Chapter 1123 — The Phoenix Descends in Grace
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
Suddenly a Dragon Sparrow burst from the nest in the canopy and, without the slightest ceremony, seized the pair of phoenixes and devoured them—to the utter astonishment of the people of the capital.
Having swallowed the two phoenixes, Yan'er returned to her nest and snarled, "Yanzi, those were sent by the Earth Mother to lure you into speaking. You must not fall for it!"
Gongsun Yan looked utterly aggrieved. At that very moment, more phoenixes came flying, singing at the top of their voices: "In the Yuan Realm dwells a phoenix, perched upon my parasol branch; with heart unbarred I await the homing wind..."
The Dragon Sparrow soared up once more and, before the eyes of everyone in the Upper Capital, ate that pair of phoenixes too. Then, fierce as a demon, it perched in dominion atop the Yuanmu's crown, glaring savagely in every direction.
The people of the Jingping Upper Capital, seeing this, trembled and dared not say another word.
In the Lower Capital, waves of fragrant wind rose without warning and golden springs gushed from the earth. Well after well in the city overflowed with perfume; lotus blossoms of every color burst into bloom, and from the flowers emerged young maidens, who laughed as one: "What delight! Go quickly—go fetch your sisters!"
With that, the maidens all made for the Yuanmu tree, to the astonishment of the city's people.
Resplendent as flowering branches, the girls sought out Gongsun Yan, swarming around her, pulling her into song and dance, and laughing: "Yanzi, you don't know us? We are the fruit trees you planted in your back courtyard!"
Startled and delighted, Gongsun Yan was just opening her mouth to speak when Dragon Qilin loosed a furious roar; flames blazed around his body and burned those women to ash!
"Do not open your mouth!" Dragon Qilin said with utmost solemnity.
Gongsun Yan nodded and nodded, like a chick pecking at grain.
Dragon Qilin glanced warily about. "The Earth Mother is certain to try some new trick; she will not give up so easily. But so long as you do not open your mouth, she cannot break through the Grand Emperor's Seal and the Grand Emperor's Altar to enter your body and seize it."
By this time, the appointed hour between Shen Mu and the Earth Mother had arrived. Shen Mu raised his altar and began the rite, gathering the soul of Earth Mother Yuanjun.
Through that uninhabited wasteland, chill winds blew in gusts and black sand rolled in billows, swarming in like a tide.
Shen Mu opened the Mystic Gate of Heaven and Earth, receiving the power of the Heavenly Duke and the Earl of Earth. The words of the Dao thundered, the sounds of the Dao shook the air, and with supreme and wondrous art he reforged the three souls of Earth Mother Yuanjun.
Violent tremors rolled ceaselessly out of the earth. The Earth Mother's roots threaded through the deep ground and reached this place as well, awaiting the reawakening of her soul.
After a long while, Shen Mu, drenched in sweat, at last reforged Earth Mother Yuanjun's three souls of heaven, earth, and spirit.
The three souls stood upon the altar. Shen Mu said in a low voice, "Earth Mother, our pact is fulfilled. From this day forth, neither of us owes the other anything."
Earth Mother Yuanjun's soul sank slowly into the ground, and she laughed. "Splendid! Splendid! The Grand Sorcerer truly lives up to his name. Once I am reborn, I shall put in a few good words for you before the other ancient gods."
Shen Mu snorted and said with a flick of his sleeve, "Since your soul is whole again, be gone—and quickly!"
Earth Mother Yuanjun giggled. "This is merely my soul reborn—I have no body yet. Grand Sorcerer, your Jingping lacks the protection of a mighty ancient god. Allow me to oblige you!" With that, the three souls vanished.