Chapter 1027 — The Blind Man's Eye, the Mute Man's Hammer
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Shen Mu let out a long breath, and felt at ease from head to toe.
Ever since his return from Taixu, Yun Chuxiu had been clinging to him, leaving him no time at all to summon Heavenly Venerable Yun's soul.
And to summon a soul within the Heavenly Court itself was far too perilous: all ten Heavenly Venerables dwelt in the Heavenly Court, and there was no hiding such a rite from them. Now that Yun Chuxiu had been sent away, Shen Mu could finally breathe easy.
"Dutian, we depart.
" Shen Mu returned to the treasure chariot, his voice carrying a note of joy.
The Heavenly Dragon Treasure Chariot started at once; nine heavenly dragons galloped, bearing it east along the Yong River.
Inside the chariot, Divine King Langwo asked, "Holy Infant, will you not meet with Kaihuang?
" "No need to see him.
" Shen Mu opened the vertical eye in the center of his brow; the mortal body of Heavenly Venerable Yun settled onto the cloud carpet. Divine King Langwo's divine consciousness unfurled, shrouding the chariot so that no outsider could see what lay within.
Shen Mu's divine consciousness and vital essence surged out, transforming into countless runes. "He has come out this time to see the fruits of the Jingping Reforms, to see for himself how Jingping's reforms have fared. Meeting him would be useless; only what he witnesses with his own eyes can shatter the delusion in his heart. Besides, Heavenly Venerable Xiao is most likely watching this place right now through the divine artifact, Heavenly Venerable Yu. I had best keep to my place.
" Shujun sneered, "Holy Infant, and you call that keeping to your place?
" Above Yuanmu, the divine artifact Heavenly Venerable Yu withdrew its gaze and slowly closed its eyes, while in the Yuanmu Heavenly Palace the clay figure pondered for a moment, pacing to and fro, murmuring to himself, "Heavenly Venerable Shen is stronger than he was in those years, but he is still far from the Heavenly Court realm. His Kaihuang era cannot sustain a realm like the Heavenly Court. Still, his swordsmanship is truly fearsome. And then there is Heavenly Venerable Mu — a born troublemaker; wherever he goes, trouble follows! " "But I never expected that the Earth Mother could still stir up such waves! Remarkable, truly remarkable.
To be rid of the Earth Mother, one must first be rid of Tiangong and Tubo, and strip Heavenly Venerable Mu of his resurrection arts. . .
" In the Heavenly Dragon Treasure Chariot, Shen Mu at once began the rite, chanting the incantation and driving his divine ability to summon Heavenly Venerable Yun's soul. After a while he stopped, frowning slightly.
"Holy Infant, can you not sense Heavenly Venerable Yun's soul?
" Divine King Langwo asked. Shen Mu nodded, and said thoughtfully, "Even if a soul is shattered, I can summon the black sand of souls. Even for beings like the Empress and Yuanmu, who feign death without dying — so long as I have their mortal bodies, I can trace where their souls have gone. My divine ability can search the heavens and drag the earth; once it is unleashed, all the heavens and myriad worlds — even the Heavenly Court, Xuandu, Youdu, and the Heavenly Yin Realm — must answer its summons! And yet I cannot sense Heavenly Venerable Yun's soul at all, as though it had never existed. . .
" "This is the Grand Emperor's doing.
" Divine King Shujun mused, "The Grand Emperor has that power — to make a soul vanish utterly, beyond all finding. Heavenly Venerable Yun died at the Grand Emperor's hand, I take it?
" Shen Mu's expression turned grave. He nodded slightly and asked, "Even a shattered soul turns to black sand and is absorbed by the Heavenly Yin Realm. What power does the Grand Emperor possess that could make Heavenly Venerable Yun's soul disappear entirely?
" He was deeply puzzled.