Chapter 810 — The Supreme One Comprehends the Great Dao
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
The old courier nodded. "I was passing by and saw the commotion here, so I came in to see who was stirring up trouble. It was you, as I thought. So your treasury is opened?"
Shen Mu nodded and smiled. "Seated in this Other Shore Ark, one's primal spirit can, as one's cultivation rises, steer the ark up to the Heavenly Palace — and that can ease the hardship of the people of Jingping whose heavenly bridge has been severed."
"You do love to make trouble," said the old courier. "If Heavenly Venerable Yun were still alive, you would drive him to death with rage. And Heavenly Venerable Yu? Since I am here, I may as well look in on him."
Feeling guilty, Shen Mu said, "Heavenly Venerable Yu has attained enlightenment — he has already opened the Primal Embryo Divine Treasury, and he is now comprehending a method of his own. Better not to see him and disturb his cultivation."
Half-believing him, the old courier said, "I will only look at him from a distance. That is hardly disturbing him."
"In broad daylight, you running about will frighten people to death. Off with you, go — see him another time; I promise you he will be hale and strong."
Shen Mu shooed him off, still shaken. "If he sees that Heavenly Venerable Yu has turned into a fat Lan, he will surely mark another fault against me. No — I must get Heavenly Venerable Yu back into shape as soon as I can. But this fat boy is so greedy, how am I to make him thin down?"
Just then a familiar voice came from far away. "Junior Brother Shen! Junior Brother Shen!"
Startled and delighted, Shen Mu hurriedly opened his eyes and saw an old ox carrying an old farmer come charging into the estate. The old ox spoke in human tongue and laughed. "Junior Brother Shen, the Imperial Teacher of Jingping said you wanted to see the master, so we came right over!"
On the ox's back the old farmer's face was unfriendly, and his color was poor, as though he had taken a grave wound. He said flatly, "What is so urgent that you must see me?"
Shen Mu studied the old farmer. "Martial Uncle, you are injured. Forcing down the foul blood in your chest will only damage the workings of your body the more."
The old farmer looked at him coldly, then retched up a mouthful of black blood, his breath failing.
The old ox was badly startled. "Master, you traded that blow with Mahakala — have you been holding the injury in all this time?"
"Mahakala is worthy of being the Ancestor of Demons; his skill is indeed above mine."
The old farmer spat out another mouthful of blood, and his color improved a little. "Having seen what I can do, he dares not lightly strike at Jingping. Nephew, why did you call me here?"
Shen Mu smiled. "I have already opened my seventh divine treasury."
The old farmer was astonished and overjoyed, his voice trembling. "Truly?"
Shen Mu nodded and went on, "The reason I was so eager to see you is that I want you to destroy the seventh divine treasury I have just opened."
The old farmer's eyes went wide. "What?" he blurted.
Shen Mu repeated himself. "Help me destroy it, so that I can open the others. I have prepared twenty-six kinds of seventh divine treasury. The Other Shore Divine Treasury I have just opened is the first; twenty-five more await testing."
The old farmer sat like a wooden chicken, his mind in a muddle.
Shen Mu stepped forward and ventured, "Martial Uncle, has your injury burst out?"
"I am fine..."
The old farmer waved a hand and muttered, "I am fine. I was wounded by Mahakala, and suddenly my heart hurts terribly... How many kinds of seventh divine treasury did you say?"
"Twenty-six," Shen Mu said honestly.
The old farmer fought down the urge to vomit blood, swallowed it back with a gulp, and bitterness flooded his heart. "Twenty-six of them, and in twenty thousand years I never thought of a single one..."