On the altar, Heavenly Venerable Hao spoke haltingly, full of errors and omissions, but the general framework had been laid out: the Celestial Palace was but one palace of the heavenly court; within the heavenly court there were thirty-six Celestial Palaces; and the realm beyond the Imperial Throne was the forging of the heavenly court, the opening of the thirty-six Celestial Palaces! Upon reaching the heavenly court realm, for a divine-power practitioner, there would be an immense elevation and leap—a qualitative leap!

Yet regarding this heavenly court realm, in later ages there was not the slightest trace of information. Clearly it had been lost.

When Heavenly Venerable Hao finished, he said with embarrassment: "My lords, it is not that I deliberately speak unclearly, but that the father and elder brother told me he himself had not yet opened up the heavenly court realm. Father and elder brother, is that not so?

"

Shen Mu rose to his feet, his face as placid as an ancient well, calm to a frightening degree: "Correct. The heavenly court realm is vast and profound. Even unto death, I had not comprehended it.

"

Cold sweat broke out on Heavenly Venerable Hao's forehead. He quietly stepped back and laughed: "Has the father and elder brother not come back to life? The phrase 'unto death' is somewhat too severe.

My mother has always admired you. She would surely be delighted to see you alive. "

The hidden meaning of his words was to urge the Heavenly Venerable Yu not to make a scene of this matter, and also to point out the existence behind him. Yet he had no idea that Shen Mu did not care about this.

The Heavenly Venerable Yu, for the sake of the greater situation, might have cared—but Shen Mu was not the Heavenly Venerable Yu! Even Kaihuang could not make Shen Mu change his mind, let alone Heavenly Venerable Hao's mother.

At that very moment, an ancient god suddenly flew over, crying loudly: "The name of the heavenly court has been decided!

His Majesty, together with the Heavenly Lord, the Earth Lord, and other existences, have determined the name of the heavenly court!

"

The great hall of the side palace erupted in uproar.

The crowd surged outward, and the ancient god's voice passed overhead, flying into the distance: "The heavenly court's name is Longhan! This year is the first year of Longhan! "

Kaihuang and Old Niu were deeply shaken.

The Longhan era—had it finally begun? "The three divisions of the Empyrean, Longhan—does it begin now? "

Shen Mu stood dazed. The child in the Crimson Radiance Suspended Realm had chanted that nursery rhyme: three divisions of the Empyrean, Longhan; Crimson Radiance splits in two.

Today, the Longhan era had formally begun!

A strange feeling rose in his heart.

What is history? This is history.

He now stood within history, become a silhouette of the age.

And within this silhouette, in the magnificent and vast heavenly court, everywhere were jubilant people.

Ancient gods of towering stature stood aloft, gazing down with smiles at the celebrating crowds below.

Demigods danced in the air; dragons and phoenixes brought auspiciousness.

By the Heavenly River, people ran about spreading the news. In painted pleasure boats, lovers leaned against each other, lifting their heads to watch the dazzling divine powers in the sky—divine powers unleashed by the excited people, adding stroke after stroke of color to the heavenly court. This silhouette of history presented the opening of a glorious golden age.

Yet in this moment, few remembered the Heavenly Venerable Yu. They were all celebrating—who would think of the one who had truly propelled this era toward its golden age, now lying in a coffin, forever unable to see the golden age about to arrive? "Is there no justice left in this world? "

Amid the splendor, Shen Mu lowered his head and looked at his own hands, then began to laugh—heh heh heh.

"Kaihuang was right.

What is past needs no justice. There is no justice. History does not need me to uphold justice. But.

.

. "

He raised his head, gazing at the sky full of splendor and clamor. His heh-heh-heh laughter became a great laugh, a roaring laugh, unrestrained and wild. "But the Heavenly Venerable Yu needs it!

The Heavenly Venerable Yu needs justice—"

"History does not need justice, but the people within history need this justice—"

His hand seized his own collar and with a rip he tore off the purple robe that belonged to the Heavenly Venerable Yu. The purple robe fluttered in the wind, drifting over the heads of the celebrating crowd.

Shen Mu's chest burned.

He laughed uproariously at the heavens, laughed with ease, laughed until the pent-up fury in his heart found release.

"History will not give them justice. I—I damn well can! I damn well can give them this justice!

"

"I damn well need this justice too—"

He wanted so badly to drink, to hold a jar and drink like Zai Fu, to get dead drunk like Tian Shu with eyes askew and head lolling, to take up a blade and go kill! Though he had not drunk a drop, he was already intoxicated.

He walked toward Heavenly Venerable Hao. Heavenly Venerable Hao pushed through the crowd, trying to avoid him.

Kaihuang and Old Niu were outside as well, witnessing this stirring moment.

Suddenly, a drifting purple robe was caught by the wind, tumbling through the air, flying toward the Jade Pool, falling into the great sea. "The Heavenly Venerable Yu's purple robe!

"

Kaihuang's heart lurched.

He whipped his head around, grabbed Old Niu's hand, and said urgently: "Where is Mu Qing?

Where is Mu Qing? "

Old Niu hurried to search: "He was on the altar just now. They should still be in the great hall, right?

"

"When the ancient god announced the name Longhan, he also walked out of the great hall!

"

Kaihuang dragged Old Niu forward, anxious: "He has taken off his clothes. He means to kill while the crowd is in uproar!

Go, quickly! We must find him before this blows up!

"

Old Niu circulated his mana, and Kaihuang suddenly floated up beyond his control.

The two of them drifted in the air. "Your mana is shallow—let me carry you! "

Old Niu said in a low voice: "Watch the crowd below.

You must find him! "

Kaihuang hurriedly scanned in all directions, searching for Shen Mu's whereabouts.

"A youth in blue robes roams, open and bright—who says he is not a hero!

A spark of noble spirit, a thousand li of swift wind!

"

Shen Mu felt his body growing hotter and hotter, his blood surging and boiling: "How I wish I could be like Grandpa Tu—a swift blade, good wine, heads rolling—like him, who even in the midst of great battle could turn his heroic spirit into poetry.

A pity I lack his literary talent! He was a great writer; his verses gave voice to his heart, and his poetic nature aided his Heavenly Blade—a swift blade beheading pig heads!

I still fall somewhat short. "

He followed Heavenly Venerable Hao to the sea surface of the Jade Pool. Beneath the waves, giant beasts and great turtles swam; enormous fish glided serenely through the air. Those were demigods, descendants of the ancient gods. Heavenly Venerable Hao continued forward, and demigods multiplied around him. Shen Mu continued forward as well. "But my blade is just as swift!

"

"My fist is just as heavy! "

"When I cut down the wicked and the vile, my blade is no slower than Grandpa Tu's!

"