Chapter 433 — The Northern Emperor's Divine Artifact
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
"That place is utterly destroyed — every scrap of it awash in the aftershocks of divine powers. Even a master of the Celestial realm cannot set foot within. The Emperor has ordered the garrisons of Yanbian Pass and Mishui Pass to withdraw, abandoning both to avoid being caught in the blast.
As for who won or lost.
.
.
" She shook her head again. "The Emperor ordered the commanding generals of the two passes in to investigate, but no word has come back. That place.
. .
no one has yet walked out of it. " Shen Mu's heart clenched. He expelled a murky breath, his gaze turning sharp. "Then let us settle the matter of the White Gap Deity first. I shall go there myself — alive I must see him, dead I must see his corpse!
Minister of Works Elder, I give you two days. Make ready as swiftly as you can. We shall not wait for the Emperor!
" A chill ran through the Minister of Works Elder and the rest. They hurried off to rehearse the coordinated casting of more than a hundred men. Two days, to make a hundred-odd practitioners move in seamless concert, executing a single art without the slightest disorder, without rousing any energy of the Five Thunder Jar — that was hard indeed. But time was short, and no allowance remained for further practice. Suddenly, a guardian of Fragrant Well Compound came to report: "Sect Master Shen — the deity invites you!
" Shen Mu's expression shifted. He rose and went forth. Within Fragrant Well Compound, the White Gap Deity's complexion had improved considerably; plainly he had spent these past two days refining medicines to mend his wounds, easing his injuries greatly and recovering no small measure of his cultivation. He had, however, severed one of his own legs, so flight was no longer possible. What Shen Mu feared now was a last-ditch blow, for the White Gap Deity had kept himself beside the Five Thunder Jar all along.
"Young friend, you have had many visitors of late. " The horn atop the White Gap Deity's head shone, rings of radiance sliding down from its tip and flowing over his entire frame.
He chuckled. Shen Mu studied closely the light blooming from the horn at his brow, his heart stirring faintly. The corona from that horn was vibrating the deity's flesh, refining the tainted blood from his body — a body-refining art, no doubt, meant to restore his physical vigor with all speed. Earlier, Shen Mu had beaten the deity so savagely that even flight was beyond him; now, having recovered some cultivation in these few days, he had begun attempting to rebuild his bodily strength.
"Those who came are nobodies — hardly a threat to Your Divinity, are they, Senior Brother? " Shen Mu smiled. "But I see Your Divinity recovering your strength with alarming speed, and it makes me worry that you might go back on your word and refuse to honor your promise.
I think — having already waited six or seven days — there is no need to wait any longer. The sooner we seal the Earth Earl Compact, the better. Why not make it today?
" "What promise? Did I ever promise you anything? Hahaha! " The White Gap Deity's laughter boomed like thunder, pounding across the entire city: "I was joking.
Look at your face — gone white with fright. Since we have already waited six or seven days, why not wait a little longer? Did you not say you would reattach my divine leg?
My leg has yet to be reattached.
Once it is done, then we shall seal the Earth Earl Compact! " Shen Mu's expression hardened. "If I reattach your leg, and your strength rebounds that much further, you will trigger the Five Thunder Jar and flee the moment my back is turned — and I shall be left to bear the sin of countless deaths in Jingping! Your leg can wait until after the compact is sealed! " The White Gap Deity pressed his palm over the Five Thunder Jar and smiled genially.
"You are Shen Mu, are you not?