Chapter 415 — The World Is Shocked
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
This one was from the prefect of Quzhou. It reported that an anomaly had occurred at Great Qu Lake in Quzhou Prefecture. At midnight, a strange light had shot skyward from the lake, filling its surface. A great creature had risen from the waters, its eyes like lanterns, declaring itself the Lord of Qu Lake and demanding that the people on the shore offer up boy and girl children for it to devour. The prefect had sent yamen runners to investigate the lake, and several divine-power practitioners had already died.
Emperor Yanfeng's brows knit tight. He opened the other memorials: all were reports from officials of anomalies in their prefectures, counties, and districts. In some places, shrines had split open to reveal ancient, unimaginably old divine statues that had toppled and crushed the original objects of worship. In others, rivers and lands had shifted, and divine statues had appeared at the bottom of rivers and lakes, either motionless or speaking aloud, demanding tribute from the local people. Most strange.
In still other places, strange lights flashed repeatedly, revealing bizarre treasures that no one could take away.
"Jingping has no such gods."
Ling Yuxiu read through the memorials, set them down, and mused, "Where did these divine stone statues come from? They could not possibly have burrowed up from underground. And some of the treasures mentioned in these memorials do not look like relics of antiquity. They look like the treasures of gods."
"They did not come from underground."
Emperor Yanfeng said, "If they had always existed underground, they would have been discovered long ago. These stone statues and treasures must come from another world."
"And not just one world."
The Imperial Preceptor said in a low voice, "There are similar stone statues in the Desolate Ruins. There are rumors that the statues are the fossilized bodies of gods, that these gods lie in slumber, waiting for the moment when they can shed their stone and return to true form. If the statues in Jingping come from other worlds, then the timing of their arrival is most sinister."
"The Princess and Master Shen created the Primordial Spirit Guide, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth mutated, and then stone statues and strange treasures appeared all across the land. There must be a connection."
Emperor Yanfeng said, "Imperial Preceptor, the origin of these statues and their purpose demand our closest scrutiny."
The Imperial Preceptor said calmly, "I am reminded of the descent of the Demon King of the Capital of Heaven two years ago. When the Demon King descended, it relied on Master Shen's sacrifice. An altar was needed to summon him from another world. Moreover, what appeared in Jingping was only a strand of his consciousness and a portion of his power. His true body required far more death, far more blood sacrifice, before it could descend into Jingping."
Emperor Yanfeng and Ling Yuxiu listened quietly, not interrupting. What the Imperial Preceptor had to say was of the utmost importance, and they dared not listen carelessly.
"This shows that crossing between worlds requires immense energy. The stronger the being, the greater the energy needed to cross into another world."
The Imperial Preceptor continued, "And now the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth has changed again. The descent of these divine stone statues is likely only the sending of the statues themselves; their power cannot yet cross over. They still need countless blood sacrifices before their true bodies can descend."
Emperor Yanfeng and Ling Yuxiu felt their hearts stir, and a terrible thought suddenly rose in their minds. The Imperial Preceptor had already spoken it for them: "They need a calamity that kills the common people on a massive scale before their true bodies can descend into Jingping!"
Emperor Yanfeng and Ling Yuxiu shuddered.