Chapter 663 — Contesting Wits Across the Void
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
Bangong Cuo was startled. He did his utmost to fight these practitioners head-on, bringing nearly every means he had to bear; he was still a notch above them and defeated most of the Xuankong Realm practitioners, but he lost a few bouts as well.
This time the Divine Son Chiming gave him ample time to rest, waiting each time until he stood at his peak before matching him against the next opponent, so the fighting was exceptionally fierce.
The Divine Son Chiming sat high above, looking down upon the battle. He turned his head and asked, "What has the envoy of Jingping been doing these days?"
A deity beside him bent low and said softly, "The envoy of Jingping has nothing to do and wanders about the city. These envoys are very curious, as though they have never seen much of the world; they keep staring at the stone statues in the city, studying each one for a long while. The one surnamed Shen in particular lies prone upon the statues to look at them. These last two days he has been less curious, and has taken to drawing the statues instead."
The Divine Son Chiming's brow twitched. His eyebrows were very handsome, the ridges arched high, the tips sharp as curved blades. He said, "A formidable opponent. That Jingping should have such a talent — it is troublesome."
The deity was puzzled at his meaning.
The Divine Son Chiming fetched a mirror and covered its face with black cloth. "Take this mirror and find him. Point the mirror's face at him from a distance, remove the black cloth, shine it upon him, then cover it again and bring it back to me."
The deity was doubtful, but took the mirror and flew off swiftly. The Divine Son Chiming went on watching the battle.
After a while the deity returned with the black-cloth-covered mirror and said, "This servant shone it on the envoy of Jingping and hurried straight back."
The Divine Son Chiming took the mirror and gently drew off the black cloth. His two eyes fixed upon its surface, while the vertical eye at the center of his brow watched Bangong Cuo's every move and stance below, ceaselessly analyzing, ceaselessly deducing.
Suddenly the Divine Son Chiming gave a slight start; all three of his eyes were fixed upon the mirror's surface.
In the mirror, Shen Mu had his back to him, appraising the city's god statues. Beside him was a young girl, and near them two great eyeballs, each taller than a man. The First Ancestor had turned his head; his face loomed large, somewhat pale, as though he stood very close to the mirror, peering through it.
What shocked the Divine Son Chiming was not the First Ancestor but Shen Mu. He had used this mirror to shine upon Shen Mu, and what it showed was not wholly Shen Mu: the Shen Mu with his back turned had, ordinarily, one head and two arms — yet in the mirror there was a savage ferocity and a battle lust.
That ferocity and battle lust had faintly taken the shape of two heads, standing in a tripod with Shen Mu's own head!
Nor was that all. The Divine Son Chiming vaguely saw phantom arms beneath Shen Mu's armpits — four other arms!
These four arms and the other two heads were formed of essence, spirit, and vitality; they were not substance!
The Divine Son Chiming narrowed his eyes, and the scene in the mirror gradually vanished.
"Chixi, did you pass the Flawless Battle-Divine Art to the envoy of Jingping?" The Divine Son Chiming summoned Chixi and asked.
Chixi shook his head. "That brat stole my God-Slaying Mystic Saber, poisoned me, and swindled me out of my treasures. How could I teach him a cultivation art?"
The Divine Son Chiming sighed. "He has very nearly learned it... no, he is very nearly at the point of creating his own Flawless Battle-Divine Art."
Chixi was startled, mouth agape, unable to utter a word.