above the Langxuan Divine Palace.

The clouds were dozens of li thick, immensely heavy, countless bolts of lightning darting wildly within them. Suddenly all the clouds took the form of an enormous face. The face opened its vast mouth and roared at the thousand palaces and ten thousand halls of the Langxuan Divine Palace: "Get out here! " A wild wind howled and surged, sweeping through the Langxuan Divine Palace; the roofs of hall after hall were torn away.

A tributary of the Heavenly River was drawn over and gathered into a Jade Pool, and the waters of the Jade Pool were all but drained dry, flying off in every direction! Within the divine palace, countless divine men looked up in terror at that dreadful sight. Suddenly, from the Lingxiao Treasure Hall within the palace, a blazing sun rose slowly, its radiance dazzling, evaporating the ten-thousand-li of dark clouds in the sky.

Layer upon layer of divine light burst forth, illuminating ten thousand li.