Chapter 794 — The Earth Mother Bestows Her Grace
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
Shen Mu had already begun to turn the Gate of Heaven-Bearing, stealing the Heaven Lord's power, preparing to shape the Heaven Soul. A beam of heavenly light shone in from the Gate of Heaven-Bearing; suddenly Shen Mu's body went rigid, and with a thud he fell flat on his back, sprawling stiffly on the ground, unconscious!
Yu Tianzun panicked at once and rushed over, and saw that Shen Mu's nostrils still spurted blood, though the spouting columns of blood grew shorter and shorter; after struggling out two little fountains, they finally stopped.
Yu Tianzun hastily tested Shen Mu's breath. Suddenly Shen Mu's nostrils spurted two more little fountains, giving him a fright; then he rejoiced and said, "My brother still breathes!"
Gongsun Yan too rushed forward and tested Shen Mu's heartbeat, and felt that his heart beat faintly, his qi and blood both depleted, his life hanging by the barest thread — exceedingly perilous.
Gongsun Yan gritted her teeth; the little green sprout in the halo behind her head flew out and landed on Shen Mu's brow. Radiance flowed, pouring unceasingly into Shen Mu's body, prolonging his life.
After a moment, Shen Mu's breathing gradually returned to steadiness, while the little green sprout looked much more wilted, its two remaining leaves pressed together, shrunk somewhat.
Gongsun Yan's face was rather pale. She drew the little green sprout back and set it again in the halo to nourish.
Shen Mu's casting broke off at once, the Gate of Heaven-Bearing dispersed, and the Heaven Lord's power vanished as well; the heavenly light shone no more.
The woman in the light hastily bound her own soul motes, and felt that her Heaven Soul had recovered somewhat, but was still far from whole. She thought to herself with regret, what a pity.
Shen Mu slowly came to; supported by Yu Tianzun, he rose to his feet, coughed out the blood in his throat, and said in a voice as faint as gossamer, "I am fine, I am very well. I can still continue casting..."
"The Great Mage need not be overhasty."
The woman in the light said softly, "Your casting just now was too fierce, beyond the limits of your fleshly body. Now both qi and blood are spent; cast again and you will die of qi-and-blood depletion. If you work yourself to death, where would this palace find another Great Mage able to resurrect me? This palace can afford to wait. The Great Mage may set his mind at ease and heal."
She said with a smile, "I observe that the Great Mage's cultivation has now reached the peak of the Heaven-Man realm; one step further and you open the Dark Capital and enter the Life-and-Death realm. I imagine that once the Great Mage reaches the Life-and-Death realm, he can cast at leisure and reshape my two souls for me."
Shen Mu suddenly coughed violently, gasping, and said with sorrow, "This junior is dull by nature; who knows how many years it would take to cultivate to the Life-and-Death realm. And now I am so depleted, I fear I will fail the Earth Mother's expectations..."
The woman in the light said with a smile, "This palace is the Earth Mother, and the Origin Capital is the fount of life. Your depletion of qi and blood is a small thing to this palace. Since you reshape my two souls, this palace cannot stint you your due."
Within the radiance, a fruit, already shriveled, flew out and came before Shen Mu.
It resembled a dried orange, without moisture, wrinkled.
The woman in the light said, "This is a fruit borne by the divine tree behind me. Though withered, the power stored within it is vast as an ocean. Keep it for now. Do not attempt to eat it; slowly dissolve it with your own primal qi, and it can help you advance your cultivation realm faster and open the Life-and-Death divine treasury. The energy in the fruit is too strong; swallow it directly and you cannot withstand it."
Shen Mu's body swayed; he struggled to bow in thanks.