荒墟牧神 - 第738章 震盪天闕 - 簡牘書房

He flung the Heavenly River aside and sprang clear, and there he saw an ancient god striding toward him over the river's surface. Behind that ancient god the waves surged, and the vast phantom of the Black Tortoise divine turtle rose up, a soaring serpent coiled about the turtle's body, its sky-swallowing maw agape, its long tongue flickering in and out, its serpent pupils standing vertical, staring at him with a look most sinister and uncanny.

Niu Sanduo was startled, and at last came to his senses — but just then the east filled with blue-green light, and another old man came walking, and behind him in the blue-green radiance a vast azure dragon coiled, immense beyond measure.

"Can these be the Northern Emperor and the Eastern Emperor of the Four Emperors?"

Niu Sanduo blinked his ox eyes, clenched his fists, and grew excited. "Are the Eastern Emperor and Northern Emperor of this age fiercer than those of later times? A fight will settle it! Old Ox does not fear them!"

Just then a voice came, high and distant as though it rode above the nine heavens. "Xuanwu, Azure Dragon, there is no need to bully him. This young fellow cultivator has cultivated a whole body of skills; it must be that We have never heard his name, and so he was not invited to feast at this Heavenly Court Grand Gathering. His heart is unconvinced, and so he makes a commotion."

The Northern Emperor bowed and said, "Your Majesty, he has come to disrupt the Heavenly Court Grand Gathering. If he is not killed, where is the majesty of the Heavenly Court? Your servant holds that he must be beheaded to establish our authority and warn others!"

Niu Sanduo was badly shaken. "The Heavenly Emperor? Was it the Heavenly Emperor who just spoke? If he means to kill me, how am I to escape?"

The voice laughed. "Does the Heavenly Court of today need to establish its authority? Under all heaven, do We still have enemies? You ox — with your abilities, you are fit to be enfeoffed as lord of a heavenly palace. But you have made a great commotion, and that is a crime, and must be punished. After the Heavenly Court Grand Gathering, come to the palace and serve as Our Golden Guard Commandant before Our throne."

Niu Sanduo hastily bowed, and saw a ray of light descend from the sky into the old ox's hand: a general's tally of command.

Niu Sanduo scratched his head and hung the Golden Guard Commandant's tally on his person.

"Consider yourself lucky." The Northern Emperor withdrew, and the Heavenly River returned to stillness.

The old man who had come from the east likewise faded and vanished.

Niu Sanduo hastily dispersed his martial battle body, shrank back to the size of an ordinary man, and returned to the Jade Pool. To Shen Mu he said, "The Heavenly Emperor of this Heavenly Court saw my whole body of skills and made me Golden Guard Commandant. He did not kill me."

Shen Mu shook his head. "After the commotion you made, sending you to the God-Slaying Platform to have your head cut off would have been lenient! I had thought you were mature; I never expected you to be worse than Shen Kai!"

Kaihuang gave a muffled snort and looked at the sky, the very picture of unruffled calm.

Old Ox said, "If you two had not run wild, would I have lost my temper? Settle down, all of you. The less trouble for everyone, the better — let us get through these few months safe and sound."

Shen Mu noticed the tally hanging at his waist and felt a stir in his heart. "Let me have a look at that tally of yours."

Old Ox took down the tally and handed it to him. Shen Mu, stirred again, was just about to rummage in his Taotie Pouch when he saw a young man come over wreathed in smiles and say to Ling Tianzun, "Ling Tianzun, who are these three senior brothers?"

"I do not know either."

Only then did Ling Tianzun come to her senses, and she said to Shen Mu, "What are your names?"