Chapter 1411 — The Heavenly Dao Is Unfathomable

Venerable Hong has his private desires; Lord Heaven has none! " He decided on the instant and strode out of the Venerable's estate: "They are no longer the same man—just as the Southern Emperor and Bai Yuqiong are not, just as Venerable Yu and Lan Yutian are not!

" There was still a day before the Alliance Council; he could perfectly well cross the spirit-energy transfer bridge to Xuandu, meet Lord Heaven face to face, and turn his mind around! He had scarce stepped out of the Venerable's estate when he was met head-on by an old man with white brows and white beard, wide sleeves streaming, the very image of immortal grace. The old man's face was all radiance, and he beamed at every man he saw.

It was none other than Venerable Hong! "Venerable Mu!

" Venerable Hong saluted him and smiled. "My congratulations, Venerable Mu.

In the year the Venerables founded the Heavenly Alliance, Yun, Shen, Yue, and Ling each had their own reasons for departing and never returning, and Venerable Mu too was gone a million years. Today at last you have come home, restoring the Heavenly Alliance to its rightful line.

Joyous congratulations!

" Shen Mu returned the salute and said with feeling, "You jest, Brother Dao. At this Alliance Council I am merely being trotted out to lend it countenance; one day I may well die for it. " Venerable Hong said gravely, "That is not so.

Venerable Mu, this way, if you please. The Venerables are already waiting in the Heavenly Alliance Hall.

" Shen Mu said, puzzled, "Is the Alliance Council not tomorrow? " "Tomorrow we summon all the members of the Heavenly Alliance and announce the decisions we make today.

It is not all the members of the Alliance who truly decide the fate of the world—in truth it is only our little circle.

" Venerable Hong smiled. "We make the judgment; they merely carry it out. " Shen Mu had no choice but to follow him toward the Jade Pool.

Venerable Hong's wide sleeves streamed; there was an indescribable ease and loftiness about him, untouched by a speck of dust.

Shen Mu walked abreast of him, and after a silence said, "Heaven's course is constant; it does not persist for Mu, nor perish for Xiao. " Venerable Hong turned his head to look at him and smiled.

"That is the line with which I once opened your eyes, Venerable Mu.

Why do you bring it up again today? " "The first half I understand.

" Both of them moved with extraordinary speed, and soon they came to the Jade Terrace.

Casting his gaze wide, Shen Mu saw the Jade Pool spread like a sea, a boundless ocean, great lotuses floating on its surface like flower-shaped islands, while the lords of countless realms wandered the waters, seeking out friends and calling on acquaintances, in groups of three and five, laughing and talking, at ease beyond all words. "That line says the Heavenly Dao has its own laws, which will not change for Venerable Mu's worthiness, nor for Venerable Xiao's cruelty. " Shen Mu shifted his tack, smiling yet not smiling. "But when you opened my eyes, Brother Dao, there was more to it.

Meet it with order, and it is auspicious; meet it with disorder, and it is calamitous. That latter half I have never quite grasped.

Since it is rare that I walk with you today, I would ask its meaning. " The two walked upon the sea, and wherever they passed the Jade Sea was thrown into a stir. Venerable Hong was quite possibly the most widely connected of the Ten Heavenly Venerables; the lords of the various heavens came forward one after another to pay their respects, with the deference of disciples. And yet Venerable Hong knew every one of them—knew their names, knew their families, knew even their disciples—leaving every man flattered beyond measure, as though bathed in a spring breeze.

Such a knack even Shen Mu could not help but admire! Among the Ten Heavenly Venerables, likely only Venerable Hong could hold every man in the palm of his hand and still leave him flattered, certain that he was one whom Venerable Hong esteemed! Venerable Hong glanced at Shen Mu and smiled.

"Would Venerable Mu not understand such a line? Do not belittle yourself, Venerable Mu.

Why not set out your own reading, and I will see whether it is right.

" More lords of the heavens came forward with their juniors to pay their respects, and Venerable Hong was smooth and winning as ever, leaving them overflowing with gratitude and delight. "Meet it with order, and it is auspicious; meet it with disorder, and it is calamitous.

To my mind, this means that to govern the world in accord with Lord Heaven is great fortune—Lord Heaven will shelter you. " Shen Mu narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "And to defy Lord Heaven, to throw the Heavenly Dao into disorder, is great calamity—and Lord Heaven kills.

" Venerable Hong glanced at him once more and smiled. "Venerable Mu has misread it.

To govern the world in accord with the Heavenly Dao is great fortune; to go against the Heavenly Dao is great calamity. Our readings may look much alike, but where you take the Heavenly Dao to mean Lord Heaven, there you err.

Lord Heaven is merely a god born of the Heavenly Dao. " Shen Mu halted, standing on the face of the sea, and smiled.

"Perhaps Lord Heaven understands it so. By your reading, Brother Dao, the line means: follow Heaven and live, defy Heaven and perish. By mine, it is a threat—and not so serene as all that. " Venerable Hong took two steps forward, then stopped as well, his back to Shen Mu, and smiled.

"Venerable Mu, why do you suddenly speak such words? Have we not always gotten along well? " He turned around, the smile on his face warm as a spring breeze.

Yet Shen Mu suddenly shivered. On the Jade Pool the sea wind howled, cold and bleak, stirring the sleeves of them both.