Chapter 574 — Slaying the Divine Dragon Beyond the Heavenly Gate
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The divine dragon stared at the Gate of Heaven's Mandate behind him, a look of suspicion crossing its face. Jiang Miao said in a low voice, "Sect Master, can you really kill it?"
Shen Mu whispered, "I don't know."
Jiang Miao's eyes went wide. "You don't know?"
"I've never tested whether this gate can kill a god. At most, I've killed Heaven-Man realm demon experts with it before. I was bluffing just now. It's clearly fallen to such a state, yet still puts on that lofty air, so no matter what, we have to be fiercer than it..."
Having finished his explanation, Shen Mu said apologetically to the divine dragon, "Senior, if I fail to kill you in a moment, please don't laugh at me."
He was about to activate the Gate of Heaven's Mandate when the divine dragon seemed to recall something, and its expression changed drastically. "Wait!"
Shen Mu stopped, and the Gate of Heaven's Mandate halted at once. With great patience he said, "Please speak, Senior."
The divine dragon stared at his gate, its gaze carrying a shudder of dread, and rasped, "I've seen this gate! What is your relationship to the Heavenly King of the Nether Capital? He had a gate like this too!"
"This Heavenly King of the Nether Capital also had a Gate of Heaven's Mandate?"
Shen Mu was astonished. Suspiciously he said, "I once saw someone open the Gate of Heaven's Mandate in the Nether Valley. Could that person be the Heavenly King of the Nether Capital you speak of?"
The divine dragon's voice trembled. "You are a descendant of the Heavenly King of the Nether Capital? No wonder, no wonder you can open this gate as well..."
Shen Mu shook his head and smiled. "My surname is Shen, of Carefree Township. Who is this Heavenly King of the Nether Capital? Is his surname Shen too?"
The divine dragon seemed not to hear him at all, but sank into deep and terrible recollection, muttering to itself, "The Heavenly King of the Nether Capital held a gate, a gate that could connect to the Netherworld. Countless formidable foes died at his hands. The August Emperor conferred upon him the title of Heavenly King and commanded him to open the Netherworld. The August Emperor had grand ambitions; he wished to bring the Netherworld into his domain, to grasp the mysteries of life and death. But he enraged the Earth Lord, and the Earth Lord was unwilling to submit to him. So the August Emperor had the Divine Artisan race forge a divine blade. The Heavenly King of the Nether Capital wielded the blade and carved a great portion from the Netherworld. The August Emperor then commanded that Fengdu be built..."
Shen Mu was dazed. "The Heavenly King of the Nether Capital cut open the Netherworld, and part of it became Fengdu? So powerful?"
The divine dragon murmured, "Because he stole territory from the Netherworld, the Heavenly King of the Nether Capital enraged the Earth Lord. But the Nether Capital was rather clever; it turned to stone, and its primal spirit escaped into Fengdu. In those years, gods and demons beyond counting died beneath his gate, and so the August Emperor titled him Heavenly King in charge of souls... Your gate cannot possibly be the same as his!"
Shen Mu's eyes lit up. He hurriedly said, "Senior, in the Nether Valley I saw a stone statue, and behind that statue was a gate connecting to the Netherworld, though it had been sealed by gods and demons with a honeycomb seal. Could that person be the Heavenly King of the Nether Capital?"
The divine dragon was utterly distraught, muttering, "Your gate cannot be the same as his. You haven't the strength to wound me. You are merely a mud-crawling human, as weak as a crest-feathered fire pheasant dragon..."
Shen Mu's face flushed red. "Senior, that is rather insulting! This Heavenly King of the Nether Capital, I believe I have seen him. By my guess, he was merely a false Hegemon Body. He never cultivated to my level at all!"