Chapter 604 — A Kindness Received Must Be Repaid

Shen Mu looked around, and with the third eye he saw many drifting souls, demon race folk who had died within this demon god's treasury. The shade-officers of Youdu had never come here. Shen Mu looked toward this Mahasattva's treasury of life and death, and saw that it had been destroyed by the demon god; this, he supposed, was why the souls of the demon race folk who had perished here were trapped.

"Every race has those whose deeds are worthy of song and tears."

Shen Mu closed the eye in his brow. He was disgusted, sickened, by his own desire to devour these souls.

These were by no means his own thoughts!

By no means his own buried mind!

He could not possibly harbor such wickedness in his depths!

"Whatever thing it is that twists my thoughts, you disgust me!"

Shen Mu opened the eye and turned. From his mouth came the measured, cadenced speech of Youdu, and behind him a Gate of Heaven's Mandate rose slowly, its doors flung wide. But this time he did not use the Soul-Drawing Invocation; he had changed his art.

He would send these demon race dead on to Youdu.

Within the demon god's treasury, gust upon gust of netherwind howled toward the Gate of Heaven's Mandate and flew into the darkness.

Beyond the gate, many small boats came ferrying the dead across, one after another. Before long the netherwind ceased, and a lantern's light shone through the gate upon Shen Mu's face.

"So it is you. You truly did no evil?" From within the gate came the voice of the old shade-officer, astonished.

Shen Mu waved a hand and shut the Gate of Heaven's Mandate. "Granny, let us be going."

Granny Zhu nodded gently and looked at him, well pleased. "Shen'er has truly grown up."

They were about to leave when a faint voice came drifting from very far away: "Many thanks..."

At the sound Shen Mu started slightly and turned his head. In the demon god's palace, the demon god's soul was dissolving, fading; the majestic palace was collapsing with astonishing speed; star after star was winking out.

"Shen'er, no need to look. His soul has scattered."

Granny Zhu took his hand and rushed out of the treasury at speed. "This demon god's soul lingered because his heart's wish was unfulfilled; otherwise it would long since have crumbled to ash. Now that his soul has dispersed, the treasury will fall apart as well!"

They had scarcely burst free when a heart-stopping tremor came from behind. Amid thunderous booms the treasuries annihilated one after another, and a violent explosion swept out in every direction!

Granny Zhu hurriedly bore Shen Mu away to safety. The blast wave struck, flinging them both high into the air!

Granny Zhu spread the Great Luotian star-force field with all her might to shield Shen Mu. Just then a black light suddenly flew out of the annihilation, howling as it pierced the star-force field, writhing like a dragon!

"Shen'er helped you, sent your folk's souls to Youdu, and you still dare to harm him?"

Granny Zhu flew into a fury and was about to strike when the black light swirled, looped lightly behind Shen Mu's head, and became a black halo. At its center were blazing red rays forming a crimson disc, like a blood-red demon moon.

Shen Mu turned his head, but could not see this demon moon.

He hastily took out a mirror and looked. The demon moon revolved slowly behind him, and in its black halo were countless demon race characters, shifting and flowing without cease.

Granny Zhu turned from anger to delight, and laughed. "So you have a conscience after all. Shen'er, this is a demon moon that demon god made from the last of the power in his treasury, to repay you. It is no small thing; it can raise your cultivation in the demon path."

Shen Mu felt at once, with the demon moon's appearance, that his demonic essence was rising at tremendous speed. Before long, he thought, he would be able to break through the wall of the Seven Star Treasury in one sustained effort!

"Granny, that demon god's soul must have seen that I am of the human race. Why did he still help me?" Shen Mu asked, puzzled.

Granny Zhu walked on toward the distant altars. "You are plainly of the human race, so why did you help those demon race dead and send them on to Youdu?"

Shen Mu was briefly at a loss.

Granny Zhu smiled. "You have the heart of a newborn child, and he knew to repay a kindness. There are heroes among the demon race too, and figures worthy of admiration."