Chapter 1045 — The Twin Emperors of Xuanwu

The divine artifact, the Heavenly Worthy Regent, was overbearing beyond measure; streams of light flowed before and behind him like drifting ribbons, brilliant in hue.

He held his fingers in the orchid gesture, as though smiling while plucking a flower, one toe touching the ground, the other foot raised and resting upon the knee of the opposite leg. That was why Shen Mu had called him seductive.

Unlike the Heavenly Worthy Regent of the Eastern Pole Heaven, this one was ringed about by continents that floated on every side of him, wreathed in cloud and mist, graced with clear mountains and bright waters, and upon those continents gods and demons dwelt, mustered into armies and drilling day and night. Shen Mu gazed into the distance and saw that the Northern Pole Heaven seemed rather gloomy; oddly enough, it was only on arriving here that he felt a measure of warmth. Among the distant mountains stood a peak like a pillar, and several green vines clambered up it, growing in winding coils, lending it a touch of green.

The God King Langwan looked far off at those few green vines, and a look of surprise came over her face. "Sister, are you also going to see this divine artifact, the Heavenly Worthy Regent?

" Shen Mu asked. The God King Langwan hesitated a moment, then nodded lightly.

"Those green vines must likewise be things from the Ancestral Court.

" The next moment, she vanished from the carriage.

Gazing at the vines from afar, Shen Mu thought, "The things that grow in the Creators' Ancestral Court are truly enormous. " The carriage drove on, heading for the green vines, and after a long while they came before the pillar peak.

Shen Mu looked up, and saw that the vines were in fact gourd vines; their leaves were immense, and they covered the whole mountain.

Some azure gourds hung upon the mountain, their bodies like green jade throughout, each about five or six zhang tall.

The gourds were not many, and women were flying to and fro, threading among the vines — they were there to catch insects. The insects on the gourds were strange and vicious, two or three zhang long, covered in bristles, with sharp fangs and cruel mouths, spitting thunder and fire. When they could not win, they would shake their bodies, and the bristles would shoot out like exceedingly keen steel spears!

The women wove among the vines, striving to catch the insects, yet again and again they met with peril; whenever danger came, they transformed into soaring serpents to evade it, coming and going in a flash, swift beyond compare.

"Could it be that the Five Thunder Pot is the treasure borne by this gourd vine, able to hold the five great cloud-thunders and refine the Fire-Bell divine weapons?

" Shen Mu clicked his tongue in wonder. "To think there are such huge insects in this world! Are these, too, insects from the Ancestral Court?

" Suddenly the mountain peak rumbled and shifted some hundred li, and Shen Mu started in fright; peering closer, he saw that beneath the mountain there was an old turtle. The old turtle's frame was vast beyond measure; he bore a whole continent on his back as he walked, but he walked too slowly, shifting a single step in half a day's time — yet one step carried him some hundred li!

Bearing the mountains of a continent upon his back, he walked through that boundless marsh, panting and gasping, seemingly at great effort. The Heavenly Dragon carriage drew up before the old turtle, and he slowly turned his dragon head, his gaze like two suns fixed upon the carriage.

Shen Mu stepped out of the carriage and made his salute.

"Elder. " The old turtle's dragon head bore snow-white whiskers; he was very aged, even his brows snow-white.

"Heavenly Worthy Mu, pray forgive me for not returning your salute. I beg your pardon.

" His voice rolled like thunder, exceedingly loud. "You know me?

" Shen Mu said in surprise. "Heavenly Worthy Mu of the Heaven Alliance — who does not know him?

" said the old turtle.

"Has Heavenly Worthy Mu come to call upon the Great Emperor Xuanwu? " Shen Mu nodded.

"May I ask where the Northern Emperor Xuanwu is?

" The old turtle laughed.

"In this world there is no Northern Emperor Xuanwu — only Emperor Xuan and Emperor Wu.

Does Heavenly Worthy Mu wish to see Emperor Xuan, or Emperor Wu?

" Shen Mu blinked, his expression strange, and ventured, "The Northern Emperor Xuanwu is two people?

" The old turtle laughed. "The two divinities: one dwells in the Kingdom of Men, called the Xuan Kingdom; the other in the Kingdom of Women, called the Wu Kingdom.

Go to the Xuan Kingdom and you may see Emperor Xuan; go to the Wu Kingdom and you may see Emperor Wu.

Only when the two join as one are they the Great Emperor Xuanwu. " Shen Mu thanked him and asked, "And how should I address you, Elder? " "I dare not accept the title of Elder.

I am the son of Emperor Xuan and Emperor Wu, named Youming, and because I committed a fault I was punished.

" The old turtle said, "My father and mother, the two divinities, punished me to bear this mountain and walk the Northern Pole Heaven, and only when every Five Thunder Pot on the gourd vine has ripened may I be absolved of my crime. And now I have walked for six hundred thousand years.

" Shen Mu was startled. "The things growing on this vine are indeed Five Thunder Pots, but surely these gourds would not need six hundred thousand years to ripen? " The old turtle Youming said, "These gourds bloom once every three thousand years, bear fruit once every three thousand years, and ripen once every three thousand years.

In six hundred thousand years, sixty-six generations of gourds have been harvested, yielding nearly six hundred of them. Yet this gourd vine blooms and fruits, fruits and blooms; the gourds upon the vine never cease, and there is never a time when all of them have ripened.

So to this day I remain a criminal under sentence. " The little azure sparrow that Yan'er had become came hopping out of the carriage, alighted on Shen Mu's shoulder, and cried out, "What crime did you commit, to suffer such punishment? " The old turtle shot her a glance. "I was framed by a wicked man and woman, and so came to this pass. Six hundred thousand years ago, when the Four Emperors parted ways with the Heavenly Court, I was ordered to escort the Xuanwu Heavenly Palace to the Northern Pole Heaven.

On the road I met a youth and a girl who fell into talk with me, saying they knew me, and I could not help but take a liking to them. Yet they broke into the Heavenly Court and stole the treasure my father and mother had refined — the Lapis Azure-Sky Banner.

" He gnashed his teeth. "My father and mother were enraged and sealed me here. But to my hatred, that man and woman vanished without a trace! The Lapis Azure-Sky Banner was refined from rare treasures my parents had gathered since the most ancient times; its power is beyond measure, and yet it vanished. My parents searched long for it as well. If ever I find that filthy pair, I will flay their skin, draw out their sinews, grind their bones to dust, and scatter their ashes!

" Shen Mu sighed again and again, thinking, "The Northern Emperor Xuanwu is just as filthy rich. Truly worthy of beings who have lived from the most ancient times to this day — they hold vast stores of heavenly materials and earthly treasures. No doubt many of the ancient gods are like this. They must have gotten these treasures from the Creators' Ancestral Court. This green vine may well be a sacred thing envisioned into being by the Creators.