Chapter 292 — The Intoxicating Long Night at Sea
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The physician examined the village head and grumbled, "When a man is old, he can't rely on his bones and sinews. And you've practically no bones or sinews left—yet still you had to show off. Feel good now?"
The village head panted, "He is hurt worse than I am. Almost all the experts of the Upper Realm, I have fought them."
"Aren't you something."
The physician first steadied his wounds with needles, then shook his head. "And still someone cut off your hands and feet with a sword?"
"The day I passed the throne of the Human Sovereign to Shen'er, I knew this day would come, and that someone from the Upper Realm would come looking for Shen'er."
The village head's gaze was dim. "The Upper Realm won't tolerate a Human Sovereign living among the world. I'm old, crippled, and useless, so they don't care. But a new Human Sovereign—they will surely root him out. Star Lord Qiao is one of the best in the Upper Realm. This time I stopped him and made him back down. That way, the one who goes seeking Shen'er won't be an expert like him. They have to follow the rules; if they won't, then we force them to follow the rules."
The physician made up his medicine and said, "And after you die? Will they still follow the rules?"
The village head was silent a moment, then suddenly broke into a smile. "Alive, I am the Human Sovereign; dead, I am a hero among ghosts. This life may perish, but my will to fight is evergreen. Perhaps you should get out and take a stroll too."
The physician shuddered and shook his head. "I'm not going out. Whoever wants to can go."
Sacred mountain of the Western Lands.
Star Lord Qiao's carriage reached the summit. The star lord strained to rouse his cultivation, preparing to return to the Upper Realm, when suddenly he spat a mouthful of blood and collapsed in the carriage. His wounds burst open. With difficulty, he raised a hand to the four women. "Burn incense..."
The four women were shocked. The girl in green hastily took out three incense sticks and lit them on the altar. The smoke rose in wisps. After a while, a face appeared in the vault of heaven and looked down.
"I met the old Human Sovereign."
Star Lord Qiao gasped, "He is old and crippled, but still not dead. His strength has grown far greater. I am wounded by him. What he meant is—if the older generation goes after the new Human Sovereign, he will certainly interfere, but if the younger generation goes, he will not care."
"He is still alive?" The face showed astonishment. A faint, distant voice came from beyond the sky: "Star Lord, whom do you intend to send from the Upper Realm to kill the new Human Sovereign?"
Star Lord Qiao said, "Xu Shenghua, Young Master Xu."
The face in the sky turned grave. "Is it necessary to dispatch Young Master Xu?"
Star Lord Qiao nodded. "The old man is old and dying; the new Human Sovereign is young and not yet grown. If we kill the new Human Sovereign, we can end the trouble once and for all."
A light fell from the sky and landed on Star Lord Qiao, forming a road made of light. The face in the sky said, "Young Master Xu may not be willing to leave his mountain. You must go and ask him yourself."
Star Lord Qiao said to the four women, "Yu, Qing, Yao, Jing—stay here. Take these four treasures of mine and help Young Master Xu kill the new Human Sovereign. I will return to the Upper Realm; Young Master Xu will come down before long."
The four women acknowledged and got down from the carriage. Two suanni pulled the battered treasure carriage up the road of light and back to the Upper Realm.
When the light vanished, the four women exchanged glances. Jade Willow said, "The master ordered us to follow Young Master Xu and kill the new Human Sovereign, but we still don't know who he is."
Capital Swallow said, "The news came from the Golden Palace of Loulan this time. We'll need to go there. Green Oriole, Jasper Flower, you two go to the Golden Palace. Jade Willow and I will wait here for Young Master Xu to come down."