Chapter 1713 — Bringing Down the Empress
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
A faint smile appeared on the Empress's face. "You mean for me to seize this chance and pass the art of the Mirror of the Abyss of Return to Heavenly Venerable Hao?"
Shen Mu shook his head. "I mean that you may teach him the true attainment of the Dao in the Abyss of Return if you wish, but you must never teach him the Mirror of the Abyss of Return."
The Empress was taken aback, then burst into a bright peal of laughter. "You fear the Second Young Master of Miluo Palace will come out of the abyss? That the great Heavenly Venerable Mu, Seventh Young Master of Miluo Palace, should have someone he fears."
Shen Mu's expression shifted slightly. His gaze settled on her face, and his voice went cold. "Empress, have you not noticed? Your temperament now grows more and more like Madam Yuanmu's."
The Empress gave a sputtering laugh. "I used the method of reincarnation to be reborn and imitate that little slut's temperament, and I did it so seamlessly that not even Heavenly Venerable Hao or her paramour could tell a hair's difference. Heavenly Venerable Mu, you were the one who taught me this. Surely you understand."
Shen Mu's pupils contracted sharply. The vertical eye at the center of his brow opened and fixed upon her, and only after a long moment did it close again. "Of course I see it. The Second Young Master of Miluo Palace is more dangerous than the Third and the Fourth. If you teach Heavenly Venerable Hao the Mirror of the Abyss of Return, he will never withstand it; the Second Young Master will surely seize the chance and take possession of half his body."
"You are too late."
The Empress's face turned stern. "I have already taught Heavenly Venerable Hao the Mirror of the Abyss of Return. He is most likely cultivating it at this very moment. Heavenly Venerable Mu, is there anything else? If not, do not block my road home."
A roaring filled Shen Mu's head, and his voice came out somewhat hoarse. "You taught it to him? Empress, do you know what you are doing? Do you know why the Master of Miluo Palace had to suppress the Second Young Master?"
The Empress arched her fine brows. "What has that to do with me?"
Shen Mu drew a long breath and stepped forward until he stood before her, looking down at her from his height. "What the Second Young Master intends to do appalls even the Master of Miluo Palace; that is why she had to be suppressed. By teaching Heavenly Venerable Hao the Mirror of the Abyss of Return, you are setting that demon king free. And this universe has no second Master of Miluo Palace."
The Empress frowned, displeased that he had come so close. "Heavenly Venerable Mu, do you remember how I cut off your hand in the Ancestral Court last time? You are being far too insolent."
Shen Mu stepped closer still, until they were almost touching, and said coldly, "It seems you still do not grasp the crux of it. The Second Young Master of Miluo Palace means to destroy all life, destroy all universes, and return every universe to its most primordial state. Not only the Jade Capital City of Miluo Palace; the whole of the seventeen universes will be utterly destroyed by her."
Then the Empress's aura erupted. The whole of Taihuang Heaven was twisted by her terrible power, buckling in the middle like a pie pressed inward, collapsing toward her from every side.
"So it seems Heavenly Venerable Mu has still not learned his lesson."
The power of one who had attained the Dao burst out of her. She was just about to strike when her right hand was suddenly severed clean at the wrist, blood spurting forth.
A shock went through the Empress. She retreated at speed, rousing her Dao arts and divine powers; her hand regrew with astonishing swiftness. She gathered up all her magic power and pushed both palms forward.
A great abyss abruptly appeared. Taihuang Heaven was stretched like twisted noodles, dragged by the terrible force of the Abyss of Return, nearly splitting apart.