Chapter 589 — The Divine Eye Between the Brows First Wakes

He had revealed his Mystic Body Three-Core Art not to show off, but in the earnest wish to help the people of Yincan Village comprehend their arts, that they might break through the sooner and take fewer crooked roads.

The others too crowded forward, examining it closely, studying it a long while, and found nothing they could use. "I cannot learn it.

" Zaifu was greatly discouraged.

He shook his head. "I am no Overlord Body.

Nor can any of you learn it.

The village headman was right—this boy Shen'er is a unique Overlord Body. " Even if Shen Mu displayed all the pathways of his art before them, they could not learn it, for they had no demon-path treasuries within them.

The Blind Elder studied it a long while, then looked doubtfully at the willow-leaf-shaped mark between Shen Mu's brows.

"Shen'er, your art is exquisite beyond measure, but it seems the art of the Sacred Pupil is incomplete.

" Shen Mu nodded, and told them how, when he had been comprehending the Sacred Pupil, he had been interrupted by an expert of the demon race.

The Blind Elder laughed.

"So that is it. But you have gained an extra eye, and it may be a good thing that the Sacred Pupil's art was not completed then. I can complete it for you!

Give me a little time, and I promise I will open that vertical eye between your brows! " He was in high spirits, rubbing his hands in eagerness.

Shen Mu had long been uneasy about this eye that had so suddenly appeared between his brows.

"This vertical eye may not be the work of any art—it appeared all at once.

I fear that opening it may bring danger.

" The others came forward and examined the eye between his brows one after another. The alchemist made a careful inspection and shook his head.

"It is only a demon eye refined from the demon-path primordial-embryo treasury. There should be no great trouble; open it by all means. And if the Blind Elder cannot complete the Sacred Pupil's art, I can force it open for you.

" The others set him aside and went on studying Shen Mu's body of vital essence, comprehending its mysteries.

Before long they returned to the watchtower, each comprehending on his own and consolidating his art.

The benefit Shen Mu gave them by showing them his system of pathways was far greater than what they had gained from observing the lingering traces of divine arts in the ruins of Wuwang City; it showed them a shortcut past their bottlenecks! Granny Zhu's divination arts were not of the highest, and her progress was the slowest, so she had no choice but to seek instruction from the Blind Elder and the others.

In the end they all gathered together, merging their several strengths and exchanging what they knew. Snow Fox studied painting and calligraphy under the Deaf Elder and divination under the Blind Elder, and had gained a little skill thereby, so she too mingled among them, stealing what she could of their arts.

The Libationer of Bashan joined in as well, and their progress came the faster. By the time day broke, all of them had gained greatly.

Shen Mu prepared breakfast, but seeing that Granny Zhu, the Blind Elder, and the rest had debated the whole night through, and that the art they had built from the strengths of all was all but complete, he did not disturb them; he called Snow Fox to eat with him. "Sect Master, I want a Water-Phase Spirit Essence Pill. " Dragon Qilin came over with a basin in his jaws and set it down. "Half a peck! " Shen Mu was much gratified.

"Fatty Dragon has truly grown up," he praised.

"I will give you a full peck! " Dragon Qilin was overjoyed. Shen Mu refined the spirit pill for him, then turned to look at the Green Ox, his eyes lighting up.

He smiled. "Ox Three, what pill will you eat? " The Green Ox too had gone the whole night without sleep, cultivating the Ancestral Dragon Grand Mystery Art, and yet he was full of vigor still. He strode over and bowed.

"Little Master, I do not eat spirit pills.

Cultivation padded out with spirit pills is nothing but fat. " Shen Mu laughed. "Spirit pills can raise your cultivation swiftly; then you need only cultivate the harder, and you may refine away the excess medicinal power. The Ancestral Dragon Grand Mystery Art consumes a great deal, and if you do not replenish it with spirit pills, it will wear away your body and leave you withered—at worst, it may cost you your life.

You have the blood of the Azure Dragon, the wind-and-thunder attribute. Hmm. . .

I will make you a Wind-Thunder Yang Spirit Pill!

Wait a moment!

" The Green Ox was overjoyed and said hurriedly, "This little ox is overwhelmed with gratitude. If the Little Master could add a little fragrance of flowers and grasses to the Wind-Thunder Yang Spirit Pill, it would be even better.

" Shen Mu nodded, prepared the ingredients, and refined the Wind-Thunder Yang Spirit Pill; he also asked the Green Ox for some flowers and grasses and refined them in as well, so that a rare fragrance filled the air.

The Green Ox tasted one, was overjoyed beyond measure, and praised it without cease; then he went off to cultivate.

Dragon Qilin was seized with dread.

He hurriedly gulped down his Water-Phase Spirit Essence Pill in a few bites and made haste to cultivate as well—then suddenly he came to his senses and thought: "Something is wrong. The Sect Master seems to have found my soft spot.

First he taught the Green Ox the Ancestral Dragon Grand Mystery Art, then he refined pills for him—he is forcing me to cultivate diligently! Could it be. .

. my Human Husbandry Sutra! " He hurriedly took out the Human Husbandry Sutra, found it still there, and breathed a sigh of relief. "I was too suspicious. " Shen Mu and Snow Fox sat at the table eating breakfast.

He took out a small booklet and leafed through it carefully. Snow Fox said hurriedly, "Young Master, burn it once you have read it through—you must not say that I copied it.

" Shen Mu nodded and went on reading, then sneered. "That Fatty Dragon, to write me up like this!

It is lucky I found it early.

Otherwise I would have become his pill boy! Do not worry, Ling'er, I will not give you away. " Suddenly the Blind Elder's voice came, joyful: "Shen'er, I have completed what was lacking in the Sacred Pupil of your art! Come and cultivate it again!

" Shen Mu set down his bowl and chopsticks and hurried over.

The Blind Elder displayed the pathways of the Sacred Pupil's art in vital essence and said with a smile, "The several of us studied it, and we believe this is the way to rouse your third eye. Look it over first, and see whether anything is still missing.

" Shen Mu examined it closely. The Sacred Pupil pathways the Blind Elder and the others had completed did indeed make whole what had been lacking in his Sacred Pupil, and had added the pathways of vital essence for the third eye as well.

He calculated it carefully, then shook his head. "Grandpa Blind, I can see nothing missing.

" He committed the pathways to memory, and at once began to drive the Mystic Body Three-Core Art along those paths. The others watched his brow with the utmost anxiety, waiting for that eye to open. Shen Mu drove the Mystic Body Three-Core Art; his vital essence shook with wave upon wave of dragon roars, and came to the point between his brows.

Suddenly, beneath the willow-leaf mark on his brow, a drop of black blood ran down. Then the two eyelids slowly parted to either side!