Chapter 1766 — Who Tempers Your Advance in Your Stead
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The soldiers of Jing Ping were clearing the battlefield, and Ling Yuxiu sent men to spread through all heavens and myriad worlds the news of the Heavenly Court's crushing defeat, of Xuandu and Youdu changing masters, and of Jing Ping's great victory, and only then did she find time to visit Shen Mu. Shen Mu lay upon a sickbed, once more without breath, and Xu Shenghua had already driven Dao-slaying divine nails one by one into his wounds to suppress the Dao wounds within him.
In this battle every man's part had been vital, and every army vital, and what Shen Mu had done was no different from what the other soldiers had done.
He had done all he could to hold back Heavenly Emperor Haotian, and the others had likewise fought with all they had.
This victory belonged to them all; the sole difference was that Shen Mu had lived, while some soldiers had not lived through this decisive battle.
"His trouble is not great.
" Xu Shenghua rose and said to Ling Yuxiu, "In this world no one can kill Cult Leader Shen any longer; if such a one exists, he is in the past universe.
" As he made to leave, Ling Yuxiu called him back and asked, "Many died in this war, and my husband sleeps and cannot wake for a time.
In this world, I fear only you and Lan Yutian have the power to wield the art of resurrection. " Xu Shenghua shook his head.
"Those who understand soul gathering, who can draw the black soul-sand to reshape souls, number more than ten in Jing Ping, among them Empress Tianyin; it is not only Lan Yutian and I. To reshape souls for the gods whose souls were scattered on the field would alone drain the magic power of all ten-odd of us clean. Reshaping a soul demands a price, and bringing the dead to life demands a price greater still; even Cult Leader Shen at his peak could not revive all who died in battle. " He looked at Ling Yuxiu.
"Lady Shen, Jing Ping has the art of creation and divine artifacts of creation. If you could exhaust Jing Ping's wealth to reshape flesh for these dead, spend the fortune of the nation to nothing, and empty the strength of Jing Ping's mighty ones, borrowing wholly the power of Heaven-Venerable You, Little Tu Bo, and Tiangong till not a drop remained, there might yet be a chance to revive the soldiers slain on the field. After this great war, Jing Ping no longer has such mighty national strength! " His tone shifted.
"It was by the sacrifice of these soldiers that Jing Ping found a sliver of life, a sliver of hope, in a war all but lost. Complete victory is still far off; if we ruin this fine situation for this matter, why did we resist the Heavenly Court at all? Lady Shen, do not render their sacrifice meaningless!
" He seldom showed joy or anger, yet now his words weighed heavy.
Ling Yuxiu said, "So long as the flesh remains, if we restore the souls of the heroic spirits slain in battle and let them return to their own bodies, can they not live again? That way there would be no need to consume so much national strength.
.
.
" Xu Shenghua shook his head. "Lady Shen, there is no flesh left.
" Ling Yuxiu started. "Heavenly Emperor Haotian acts too ruthlessly; today's Yuan Realm has become a vast blood-sacrifice altar. Every living being slain upon this altar of blood sacrifice will be turned to energy and offered to the primeval universe. " Xu Shenghua fell silent a moment, then said, "I have seen the corpses of our soldiers; they rot with great speed, the blood of gods and demons seeps into the earth, and in a day or two all essence and spiritual power is lost. Because so many soldiers died, this blood sacrifice is not yet conspicuous, but should it be completed, I fear two or three Dao-achievers of the Miluo Palace will descend!
Heavenly Emperor Haotian has lost all humanity and will surely die wretchedly.
Seeing the clue, I told Lan Yutian, and he has taken his divine artifact to search everywhere, trying to find where the blood-sacrifice altars are hidden. I hope he can destroy them.