Chapter 665 — A Myriad Hearts as One

To defeat ten thousand divine-power wielders of the Seven-Star realm — I truly could not do it. If they were drawn up in battle formation, never mind ten thousand — a single round of divine-art bombardment from a hundred Seven-Star divine-power wielders would be enough to blast me to death with ease. The method I used was to throw their formation into disorder first, scatter them, throw them into chaos, and then take advantage of the confusion to land in the midst of the crowd. Those who could land a blow on me were indeed only six, and the rest were all trying to rush in, hampering one another — in truth only three or four could reach me. It was by this method that I defeated ten thousand divine-power wielders. " Ling Yuxiu laughed: "Still, he did it to cut you down to size. " "He did it for his own race.

There is nothing to reproach in that.

" Shen Mu said: "And my aim was to use this one battle to win fifty years of peace between Jingping and Chiming.

" He smiled: "These gods, demons, and divine-power wielders of the Chiming Void Realm are proud and arrogant.

Even if they joined hands with Jingping, they would look down on Jingping. Arrogance breeds prejudice, and prejudice leads to bullying. Because they look down on us, they would surely bully the people and divine-power wielders of Jingping, and sooner or later it would breed great disaster. Now that I have given them a beating, within fifty years the divine-power wielders of the Void Realm will not dare make trouble. " Ling Yuxiu was astonished: "I never imagined you thought so deeply.

And after fifty years?

" "After fifty years, give them another beating.

" Shen Mu's manner was easy: "And there will be another fifty years of peace.

" The Divine Son Chiming sent those stirred divine-power wielders away to tend their wounds, then turned and walked back to his seat, smiling: "Jingping's envoy, please be seated. " Shen Mu, Ling Yuxiu, and the First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, each took their seats.

The Divine Son Chiming's eyes were bright as he studied the three of them carefully, then said to the First Ancestor: "Fellow Daoist, are you a man of the Kaihuang era? " The First Ancestor said: "A remnant of Kaihuang.

" "I sent Chixi precisely to meet Kaihuang, intending to acknowledge him as sovereign and join hands with Kaihuang against the Heavenly Court.

" The Divine Son Chiming sighed: "I never expected that times would change and all things with them — before Chixi reached his destination, the Kaihuang era had already been cut short.

The Kaihuang era lasted twenty thousand years; for my Void Realm, that is only three thousand years past. Lamentable, lamentable. Fortunately, there is still Jingping.

" His gaze fell on Ling Yuxiu, and he smiled: "That Princess Yuxiu should come in person brings light to my humble hall. The covenant Chixi signed with the Emperor of Jingping on my behalf — I have read it. Had my Void Realm's disciples just now overcome the envoy, I could still have haggled, revised a few terms more favorable to me. But they lost, after all; therefore the terms Chixi signed I will not alter by a single word. " Ling Yuxiu inclined herself slightly, smiling: "The Divine Son is magnanimous.

I gave offense a moment ago; I beg Your Highness's pardon.

" "The Princess is too courteous.

I had intended to give you a show of force, but it seems I was the one thrown from the horse. " The Divine Son Chiming laughed heartily, appearing very open and hearty, yet he did not look at Shen Mu: "These terms of covenant I have agreed to. I ask the Princess and the envoy to wait a few days; there are still some trifles I must prepare on my side, and then I will send a portion of my people forth, to Jingping.

" And so the negotiation ended in perfect harmony.

When Ling Yuxiu, the First Ancestor, and Shen Mu had returned to their lodging, she said at once: "This Divine Son gives me a very formidable, very frightening feeling. What sort of man is he, really? I can never see through him! Will he truly make concessions just because a cowherd gave him a show of force?

I hardly believe it. " Shen Mu stretched and laughed: "Of course he is an ambitious man. But his present aim is to lead his people out of this place cut off from the world, back into a world full of competition. Yet he will not put all his eggs in one basket; therefore he will send only a portion of his people out of the Void Realm to Jingping. If it is only a portion, there is no peril to Jingping — rather, it is an opportunity for Jingping, gaining a powerful ally. " Ling Yuxiu mused: "When he has truly established a firm footing in Jingping, that is when he becomes a threat to Jingping.

" Shen Mu said: "By then, Jingping should have grown stronger too, no?

We need not concern ourselves with such things; that should be a contest between him and the Emperor, and let the Emperor have the headache. While these few days last, I mean to wander about and see the sights of the Void Realm. Xiu-mei, will you come with me? " Ling Yuxiu shook her head: "I need to think some things over.

" She set her mind working, pondering how, if she were Emperor Yanfeng, she should act to win this contest.

"The Divine Son Chiming is a very frightening opponent.

In learning, in spirit, in breadth of mind, and in method, he is in no way inferior to Imperial Father. To surpass him in the contest to come, one must have more learning, more spirit, a broader mind, and better methods! " she thought to herself.

Shen Mu wandered about the city, using his own eyes to see the customs and manners of the Void Realm, its architectural style, while the First Ancestor followed behind him without a word. The Void Realm was in truth no smaller than Jingping, yet its population was not large — far smaller than Jingping's, perhaps because in their affluence they had no interest in bearing descendants.

It was a strange phenomenon: in peril, people would think of every way to reproduce; yet once life was affluent and free of care, they lost interest in offspring, and the population dwindled instead. This was especially so in a place like the Void Realm, with no foreign enemies, no war, no worry over food and clothing.

"The Divine Son Chiming spoke truly. If the Void Realm hides here any longer, I fear it will die out on its own," Shen Mu said in a low voice. This divine city was built upon a vast and majestic mountain, a mountain even more towering than Jingping's Mount Sumeru. Standing on the city tower, one could gaze far out over the Void Realm, and the washing radiance in the sky seemed almost within reach.

Shen Mu looked about him, his heart expansive and his spirit glad. Then he turned to look back, and suddenly started slightly: the highest point in this divine city was not the imperial city, but a palace of grand and splendid scale behind it.

From within the city, one would never notice the place. "What is that place? " Eagerly, Shen Mu descended from the city tower, skirted the imperial city, and walked toward that palace.

The First Ancestor followed behind him, unhurried, wearing the look of one dead to hope. They came before the palace behind the imperial city. Stone steps rose tier upon tier, climbing upward without end — how many tiers, one could not tell; it was daunting, and no end could be seen at a glance.

Shen Mu climbed.

Just as he neared the top, several three-headed, six-armed gods and demons suddenly thrust their heads out from above, their faces huge, a mu or so across, and shouted: "Envoy of Jingping!

This is the Sacred Hall, a forbidden place. Turn back!

" Shen Mu halted. Suddenly a familiar voice came from above: "Jinwu Guard, let them come up.