Chapter 433 — The Northern Emperor's Divine Artifact
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
This round of poison-refining had consumed no small amount of time and energy. The venom Shen Mu concocted was a compound of many layers, demanding repeated cycles of refinement. He first smelted several hundred base poison pills, with which he fed venomous creatures — poisonous insects, poisonous toads, and gu worms — and then employed those very creatures as fertilizer to grow poisonous fungi and herbs. Cycle upon cycle he repeated the process until, at the last, he condensed a handful of poison ova and planted them deep within the marrow of both his legs.
The shells of these ova would not readily dissolve; yet the moment the marrow began to generate fresh blood, they would crack open and ride the bloodstream to every corner of the body, corrupting the vital organs, rending the primordial spirit, and extinguishing the soul. He had just finished refining the exquisite venom and set aside a few ova for later use when Si Yunxiang arrived with word: "The sect's elders and the adepts versed in the Five Ghosts Transposition Art have come. " Shen Mu exhaled in relief. "Show them in," he said in a low voice.
Si Yunxiang brought in the worthies of the Nether Demon Sect. Shen Mu swept his gaze over them and saw that many among them were indeed generals of the field, still clad in iron armor they had not yet shed.
The Five Ghosts Transposition Art was by no means a technique of the highest order.
In truth, it was quite contemptible — an art of the basest sort. Yet even the lowliest art possesses a power beyond all imagining. There is no good or evil in magic; what matters is how it is used.
Were they to storm Fragrant Well Compound by main force — even if every one of these men had mastered the most exalted divine arts and each stood at the Divine Bridge realm — they would likely suffer grievous losses and still fail to stop the White Gap Deity from activating the Five Thunder Jar. Yet the lowliest, most disreputable Five Ghosts Transposition Art could lift the jar away without costing a single life. "Gentlemen!
" Shen Mu bowed in formal salute.
"This venture must end in success, not failure. Should we fail, a thunder calamity will engulf Jingping, and heaven knows how many common folk will perish! Whether we prevail now rests entirely on your skill!
" The assembled men hastily returned the salute. "It is our bounden duty.
We dare not accept the Sect Master's great courtesy!
" Shen Mu straightened and said gravely, "Within the Five Thunder Jar lie the five great cloud-thunders of East, South, West, North, and Center, and within those cloud-thunders dwell the Fire Bell Divine Soldiers. Even transporting this divine treasure demands the utmost vigilance, lest its might be roused. Have you gentlemen any understanding of the five great cloud-thunders?
" The men exchanged glances.
One elder stepped forth from the crowd. "Sect Master, I do hold some acquaintance with the five great cloud-thunders and the Fire Bell Divine Soldiers. In my early years I roamed far and wide, and once, in the Black Tortoise Temple amid the desolate wastes, I came upon a strange tome recording certain anecdotes of the Northern Emperor. " Shen Mu's expression stirred slightly.
The desolate wastes again. "The five great cloud-thunders and the Fire Bell Divine Soldiers are treasures refined by the Northern Emperor. " That elder was the Nether Demon Sect's Minister of Works Elder. "The Northern Emperor, also known as the Black Tortoise Great Emperor, excelled in thunder arts; the five great cloud-thunders and the Fire Bell Divine Soldiers were his signature marvels, of immense might.
The strange tome in the Black Tortoise Temple of the wastes was inscribed upon the shell of a black tortoise, cast entire from iron — turning its pages was extremely difficult.
I managed to open two pages of that iron book, and read therein certain records.