Chapter 210 — No Choice But to Admit Defeat
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
You have patience, Imperial Preceptor. That day you heard us in the room, and knew full well I had stolen from your house, yet still you chose to withdraw, and held yourself in check until now; that is no easy thing. " The Imperial Preceptor said calmly, "My wounds were not yet healed that day, so I had no choice but to give way. You two are both seniors of lofty attainment, and no wicked men; even your theft was only to relieve the disaster.
I have no wish to fight you.
Only hand over the Heavenly Emperor's Jade Register, and I will let you both go, without harming the peace between us.
" "The Heavenly Emperor's Jade Register?
" The Lame Old Man and Old Master Huo exchanged a look, and laughed. "That Heavenly Emperor's Jade Register, I studied for over twenty years and never found anything wondrous in it; giving it to you would be no matter, only, I've already given the thing away. " "Given it away? " Above the Imperial Preceptor's head the stars suddenly appeared, a brilliant river of stars, and the stars trembled; plainly his heart was not calm. "Given to whom?
" "To the Palace Counselor of your Jingping Kingdom. " The Lame Old Man chuckled, and went off shoulder to shoulder with Old Master Huo. "The Palace Counselor? " The Imperial Preceptor was dazed for a moment. Watching the two figures recede, he did not strike.
He said softly, "The Heavenly Emperor's Jade Register, given to him?
And he dared to accept it? Does he mean to rebel? This Jade Register is a thing given by Heaven to the founding emperor, a symbol of imperial authority, and it is said to hide a secret besides.
.
. Should I go and demand it back?
" He stood in midstream, musing a long while, then shook his head and turned to leave.
"Imperial authority is not decided by a piece of the Heavenly Emperor's Jade Register.
Imperial authority rests on whether the people's hearts turn toward you or away; it has nothing to do with the Jade Register.
" In the Scholars' Lodge, Shen Mu poured out the broth, scoured the medicine cauldron and the medicine furnace, washing them over several times until not the least stain was left, then set them out to dry in the sun. Snow Fox helped clean as well, and seeing a jade ring on the table, cried in surprise, "Young Master, those two old gentlemen have left something behind! " Shen Mu leaned in and looked: the writing on the jade ring was flowing and shifting without cease, and looked very familiar. "This is. .
. Grandpa Lame's Heavenly Emperor's Jade Register. Most likely Grandpa Lame left it here.
When the village headman and I went into the darkness of the Wilderness Ruins, Grandpa Lame hung this Jade Register around my neck, though it never came to any use. Why would Grandpa Lame leave the Jade Register lying here?
He's always been one to pick things up along the road; he's never once lost anything. .
. " He shook his head, tied the Jade Register together with his own jade pendant, and thought, "I'll return it to him when I get back to the village. " Then he dragged out the Demon King of Dutian, opened the statue's belly, fiddled with it twice, altered the track along which the gears turned, and said, "Demon King, you can move now. " The Demon King of Dutian sneered, "You're playing tricks on me; I won't move. You little whelp, when my true body descends, I'll make you wish you were dead! " Snow Fox rose up on her hind legs, forepaws on her hips. "My young master has a hundred ways, right now, to make you wish you were dead! " Shen Mu said with meaning, "Ling'er, you undercounted.
How could a hundred be enough? " The Demon King of Dutian laughed aloud. "Little devil, use whatever means you please; if I take fright, I'd be unworthy of these tens of thousands of years of cultivation. " Shen Mu urged, "Why must it be so? We are both of the demon path, fellow travelers of the Way of Demons; I too walk the demon path.