Chapter 752 — The Departed Return to Life

Kai Huang said in a deep voice: "There is no justice in what is past; justice belongs to what is yet to come. We stand now inside history. These things have already happened, and no matter what you do, you will not be meting out justice! It is only in the future that justice can be meted out! You should understand what I am talking about.

" Shen Mu nodded, and said woodenly: "I know.

" Kai Huang slowly released his hold: "Even here inside history, every choice you make may bring death down upon you. A man of such surpassing brilliance as Sovereign Yu has died. If you take part in this, you will die as well. " Shen Mu nodded: "I know.

" Kai Huang let out a breath: "I do not know what grievance lies between you and me, but I think you are a good man, and you should not die here.

" Shen Mu's face, all this while so expressionless, thawed like ice and snow melting bit by bit, and a faint smile appeared on it: "Thank you. To tell the truth, merely to have met you this time is enough to content my heart; this journey has not been in vain. " Kai Huang said: "To have seen the Seven Sovereigns, and then to meet a man like you, I too feel this journey has not been in vain.

As you said, we should still have a month or two, should we not? In this month or two, let us quietly bear witness to this stretch of history. Though Sovereign Yu is dead, the art of godhood he founded will still be handed down.

Is that not the reason we came here? " Shen Mu nodded, woodenly: "Very well. " Kai Huang was still uneasy at heart, and said to Old Ox: "You are his senior brother. You have more sense than he does; you should know what to do. This is the ancient heavenly court—a place where even you may not run rampant. If you act lawlessly and recklessly, great peril will follow. " Old Ox hesitated, then nodded: "Do not worry.

I will keep an eye on him.

" Sovereign Hao's voice rose, heavy with grief, carrying through the whole Jade Pool Lodge: "Sovereign Yu is dead. The killer has not yet been found—but the killer is hiding among us! Gentlemen, I shall submit a memorial to His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, begging His Majesty to hunt down the culprit and bring him to justice, so as to give Sovereign Yu his due and give every wielder of divine power under heaven his due! " Silence fell over the Jade Pool Lodge.

Then, suddenly, a low crying arose; in the dead stillness, that weeping sounded oppressive beyond measure.

Bristling with fury, Sovereign Hao proclaimed in ringing tones: "Gentlemen, I will never let that murderer go; I shall hack his body into ten thousand pieces! Sovereign Yu's blood has not been shed in vain! Set your hearts at ease, gentlemen—trust in the heavenly court, trust in His Majesty! " His voice gradually sank lower, yet it reached every ear with perfect clarity: "Though Sovereign Yu's body is dead, the lineage of his Way shall never be extinguished. Sovereign Yu and I were the closest of friends, and he has already passed on to me the art of godhood.

More than likely he foresaw that harm would come to him, and so he taught me beforehand the art of becoming a god that he had founded, lest he leave behind a regret. For now, let us hold the funeral rites for Sovereign Yu, and give him a peaceful burial.

" His voice dropped lower still: "He was like an elder brother to me, and like a father. Alas that heaven should envy such talent. . .

During the ten days of mourning, I myself shall keep vigil for my father-brother. After ten days, I shall transmit the art of godhood. " His voice trailed off little by little, and then weeping came: "Father-brother—" Shen Mu looked toward Sovereign Hao in the winding gallery pavilion. Sovereign Hao lay prostrate upon Sovereign Yu's corpse, wailing in anguish. Shen Mu took back his gaze and looked at the Dark Emperor; the Dark Emperor was still gazing at his own hands. Shen Mu closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened them, and his gaze was bright as a flame.

Kai Huang saw his expression and worry showed in his face. At the grand assembly of the heavenly court, many ancient gods were deliberating on affairs of state. The Heavenly Emperor's body was vast; behind his head, layer upon layer of precious light burst forth in ten thousand streams of colored radiance.

Those who could deliberate here were all ancient gods of the loftiest standing; even ancient gods such as the Star Lord of the Great Sun and the Star Lord of the Five Luminaries had no qualification to join in.

Suddenly an ancient god hurried in to report: "Your Majesty, Sovereign Yu of the human race has been murdered and lies dead at the Jade Pool Lodge. Sovereign Hao has submitted a memorial to inform Your Majesty of this matter.

" "Sovereign Yu is dead?

" The Heavenly Emperor was startled.

"Present it.

" The ancient god stepped forward and offered up Sovereign Hao's memorial. The Heavenly Emperor read it through, then closed it: "That Sovereign Yu should have been struck down by evil men—truly a pitiable and lamentable thing. I had great expectations of him. His talent was unmatched in the age, and he knew when to advance and when to retreat; I was still waiting to see him forge a resplendent golden age for me, and never expected him to fall to a treacherous scheme.

Earl Tu. " In the darkness, Earl Tu inclined his body slightly: "Your Majesty. " The Heavenly Emperor said: "Sovereign Yu cannot die just like that.

His soul should by now have gone to the Netherworld Capital, should it not?

Bring his soul here and question it about the circumstances.

" Earl Tu's body sank downward; after a while, he reappeared and shook his head: "Sovereign Yu is not in the Netherworld Capital. " The Heavenly Emperor frowned slightly and said to Lady Tianyin: "Lady Tianyin, Sovereign Yu has most likely become a remnant soul. Has his remnant soul come to rest in your realm? " Lady Tianyin sat at that moment in the shadow of the Heavenly Duke. After a pause, she replied: "Your Majesty, no remnant soul of Sovereign Yu has fallen into the Tianyin Realm.

" The Heavenly Emperor sighed: "In all likelihood his soul has been scattered to the winds.

Heavenly Duke, did you see how Sovereign Yu was killed? " The Heavenly Duke shook his head: "The Mystic Capital keeps watch over all the heavens and all the worlds, but the Jade Pool is the residence of Her Majesty the Empress—my gaze cannot reach there.

" The Heavenly Emperor was silent, then said: "Send down the order: let the two generals, Heaven's Ear and Earth's Eye, investigate this strictly, and they must find the true culprit who murdered Sovereign Yu! " "As Your Majesty commands.

"

A mourning hall was raised for Sovereign Yu, and Sovereign Hao kept vigil for him in person. Practitioners of divine power from every realm came forward one by one to bid farewell to this youth who had founded the Divine Treasury cultivation system.

Shen Mu, Kai Huang, and Old Ox also came to pay their last respects before Sovereign Yu's remains. Seeing that Shen Mu had made no unusual move all along, Kai Huang finally set his heart at ease: "He must have taken my words to heart.

That is best. I was truly afraid he would provoke some calamity that would blot out the heavens.

" Shen Mu glanced at Sovereign Hao. Over these past days, Sovereign Hao had grown much thinner.

The ten days of vigil passed quickly. The two ancient gods of the heavenly court also took some demigods with them and searched far and wide, yet they still found nothing.

Sovereign Yu was buried beside the Heavenly River.

The Heavenly River rolled on, surging unceasingly. At last came the day on which Sovereign Hao was to transmit the teaching. Sovereign Hao was radiant with high spirits.