Chapter 1837 — Through Fire and Water for a Kindred Spirit

At once the prehistoric powerhouses and Dao-attainers under Old Man Wuya swarmed forward, treading the World Tree's roots as though walking along magnificent dragon-like mountain ranges, striding swift as flight, and charged into the city!

Within the city, the Twelve Palace Lords and ninety-six Dao-attainers had long been waiting in stern array for the two forces to assault the city, and at the sight they charged out at once.

At the same time, a Chaos Palace emerged behind Shen Mu, and the Cosmic Bell fell into his palm. Chaos qi surged and billowed in an instant, transforming into a Chaos Sea. Shen Mu raised the Cosmic Bell and struck out with his palm.

Clang — The bell's mouth faced Yujing City, as though the cosmos were being opened. In the instant the bell sounded, the towers and walls of Yujing City shifted and shattered, and countless bricks forged from the finest divine gold flew up with a clatter, hurtling backward. The Five Ultimates evolved, the stars surged forth, and rivers of stars and constellations formed the shape of a bell, crashing into the city.

"Kill! " Kaihuang drew his sword and roared, leaping first into the bell, treading its inner wall as he charged forward. "Kill!

" Lan Yutian and the others followed close behind, pouring into the Cosmic Bell.

This scene at once set the blood of the newly arrived Jingping powerhouses, the First Ancestor, the Human Sovereign, and the rest, boiling.

Shen Fengqing cried out loudly: "You newcomers, stick close to me and Lady Tianyin, and when you're about to die, say so in advance!

" The First Ancestor, the Southern Emperor, and the others felt a chill in their hearts.

Zhu Santong caught up with them and said with a smile: "Rest easy.

The Earth Lord, the Lord of Heaven, and Lady Tianyin have many tricks at their disposal; it will be hard for you to die. I wrote it all in my book. And at the very worst, there is still the Medicine King God!

" The others steeled themselves and charged forward.

Ahead, Kaihuang, Lan Yutian, and the other Dao-attainers had already clashed head-on with the powerhouses of Yujing City, which set their hearts somewhat at ease.

Shen Mu raised a hand to stop Yuetianzun, who also wished to charge into the city, and gently shook his head.

Yuetianzun understood, and stayed by his side.

Shen Mu gazed far into the city, and saw that the Third Young Master of Miluo Palace had once more taken control of Emperor Haotian's body and the Dao spear, while on the other side the Fourth Young Master had also chosen a Dao-attainer and stood guard over his zither.

Wave upon wave of zither notes came from the city, profound in conception. The Fourth Young Master's Dao of music was not lofty; where he truly excelled was in borrowing the zither's notes to wield divine powers, and this he did with consummate, inconceivable skill. The spear of the Third Young Master, Lingxiao, was the most domineering weapon under heaven; even Shen Mu's Cosmic Bell could not hold it back.

Though Young Master Zixiao's zither had not fully descended, its might was by no means easy to withstand! Shen Mu's gaze flickered uncertainly. He glanced at Old Man Wuya and said unhurriedly: "This time, besides going to see Old Man Wuya and having a fight with him, and being beaten black and blue by him, I also paid a visit to Yujing City.

" Yuetianzun turned her head in surprise and looked at his profile, a look of doubt on her face; yet she did not ask why, after discussing with Old Man Wuya how to deal with Yujing City, he had still gone to Yujing City. For she knew that Shen Mu would surely give her a reasonable explanation.

Shen Mu continued: "The Dao-attainers under Old Man Wuya grow ever more numerous.

Though we and Yujing City have ceaselessly attacked the World Tree and uprooted a portion of his power, he has sixteen cosmic eras at his back, and followers flow to him without end. The reason he can bring these followers to attain the Dao in the Seventeenth Era is that he has yet another ally. " Yuetianzun's heart stirred.

She wanted to raise her head and look at the sky, yet dared not look directly upward, for fear of alarming that person. "Young Master Wuji is helping him, and he too is helping Young Master Wuji break free of her bonds. " Shen Mu said: "Between me and the Third and Fourth of Miluo Palace, it is a contest of ideals, of governing the world and saving it.

Even if the Third and Fourth beat me to death, they will not make things hard for Jingping, nor for the myriad heavens and worlds. They will only carry on along the Master of Miluo Palace's ideals.

But Wuji is different.

Wuji would destroy the world, annihilate everything, and create a perfect world. That is why I went to see the Third and Fourth. " Yuetianzun's voice dropped: "You have allied with them?

" Shen Mu nodded lightly: "Young Master Wuji is a calamity the Third brought about; he must bear it. I have sensed the red rope knot seal I mended. Of my runes, Young Master Wuji has not touched a single one; so what Old Man Wuya helped her refine must be the remaining runes within the red rope knot.

If the other runes have been dissolved by her and Old Man Wuya, then breaking my runes will be easy for Wuji.

" Yuetianzun said: "Then the greatest peril does not come from Young Master Zixiao's zither. " Shen Mu nodded: "The greatest peril comes from Wuji. Whether for us or for Miluo Palace, Wuji's escape will be a devastating blow. This time, our aim is to draw out Young Master Wuji.

I, the Third, and the Fourth will join hands to suppress her, to seal her once more, or even to kill her!

" Yuetianzun shivered: "But Wuji cannot be killed.

" Shen Mu said: "There are only two who can kill Wuji: one is the Master of Miluo Palace, and the other is Old Man Wuya. " His gaze turned grim: "This time we borrow Old Man Wuya's hand to kill Wuji, and to kill Old Man Wuya. That temptation the Third and Fourth will surely not pass up. " Yuetianzun asked, perplexed: "Then what is your purpose in keeping me here? " "I cannot let Wuji and Old Man Wuya die now.

If they die, the whole of the Ancestral Court's Yujing City, along with the Third and Fourth Young Masters, can descend, and I cannot let them descend.

" Shen Mu turned his head and looked at her, saying softly: "I need you, at the critical moment, to interfere with Young Master Zixiao. But you may die. " Yuetianzun fell silent, then suddenly raised her head: "Tell me what to do. " Shen Mu looked at her quietly, and a faint smile appeared: "But I will not let you die. If you trust me, I will return from the future to the past, to this very moment, and save you.

Yue.

" He took Yuetianzun's hand. Her heart fell into confusion. Shen Mu said softly: "We will meet again in a past cosmos. " Yuetianzun drew her hand from his, and nodded silently.