荒墟牧神 - 第22章 鎮夜神像現玄機 - 雲海書庫

In the valley below the cliff, boom, boom — heavy blow after heavy blow came pounding without cease, the thunderous noise rattling the leaves until they clattered and shook, and the birds among the hills flapped away, not daring to linger. In the valley, the Nether Ape sprang into the air, hugged a great boulder to its chest, and from mid-air smashed it down viciously at Shen Mu. Shen Mu dodged aside. Missing its strike, the ape hoisted the boulder and smashed down again, but Shen Mu bounded onto the boulder, rebounded from it, landed on the ape's nose, and stamped one palm across its face. Third form of the Thunderhowl Eight Arts: Nine Dragons Command Wind and Thunder! That palm strike hid nine surges of power. The first surge broke from the center of his palm like an enraged dragon charging and sent the Nether Ape toppling onto its back. Shen Mu's shoulders and hips moved in unison, power coursing through his entire body as every muscle gathered at the center of his palm; the second surge erupted, and the Nether Ape's skull slammed into the ground, splitting the loose stones beneath its head. His muscles writhed over his frame like flood dragons coiling and drove the third surge of Nine Dragons Command Wind and Thunder to explode, the shattered stones beginning to crumble apart. Every muscle in his body leapt violently; the fourth surge erupted, and half of the Nether Ape's head was already buried in the earth. The fifth surge of Nine Dragons Command Wind and Thunder burst loose; a dull tremor came hammering up from the ground, and the Nether Ape's entire head sank beneath the surface! The sixth surge of the Nine Dragons' wind-and-thunder erupted like six dragons charging at once. Yet the very moment it went off, the Nether Ape had already recovered; a fist like a small mountain smashed in from one side, struck Shen Mu, and knocked him flying like a fly! Shen Mu tumbled and rolled along the ground. The Nether Ape struggled to wrench its head free, shook it, and bits of broken stone sprayed from its dense fur, pattering in every direction. Meanwhile, Shen Mu rolled over, sprang up, and came roaring at it again. The Nether Ape, having an exceedingly large head, considered the matter, then jumped up onto the cliff, squatted on the rock face, and waved a hand. "Little mite, no." Shen Mu flew over, feet tapping swiftly across the sheer cliff wall, and ran straight up from bottom to top, hurling himself at the Nether Ape. The Nether Ape flew into a rage. Man and ape stood on the crag, leaping and bounding as if on wings, battling until broken stones sprayed on all sides. After a long while, the medicinal power inside Shen Mu gradually burned away, and the Nether Ape, too, was exhausted to the point of stillness. Neither of them could move; they lay on the cliff, gasping noisily for air. After the burning of an incense stick, Shen Mu recovered his breath, sat up, and regulated his breathing with slow inhales and exhales. Joy rose in his heart: his primordial qi had made no small progress in that short time, tempered tougher and more resilient, reaching every corner of his body and drifting through it in merry delight. More filth caked his skin as well — the medicinal power roused in the fight must have strengthened his primordial qi and forged still more impurities out of his body. Shen Mu flicked a finger, and the finger-wind tore through the air with a shrill whistle, like a sharp arrow breaking the sky! The Nether Ape's heart lurched; it hastily sat up too and took a defensive stance. Shen Mu stretched his limbs, felt how sore his muscles were, and shook his head. "No more fighting." The Nether Ape understood his words, sighed with relief, reached out, uprooted a tree as thick as an arm, stripped a handful of leaves into its mouth, and chewed them slowly; then it laid the tree in front of Shen Mu and rumbled, "Little mite, eat." Shen Mu plucked a bright red fruit from the tree, peeled it, and bit into it. It slipped down his thr