Chapter 1771 — Supreme Desolation
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
These were the signs of ultimate desolation.
"Formation, dwelling, decay, and emptiness do not necessarily appear in sequential order; it is also possible for only the stages of formation and emptiness to occur."
The Dao-words of the Eldest Young Master Taishang grew much simpler, no longer containing such complex information. Dryly, he said: "The result of our master's deductions is this: the Seventeenth Epoch will have only two stages—formation and emptiness. He could find no way to break through, and so fell into utter despair."
In former times, the universe's evolution followed formation, dwelling, decay, and emptiness—the universe formed, stabilized, decayed, and was destroyed. Then it would undergo the Kalpa of Birth, re-evolve the universe and primeval chaos, and repeat the cycle of formation, dwelling, decay, and emptiness.
The World Tree and the Returned Void made the cycle of formation, dwelling, decay, and emptiness extremely stable.
But the universe of the Seventeenth Epoch might remain in the stage of formation forever, ultimately transforming into void.
Shen Mu sat there dazed for a long while, then suddenly laughed and said: "Eldest Senior Brother Taishang, what does all this have to do with my coming to rescue Tai Yi?"
The Eldest Young Master Taishang seemed as one who had entered nirvana, utterly devoid of any vital breath. He continued to answer in Dao-words: "The reason our master eliminated Tian Du was also because of this. Tian Du opened the heavens and established the earth in the Seventh Epoch, evolving the universe and the cosmos. The final result was that it led to ultimate desolation. Our master calculated the coming of ultimate desolation, and so, when persuasion failed, he had no choice but to act. Tian Du is Tai Yi."
Shen Mu fell silent.
The two faced each other, each saying nothing.
The Eldest Young Master Taishang had made clear his reason for suppressing and imprisoning Tai Yi—releasing Tai Yi could cause the Seventeenth Epoch to evolve eternally toward ultimate desolation. Therefore he would not agree to Shen Mu's request to release Tai Yi.
Shen Mu also realized this, but he himself did not have sufficient certainty to rescue Tai Yi, and so could only remain silent.
After an unknown length of time, Shen Mu slowly said: "Our master could not solve it, and so entered nirvana. If you keep Tai Yi here, can you solve it?"
The Eldest Young Master Taishang shook his head.
If keeping Tai Yi could resolve the matter of universal emptiness, then the master of the Miluo Palace would not have needed to enter nirvana.
Shen Mu said unhurriedly: "That being the case, why suppress Tai Yi? He has nothing to do with the emptiness of the Seventeenth Epoch. Your suppression of him is of no avail."
The Eldest Young Master Taishang opened his eyes, and within them purple qi surged. Then, within the purple qi, a vision appeared of heaven and earth newly divided, of a universe vast and chaotic in its primeval obscurity. He said: "He is an enemy of the Miluo Palace."
Shen Mu laughed and said: "Then am I to be counted as an enemy of the Miluo Palace?"
The purple qi in the Eldest Young Master Taishang's eyes transformed completely into chaos, as though he had fallen into doubt—even he did not know whether Shen Mu should be counted as a disciple of the master of the Miluo Palace or an enemy of the Miluo Palace.
Shen Mu laughed and said: "The Miluo Palace is really just a gathering place for those who have attained the Dao and share the same ideals. Our master is such, you are such, and I am such. There is no difference in our ideals—our goal is to save the world. You uphold our master's ideals, and every action you take is an embodiment of his ideals. So it is with me. Senior Brother, our master did not kill Tai Yi, nor did he suppress him. Do you think that if our master truly wished to keep him, he could have left the Miluo Palace?"