Chapter 1415 — Quite Brilliant, Upon Reflection

"This is naturally excellent. I have no objection," Shen Mu said, smiling.

Behind him, Long Xiao rolled several of his eyes and thought: 'Those same words again, just as I expected.'

Venerable Hao said: "Then at tomorrow's Great Assembly of the Heavenly League, let the League Lord proclaim it to all under heaven: raise the banner of righteous war and smite the Lord of Heaven!"

Shen Mu ventured: "Then this proclamation of war..."

"We have already drafted it for the League Lord."

The Divine King Zu brought over the proclamation against the Lord of Heaven. "The League Lord need only read it aloud at the Great Assembly of the Heavenly League. The black pot must be borne steadily and firmly; it must not slip from your shoulders."

Shen Mu read the proclamation through. It enumerated the Lord of Heaven's crimes one after another in vehement language, well calculated to inflame the hearts of the people.

Shen Mu put it away and smiled. "This is naturally excellent."

Below, the ten Venerables exchanged glances. Venerable Hao smiled. "Since the great matters are settled, let us disperse and prepare for tomorrow's Great Assembly of the Heavenly League."

They rose, bowed to Shen Mu, and departed in streaks of flowing light.

Only Shen Mu, Long Xiao, Yun Chuxiu and Venerable Hao remained in the Hall.

Venerable Hao glanced at Yun Chuxiu and Long Xiao. Yun Chuxiu went off with a skip and a hop, and Long Xiao concealed himself and vanished.

Shen Mu rose to his feet and stepped down from the high seat.

Venerable Hao turned and walked out of the Hall. At the doorway he halted, and Shen Mu came to stand at his side, shoulder to shoulder.

The two looked out ahead, where the jade sea rippled in green waves, and the island swarmed with sovereigns come from the many heavens — a vast multitude, coming and going, bustling and thronging.

"Every hero under heaven is gathered here!"

With his hands clasped behind his back, Venerable Hao swept his gaze across the scene. "This sight resembles the great Heavenly Court Gathering and the Jade Pool Gathering of the early Longhan years," he said mildly. "But the great gathering of the Heavenly Court in those days came after the titans had quelled the rebellion of the Creators and begun dividing the spoils and carving up the wealth. The Jade Pool Gathering was no more than a meeting of later-born creatures and demigods; to the titans of that age it was trivial, beneath their notice altogether."

Shen Mu took up the thread. "And now, this gathering at the Jade Pool is the one that will decide the fate of the world. As for the Heavenly Court, it has become an empty shell."

Venerable Hao smiled faintly and said with an easy air: "Venerable Mu, have you ever considered that all of this was brought about by me? How many enemies have I defeated in my life? The mighty — Xie Wuqi, the Heavenly Emperor, Venerable Yun, Venerable Yue, Venerable Ling, the Great Emperor — every one of them fell at my hands. Even one as strong as Kaihuang, Shen the Venerable, can only hide from place to place. The Four Emperors of the Ancient Gods dare only cling to their corner; when I will their death, they cannot live an hour longer. And now..."

Grandeur surged in his breast, and he declared in a ringing voice: "I shall begin by executing the Lord of Heaven, doing away with Tubo, and wiping out the Creators, to achieve a true unification! In all history, what emperor has ever attained such a height? What emperor's achievements can stand shoulder to shoulder with mine?"

Without waiting for Shen Mu's answer, he went on: "The Great Emperor failed. He was cruel, and with three kings carving out domains of their own, he could not achieve true unification. Nor did my father, the Heavenly Emperor Taichu — he was too soft; he divided power and handed it to the Lord of Heaven, to Tubo, to the Earth Mother, to all the gods and sages of the heavens. Venerable Yun failed; he could not even unify the Origin Realm. The Red Emperor, the Bright Emperor, the Supreme Emperors of every age, even Kaihuang — not one of their achievements amounts to anything. Not one of them is fit to carry my shoes!"

"I alone am capable of all of it!"

"Venerable Mu, I alone can bring to heel ambitious men like you, and become the rightful lord, the enlightened sovereign, who rules heaven and earth!"

His spirit soared to the heavens. "I know there are many rivals among the ten Venerables. They come from ancient ages, each with his own designs and his own dark schemes; but they have too many designs, too many schemes, and have lost the bearing of a hegemon. That is where they fall short of me! Even one as cunning as you — are you not now arranged to my perfect satisfaction?"

Shen Mu smiled. "And if Venerable Yu were still alive? Would he not have done better than you?"

It was as though a basin of cold water had been poured over Venerable Hao from crown to sole. His face turned cold. "There is no 'if.' His edge was too sharp; he did not know how to hide it. Were I my father, I would have killed him too! Venerable Mu, the way you surpass Venerable Yu is that you understand how to advance step by step — plotting one step at a time, seeping into the heart of power in the Heavenly Court one step at a time. But once you have come in, you can only be one of us — become us!"

Shen Mu fell silent. After a long while he said: "And if I do not become one of you?"

"Then you will have nothing."

Venerable Hao said icily: "You will die. Your Jingping will be destroyed. Everything of yours will cease to be, and after death you will bear a name of infamy. Every time later generations speak your name, they will curse you through foaming lips!"

A faint smile surfaced on his face. "You are no match for me. My only rival was Venerable Yu of those years — and alas, from the very beginning, he was defeated, and he died. You will see me root out my strong enemies. You will see me reign over all under heaven. You will see the myriad worlds bow down and kneel in worship before me."

He stepped down the stone stairs of the Hall of the Heavenly Venerables, smiling. "Huo, Xu, Lang, Zu, Gong, Qiang, Xiao, Hong, Yan, Shi — not one of them is my match. In time you will see them either submit or die. And if you do not submit, you will be the same..."

"Hao."

Shen Mu called him back.

Venerable Hao stopped. Shen Mu stood upon the dais and smiled. "I oppose you not out of ambition, but for the human race, for the sake of an ideal. Invincible as you are — with no rival, would you not be lonely?"

Venerable Hao turned around, his gaze settling upon his face.

Shen Mu's face broke into a brilliant, sunlit smile. "I will be your rival."

Venerable Hao was taken aback for a moment, then laughed aloud and turned to go. "No need. If you dare to oppose me, I will finish you."