Chapter 743 — A Conversation Without Accord

The great Kun is also a god. " Yin Tianzi said, "The great Kun is in fact a descendant of an ancient god. At birth it was already mighty, but that was not its strongest period. The great Kun grows by eating Jade Dragon Pills. Unlike us, it has no process of cultivation. When it reaches adulthood, its flesh and its dharma power are both monstrously strong!

By then, the great Kun god's strength is no weaker than an ancient god's, and even if it falls short, it is not far off. " Kaihuang took up the thread. "But they too are bound by a lifespan limit, which is why they are called demigods and cannot live forever. We, on the other hand, first open the Primal Embryo divine treasury and cultivate step by step, opening one divine treasury after another, until we reach a very high realm. The difference between us and the demigods is this: our bloodline is lowly, and we are divine-ability practitioners who cultivate our way up, whereas demigods grow according to their blood and lineage. " Shen Mu was suddenly enlightened.

But the doubts in his heart only multiplied.

It was as though he had traveled back to an unimaginably ancient age.

In this age, even the Heavenly Palace cultivation system had not yet appeared; only the divine treasury cultivation system had begun to emerge. So what era was this?

The Heavenly Court seemed to have only just begun to take shape; it did not even have a name yet.

Could this Heavenly Court be the Heavenly Court of the ancient gods?

And if it was the Heavenly Court of the ancient gods, what connection did it have to the later Heavenly Court Beyond the Realm, the old Heavenly Court that the people of the Kaihuang Era so often spoke of? The Woodcutter Sage had always said that from beginning to end, the people of the Kaihuang Era never knew who their enemy truly was. The people of the Shanghuang Era seemed equally ignorant of who this Heavenly Court Beyond the Realm really was; they called it the outer-realm heavenly demons.

And the Red Emperor's own understanding did not extend to where the enemy that destroyed the Chiming Era had come from, or what its foundations were. Shen Mu turned it over and over in his mind, and still could not make sense of it.

Suddenly something stirred in his heart. The Woodcutter's eldest disciple, the founding patriarch of the Tiansheng Sect, Wei Suifeng, had been ceaselessly exploring these mysteries, and now his whereabouts were unknown.

The founding patriarch had traveled immensely far and wide, leaving behind map after map. Among them, the one entrusted to Old Man Qinghuang for safekeeping was an exceedingly ancient military tally, and that tally was still in Shen Mu's hands.

Just what era did that tally belong to?

"I cannot kill Yin Tianzi yet. " A kindly smile spread across Shen Mu's face as he thought: "Yin Tianzi is, after all, a local snake in this place.

I still need his connections to explore the secrets of this era and uncover more of the truth buried by history. And I need him to introduce me to those legendary figures, the founders who created the divine treasury cultivation system and the Heavenly Palace cultivation system! " His heart was ablaze, scalding hot. The founders of the later ages' system of divine-ability civilization, at last he would be able to meet them!

Old Ox surreptitiously nudged him.

Shen Mu came back to himself, and saw that Kaihuang was still watching him with that half-smile. His heart went cold. Clearly, one misspoken sentence had aroused Kaihuang's suspicion, but Kaihuang had not called him out on it. "In truth, I have always wanted to tell you that I am your one hundred and seventh generation descendant. " Shen Mu smiled, but said nothing, thinking: "I want so badly to tell you, and yet I cannot. .

.

" Yin Tianzi dashed to the great Kun's head and called from afar, "Come over here, quickly!

Come and see, Lady Tianyin's carriage is approaching! " Kaihuang smiled.

"Let us go over. " Shen Mu nodded, and the two of them walked side by side toward the great Kun's head.

All around, many other divine-ability practitioners were also hurrying toward the Kun's head, watching Lady Tianyin's carriage with excitement.

"How did you enter the strange realm? " Kaihuang asked softly, gazing ahead.

Old Ox grew anxious and tugged at Shen Mu's lapel, signaling that he should not admit it. Shen Mu said quietly, "The same way as you.

I wandered by accident into a mass of fog, and then I was here.

" Kaihuang glanced at him and smiled. "I have been here for several days now. When I first arrived, I was utterly astonished.

But now I have calmed down.

To be able to enter this bizarre and dazzling era and witness the source of a later civilization is a sacred and solemn thing.

I feel that I ought to be a bystander, and not interfere with this era. " Shen Mu smiled.

"And what if you do interfere? How do you know all of this is not fated? Perhaps your interfering with this era is precisely what has already happened in the past. By forcing yourself to refrain from interfering, you may instead cause something unforeseeable to happen in the future. " Kaihuang's brows lifted slightly. He said coolly, "It seems your thinking and mine are not the same.

I had thought you came from the Yong River as I did. It appears I guessed wrong. Those who follow different paths cannot make plans together. " Shen Mu gave a cold laugh.

"When words do not agree, half a sentence is too much. I see you as obstinate and self-willed, yet inwardly weak and incompetent, greedy for ease and pleasure. I feel ashamed on your behalf.

" Kaihuang frowned slightly and studied him carefully. "The name you use is false, and your face is false too. Clearly you are dark within, a ruthless hegemon with the wary gaze of a wolf and the watchful eye of a hawk.

You mean to throw this era into disorder. I will stop you! " Shen Mu said calmly, "Your name is false as well. Your outward bearing is resolute and fierce, and it is easy for you to deceive others into dying for you, but in truth you are a bastard who cannot withstand a blow, a man of empty reputation!

" Old Ox wiped the cold sweat from his brow again and again, groaning inwardly: "What is to be done? What is to be done! Why are the tempers of these two alike in this way?

The one hundred and seventh generation descendant has fallen out with the founding ancestor. If they keep arguing, I fear he will end up beating the founding ancestor! Being beaten by the founding ancestor is a small matter, but beating the founding ancestor, that would be a great commotion! " Just then Yin Tianzi's laughter came drifting over. "Lady Tianyin's carriage has arrived!

Brother Shen, Brother Mu, come quickly! " Shen Mu and Kaihuang broke off their gaze.

Limping, the two of them walked forward, their energies drawing at one another, secretly contending.