Chapter 1278 — The Venerable One's Three Burrows

Shen Mu and Bai Yuqiong looked from afar. The Heavenly Court side had split into two camps: on one side stood Red Emperor Qi Xiayu, one of the Four Emperors; on the other stood Lord Xi, Xi Muhong, one of the Four Great Heavenly Kings. Yet another side consisted of the three Celestial Masters under Kaihuang: the First Celestial Master, the Woodcutter Sage; the Second Celestial Master, Yan Yunxi; and the Third Celestial Master, the Martial Celestial Master Zhuo Cha, along with their respective mounts.

Besides them were Patriarch Xiuzhong and Matriarch Silkworm Maiden, among the Creators of the Other Shore. Each of these figures brought a host of gods and demons, but their casualties had been severe. Xiuzhong and the Silkworm Maiden had also brought some Creators, though they too had suffered losses; many must have died along the way, and another batch had perished when they entered the Taixu Demon Realm.

Only the Woodcutter, Yan Yunxi, and the Martial Celestial Master had brought no experts from the Carefree Land.

When Bai Yuqiong saw Yan Yunxi, fire sparked in her eyes. But she and Shen Mu had come this time to eliminate Lord Hao, so it was not convenient to reveal herself; she had no choice but to use spatial arts to conceal their tracks. With her spatial divine ability, Shen Mu could boldly open the vertical eye between his brows and survey his surroundings.

Suddenly his heart tightened.

Under the gaze of his third sacred pupil, every detail of the Divine Artifact Lord Yu's head became crystal clear to him. Within that head, the Great Dao rune imprints of the ancient gods were gone. "In other words, Lord Hao took those imprints and used these ancient gods' Great Dao rune imprints to lay down the formations and arrays that protect him.

" Shen Mu thought, "He knows he is gravely wounded, and that someone will surely seize the chance to kill him. Even his former allies would find it hard to pass up such a golden opportunity.

Truly a Heavenly Lord. Despite being so severely injured, he still managed to leave a hidden move behind. His mind is exceedingly meticulous.

" The four groups of people each climbed onto the head of the Divine Artifact Lord Yu and searched in all directions. That head was like a mountain range.

It was the Heavenly Court's most powerful weapon, yet at this moment it possessed not the slightest power. There were even monsters transformed from heart demons biting and tearing at the flesh and blood of this head. After the crowd disposed of the heart demons and walked over the mountain range transformed from that great head, they saw ahead divine mountains shrouded in ethereal mist, with divine light like rosy clouds drifting among the peaks and streams. Other parts of the Taixu Demon Realm were terrifying and gloomy, but this place seemed like a sacred dwelling, indescribably magnificent and beautiful.

Ahead were four ravines, appearing to lead in different directions. Rosy light rose in steam, covering the sky above the four ravines. The light in the air was blurred and entrancing, like an aurora.

Strangely, there was not even a single heart demon here.

Lord Xi pondered for a moment, then sent a divine general flying into the air. The divine general stood in the sky and looked down, calling out loudly, "Lord Xi, the divine light here is too thick.

It covers the mountains below, so I cannot see what is inside! " Lord Xi said, "Go down and take a look!

" The divine general obeyed and flew into the divine light.

In an instant, his flesh and blood dissolved, his primordial spirit disintegrated, and without even a groan he turned into a pile of shattered bones that fell from the divine light.

Everyone's heart lurched.

They gazed at the divine light in the ravine ahead and hesitated, not daring to advance. The Woodcutter Sage called out loudly, "These divine mountains and rosy light are transformed from the Great Dao runes in the head of the Divine Artifact Lord Yu. Everyone must be careful!

" Everyone looked over, their gazes gathering on him, their expressions odd.

The Woodcutter Sage was the First Celestial Master of Kaihuang's Heavenly Court, a mortal enemy of the Heavenly Court's forces. This man's wisdom was exceedingly high; before others had even noticed the strangeness of this place, he had already seen through it.

His abilities were indeed frightening.

But why would the Woodcutter be so kind as to tell them of the dangers here and let them prepare in advance? Lord Xi suddenly snorted with laughter.

"I'd sooner trust a ghost!

You rotten old man, you're wicked through and through. You must be secretly up to some crooked scheme! " The Woodcutter Sage chuckled and said, "Everyone has come here for the same purpose.

Not only are we not enemies, we are friends. Naturally I should tell you all where the danger lies.

" Everyone's eyes flickered; none spoke. Lord Xi laughed.

"Since when was Wenji the Thief so generous? I have suffered at your hands before.

I cannot trust you.

" Even so, he still asked, "Wenji the Thief, can you tell which ravine Lord Hao is trapped in? " The Woodcutter Sage did not mind being called Wenji the Thief.

He said, "Lord Xi, the mind of a Heavenly Lord is very difficult to predict. What virtue or ability do I possess that I would dare rashly conjecture Lord Hao's intentions?

However, since Lord Hao has laid out these four ravines, he has already revealed his hand, and thus his intentions can be guessed. " He looked back and forth at the four ravines, then smiled. "These ravine paths appear to number only four, but in fact there are eight. " Everyone was astonished and looked around. Even Red Emperor Qi Xiayu, Lord Xi, and Yan Yunxi could not see where the other four ravines were.

Much less could the Martial Celestial Master Zhuo Cha; as for the Creators Xiuzhong and the Silkworm Maiden, they knew little of the divine abilities of the outside world, so they naturally could not discern them either. From afar, Bai Yuqiong had also failed to see where the other four ravines were hidden.

She quickly looked at Shen Mu and asked, "Lord Mu, have you seen them? I heard you are Wenji.

. .

a disciple of Wentian Pavilion. Surely you must have learned his skills! " Shen Mu shook his head, still seething with indignation. "That rotten old man never taught me anything at all!

" Bai Yuqiong said doubtfully, "That cannot be. Wentian Pavilion would not be so partial.

" Shen Mu said sullenly, "Later he wanted to teach me, but my pride flared up for a moment.

I mocked and sneered at him, and so I did not learn. " Bai Yuqiong was left speechless and dumbfounded.

She said cautiously, "Wenji. . . Wentian Pavilion's abilities are still worth learning.

Back in the Kaihuang era, he taught countless disciples, every one of whom achieved extraordinary things and became renowned throughout the world.

Even the divinities of the Heavenly Court praised him highly. " Shen Mu darkened his face and said nothing. The Woodcutter Sage took out several small flags and stepped forward. "These ravine mountains come from the Great Dao runes on the head of the Divine Artifact Lord Yu, but each ravine comes from a different position.

In fact, they are transformed from the seven apertures of the Divine Artifact Lord Yu. " He drew runes on the flags and planted one small flag at the entrance of each of the four ravines that had already appeared. Unhurriedly, he said, "Eyes, ears, mouth, nose: the two eyes became two ravines, the two ears became two ravines, the two nostrils became two ravines, and the mouth became one ravine. " Once these four flags were planted, the runes on them gradually lit up and shone toward the four ravines.

The light of the runes shone into the ravines. At the entrance, the rosy light suddenly clung to the cliffs on both sides, like a flowing radiance rushing from the ravine entrance straight into the depths.