Chapter 916 — The Venerable Breaks the Prison
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The core of the Yuan Wood flew back without a sound, and the warden meant to examine it closely, never guessing where Shen Mu had hidden it.
After a moment he led Shen Mu and the others to a shrine of white bone, saying, "If you wish to visit Jiang Baigui in prison, you must first register with Judge Yan. " Just then a deity came out of the White Bone Shrine, his face wreathed in smiles: "Heaven Venerable Mu is a Heaven Venerable—what need has he of registration?
You may withdraw. Heaven Venerable, the Great Prison is a perilous place; I will escort you down myself.
" Shen Mu thanked him.
"Why does Heaven Venerable stand on such ceremony?
What virtue or ability has Yan to deserve it? " The judge returned the salute in a fluster and said with a laugh, "You are a Heaven Venerable.
Since ancient times only nine beings have been worthy of the name. If Heaven Venerable bows to me, will it not be the death of me? This way, please!
" Shen Mu followed him, and saw that this Judge Yan led them to the entrance of the Great Prison. The prison was built beneath the roots of the Yuan Wood; in one root thick as a mountain a doorway had been opened, carved from the Yuan Wood itself, guarded by heavy troops, its defenses stern.
Passing through the doorway, they saw a wooden stair winding down, and on either wall the bones of gods and demons hung as lamps, though the divine and demonic radiance given off by those corpses was somewhat dim.
"How should I address Judge Yan?
" Shen Mu asked, looking about.
"This junior is Yan Shaoqing. " Judge Yan said with a smile, "This junior is nameless in the Heavenly Court; Heaven Venerable Mu has likely never heard of me.
" Shen Mu's heart gave a leap, and he smiled: "Yan Shaoqing, Left Junior Assistant of the Heavenly Court, master of spirit divine abilities, who tricked Tian Shu, the Heavenly King of the Nether Capital of Kaihuang, into the Imperial Gate Divine Blade and trapped that Heavenly King inside the blade for seven or eight million years.
" Judge Yan said in astonishment, "Heaven Venerable has actually heard of me? " Shen Mu said, "I too was trapped in the Imperial Gate Divine Blade for several years, and only with great difficulty escaped. Inside that blade I saw the fine wine the Left Junior Assistant used to deceive Heavenly King Tian Shu.
In spirit divine abilities, the Left Junior Assistant is the foremost among all the strong I have met—none can match him!
" Dragon Qilin said, "I drank your wine, and I swore brotherhood with Tian Shu. " Yan Shaoqing laughed: "Heaven Venerable overpraises me.
I cannot be called foremost.
What Heaven Venerable calls spirit, I call consciousness. The foremost in consciousness divine abilities is in truth the Crimson Emperor of the Chiming era.
" Shen Mu's heart stirred slightly. The Crimson Emperor's Undying Consciousness of the Three Primal Spirits had indeed been passed to him, but the divine ability within that Emperor Throne cultivation method the Crimson Emperor had not taught him.
The Crimson Emperor was, after all, a figure of the early ancient age; his Undying Consciousness leaned toward cultivating the Three Primal Spirits and strengthening one's own primal spirit, and in developing consciousness divine abilities it fell far short of later talents like Yan Shaoqing.
In consciousness divine abilities, Yan Shaoqing could be called the very pinnacle of the Heavenly Court! Yan Shaoqing and Tian Shu held the same office—one the Left Junior Assistant of the Outland Heavenly Court, the other the Left Junior Assistant of the Kaihuang Heavenly Court. Tian Shu excelled in Youdu divine abilities; his talent and attainment in the Youdu demonic path were exceedingly high, on a par with Yin Tianzi.