Chapter 170 — All Methods Return to the One

The snow fox lay on its back, kneading its swollen belly, deeply content. Shen Mu was stuffed as well; he rose and paced a couple of steps, driving the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art to speed his digestion.

His steps quickened, faster and faster, and unwittingly he had fallen back into the cultivation method he had used in Hidden Remnant Village.

His feet flew; suddenly he unleashed the Thunder Roar Eight Formulas, one fist, one palm, bursting the air, thunder booming.

Then, using his hand as a hammer, he performed the Silent Craftsman's hammer art; striking down, the air was a great drum and he a giant, the low sound crashing until the leaves of the mountain forest rattled and clattered.

Shen Mu's moves shifted again; he brought out leg techniques, then spear techniques, then sword techniques, then saber techniques.

His swift-walking pace grew ever faster, until he gathered his qi into a brush and painted in the air, unrestrained, giving himself wholly to abandon. Suddenly he performed the Rain-Bringing Formula; lines of rain like swords, like strings, and amid the sound of rain mingled the sound of a zither.

Then he changed to the Racing Thunder Flame Art, flicking his fingers in succession, thunder rumbling, ball after ball of flame bursting out on every side.

In Shen Mu's hand a fireball rose slowly, redder and redder, like a setting sun sinking behind the western hills; flame sword-qi shot out in all directions — the Setting Sun Sword Art. Then his qi changed; his body was as a white tiger rampant, claw and fang shattering mountains and splitting stone. He performed the Seven Chapters of Creation Mystic Art — the Creation Spirit Art shaping form, the Creation Heaven God Art shaping power, the Creation Demon God Art shaping surface, the Creation Human King Art shaping dragon, the Creation Ghost God Art shaping soul, the Creation Earth Origin Art shaping god, the Creation Innate Art shaping infant.

He performed the many spells of the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture, its many fists, its many swords, its many sabers.

Unwittingly he sank into a wondrous state; in his mind the woodcutter's voice came broken and halting, now rising, now hoarse, now resonant, now low. Wonders came crowding upon him, filled his mind, and flowed out from his hands, becoming wondrous moves.

His heart felt only joy; he gave himself wholly to it, no longer asking what spell or art, what move or sword technique — all of them he brought forth, heedless of order, careless of sequence.

He felt his heart turning frantic: if the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture would not run smoothly, then he altered it; if the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art ran haltingly, then he let it be, adjusting the direction of his qi. To follow one's nature, to be purely natural — this is called the Way.

At this moment he at last had a profound understanding of those words. No need to heed what the ancients left behind, no need to care whether it be the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture or the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art: let the qi run however it flows smoothest, bring forth every move and art, let the qi surge however it surges — who cared whether it was standard.

The more he did so, the more of the wonders of the woodcutter's stone he grasped, comprehending ever more mysteries.

The three Heavenly Kings were alarmed too; they hurried out to look, and saw that in the forests of Sacred Descent Mountain lightning flared from time to time, thunder sounded, the earth heaved, the air rippled, saber light and sword shadow, trees toppling, stretch after stretch of woodland falling. The three Heavenly Kings' faces changed greatly. Heavenly King Shi cried, "Bad!

The Holy Cult Master is heading for the Sacred Tree!

" The three elders hastily soared aloft and landed beneath the pine-and-cypress, and saw Shen Mu frenzied, abandoned, wantonly scattering every kind of move and art, even his qi manifesting all manner of divine and demonic visions — whether of the righteous path or the demonic, whether Buddhist or Daoist, all of them displayed. Whether the White Tiger spirit body's own arts, or the Black Tortoise spirit body's peculiar defenses, the Azure Dragon's wind and thunder, the Vermilion Bird's true fire — all were shown in his hands, poured out without restraint, until the three guardian Heavenly Kings gaped, tongue-tied. "The Great Unification Art.

.

. " Heavenly King Shi murmured, "He has comprehended it — comprehended it. .

. "