Chapter 447 — Natural Rivals

Before, how could I ever have lifted this sword? It's a pity that many of the dragon words remain unsolved. " These days he had tried to merge the new Nine Dragons Sovereign Art with the Three Elixirs of the Mystic Body, and his physical body progressed at miraculous speed. Previously he had only cultivated the body-refining methods in the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture, but now the power bursting from his pure physical strength was even more formidable than the divine arts of many divine-ability users.

If he unleashed the Eight Peals of Thunder, the Butcher's Saber Art, and other combat techniques, the power would simply double!

The strength of the physical body was no small matter for the elevation of combat techniques!

The Western Lands merchants around them went into their tents to sleep one after another. Shen Mu sat by the lake, while Dragon Qilin shrank its body and begged the Dragon-Rearing Classic from Shen Mu, lying by his side reading by the firelight of the desert. "This Dragon Fatty is as diligent as Ling'er!

" Shen Mu was much gratified.

Dragon Qilin licked its claws, opened the Dragon-Rearing Classic, and read it carefully, thinking to itself, "Lord Dragon-Rearing wrote the Dragon-Rearing Classic. I too shall write a Human-Rearing Classic.

. . " Not long after, Shen Mu leaned back against Dragon Qilin and fell into deep sleep, and Dragon Qilin too lowered its head and slept. Though the desert night was full of fire everywhere, the temperature was very low, and the lake's surface froze.

But Dragon Qilin's body was very warm, its nostrils puffing out flames from time to time. In the latter half of the night, amid the flames outside the oasis, Ban Gongcuo spiraled up from underground. He looked at the sleeping Shen Mu, hesitated a moment, somewhat undecided, unable to determine whether to now quietly approach and assassinate this fellow.

Shen Mu's breathing was steady, showing no awareness at all.

Ban Gongcuo hesitated again and again, and was about to make up his mind to strike the killing blow, when he suddenly saw that as Shen Mu breathed, strands of dragon qi kept flying out of the Taotie Bag, like small swimming dragons drilling into his nostrils. Ban Gongcuo saw that Shen Mu's hand was also placed in the Taotie Bag, and was startled. He suddenly changed his mind, his body spiraling and silently sinking into the ground.

"Did he notice me? " Shen Mu opened one eye, his eyeball rolling around, then closed it again.

He drew his hand out of the Taotie Bag and continued to draw the dragon qi from the True Dragon's Lair while snoring in deep sleep—this time he was truly asleep.

Strands of true dragon qi were absorbed into his body, transforming into his vital essence and elevating his cultivation. In his cultivation over the past few months, he had relied entirely on the True Dragon's Lair and the Jade Tablet of the Heavenly Emperor, which was why his cultivation could rise so fast. Even Ban Gongcuo, an existence who had been reborn more than ten times, had not been able to leave him far behind.

Of course, more crucial was that he frequently engaged in dual cultivation of the primordial spirit with Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang, his primordial spirit growing ever stronger, with enormous benefits—which was why he had not been left behind in cultivation by Ban Gongcuo, who had entered the Seven Stars realm.

At daybreak, Xiong Qi'er woke, clamoring with hunger. Shen Mu cooked her a lean meat porridge with minced lean meat and green vegetable leaves, made some snacks, then refined several kinds of improved spirit pills and had Dragon Qilin taste how the flavor was. "My Human-Rearing Classic is certain to reach great perfection!

" Dragon Qilin said with full confidence. "The Sect Master thinks he has mastered the Dragon-Rearing Classic, little knowing he is entirely within the grasp of my Human-Rearing Classic! " The caravan prepared to set out, and the old merchant bade Shen Mu farewell, warning once more, "Young Shen, you must absolutely not say you are from the Waste, or else great disaster will surely come!

" Shen Mu thanked him, and stood on Dragon Qilin's forehead, hurrying west. Behind him came the sound of bells on the yellow sheep's necks, as one yellow sheep after another, carrying goods, strode on two legs toward the Waste in the east. Dragon Qilin's speed was flying-fast, but even so, running until evening, they had still not reached the Western Lands.

As they passed a stretch of great mountains in the desert, Shen Mu glanced at them a few times, and Dragon Qilin had already run past the great mountain.

Shen Mu suddenly said, "Dragon Fatty, turn back! " Dragon Qilin was puzzled, but hastily turned back.

Shen Mu looked it up and down, and saw that this great mountain was extremely towering, but there was no fire on the mountain. He rose into the air and soon reached the summit, and saw that the summit was very vast, with broken walls and ruined pillars everywhere, where one could faintly make out its former glory.

There were also some wind-dried bones here, buried in the sand and dust. Shen Mu examined them; those who had died here were giants, of exceptionally massive build. He came to a pillar and touched it.

From beside the pillar hung several broken thick chains.

"Sect Master, what happened to this mountain? " Dragon Qilin came flying over on fire clouds.

Shen Mu raised his hand and pointed to the distance of the desert.

"Look over there. " Dragon Qilin looked in the direction he pointed, and saw a dark, sunken sphere appear in the desert, letting the wind and sand blow over it. "This is a Sun Boat.

A dead Sun Boat. " Shen Mu descended from the boat, his face calm as an ancient well.

"Let's go.

" Dragon Qilin glanced at his expression, not daring to say more, and carried him onward west.

Before long, they came upon a second great ship—a battered and broken Soul Boat, also already wrecked.

Then they came upon a third great ship lying fallen in the desert. This Soul Boat had been through extremely bitter war, and was exceptionally ruined.

Shen Mu suddenly came to a realization: "The Myriad Gods Nature Art is the nemesis of Sun Boats and Soul Boats!

"