Chapter 1308 — Alliance of the Powerful

The mountain ridges in the valley had been sheared clean away by that dreadful existence; next time, the blow he must face would surely fall even more sharply.

"Where is your lantern?

" Taishi within the egg said, "That existence's cultivation and strength are terrifying beyond measure. Its next attack will be crueler still, and it will sweep the whole valley. There is nowhere in this valley for you to shelter, save that lantern, which alone can hide you.

" Shen Mu assented, took out Yue Tianzun's lantern, and hung it upon a cliff.

And so it proved: with the lantern there, no matter how that dreadful existence struck, it could not reach Shen Mu's true body. In the valley, Shen Mu loosed arrow after arrow, driving that dreadful existence back into its own era time and again; yet even with the Alchemist's spirit elixirs, he could not hold out.

The skin of his arms split open; the recoil of every arrow he shot shook his flesh nearly to pieces, and his bones cracked apart again and again. Every time he raised the divine bow, he felt his muscles quake and his bones groan.

It was almost by will alone that he held on. The Egg of Taishi, too, sensed that Shen Mu's condition was dire, and fretted inwardly: "Why has Brother Taiyi still not come?

Did he not say he would come?

" Muddled and dazed, Shen Mu clenched his teeth and endured.

At last, exhaustion left him unable to lift the divine bow any longer; his legs gave way, and he nearly fell to his knees. Leaning on the bow, Shen Mu struggled to stand.

The power of the elixirs within him was still being roused, yet his body had already reached its limit, his yuan spirit was dull and confused, and even rousing his vital essence to work the Three Elixirs Art of the Mystic Body came sluggishly.

He panted and gasped, rested a while, and still rose to his feet once more.

"Shen'er, let us take over! " The First Ancestor Human Emperor came leading the Human Emperors of past generations. Qi Kang helped him aside; the First Ancestor took the divine bow from his hands and said in a low voice, "Just now, Blind.

.

.

Blind Elder designed a formation for us that can unite our strength into one body. We have drilled it long, and drawing this bow should be within our power. " Shen Mu slumped down, and saw the Dragon Qilin come bearing the Alchemist over. With a thud, the Alchemist set down a vast pill furnace and said gravely, "Get yourselves hurt as much as you like, I am here!

So long as a single scrap of flesh remains, I can bring you back! " Warmth filled Shen Mu's heart. He looked at them smiling, and could not speak.

The First Ancestor and the past Human Emperors laughed heartily, arrayed the formation, and each took his position, with the First Ancestor at its head.

The First Ancestor raised his right arm and drew the bow with all his strength!

The past Human Emperors roared in unison, and behind them one heavenly palace after another burst forth, each man's yuan spirit standing within his own palace, upon a jade terrace, or amid the many halls.

Not one of those heavenly palaces was alike another! Shen Mu's eyes lit up.

He murmured, "Perhaps after I have gnawed through Yincan Village, I can gnaw on the older generation of Human Emperors as well.

. .

" The First Ancestor Human Emperor's heavenly palace surfaced as well. The heavenly palaces of the past Human Emperors were magnificent to behold, linked together, their great paths interwoven and crisscrossing, as if they would form the splendor of an entire Heavenly Court!

Shen Mu was deeply shaken. This was the formation Blind Elder had created, and it was not laid out according to their movements, but according to the cultivation arts of the past Human Emperors, according to their heavenly palaces! Blind Elder's formation was meant to make their heavenly palaces join like pearls on a single strand, forming one Heavenly Court!

Each of the past Human Emperors had his own strengths; more than thirty Human Emperors, with the First Ancestor besides, were enough to form the system of a great Heavenly Court!

Of course, in Shen Mu's eyes Blind Elder's present formation was still very crude, only just taking shape, with many problems yet to be solved.

But such a formation already showed its promise; perfected in time, it would surely evolve into a unique grand formation the likes of which had never been seen before. By then, Blind Elder would truly deserve the name of the foremost master of formations.

The First Ancestor Human Emperor bellowed and loosed an arrow. The gaunt figure in the cliff wall had just put out a palm when it was shot back!

But the past Human Emperors likewise bore the divine bow's recoil, shaken one and all until their blood and qi churned, their whole bodies popping and crackling; Human Emperor Blue Amber and several others, weaker in body, had their skin split open by the shock and blood seeping from the corners of their mouths.

If even Shen Mu, mighty as he was, could scarcely bear it, how much less could they?

The Alchemist darted swiftly about, pressing elixir after elixir into every hand, saying gravely, "Rest easy, no one dies here. Refine the medicine quickly, and make ready for the next strike! " In silence the others refined the power of the elixirs, waiting for the second clash.

They had thought it easy when they watched Shen Mu drive the withered figure in the stone wall back, but only when their own hands took up the bow did they learn how terrifying the pressure Shen Mu had borne.

Soon the valley again seethed with divine light, more dreadful than before! The First Ancestor Human Emperor led the past Human Emperors in drawing the divine bow once more, barring the way of that dreadful existence, shooting it back into its own era again and again.

At last the past Human Emperors could hold out no longer and fell one after another; even the First Ancestor could scarcely endure.

Jiang Yunjian came forward leading many of the younger generation and bowed, saying, "Foster Father, let us try. " Shen Mu shook his head, stood up tottering, and said mildly, "Yunjian, strong as you all are, before an existence like that you can bring not the slightest strength to bear.

Go down.

" Jiang Yunjian and the rest flushed with shame. Shen Mu, having recovered a little strength, was about to draw the divine bow when the Alchemist suddenly laughed.

"Shen'er, for an existence like this, it is our turn.

You are of the younger generation too; it is time we old fellows took a hand.

" Shen Mu raised his brows and was about to speak when Blind Elder and Silent Craftsman came up, one from each side, with the Alchemist following. The three gathered and conferred with heads bowed.

Blind Elder frowned. "Can it be done? If we had the butcher's blade, or the village chief's sword, I would feel a little easier.

With only Silent Craftsman's hammer, I think it very hard.

" Silent Craftsman flew into a rage and sneered, "In cultivation, neither the pig-butcher nor the sword-player is my equal!

" "But their attacks far surpass yours. " Blind Elder showed no mercy: "Your forging heavenly palace is not so direct and effective as the Sword Heavenly Palace or the Blade Heavenly Palace.

" The Alchemist said, "Add my heavenly palace of the healing way, and your formation heavenly palace, and we can make the attempt.

" The three walked forward to the cliff wall.

The Alchemist's heavenly palace of the healing way emerged, and he brought out all manner of medicinal ingredients; within that heavenly palace his yuan spirit stood a thousand zhang tall, and using the whole heavenly palace as a pill furnace, he set the ingredients won from the Ancestral Court flying and tumbling within it, their medicinal powers interweaving.

After a while the Alchemist finished refining the elixir and smeared it upon the stone wall, saying, "So long as he is a living being, and not a creature the great Dao has made, he must fall prey to it!