Chapter 763 — The Soul Returns to the Mortal World
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 5
" The old Yin Courier listened for a while before realization struck him, and he cried out in surprise: "This is the Soul-Drawing Art — but you have changed it beyond all recognition! " Shen Mu's primordial spirit kept driving the Soul-Drawing Art while Shen Mu himself continuously circled around Heavenly Venerable Yu, above and below, left and right — his gait in the air was odd, yet as steady as if he trod level ground.
His hands flashed as he cast one seal after another, turning into all kinds of runes stamped upon Yu's body. Compared with the awkwardness and peril of his soul-summoning for Lady Tianyin back then, he was now skilled and unhurried, with even enough 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.