Chapter 439 — Dying in Another's Stead
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Within the city of Fengdu, deity after deity came flying in, gathering round King Yan, and looked down from the bridge. When they saw that whirlpool, the faces of the many gods and demons changed drastically, and they were about to strike, when King Yan raised his hand and said in a low voice, "There is no need. Let him go.
" The many gods and demons of Fengdu were greatly perplexed.
"The divine art beneath the bridge is a Youdu art.
Youdu comes to Fengdu to snatch our people — how can this be borne? " One of the gods and demons said, "Leave Youdu to run wild, and before long Fengdu will be lost!
King Yan, let us strike back at Youdu! " King Yan shook his head. His voice was somewhat strange as he said, "That man employs a Youdu art, but he is no god or demon of Youdu; he is a visitor from the Land of No Sorrow.
I have seen that face before; it is very like that man's. . .
There is no need to pursue it further.
" Beneath the dark cloak, his gaze was like a candle flame, burning faint and ghostly: "The people of the Land of No Sorrow have appeared. An old dream of a former dynasty — I was waiting for the old swallow to return, for the old nest to be built anew.
Yet instead of the old swallow, I have received a new one. " The Village Head said, "The swallow that seems familiar has returned. Old swallow, new swallow — most difficult to tell apart. " King Yan lowered his head and looked at him; the cloak shook and seethed above the city of Fengdu, and then, with his figure, drew away and vanished into the city.
The Village Head looked down from the bridge and sighed, "I had thought we were to be reunited with the Alchemist and the others.
I never expected Shen'er to summon them back. I wonder whether their mortal bodies are dead. If their bodies are dead, then most likely we shall meet again in Fengdu. . .
Master, what is this river beneath the Bridge of Helplessness? " "Legend says it is a river of Youdu.
We call it the Wangchuan. " The Human Sovereign of two ages past came to his side, bent down and looked beneath the bridge, and said, "Many stories lie within it, too many to tell in a moment.
Monsters are often in that river; these monsters too come from Youdu, and they are most terrible.
That powerful one who just now used a Youdu art to seize men by force found his way here through the Wangchuan River and used his art to steal them away.
This man who wields the Youdu art — you should know him well, should you not?
" He looked at the Village Head's face, his gaze flickering, and said, "Just now you stood nearest of all. You heard that man's voice, and yet you did not raise a hand to stop him.
" The Village Head nodded, and there was pride in his voice: "He is my disciple — the Human Sovereign of this age! Well, old bastard?
The disciple I chose is stronger than the disciple you chose, is he not?
" "Bah!
The disciple I chose was you, you fool! " "Old bastard, give up your life!
" . .
.
Within the God-Severing Mountains, in the Great Luo Heaven Star force field, the Alchemist, the Lame Elder, the Kun King and the others suddenly opened their eyes. The Deaf Elder blurted out, "This is bad — my mortal body is dead, and I can no longer hold my primordial spirit! " The Kun King and the Grey Immortal likewise woke, one after another, their faces changing drastically; their primordial spirits had been parted from their mortal bodies too long, so that the bodies had begun to die!
A moment before, the Flood-Dragon King God had sensed that they no longer breathed, and the cause was this same death of the mortal bodies, and so their breath was gone. "Shen'er, how long can you hold out? " The Alchemist hurriedly rose, took out all manner of medicinal herbs and silver needles, his face frantic, and said, "If you can hold out a while longer, I can renew our lives for us and bring these mortal bodies back to life!