Chapter 852 — From This Day, Forever Parted from You

What manner of thing is this? " The Blind Old Man hastily drew back his spear and fled, leaping up to fly from that place, when all at once he tumbled head over heels: his feet were already bound by tendrils, which dragged him down.

Countless tendrils rushed in and bound the Blind Old Man tight. On the other side, Qu He was struck by the earth dragon at the same moment; a thousand arms were bound fast, unable to move, and he cried aloud, "Earth dragon, how dare you run wild!

I am a squad captain of the Heavenly Court's Divine Constabulary—" Before his voice had died away, the tendrils flew and whirled, rolled the two of them up, hung them upside down, and bore them toward the dragon's maw.

The earth dragon opened its great mouth; within, all was darkness, and in the darkness smoke spread and firelight faintly showed. The Blind Old Man and Qu He struggled with all their strength, but the tendrils had already sunk deep into their muscles, coiling about their bones; they could not break free.

Yet at that moment the Blind Old Man saw Shen Mu standing upon the Dragon Qilin's head; the Dragon Qilin was racing on its legs, treading fire-clouds, charging into the earth dragon's great mouth. The Blind Old Man raged, "What are you doing here?

Isn't this just coming to die!

" The Dragon Qilin raced on, chasing them into the earth dragon's great maw, and soon reached the throat, where at last it caught up with the two. Shen Mu ran a few swift steps atop the Dragon Qilin's head, raised his arm, and countless formation-patterns flew out, rushing at the Blind Old Man, and he laughed aloud, "Captain Qu, you are a master of formations; do you know a teleportation divine power?

" Qu He was struggling when he saw those teleportation patterns wrap the Blind Old Man about and light burst forth.

Qu He sneered, "A teleportation divine power won't get you out either!

These tendrils have bored into our bodies and coiled about our bones; your teleportation power cannot cut these tendrils!

" The teleportation light died, and the Blind Old Man was still within the tendrils' grip.

The teleportation power shifted space, yet these tendrils carried the Earth Mother's bloodline, and could not be moved at all. "If I could be teleported away, I would have gone long ago!

" The Blind Old Man raged, "Brat, do you think I have been eating dry rice all these years?

I learned your Heavenly Sage Sect's teleportation divine power long ago; if I could leave, I would have left already!

Go, quickly, don't mind me!

" The tendrils slid them downward, and below was utter darkness, like an abyss!

The Blind Old Man laughed, "Shen'er, go on by yourself.

The old blind man did not raise you to this size for nothing; you are a filial boy, and my life has been worth it.

Go back! " Shen Mu turned a deaf ear, urged the Dragon Qilin on, and suddenly drew the Carefree Sword, springing up from the Dragon Qilin's head, sword-light flashing, chopping at the flood-dragon-like tendrils that bound the Blind Old Man.

The willow leaf at his brow peeled open, and at once rolling dark demonic qi gushed out, raising his cultivation madly; plainly he had forcibly borrowed Shen Fengqing's magic power!

His sword-light flashed, and with a hiss he cut a tendril in two; then the sword-light wheeled and spun at flying speed around the Blind Old Man. Qu He looked upon that sword-light and suddenly understood, and sighed, "So it was you.

The sword marks left upon the Daoist sect's walls were yours after all. You killed the Heavenly Court's envoy, killed the disciple of the Heavenly Court's Zhou Tian Star Constellation Orthodox God; truly your audacity is heaven-high.

.

. " Shen Mu held the sword in his right hand, cutting away the tendrils around the Blind Old Man, and with his left hand struck forward; teleportation patterns burst and drowned the Blind Old Man.

"You are the Divine Son of Youdu, are you not?

" Qu He sighed and said, "The power you drive is the power of Youdu.

No wonder the name Shen Mu struck me as somewhat familiar. There is a file on you in the Heavenly Court's Divine Constabulary; I read it by chance, though I remembered only Shen Fengqing, and the name Shen Mu left little impression.

Qingyun Tian has indeed turned traitor, as I expected, has he not?

" "Lord Qu, you do not betray the name of a divine constable.

" Shen Mu reversed the Carefree Sword and bowed to him in salute, saying, "It is only a pity that I cannot save you. A long farewell to you.

" Behind him the Dragon Qilin came charging at full strength, and just as the dense tendrils were about to coil around Shen Mu it arrived beneath his feet and bore him up.

Countless teleportation patterns whirled with a clatter, light burst forth, and with a swish Shen Mu vanished together with the Dragon Qilin.

Qu He, rolled up in the tendrils and delivered into the darkness of the earth dragon's belly, said faintly, "It is not you and that blind old man whom I admire; what I admire is that young Daoist named Yuchenzi, who brought me here. He is the one ruthless of hand and airtight in his dealings; I die by his scheme, and I am utterly convinced. " His body vanished into the darkness, leaving only a faint sigh: "After I die, when the Heavenly Court sends men again, they will conclude that the Earth Mother struck the blow.

Qingyun Tian will become a canker within the Heavenly Court; a truly formidable figure.

.

.

" Outside the body of the immensely vast earth dragon, light flashed and the Blind Old Man appeared, drenched in blood, with some tendrils still growing madly from his wounds, boring outward, striving to link themselves with the earth dragon's flesh.

Yet at that moment a light flashed, and Shen Mu and the Dragon Qilin abruptly appeared; before they had even steadied themselves Shen Mu was already casting, and once more countless teleportation patterns surfaced and formed a formation in the air. An instant later the three of them had come a hundred li away. In the air, the Water Qilin trod a great river, carrying Yutianzun on its back and racing onward, while Yuchenzi raced at flying speed above them.

Shen Mu pointed, and numberless runes, coiling around the great river, howled and spun forward, and soon swallowed the Water Qilin and Yutianzun. He struck out with a palm, and teleportation runes, like yellow talismans dancing across the sky, drowned the fleeing Yuchenzi.

The earth dragon lifted its sharp claws and reached for them. Light flashed, and the company vanished.

A hundred li away, before the company's forms had even appeared, countless teleportation runes were already dancing across the sky, and a teleportation formation was taking shape. The formation had just taken shape when the forms of Shen Mu and the others appeared, entering exactly into the formation; light burst forth, and the company vanished once more.

The earth dragon roared and gave chase, but saw one blot of light after another burst and fly swiftly into the distance, until soon it could find Shen Mu and the rest no more.

The earth dragon suddenly plunged into the earth and vanished, but the ground could be seen rising swiftly, a mountain ridge arching up from below: this earth dragon was traveling underground,