Chapter 1416 — Grand Ceremony of the League, Golden Light Fills the Palaces

Then came the Inner Seats of the Five Emperors, the Seats of the Five Emperors, the Left and Right Junior Ministers, the Left and Right Junior Guards, the Left and Right Senior Guards, the Left and Right Junior Assists, the Left and Right Senior Assists, the Left and Right Junior Stewards, the Left and Right Senior Stewards, the Left Pivot, the Right Pivot, the Junior Captain, the Senior Support, the Junior Support, the Seven Lords, the Three Preceptors, the Great Sun Star Lord, and all the other great ministers of the Heavenly Court, taking their seats one after another. For a time their heavenly palaces joined once more into a single expanse, and became a second Heavenly Court! Then the Dao Ancestor and Great Brahma flew in and took their seats upon the second Heavenly Court. No sooner had the Dao Ancestor and the Buddha Ancestor seated themselves than each unfolded his own heavenly palaces, a dozen or more apiece, their bearing solemn.

They were the oldest members of the Heavenly League.

Suddenly all the gods and sages spoke with one voice: "We respectfully invite the Venerable of the Heavenly League, the Supreme Dao-Knowledge, the Great Sage of the Demon Race, Venerable Hong! " Venerable Hong, white of hair, white of brow and beard, robes flowing, stood upon the head of the blue bird. The blue bird flew in on beating wings, then abruptly folded them.

Venerable Hong descended onto the second Heavenly Court, and the Dao Ancestor and Great Brahma rose and made haste to salute him.

Venerable Hong inclined his head slightly and took his seat. The gods and sages chanted aloud one after another: "We respectfully invite the Venerable of the Heavenly League, of boundless divine power, the Venerable of the Palace of the Mother of the Myriad Laws!

" Venerable Gong strode in, with the manifold phenomena of all laws and boundless divine power, and entered the second Heavenly Court. The Dao Ancestor and Great Brahma saluted; Venerable Gong nodded in acknowledgement and took his seat.

"We respectfully invite the Venerable of the Heavenly League, the Divine Son of the Lord of Heaven, Ancestor of the God Race, the Great Sage Ancestor God King!

" "We respectfully invite the Dao Venerable of the Heavenly League, the Fire Sage of Longhan, the Peerless Heaven-Man, Venerable Fire!

" "We respectfully invite the Venerable of the Heavenly League, Goddess of the Earth Lord, Ancestor of the Demon Race, the Great Venerable Void!

" "We respectfully invite the Venerable of the Heavenly League, the Righteous Mother of All Heavens, Mother of the World, Consort Yan!

" "We respectfully invite the Venerable of the Heavenly League, the Dao Mother of All Heavens, Consort Qiang!

" "We respectfully invite the Venerable of the Heavenly League, the Holy Emperor of the Divine Sages, Ancestor of the Primordial Pole, the Divine Emperor Langxuan!

" The Ancestor God King, Venerable Fire, Venerable Void, Consort Yan, Consort Qiang and the Divine Emperor Langxuan took their seats one after another.

Then suddenly in the east divine light brimmed the heavens, and canopies of state like clouds covered the Heavenly Court.

The gods and sages, the Four Emperors, the Four Celestial Masters and the other great ministers of the Heavenly Court all rose and said with one voice: "We respectfully invite the Dao Venerable of the Heavenly League, the Sagely Venerable of Longhan Hao, the Supreme Lord of the Golden Palace of Hao, the Sagely King Who Spreads the Dao, Venerable Hao!

" Venerable Hao came striding in, with ten thousand phenomena about him.

The Dao Ancestor, the Buddha Ancestor and all the Venerables rose to salute him.

Venerable Hao walked forward to meet the boundless divine light and nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

Only after he had seated himself did the Dao Ancestor, the Buddha Ancestor and the other Venerables take their seats.

Then again the gods and sages cried with one voice, in loud tones: "We respectfully invite the Lord of the Heavenly League, the Sage Venerable of Longhan Mu, the Great Master who Established the Dao by Divine Power and Endures the Ten Thousand Kalpas, of Immeasurable Virtue and Immeasurable Life, the Sagely King Who Spreads the Dao, Venerable Mu! " Shen Mu came striding in, and the Venerables, the Dao Ancestor and the Buddha Ancestor all rose to salute him. Shen Mu nodded lightly, signalling them to be seated. They waited until he had taken his seat, and only then sat down.

Then a golden-armored god came galloping up, and with a swish unrolled a golden scroll, crying in a loud voice: "His Majesty, having heard of the council of the Heavenly League, and that the gods and sages of the heavens and all the Venerables have come to attend, is moved by the Venerables' labours and great deeds, and has therefore issued a decree in praise.

" The Venerables looked at Shen Mu. Seated in the place of honour, Shen Mu raised his hand: "Read it.

" The golden-armored god hastily dropped to one knee, half-kneeling, half-seated, and read out the Celestial Emperor's decree in a loud voice.

When the decree had been read, the golden-armored god rose trembling, holding the decree in both hands, and waited for Shen Mu to speak. "His Majesty's kindness is noted; our Heavenly League accepts it in spirit.

" Shen Mu nodded slightly and gestured to an attendant: "Put it away. " An attendant came forward and took charge of the Celestial Emperor's decree.

Shen Mu swept his gaze around and said in a clear voice: "I rose in Jing Ping, made my name in Longhan, and tarried a million years; only today do I enter the Heavenly League and take part in its grand assembly.

I have kept you all waiting long. In a million years, great matters and small have been beyond counting; of the five League Lords of old, only I remain, and I cannot but feel the weight of it. Today, at this grand assembly, I am League Lord, and I shall settle the great affairs of the world.

The first matter is—" "Who says that of the five League Lords, only you remain?

" Suddenly a voice came, clear and ringing: "Venerable Mu, do you still remember Shen the Venerable, who once roamed Longhan with you?

" At these words, uproar broke out. Some of the gods and sages went ashen; others brimmed with killing intent, all turning to look.

There, sword at his waist, came Shen Ye the Kaihuang, striding into the Jade Pool and stepping straight onto the second Heavenly Court, walking with a smile, hand resting on his sword.

"Venerable Mu, you hold the Heavenly League in your grasp and throw the world's living beings into chaos.

Did you ask me?

Did you ask the Carefree Sword in my hand? "