Chapter 1058 — The Deep Recesses of the Peach Grove

To the Celestial Venerable Yu he said: "Learn from this, you little brat; this is real skill! " Lan Yutian nodded again and again, committing Old Master Huo's words to heart. Just as the Lame Elder and Lan Yutian were about to make their move, space suddenly shifted, and the three were startled.

They looked around and saw peach groves on every side, peach blossoms in full bloom. Strangely, the peach blossoms beside them were open, plainly early spring, while the peaches nearby were already ripe, which was summer! "Two venerable sirs, and young master, the Celestial Venerable requests your presence," a maidservant came over and said softly.

The Lame Elder's face turned ashen: "Old Master Huo, I've been found out! If the Celestial Venerable seizes me, she will likely take off both my legs and cut me into a human stick like the village headman, planted in a jar, so that I can never run again!

" Old Master Huo looked around and said: "This looks like the Celestial Venerable Moon's peach grove. Shen'er once spoke of this place.

Let us simply follow and see. Do not make a great fuss.

The reason I could catch you in the past is that you are always careless, your Dao-heart unsteady. " They followed the maidservant forward, and there they saw Dragon Qilin and a frail girl waiting outside the palace. Lan Yutian gave a cheer and ran up, but Yan'er, who seemed to have just been weeping, did not even call out to him, and waited quietly outside the palace.

"Fat Dragon, what is wrong with Sister Yan'er? " Lan Yutian asked. Dragon Qilin sighed: "The Cult Leader asks you to come over. Go in first. " More puzzled than ever, Lan Yutian followed the Lame Elder and Old Master Huo into the palace hall.

Inside the hall, Shen Mu took out a mirror and showed it to Old Master Huo and the Lame Elder: "The palace in this mirror is an image of the Pixiang Hall, imprinted with talismans, the very talisman scripts and seals of the Pixiang Hall.

This Pixiang Hall is a treasure the Heavenly Court uses to suppress souls; it bears a great many talismans and seals, and I need experts to break them, to go in and steal away the soul suppressed there.

" He gave it a light tap, and the space within the mirror expanded outward; the Pixiang Hall in the mirror was in truth projected into this great hall, standing before them all. The various talismans and seals pasted around the bronze hall had been mirror images while in the mirror, yet once outside they returned to normal. Lan Yutian praised it: "Brother's painting path has grown even more brilliant! " Shen Mu said: "That last wisp of your remnant soul is hidden in this hall as well.

Grandpa Lame, is there a way for you to enter this hall?

" The Lame Elder's expression turned grave. He studied the talismans, pacing round and round the bronze hall, muttering: "Remarkable, extraordinary.

. . This is the hardest, most terrifying restriction I have met in all my life.

. . the very summit of my life.

.

.

" Shen Mu looked at Old Master Huo, who shook his head: "Not me.

The Lame Elder is the expert. " Lan Yutian pressed forward too, examining the talismans one by one, his manner almost exactly like the Lame Elder's. Shen Mu frowned and thought: "Celestial Venerable Yu has followed Grandpa Lame too long; he has nearly become another Lame Elder. That blank sheet of paper is probably blackened already. .

. " The old man and the youth studied the seals and talismans of the Pixiang Hall in fine detail, muttering and arguing with great enthusiasm. Shen Mu mused a while, then said: "Grandpa Lame, you have all the time in the world to study it. Take this mirror to Jingping and give it to Grandpa Silent Craftsman and Grandpa Blind, and ask them to forge a replica of the Pixiang Hall according to the talismans, formations, seals and restrictions upon it.

Then, little by little, you break through.

. .

" Before he had finished, Lan Yutian began running in high excitement, faster and faster, and suddenly his form became a string of afterimages, flying straight at the phantom of the Pixiang Hall! Shen Mu hurried to look, and saw Lan Yutian pass through one phantom talisman after another as though they were nothing; yet as he ran, he seemed to enter a mire of incomparable viscosity, his form slowing more and more, until at last he was fixed within the seal, motionless. The Lame Elder rushed over, hauled him out of the seal, and shook his head: "This seal is too strong.

Even running fast enough cannot carry you through the seals and talismans.

We must think of another way!

" Shen Mu gave a light tap and struck the phantom of the Pixiang Hall back into the mirror: "This matter is of great weight. After Grandpa Silent Craftsman forges the Pixiang Hall, the talismans, seals and restrictions upon it must be reproduced exactly as they are.

When you try to enter the hall, you must be cautious.

Remember it, remember it! " The Lame Elder put the mirror away: "Just now, when I pulled the boy Lan out, I sensed that this seal holds countless layers of space. We were stopped at only the fourth seal, and the seals beyond are surely stronger still. To get inside is truly too hard!

" "We must get inside! " Shen Mu said decisively: "It bears on our future, Grandpa Lame.

I entrust this matter to you! " Seeing how gravely he spoke, the Lame Elder laughed: "So long as you run fast enough, there is no invincible seal under heaven. Shen'er, are you not coming with us?

" Shen Mu shook his head: "I must return to the past and meet the Southern Emperor, the Vermilion Bird. You go and see Grandpa Silent Craftsman first; after I have met the Southern Emperor, I will come find you and we will make our plans. Celestial Venerable Moon, please trouble yourself to send them to Jingping.

" Old Master Huo came over, his face stern: "Shen'er, do not force yourself. " Shen Mu's eyes reddened slightly; he hastily hugged him to hide it and laughed: "How would I force myself? Old Master Huo, you and Grandpa Lame must cultivate hard as well. In my heavenly palace there are still the Buddhist Dao Heavenly Palace and the Thief Dao Heavenly Palace.

The Buddha has his Dao, and the thief has his Dao; I am waiting for you to master these two heavenly palaces and pass them on to me, so that I can advance another step. " Old Master Huo laughed: "Buddhahood is made within the nature; do not seek it outside the body. All seeking without is illusion.

You are the Buddha; you need no other's hand.

" Shen Mu said: "Human strength has its limits.

To borrow outer forms and thereby verify oneself is not impermissible. " "Excellent.

" "Excellent. " The two parted, and behind the screen the Celestial Venerable Moon lightly spread her sleeve; the Lame Elder, Old Master Huo and Lan Yutian vanished without a trace. To the woman behind the screen Shen Mu said: "Celestial Venerable Moon, I too must take my leave.

" The Celestial Venerable Moon said: "You mean to go to the source of the Yong River?

Do you need me to send you there? " Shen Mu said: "I wish to go back to the past and take a look. The Yong River is not far from here. I will go and find a boat first.

"