Chapter 610 — Dragged to Death Alive

The silver needles that had burrowed out of the Demon God Mutuluo's wounds returned once more into the embroidered shoes and vanished into hiding, leaving no trace by which one could tell where they were concealed. The embroidered shoes then slipped from those severed feet and flew into Granny Zhu's basket.

Granny Zhu took out layered soles and fabric from her basket and quickly stitched together a new pair of embroidered shoes. She put them on and shook her head. "You went and soiled someone else's shoes, and you still have the face to scream so loudly. Demons really are unreasonable. You don't want your legs anymore, do you? The skin on your calves is still intact — it could make a fine pair of boots, and the patterns on them are naturally carved. Could you give them to me? You're such a kind soul."

The Demon God Mutuluo howled in agony, his whole being torn apart by pain. His hands trembled as he sealed the wound on his severed leg to keep from bleeding out. Hearing these words, a surge of fury rushed into his heart and lungs. "You viper-hearted woman! You... waah—"

He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Vajra frowned, then his expression brightened into a smile. "Lust is a blade above the head — Mutuluo was not wronged in being cut down. Zhe Huali, you and the others withdraw. The farther from here the better. Since the Pact of the Earth Lord has already been signed, I too need to have a proper talk with the Celestial Master."

The Woodcutter Sage smiled. "Shen Mu, you withdraw as well. This is no place for the likes of you."

A chill ran through everyone's hearts. They knew that now that the Pact of the Earth Lord had been signed, these two had no more burdens — and would surely settle scores between them!

Shen Mu, Zhe Huali, Qi Jiuyi, and the others descended from the altar one after another. Zhe Huali said coolly, "Last time I was defeated by the combined efforts of Brother Shen and Brother Qi, and my heart has rankled ever since. I would very much like to test myself against the two of you again."

"Easily said, easily said."

Shen Mu walked quickly down from the altar, laughing. "Last time I defeated you both by mere chance and coincidence. This time, I fear, I won't have such good fortune."

Qi Jiuyi's eyes flickered. "Brother Shen, what a scheming mind you have, what skillful means. I observed that you are quite familiar with the Earth Lord, and just now you spoke of some seal — might you elaborate?"

Shen Mu involuntarily clenched the jade pendant at his chest, then, without betraying any expression, lowered his hand and laughed heartily. "What seal? I never said anything of the sort."

Qi Jiuyi sneered coldly.

The three of them descended the altar together, stepping out almost in perfect unison, descending the steps at the same time, not daring to let the other two see their backs.

Shen Mu found this greatly troublesome, his expression shifting between light and dark. "A fall into the pit, a gain in wit. Planting a knife in the backs of these two is going to be difficult. Both of them have been ambushed by me before, and they learn fast..."

The Black Tiger God glanced at his expression and snorted coldly. "Junior Brother, your face is changing again — beware of damaging your Dao-heart! Our lord is about to battle Vajra. This is no place for us to stand. Let's go! Mutuluo, Jade Rakshasa, are you coming as well?"

Beads of cold sweat the size of beans dotted Mutuluo's forehead. He struggled to his feet, a mass of demonic clouds gathering beneath his legs to hold him aloft in the vapor, and said coldly, "That viper woman ruined my feet. If I do not avenge this wrong, what face would I have to return to the demon race and look upon my people?"

Shen Mu could not help but say, "Senior, my medical skills are exceptional. If Senior does not mind, I could help you reattach your legs. As the saying goes, a healer's heart is a parent's heart — I cannot bear to see others injured. Look here, whose legs would suit you best? Cut them off, and I will reattach them for you. I guarantee you'll be jumping and skipping about in no time at all!"

The others' expressions changed drastically, each taking a step back to avoid having their legs hacked off by Mutuluo.

Mutuluo endured the pain and laughed with a heh-heh. "Little brat, you think I'd believe you? Even if I cut off their legs and let you reattach them, you'd just poison me!"

Shen Mu scratched his head. "A healer's heart is a parent's heart..."

"Bah! Shut your mouth!"

Shen Mu sighed, his manner forlorn. "You do not know my parent's heart... I know your heart is kind, and you are unwilling to cut off the legs of your own clansmen. But Brother Qi Jiuyi is not of your clan — you could cut off his two legs. Brother Qi, I am not singling you out; it is merely a figure of speech."

Qi Jiuyi's expression changed greatly, and his legs tightened. He said calmly, "Brother Shen, there is no need to explain. I understand."

The Black Tiger God and Granny Zhu took the lead, heading into the distance. Shen Mu hurriedly followed. Mutuluo glanced at Qi Jiuyi's legs, and Qi Jiuyi's legs tightened again. He said coolly, "I come from the Upper Realm, Mutuluo. You cannot afford to offend me. Moreover, one skilled in medicine is also skilled in poison. If you believe his words, you will surely die!"

Mutuluo rode his demonic cloud to catch up with the Jade Rakshasa and sneered, "That viper woman — when the Honored King battles the Celestial Master, you and I will have our own battle. Do not think you can slip away!"

Granny Zhu turned back and gave him a dazzling smile. Mutuluo was instantly bewitched, his heart and mind ensnared. He laughed with a heh-heh. "No matter how pretty you smile, it's useless. I will capture you and make you my wife willingly!"

Beside him, the Jade Rakshasa grew angry and lowered her voice. "Mutuluo, you have developed compassion in your heart and cannot bear to kill her — but she will not hesitate for a single moment to kill you!"

Mutuluo shook his head. "She will not kill me. She smiled at me just now. In her smile I saw a trace of affection..."

The Jade Rakshasa said coldly, "Your Dao-heart has already been destroyed by this demon woman. Sober up! Later, you deal with the Black Tiger, and I will kill her!"

Mutuluo hesitated, then could only nod. He too had noticed that something was wrong with his state. He had clearly had his feet severed by this demon woman's schemes, yet for some inexplicable reason he could not bring himself to hate her.

Not only could he not hate her — her every frown and smile tugged at his heart, affecting his judgment, as though she resided within his Dao-heart itself, giving him the feeling of being deep in the throes of passionate love.

This situation was extremely dangerous!

Perhaps letting the Jade Rakshasa deal with her would be the best choice.

"Jade Rakshasa, do not kill her."

Mutuluo said with utmost seriousness, "You know as well as I that it is very hard for me to be moved, but once I am moved, it is until death. If you defeat her, you must spare her life."

The Jade Rakshasa ground her teeth and gave a cold snort.

Shen Mu blinked and thought to himself, "Could this be the Dao-heart Seed Demon transformation derived from the Great Yuyou Demonic Scripture? When did Granny plant it in Mutuluo's Dao-heart?"

They raced along for over a thousand li. The Black Tiger God suddenly stopped, looking all around. The scene before them was one of doomsday — earth, water, wind, and fire surging without cease — and in the distance a massive star-core had crashed to the ground, round and lumpy, pitch-black, its geomagnetic yuan-force twisted so that up and down could not be distinguished.

"Let it be here."