Chapter 264 — We Shall Take Your Head
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 5
"I have learned this phrase of the Nether Capital tongue, I understand the meaning of the writing on the door, and then I may enter in safety? Cult Master Shen, I too am a Cult Master and Holy Preceptor, a creature sly as a ghost.
You cannot trick me. " Shen Mu shook his head, stepped forward, walked into the gateway, and with sword qi scraped the writing from the door. To Emperor Yanfeng he said, "Your Majesty, I went to several nearby cities to buy medicine.
With natural disasters and man-made calamities, the apothecaries have few ingredients; I bought only a few kinds, and I do not know how they will serve. " "Use whatever means you have, dear minister Shen. " Emperor Yanfeng said, "Did you learn any news on this journey, dear minister Shen? " "Your Majesty has died.
" Shen Mu glanced at him and said unhurriedly, "Word has come from the capital: His Majesty, worn out by affairs of state, passed away on the road.
The Crown Prince is in mourning, and the whole realm grieves.
" Emperor Yanfeng's heart gave a slight shudder, and he said with a half-smile, "I have already died?
Truly Our good son, Our good son. .
. What of the Grand General of Heavenly Strategy and the rest? Are they still alive?
" Shen Mu prepared the ingredients and refined the elixir, saying, "In that battle outside Bazhou, my Heaven-Sage Cult people came only to save the emperor; after you left they furled their banners and transported themselves away. The Grand General of Heavenly Strategy, the Chief Minister, the Minister of the Masses, and the Minister of Works were taken. The Dao Lord and the Tathagata did not strike to kill, but seized them and handed them over to the Crown Prince. They are heads of great houses with vast power in the capital, and the Crown Prince will need the support of those great houses to take the throne. Rest easy, Your Majesty—they will not die. " "Our good son. .
.
" Emperor Yanfeng sighed. The Grand General of Heavenly Strategy and the others wielded too much power; they held the greater part of the capital's influence, commanded the armies, and controlled other forces in court and country. For the Crown Prince to ascend, he would need their support.
"A realm cannot go a day without a sovereign. The Crown Prince's enthronement should come early in the third month—the sixth day of the third month, an auspicious day; he will likely take the throne then. With the backing of the Daoist sect and the Great Thunderpeal Temple, his becoming emperor is a settled thing. Whoever dares oppose him will have his house seized and his line extinguished.
" "Where is the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping?
Had he been here, We would not have fallen to such a pass. " "The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping went traveling on his wedding and has sent no word to this day. On this journey of mine I also saw many spies searching for Your Majesty's traces.
It is said the Crown Prince has ordered that you be taken alive or your corpse found. " Shen Mu roused the Shadow-Transforming Demon Art and the Dharma-Heaven Mustard-Seed Art and burrowed into his divine treasury, urging the power of the elixir within the Primal Embryo divine treasury; but the medicinal power dissolved within the Primal Embryo treasury without repairing it, and the effect was slight. Shen Mu frowned, and tried several other elixirs, with equally slight effect.
Shen Mu turned into a black shadow and flew out from between Emperor Yanfeng's brows, landed, resumed his true form, and paced to and fro.
Suddenly he said, "Your Majesty, your wound is very hard to cure. The wounds on your body, even the wounds to your soul, I can heal; only the wound to your divine treasury I cannot. My alchemist grandfather should be able to cure it. Would Your Majesty be willing to go with me to the Desolate Ruins? " Hope kindled in Emperor Yanfeng's heart. "And who is this alchemist?
" Shen Mu hesitated, then answered honestly, "The Jade-Faced Poison King.