Chapter 752 — The Departed Return to Life

He first taught the art by which demigods transform into human form. He was indeed a genius endowed by heaven; he had solved the difficult problem of demigods being unable to cultivate, and drew wave after wave of cheers. Kai Huang had originally intended to go to the side palace to listen, and to bear witness to this grand occasion that would influence countless years to come. But Shen Mu, Old Ox, and Sovereign Ling all remained in Fenghua Tower.

He hesitated a moment, then said to Old Ox: "You must keep a close watch on him.

Do not let him run wild again. If he runs wild, Sovereign Hao will pin the murder of Sovereign Yu on his head!

" Old Ox nodded: "I understand.

" Only then did Kai Huang leave.

Shen Mu glanced at Sovereign Ling, who sat staring blankly into space. He took out his Taotie pouch and emptied its contents, took out the red Buddha-essence chrome, and hammered away—clang, clang, clang. In short order he had forged a coffin made entirely of the red Buddha-essence chrome. Sovereign Ling watched him in a daze.

Shen Mu stuffed the coffin into the Taotie pouch and packed things away quickly. He glanced at the young girl; Sovereign Ling was still staring blankly at him, her eyes lifeless. "Senior Brother, I'm going out for a while. I'll be back soon," Shen Mu said with a smile. Old Ox said warily: "What are you going to do? Don't act rashly.

" Shen Mu shook his head: "Don't worry.

I won't act rashly.

" Old Ox said: "I'm going with you! " Shen Mu walked straight out. Old Ox was astonished, for Shen Mu did not head toward the main hall of the side palace; instead, he left the Jade Pool. "Was he not going to do away with Sovereign Hao?

" Shen Mu came to the bank of the Heavenly River and found Sovereign Yu's tomb. Old Ox grew even more puzzled. Shen Mu had already paid his respects to Sovereign Yu; why had he come back to this place?

Shen Mu walked toward Sovereign Yu's tomb.

His five fingers turned heavenward, and he raised his palm lightly.

The stone blocks of the tomb clanged and loosened, and parted to the sides.

Ding.

One by one, the coffin nails came loose and flew up in succession; then the coffin lid floated away. Sovereign Yu's body lay within the coffin, and then slowly drifted upward.

Shen Mu circled Sovereign Yu's corpse at great speed, striking Seal of Creation after Seal of Creation upon every part of his body.

From within Sovereign Yu's body came crack after crack, snapping sounds—broken bones rejoined. The fractured bones within his body actually spliced together one by one; broken bone grew, and not only that, his shattered heart was rebuilding itself from flesh and blood!

In no time, no wound could be found anywhere on his body. This was the Art of Creation!

In mastery of the Way of Creation, Shen Mu was enough to stand alone above all the ages, ancient and modern!

Finally, Shen Mu's hand formed a mudra and rested it gently over the hollow of Sovereign Yu's heart.

The force of his palm poured out; Sovereign Yu's cold, stiff body gave a sudden jolt, and the blood that had ceased to flow abruptly began to move through his veins.

Then Old Ox heard a heartbeat from within Sovereign Yu's body. Then a second. Then a third.

A look of utter disbelief came over Old Ox's face; he looked at Shen Mu, then at Sovereign Yu, his mind in a muddle. Shen Mu opened the Taotie pouch, took out the coffin he had just forged, and the coffin lid opened.

Sovereign Yu drifted gently into the coffin.

The lid closed again, and the coffin flew into the Taotie pouch.

Shen Mu turned and walked back toward the Jade Pool.

Old Ox hurried after him and looked back: behind them, Sovereign Yu's original coffin closed of its own accord; one by one the coffin nails slotted back into their original positions; block by block the stones reassembled and returned to their places.

The tomb was restored to its former appearance, with not the slightest trace of anything amiss. Niu Sanduo hesitated a moment, then could not hold back: "Junior Brother, even if you bring Sovereign Yu's corpse back to life, it is useless.

He is dead after all—his soul has long since scattered to the winds.

" Shen Mu did not reply; he simply walked on.

He returned to Fenghua Tower in the Jade Pool Lodge. Entering the tower, he smiled at Sovereign Ling, who was still staring blankly into space: "Sister Ling, keep this coffin safe.

" He took out Sovereign Yu's coffin and set it before Sovereign Ling. Sovereign Ling's lifeless eyes stirred slightly and came to rest upon the coffin.

"When you next see Sovereign You, give him the coffin and ask him to hide it in the Netherworld Capital.

Tell him that one day a man named Mu will come seeking him. " Shen Mu's expression was gentle, and he said softly: "Mu will say to him, 'I understand. I have come back. ' Then he may take out this coffin.

Sister Ling, I am leaving now.

" He rose and walked out of the tower. Sovereign Ling stood up, her voice hoarse: "Where are you going? " Shen Mu stopped, turned back, and smiled, bright as sunlight: "To accomplish what I ought to accomplish.

Sister, we shall meet again in the future!

" He strode out of the tower and looked up at the sky; above his head the sunlight blazed in splendor. "A decree of the Heavenly Emperor! Mu Qing and Shen Kai, profound in the Dao, possessed of the talent to order heaven and earth and the ability to support the state—by imperial command: Mu Qing shall be titled Sovereign Mu, and Shen Kai shall be titled Sovereign Shen!

" In the main hall of the side palace at the Jade Pool Lodge, Sovereign Hao recited the decree of the Heavenly Emperor, then smiled: "Congratulations, Brother Shen, Brother Mu!

Now there are Nine Sovereigns.

It is a pity. . .

" His face clouded over; clearly he was thinking of Sovereign Yu, who had perished body and Dao together, and he was desolate with grief: "It is a pity that father-brother cannot see this sight. . .

Brother Mu?

Sovereign Mu?

Sovereign Shen, where is Sovereign Mu? " Kai Huang said: "He is in Fenghua Tower.

He did not come.

" Sovereign Hao smiled: "Congratulations, Sovereign Shen! From now on, Brother Shen and Brother Mu are both Sovereigns. Now, let me speak on the art of becoming a god founded by my father-brother, Sovereign Yu!

" At that very moment, his eyes stared fixedly at the doorway of the hall, his mouth agape, and he could not utter a word. Everyone was waiting for him to speak; when they saw this, they turned around one after another, and the hall fell into utter silence.

There, before the main hall of the side palace, stood "Sovereign Yu," motionless, gazing across the space at Sovereign Hao. After a moment, "Sovereign Yu" took a step and walked straight toward Sovereign Hao, saying calmly: "Sovereign Hao, the art of becoming a god that I founded—let me teach it myself! " Kai Huang's mind thundered.

He stared in a daze at this "Sovereign Yu" as he passed by his side, his heart in a tangle: "He cannot be alive.

He cannot still be alive. . .

Niu Ben! " He looked out of the hall.

Outside the hall, Old Ox stood there helplessly, thinking: "Forgive me, Kai Huang.

I could not stop him. He has a temper as stubborn as an ox.

. . "