Chapter 757 — Emperor of the Southern Domain

Although Kai Huang was the ancient ancestor, Shen Mu had truly come to know him only in these last few days, and a few days were enough to show what kind of man Kai Huang was. Even for someone he had known a little over a month, even for someone who had been opposing him all along, he would risk his own life to plead for him—let alone for a subordinate who had followed him for twenty thousand years, let alone for the common people.

A man like this would not hide in the Sorrowless Realm and let joy wipe away all care. It was simply his nature. There was no reason, no statecraft, no self-interest in it—only the man's own character.

It was precisely because he had such a nature that Kai Huang earned the devotion of others.

That personal charisma was why he had become Kai Huang.

"If you had not hidden in the Sorrowless Realm, then you. .

.

" Shen Mu fell silent.

He was healing himself with the Art of Creation; the pressure of that ancient goddess's projection had wounded him after all.

Crude as the divine arts and techniques of this age were, when the difference in strength was too vast, no divine art could make it up. The demigods in the Jade Lake surged toward them in tremendous numbers. Kai Huang frowned—there were simply too many of them. He was holding the wounded Shen Mu; for Shen Mu to preserve his own life was already more than enough, and it truly left Kai Huang without a free hand to fight these demigods.

"Just carry me on your back," Shen Mu said with fading strength. Kai Huang carried him on his back.

Shen Mu's hands had already recovered, and he clasped them around Kai Huang's shoulders; now Kai Huang could free his hands. His divine arts were cast with extraordinary speed; between one fold of his hands and the next, countless tiny divine arts shot out.

To his eyes, these demigods were full of openings from head to foot, and wherever there was an opening, they could be killed.

Yet the demigods surged in ever greater numbers—in the sky, beneath the sea, on the surface of the sea, before and behind, left and right, they filled every direction. Kai Huang had never cultivated the art of Three Heads and Six Arms, and against such a scene he was hard pressed. "Lend me your sword!

" Cold sweat stood out on Kai Huang's forehead, his advance was growing harder, and the words burst out suddenly. Shen Mu had already replaced most of the broken bones in his body and was growing new bone.

He immediately asked, "How many swords will you use? " "One is enough!

" At a faint stir of Shen Mu's thought, the Sorrowless Sword flew out of the Taotie bag and landed in Kai Huang's hand.

Kai Huang took the sword and was briefly startled, then praised, "This sword of yours is remarkable. In my hand it feels as if it had grown on my body—the sense of walking with a sword that obeys one's will.

A fine sword, a fine sword! One day I will forge a divine sword like this too!

" He walked on, sword in hand, and the Sorrowless Sword gave a clear, ringing cry in his grasp—the blade seemed to exult, to tremble, to weep.

Even Shen Mu had never brought out the might and power of the Sorrowless Sword, yet now, in Kai Huang's hand, its power was erupting stronger and stronger!

Kai Huang's swordwork was extremely profound; he, too, was a man who had entered the dao through the sword. The Sorrowless Sword's power soared madly, and sword-light slashed across the air like light, like lightning. In an instant, the sky above the Jade Lake seemed to turn to black night, while the crisscrossing beams were like white blades tearing the darkness apart! In the sky, in the sea, on the waves, blood bloomed like bright red flowers, again and again.

With one sword in hand, Kai Huang was strangely unstoppable! Shen Mu watched, almost spellbound.

The Sorrowless Sword had originally been Kai Huang's sword. In Shen Mu's own hand it could only kill by sharpness, but in Kai Huang's hand it seemed to have awakened, and with that sword in hand, Kai Huang was radiantly magnificent!

Suddenly, an earth-shaking crash rang out. Shen Mu turned his head and saw Niu Sanduo smash the ancient goddess's projection to fragments! The old ox leaped into the air; the next instant he landed before Kai Huang and let out a great roar, like the peal of a bronze bell. The sea churned, and the ancient gods, blown by the hurricane that roar had raised, could not hold their footing and tumbled away in every direction. The old ox shrank down, his face urgent, and said in a low voice, "We have stirred up a monstrous mess!

Those ancient gods are already flying over—I cannot hold them, I surely cannot hold them!

" Shen Mu expelled a mouthful of turbid breath and said, "There is still a way out.

Do not move, either of you; I will cast the spell.

" The two stood motionless. Shen Mu's upper body had already healed, and he immediately drove his vital essence. Countless runes flew around the three, interweaving and spinning faster and faster.

And in the distance, from one heavenly palace to another, ancient deities were hurrying over. The Great Sun Star Lord flew fastest, wings beating, and called from afar, "You again!

Niu Ben, General of the Golden Guard! Earlier you stirred up trouble and stormed the Heavenly Court; His Majesty gave you an office, and still you were not satisfied! Now watch how you settle this! The God-Slaying Platform has not yet wet its blade with blood—come take a turn on it!

" He shot forward like a fleeting shadow, three sharp talons reaching downward; firelight flooded the sky. But just then, light blazed—a teleportation divine art erupted, and Shen Mu, Kai Huang, and Niu Sanduo vanished without a trace. The Great Sun Star Lord's three claws closed on empty air.

Swiftly he beat his wings up from the sea, his pinions covering a hundred li of sky above the waves, while twin beams of white light shot from his eyes, sweeping around to search for Shen Mu and the others. Another host of ancient gods came killing, calling out, "Star Lord, where have those rebels and villains gone?

" "Those three have some secret art—they fled for no known reason! " The Great Sun Star Lord said, "Let the star gods and star lords of all the heavens cast down heaven-and-earth nets over the Jade Lake, so they have nowhere to flee! " The sky, which before had shown no stars, now suddenly glittered with brilliant stars.

Countless stars grew larger and larger until they formed a River of Heaven. Within the River, stars blazed, and one after another, the star gods and star lords exerted their arts; light rained down from above, crisscrossing and sealing the Jade Lake shut.

On those stars, majestic ancient gods craned their ancient, lofty heads forward, sending down streams of gaze to search everywhere. They searched for a long time without finding anything, and the Great Sun Star Lord was at a loss. "Where are Heaven-Hearing and Earth-Seeing? Those three are outrageously bold and act as they please—wherever they've gone, it cannot be hidden from those two! " After a moment, an ancient god came to report, "The two generals Heaven-Hearing and Earth-Seeing, by His Majesty's order, are pursuing the murderer of Heavenly Lord Yu and have already gone down to the lower realm to search.

" The Great Sun Star Lord's eyes bulged. "Gone down to the lower realm? Those two aren't searching for the murderer in the Jade Lake—what are they doing in the lower world?

What expert in the lower world could assassinate Heavenly Lord Yu? Apart from demigods, who could have such ability—unless it is a demigod. .

. " He stopped abruptly, coughed twice, and said, "Niu Ben, General of the Golden Guard, has twice ransacked the Jade Lake and even tried to murder Heavenly Lord Hao.

I must report this to the Heavenly Emperor!

I will go ahead to the Lingxiao Hall; you wait here and continue the search—you must dig that fellow out! " He hurried off.