Chapter 686 — The Old Angler by the Cold Pool
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
The Woodcutter Sage came to the edge of the Dawn Spring and peered down into it. "When I taught, he was not yet a monk. Later, ensnared by love, he took refuge in the Buddhist order and became the junior fellow disciple of the Great Brahma Heaven King Buddha. The Land of No Sorrow was his design... There are still plenty of suns in the well; more Dawn Boats can be built."
Shen Mu said with a smile, "I have met the Indra Heaven King Buddha. He is being hunted by the Crimson Emperor of the Southern Heaven, Qi Xiayu."
The Woodcutter Sage was astonished. "Hunted? He deserves it. But he hid himself away in the Buddhist Realm, so the Crimson Emperor would not move against him — why hunt him now?"
"He has done wrong," said Shen Mu, looking for all the world as though the matter had nothing whatsoever to do with him. "He wreaked havoc in the Buddhist Realm and very nearly slaughtered every spy the Celestial Court had planted there; then in the Supreme Heaven of the Buddhist Realm he made himself a little Nether Capital. The Great Brahma Heaven King Buddha struck his name from the Buddhist Realm and drove him out. So the Crimson Emperor seized the chance at once and hunted him down on his heels."
"So that is how it is. He was fair of face in his youth, a famously handsome man of the Kaihuang Era — no wonder the Crimson Emperor took a fancy to him. Beauty is the root of all trouble."
The Woodcutter Sage rose and called the Black Tiger God, handing him a thick stack of blueprints. "Take these to the capital of Jingping, and give them to the Emperor."
The Black Tiger God accepted the order and went off with a whistle.
The Woodcutter Sage cast Shen Mu a glance. "Beauty is a curse — there is no mistake in that saying. He was too handsome, and so many women loved him. You should be careful too."
Shen Mu rejoiced inwardly: "So that means I am handsome too..."
"You are passable at best — one might say not ugly. But you scatter feelings wherever you go." The Woodcutter Sage poured a bucket of cold water over him. "With the Indra Heaven King Buddha and the alchemist of your village as warnings from the past, you ought to be careful. Girl, let us go find someone who fishes for suns."
Yan Jingjing answered and followed him, and Shen Mu followed as well.
The Woodcutter Sage led them out of the Dawn Spring. Outside, the sun stood at its zenith, but it was hidden by Luofu Heaven, so the sky was somewhat dim.
"The Indra Heaven King Buddha's lay name was Li Youran. Later, love turned to hate between him and the Crimson Emperor, and he became a lay disciple of the Buddhist order, where his roots of wisdom showed themselves. The Great Brahma Heaven King Buddha gave him the name Indra. When the Kaihuang Era fell, he meant to build a great ship and carry the people of the Heavenly Artisan God Clan away to the Land of No Sorrow. The Crimson Emperor came after him, and fearing that the Crimson Emperor would harm his people, he chose to draw the Crimson Emperor off alone. Yet..."
The Woodcutter paused a moment, then sighed. "When he returned, he found the ship wrecked and the people dead. He thought it the Crimson Emperor's murderous work, and all his hopes turned to ash. The Great Brahma Heaven King Buddha came to guide him onward, and so he went with Great Brahma. When the Crimson Emperor heard that he had gone to the Buddhist Realm to become a Buddha, he said that the moment he left the Buddhist Realm, his life would be forfeit. That ship was called the Other Shore Ark, and it lies in the Desolate Ruins."
Shen Mu and Yan Jingjing listened spellbound. Suddenly Yan Jingjing said, "Then was it the Crimson Emperor who slaughtered his people?"
"I do not know," the Woodcutter said, shaking his head. "In times of war and chaos, who can say?"