Chapter 819 — The Star River Ghost Ship
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
The ship passed by a dragon palace at the bottom of the river and lit that palace too. Through the dimness the crowd could make out that within that dragon palace several demigods had actually swum out from the halls and raised their heads to look at this strange ship.
Yuyuan Chuyu said, "This ship—Academician Su and I and others have seen it several times, always when the sky was dark, but never went aboard to investigate. Ever since the Surging River grew wide, many demigods have appeared; the people of Lizhou Prefecture are displaced and homeless, their lives unbearable, and attending to the affairs of government has already left me frantic."
Lord Huanlong wore a look of dread, and said with a trembling voice, "The Prefect had no time to investigate, but I live here, and I have encountered this ghost ship far more often than the Prefect. After the Surging River grew wide, this ship appeared. I did not dare go near it, but quite a few demigods in the water went to probe it. Their strength exceeded mine by I know not how many times, yet once aboard they never came back. I have heard that some saw them, once aboard, turn into white bones... My lord, after the Surging River became the Star River, eerie things have come forth one after another. This Dragon Lord of the Star River business..."
Shen Mu gazed far off into the river depths. The ancient warship was swimming along the bottom, its decks shadowed and thronged, as though a thousand troops and ten thousand horses were garrisoning the ship; only their faces could not be seen.
"The Star River connects to the Desolate Ruins. Its history is too ancient; it has buried too many things."
He had no intention of going to explore the truth of it. After all, this ghost ship was but one of the Star River's strangenesses; he need not hazard himself.
Just then he saw the ship's banner cut across the river surface. Water came splashing down from the tattered flag; once the water had fallen away, the river wind blew upon that flag rusty with blood, and it actually fluttered up.
In the sky the moon was like a flower dried in the sun, crinkled, yet still it shed moonlight down.
Shen Mu raised his head and studied the uncanny moon, frowning. By the moonlight he looked, and on the ship's banner he could dimly make out the characters 'Yulin'.
"This ship is called Yulin."
Shen Mu laughed. "A ship with a name should be of no small origin..."
Suddenly he froze. He hastened to examine the two characters 'Yulin', and the more he looked the more suspicious he grew.
The writing on the banner was very familiar. He quickly took out the tally of his Eldest Senior Brother Wei Suifeng. On the tally too were the two characters 'Yulin'!
The characters on the banner were embroidered; those on the tally were incised. Yet the handwriting was the same!
Shen Mu studied the banner, then studied the tally, and the suspicion on his face deepened.
"First Ancestor, Headman, you stay here. I will go aboard and take a look!"
He suddenly leapt into the air, trod the river surface, and sped toward the ghost ship, crying, "Lord Huanlong, you are a good swimmer—come with me!"
The Headman hesitated a moment, then said to the First Ancestor, "First Ancestor, you keep watch over these Human Emperors, don't let them make mischief. I will go keep watch over that boy Shen!"
The First Ancestor frowned and said in a muffled, sullen voice, "Why is it always me being ordered about..."
Lord Huanlong hesitated, unwilling to go forward. The Headman shot him a glance, and Lord Huanlong had no choice but to steel himself and follow. He thought, "If my lord dies aboard the ghost ship, then perhaps my Earth Lord's pact and my Lesser Earth Lord's pact can be written off at one stroke?"
Scarcely had the thought crossed his mind when suddenly all before his eyes went dark, and a great-headed demon god appeared before him.
"No licking," came a heavy voice out of the darkness, seemingly the voice of the Earth Lord.