Chapter 477 — The Evil Thing
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
" Ban Gongcuo's expression changed at once. Shen Mu looked at the youth in the mirror, several years younger than himself, and spoke unhurriedly. "Moreover, he can sense your summons at any time and any place, project himself over, and help you worship others to death. I do not think a god-devil has such leisure on his hands, nor do I think this soul-worship sorcery is performed in such a way. Suppose one day he suddenly takes it into his head not to project himself over—would you not be killed for it? Great Venerable, we are both clever men. Give me one honest word, and I will spare your life. " Ban Gongcuo's face flickered between light and shadow.
Then he suddenly burst into loud laughter, clapping his hands in admiration. "Worthy of Sect Master Shen, the man I have counted my lifelong rival—it is truly not easy to deceive you. You are right; he did not leave. He did intend to leave this world, but I schemed against him, wounded him gravely and sealed him, and then stripped away his primordial spirit! " Shen Mu's eyes went wide, shocked beyond words.
Ban Gongcuo was smug with delight.
"Like master, like disciple. Everything he taught me I learned, and I surpassed the blue drawn from the indigo! Yet to the end the old thing would not pass on to me the method of becoming a god. I was already old by then; in a few years at most I would die of age, and he cared nothing for the bond between master and disciple. Hmph—if the old thing wanted me dead, then I would see him dead first! At last he was about to leave this world. The upper realm cast down the Guiding Divine Light, and I struck in the very instant he stepped into it. " Waves of chill rose in Shen Mu's heart.
Ban Gongcuo laughed.
"Using the divine ability he had taught me, I threw the Guiding Divine Light into disorder and split it in two! Sect Master Shen, you too are a master of teleportation arts. If, in the moment your teleportation art erupted, someone split it in two—what would become of you? " Shen Mu's heart gave a sudden lurch.
"I too would be split in two.
" "The Guiding Divine Light is not the same as a teleportation art, but it is close enough. Only it separates the body from the primordial spirit.
" Ban Gongcuo was immensely pleased with himself, speaking with great ease. "Using sorcery, I made a blood sacrifice of my own disciple and split the Guiding Divine Light in two. My master, the Shaman God Kui, was at once sundered, body from spirit, and fell out of the light. One stone, two birds; one stroke, two gains. My disciple had long been wishing me dead, so that he might take my place—and in one move I did away with them both. The Shaman God Kui had only his primordial spirit left, no body. In the very instant he lost his flesh, I planted a soul worm in him and took control of his primordial spirit! " Shen Mu shuddered.
He sighed. "Great Venerable, you call the Shaman God Kui evil—but to my eyes, he may not be your equal in that regard.
" Ban Gongcuo shook his head. "You are gilding my face. I am no match for him. He is the truly evil one. After I trapped him, his body still did not die, and his primordial spirit remained intact—several times he nearly broke my seal. It was by making use of his primordial spirit that I created the soul-worship sorcery. The Sect Master would never guess: in my first life I too was a peerless figure, one of the foremost beings of my age, a warrior near godhood. Perhaps because I reincarnated too many times, my ambition was worn away—but in those days my brilliance was not one whit inferior to Sect Master Shen's. " Shen Mu nodded.