Chapter 1522 — The Intruder Descends
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
One after another the others took their leave. Wei Suifeng hesitated a moment, then pulled Shu Jun along and followed after them. His fighting strength was in no way inferior to Shen Mu's, yet this time, hurrying back from the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court, he had spent far too much of his mana, and still had not fully recovered.
If he stayed here, he would only serve to distract Shen Mu.
"Junior Brother, do not raise your realm to the Jade Capital realm!"
Wei Suifeng turned his head. "The Jade Capital is a trap! To cultivate to the Jade Capital realm is to swell the strength of the master of the Miluo Palace, and hasten his descent!"
Prince Youming did not leave with the rest. His mana was exceedingly deep and mighty; on mana alone, he stood even above Yin Tianzi.
Shen Mu glanced at him and shook his head. "Your Highness, your divine arts are far from mine. Even if your mana could match my own, a single move would be enough for me to defeat you."
With a faint stir of thought he unleashed the divine art of the twenty-third heaven of the Dao Realm, Taiji's Evolution, the March of Yin and Yang, and said, "Do you see it?"
Prince Youming studied it closely, a look of shame on his face; he cupped his hands in salute and turned to go.
Shen Mu dispersed the divine art and said to the Vermilion Bird, the Southern Emperor, who had not yet left: "Sister, your mortal body has not recovered, and you have little fighting strength left. There is no need for you to remain here. Yan'er, take your mother to the Tianyin Realm, and ask the Lady Tianyin to make her a new body."
The Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird hesitated, then said, "Take care of yourself."
Shen Mu's gaze came to rest on Emperor Ming. He raised a hand and brought out another body forged from the branches of the World Tree. "Emperor Ming Jingping, go to Emperor Yanxiu. Emperor Yanxiu will have someone take you to see Emperor Chi. Only his mind remains to him; he can take up residence in this body. After you have seen Emperor Chi, the two of you should also go to the Tianyin Realm. The Lady Tianyin will grant this body life for him."
Emperor Ming frowned. "In those years I was the Heavenly Emperor of the Chiming Era. In this battle, I ought to stand shoulder to shoulder with you..."
Shen Mu shook his head. "I am Lord Mutian. I tell you to go. Will you not go?"
Emperor Ming hesitated, then turned and left.
The Silent Craftsman came over, planted the Lapis Lazuli Azure Heaven Banner before him, and turned to leave.
The Blind Elder looked at the Silent Craftsman, then at Shen Mu, and wavered. Shen Mu smiled. "Rest easy, Blind Grandpa. I will drive your formation to its utmost, and let that prehistoric being understand your power!"
The Blind Elder said in a low voice, "Be careful. If you cannot overcome him, then, then..."
His voice dropped lower still. "Then run! The Lame Old Man taught you that long ago; if you cannot win, run. There is no shame in it. Even if you run, no one has the right to blame you for not laying down your life to protect them. When the sky falls, you cannot always be the one to bear it alone; and if the sky falls, it was not you who made it fall. So long as you live, there is hope..."
He had many more words he wanted to give Shen Mu, but Granny Zhu's voice came drifting from afar, calling him, and the Blind Elder could only hasten after them.
Shen Mu relaxed and watched the setting sun sink.
He planted Tai Yi's staff in the ground, took out a willow leaf, and pressed it to the center of his brow. It was a leaf from Tai Yi's Dao Tree.
He sat down on the ground, his face calm, and faced the riven mountain before him.
The afterglow of the setting sun crept from his chest to his chin, then slowly climbed higher; little by little darkness wrapped his face and drowned his eyes.