Chapter 496 — When It Is Written Into the Annals of History
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Luo Wushuang turned and walked away, his voice drifting back from afar: "Shen Mu, Hierarch of the Heavenly Sage, and Great Venerable of the Loulan Golden Palace—when you two have made something of yourselves one day, Luo will surely repay you in full, and wash away the debt of this severed arm. See that you do not die too soon! " He vanished into the thick darkness.
Shen Mu still stood upright, the Carefree Sword still circling and wheeling around him.
He had not relaxed in the slightest, still staring into the dark; only after a long moment did Shen Mu let out a breath.
Ban Gongcuo's face turned bitter. He grumbled, "Hierarch Shen, why did you have to announce our names?
What are we to do now? " "If I had not given our names, he might not have withdrawn.
" Shen Mu's aura collapsed all at once; he dropped down to sit, and the Carefree Sword clattered to the ground.
He no longer had the strength even to urge the sword on, his breath withered: "If he had stayed to fight to the death, we truly might not have been able to beat him. Only by giving our names would he really leave. " Ban Gongcuo struggled to his feet and looked at him, eyes flickering. From the Green Blood Gourd behind him a mass of fresh blood poked out its head, stirring restlessly, as he weighed whether to strike at Shen Mu now.
Feigning anger, he said, "You could have given false names! " Shen Mu's brow twitched. The Carefree Sword, fallen at his feet, quietly lifted its tip, and he said, breathless: "Shen has never left a false name behind in anything he does.
Besides—when we return to thirty or forty thousand years from now, will he be able to find us? " Anger rose in Ban Gongcuo's heart. He ground his teeth: "Hierarch Shen, is the name Shen Mu real?
You never give false names? You have the nerve to say that aloud!
" More blood plasma welled from the gourd; soundless clots of blood floated up.
He narrowed his eyes, then put on another face, mild and genial: "Still, the Hierarch speaks sense. Who knows—that bastard Luo Wushuang may have some skill, but he is arrogant to the bone; he certainly will not live thirty or forty thousand years. Perhaps he will die in the war before long. Hierarch Shen, shall I help you up? " Shen Mu raised his head, his face earnest: "Yes, please.
My body is empty now; if you do not help me, I truly cannot get up. " Ban Gongcuo shuddered abruptly and hurriedly drew back, chuckling: "Man and man, hands off—better to keep our distance, lest rumors start.
" Shen Mu paid it no mind. Leaning on the Carefree Sword, he tottered to his feet: "Luo Wushuang has withdrawn, but we must leave quickly too.
He may bring the main army of the Lingxiu. This place is no place to linger. " The Dragon Qilin had also retracted its dragon scales and clambered, stumbling, out of range of the chest.
With a few thuds, the chest closed and shrank to a modest size. The Dragon Qilin crawled onto the chest, panting from exhaustion.
Shen Mu climbed up with difficulty as well, and turned his head, smiling: "Great Venerable, come up too. " Ban Gongcuo shook his head and burrowed under the chest, hugging one of its legs: "I am fine right here.
" Shen Mu kicked the Dragon Qilin, unable to hold back a laugh: "You—far too cautious. We share one chest, one enemy, one fate, life and death together—could I really do you harm?
" The Dragon Qilin lifted a forepaw and unsheathed several blade-sharp claws; the moment Ban Gongcuo came up, he would be run through. Ban Gongcuo said cautiously, "The Hierarch's kindness is hard to refuse, but I have always been careful by habit and trust no one. The Hierarch may tell Dragon Fatty to put his claws away.