Chapter 1753 — Sealing the Coffin and Sinking It in the River

" Xing'an considered carefully and said: "In three months, I fear the refining will bear some slight flaw.

" The Haotian Emperor asked: "How great a flaw?

" Xing'an calculated again for a moment and said: "A flaw of one part in a hundred. Give me three more months, and I could refine the most perfect coffin, into which whoever is put could never escape.

" The Haotian Emperor was delighted and laughed: "A mere hair's breadth of a flaw is nothing to fret over. Proceed as you will.

I permit you to employ at will the heavy treasures among the armies!

" Xing'an bowed, and thereupon set about his preparations. Among the armies of the Heavenly Court there were many treasures refined from the precious mountains, mines, lakes, rivers, and seas of the Ancestral Court, as well as all manner of divine materials.

Though not equal to the World Tree and the Yuanmu, they were nonetheless extraordinary.

Bearing the Haotian Emperor's decree, Xing'an demanded them, and the armies dared be angry but dared not speak. Up and down the Zaofu Heavenly Palace, tens of thousands of celestial artisans fired their furnaces and smelted all kinds of divine weapons, while Xing'an designed the parts of the Dao-Burying Divine Coffin.

After two months, the coffin had already taken preliminary shape. The Haotian Emperor personally led the civil and military officials to sacrifice and refine this divine coffin under Xing'an's direction, and even the Empress and the two who had attained the Dao, Taichu, were called upon.

After another month, the Dao-Burying Divine Coffin was completed.

Xing'an fetched the ninety-nine refined Dao-Slaughtering Nails and said: "Of these nails, half pinned into Mu Tianzun's body and half pinned into the coffin will merge into one with the coffin, and he will never escape again. " After交差, he thought a moment and said: "Your Majesty, I have always wished to obtain a Mu Tianzun brain.

I would go myself to see if I might sever Mu Tianzun's head. " The Haotian Emperor laughed: "Your loyalty is commendable.

But Thief Mu's lingering might is dreadfully fearsome, and with your strength you cannot draw near. Let the Retired Emperor and the Empress Dowager go to do this.

" Xing'an could only let the matter drop.

Taichu and the Empress Dowager at once carried the Dao-Burying Divine Coffin and the ninety-nine Dao-Slaughtering Nails to Shen Mu's 'burial place. ' Upon arriving there, Taichu felt the great dao within himself stirring restlessly, nearly ground away into chaos, and could not help praising: "What formidable lingering might! " The two came beneath the World Tree and were about to approach Shen Mu when suddenly the Empress Dowager's eye twitched.

With a shout she waved her hand, and a great abyss of Guixu stamped toward Shen Mu's shadow! Shen Mu's shadow squirmed, and suddenly a saber light cut into the great abyss, and with a hiss actually split the abyss open!

"Lord Shang!

" Taichu's heart leapt, his wound faintly aching again, and he hastily said: "Zitong, you hold off Lord Shang, and I will put Mu Tianzun into the coffin!

" The Empress Dowager gave a cold snort, and about her floated tiny black fissures as she fought fiercely with Shen Mu's shadow.

Shen Mu's shadow squirmed upon the ground, twisted and grew, becoming the figure of a saber-bearer, fighting her hand to hand upon the ground!

Taichu hurried to move Shen Mu's 'corpse,' but when he tried to lift the 'corpse,' the chaotic pool below was lifted too, and the World Tree rose into the air with it, incomparably heavy and solid!

"Mu Tianzun is still so heavy after death! " Taichu grunted, lifting Shen Mu together with the World Tree and the chaotic pool, urging the Dao-Burying Divine Coffin.

The divine coffin grew huge, and he placed Shen Mu's corpse within.

Taichu breathed a sigh of relief, took out the Dao-Slaughtering Nails, counted them, and could not help hesitating: "Celestial Venerable Xing'an said half these nails are to be pinned into Mu Tianzun's flesh and half into the coffin lid, yet here are only ninety-nine nails, which cannot be evenly divided! " The battle between the Empress and Lord Shang grew ever swifter.

Taichu could not afford more thought and thrust fifty nails into the flesh of Shen Mu in various places. Upon Shen Mu's body there were a great many wounds, left by the Third Young Master's art, exactly fifty wounds, matching the fifty nails. Taichu closed the coffin and drove the remaining forty-nine nails into the lid, nailing the coffin shut.

At once the abnormally dreadful power coming from Shen Mu's flesh dispersed, wholly cut off by the divine coffin.

Taichu breathed easily, then went to aid the Empress Dowager against Lord Shang, but Lord Shang suddenly split space with a saber stroke, flashed into it, and vanished.

"Do not pursue a desperate foe!

" Taichu stopped the Empress, saying: "Disposing of Mu Tianzun is the pressing matter!

Lord Shang will surely follow the coffin in secret, and on the road we may lay an ambush and slay him! " The Empress understood, and returned with him to the Heavenly Court camp.

The Haotian Emperor commanded the Right Feathered Forest Army, saying: "Escort the divine coffin to Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court!

" The Feathered Forest Army were all winged demigods, extremely swift. Upon hearing the order they escorted the Dao-Burying Divine Coffin and set out, flying from the Metaworld toward the Ancestral Court.

Taichu and the Empress Dowager, one hidden in the ultimate void and one hidden within a Guixu art, quietly followed, waiting for Lord Shang to appear so they might slay him.

The Feathered Forest Army trekked long through the starry sky, flying for months on end, yet Lord Shang never appeared, and the two grew anxious. On this day, suddenly Taichu and the Empress Dowager saw the shadow of a Feathered Forest soldier stir strangely, and rejoiced greatly.

The two pounced at once, joining in a blow that smashed that soldier to pieces! "He is not in the shadow!

" The two searched on all sides, only to see a saber light flickering uncertainly in the starry sky, and at once they rushed out to pursue Lord Shang.

The Feathered Forest Army pressed onward, and after another two months they were still half the road from the Ancestral Court. On this day, as the Feathered Forest Army dragged the divine coffin on beating wings and were about to pass a sun, they saw a lotus bloom in the starry sky, extremely splendid, followed by another lotus blossoming before them.

The Feathered Forest Army hastily halted their forms, drew up in formation, and warily watched those endlessly flashing lotuses.

They gazed fixedly and saw that the lotuses were no lotuses at all, but a marvelous art, footprints left by someone hastening through the stars.

The traveler was a handsome and transcendent youth, his long robe fluttering, very noble, his bearing unforgettable at a glance and inspiring spontaneous goodwill.

The commander of the Feathered Forest Army stepped forward and shouted: "The Heavenly Court Feathered Forest Army, by order of His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, escort Mu Tianzun's corpse to the Ancestral Court! All idle persons, stand back!

" The youth halted his steps, looked at the Feathered Forest Army, then at the coffin guarded in their midst, and said gently: "Within this coffin lies Sect Master Shen?

"