Chapter 170 — All Methods Return to the One
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The three of them activated the teleportation treasure once more, and there came three muffled pops — and darkness swallowed their sight, their bodies bound tight. Knowing at once that something was wrong, they shook out their qi and shattered whatever encased them, only to discover that, following Shen Mu, they had teleported themselves into the trunks of several great trees. "Where is the Holy Cult Master? " asked Heavenly King Shi.
The words had scarce left his mouth when they caught sight of Shen Mu: from the trunk of a tree two men could barely encircle with their arms, a head poked out, the body sunk inside the wood, struggling and unable to free itself.
That tree was ironwood, harder in texture than steel. Heavenly King Lu, hot-tempered, bellowed, "Cult Master, why have you stopped running?
" "Heavenly Kings, so the three of you have not gone yet?
" Shen Mu, abashed, said, "My qi is spent, and this ironwood has me trapped — I cannot even lift my clothes.
Heavenly Kings, lend me a hand.
" The three Heavenly Kings did not know whether to laugh or to weep. Heavenly King Shi chopped the ironwood apart and hauled Shen Mu free, saying, "Cult Master, you are, after all, the Holy Cult Master of our Holy Cult, high in station and heavy in authority; here on Sacred Descent Mountain you must not run wild.
The buildings of the sacred mountain are all ancient relics, every one of them full of meaning. " Heavenly King Lu said, "Cult Master, you are not a child. .
.
" And here he realized the impropriety of it: was their Holy Cult Master not, precisely, a child?
Shen Mu was not yet fifteen; he could not match even the last digit of their ages.
Heavenly King Lu said sheepishly, "When I was the Cult Master's age I was still playing in the mud. . . no, by then I was already out in the fields bringing in the rice.
But Cult Master, the teleportation art is most perilous; one slip, and if you land in some forbidden ground, not even the gods could bring you back!
And here on Sacred Descent Mountain, there are no few forbidden grounds!
" Shen Mu shivered. To land in some forbidden ground would be to die with not even a patch of earth for a grave! "Cult Master, teleportation treasures all require anchoring; the key is how to fix the exact bearing of the teleport. " The three Heavenly Kings exchanged glances, suppressing the shock in their hearts. Heavenly King Shi said, "Cult Master, you refined a teleportation robe, yet you have not mastered accurate teleportation — that is most dangerous.
To teleport, you must first determine where you stand, then determine where you mean to go; and as you near the destination, you must at once withdraw your qi, or you will collide with something.
On your first attempts, do not go far — go short.
Short, so that you may halt at any moment. " Shen Mu's eyes brightened. "Let me try again! " The three Heavenly Kings' faces instantly clouded with care. Heavenly King Yu said hurriedly, "Cult Master, your qi is exhausted now; there is no need to rush these things.
And the reason the Patriarch left you here was not that you might study the teleportation arts, but that you might calm your heart and comprehend the Great Unification Art.
Sacred Descent Mountain is tranquil, free of the world's noisy vulgarity; if you leave this place, I fear even a year or two may not suffice to comprehend the Great Unification Art thoroughly.
" Shen Mu was struck with awe.
The young Patriarch had indeed left him here with profound intent.
These past two days he had thought only of refining the teleportation robe soon and leaving this place; he had never asked himself what the young Patriarch's true purpose had been.
"I was too eager for results.
" Shen Mu, forthright, bowed his thanks.
"Many thanks to the Heavenly Kings for pointing out my way.
" "We dare not!