Chapter 1623 — How Many Steps to Slay the Yin Lord

The Hao Heavenly Venerable felt a chill in his heart. Standing atop the Great Luo Heaven, he looked down—then suddenly his sleeve rolled, sweeping up the Fire Heavenly Venerable, and with a howl he carried the Fire Heavenly Venerable away, vanishing without a trace in moments.

"He discovered it."

The Moon Heavenly Venerable stepped out from the depths of space, vexed. "It seems the Kaihuang spoke truly. My Ultimate Void is no longer perfect—the Hao Heavenly Venerable can see through my Dao arts and divine powers!"

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable smiled. "If you could comprehend the Dao of Space to its utmost extreme, grow a Dao tree, open Dao flowers, and bear Dao fruit, then the Hao Heavenly Venerable would not see through your tracks."

The Moon Heavenly Venerable came to his side. "Sister Ling told me that neither the Dao Realm nor attaining the Dao through force is the orthodox path to the Dao. One need not cultivate the Dao Realm to attain the Dao. When she finishes her research, she will pass it on to me..."

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable's face darkened. He shook his head. "You listen to her? Ling is naturally incomparably clever, but to achieve her goal she can endure a million years of solitude, studying the Art of the Unchanging all by herself. This time, who knows how many tens of thousands of years it will take before she researches the orthodox path to the Dao! You can wait, but the human race cannot."

The Moon Heavenly Venerable recalled the Ling Heavenly Venerable's past in researching the Art of the Unchanging, and the realization dawned upon her. She put the thought aside and smiled. "In that case, I shall devote myself wholeheartedly to comprehending the Dao Realm."

All along, she had followed the Cloud Heavenly Venerable and assisted him, and afterward she had followed the Ling Heavenly Venerable and assisted her. She was always the little sister, ever obedient to the two of them, yet possessing few opinions of her own.

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable bowed and thanked the Kaihuang.

The Kaihuang returned the courtesy. "The Mu Heavenly Venerable asked me to come and stay in the Ancestral Court for several months to protect you, until you can wield the power of your mortal flesh."

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable understood. He clapped his hands and laughed. "So that is it! I know his purpose now. He means to use you to tie down the Hao Heavenly Venerable while he takes the chance to finish off the Earth Earl. With you in the Ancestral Court, the Hao Heavenly Venerable must remain in the Heavenly Court, on guard against you razing it to the ground."

"Finish off the Earth Earl?"

The Kaihuang revealed surprise, then nodded. "That is indeed his style. But with his strength, can he finish off the Earth Earl while simultaneously dealing with the Ling Heavenly Venerable and the Ancestor God King?"

He left the Sword Dao Great Luo Heaven and came to the Cloud Heavenly Venerable's side. Li Zheng, now facing all three Heavenly Venerables at once, felt considerable pressure. After some thought, he said, "Do you know about the time when the Mu Heavenly Venerable was a child, and was chased and beaten by a Crested Fire Pheasant Dragon?"

...

Under the protection of two Heavenly Venerables and Li Zheng, the Cloud Heavenly Venerable continued toward the Black Wood Holy Land. From afar he saw the World Tree within the Black Wood Holy Land, and his heart trembled slightly. "This tree is vaster even than the Origin Wood! Yet this tree is still a sapling, not yet grown. If it were fully grown, how vast would it be?"

They were about to enter the Black Wood Holy Land when suddenly the Cloud Heavenly Venerable gave a slight start. Ahead, a woman stood quietly before the holy land, as though waiting for them.

The Moon Heavenly Venerable's heart jumped. She said hurriedly, "I will go into the holy land and take a look first!" With that, she vanished in a puff of smoke.

The Kaihuang frowned and also walked into the holy land. "Daoist Su, let us have a spar."

Li Zheng's spirits lifted, and he hurried after him.

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable stepped forward and came to the woman's side.

Lang Wan turned around. Her gaze was clear and flawless. The Cloud Heavenly Venerable felt dazzled and shaken, then steadied his heart once more.

The little Creator girl who had once followed at his side had grown up. Her beauty had no equal in this world, and yet her gaze held not a trace of emotion.

As her cultivation method circulated, her emotions were suppressed deep within her heart, very difficult to release.

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable greeted her with a bow. "Miss Lang Wan..."

Lang Wan turned and left.

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable gave a slight start and watched her depart into the distance.

"I still cannot let it go."

Lang Wan's primordial spirit voice came from afar. "After seeing you, the old emotions I suppressed within me surge up again, and I am reminded once more of the deaths of those millions of my people. Uncle Yun, I will not meet you again."

The Cloud Heavenly Venerable was stricken with melancholy. He walked into the Black Mountain Holy Land.

He came beneath the World Tree. Li Zheng led him to see Lan Yutian. When the Cloud Heavenly Venerable saw the youth comprehending the Dao beneath the World Tree, he was struck dumb. He stood there, unmoving for a long, long time.

Lan Yutian looked up, saw him, and was somewhat puzzled. He smiled. "I seem to have seen you before. Did we know each other in the past? Grandpa Li Zheng said to let you be my disciple and cultivate with me for a while."

"Brother!" The Cloud Heavenly Venerable stepped forward and bowed deeply, tears dripping one by one onto the ground.

At the same time, the World-Crossing Golden Ship sailed into the Nether Capital and arrived at the Palace of Heavenly Parity, Benevolence, and Sagacity within the Earth Earl's long horn.

Before he could even moor the ship, a violent and chilling aura suddenly burst forth from the Palace of Heavenly Parity, Benevolence, and Sagacity. With a thunderous boom, the Nether Heavenly Venerable's peerless primordial spirit burst through the palace, and a hand reached down to seize Shen Mu on the golden ship!

"Nether Heavenly Venerable, it's me—don't strike!" Shen Mu cried out hurriedly.

The Nether Heavenly Venerable's palm halted above the golden ship. His gaze fell upon Shen Mu, and he said coldly, "I sense killing intent toward the Earth Earl from you!"

"How is that possible?"

A bead of cold sweat hung on Shen Mu's forehead. He said in astonishment, "How could I harbor killing intent toward the Earth Earl? You must have sensed wrongly. Look—I have come here, and the Nether Capital's great Dao has not stirred against me in the least. That shows the Nether Capital's great Dao has cast aside old grievances and knows I have come to help the Earth Earl survive his tribulation! Put your hand back, quickly!"

The Nether Heavenly Venerable revealed a look of suspicion. He sensed carefully, and still he sensed killing intent toward the Earth Earl from Shen Mu.

He was steeped in the Nether Capital's great Dao, his Dao Realm profound, no lesser than the Xu Heavenly Venerable and the Earth Earl A Chou—even above them—and so he was exceedingly sensitive.

"But how could the Mu Heavenly Venerable harbor killing intent toward the Earth Earl? I must have sensed wrongly."

The Nether Heavenly Venerable withdrew his primordial spirit. Shen Mu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and smiled. "Nether Heavenly Venerable, I have brought you an old friend. I have brought the Ling Heavenly Venerable with me!"

The Nether Heavenly Venerable was greatly shaken. He hurriedly looked toward the ship. Shen Mu said, as if by design or not, "Nether, the Earth Earl's Book of Life and Death is still on you, is it not?"

The Nether Heavenly Venerable nodded involuntarily.