Chapter 336 — Two Generations of Shadow Thief Masters
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
People often compared Luandi Khan to Emperor Yanfeng. Both were overlords who carried out bold reforms; Luandi Khan was more like an imitator of Emperor Yanfeng, learning from his deeds—reforming the steppe's chaotic state in which each tribe acted on its own, swallowing other tribes, uprooting the various witch cults large and small across the steppe and absorbing their experts into his army.
Had the Loulan Golden Palace not obstructed him, deliberately or otherwise, he would likely have unified the steppe long ago.
At that time, the Loulan Golden Palace also feared that once Luandi Khan unified the steppe, he would follow the example of the Jingping Imperial Preceptor and Emperor Yanfeng and suppress the Golden Palace—so it had not fully supported him. It was only when the Great Venerable reincarnated as Ban Gongcuo and Ban Gongcuo regained control of the Golden Palace that the palace threw its full support behind his grand enterprise of unifying the steppe.
"Luandi Khan's strength is likely not much inferior to Emperor Yanfeng's."
Shen Mu smiled slightly and stepped ahead of Lame Elder. He called out loudly, "Ban Gongcuo, is that your father Luandi Khan behind you?"
Ban Gongcuo was unmoved. He smiled and said, "Little wretch, still trying to provoke me?"
"Senior Brother Luandi!"
Shen Mu, his face full of smiles, saluted Luandi Khan. "The Tian Sheng Sect Master greets the khan of the steppe."
Luandi Khan frowned, somewhat at a loss. Shen Mu was plainly out to take advantage of Ban Gongcuo. If he returned Shen Mu's salute, it would put Ban Gongcuo a generation below Shen Mu, and the next moment Shen Mu would have Ban Gongcuo calling him uncle. If he did not return the salute, he would breach propriety, and in the future, when they conquered Jingping, Shen Mu would surely lead the Nether Demon Sect to make things hard for him.
Ban Gongcuo knew what he was thinking. He smiled and said, "Luandi Khan, this little Shen runt is exactly this maddening—a single sentence can choke you to death, and you want nothing more than to drag him over and hack him to pieces. Now that you have seen him, you should know his skills are all practiced on his mouth—nothing more."
Luandi Khan said, "Then was it the old man behind him who unleashed that ocean-like sword light?"
Ban Gongcuo did not recognize Lame Elder either. He shook his head and said, "Not him. It was a handless, footless old bastard who refuses to die. Rest assured, that old bastard will not act lightly—he has too many rules and has bound himself tight. And in a few more days, someone from the Heavens will come here and dispose of him."
He smiled and said, "After he dies, you can level Qingmen Pass, drive straight in, and become master of the Central Plains!"
Luandi Khan hastily said, "And then the Golden Palace will be the only holy land under heaven!"
Ban Gongcuo laughed heartily. "You need not be so cautious. My goal is not to be the first holy land or the only holy land. My aims are far higher—beyond your imagination."
He thought of the golden book and scroll he kept on his person, and a fire surged in his heart. His fist clenched involuntarily.
Just then, Shen Mu strode over, his face wreathed in smiles. "Luandi Khan, you are most ill-mannered. I saluted you and you did not return it. Your upbringing is truly poor—no wonder you raised a little brat like Ban Gongcuo to be this way."
Ban Gongcuo's expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Mu suddenly quickened his pace and charged at him, shouting, "Ban Gongcuo, get out here and call me uncle! Uncle's going to spank you!"
Ban Gongcuo was enraged. He glanced at the old man, who was still standing there smiling, far from this place. At once, malice surged in his heart, and he charged forward to meet Shen Mu, sneering, "Shen, I failed to kill you on the boat last time—this time I will see you die on this battlefield!"