Chapter 1753 — Sealing the Coffin and Sinking It in the River
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
"Mu Tianzun is still so heavy after death! " Taichu grunted, lifting Shen Mu together with the World Tree and the chaotic pool, urging the Dao-Burying Divine Coffin.
The divine coffin grew huge, and he placed Shen Mu's corpse within.
Taichu breathed a sigh of relief, took out the Dao-Slaughtering Nails, counted them, and could not help hesitating: "Celestial Venerable Xing'an said half these nails are to be pinned into Mu Tianzun's flesh and half into the coffin lid, yet here are only ninety-nine nails, which cannot be evenly divided! " The battle between the Empress and Lord Shang grew ever swifter.
Taichu could not afford more thought and thrust fifty nails into the flesh of Shen Mu in various places. Upon Shen Mu's body there were a great many wounds, left by the Third Young Master's art, exactly fifty wounds, matching the fifty nails. Taichu closed the coffin and drove the remaining forty-nine nails into the lid, nailing the coffin shut.
At once the abnormally dreadful power coming from Shen Mu's flesh dispersed, wholly cut off by the divine coffin.
Taichu breathed easily, then went to aid the Empress Dowager against Lord Shang, but Lord Shang suddenly split space with a saber stroke, flashed into it, and vanished.
"Do not pursue a desperate foe!
" Taichu stopped the Empress, saying: "Disposing of Mu Tianzun is the pressing matter!
Lord Shang will surely follow the coffin in secret, and on the road we may lay an ambush and slay him! " The Empress understood, and returned with him to the Heavenly Court camp.
The Haotian Emperor commanded the Right Feathered Forest Army, saying: "Escort the divine coffin to Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court!
" The Feathered Forest Army were all winged demigods, extremely swift. Upon hearing the order they escorted the Dao-Burying Divine Coffin and set out, flying from the Metaworld toward the Ancestral Court.
Taichu and the Empress Dowager, one hidden in the ultimate void and one hidden within a Guixu art, quietly followed, waiting for Lord Shang to appear so they might slay him.
The Feathered Forest Army trekked long through the starry sky, flying for months on end, yet Lord Shang never appeared, and the two grew anxious. On this day, suddenly Taichu and the Empress Dowager saw the shadow of a Feathered Forest soldier stir strangely, and rejoiced greatly.
The two pounced at once, joining in a blow that smashed that soldier to pieces! "He is not in the shadow!
" The two searched on all sides, only to see a saber light flickering uncertainly in the starry sky, and at once they rushed out to pursue Lord Shang.
The Feathered Forest Army pressed onward, and after another two months they were still half the road from the Ancestral Court. On this day, as the Feathered Forest Army dragged the divine coffin on beating wings and were about to pass a sun, they saw a lotus bloom in the starry sky, extremely splendid, followed by another lotus blossoming before them.
The Feathered Forest Army hastily halted their forms, drew up in formation, and warily watched those endlessly flashing lotuses.
They gazed fixedly and saw that the lotuses were no lotuses at all, but a marvelous art, footprints left by someone hastening through the stars.
The traveler was a handsome and transcendent youth, his long robe fluttering, very noble, his bearing unforgettable at a glance and inspiring spontaneous goodwill.
The commander of the Feathered Forest Army stepped forward and shouted: "The Heavenly Court Feathered Forest Army, by order of His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, escort Mu Tianzun's corpse to the Ancestral Court! All idle persons, stand back!
" The youth halted his steps, looked at the Feathered Forest Army, then at the coffin guarded in their midst, and said gently: "Within this coffin lies Sect Master Shen?
"