Chapter 682 — The Sword God Smiles
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
Shen Mu, startled and uncertain, ordered everyone to withdraw the mirrors. Another volume of the Book of Life and Death flew over, and its light too shone down — yet Wei Liao and the others were unharmed.
The Imperial Preceptor Jingping had truly activated the power of the Book of Life and Death, holding off the might of the enemy's Book!
Yet the Book of Life and Death was a treasure forged by the Black Emperor of Mingdu, and even Shen Mu could not draw out more of its uses. To unleash greater power required deep insight into the arts and divine powers of Mingdu; Shen Mu had never studied the arts and methods of Mingdu, and so he was at a loss.
Then when had the Imperial Preceptor Jingping learned the arts and divine powers of Mingdu?
"The Master is profoundly learned, and knows how to control the Book of Life and Death."
The Imperial Preceptor Jingping said, unhurried, "I followed him in cultivation for two years and came to understand every kind of learning. One awakening brings a hundred awakenings; one understanding brings a hundred understandings. Controlling the Book of Life and Death is not difficult."
In the air, a great hand suddenly appeared, reaching for the Book of Life and Death!
The palm shook, and darkness spawned and cloaked the Book of Life and Death, as though it had entered an alien dimension, drawn into another space and time.
Shen Mu was startled. "Lou Yunqu and the others have made their move — they mean to seize the Book of Life and Death..."
With a swish—
The Imperial Preceptor Jingping thrust out a sword, and a brilliant blade of light pierced into the darkness. Shen Mu was about to speak when he saw that sword light strike the great hand in the dark, and in an instant several fingers were severed by the Imperial Preceptor's blade.
The great hand groped for the Book of Life and Death, but with its fingers gone it clutched at nothing, and could only withdraw in pain.
The Imperial Preceptor Jingping swept his sword back into its sheath as though he had done nothing at all, and went on: "If you see through the arts of Youdu, then you can see through the arts of Mingdu and of Fengdu. All arts and divine powers share a fundamental principle, and that principle is called the Way. Once you understand the Way within them, and then look upon the methods within the Book of Life and Death, all is clear at a glance, plain and distinct, and how to activate it is no longer so difficult."
Shen Mu was utterly astonished. That sword of the Imperial Preceptor's could never have struck a palm hidden within Mingdu — the demonic aura the palm gave off was the dark demonic aura of Mingdu, and wherever that aura shrouded was Mingdu itself.
Shen Mu had crossed blades with Lou Qianchong, Lou Yunqu's junior brother, and knew how uncanny the arts and divine powers of Mingdu were. That was how Xu Shenghua had been defeated by Lou Qianchong; and Shen Mu had been able to kill Lou Qianchong only because he had been born in Youdu and could enter the Mingdu space that Lou Qianchong's demonic aura conjured.
That sword of the Imperial Preceptor Jingping's was plainly no art of Youdu, yet it had struck that palm. It seemed he truly had, as he said, understood the Way within — the arts and divine powers of Mingdu held no secrets from him!
"Two years, and you have comprehended to such a degree..."
Shen Mu's face showed admiration, and he murmured, "Just how learned is the Master, to let you advance by such leaps?"
The Village Head floated forward and said gravely, "Imperial Preceptor Jingping, your mastery of the sword has already surpassed mine."
The Imperial Preceptor Jingping saluted him. "You flatter me, senior brother."
The Village Head's vital essence formed limbs, and he returned the salute. "Senior brother."