Chapter 1503 — Relentless
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 3
"Ignorant child, all bluster and no substance."
The three schoolmasters paid him no mind. "That you escaped at all was only because some exalted one gave you a leaf from his Dao Tree. But to claim you can do anything to us—you are far from capable. I possess supreme and wondrous arts, and the opportunity lies right before your eyes. Were it anyone else, they would have already kowtowed and begged to learn my supreme Daoist powers and divine abilities."
One of the schoolmasters gave a light tap with his teaching rod, and a vision appeared in the air. "Behold—this is how the sovereigns of your world once bowed and worshipped me when they encountered me. Even they did so, and yet you are a man who cannot read the times."
Shen Mu looked toward the image. The figures within were the Great Emperor, Gong Yun, and other Creator Lords, along with a host of ancient gods—even the Primordial Heaven Emperor was among them. This must have been when they were exploring Jade Capital City.
However, the image did not include Shu Jun, Bo Yang, Long Xiao, and the others. No doubt they had taken a different path at the time and had not encountered the Hall of Pervading Fragrance.
In the vision, the scholar still sat beneath the Dao Tree, and the Great Emperor and the rest bowed their heads in worship, begging to be taught the supreme sagely arts. Even those ancient gods kowtowed to him. Only the Primordial Heaven Emperor stood to one side, watching coldly, his eyes filled with contempt as he looked at the Great Emperor.
The image was vivid and exquisitely detailed, capturing even the expressions and inner thoughts of those present. It was likely no lie.
At the time, the Great Emperor, Gong Yun, and the others had indeed paid homage to this Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace, seeking instruction in supreme wondrous arts.
It was only unknown whether the Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace had actually taught them.
"Could it be that the Great Emperor's ability to cultivate the Great Heaven of Divine Consciousness, to brand his consciousness into the Ultimate Void, is connected to this Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace?"
Shen Mu's heart stirred. The Great Emperor's Great Heaven of Divine Consciousness had an enormous flaw. Though he had branded his consciousness into the Ultimate Void and refined the Dao Tree, Dao Flowers, and Dao Fruits, he could never achieve perfection.
His attainments in the Dao realm were also mediocre—neither high nor low—and his cultivation had been propped up by the sacrificial power of other Creator Lords, not achieved through his own training.
"Most likely, when the Primordial Sage of the Miluo Palace was transmitting the supreme wondrous arts, he harbored ulterior motives and deliberately left many flaws, causing the Great Emperor to cultivate further and further astray. Though he gained immense power, he drifted ever further from attaining the Dao."
Shen Mu deduced the crux of the matter. His eyes flickered, and he laughed. "Then why did they seal you away?"
Another schoolmaster said, "That is a long story. Come inside and listen to the lecture, and I will tell you."
Shen Mu laughed heartily, drew his bow, and loosed an arrow. "No need to tell me—I already know! They fell for your trick, took a stroke of your rod, and became tools for your use, helping you break free! Your supreme wondrous arts most likely achieve the Dao through the borrowing of faith or sacrifice. The Great Emperor believed in you, and that is why you ruined his cultivation!"
The three schoolmasters leaped into the air. Their teaching rods struck the arrow in succession, but the arrowlight Shen Mu had loosed was peerlessly powerful. Three rods fell upon it, and still they could not stop the arrow's radiance!
*Thunk!*
The arrow shot into a fragment of the Great Heaven, striking down a Dao Flower from the Dao Tree. With a *bang*, one schoolmaster's form vanished.