Chapter 1683 — Unrivaled in This World
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
The two heavens revolved and rose to meet the plank Shen Mu hacked down. Both pushed their power to the utmost. Haotian Di at once sensed Shen Mu's weakness in magic power and rejoiced—then immediately perceived the terror of Shen Mu's flesh.
As he swung that plank up, it split even the cold lonely wind of the ultimate void clean in two!
Shen Mu possessed invincible strength, while Haotian Di's magic power was unrivaled in all the world! Shen Mu used the plank as a saber, employing nothing but the Dao of the Saber from among his battle arts, while Haotian Di drove the might of the Myriad Dao Heaven Wheel to its limit!
In the mere instant of their collision, Haotian Di shattered Shen Mu's magic power—yet the plank cut through the Myriad Dao Heaven Wheel, slicing the two heavens apart, and came down upon his head. Haotian Di roared.
The Myriad Dao Heaven Wheel revolved; the power of the thirty-first heaven of the Dao Realm burst forth, wave after wave of terrifying force crashing against Shen Mu's body. At the same time, the Innate Qi above his head shot skyward and bloomed in midair like a Dao tree! Another Haotian Di stood upon that Dao tree formed of Innate Qi, and struck sideways with one finger, tapping Shen Mu between the brows—the Innate Qi erupted!
Above Haotian Di's true body, another Dao of Guixu soared skyward and became yet another Haotian Di, whose hands clasped together and produced a lotus. Its petals flew, swish, swish, swish, binding Shen Mu fast.
The plank chopped down onto Haotian Di's head, while Haotian Di's strike, holding the power of the thirty-first heaven of the Dao Realm, slammed into Shen Mu without the least reservation. Their forms crossed and parted. Shen Mu's flesh rippled and shattered the lotus petals wrapped around him; a great hole split open in his brow, transparent from front to back.
Then, slowly, the hole healed. Haotian Di's skull had been all but cut in two by that plank—but his other two bodies dissolved into Innate Qi and the Dao of Guixu and flew back, and the two halves of his head slowly knit together, restored as before.
Shen Mu shook the plank and turned around. The Qi Daluo Heaven revolved, and Haotian Di faced him squarely.
Their eyes met, and they said in unison, "You are not bad at all!
" Shen Mu laughed heartily. Studying that healed skull, he asked curiously, "This is the zero and the one formed by your Innate Qi and your Dao of Guixu? The Dao of Guixu is the Dao of destruction, reducing all things to zero, while Innate Qi is the One born of the Dao—the one of 'the Dao gives birth to the One.
' And so you can fight without pause, and heal swiftly however badly you are wounded.
Did you comprehend this in your battle with Emperor Tai in the Great Void?
" Haotian Di nodded and said approvingly, "I have you to thank as well, my dear Minister Mu.
Even then I was already comprehending how to reach this step. My injuries were grave at the time, and I meant to be reborn through nirvana, but you found me and hunted me sixty thousand li, until Taisu appeared and saved me. From Taisu I grasped the principle of unifying my arts into one. " Shen Mu said thoughtfully, "Taisu—that is the transformation of substance and form. Taisu wished to control you, but she was too green, and so fell under your control instead, until all her cultivation and attainments became yours.
Switching freely between zero and one is very hard for you, but comprehending the Dao of Taisu and devouring the Goddess Taisu gave you the means to unify your arts. " Haotian Di smiled faintly. A stream of Taisu qi welled up, ever-changing, taking the shapes of all manner of wondrous treasures. He said unhurriedly, "My dear Minister Mu, you are no small matter either.