Chapter 25 — Reopening the Spirit Repository, Treading a New Realm

into his embryo. Shen Mu did not know what to do with himself, having no notion at all what was happening. And the mute could not see what went on inside his Divine Court of the Spirit-Soul, and so of course knew nothing of the strange change unfolding within Shen Mu's body. The embryo drank in more and more golden light, and then abruptly it stopped absorbing, stopped breathing the primordial energy in and out as well, and sank into silence. Shen Mu tried to rouse his spirit embryo, but it did not stir in the least. "Has the spirit embryo died?" The youth grew uneasy. A long while passed, and then his spirit embryo slowly revived and woke once more. Shen Mu let out a breath of relief and went on watching the fire. Just then he felt his primordial energy turn unbearably fierce and blazing; as the embryo breathed, the energy was set alight, and when it flowed out of the Divine Court of the Spirit-Soul it had still not gone out! Shen Mu was startled and hurriedly stopped watching the fire, but it was too late — his clothes had caught fire of themselves! The mute at once heaved up a great water vat and clapped it over his head, putting out the flames. When the mute lifted the vat away, Shen Mu had long since been drenched like a drowned chicken. The mute stood dumbstruck a moment, examined the scorch marks on Shen Mu's clothes, then flung aside hammer and iron bar and rushed off to the village headman swift as the wind, gesturing wildly. The village headman was astonished, and hastily had the Hard-of-Hearing Elder and the mute carry him over. "Mu'er, try watching the fire again!" Shen Mu did not understand why the headman was so solemn about it, but he watched the fire once more; within his Divine Court of the Spirit-Soul the primordial energy became a blazing furnace once again, encircling the spirit embryo. Then a wave of heat surged out from his body, and the temperature of his skin shot upward in an instant! The headman's eyes lit up, and he led him along patiently: "Mu'er, do not let your mind waver. Hold your mind to one thing. Take your palm for a blade and cut out at me — let me see it!" Shen Mu's mind held nothing; there was only the forge fire before his eyes. His primordial energy burst forth of itself, and he struck forward with his hand for a blade. Whoosh — Firelight flared from his palm, like a burning blade of flame come slashing down!