Chapter 741 — The Primordial Divine Palace

Don't talk—let me think carefully about how to get back! " Shen Mu fell silent. After a moment, he asked: "Has Senior Brother thought of an idea? " Old Ox was completely at a loss. He shook his head: "My mind is a complete blank.

I can't think of a way back.

What place is this, anyway? I have no clue at all.

.

.

" Shen Mu looked around and analyzed: "The painted barges here are quite primitive. What's carved on them is the most basic Black Tortoise pattern, borrowing the Black Tortoise's power over water to keep the boats afloat. The boats are still propelled by water beasts pulling them, not by pill furnaces. This is not the Heavenly Court Beyond the Realm—the Heavenly Court is not this backward.

. .

" Old Ox's eyes lit up. He looked at the painted barges and indeed saw huge water beasts dragging them along—details he had not noticed before. He hurriedly said: "What else? " Shen Mu peeled the willow leaf from his brow, revealing his third eye.

He surveyed the surroundings, looking at the people in the painted barges and the gods and demons in the celestial palaces, and said in a low voice: "The pathways of vital essence in their divine treasuries are also very simple, and their divine treasuries are quite primitive—not as refined as those of Jingping's power-wielders.

Moreover, their divine bridges are all intact; not one person's divine bridge is broken. " Old Ox finally gained a bit of confidence and asked: "What else can you see? " "I can also see people without divine treasuries.

" Shen Mu's expression turned grave. He gazed at a distant celestial palace, where a majestic deity blazed with light and flame, as if shrouded by a great sun. He said in a low voice: "I may have seen the true Great Sun Star Lord—one without a divine treasury, a Great Sun Star Lord born of heaven and earth, not the Great Sun Star Lord of the Shanghuang Era. . .

" Old Ox was utterly bewildered, no thoughts or ideas in his mind. He stammered: "You mean. .

. " "What I mean is. . . " Shen Mu suddenly broke into a youthful, sunny smile and waved to a woman on an approaching painted barge: "Elder Sister, here! Here!

We're lost, Elder Sister—what place is this?

" Old Ox's face turned ashen.

He thought: "Junior Brother Shen is so careless? We've blundered into this place, and it's full of experts. If someone notices us and something goes wrong. . .

" The woman on the boat was dressed in splendid and elegant attire. She was at the bow admiring the scenery.

Hearing the voice, she looked over, her eyes lighting up.

She smiled: "Little brother, what a sweet tongue. This is naturally the Heavenly Court. Come aboard.

" Old Ox looked blank, still unable to come to his senses. Shen Mu leaped onto the boat and called down: "Senior Brother, come aboard too. Elder Sister is kind-hearted and willing to give us a ride.

" Old Ox hastily reared up, shook himself, and transformed into a divine being with an ox's head and a human body, then leaped onto the bow. The woman sized up Shen Mu. She saw a youth in brocade robes, elegant as a jade tree in the wind, with a natural, simple, childlike quality. She could not help feeling favorably disposed toward him.

She smiled: "Today is a grand gathering in the Heavenly Court.

Boats come and go on the Heavenly River, and there are many young talents from the lower realms come to enjoy themselves. Is this your first time in the Heavenly Court?

" Shen Mu nodded, blushing: "Both Senior Brother Niu and I are here for the first time. We're like country folk visiting the city—we only looked at the splendor around us and before we knew it, we were lost.

" The woman smiled: "It's always like this for first-timers in the Heavenly Court. His Majesty ordered the finest craftsmen in the world to build the Thirty-Six Celestial Palaces and Seventy-Two Treasure Halls, and enfeoffed the various ancient gods. I also think it's a bit too elaborate. His Majesty even wants to give the Heavenly Court a name—he is discussing with the Heavenly Duke, the Earth Lord, and the others what name to choose. " Niu Sanduo looked around, surveying the surroundings.

Suddenly his gaze fell upon a painted barge that brushed past theirs, and he looked as if he had seen a ghost, unable to tear his eyes away. Shen Mu was chatting and laughing with the woman. Catching sight of his expression, he was slightly startled: "Senior Brother, what's wrong?

" "Kai, Kai, Kai. . . " Old Ox stammered, his gaze still fixed on that painted barge. Shen Mu followed his gaze and saw a youth talking with others, chatting and laughing with ease.

"Kai, Kai. . .

" Old Ox was still stammering, unable to speak. Shen Mu smiled: "Senior Brother, Kai what?

" "Kaihuang!

" Niu Sanduo finally said it, his voice hoarse: "I've seen Kaihuang in his youth! "