Chapter 560 — Breaking Through the Clouds to See the Blue Sky

"The Village Head is truly remarkable! The Mystic Body Three Elixirs Art he taught me can even cultivate the demonic path!

" Shen Mu could not help but be moved, his admiration for the Village Head beyond measure; inwardly he sighed: "When will I ever have the old man's breadth of vision and understanding?

" The Mystic Body Three Elixirs Art and the demonic tongue of Youdu on his lips did not conflict; the art drove his demonic essence, the spirit embryo breathed in and out, and the Youdu demonic tongue drew demonic qi into his body. His demonic cultivation grew more powerful and swelled without cease, and before long the demonic sun and demonic moon in that treasury had essentially taken shape, answering from afar the Great Sun and the Bright Moon of the other treasury, like a reflection of that treasury. When Shen Mu felt his cultivation there complete, he went straight on to assault the Five Luminaries Divine Treasury; with a thunderous boom he broke open the demonic-path Five Luminaries Divine Treasury, and five demonic-path Five Luminaries stars hung in the air, glittering with uncanny demonic light.

His Mystic Body Three Elixirs Art ran in ever more complex fashion, demonic essence linking the five luminaries and circulating in strange ways, and his demonic cultivation deepened further.

"At this rate, in a few days at most my demonic cultivation will catch up with my cultivation of the divine path.

" In the demons' territory there were still many experts searching for him, banding together and hunting in all directions. Quite a few demon experts saw Shen Mu from afar and paid him no mind, never imagining that this fellow who looked even more like a demon lord than they did was the very Shen Mu they sought so desperately.

Shen Mu met no obstacle along the way, pressing ever eastward. After six or seven days, a speck of light suddenly appeared in the sky. He looked up and saw that light grow larger and brighter, until a round sun appeared in the sky, bringing a measure of light to the demons' territory. Shen Mu's heart bloomed with joy, and he let out a long breath.

"This sun is round, not flattened! The Imperial Preceptor Jingping is truly remarkable!

" He observed the direction in which the sun rose, measured the shadow on the ground, ran another twenty li forward, calculated the angle of the shadow, and made his reckoning: "I am still more than ten thousand li from the place where the sun rises. Fu Riluo's divine powers are truly vast, to have carried me off so far!

" The sun in the sky was round and full, and at once he felt as though the clouds had parted to reveal the sky; his spirits lifted considerably.

Suddenly a divine city appeared ahead, demons coming and going in crowds around it. Squad after squad of demon riders searched in all directions, stopping even passing demons for inspection. Shen Mu frowned slightly and decided to skirt around the city.

Suddenly hoofbeats sounded, and a band of demons came galloping over; catching sight of him from afar, they shouted: "Halt!

" Shen Mu stopped. The rider at their head said: "It is not the man.

Let us go!

" With that he led the other demon divine ability users away with a howl. Shen Mu let out a breath of relief, and then a familiar voice came: "You there, boy, I still need a retainer. Come here, be my retainer!

" Shen Mu was briefly startled; following the voice, he saw a youth bearing a demon blade on his back standing not far off, beckoning to him, none other than Zhe Huali.

Shen Mu stepped forward.

Upon the hilt of the demon blade at Zhe Huali's back, that demon eye suddenly opened and rolled, taking on a blood-red hue; the demon eye stared at him in excitement, and after a moment it closed. Zhe Huali walked on.

"Follow me.

" Shen Mu followed him, and Zhe Huali led him eastward, past the divine city; along the way there were many demon experts keeping watch, wave after wave of them, yet when they saw Zhe Huali they did not search him. When they came a hundred li east of the city, Zhe Huali halted and said calmly: "Keep going east.

" Shen Mu did as he was told and walked forward; then he felt a pair of eyes fall upon him, like two blades stabbing into his body! Shen Mu's muscles went rigid, then twitched twice, shattering the blade intent.

When the blade intent in that gaze was shattered, it even gave out a crisp ringing, ding, ding. Zhe Huali's voice came from behind him: "It is indeed you.

" Shen Mu dispersed the demonic qi around him, turned, and smiled. "Zhe Huali, your blade technique has improved greatly.

" Zhe Huali's eyes were like blades, forcing Shen Mu to shatter the blade intent in his gaze; clearly, since the battle at Licheng, his blade technique had advanced a great deal!

"Brother Shen, that you could flee from Mengcheng all the way here, and live through the Ill-Omen Land, is truly astonishing. Since we parted at Licheng, I have studied that sword art of yours most carefully, the Kalpa-Opening Sword Art.

It is indeed very strong, but I too have gained some understanding.

" Zhe Huali said calmly: "I will not let you die at anyone else's hand.

The one who can kill you is me alone!

Throughout all of Taihuang Heaven, every disciple of the demon gods is searching for you.

Do not die on the road.

" "Many thanks.

" Shen Mu bowed. Zhe Huali paid his courtesy no heed at all and vanished in a flash.