Chapter 565 — The Netherworld's Soul-Seizing Envoy
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
Shen Mu recalled that the Woodcutter Sage had said Taihuang Heaven could not hold out at all, and a hidden worry rose in his heart.
The Woodcutter Sage's words were not shot at random; if he said it could not be held, then it certainly could not be held. The demons would surely not fight the way Jingping the Imperial Preceptor hoped; Fu Riluo must have designs of his own.
In the darkened battlefield, ghost fires suddenly glimmered, and one after another entrances to other-dimensional spaces appeared; a great many ghost fires drifted over from another world — little boats sailing out of the Netherworld Capital, from which stepped old men whose features could not be made out, carrying horse lanterns to welcome the heroic spirits of the war dead.
Human or demon, once one became a ghost, they would all be guided by them into the Netherworld Capital.
And the army withdrawing below marched on in silence, turning a blind eye to these Netherworld couriers, as though long accustomed to it.
Shen Mu stood at the prow of the tower ship in the air, watching this scene, and a thousand feelings welled up in his heart; he said nothing.
Just then, a little boat appeared before the tower ship, gliding over in eerie silence; the old man seated at its prow rose to his feet, lifted his horse lantern, and shone it on Shen Mu.
"Shen Fengqing, you have disturbed the Netherworld Capital. Lord Tu requests your presence, to give an account of cause and effect," said the old man holding the horse lantern.
Shen Mu was startled, then smiled. "Who is Shen Fengqing? Elder, you have mistaken me for someone else."
The lantern's light fell on his face; behind the lantern, the old man said not a word.
Suddenly a flash of black light, and the Black Tiger God appeared at the prow, putting his body between them and shielding Shen Mu behind him, and shouted: "Netherworld couriers mind only the affairs that come after death — since when do you meddle in the affairs of the living?"
The face behind the lantern was dim and indistinct. "The Netherworld Capital has the Netherworld Capital's rules. The Netherworld Capital does not concern itself with the affairs of the world of the living, but when the living interfere with the workings of the Netherworld Capital, then the Netherworld Capital must intervene. Fifteen days ago, Shen Fengqing released forty-eight thousand ghosts from the Netherworld Capital, violating its laws. As early as fifteen days ago, Shen Fengqing was notified and requested to come to the Netherworld Capital to give an account of cause and effect; only, he carries a treasure on his person that blocked the couriers sent to deliver the summons."
Jingping the Imperial Preceptor strode over and said in a low voice: "And if I do not permit you to take him?"
The old man behind the lantern said, unhurried: "Many worlds have been destroyed for that very reason."
Shen Mu could not help recalling the scene he had witnessed in the Netherworld Capital — the Demon King Dutian howling long in the darkness, a tragic grandeur that moved one to tears — and said: "Jingping the Imperial Preceptor, Senior Brother Tiger, there is no need to say more. I will go with him."