Chapter 1063 — The Mystery of the Heavenly Venerable's Disappearance

"Brother Yun, you did indeed vanish for a time just now. Where did you go? " Heavenly Venerable Yun steadied himself, cast the bizarre experience from his mind, and returned to their earlier topic. "Heavenly Venerable Hao is the murderer of Heavenly Venerable Yu. The Heavenly Emperor was pulling the strings behind it all. To the Heavenly Emperor, Lan Yutian's prestige was too high; he had to die. Hao is his son, and for Hao to take Lan Yutian's place and win the support of the postnatal races and the demigods was vital to the Heavenly Emperor's rule. You are a clever man; you should be able to see this. The human race is weak now, and it needs you, a Heavenly Venerable of the human race, to hack a path through the thorns. Yet you still follow Hao to this day, which confounds me. " Heavenly Venerable Fire fell silent.

Heavenly Venerable Yun extended a palm, utterly sincere.

"The human race has no masters, no demigod heritage, no protection or support from the ancient gods. We are born weak, with no power of bloodline flowing in our veins. But we are clever, and with that cleverness we can win the right to survive for our own race. Come to the Yuan Realm and help me. " Heavenly Venerable Fire shook his head. "Brother Yun, do you still not see it?

" Heavenly Venerable Yun raised an eyebrow, and Heavenly Venerable Fire went on.

"After Heavenly Venerable Yu died, it suddenly became clear to me. If the human race is to survive, it has only one path: attach itself to a strong power! The Heavenly Emperor is that power! Heavenly Venerable Hao is part of that power, and he is the one with the brightest future! All your striving in the lower realm is no more than the moon reflected in water. Strive as you might, at one word from the Heavenly Emperor the human faction you have built will be reduced to ashes! Heavenly Venerable Hao is different. .

. " Heavenly Venerable Yun was enraged.

"Hao is the murderer of Heavenly Venerable Yu!

" he said coldly. "He is the son of the Heavenly Emperor, not one of us! " "He is also half human! " Heavenly Venerable Fire said, "He has ambition and aspiration, and not long ago he stepped out of the shadows. He is both the noblest of demigods and a member of the human race. Only if he gains power is there any hope for the humans to survive. This is the best plan I have conceived in over a thousand years for the future and fate of the human race. This so-called human Heavenly Court you are building in the lower realm is only making you into another Heavenly Venerable Yu.

Sooner or later you will meet the same end as he did!

" Heavenly Venerable Yun stood. Heavenly Venerable Fire stood as well, and their eyes met. Heavenly Venerable Fire said in a low voice, "I also know that the Heavenly Emperor has permitted you to establish a human Heavenly Court. But what you do not know is that the Heavenly Emperor has perhaps also permitted Heavenly Venerable Hao to establish a demigod Heavenly Court, likewise in the Yuan Realm. Do you not understand what that means?

" Heavenly Venerable Yun's body trembled slightly, his voice a little hoarse. "Is this why you threw in your lot with Heavenly Venerable Hao and serve him with such loyalty?

" Heavenly Venerable Fire said, "There are two paths. One has no hope of success, the other has hope. I choose the one with hope.

" Heavenly Venerable Yun let out a long breath. "The demigod Heavenly Court and the human Heavenly Court will share the Yuan Realm, and in the future there will surely be conflict. Which side will you choose?

" "I told you, I choose the path with the greatest hope of success.

" Heavenly Venerable Fire said indifferently, "I attach myself to power. Only if that power succeeds is there hope that the human race will survive.

" "I understand.

" Heavenly Venerable Yun nodded and rose to leave.

"Farewell. " Heavenly Venerable Fire did not see him off. At the door, Heavenly Venerable Yun turned back to look at this friend of the Dao from former days and said in a bitter voice, "Fire, you are no longer the person you once were.

" Heavenly Venerable Fire's body trembled slightly. Looking into his eyes, he said, "Since Heavenly Venerable Yu died, I have no longer been the simple, pure Heavenly Venerable Fire of old. That is true of me. Is it not equally true of you? You, Moon, Ling, is it not equally true of all of them?

After the Yaochi Incident, we all changed. " Heavenly Venerable Yun was silent for a moment, then walked out of Heavenly Venerable Fire's room. His voice came from outside, full of melancholy.

"We have indeed all changed. " Heavenly Venerable Fire watched him go.

From behind the screen, Heavenly Venerable Hao walked out slowly and said with a smile, "Heavenly Venerable Fire, you did very well. " Heavenly Venerable Fire's body went rigid. He turned around and said calmly, "Those who understand the times are the wise.

Yun does not understand the times, and in the future he will surely suffer for it. " Heavenly Venerable Hao stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the resplendent Heavenly Court beyond the window. "More than a thousand years have passed, and the Yaochi Incident still seems to be before my eyes. I too lay on a sickbed for over a thousand years, mad and dazed. Looking back on these thousand years, I am filled with endless emotion.

" He turned his head to look at Heavenly Venerable Fire. "That is right, Heavenly Venerable Yu died by my hand. But even had I not struck, he would have died. It was not I who wanted him dead, but the Heavenly Emperor who wanted him dead.

You understand, do you not?

" Heavenly Venerable Fire nodded. "Of course I understand. " Heavenly Venerable Hao said, "I am a demigod, but I am also human. You and I are both people who have received the blessings of the gods. The blessing of the gods at the back of our heads is also the gods' means of watching us. Yet here in the Cuiting Pavilion, you and I can speak without worry, with no fear of being overheard by His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor or the other ancient gods. You are one of my trusted confidants now, and I shall introduce you to someone.

" As his words fell, a woman in palace dress walked out from behind the screen.

"This is my mother, Lady Yuanmu!

" Heavenly Venerable Hao said with a smile, "This Cuiting Pavilion is shrouded by my mother's divine art. Even the blessings of the gods cannot monitor this place.

" Heavenly Venerable Fire bowed low.

"This lowly commoner pays his respects to the Empress of Heaven!

" Lady Yuanmu giggled. "What a sensible child. " In the Xiaohan Heavenly Court, Shen Mu put away Heavenly Venerable Yun's corpse and stroked the beard on his chin in thought. "If I take out Lady Yuanmu's corpse, will the Lady Yuanmu of the present also disappear because of it.

.

. " He shook his head and dismissed his curiosity.

A moment ago, when he had taken out Heavenly Venerable Yun's corpse, Heavenly Venerable Yun's consciousness had actually awakened within that body, and could even speak and walk. He did not know whether the disappearance of Heavenly Venerable Yun's present body would bring some terrible consequence, which was why he had put the corpse away. If he took out Yuanmu's corpse and the Yuanmu of the Heavenly Court came to life within that body, it would be far too terrifying. "A pity I cannot try it," he said with deep regret. "Sect Master!

" The Dragon Qilin's voice came from outside the hall.

"That one called Luo Xiao is here again, asking whether you are still going to the Heavenly Court.

" Shen Mu walked out, smiling. "Of course I am going!

" He passed by Yan'er, who was carrying a lantern, her face still sorrowful, still unable to recover from the blow of losing her mother.

Shen Mu comforted her gently. "When we reach the Heavenly Court, we shall go to the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Palace and get one of your mother's treasures from her.