Chapter 750 — Storm Clouds over the Immortal Pool

" Yu Tianzun led them through the detached palace to the rear courtyard, walking toward a tower. "Afterward, one divine treasury after another was opened. And when Yun Tianzun opened the Divine Bridge treasury, it all at once became clear to me, and at last I found the road by which all living beings might live long and endure, and be as the gods. " He showed great confidence, and smiled. "Brothers, stay here in Fenghua Tower for now; I still have others to receive. This time, Hao Tianzun will announce the art by which demigods may cultivate, and I too will announce the art by which a human may become a god! " His gaze was fervent, and he laughed aloud: "This time, I will let the living beings born of heaven stand alongside the demigods, even alongside the ancient gods! This is a great and flourishing age, and the coming of you two brothers, and the evolution of your dao arts and divine powers, has shown me an even grander age to come. Brother Yin, let us go! " He rose to leave; Shen Mu and Kai Huang saw him off.

Shen Mu smiled. "Yu Tianzun, you still have not signed your name in my little notebook. " Yu Tianzun laughed heartily, took up a brush, wrote a few seal-script characters in Shen Mu's little notebook, returned the brush to him and said, "I hope you two brothers will not be sparing, but will bring out your own divine arts and methods, and help this flourishing age arrive all the sooner.

" That said, he departed with Yin Tianzi. Shen Mu stood before the gate of Fenghua Tower and looked at the name in the notebook.

Though written in ancient characters, he could read it. Lan Yutian. It must be Yu Tianzun's true name. He stared after them as they walked away, then suddenly said, "Kai Huang, what do you make of this Yu Tianzun?

" Kai Huang's face was grave. He said in a low voice, "If he and I had been born in the same age, I would not have dared contend with him for the world; I would have faced north and served him. " Shen Mu was taken aback.

"Is your confidence so small? " Kai Huang said solemnly, "In breadth of mind, in spirit, in ability, in conduct, in dealing with affairs, Yu Tianzun surpasses me by a measure. To be his subject would be my own willing choice. " Shen Mu pondered a while, and had to admit that Yu Tianzun's force of character was indeed rare in any age.

Among the people he had met there were many of startling talent, many of great breadth of mind and great spirit, and some who were skilled in affairs and in dealing with others; but a man as perfect as Yu Tianzun there was none. "And what of Hao Tianzun?

" he asked. Kai Huang's face lit with spirit, and he smiled. "I have met Hao Tianzun but once, yet one can see the man is obstinate and self-willed. If I met Hao Tianzun, I would stand against him as an equal, seize the momentum of the world, gather the hearts of the people, and it is still uncertain whose hand the deer would fall to.

" Shen Mu suddenly laughed. "And if you met me?

" Kai Huang glared at him and for a long while said nothing.

Shen Mu wore a look of expectation, staring at him all the while.

Kai Huang coughed. "You.

. .

you have too many flaws of character; you seem to leak from every pore, wind whistling out on all sides.

. .

" Shen Mu's face went black as coal, and he scowled.

Kai Huang laughed. "Don't be angry, don't be angry. If you and I lived in the same age, I do not think we would be rivals, but friends.

Your temper is perverse enough, always setting yourself against me, yet I do not feel you bear me any real malice; rather there is a kind of, a kind of.

. . " His face turned strange.

"Frustration that I will not strive, perhaps.

" Shen Mu was struck dumb.

Kai Huang went on, "Your gifts and your talents are not inferior to mine, but you have not yet settled, not yet drawn inward and become true wisdom.

That is where you fall short of me. Perhaps in the future you will do better than I, but you have not done it yet.

" Shen Mu nodded lightly, looking at him with a complex expression, and said silently in his heart, "In truth, you have always been the one I study.

I want to be like you, and yet not entirely like you. " "Let us go in. " Kai Huang said, "Ling Tianzun is waiting for us. " Shen Mu gathered his thoughts and went into the tower with him.

Ling Tianzun was elated beyond measure.

She laughed.

"At last I am free of those vexing affairs and can settle down to my research. What I hate most is this sort of socializing. If Yu Tianzun had not invited me, I would not have bothered to come! Let us begin quickly!

" Shen Mu smiled. "Sister Ling, this time you will lead, and we two can only assist. Where you do not understand, where you cannot deduce, we will solve it.

Of other things I dare not boast, but in the divine art of Creation and in miscellaneous learning the two of us are strong, at the very least stronger than anyone in this world!

" Kai Huang hesitated, then at last made up his mind.

"Mu Qing's tone is a little large, but it is as he says: in the universe, through the hundred thousand years before and after, even longer, there are no men more learned than the two of us.

Ling Tianzun, you sort out the thinking, and we will help you perfect it. " Ling Tianzun was overjoyed. The three of them set to work at once.

What Ling Tianzun wished to open was a divine art that would fix matter in eternal stillness; she had already found the direction and taken her first step into it, but the learning involved was far too much and too various, and the divine art of Creation was only one part of it. Fortunately, Shen Mu and Kai Huang were both widely and variously learned, and their mastery of the arts of number was rare in the world. One problem after another of Ling Tianzun's was solved by them. In this research they were unaware of the turning of sun and moon; imperceptibly half a month passed.

Old Niu was of a patient nature and could sit still. He sat before the tower, drinking tea and smoking his water pipe, only now and then feeling a little stifled, and thinking, "This Empress's detached palace is truly shabby. Why are there not a few rice fields about? Some days without plowing and my old bones grow slack.

.

. " More and more wielders of divine powers came to the assembly. In the last two days, many were sitting on the ground even near Fenghua Tower, and when tired they slept soundly under the trees. Old Niu blew a few smoke rings and watched at his leisure those who were debating dao arts and divine powers, and to the Jade Pool came many demigods too, some still flying in the sky, not descending to earth.

Just then a great clamor arose. Countless people ran about spreading the word, crying, "The Seven Tianzuns are about to begin their lecture!

" "I hear Yu Tianzun will speak this time on the method of becoming a god! Hurry to the main hall of the detached palace! " "Go early and seize a good seat! Go late, and you will be drinking the northwest wind outside the hall! " An uproar spread all around, and a sea of people surged toward the front hall.

Old Niu rose hastily, thinking, "This grand occasion, I must go tell Kai Huang and Shen Mu. They have been looking forward to it a long while.

. . " Scarcely had the thought formed when suddenly another clamor came, like mountains collapsing and earth splitting, and numberless people screamed with all their heart and lungs.

The noise was too great; Old Niu could not make out what they were shouting. "These fellows are far too noisy.

The people of ancient times are all ignorant folk as well.

" Old Niu shook his head and walked on into the tower, and only then did the shouting grow clear.

Outside, someone was wailing bitterly. "Yu Tianzun is dead! "