Chapter 1302 — The Earth Awakens
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 3
Shen Mu was still trembling with the sting of his loss when the Shen-Character Continent quaked violently and even the sky twisted awry.
The Taishi Egg fell silent again for a moment, then said in a helpless tone, "Mu Tianzun, stop your shaking. I was dug out of a lode by someone, and not long after, the Heavenly Emperor Taichu took me away to serve as a seal — there is nothing of value on me. Shake all you like, you will never shake a single coin's worth out of me. " Shen Mu stopped trembling and asked, testing him, "Is the egg fluid inside that egg of yours tasty?
" "Not tasty at all!
" said Taishi within the egg, his voice stiff as a board.
He added one more line: "Do not even think of laying a finger on my bit of egg fluid!
" "Miser," Shen Mu cursed with a laugh.
Still hoping to knock something loose from him, he probed, "Once you are born, will you give me your eggshell? " Taishi's voice turned even stiffer: "No!
I have a habit of gnawing on my shell — the moment I am born, I will eat it, first thing. You seized Taichu's eggshell with malice in your heart, meaning to use it to subdue him — do you take me for a fool? " Shen Mu put on a troubled look and shook his head. "Brother Taishi, as an ancient god you are splendid in every way, save that you are a miser — not a drop of oil can be squeezed out of you.
You will not part with a single hair; so how am I to give up Her Highness the Empress's mortal body to aid you? " Taishi within the egg hesitated a moment, then tested him in turn: "Since we are allies, I will not cheat you nor hide anything from you. Even if you help me seize back the Taishi lode, I will need several hundred thousand years to finish absorbing the primal stones and divine stones within it, and only then will I be born.
But if you learn my Way of Taishi, then you may seek out some fellow travelers and bring them to the Taishi lode, and they can help me refine the energies in the lode, so that I am born ahead of time. Once I am born, we join hands: I will help you do away with Taichu, and you shall be the Heavenly Emperor! " Shen Mu laughed aloud, his face dark. Taishi within the egg gave a start and said hurriedly, "Mu Tianzun, what are you thinking? " Shen Mu said viciously, "I am thinking what weapon it would take to split that eggshell of yours open! " Taishi within the egg hastily plastered on a smile. "You are to become the Heavenly Emperor — and you are still not happy? " Shen Mu snorted and shook his head.
"Brother Taishi, you underestimate me.
I do everything for you, I even help you be born ahead of your time, and the moment you are born you will be invincible under heaven.
As for your aiding me to do away with Taichu — that is nothing but revenge for yourself.
Let me be the Heavenly Emperor while you are the Retired Emperor — a fine reckoning indeed.
And still you will not part with a hair, taking every last advantage for yourself. " Taishi within the egg gave two dry laughs and reckoned, "In that case, let it be so: if the Taishi primal stone is obtained, I will lend it to you for a time, for you to comprehend the Way of Taishi, and you shall return it to me later. Truly I have nothing to my name; this is all I can do. " Shen Mu thought it over. "That is still catching a wolf with empty hands.
The Taishi primal stone is still in the Taishi lode — I would have to go and seize it back for you. " Taishi within the egg had nothing to say. Shen Mu went on, "Then this: besides lending me the Taishi primal stone, you must swear an oath to do three things for me.
These three things shall do you no harm. " Taishi within the egg thought it over, agreed, and swore the oath.
Shen Mu let out a breath.
Suddenly the light lurched, and they arrived on the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge outside the Ancestral Court. Shen Mu examined the Tianzun seal and saw that it was still in place.