Chapter 1136 — The Heavenly Venerable's Legacy Manuscripts

West Heaven.

At the Yunluo Heavenly Palace, a radiance descended upon the Spirit-Energy Transposition Bridge and transformed into the Celestial Dragon Treasure Carriage. Shen Mu stepped out and surveyed his surroundings.

The Yunluo Heavenly Palace lay in utter ruin, with collapsed halls everywhere. Even the divine metals and sacred materials used in some of the palaces had been stripped away, leaving behind nothing but broken walls and rubble. It looked as though the place had been looted, every item of value scraped clean until not even a single roof tile remained. Now, only a handful of gods and men remained to guard the Yunluo Heavenly Palace.

They were all white-haired, sallow-faced, and clad in rags. Seeing Shen Mu's carriage from afar, they craned their necks and peered at it nervously, afraid to approach.

Yan'er flew over. The few gods and men turned and fled in panic, but in the next instant Yan'er caught them and slammed them onto the ground. "Spare us, High God!

" the gods and men begged, knocking their heads against the floor. Shen Mu frowned slightly.

"How did the Yunluo Heavenly Palace come to this?

" "High God, you may not know this, but after the previous Yunluo Emperor met with disaster, the Heavenly Court never sent another Yunluo Emperor to take charge here.

Bandits from the Three Pillar Heavens and the Nine Provinces ran rampant, storming the Yunluo Heavenly Palace and looting it countless times. " One god, his clothes in tatters, burst into tears as he complained, "There used to be many brothers stationed here, but they were all captured and made slaves. Only the old, weak, sick, and crippled among us were left behind. A few days ago, another gang of thieves came to plunder the place.

When they could find nothing else worth taking, they bled several of us old brothers and drained all our divine blood, claiming they needed it to refine treasures. . . " Shen Mu was stunned. "Why did you not report this to the Heavenly Court? " "We did not dare.

" The old gods broke down sobbing.

"Those demon kings said that if anyone dared report to the Heavenly Court, they would kill us and use our corpses to wash down their wine!

" Shen Mu did not know whether to laugh or cry. Standing above the Yunluo Heavenly Palace, he looked in every direction.

The palace stood between the First, Second, and Third Pillar Heavens of the West and the Nine Provinces, on high ground from which the Nine Provinces and the Three Pillar Heavens could be seen at a glance. The so-called First Pillar Heaven and Second Pillar Heaven referred to the Pillar Heavens. Pillar Heavens were worlds shaped like pillars. From far away, Shen Mu could see three such worlds suspended above the Nine Provinces, clusters of stars gathered within them, celestial pillar worlds formed from the stars themselves.

The Nine Provinces of West Heaven were Southeast Shenzhou, called Morning Earth; South-Central Angzhou, called Deep Earth; Southwest Rongzhou, called Roiling Earth; West-Central Yanzhou, called Open Earth; Central Jizhou, called White Earth; Northwest Zhuzhou, called Fertile Earth; Northern Xuanzhou, called Accomplished Earth; Northeast Xianzhou, called Hidden Earth; and Eastern Yangzhou, called Trusting Earth.

Each of the Nine Provinces was home to an ancient god, and ancient gods also dwelled in each of the Three Pillar Heavens. They were known as the Three Pillar Gods. The Yunluo Heavenly Palace had been built between the Three Pillar Heavens and the Nine Provinces.

During the middle and latter periods of the Dragon Han Era, the Heavenly Court ascended and departed the Primordial Realm. Dragon Han split apart, and the Celestial Star Lords and the Four Ancient God Emperors each left the Primordial Realm and the Heavenly Court, migrating to various places throughout the universe. The Four Cardinal Heavens were the domains of the Four Ancient God Emperors, while West Heaven, East Heaven, South Heaven, and North Heaven were ruled by the White Emperor, Azure Emperor, Vermilion Emperor, and Black Emperor. These four emperors were known as the Four Colored Great Emperors, their names distinguished by color. Unlike the Four Ancient God Emperors, they had risen from postcelestial lifeforms or demigods through cultivation.

The Four Emperors wielded power vast enough to shake the heavens, and each commanded four great heavenly palaces. The Yunluo Heavenly Palace was one of the four great heavenly palaces of West Heaven, a feudal lord under the White Emperor.

From the Dragon Han Era to the present, wars had raged without end.

The Four Colored Great Emperors had been replaced again and again, and whenever one died in battle, the Celestial Emperor would promote a powerhouse seated upon an Imperial Throne to take his place. The sole exception was the Black Emperor Yin Chaojin. Also called the Yin Son of Heaven, Yin Chaojin had remained firmly upon the throne of the Black Emperor, ruling North Heaven and founding the Nether Capital.

The territory guarded by the Yunluo Heavenly Palace was one part of West Heaven. Together with three other great heavenly domains, it made up what was known collectively as West Heaven. "For Eldest Senior Brother to hold twelve ancient gods in check by himself is truly remarkable.

" Shen Mu looked down upon the worlds of the Nine Provinces. The provinces were joined together, inhabited by many demigod races and postcelestial lifeforms.

Gazing into the distance, he saw killing intent soaring into the heavens and blood-light blazing into the sky. Battles raged throughout the Nine Provinces, with war breaking out everywhere. From here, he could see the ripples created by terrifying divine abilities, mushroom clouds rising slowly one after another amid dazzling divine radiance.

"The Nine Provinces and the Three Pillar Heavens all have ancient gods guarding them. Why is there still such chaos?

" Shen Mu asked. A white-haired god shook his head.

"The twelve ancient gods stationed here never concern themselves with worldly affairs. Why would they care about any of this?

When the villains below go to war, they even use flesh and blood to sacrifice to them.

Then the ancient gods descend and slaughter everyone in sight. " Shen Mu's brows drew together. "What became of the Yunluo Emperor's disciples? " "After the Yunluo Emperor was captured, they fled.

Most likely they have gone below to become monsters and fiends. I suspect some of those who looted the Yunluo Palace were them.

" An old god said, "Some people from the Heavenly Court came not long ago, also searching for them. They found nothing here, so they went below to continue the search.

They have yet to return. " Shen Mu waved a hand, dismissing them. Unable to bear the sight, Yan'er gave the gods some spirit pills to fill their stomachs. The few gods thanked her profusely and hurriedly ate.

Tears streamed down their faces.

"It has been so long since we tasted anything this delicious. For the past few years, we survived by chewing the bark and leaves of the palace trees.

Not long ago, those damned thieves came up here and carried away even the divine tree. After that, there was not even any bark left to eat. .

. " At the sorrowful remembrance, the old gods embraced one another and wept bitterly.

Shen Mu took out Wei Suifeng's geographical chart and compared it with the layout of the Yunluo Palace. When he found the spot marked on the map, he saw only a field of rubble, empty of all else. Shen Mu frowned slightly. With a sweep of his hand, the rubble floated into the air and assembled itself into a great hall before descending slowly to the ground.

Shen Mu entered the hall and scanned the interior.

A fragmentary star chart covered the ceiling. He went beneath it and examined it closely. The chart was incomplete, making it difficult to discern what the whole had once looked like.

Shen Mu pondered for a moment. His primordial qi surged forth, transforming into stars that completed the chart.