Chapter 1071 — A Brotherhood of Glass
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
The Xiao Tianzun of later ages was aloof, eccentric, domineering — the nominal Tianzun of the human race — yet not handsome at all, with not the slightest resemblance to this youth called Gu Xiao.
Moreover, reckoning by Xiao Tianzun's age, the present Xiao Tianzun had not yet been born; he had become Yun Tianzun's fervent disciple only in the middle of the Longhan era.
"Is this Xiao or is this not Xiao Tianzun?" Shen Mu said to himself.
Silence fell in the carriage; the four men each had their own concerns.
The Heavenly Dragon Treasure Chariot had already left the Heavenly River far behind and was speeding toward the outer heavens; the spatial coordinates Shen Mu had given the Dragon Qilin were precisely in the outer heavens.
And behind them, on the warships of the Heavenly River Navy, countless gods shouted, unfurling banners, and lo — a tributary split off from the Heavenly River itself, and those warships, banners streaming, came on in pursuit.
Hong looked outside in surprise, his gaze flickering, and said: "Tianzun, are you fleeing to the outer heavens? The world barrier of the Yuan Realm is very thick; leaving the Yuan Realm is no easy matter."
Shen Mu's gaze flickered, and he laughed: "Does Daoist Hong have a way to leave the Yuan Realm?"
Hong shook his head: "Though I wish to flee to the outer heavens, I am trapped in the Yuan Realm and can do nothing. But I have heard that following the Heavenly River onward, one can leave the Yuan Realm by way of the Heavenly River and reach the starry cosmos. One may even roam the Four Extremes and travel to Xuandu and Youdu!"
"Many thanks for Daoist Hong's guidance."
Shen Mu chuckled: "Daoist Hong says he can do nothing, yet speaks so fluently of the way out of the Yuan Realm. How very strange."
Hong laughed heartily.
Gu Xiao took out a small file and filed his nails, then raised his eyes to glance at Hong, looking curious: "Why is Daoist Hong hunted by the Heavenly River Navy? So far as I know, you are the Grand Marshal of the Heavenly River Navy. That the Heavenly River Navy should hunt its own Grand Marshal is most puzzling."
Shen Mu's heart went cold; he looked at Great Hong.
Hong sighed: "I am guilty of a word. To tell the truth, when Mu Tianzun slew the Five Luminaries Star Lords on the Heavenly River, I was on the Heavenly River drilling the navy, and saw it all; I could not help but cry out 'well done.' I was overcome with admiration for Mu Tianzun's divine powers and had no thought of rebellion — yet someone reported me to the Heaven Emperor. The Heaven Emperor was enraged and ordered my arrest, to be taken to the God-Slaying Platform. I had no choice but to flee for my life."
Shen Mu wrung his wrist and sighed long, tears falling: "To think that it was I who brought this upon Daoist Hong! It is my fault!"
Hong's gaze flickered and settled on Gu Xiao: "I have heard that the Heavenly Master of the Nanluo sect is exceedingly mysterious, a dragon that shows its head but never its tail. Yet I have some friends in the Nanluo sect who told me that the Nanluo sect's Heavenly Master is a god of the human race. I was both astonished and full of admiration — could that human Heavenly Master be Daoist Xiao? And why is Daoist Xiao hunted by the great army under his own command?"
Shen Mu's gaze fell on Gu Xiao, and a look of suspicion appeared on his face.
Gu Xiao put down the file, sighed and lamented: "I too incurred guilt because Mu Tianzun slew the Five Luminaries Ancient Gods on the Heavenly River. Only I was not praising Mu Tianzun's heaven-reaching dao — I was looking at this Daoist here."
He looked at Luo Xiao: "I saw that this Daoist's fleshly body was vast and boundless, greater even than the ancient gods', and could not help but praise it. Only later did I learn that this Daoist was in fact a Creator, and there is some bad blood between the ancient gods and the Creators; because of my careless words I too was seized by the Heavenly Court."