Chapter 548 — The Bridge of Spiritual Power Exchange
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Upon one altar after another, the stone statues were awakening, slow and unhurried. Within Shen Mu's eyes, layer upon layer of array-patterns revolved; gazing intently, a faint doubt stirred in his heart.
These divine statues each possessed their own traits—turtle-backed divines, leopard-tailed divines, bird-headed divines, dragon-headed divines, and many other forms besides. Twenty-four altars, twenty-four kinds of divine form. Yet among them, some statues seemed to Shen Mu as though he had seen them somewhere before.
"The stone statues from the Desolate Ruins!
" At last he remembered—the statues that struck him as familiar came from the relics of the Desolate Ruins!
Which was to say, these statues most likely all came from the Desolate Ruins!
These awakening statues were about to become deities—which meant that every statue in the Desolate Ruins might one day revive and become a living god, confirming the conjecture he had long held!
The statues that had entered Taihuang Heaven numbered fully twenty-four; Taihuang Heaven would thus gain twenty-four deities to fight on its side. These deities were surely friends of the Woodcutter Sage, and their strength must be no small matter. And yet the Woodcutter Sage still said they could not hold against the Demon Race—only delay them for a time.
What exactly was the origin of the Demon Race? How did they come to possess such terrifying power? He voiced his doubt.
The Woodcutter Sage looked toward the reviving statues, fell silent a moment, and said, "The origins of the Demon Race are deeply mysterious.
Even I am not certain.
But rumor has it they arose from Youdu—that they are beings of Youdu, who later split away from it.
Whether that is so, I do not know. The Demon Race possesses many worlds; their strength was formidable from the start. That Taihuang Heaven cannot hold against them is only natural. " Shen Mu's heart stirred. "Then what is the relationship between the Demon Race and that so-called true Heavenly Court which destroyed the Kaihuang Era? Zhe Huali came from that place; his master, Luo Wushuang, heads the Heavenly Court's Spirit Excellence Army. Luo Wushuang sent his own disciple down to the Demon Race for tempering—that Heavenly Court must have some connection to the Demon Race!
" "There is a connection, but it is not one of subordination. " The Woodcutter Sage knew much of this, yet spoke vaguely. "Theirs is more a relationship of mutual exploitation. That so-called Heavenly Court often uses the Demon Race to do things inconvenient for them to do themselves, and the Demon Race, to survive, is glad to be used. All these years my primordial spirit has roamed the void, searching for the origins of this Heavenly Court, but I have found little useful information.
" He took a step, treading upon the air, and walked toward the altars one by one.
"Since you have come to Taihuang Heaven, stay here and temper yourself. I have other matters to attend to. " Shen Mu was about to chase after him, but saw the Woodcutter Sage walking farther and farther, space beneath his feet shrinking so that a thousand li was as a mere footstep—utterly impossible to catch up. In haste he called, "Sage Master, I still have matters to ask! " But the Woodcutter Sage's figure was already far away, and Shen Mu's cultivation was far from sufficient to carry his voice that distance. "Little Tiger, stay by his side.
" The Woodcutter Sage's voice came through. "Do not let him stir up trouble. " The Black Tiger God hastily responded in assent, came to stand behind Shen Mu, and his massive shadow swallowed Shen Mu whole.
Shen Mu laughed. "The Sage Master misjudges people. I am, after all, a Holy Cult Master—hardly a child.
How would I stir up trouble everywhere?
" The Black Tiger God's face darkened as he looked down at him.
"Whether you stir up trouble everywhere—don't you know well enough in your own heart?
" Shen Mu tilted his head up.