Chapter 825 — An Old Hand of the Jianghu

" The Village Head was startled and blurted out: "A beauty like that — made by human hands? " Shen Mu halted and looked at the woman in the coffin, whose beauty beggared all description: "It is not impossible to create a woman of peerless beauty.

That would require the art of creation to reach an exceedingly high attainment, to create such a woman.

But the art of creation cannot create a wholly new soul. Therefore, Jue Wuchen has no soul. " The Village Head looked at the woman in the coffin, and suddenly a stone fell from his heart. Just now that woman had disturbed his Dao heart, but now, looking at her again, he was no longer affected.

"Shen'er, you mean someone created such a beauty to lure the Heavenly Emperor down into the world to be reborn, and then did away with him. " The Village Head said: "But the Heavenly Emperor — what a being he was!

Would he not see that this beauty had no soul within her? " Shen Mu pondered: "That would require someone to send their primal spirit out of the body, enter Jue Wuchen's body, and become Jue Wuchen.

" The Village Head thought it over: "And that person would need to know the Heavenly Emperor exceedingly well, to cater to his tastes, to keep the Heavenly Emperor from growing suspicious, to keep him from ever suspecting it was him. So the one hidden in Jue Wuchen's body must have been someone close to the Heavenly Emperor.

" The two exchanged a look. The Village Head said suddenly: "Shen'er, try summoning the Empress's soul.

I have just had a thought. " Shen Mu understood at once what his thought was, but did not say it aloud; instead he did as he was told and once more roused the Soul-Pulling Art, attempting to summon Her Majesty the Empress's soul. "If my guess is right, then summoning the Empress's soul will surely be perilous.

I will guard you!

" The Village Head drew his sword and closed his eyes. His aura burst forth; the sword in his hand grew brighter and brighter, like a startled dragon that might at any moment take flight!

He drove his Dao of the Sword to its utmost! From Shen Mu's mouth came the divine tongue of Youdu; behind him the Heaven-Bearing Gate opened, thick with demonic aura.

After a moment he at last sensed Her Majesty the Empress's soul! It was a whole soul!

Her Majesty the Empress's soul was wholly undamaged, all three souls present, incomparably powerful; to Shen Mu it felt like a towering deity standing aloof beyond the nine heavens! At the very moment Shen Mu sensed Her Majesty the Empress, she sensed him as well.

Her phoenix eyes opened and looked at him across measureless space.

Before Shen Mu's eyes all suddenly went dark, as though he had plunged into a bottomless abyss; his soul twisted, as if it would leave his body and fall forever!

Zheng — The Village Head's sword flew up, its light piercing and bright, slashing at the void; in an instant the dazzling sword light severed the bond between Shen Mu and the Empress.

After the sword light fell, the Village Head's body convulsed, and blood gushed from his eyes, ears, mouth and nose.

Light blazed before Shen Mu's eyes, and at once his primal spirit returned to its place and back into his flesh; he was drenched in sweat, his hands and feet trembling. "Alive!

The Empress is still alive! " Like a drowning man breaking the surface, he gulped the air greedily and said in a hoarse voice: "The Empress is not dead!

" The Village Head's hand still trembled on the divine sword; the blade hummed and quivered, and suddenly, with a crack, his divine sword burst apart and shattered into countless motes of dust! The Village Head opened his hand; the hilt too had become dust and slipped from his palm.

"An old hand of the jianghu — an old hand!

" The Village Head spat a mouthful of blood, his breath faint and listless; his body went limp and he slumped down, chuckling: "This Empress is truly an old hand of the jianghu! Shen'er, when you left the village I told you the jianghu was treacherous — do you see it now? " Shen Mu at once healed his wounds and said gravely: "Shen'er understands.

" The Dragon-Rearing Lord was utterly baffled and still had not caught on; he said hurriedly: "Is Her Majesty the Empress not dead? How is she alive?

And how is she an old hand of the jianghu?

" Shen Mu and the Village Head did not answer. On the Shenzi Continent, the Lord of Heaven, the Earth Count, the Crimson Emperor and the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha were all struck dumb, speechless for a long while.

The big-headed child Shen Fengqing suddenly pounced like a cat, smashed the Lava Earth Count to pieces, snatched the Life-Slaying Cauldron and ran. The chunks of lava recovered of themselves; the Earth Count's body was as before, yet he did not chase after to seize back the Life-Slaying Cauldron, but remained staring blankly.

"An old hand of the jianghu.

" He sighed: "Truly an old hand.

So the Empress is Jue Wuchen! "