Chapter 1049 — Thrashing the Underworld Son of Heaven
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 5
Aboard the ships were many divine generals and many lovely, enchanting goddesses, singing and dancing to sweet strains of drum and pipe. A Great Emperor was enjoying the song and dance when he saw the waters of the Heavenly River suddenly swell; looking down, he beheld a colossal dragon-turtle passing beneath his ship. The Great Emperor laughed aloud and called out, "Brother Youming, stay your steps!
" Hearing that voice, the crown prince's heart lurched. "That sounds like Yin Chaojin, the Underworld Son of Heaven — what is he doing on the Heavenly River? The last time he came to the Northern Pole Heaven, he bragged to me that he had become the Black Emperor of the Nether Capital.
And when he failed to coax the Five Thunders Gourd out of me, he loosed a swarm of insects to gnaw the gourd vine. . . " The Underworld Son of Heaven was an old acquaintance, and he was tempted to stop; but remembering Emperor Xuan's words, he pretended not to hear and swam on.
The Underworld Son of Heaven, his power surging, wrapped the tower ship in it and lifted it into the air, giving chase.
"Brother Youming, do you not remember your little brother? These six hundred thousand years, I have missed you so bitterly! " Still the crown prince pretended not to hear and pressed on. The Underworld Son of Heaven could not match his speed and could not catch him, so he cried out loudly: "Brother, have you no thought for old friendships?
We played together once, and I even called you elder brother! " Crown Prince Youming thought back on the past and slowed his pace.
He said to himself: "It is true that we few were once close. . .
Pah, pah!
Back then, the Underworld Son of Heaven and Heavenly Worthy Hao and the rest sought my company only to plot for my family's wealth — they knew my father and mother had many treasures, and they were forever wheedling things out of us! " He quickened his pace again. The Underworld Son of Heaven shouted, "Turtle that hides its head!
" Crown Prince Youming flew into a fury, stopped at once, and turned over; the Heavenly River broke off in its course. "Yin, you little wretch, who are you calling a turtle? " he roared. The tower ship flew up and came crashing down upon the water with a boom.
The Underworld Son of Heaven went to his knees on the deck with a thud and said with a smile, "Brother, had I not goaded you, would you have turned back?
Let me make my apology. All these years without seeing you, I have missed you to death, and so I stooped to this poor trick.
" Seeing him actually kneel, Crown Prince Youming felt a pang of guilt; his anger vanished into thin air, and he hastily took human form and raised him up. "My father said that this time, having won free, I must not look back — if I look back, I will be lost beyond all redemption. That is why I paid you no heed; it was not that I meant to slight you. " The Underworld Son of Heaven took his hand and invited him aboard.
"All these years without seeing my brother, my heart has been full of longing. I even advised your honored father and mother to release you, but my words carried little weight. Now that you are out, brother, you must truly enjoy yourself, and make up for all the good things you missed in those six hundred thousand years! " Crown Prince Youming said, "I still have a road to travel. .
. " "A little time makes no difference! " The Underworld Son of Heaven laughed heartily and ordered music and dancing, and delicacies such as even the Heavenly Emperor seldom tasted were brought up in endless streams. He invited the crown prince to be seated and said, "Worthy brother, you can see for yourself that I have prospered these years. " Crown Prince Youming ate and drank and said, "The last time you came to see me, you said you had become the Black Emperor of the Nether Capital, and that sooner or later you would be another Earth Lord.
Are you the Earth Lord now?
" The Underworld Son of Heaven shook his head.