Chapter 1700 — The Youth Honing His Blade

" The former Black Emperor of the Northern Heaven, Yin Tianzi, was dead, and Nian Guanhe of the Inner Seats of the Five Emperors had succeeded to the Black Emperor's seat, and he at once led the forty marquis hosts of the Three Departed Palaces of the Northern Heaven, Hougua, Baigua, Left Banner, Hegu, Tian, Right Banner, Tianji, Leibizhen, and the rest, to attack the ice plain of the Kan Lands north of Yuan World. Demon Ancestor Daheitian heard the news and at once led the demon ancestral host to meet him, joining forces with Nian Guanhe beyond the ice plain of the Kan Lands. Emperor Haotian decreed again: "Red Emperor of the Southern Heaven, lead the thirty-nine lords of the Southern Heaven, and punish the Southern Sea.

" The Red Emperor Qi Xiayu received the decree, leading the thirty-nine marquis hosts of Changchen, Langjiang, Taizun, Santai, Beihe, the Five Lords, Tianzun, Siguai, Shuifu, Sidu, and the rest, to attack the Southern Sea.

Chihuang and Minghuang at once sent out troops to face the Red Emperor Qi Xiayu, both sides drawing up battle lines upon the sea.

Emperor Haotian commanded: "Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heaven, lead the sixty marquis hosts of the Eastern Heaven, and attack from the Eastern Sea. " The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heaven massed his troops upon the Eastern Sea, leading the sixty marquis hosts of Tianjiang, Dongxian, Xixian, Tianfu, Qiguan, Cheqi, Zhenche, and the rest, and pitched his camps upon the sea.

Emperor Haotian commanded: "White Emperor of the Western Heaven, lead the twenty-seven marquis hosts of the Western Heaven, and attack the Western Lands.

" The White Emperor of the Western Heaven at once garrisoned Shangcang, leading the twenty-seven marquis hosts of Tianhuang, Juanshe, Tianguan, Tianjie, Yue, Canqi, Jiuyou, Jiuzhou, and the rest, to strike the Western Lands from Shangcang.

The Three Heavenly Kings, the Two Celestial Masters, the Eight Guards, the Seven Dukes, the Four Stewards, the Three Preceptors, the Two Assistants, the Thrones of the Five Emperors, the Inner Seats of the Five Emperors, and the marquis hosts of the other routes led the main host of the Court to advance from the central route, with Emperor Haotian himself holding command. The Celestial River Navy among the Three Preceptors seized the Celestial River, leading the van toward Wuyou Township entrenched north of the Central Lands of Yuan World!

Shen Mu came to Great Black Mountain of the Ancestral Court, fixed the position of the World Tree in the universe, then hastened without pause into Youdu, racing straight for the Guixu Great Abyss.

Lord Shang hid within his shadow and asked: "Seventh Young Master, who is that man beneath the World Tree? " "He is called Xu Shenghua.

" Shen Mu smiled: "His strength is formidable, is it not?

" Lord Shang said: "His present strength is hard to say, but should he attain the Dao, his strength would be hard to fathom.

I see the art he cultivates differs from all former arts of attainment. He seems to be analyzing the World Tree, preparing to cultivate his own World Tree himself.

Done thus, it seems he need not entrust his great Dao to the void.

" Shen Mu nodded and said: "Brother Xu and Lan Yutian, they are working on this path of attainment.

" Lord Shang fell silent a moment, then could not help asking: "If they attain the Dao without entrusting it to the void, could that avoid crushing the Ultimate Void beneath too many attainers?

" Shen Mu smiled: "They do have that in mind.

As to whether it can avert the collapse of the Ultimate Void, we have no certainty yet. " Lord Shang fell silent again, and after a long while at last said: "I feel the path they walk is the true path.

" Shen Mu turned his head, and Lord Shang in his shadow had bright gleaming eyes, plainly thinking of how his own attainment through slaughter had doomed the Sixteenth Era. Lord Shang, who had attained through slaughter, no longer had the edge that had dared to sever all!

After seeing Xu Shenghua's art of attainment, the shock in his heart was greater still, driving him to doubt his own path all the more.

Self-doubt breeds self-negation upon the Dao heart, and its wound to the Dao realm runs deep, so that cultivation and strength may even regress instead of advance!

"The World Tree art of attainment entrusts the great Dao to the self.

" Shen Mu walked on, saying lightly: "The Dao realm art of attainment entrusts the great Dao to the void.

Though the two arts of attainment differ, it does not mean the other art is wrong.

Lord Shang, if you keep doubting your own path, your cultivation and strength will weaken without cease, until in the end you become a cripple. This universe needs Xu Shenghua's entrusting to the self, and it needs your entrusting to the void. " Lord Shang's Dao heart ceased its collapse, and he followed him on in silence.

Arriving at the Guixu Great Abyss, Shen Mu fixed the exact bearing of the great abyss, then rose soaring, carrying Lord Shang into the Ultimate Void.

Now with the two coordinates of the World Tree and the Guixu Great Abyss, he could fix upon the Geographic Chart of Taiyi the bearings of every Dao tree marked there! He spread open the Geographic Chart of Taiyi, marking the bearings answering to the World Tree and Guixu, then closed his eyes, and in his mind the chart spread boundlessly, joining with the Ultimate Void.

Daluo Heavens and Dao trees were branded one after another upon the Ultimate Void in his mind, and a road appeared with clarity in his mind!

Upon the Geographic Chart of Taiyi, the bearing of Taiyi sealed with the Ultimate Void, the prison where Taiyi was held was at last found by him!

"Has the young master sensed it?

" Lord Shang said suddenly: "Someone is attaining the Dao in the Ultimate Void!

" Shen Mu's heart started, and he hastened to open his eyes: "You mean someone is entrusting to the Ultimate Void?

That is impossible!

" He frowned faintly: "In this world, no one stands closer to the thirty-sixth heaven of the Dao realm than I!

The next attainer must be me, yet I could never walk the path of branding the void! " "Unless this man does not come from this universe! " Lord Shang said in a low voice: "I sense the aura of the Sixteenth Era.

This being now entrusting his Dao is an attainer of the Sixteenth Era!

" Shen Mu's face grew grave: "Venerable Haotian, you disappoint me, you have gone after all to borrow the strength of the Third and Fourth Young Masters.

Lord Shang, since you can sense this attainer, can you sense where he is?

" Lord Shang nodded: "The young master means? " "This blade of yours has gone dull, and I must hone you bright.

" Shen Mu smiled faintly: "Have you the confidence to slay this visitor from before history?

"