Chapter 1308 — Alliance of the Powerful
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 3
The mountain ridges in the valley had been sheared clean away by that dreadful existence; next time, the blow he must face would surely fall even more sharply.
"Where is your lantern?
" Taishi within the egg said, "That existence's cultivation and strength are terrifying beyond measure. Its next attack will be crueler still, and it will sweep the whole valley. There is nowhere in this valley for you to shelter, save that lantern, which alone can hide you.
" Shen Mu assented, took out Yue Tianzun's lantern, and hung it upon a cliff.
And so it proved: with the lantern there, no matter how that dreadful existence struck, it could not reach Shen Mu's true body. In the valley, Shen Mu loosed arrow after arrow, driving that dreadful existence back into its own era time and again; yet even with the Alchemist's spirit elixirs, he could not hold out.
The skin of his arms split open; the recoil of every arrow he shot shook his flesh nearly to pieces, and his bones cracked apart again and again. Every time he raised the divine bow, he felt his muscles quake and his bones groan.
It was almost by will alone that he held on. The Egg of Taishi, too, sensed that Shen Mu's condition was dire, and fretted inwardly: "Why has Brother Taiyi still not come?
Did he not say he would come?
" Muddled and dazed, Shen Mu clenched his teeth and endured.
At last, exhaustion left him unable to lift the divine bow any longer; his legs gave way, and he nearly fell to his knees. Leaning on the bow, Shen Mu struggled to stand.
The power of the elixirs within him was still being roused, yet his body had already reached its limit, his yuan spirit was dull and confused, and even rousing his vital essence to work the Three Elixirs Art of the Mystic Body came sluggishly.
He panted and gasped, rested a while, and still rose to his feet once more.
"Shen'er, let us take over! " The First Ancestor Human Emperor came leading the Human Emperors of past generations. Qi Kang helped him aside; the First Ancestor took the divine bow from his hands and said in a low voice, "Just now, Blind.
.
.
Blind Elder designed a formation for us that can unite our strength into one body. We have drilled it long, and drawing this bow should be within our power. " Shen Mu slumped down, and saw the Dragon Qilin come bearing the Alchemist over. With a thud, the Alchemist set down a vast pill furnace and said gravely, "Get yourselves hurt as much as you like, I am here!
So long as a single scrap of flesh remains, I can bring you back! " Warmth filled Shen Mu's heart. He looked at them smiling, and could not speak.
The First Ancestor and the past Human Emperors laughed heartily, arrayed the formation, and each took his position, with the First Ancestor at its head.
The First Ancestor raised his right arm and drew the bow with all his strength!
The past Human Emperors roared in unison, and behind them one heavenly palace after another burst forth, each man's yuan spirit standing within his own palace, upon a jade terrace, or amid the many halls.
Not one of those heavenly palaces was alike another! Shen Mu's eyes lit up.
He murmured, "Perhaps after I have gnawed through Yincan Village, I can gnaw on the older generation of Human Emperors as well.
. .
" The First Ancestor Human Emperor's heavenly palace surfaced as well. The heavenly palaces of the past Human Emperors were magnificent to behold, linked together, their great paths interwoven and crisscrossing, as if they would form the splendor of an entire Heavenly Court!
Shen Mu was deeply shaken. This was the formation Blind Elder had created, and it was not laid out according to their movements, but according to the cultivation arts of the past Human Emperors, according to their heavenly palaces! Blind Elder's formation was meant to make their heavenly palaces join like pearls on a single strand, forming one Heavenly Court!