Chapter 1671 — I Held a Dream: The Youth Chapter
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
That was why his Dao-heart had collapsed and he had sunk beyond recovery. Had the Dao Ancestor and Great Brahma not brought word of the Chaotic Space, he feared he could not even now have walked out of that collapse of his Dao-heart.
And the fate of the Yuji Heavens confirmed it.
The Haotian Emperor laughed aloud: "The power of Tubo—truly an unequaled power! With such deterrence, who would still dare to rebel? Dear Minister Mu, such is the end of the Yuji Heavens' rebellion; the same awaits Jingping!"
Shen Mu's face was pale; he opened his mouth but could not speak.
The Haotian Emperor took in his expression and could not help but feel elated, his spirits soaring. He declared loudly, "Dear Minister Mu, does this scene awaken you? We are not a muddled ruler like the Retired Emperor, who would feign compliance and enfeoff vassals—but We will not! Make ready the carriage; to Shixiu Heaven!"
Shixiu Heaven.
Again the soundless, silent slaughter. In a mere instant, every person in all of Shixiu Heaven—rebel or common folk alike, bird or beast, insect or fish—all died!
The stars withered, the sun was extinguished, the moon sank into darkness, and the whole world fell into a cold, silent void.
The Heavenly Court had not only the deterrence of force; it would also slaughter without restraint!
"Your Majesty, the destruction of these two heavens is already enough to overawe the myriad heavens and keep the petty and the base from daring to rebel."
Meng Yungui had also followed at the Haotian Emperor's side this time, and bowing, he said, "Heaven above has the virtue of loving life; there is no need to do more killing. Your servant is willing to go to the two great heavens of Lingshu and Lingyuan, to make the rebels there lay down their arms and come to the Heavenly Court to receive their punishment."
"Absurd!"
The Haotian Emperor's face darkened; he said coldly, "Once a word leaves Our mouth, there is no taking it back! These traitorous ministers and rebellious wretches deserve ten thousand deaths—do they think that by surrendering, We will pardon their crimes?"
Meng Yungui fell silent and said no more.
Lingshu Heaven: dead.
Lingyuan Heaven: dead.
The turmoil of the four great heavens was thus quelled.
The Haotian Emperor glanced at Shen Mu and said, "Dear Minister Mu, if you remain obstinate and deluded, your Jingping will be as these four great heavens! We will not give you much time. The contract between the Heavenly Court and Jingping lies in Our rear palace. We await your return to sign your name upon it!" With that, he flicked his sleeve and led the company away.
Shen Mu gazed at the ruined Lingyuan Heaven, then turned and headed for the Heavenly Court.
Meng Yungui fell a step behind, then drew level and walked shoulder to shoulder with him, saying in a low voice, "Celestial Venerable Mu, did you ever foresee this day?"
Shen Mu said, startled, "Why does the Celestial Master Meng say such a thing?"
Meng Yungui gave a cold hum and lowered his voice further: "In the year of the Jingping Calamity, you laid down for Jingping the grand plan of founding a state upon forging—called forging, but in truth drawing the firewood from under the cauldron, a plan to break the heaven-coins! You may deceive others, but not me! I long ago saw through your scheme; I knew that as Jingping rose, the other heavens must decline. The heavens that made their name in forging in years past—every one of them has now been dragged by your Jingping into a place of eternal doom!"
Shen Mu stopped in his tracks and said with a half-smile, "Nature selects the fittest, and the fit survive. The other heavens clung to their old ways, could not compete with Jingping, and now they lay the blame on Jingping? Had the other heavens reformed, how would they have fallen into their present plight?"
"Reform!"
Meng Yungui sneered, "The Heavenly Court will not permit you to reform. To reform is a dead end!"
"Not to reform is a life worse than death."