Chapter 656 — Heaven Collapses, the Earth's Bonds Severed
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
"The remnants of two dynasties — and both of them here, on this ancient ship."
The Great Sun Star Lord was tall and massively built, standing at the stern like a man-shaped giant bird, his three eyes open, looking down from his height upon Chixi and the First Ancestor Human Emperor. He tilted his bird head to one side, then glanced with curiosity at the tower, and laughed: "Once I take you this time, I can find the Worry-Free Land and the Hanging Realm and sweep up the remnants of both dynasties in a single net. Truly, what I sought has come to me without the least effort! Who was it just now that said he would take my blood?"
"I did!"
Shen Mu opened the window and raised his hand: "Star Lord, it was me — here I am!"
The Great Sun Star Lord laughed: "You are already dead."
Shen Mu hastily felt himself over, found himself perfectly whole, and laughed: "I am plainly alive and well — how am I dead?"
The Great Sun Star Lord said unhurriedly: "In my eyes, you little imps are all dead men already. Only these two friends at the stern who dared to resist me may yet live, because I still need them to find the Worry-Free Land and the Hanging Realm."
Ban Gongcuo rushed up and slammed the window shut with a bang.
The window was pushed open again, and Shen Mu poked his head out, laughing: "We are plainly still alive."
The Great Sun Star Lord's pupils narrowed slightly, and he sneered: "Soon you will be."
Bang — Ban Gongcuo shut the window again.
Then the window creaked open, and Shen Mu poked his head out: "Then why did you say we are already dead? We can plainly talk and laugh and hop about alive — your words make no sense."
The Great Sun Star Lord frowned; firelight burst from his three eyes, and he was about to blast the boy dead.
Shen Mu shut the window, and his laughter came from within the tower: "He thought I ought to be scared witless, but a couple of words from me have left him too angry to speak. Look, his face has gone green."
A voice came from inside the tower: "Lord Shen! Grandfather Shen! Won't you please stop talking? I am begging you!"
"He is even glaring at me with those eyeballs..."
"Stop talking!"
"Great Venerable, even if you knelt and begged for mercy he would not spare you — so why not enjoy a little talk first?"
...
Before the divine light in the Great Sun Star Lord's eyes could shoot forth, the First Ancestor Human Emperor slashed at him with his sword. The Great Sun Star Lord lifted one bird leg, meeting the blade with his talons, and laughed: "Your swordsmanship is nothing much."
His sharp talons blocked the stroke, but suddenly his expression shifted; he hastily drew the claw back, and three beams of divine light shot from his eyes at the First Ancestor's sword. Coldly he said: "A good sword, though!"
His toes had nearly been severed by the Yuming Sword; luckily he had withdrawn them in time.
The First Ancestor swept his sword back into its sheath and brought up the Heaven-and-Earth Seal, forcibly blocking the might of the three eyes. On the other side the god-man Chixi pounced at once, six sword-lights whirling, while behind him the Heaven-Suppressing Tower came crashing down.
The Great Sun Star Lord met the First Ancestor Human Emperor's seal art with one hand; his body quivered slightly and surprise showed on his face. As Chixi lunged, he instantly beat his two wings and dodged clear of the sword-lights and the tower.
The First Ancestor Human Emperor and Chixi charged out of the tower ship and fought the Great Sun Star Lord in the starry void.
Clang, clang, clang — the divine feathers of the Great Sun Star Lord's wings parted, and from beneath them flew a great host of Fire Crow god-men, winging toward the tower ship. He laughed: "Little things in the tower, now you may die!"
The Fire Crow god-men had no sooner landed on the tower ship than they swarmed toward the tower itself — when suddenly the tower door swung open, and there stood Shen Mu in the middle of the doorway, a box held up in his hands.