Chapter 823 — The Flawless Maiden
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The three of them and the lantern once more made their way toward the structure of that ancient tower-ship of war, when suddenly light blazed forth — from whence it came, no one could tell — and the whole ship was wrapped in a dense, searing radiance, so that Shen Mu, Li Zheng, and the rest could see nothing at all with their naked eyes. The light came swiftly and went swiftly. When it had vanished, Shen Mu looked around and gave a slight start: the tower ship had been sailing beneath the waters of the Heavenly River, and now it had risen onto the river's surface.
Mist lay all around; little by little a bright sunlight shone down, and the tower ship sailed out of the fog. Outside, the sun blazed high. Shen Mu looked out and saw the ship floating upon the river, while the Heavenly River itself now floated in the sky.
"Lin Xiao, what has happened?
" Shen Mu asked the inch-tall little man in the lantern.
Inside the lantern, the little creature with a bird's head and a human body buzzed its wings and said, "Lord, there is no need for alarm.
This is merely another reset of time and space.
" "A reset of time and space? " Li Zheng ventured cautiously, "What do you mean by this reset of time and space?
" The inch-long little man in the lantern said, "The divine power within the mist is not continuous.
This uncanny power erupts once every so often, and carries one across into a fixed age.
I have calculated that this ship will be borne by that power across thirty-six different ages. Right now it should be. . .
" The lantern cast its light outward, and there was nothing but rolling smoke of gunpowder and war on every side.
"This is the age of the Ming Emperor now.
As for the exact year, I cannot recall.
" The little man in the lantern said, "The son of the Ming Emperor of the Ming Emperor's Heavenly Court, the Imperial Son Chi Xiao, is about to come aboard. " Hardly had he spoken when a young general slaughtering in the battlefield came flying from afar, raising his palm high, and from his palm a mirror-light shone out and fell upon the ship.
The young general flew along the beam of light and arrived, three-headed and six-armed, awe-inspiring.
"The Imperial Son Chi Xiao?
" Shen Mu shuddered and said in a low voice, "Was not the Imperial Son Chi Xiao one of the faces in that black coffin the Patriarch Dragon King shattered when we first came aboard? That face called itself Chi Xiao, Crown Prince of the Ming Emperor. .
. " Li Zheng's expression changed slightly, and he murmured, "It cannot be him. He was clearly devoured by the coffin, drained of all his divine blood until he died.
Whoever comes aboard cannot be Crown Prince Chi Xiao; it must be someone who shares his name.
. . " "This is.
.
.
the Heavenly River ghost ship!
" The young general's voice came, startled and delighted: "That this treasure should appear at such a moment — can it be that Heaven itself aids me?
I have heard that aboard this ship are the bravest and most battle-hardened gods and demons of the ancient Heavenly Court.
If they could be made to serve me. .
. " He unfurled and waved his banner, and a great many three-headed, six-armed gods and demons came flying and alighted on the ship.
The young general shouted, "Search it!
Search out the ancient Yulin Army aboard this ship!
" "Your Highness, there are seals upon this ship!
" "Break them open! " . . .
After a while, black coffins grew up out of the deck one after another, black qi spreading everywhere, and from within came the panicked cries of the young general and his gods and demons.
At last the black qi dispersed; the young general and the many gods and demons of the Chiming era had vanished, leaving only the black coffins standing upon the deck.