Chapter 1673 — Your Life May Be in Peril

In campaigning against the Primordial Realm, one ought first to pacify the Four Pole Heavens. If the Northern Emperor Xuanwu and the Western Emperor Baihu should join with the rebels of the Primordial Realm, that would indeed be the most troublesome outcome. " Meng Yungui stepped out, bowed, and said: "Your Majesty, what Grand Celestial Master Shang says is very true. " Shang Pingyin glanced at him. Meng Yungui said solemnly: "As for Jingping—with the Void Heavenly Venerable and the Ancestral God King sending down disasters and tribulations, only a few will survive.

But if the Four Pole Heavens rise in chaos, and the Northern and Western Emperors use the Heaven Court's emptiness to drive straight and assault the Heaven Court, that would be a threat to the heart and vitals!

If the Heaven Court should change hands, morale. . . " The Haotian Emperor snorted, raised an eyebrow, and said: "Is the old thief Mu someone who can be handled by the likes of the Void Heavenly Venerable and the Ancestral God King?

They cannot overcome him, and I fear they cannot eradicate Jingping in short order either!

Thus, dealing with the Primordial Realm, Jingping, and Wuyou Township is the first task! " Meng Yungui said with raised voice: "Your Majesty, think again! Taking the Four Pole Heavens first is the surest course! " Shang Pingyin opened his mouth, wanting to rebut him, but what Meng Yungui had said was exactly what he too wanted to say, so he could not refute.

Bai Yuqiong stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Your Majesty, what Grand Celestial Master Meng says is most true. Your Majesty, think again. " The Fourth Grand Celestial Master Zhu Shaoping stepped out, bowed, and said: "Your Majesty, think again!

As matters stand, the first thing is to secure the Heaven Court's own territory—that is, the Ancestral Court.

If the Ancestral Court stands, the orthodox mandate stands. The Ancestral Court is incomparably rich; Your Majesty, the Heaven Court should first take a firm hold of the Ancestral Court, uproot the old thief Mu's foundations there root and branch, seize every one of the Jingping people in the Black Mountain Holy Land as hostages, and threaten the thieving Mu!

" Shang Pingyin also said: "Your Majesty, what the three Grand Celestial Masters said is reasonable.

Your Majesty should first secure the Ancestral Court, so you may attack or defend at will; then pacify the Four Pole Heavens, and launch troops from there to form a pincer against the Primordial Realm. If this grand tide rolls onward, the Primordial Realm can be taken with a turn of the hand! " Meng Yungui said: "Your Majesty, the thieving Mu's weakness is Jingping. The Black Mountain Holy Land has a vast population, a valuable commodity in hand; using it to threaten the thieving Mu is the supreme move. " The Haotian Emperor gave a cold snort and said faintly: "Before the old thief Mu entered the palace, he stayed in the Ancestral Court for over ten days.

What do you think he was doing? " He sneered: "The thief was moving the Black Mountain Holy Land! By now, the Black Mountain Holy Land is already empty!

" The Four Grand Celestial Masters were alarmed. The Haotian Emperor walked out of the Lingxiao Hall and looked down at the Ancestral Court.

In the distance the World Tree could be seen lush and green, its branches and leaves so luxuriant that its crown blotted out the sky. That was where the Black Mountain Holy Land was; but the World Tree had now grown with such speed that it covered the original Black Mountain completely and no trace of the old barrenness remained.

Outside the Lingxiao Hall, divine generals turned the Heaven Court's surveillance mirrors one after another and directed them at the Black Mountain Holy Land.

In a moment, the light from countless mirrors coalesced in the air into a great circle, as clear and bright as a lake, perfectly reflecting the situation within the Holy Land.

There, sacred cities covered the ground, and Jingping folk crowded everywhere, bustling and colorful, trade flourishing. The manufactories there were also at work; ships with high decks sailed through the air; and one could even see cultivators helping the people sow crops and summon rain.

The ministers in court began to discuss in murmurs. From what the mirrors showed, the Jingping people of the Black Mountain Holy Land were still there and had not been moved away by Shen Mu.

"All illusions!

" The Haotian Emperor pointed a finger toward the Black Mountain Holy Land, sneering: "The old thief Mu stayed at Black Mountain for more than ten days to weave this illusion with his divine sense, and while the illusion held, he moved every person out of the Black Mountain! " After a moment, the power of that pointing reached Black Mountain.

The hundred officials looked into the mirrors and saw a fierce wave spread outward from the center of the Holy Land; wherever it passed, the Holy Land, so prosperous only a moment before, wavered like flowers in the water and the moon in a mirror—and vanished. In an instant, the Black Mountain Holy Land stood empty; not a shadow of a human being was to be found.

"That thief Mu is formidable! " The faces of the entire Heaven Court changed color in unison.

The Haotian Emperor sneered: "Pacifying the Four Pole Heavens will only give the old thief Mu time, and time is exactly what he lacks! My Four Grand Celestial Masters, what you have said is indeed most reasonable; to pacify the Four Pole Heavens and encircle the Primordial Realm is honest, upright strategy.

But against the old thief Mu, one cannot play such an honest, upright game!

Pacifying the Four Pole Heavens will give him another twenty years to catch his breath! And none of us knows what may happen in those twenty years! Pass my command!

" He flicked his sleeve, and his voice spread through the Heaven Court: "Rouse the full army and march against the Primordial Realm! " "We obey! " The civil and military officials all bowed. Outside the Primordial Realm, Shen Mu was strolling along at ease.

He had returned from the Ancestral Court not by Spirit-Nexus Transfer Bridge but on foot, taking several months to come from the Ancestral Court to this place.

He walked because he was bringing with him an uncounted multitude of Jingping people from the Black Mountain Holy Land—the Holy Land had been almost completely emptied by him.

To take such a host through a transfer bridge would certainly have exceeded the bridge's limit. Walking was therefore the safest course. He let these people live in the universe of his divine treasure; a few months could be endured, but if the time grew longer they could not hold out, and there would likely be deaths on a vast scale. Fortunately, he was thoroughly skilled in the Lunar Heavenly Venerable's Scripture of the Utmost Void, so he could travel very quickly. Ahead was the Primordial Realm. He breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Just then, the celestial signs abruptly changed: stars winked out one after another, and the starry sky sank into complete darkness.

Shen Mu stopped and smiled: "The Ancestral God King, or the Grand Emperor Emeritus?

" He considered, then smiled: "It should be the Grand Emperor Emeritus. Sending the Ancestral God King against me would only be sending him to his death.

Only the Grand Emperor Emeritus has the skill to face me. Taichu, show yourself. " In the starry sky a brilliant radiance appeared.

Dazzling divine light came from the very depths of the void, and a Daoluo Heaven manifested out of nowhere—Dao trees dense and green, Dao blossoms dazzling to the eye.

In the radiant glow, a tall, extraordinary figure stepped out from the divine light, growing ever clearer. "Celestial Venerable Mu, you do not look like a man who has altogether lost his Dao heart.

" Taichu was surprised, and said with a gentle smile: "Hao'er fell into your trap and gave you so many years to recover.