Chapter 1816 — When I Attain the Dao
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 3
" The river surged, and before it even arrived Lingxiao was pressed until his robes snapped and streamed backward, robes no common stuff but woven of his own Dao.
Now, under Shen Mu's pressure, that Dao robe kept unraveling into drifting threads of chaotic qi.
The Third Young Master's eyes twitched as he stared at the onrushing river, and behind it the vast Guixu Lotus turning, petals unfolding layer upon layer outward, chaos misting within its throne, the chaotic qi喷ed from each seedpod taking on the visions of great thousand worlds.
Those visions flowed into the river and rushed with it toward him. That was Shen Mu's divine art.
And above the lotus throne, the World Tree's massive roots reached in all directions, plunging deep into the river.
Those roots pierced the visions of worlds and rushed with them at him, lending Shen Mu's blow still greater force. Shen Mu had not yet attained the Dao, yet already he could see how terrible Shen Mu would be once he did. His Lingxiao Palace leapt from the Chaos River, his hair streaming as he stood before it, urging its might to the utmost to meet the river.
Shen Mu's strike forced him to grow serious.
With a crash the oncoming river broke itself against Lingxiao Palace, shattering without cease, while one divine world after another born of chaos surged within the current, numberless, Shen Mu turning chaotic arts into worlds, each art of overwhelming power.
"Elder Wuya taught him well!
" Third Young Master Lingxiao gritted his teeth and reached behind him, where upon the imperial throne of Lingxiao Palace rested a divine spear, forged wholly of Dao, humming and trembling.
In a flash the spear flew up into his hand.
Spear in hand, he met Shen Mu's arts, and world after divine world broke beneath his spear. Clang, clang, clang.
The spear fell like rain against the World Tree's roots, Shen Mu's assault all but frenzied, countless roots stabbing from every side.
Alone with spear and palace, the Third Young Master held back the storm within the Chaos River, chaotic qi thickening ever denser about him, until, having broken every wave of Shen Mu's attack, he saw only swirling mist with the river still racing within.
He shouted in wrath and drove the spear upright into the river, and the mist sank at once, clarity returning all around. His face was iron-blue, for the river lay silent, and upon its surface, save for his own Dao Tree, nothing else could be found.
Shen Mu and the Golden Ship of Deliverance had vanished without a trace.
With a sweep of his cloak he turned, the cloak veiling Dao Tree and Lingxiao Palace alike, and when it fell both tree and palace were gone. "Seventh!
" His form sank into the Chaos River, striding through its waters where not even the Annihilation Calamity could harm him in the least.
He drew away from Miluo Palace when the Fourth Young Master's voice came from within.
"Senior Brother.
" Third Young Master Lingxiao halted and turned, to see Fourth Young Master Zixiao seated upon the gate tower of the Jade Capital of Miluo Palace, gazing at him from afar. "Senior Brother, you must not lose your heart and measure," Fourth Young Master Zixiao counseled from the distance.
"I shall hardly lose my measure," the Third Young Master said, turning to go, his voice deep. "Seventh acts wantonly and will surely breed calamity. I must stop him.
Fourth, your own Dao heart is flawed.
Guard it well.
" The Fourth Young Master frowned slightly and pressed him no further.
Not long after, Third Young Master Lingxiao reached the deepest part of the Annihilation Calamity, where a great Guixu Abyss poured forth boundless might, whetting the calamity's power. He hesitated at the mouth of Guixu, where knotted red cords woven into a net held back the calamity's force, undamaged by it.
The sixth red cord stood out like a superfluous sixth finger, jarringly out of place.