Xiao Heavenly Venerable, give him a hail. " The Xiao Heavenly Venerable assented and called out. The window of that jeweled carriage opened, and the Hao Heavenly Venerable looked over at the sound; seeing Shen Mu seated together with all three of these Heavenly Venerables, he could not help feeling greatly displeased. The Xiao Heavenly Venerable said: "Did the Hao Heavenly Venerable not go off to hunt down Kaihuang?

Why have you returned?

" The Hao Heavenly Venerable gave a snort and said coolly: "The Heavenly Court has split open, and great calamity is feared; therefore I had no choice but to turn back.

Did you not go off to hunt down the Creators' witch, Daoist Xiao?

" The Xiao Heavenly Venerable sighed: "When I saw the Heavenly Court split open, I knew that if the Heavenly Court were destroyed the calamity would be greater still, and so I abandoned the Creators' witch and hurried here.

" Consort Qiang laughed: "That Creators' witch is truly beautiful — the loveliest girl I have ever seen.

" The Hao Heavenly Venerable and the Xiao Heavenly Venerable each found their faces somewhat unable to hold, and Shen Mu too felt a little ill at ease. "Ah — men.

" Consort Qiang snickered.

Suddenly a beam of vast radiance flashed past outside, and Consort Yan hastily called out in a loud voice: "Hong Heavenly Venerable! " The radiance halted and became an old man with white hair and white brows — none other than the Hong Heavenly Venerable.

He stood in the starry void looking toward them, his face all smiles, bowing to all around: "So it is you, Daoist friends. " Shen Mu smiled: "Where is the Hong Heavenly Venerable bound?

" The Hong Heavenly Venerable smiled: "Seeing the Heavenly Court in peril, I knew that when the Heavenly Court splits and the Ancestral Court appears, great events are likely at hand; therefore I set out to have a look.

" "Splendid, splendid.

" Everyone said one after another: "Daoist Hong is warm-hearted and true — a model for our kind.

Come up into the carriage at once; the wind outside is bitterly cold.

" The Hong Heavenly Venerable, helpless, had no choice but to climb into the Xiao Heavenly Venerable's jeweled carriage. He looked around once and smiled: "This carriage is full, and my fat carcass is rather large — I shall go and sit with the Hao Heavenly Venerable. " Everyone feigned anger: "Squeeze in a little, that is all.

You are a Heavenly Venerable of the demon race; a small transformation is all it takes.

" The Xiao Heavenly Venerable raised a hand, the jeweled carriage grew somewhat larger, and another seat surfaced within it. The Hong Heavenly Venerable had no choice but to sit down.

He looked at Shen Mu and smiled: "The Mu Heavenly Venerable still owes me a favor.

"