Chapter 875 — Wicked Charm Overwhelming

After a long while, one of the Northern Heavens' gods-and-demons — bull-headed, man-bodied — said in a low voice, "Is the Jingping Overlord Body a god? That old fox of Wentian Pavilion never said the Jingping Overlord Body had cultivated to the divine realm! If you are a god, then we shall naturally choose a powerhouse of the divine realm to step forth and challenge you!"

Shen Mu's aura erupted, his divine treasury opened, plain for all to see. He shook his head. "It has not been long since I opened my seventh divine treasury."

An invisible aura hung over Jiangling Academy like storm clouds pressing down upon a city; in that moment everyone felt they could scarcely draw breath.

It was as though a god were recklessly unfurling his aura — even at a distance of ten thousand li, a hundred thousand li, one would surely feel that dreadful, crushing might!

Fortunately Shen Mu did not go too far; after letting his aura bloom a little, he drew it back in.

The Village Head and the villagers had often taught him to keep a low profile; unless circumstances were exceptional, he would not display his full strength right off the bat.

"This time I have shown forty percent of my cultivation — that should still count as keeping a low profile."

Shen Mu swept a smiling glance around and thought to himself: "I have held two things back — I have not uncovered the willow leaf at my brow, nor revealed my demon-path divine treasury."

The gods and demons of the Northern Heavens all frowned, watching the phantom divine treasuries rise one after another behind Shen Mu, the corners of their eyes twitching.

This man was simply too strong — so strong he did not seem human, did not seem a divine-arts practitioner at all!

And this ferocity was not the ferocity of divine arts and dharma methods, but the sheer ferocity of raw dharma power.

His dharma power was a match for that of the Venerable Gods who ascend to the Heavenly Palace and stand before the Southern Heavenly Gate — perhaps even greater!

Such ferocious dharma power made one wonder whether, if he walked through the Southern Heavenly Gate, he might withstand its crushing weight and become a true god on the spot!

Of course, the stronger one's cultivation, the greater the pressure one must bear in entering the Southern Heavenly Gate; and so they suspected all the more that Shen Mu, stepping through that gate, would be crushed to powder on the instant!

More terrifying still, Shen Mu's divine treasuries were unlike any other's — they were joined into a single whole, with no divine-treasury barriers between them!

And his seventh divine treasury baffled all scrutiny — none could tell whether it was that towering giant tree of the Six Harmonies Continent, or the Heavenly River that flows out from the Heavenly Palace.

"What kind of freak is this?"

Several gods and demons exchanged glances and thought at once: "Can this be what an Overlord Body is?"

"The young experts the Northern Heavens sent this time are all hand-picked, outstanding talents — and yet before such a dreadful fellow they are no match at all!"

The Duke of Wei, however, understood Shen Mu well. When Shen Mu arrived at Jiangling Academy, he had suspended the Jin River in midair with a single display of dharma power, already revealing a peerless strength.

From what the Duke of Wei knew of Shen Mu, Shen Mu was not simply out to establish the prestige of his Overlord Body; he meant first to frighten off a portion of the challengers, being unwilling to cross swords with the unskilled.

Though Shen Mu always treated others with kindness, he was proud at heart; if a man's cultivation and skill were low, he had not even the interest to exchange blows with him.

"But by the look of it, the Cult Master does not mean to frighten off a portion of the challengers — he means to frighten off every last young expert of the Northern Heavens."

The Duke of Wei glanced around and thought: "The young experts of the Northern Heavens are strong, but not absurdly so. Even if they all came at him together, I fear the Cult Master would slaughter them clean in a moment."

"Ha ha ha! The Jingping Overlord Body truly lives up to his name!"

Suddenly the bull-headed god-demon laughed aloud and declared in ringing tones, "We envoys have seen the Overlord Shen's peerless strength; he is qualified to contend with our Northern Heavens. We did not come to challenge the Overlord Shen — we came to deliver a letter of challenge."

At these words, the other gods and demons of the Northern Heavens all looked bewildered.

Had they not come thinking Jingping a soft persimmon, come to give it a squeeze, to bully this Jingping Overlord Body, and take Jingping for themselves along the way?

The bull-headed god-demon did not change expression, his bearing all righteous dignity: "When we first saw the strength of Jingping's divine-arts practitioners, we feared the Overlord Body was no more than that; but now that we have seen your ability, we judge you worthy to accept the letter of challenge of our Northern Heavens!"

The other gods and demons were suddenly enlightened: "So that is it. The divine-arts practitioners we brought are no match for this savage fellow; calling it a delivery of a letter of challenge saves face."

The bull-headed god-demon said gravely, "Our Northern Heavens are all united under the Great Black Heaven. Since the Overlord Shen has such strength, then let the Overlord Shen come to the Northern Heavens; we shall await your honored arrival!"

The other gods and demons nodded one after another: "We await your honored arrival!"

The Duke of Wei asked curiously, "And your letter of challenge?"

The bull-headed god-demon's expression did not change. "Jingping is a petty little state — why would a letter of challenge be needed? A verbal message suffices."

The Duke of Wei gave a cold laugh.

Thick-skinned beyond measure, the bull-headed god-demon said in a low voice, "The letter of challenge has been delivered. We return to the Northern Heavens, and ask the Overlord Shen to come at his earliest convenience. Let us go—"

He turned to lead the Northern Heavens' divine-arts practitioners away.

"Hold on." Shen Mu's voice came from behind them.

The muscles of the bull-headed god-demon's back went stiff; he turned hastily, lest Shen Mu strike him from behind.

Shen Mu smiled mildly. "The seniors of the Northern Heavens lack courtesy — you speak of delivering a letter of challenge and then do not deliver it. But we of Jingping cannot be without courtesy. I must return a letter of challenge. When you go back, let the heroes of the Northern Heavens have a look at it."

The bull-headed god-demon relaxed and said with a smile, "Overlord Shen, please!"

Zheng—

From Shen Mu's Taotie Pouch the Wuyou Sword flew out; Shen Mu thrust two fingers forward, and with a hiss the Wuyou Sword pierced the air.

He shifted his feet, his sword-fingers changing, stabbing again and again; the Wuyou Sword moved without cease, tracing in the air the figure of a youth with a long sword on his back, his bearing splendid and soaring.

Swiftly Shen Mu finished the sword-bearing portrait with the Wuyou Sword.

He was imitating the Sword God Bearing His Sword that the Deaf Elder had painted — only the figure in the picture was not the Village Head in his youth, but Shen Mu himself.

"This is my letter of challenge."

Shen Mu grasped the Wuyou Sword and flicked his wrist lightly, cutting the sword-bearing portrait down out of the air; he pressed it with his hand, and the portrait shrank to half a chi in length.