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

I don't even know what heights your cultivation has reached now. It's rare for the two of us to be reunited—how about a bout? " Shen Mu's expression shifted slightly. The explosive thunder of clashing divine arts rang out.

The Dragon Qilin, the Water Qilin, and Yutian Zun looked up to see the two of them soar into the heavens, then plunge back to the earth, then hurtle to a pair of peaks and fight across the mountains.

Yutian Zun asked worriedly, "My brother's all right, isn't he? " "He's fine. The Cult Master is used to being beaten.

" The Dragon Qilin suddenly reared up and transformed into a mighty youth with a qilin's head and a dragon's mane.

He roused his arts to temper his body and hone his spirit, and the Qilin Pearl and the Mystic Water Dragon Pearl danced ceaselessly around him, blazing with radiance; the two treasures drew in the spiritual power of heaven and earth, purified and transmuted it, then fed it back to nourish his flesh and spirit.

He had refined these two treasures until they were crystal-clear and translucent, holding within them immense power. And the Dragon Qilin's spirit stood upon a surging heavenly river, swallowing clouds and spitting mist. As his spirit breathed, the Qilin Pearl and the Mystic Water Dragon Pearl beyond his body breathed with it, swelling and shrinking by turns. The Water Qilin was startled and said hastily, "Brother Pi, when did you take human form?

And you've even opened the Heavenly River Divine Treasury!

When did you manage that? " The qilin-headed youth said smugly, "You only see me shamelessly tagging along at the Cult Master's side to scrounge a meal, but you don't know how hard I've worked.

Back in the Earth Mother's underground palace, I curried favor with all the grandees and powers about the Earth Mother—every one of them a being of the Jade Capital Lingxiao realm—and they helped me fuse the Ancestral Dragon Grand Mystery Art with the cultivation arts of the qilin clan. Even then I could already take human form.

" The Water Qilin was dumbstruck. The Dragon Qilin went on, "After I took human form, I opened one divine storehouse after another. As the saying goes, the pavilion by the water gets the moon first—following at the Cult Master's side, I watched him open twenty-six kinds of seventh divine storehouse in succession. However dull-witted, I could learn it too. So I cultivated in secret.

There by the heavenly river, while you were shamelessly begging spirit elixirs off your master to eat, I had already used the power of the heavenly river to open the Heavenly River Divine Treasury.

" The Water Qilin gaped, speechless. "Do you know why the Cult Master values me more and more? " The Dragon Qilin said as he cultivated, "Precisely because I am strong enough! Spirit elixirs are not merely tasty treasures to please your palate—they can also be used to win favor with other powers. Look at me: when I met Lü Zheng, the Demon King of Celestial Master Zixi, I made him an offering of spirit elixirs; having eaten them, he naturally instructed me in cultivating divine arts. When I met Senior Brother Niu Sanduo of Celestial Master Wudou, I also made him an offering of spirit elixirs and joined him in smoking the water pipe, and of course he instructed me in martial cultivation.

I have also curried favor with the Red Kun of Celestial Master Yuweng and with the Black Tiger God—every one of them has instructed me.

" The Water Qilin was struck dumb, prostrate with admiration.

"And the masters about the Cult Master are even more numerous. When the Cult Master discusses matters with those masters, so long as you listen attentively and comprehend with your heart, you can filch no end of exquisitely subtle divine arts and cultivation methods. " The Dragon Qilin laughed, "For instance, on the road, when Old Blind Sir was teaching your master and the Cult Master the Dao of formations, you could have learned several hundred kinds of mighty killing formations! Did you learn them? " The Water Qilin shook his head in bewilderment. The Dragon Qilin, exasperated at iron that would not become steel, spat out a precious scroll and said, "This is a scripture I created. Take it and read it first.

Do not bring shame upon our qilin clan.

" The Water Qilin hastily took human form, his body towering more than ten *zhang* tall. He let Yutian Zun sit upon his shoulder and, holding the Classic of Rearing Humans in his hands, pored over it with all his heart, feeling that every word was a pearl of wisdom—truly profound and unfathomable. Yutian Zun tried to steal a glance.

The Water Qilin hastily covered it and said with a placating smile, "My Lord, this is for mounts to cultivate. You cannot cultivate it anyway.

" Before long, the blind elder returned, brimming with satisfaction.

The Dragon Qilin looked up and saw Shen Mu hung upon the tip of the Longtuo Divine Spear, head bowed, swaying with the wind. "Ha, Old Blind Grandfather is still a notch above!

" the Water Qilin said in admiration, closing the Classic of Rearing Humans. Shen Mu gave him a listless glance and said, "Tonight we feast on whole qilin. " The Water Qilin hastily drew in his head and thought, "This Classic of Rearing Humans is unfathomably profound.

I have not yet mastered it and cannot use it for the time being—best not to slap the horse's rump and hit the hoof instead. "