Chapter 294 — The Origin of the Soul

But Xu Shenghua was a cut above in divine power, his force concentrated to a single line, and so Shen Mu's cup was sliced through the center.

Both men's methods were superb: each had trapped the other's divine power inside his own cup. The intent and force of the opponent's divine power were sealed away for the moment, so that the two cups sat there whole; but let any external force touch them, and the intent and force stored within would be triggered!

"He must be the Daoist heir."

Xu Shenghua looked out over the river and praised him: "The Daoist Sect is remarkable indeed. This generation's Daoist heir will achieve no small thing in the future! Now that we have seen the Daoist heir, let us go to Little Jade Capital, and last of all seek out that new Human Emperor. The Shaman Venerable said this new Human Emperor is the leader of the Youmo Cult — so we may as well pay the Youmo Cult a visit."

On the river, Shen Mu ran over to help Ling Yuxiu. She was driving stakes into the embankment. She asked, "Who was that man on the boat? Was he hostile? I saw your divine powers blow the whole river open."

Shen Mu laughed. "We were only testing each other. I am happy today — very happy!"

Ling Yuxiu flicked a stake and listened to its hum. Doubtfully she said, "What is there to be happy about?"

"I always thought that in this world I was the only one with an Overlord Body."

Shen Mu's heart surged. He clenched his fist and looked toward the painted boat drifting downstream. "Until today, when I met another Overlord Body! If the village head knew of this, he would go mad with joy! There is a second Overlord Body in this world — the old man will surely be glad for me!"

Ling Yuxiu was rather muddled. "What Overlord Body?" she wondered.

Shen Mu paced about in his excitement. "I just tested his cultivation — only a shade weaker than mine. Only a shade! Little sister, do you know? At the same realm, even the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping's cultivation was far below mine. And he is only a shade below me. If that is not an Overlord Body, what is?"

Ling Yuxiu drove another stake into the dam, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping is a sage who appears once in five hundred years. How could he be weaker than you at the same realm? Come help me — I cannot manage alone, and the others have gone to make the waterwheel."

Shen Mu hurried to lend a hand, his excitement still unquenched. "A second Overlord Body. His cultivation is a little weaker than mine, but his moves and divine powers are a little stronger... Worthy of an Overlord Body!"

Ling Yuxiu saw him distracted and was a little annoyed, but in her heart she was glad for him too. To meet one of his own kind would naturally make anyone glad.

After a while, Shen Mu's mind settled. Unawares, his primal energy opened through, threading the five luminaries and six harmonies of his spirit fetus, and its circulation grew faster and faster, smoother and more comfortable.

Ling Yuxiu suddenly stopped. She sensed something strange in the air around them.

In that moment the sound of water became incomparably clear, the birds' calls too seemed distinct and sweet, and the scent of flowers and green grass in the air — every one of her senses became utterly lucid.

Puzzled, she looked toward Shen Mu. His gaze was clear, and it met hers. Carried along by that gaze, she seemed suddenly to enter a wondrous realm, and felt her spirit fetus and soul stirring restlessly.

The two stood on the embankment, palms clasped, smiling at each other — and yet their bodies did not move at all.

Their souls and spirit fetuses flew out of their bodies, seeming to grow vast beyond measure, roaming the great void, a thousand li in an instant.

Ling Yuxiu saw herself and Shen Mu roaming hand in hand, east and west in a moment, flying a thousand li away, seeing the thousand temples and ten thousand shrines upon Great Sumeru Mountain. Then all at once entering the Far North, watching ice-lotus bloom in a world of ice and snow. Then all at once arriving at the Southern Sea, treading white clouds, gazing at blue seas and blue skies. Then all at once going to the Waste Ruins, and seeing the layered divinities standing among the vast mountains and rivers.

But just then they suddenly heard someone calling their names, and felt an invisible force drawing at them, pulling them back at flying speed from ten thousand li away.

Swish —

Their souls returned to their bodies. They were still standing on the embankment, still smiling at each other. Ling Yuxiu's face flushed slightly; she hurriedly let go of Shen Mu's hand. Beside them stood the Crown Prince, Ling Yushu, watching them with a grave face.

Savoring what he had just felt, Shen Mu said, "Your Highness, I have just grasped the Great Unification cultivation method of the Six Harmonies realm, and all at once entered a wondrous state. My spirit fetus and soul merged and flew out of my body, roaming a vast world. Does Your Highness know what this is?"

Ling Yushu shook violently, and cried out despite himself, "So soon? You have cultivated your Primordial Spirit!"