Chapter 1064 — The Ancient Gods of the Five Stars
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 5
Heavenly Venerable Yun nodded again. "Never mind the chariot. I went to see Heavenly Venerable Fire. He has ideas of his own now and may no longer walk the same road as us. I also learned something from him: Heavenly Venerable Hao is about to return, and the Heavenly Emperor intends to have him establish a demigod heavenly court in the Yuan Realm, to rule over all the demigod races under heaven. We must prepare early for this. Have you already set up your heavenly court?"
Heavenly Venerable Ling, having reined in her excitement, walked over, shot Heavenly Venerable Yun a glance, and sneered, "So you are finally willing to return to your true form?"
Heavenly Venerable Yun was perplexed.
Heavenly Venerable Ling said, "Do not go about always wearing Heavenly Venerable Mu's face, lest you sully his name."
Heavenly Venerable Yun grew more perplexed still, but knowing Heavenly Venerable Ling had always been an odd creature, he did not take it to heart. Soon after he went to see the Dao Ancestor. "Old Daoist, I have a rather half-formed idea—can your arts of calculation analyze the Great Dao?"
Meanwhile, an envoy of the Heavenly Court arrived at the Langxuan Divine Palace bearing the Heavenly Emperor's decree. "His Majesty says that Heavenly Venerable Mu has insulted the offspring of the ancient gods, is utterly vicious and wicked, and has violated the laws of heaven. Let Divine Emperor Langxuan hold a grand sacrifice, and the ancient gods of the Five Luminaries will descend to seize him."
Divine Emperor Langxuan's expression shifted slightly. "A blood sacrifice of offerings, to summon the ancient gods of the Five Luminaries down to this world?"
The envoy said, "That is His Majesty's meaning. Heavenly Venerable Mu is a Heavenly Venerable of the human race, possessed of vast divine arts; judged by divine arts alone, none under heaven can surpass him. His divine arts draw near the Dao, and only the Great Dao can subdue them. If you wish for justice, Divine Emperor, you must invite the ancient gods of the Five Luminaries to descend."
Divine Emperor Langxuan's face flickered between light and shadow.
The ancient gods were many in number, but for the most part they did not dwell in the Yuan Realm; they resided high beyond the heavens. To come from beyond the heavens, a blood sacrifice had to be held.
And a blood sacrifice required offerings.
The ancient gods of the Five Luminaries were born of the Great Dao, exceedingly powerful, their status even above that of the ancient gods of the twenty-eight lunar mansions. Though Divine Emperor Langxuan surpassed them in combat strength, he was still inferior to the ancient gods in his comprehension of the Dao, and so inviting them to subdue Heavenly Venerable Mu was reckoned a proper course.
When the Longhan Heavenly Court was founded, the Heavenly Emperor, wishing to reduce the power of the feudal lords, invited the Four Emperors of the ancient gods into the Heavenly Court and built four heavenly palaces—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—and the Four Emperors took up residence within the Heavenly Court.
The Four Pole Heavens of the Four Emperors of the ancient gods were then granted to the ancient gods of the twenty-eight lunar mansions to rule.
The ancient gods of the twenty-eight lunar mansions were all savage and wicked beings: the seven mansions of the White Tiger in the Western Pole Heaven, the seven mansions of the Vermilion Bird in the Southern Pole Heaven, the seven mansions of the Black Tortoise in the Northern Pole Heaven, and the seven mansions of the Azure Dragon in the Eastern Pole Heaven.
These twenty-eight ancient gods dwelt in the Four Pole Heavens, guarding the four poles of the cosmos. They were an exceedingly powerful force, the feudal lords who held the Four Pole Heavens in their grasp.