Chapter 853 — The Great Completion of the Wondrous Classic of Rearing Humans

Shen Mu's cultivation was nearly spent, so he had no choice but to halt his teleportation divine art and let the Dragon Qilin and the Water Qilin carry them onward at full speed. The blind elder gritted his teeth against the pain and said, "The Earth Dragon is still pursuing us.

It's fast.

" Within his body, roots still writhed one after another, though not as lively as before, their strength much diminished—clearly, having strayed too far from their host, they were gradually losing their vitality. Yet as the Earth Dragon drew nearer, the power of these roots swelled once more, and their vigor grew stronger and stronger.

Soon the blind elder was bound into a wooden cocoon. Yuchenzi said in alarm, "These roots must be pulled out, or the Earth Dragon will follow the resonance between them and overtake us!

" "How do we pull them out?

" Shen Mu asked. "Qingyuntian has dealt with the Earth Dragon before.

Long ago we crossed blades with him several times.

" Yuchenzi took out a medicine bottle containing some powder and said, "When the Earth Dragon attacked Qingyuntian back then, our losses were grievous.

His attacks are ferocious, and he is impervious to blade and spear—it is all but impossible to sever his body or wound his true form. The Daoists of Qingyuntian had roots driven into their flesh, and many died in unspeakable agony. Fortunately we captured some of the Earth Dragon's limbs and trapped them with formations, and little by little studied how to deal with him. This powder is what counters him. " Shen Mu hastily took the bottle, sniffed it, and said, "This isn't a spirit medicine? " Yuchenzi said, "Most medicines are made from plants.

Using spirit medicine against him would only nourish him.

The Earth Dragon is transformed from the roots of the Earth Mother Sovereign and fears no plant-based poison, so we use the poison of metal and stone. It cannot kill him, but it can force his roots out of the body. The powder is taken orally, and some must also be sprinkled into the divine storehouse. " Shen Mu administered it to the blind elder. Before long after he swallowed the medicine, the roots began to unfurl and slough away, drawing out of his body one by one.

Shen Mu used his vital essence to control the roots, keeping them from touching flesh, and then flung them far away. The moment those roots touched the ground, they transformed into root dragons six or seven *chi* long, croaking on the earth.

The Dragon Qilin turned and spat out a mouthful of sacred fire, yet those root dragons leaped and capered in the flames, utterly unafraid of being scorched by his qilin sacred fire.

Startled, the Dragon Qilin bolted at once, fleeing far from the spot.

"This powder has certain side effects on the body and easily provokes allergic reactions, but after relieving oneself, it is expelled from the body. So one must drink plenty of water.

" Yuchenzi said, "The reason I dared bring Qu He the Divine Constable along, intending to let the Earth Dragon swallow him, is that I carry this medicine.

If the Earth Dragon swallows me, I will sprinkle this powder all over my body. The Earth Dragon will find me unpalatable and expel me from his body.

Dirty as it may be, at least I won't die. " "Brother Yuchen, your wit and talent are wasted on Qingyuntian. I can see the scheme by which you cleared Qingyuntian of suspicion—it is a chain of interlocking snares, one that lets Qingyuntian shake off every last suspicion. " Shen Mu smeared dragon saliva on the blind elder's wounds, shot him a glance, and praised, "A captain of the Divine Constables' Camp is, after all, a seventh-rank official among the Heavenly Court's divine functionaries.

His death here will surely draw powerful figures of the Heavenly Court to contend with the Earth Dragon. The Earth Dragon is doomed beyond doubt. Captain Qu was a man of rare ability, and the Earth Dragon is a being comparable to the Lingxiao realm—yet both are to die at your hands.

Your talents are penned up in Qingyuntian, with no outlet for your ambitions, and that will leave you regretting it all your life. " Yuchenzi laughed, "I am a Daoist by nature, and a Daoist ought to be steeped in the Daoist arts. There is nothing bad about staying in Qingyuntian. " Shen Mu took out several bottles of fresh dragon saliva, meaning to have the blind elder drink them. The blind elder shook his head, "I won't drink it. It's the drool of that great dog of yours.

" Shen Mu said hastily, "It's not drool, it's dragon saliva. Your organs have been pierced in many places by the Earth Dragon's roots.

If you don't drink it, the wounds all over your body will burst open and your blood will drain out fast.

" The Dragon Qilin snickered with a *heng-chi heng-chi*, "Old Blind Sir, I'm no great dog.

I'm the Dragon Qilin, with the blood of both dragons and qilins in me. Drink up—the Cult Master collected it not long ago.

It's fresh. " The blind elder clamped his mouth shut. Shen Mu, seized with a fierce resolve, forced his mouth open and poured it down the old man's throat.

The blind elder trembled with rage and roared, "You little wretch!

Once I'm healed, let's see who can save you then!

" Shen Mu seized the chance while he was talking to pour in several more bottles, then said to Yuchenzi, "Aren't those words against your own heart? People say that in times of chaos Daoists descend the mountain, and in times of prosperity they ascend it—descending in chaos to bring peace to the realm, ascending in prosperity so the dust of the mortal world won't trouble their Daoist hearts. This is a time of chaos. There is a place for your talents.

" Yuchenzi shook his head, "Should chaos truly come, Qingyuntian still governs twenty-four divine kingdoms under it. I will have my place to wield my abilities.

" Shen Mu said with a half-smile, "I don't know what caliber those twenty-four divine kingdoms are, but surely you do? When we met, you said the Kingdom of Jingping was small and weak, rude, greedy, and obstinate. Yet for those twenty-four divine kingdoms to reach Jingping's level would take several hundred years. And you would still need an Emperor Yanfeng, a Jiang Baigui, a Shen Mu, and countless universities, academies, and colleges, and innumerable people contributing their wit and talent. " Yuchenzi fell silent for a moment, then said, "I am a Daoist. I will not join your Heavenly Sage Cult.

" Shen Mu laughed heartily, clapped him hard on the shoulder, and said earnestly, "Brother Daoist, I mean to send you to the Kingdom of Jingping!

You have talent and ability. The Heavenly Sage Cult cannot hold you, nor does it have a place for your talents to shine. Only Jingping has a stage like that. If you agree, I'll write a letter of recommendation, and you go to see the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping—he will surely put you to great use! Think of all you have learned and comprehended in your life, think of your ambitions! Would you rather wait meekly to inherit the post of Qingyun's Sect Master, or carve out a career and a world of your own? " Yuchenzi finally made his decision, bowed, and said, "I would ask for the Cult Master Shen's letter!

" Shen Mu promptly took out paper and brush and wrote a letter.

Yuchenzi accepted it and said with a smile, "Then I will go to see the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping.

If I can move him with my talent, I won't produce your letter of recommendation. If I cannot, I will produce it then. " Shen Mu was momentarily taken aback.

Yuchenzi laughed heartily, bade him farewell, and drifted lightly away.

"Young as Yuchenzi is, he is an old hand at the ways of the world.

" His injuries all but healed, the blind elder seized the Longtuo Divine Spear in his hand and said with a grin, "Little Shen, you and I haven't had a bout in a long while.