Chapter 763 — The Soul Returns to the Mortal World

spare strength to turn his head and smile: "Right, it is the Soul-Drawing Art. I taught you." The old Yin Courier's eyes widened: "Even if you hadn't taught me, I could have worked it out on my own." Shen Mu laughed heartily. His seals and the Soul-Drawing Art gradually emitted waves upon waves of obscure, unfathomable fluctuation, as if stirring some law of heaven and earth; they roused inexplicable tremors within Youdu, then reached out from Youdu, extending into one world after another. The divine and demonic words intoned by his primordial spirit could not be heard by ordinary ears at all; even adepts of divine arts could not catch his voice. But to the ears of certain ancient existences, it was like the Great Dao itself crooning in low, resonant tones — a throbbing that came from the depths of the soul. The shock it dealt those ancient existences was utterly incomparable, as if an ancient god commanding tremendous laws were urging its own power onward — low, deep, mysterious. Soul-motes scattered through heaven and earth were stirred; gradually, particles like grains of black sand were drawn, drifting toward Youdu. These were soul fragments minuscule beyond measure, shattered over the vast ages until they could be shattered no further — all but imperceptible to human eyes, yet truly present. A million years had passed; the Heavenly Court and the Heavenly River of those days were no one knew what by now. Times changed, things altered, and the number of worlds over which Yu's soul-motes had scattered exceeded Shen Mu's expectation; gradually he began to strain. The magic power his primordial spirit drove grew more and more immense, its voice more and more resounding. "Why did you not summon his soul back then?" the old Yin Courier asked in puzzlement. "In those days his soul had scattered through the Heavenly Court; summoning it then would have been far easier, and you would not have had to work so hard." "Back then I did not yet know the Lord of Earth or the Lord of Heaven. Had I made a rash move and borrowed their power, they would certainly have swatted me dead." Sweat broke out on Shen Mu's brow, steaming like clouds. He said heavily: "Today I am on good terms with the Lord of Heaven and the Lord of Earth, and they will say nothing if I borrow their strength — but back then it was impossible." The old Yin Courier's expression turned strange, his mouth as if stuffed with two eggs, his eyes bulging like brass bells. He thought to himself: "Does Heavenly Venerable Mu have some misconception about being on good terms? I don't know about the Lord of Heaven, but the Lord of Earth is certainly not on good terms with him. It is just that the Lord of Earth is annoyed by his running over to Youdu to kick up a fuss..." Shen Mu struggled more and more; the runes he drove with every movement grew heavier and more solid, each seal he pressed onto Yu's body as if he were hefting Mount Sumeru itself. His voice somewhat hoarse, he said: "Besides, the Heavenly Court was too dangerous back then; it was not merely that Hao wanted him dead. The one who willed his death was so powerful that even the Lord of Heaven and the Lord of Earth dared not provoke him. Had I brought Yu back then, he would only have died again — and I would have died too. That is why, after I restored his body, I had Heavenly Venerable Ling pass it to you. Only today do I dare to act and revive him!" His body shook violently; the primordial spirit and his physical body both halted — one standing on the ground, the other at the primordial spirit's brow, rings upon rings of light-wheels revolving behind each head. Within the light-wheels, runes of every sort lit up endlessly with the spinning, and their radiance shone down upon Heavenly Venerable Yu! Tiny soul-motes flew in, entering his body in succession — through his features, through his brow, through his throat, through his heart and lungs, through his cinnabar field, through his perineum. Shen Mu and his primordial spirit stood without moving, the light-wheels behind their heads revolving without rest. The old Yin Courier grew wary, a chill in his heart; knowing this was a critical moment, he went on guard at once. Paper boats flew swiftly out of Youdu, guarding the outside of the Mansion of the Heaven-Equal Benevolent Prince — so numerous, so dense, that they packed the darkness. After none knew how long, Shen Mu wore a weary look; the heavy light-wheels behind his head gradually stopped turning and slowly dispersed. His primordial spirit moved forward, growing smaller and smaller until it merged with his physical body. Only then did the old Yin Courier release his pent-up breath. He made haste to go forward and ask, but before he could speak Shen Mu frowned and said: "Part of Yu's soul did not shatter completely — it was suppressed by someone. I cannot summon it back." The old Yin Courier was stunned; he asked in panic: "How much is suppressed?" "Less than a tenth." Shen Mu let out a mouthful of murky breath, rested a moment, and said: "As for the missing part, I do not know whether it matters greatly. Who took away part of his soul — that is beyond my knowledge." The old Yin Courier said anxiously: "Then what can be done?" "Very simple. Beseech the Lord of Earth." Shen Mu said solemnly: "I will immediately take him back to the mortal world and reforge his souls, reassemble his spirit! Once his soul is reassembled, the other portion will be perceivable to the Lord of Earth through it; we need only ask the Lord of Earth, and we shall know where the remnant soul is." The two of them laid Yu's body on the little boat. The old Yin Courier's mother was busy cooking, and she said hastily: "It will be ready right away. You two have toiled for so long — won't you stay for a meal before you go?" The old Yin Courier said hurriedly: "Mother, we have urgent business!" The woman smiled: "Then take care on the road. I will keep the food for you. And you there, young man — our You'er is young and ignorant, and not much of a talker. Do bear with him." Shen Mu suppressed his laughter and said quickly: "Rest easy, Auntie; I understand." He glanced at the old Yin Courier, whose face was black and expressionless. It was only when the boat had gone far that Shen Mu burst out laughing. The old Yin Courier's face veiled itself once more, and he said coolly: "What is there to laugh at? I could not beat you back then; now I can." Shen Mu quickly choked back his laughter and chuckled: "Now you could beat even Yu. When he comes back to life, I wonder if he will still know us." The old Yin Courier stared absently for a long while, then said: "He has always been my elder brother." Shen Mu blinked: "And me?" "Hmph." The old Yin Courier turned his head away, revealing the ghost-face mask on the back of his skull. The mask abruptly pulled a leering grimace at Shen Mu and stuck out its tongue. Shen Mu was startled; looking closely, he saw that this ghost-face mask was not the one he had carved himself long ago — it was surely the mask that Heavenly Venerable You had worn back then. At some point, the old Yin Courier had rifled it out and worn it on the back of his head again. "He must be afraid that his face has changed and Yu will not know him, so he has taken out that mask and put it on again," Shen Mu thought to himself. Back in the mortal world, they were still on the bank of the Yong River. It was night in the desolate ruins, and few black sands of souls or starving ghosts drifted in the darkness now. Shen Mu stood on the paper boat on the Yong and worked his arts once more; the Heaven-Upholding Gate appeared, inverted, and the borrowed power of the Lord of Heaven and the Lord of Earth shone down upon Yu as he floated in the air! The old Yin Courier watched his ritual with frantic tension, his fists clenched. After a long while, Shen Mu dispersed his power, and Heavenly Venerable Yu descended lightly, coming to rest on the river's surface. "Lan Yutian. It has be