Chapter 827 — Hard to Tell Flowers from Mist
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
In the radiance Li Zheng's sword diagram erupted. This was the sword way he had comprehended after attaining godhood. As the old Sword God of Jingping, he had traveled farther on the sword path than any other; he was also the first true god of the sword way in Jingping.
His swordsmanship might not match Shen Mu's, but in the power of the sword way, even the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping was his inferior!
In the bright light the might of the sword way erupted, and even amid that radiance the marvel wrought by the twelfth form of the sword diagram could be seen clear and distinct.
It was the Jade Seal of the Azure Heaven: the sword diagram was like a seal, the seal like heaven, the sword-light like the great norms of the heavenly Dao. Rank on rank of heavenly majesty crossed and interwove, shrouding the lantern within.
Inside the lantern that little sun burst forth; solar fire poured out unchecked, melting the sword-light. Its radiance pierced through and burned a great hole in the sword diagram.
"Sword God of Jingping, it is not that I am no match for you. In truth, my strength is beyond anything you can imagine!"
The lantern flew swiftly away, and the little man's voice came from far off, laughing: "But in this place, the stronger your power, the faster you turn to Void! When I brought Jue Wuchen here, I discovered this, and at once killed the companions who came with me, then severed my own cultivation! This sun within my lantern is what my cut-away cultivation became. Heh heh. If you wish to live, you must do as I did — kill the others who boarded with you, and sever your own cultivation. Otherwise, you too will turn to Void..."
The light vanished.
Li Zheng put away his sword and handed the hilt to Shen Mu; his flapping robes settled.
Shen Mu did not take the sword. He said gravely, "Li Zheng, Lin Xiao's words are most likely not true. Perhaps he is setting another trap to destroy us, to make us fight the other powerful ones to the death."
"It should be true." Li Zheng raised a hand and looked at his own skin; his flesh had already grown much fainter.
Shen Mu's heart trembled.
Li Zheng sighed. "The stronger the power, the faster one turns to Void. Then the first to turn to Void should be that corpse of the Supreme Emperor that Feng Qiuyun carried on her back. After that, the Ancestral Dragon King, Feng Qiuyun, the Crimson Bright Divine Son, Luo Wushuang, and those several attendants of Prince Qiuming. After that, it will be my turn, and Lord Dragon-Raiser's. This ship and Ling Heavenly Venerable's divine power must have come alive; they will weaken the powerful ones who pose the greatest threat to them. The greater the threat, the faster one turns to Void. Let us return now to the great hall where the Empress's coffin rests, and we will see!"
Shen Mu's heart grew heavy, and the three of them at once returned to the great hall.
In the hall eight dragons encircled the Empress's coffin, but the emperor's corpse in the Supreme Emperor's coffin had vanished, leaving only an empty coffin!
In the murals, Feng Qiuyun's figure had grown even dimmer, though the Earth Mother's Kunyuan Sword was still as it had been.
"I have already begun to turn to Void; the other boarders have no doubt begun to turn to Void as well."
Li Zheng said, "Shen-er, a very great power is hidden in your brow. You must seal it away, or you too will turn to Void! Only when you are weak enough to pose no threat to this ship can you keep your life! I am an old hand — trust me!"
Shen Mu took out the willow leaf and sealed the third eye in his brow. "Li Zheng, you should sever your cultivation as well..."
"No need!"
Li Zheng shook his head and smiled. "If I sever my cultivation, who will protect you? Besides, in one cycle of reincarnation only one person can survive. I must keep my cultivation. I must make certain that the one who survives is you."
Shen Mu's mind went blank.