Chapter 617 — Too Hot to Hold
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
This was the greatest difference between the two.
Zhe Huali raised his blade and laughed aloud: "Two senior brothers, let today's matter rest for now. I have come to reconcile your dispute. We all dwell on the same alien star and ought to live in harmony, together finding a way out — why must we slaughter one another?"
Yet despite his words, his blade art showed not the slightest intent of reconciling the dispute. The greater part of its power was aimed at Shen Mu, while the blade-light falling on Qi Jiuyi was merely a token gesture.
After all, Qi Jiuyi was gravely wounded; another blade might be more than he could bear. Shen Mu, by contrast, still looked hale and vigorous, and needed his arrogance beaten down so he would retreat in the face of difficulty.
As his blade-light came surging in, Shen Mu at once reached out and seized. The landscape formed by Sword-Treading Mountains and Rivers — a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers — shrank into his hand, becoming a sword-elixir.
Shen Mu swung his sword. From the sword-elixir a single blade-light thick as a bushel burst forth; the sword-pillar met the demon blade, and he was shaken until his body convulsed, sent flying backward off Qi Jiuyi's back.
He had used great divine powers in rapid succession, scattering every kind of art like rain, and his vital essence was nearly spent — he could not stand against Zhe Huali head-on.
Zhe Huali, failing to cut him down with a single blade, sighed inwardly and withdrew the blade-light filling the sky.
The tens of thousands of blade-lights in the air merged into one, becoming a single demon blade that howled back and slotted into the blade sheath on his back.
After all, Zhe Huali too had just been defeated by Qi Jiuyi and beaten black and blue. Though his remaining vital essence and cultivation were deeper than Shen Mu's, if they truly fought, he doubted he could bring Shen Mu down.
Moreover, if he killed Shen Mu, he would have to face Qi Jiuyi alone — and Qi Jiuyi's strength was above his own, or else Qi Jiuyi would not have defeated him.
Zhe Huali returned his blade to its sheath and said with a smile: "Two senior brothers, on this alien star we are bound to meet again and again. Why not each take a step back and let the sea and sky open wide?"
Qi Jiuyi's true body landed. His frame swayed, he cried out in pain, and slowly transformed into human form. Nine swords were still lodged in his nine heads; when the nine heads merged into one, the nine flying swords did not merge, and nearly tore his wounds open.
Qi Jiuyi hurriedly pulled the swords out. His back was drenched in blood, bones broken and sinews snapped, an unknown number of ribs shattered; he could only hunch over.
He had originally been an elegant, handsome youth. After this beating from Shen Mu, he was in an even more wretched state than the last time Shen Mu and Zhe Huali had ganged up on him. "Handsome youth" was no longer a term that applied.
Fortunately, his self-recovery ability was frightening; so long as he did not die, it was nothing serious.
Shen Mu walked over, and the three of them stood in a tripod formation.
Shen Mu glanced at his nine flying swords and said amiably: "Brother Qi, your abilities are formidable. Had you not been determined to pin me down with this mirror, you might not have lost. Our life-and-death struggle was truly a fifty-fifty thing. Brother Qi, might you return those nine flying swords to me?"
Qi Jiuyi gave a cold snort and gripped the nine swords tightly: "Fifty-fifty? You underestimate the heavenly court's divine powers. Brother Shen, will you return my mirror?"
"No."
Shen Mu waved a hand: "Keep the nine swords for now. Once I kill you, I'll take them back. Senior Brother Li, then can you return this little box to me? I traded my life for it. You two blocked the door with your divine powers — had I not been quick-witted, I'd have died."