Chapter 713 — City of Doom
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
His shrill cry carried back: "Take care of yourselves! Second Brother, whatever you do, do not die! This is the waist token of my Southern Heaven Crimson Emperor lineage; it may yet save your life! " A waist token flew over and landed in Shen Mu's hand.
Shen Mu was briefly taken aback, then handed the jade token, carved with a nine-headed phoenix, to Long Qilin.
Qi Jiuyi's waist token had not been meant for him, but for Long Qilin.
"Fat Dragon, Qi Jiuyi has treated you rather well.
" Shen Mu smiled.
"Let us set off.
Back to Jingping! " Long Qilin trod fiery clouds and bore Shen Mu up into the air.
Shen Mu glanced at the Sword Pellet on his body, hesitated, and did not tell Long Qilin to cast it aside. There was no telling what the situation in Jingping was now.
He had no suitable weapon at hand, and discarding a Sword Pellet that had not yet been refined would bring him no great gain in speed.
"What can truly increase one's speed is the primordial spirit! " Astride Long Qilin's back, Shen Mu sent his primordial spirit out of his body and performed the Three Primordial Spirits Convergence Art. Before long he had summoned the heroes of Jingping from every corner of the land to a gathering; the primordial spirits of Daoist Master Lin Xuan, Wang Muran, Xu Shenghua, Ling Yuxiu, and the rest assembled in the Grand Academy Hall of the Grand Academy.
"Has there been any large-scale loss of life in Jingping of late?
" Shen Mu asked.
"In Yuzhi Commandery in the southeast, the common folk were wiped out overnight. " Ling Yuxiu said, "In Yuzhi Commandery, from the provincial capital down to the rural villages, everyone died at the same moment, including the Deputy Governor of Yuzhi Commandery. The Deputy Governor was a powerhouse of the Divine Bridge realm, not far from the Deity realm. My Imperial Father has already sent men to investigate. The scouts report that everyone in Yuzhi Commandery looks as though they are still alive: many stand in the streets in the posture of walking, and old farmers are still at work in the fields. But they are all dead, without the slightest breath of life. Imperial Father has already suppressed the news, to keep the people from panicking.
" Shen Mu frowned.
"And the livestock?
" "Not one head of livestock or wild beast was spared," Ling Yuxiu said. Daoist Master Lin Xuan, Wang Muran, and the others had not known that such a grave matter had come to pass, and for a time there was an uproar of discussion; all manner of voices clamored within the Grand Academy Hall.
Ling Yuxiu said, "The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, the First Ancestor, the Sage Master, and the others have already gathered the experts of Crimson Brightness and the Demon Race to search out the enemy's whereabouts. This enemy must be Lou Yunqu and his people. " Shen Mu looked at Si Yunxiang and said in a low voice, "Holy Maiden Xiang, issue the order at once: contact the disciples of the Holy Cult, and have the disciples in every region keep watch on all the statues.
If there is any change at all, report it to me immediately! " Si Yunxiang nodded. "Reports have come in from every region of late: those statues have already begun to revive, and some have taken on the color of flesh and blood.
I have also learned that the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping suppressed the celestial-phenomenon divine weapons in the national treasury. Not long ago the divine weapons actually began to emit their might and shook the treasury down. Today the capital has quaked fifteen times, and the dragon vein has split. " Everyone's heart skipped a beat, and the hall fell instantly silent. "Also keep watch for large-scale deaths in the other commanderies and counties.
If any occur, notify me at once!
" Shen Mu said rapidly, "Sister Xiu, notify the Emperor at once. Ask the Emperor to issue an order summoning all scholars versed in the Soul-Pulling Invocation to take fast ships to Yuzhi Commandery without delay.