Chapter 978 — Sloth in Youth, Vain Grief in White Hair
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 5
Within the Primal Fetus Divine Treasury, Shen Mu's primal spirit stood upon the black-and-white Taiji Diagram. He stamped his foot heavily, and the Taiji Diagram expanded with furious speed, growing ever broader, while the Primal Wood flourished, tall and fair. As the Taiji Diagram expanded, Shen Mu took out the jade bottle in which the Hongmeng Essence was sealed, carefully drew forth a single drop, and flicked it from his finger.
The drop flew out and fell upon the Taiji Diagram, and at once a vast ocean surged into being, its waves raging!
Shen Mu drew out another drop.
This drop transformed into a Heavenly River that rose from the earth, roaring and surging, sweeping up along the Primal Wood behind him and plunging straight into the void! Shen Mu's primal spirit remained upon the Taiji Diagram, not following the Heavenly River up into the void; instead he commanded the river, making it flow across the Taiji Continent.
Shen Mu frowned slightly. He had not obtained the Dao runes of the Great Abyss of Guixu, and so could not visualize the Abyss. He could only let the Heavenly River flow along the Taiji chord at the center of the Diagram, until at its end it became the Nether River, sweeping in mighty torrents toward Youdu, spiraling down around Tubo.
"Lady Yuanmu's mortal body is here with me. When I have time I must take it out and study it carefully; I am determined to fathom the Dao runes of Guixu!
" He drew out yet another drop of the Essence and flicked it forth. Before the drop touched the ground it began to swell, transforming into energy of incomparable purity, like a vast ocean about to fall to earth.
At the same time, Shen Mu roused the Mystic Body Three Elixirs Art, marshaled all the vital qi within him, and blasted it out toward the four quarters of the Taiji Diagram!
Thousands upon thousands of strands of vital qi flew in from every corner of the Primal Fetus Divine Treasury, weaving and entwining, rousing the energy within that drop of Essence; under the impact of strand after strand of vital qi, a Southern Heavenly Gate rose from the ground, and a thousand palaces and ten thousand halls came surging into being. In an instant the Green Wave Bridge, the Longevity Star Terrace, the Heavenly Street, the Heavenly Market, the Imperial Carriage Way, the Water Palace, the Three Terraces, and all the other structures of the Heavenly Court sprang from nothing into being, from foundation to flying eaves, as though an invisible hand were painting and an invisible heavenly artisan were shaping matter, creating a Heavenly Palace of magnificent sweep!
The Heavenly Palace emerged, radiant with bright clouds, veiled in jade-green mist. The energy of that drop of Essence was spent.
This Heavenly Palace was unlike any other.
The Heavenly Palaces of others were usually built on the far shore of the Divine Bridge, or upon the Heavenly River, whereas Shen Mu's was raised directly upon the Taiji Diagram.
The ocean that his first drop of Hongmeng Essence had become had now turned into the Jade Pool and the jade seas, and had become part of this Heavenly Palace.
Shen Mu drew out another drop of Essence. The Mystic Body Three Elixirs Art still turned, vital qi coursed, and another Heavenly Palace surged forth!
The structures of this Heavenly Palace were dominated by dragons; upon the God-Slaying Platform, two dragons coiled to form a pair of blades. Shen Mu drew out the fifth drop of Essence, and a third Heavenly Palace emerged! This Heavenly Palace sat upon the reverse side of the Taiji Diagram, dominated by darkness: a dark, sunken palace, dark sun and moon.
Shen Mu's reflection took the form of Tubo Shen Mu, and this dark Heavenly Palace floated between the two horns of Tubo Shen Mu.
He flicked out the sixth drop of Essence, and a fourth Heavenly Palace surged forth!