Chapter 819 — The Star River Ghost Ship
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
"I won't lick. I'll just take a look at the food first." The great-headed demon god smiled a sinister smile and faded gradually into the dark.
Lord Huanlong's vision returned as before. He could not help shivering several times, and groaned inwardly: "This is the Lesser Earth Lord? And the other voice is the Great Earth Lord? More uncanny even than the ghost ship..."
Shen Mu drew near the ghost ship. The ship sailed beneath the river; only its banner showed above the water, and the banner plowed across the river surface like so many great white blades cleaving the current.
Shen Mu halted at a distance, then suddenly flicked his hand and thrust out a sword. At once a red sun appeared upon the river, like the setting sun half-sunk in the water; the sword light turned to red radiance and lit the river surface.
"The Setting Sun Swordplay of my Yuyuan family!"
On the riverbank, Yuyuan Chuyu said joyfully, "Little Brother Shen has not forgotten the Setting Sun Swordplay after all!"
When the sword light of the Setting Sun Swordplay reached the edge of the ghost ship in the river, it dimmed at once, erased by the black chains coiled about the ghost ship, without a shred of power.
Shen Mu frowned. Shadows shifted; the Headman and Lord Huanlong arrived.
"Grandpa Headman, why have you come?"
Shen Mu frowned and shook his head. "I cannot look after you."
The Headman was furious and dealt him a heavy knock on the head: "Look after us? It is I who have come to look after you. You brat—a few years kicking about out there and your tongue has grown bold!"
Shen Mu clutched his head, nearly knocked into the river by that one blow.
The Headman looked at the ghost ship in the river and mused, "The chains outside the ship are formed of black vapor; they are formidable indeed. Follow me, all of you, and do not go blundering about!"
Shen Mu patted Lord Huanlong; Lord Huanlong transformed into a giant dragon, and Shen Mu stood upon the dragon's head. Lord Huanlong was the first to plunge into the water.
The Headman hurried after him, flying and swimming, and came to the dragon's head, crying, "Shen, boy, I told you to follow me, not me to follow you. You wretch, your gall grows bigger and bigger..."
Suddenly he landed on Shen Mu's hand, and saw that in Shen Mu's hand a jade pendant was growing bright, its radiance dispersing the chains of black vapor that ringed the ghost ship.
"The Yulin Guard of the Heavenly Court of old, just as I thought!"
Shen Mu said in a low voice, "Can it be that this ship is the Yulin Guard crossing-over incident that the Great Sun Star Lord spoke of? Strange—how did the Yulin Guard's warship come here? Were they not the Yulin Guard of the Longhan Heavenly Court of a million years ago? Why does my Eldest Senior Brother have the Yulin Guard's tally of the Longhan Heavenly Court? Then might my Eldest Senior Brother be aboard this ghost ship..."
Here he suddenly took another knock on the head, and saw the Headman staring at him with bright, piercing eyes.
"Shen, boy, what is it that you know?"
The Headman's face was grave; then all at once he put on another face altogether, unable to hide his curiosity, and said with a smile, "And what is this jade pendant in your hand? What is this Yulin Guard crossing-over incident?"
Shen Mu was about to speak when suddenly the water churned with hidden currents, and a great kun came swimming through the river, with many oddly shaped demigods standing upon its back.