Chapter 1112 — Softly, a Word of Farewell
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
Then he saw mist gradually rising from the Heavenly River. Beneath the surface, a great tower ship was sailing, its long shadow moving toward the figure who propped up the River.
It was the ghost ship.
Heavenly Venerable Yun was stunned.
Shen Mu, dazed and barely sensible, saw the ghost ship too. Wei Suifeng must have feared for his safety and come looking for him.
Long Qilin and Yan'er had obtained the Liuli Qingtian Banner and had most likely returned to the ghost ship ahead of him, which was what had drawn Wei Suifeng's worry.
It was only natural. They were, after all, fellow disciples, and Wei Suifeng feared he would die in the past.
The ghost ship rose higher and higher, its mast breaking through the water's surface.
"Go back! First Senior Brother, go back!" Shen Mu's three heads shouted together. "You need not take me back—I must hold up this River!"
From beneath the waters of the Heavenly River came a muffled, murky sound—surely Wei Suifeng speaking. But the ghost ship was still in another time and space, and the sound could not reach here.
The mist on the river grew thicker and drew nearer and nearer to Shen Mu. His will was already beginning to fade, and he cried out, "First Senior Brother, give me a little time! I will come back on my own!"
The murky voice sounded again, rasping like rustling sand; a voice from another time and space was somehow strange. Yet the ghost ship's mast rose ever higher, and the mist grew ever denser.
The ship was traversing time and space, racing toward this era.
"I still cannot leave..." Shen Mu's sight grew more and more blurred, his mind more and more clouded. He murmured, "I still cannot leave. If I leave, the flood will drown the heavens, and countless people will die..."
Just then, dimly, he saw a figure take the Heavenly River onto its own shoulders for him, and a voice at once strange and familiar reached his ears: "Heavenly Venerable Mu, let me bear it. You may go now."
Shen Mu looked up and saw Heavenly Venerable Yun take the Heavenly River from him and shoulder its weight.
His body grew light, and he fell backward. At that same moment the ghost ship burst from the water with a great splashing roar, and the mist swallowed Shen Mu as he toppled back.
Shen Mu's body vanished, and the next moment he appeared aboard the ghost ship.
Aboard the ghost ship, Yan'er reached out both hands to catch Shen Mu as he was about to fall, laying him down on the deck.
Long Qilin swiftly healed his wounds.
Heavenly Venerable Yun, the Heavenly River on his shoulders, gazed afar at the great ship in the mist, unable to hide his surging emotion.
"Heavenly Venerable Mu—" he called loudly toward the ship.
His voice reached the ghost ship as a rasping rustle, yet Shen Mu struggled to his feet; leaning on Yan'er, he made his way to the bow, and the two Heavenly Venerables looked at each other through the mist.
"Heavenly Venerable Yun!" Shen Mu swayed, signaled Yan'er that she need not support him, straightened his robes, and saluted the man who bore the Heavenly River through the mist: "Fellow Daoist!"
Heavenly Venerable Yun could not hear what he said either, but he could see him make the salute and see his lips move; reading them, he laughed aloud. "Forgive me—I cannot return your salute! Fellow Daoist, shall we ever meet again?"
Shen Mu watched his lips, hesitated, then shook his head.
"That is a pity!" Heavenly Venerable Yun was taken aback, then laughed heartily. "I would very much like to see you and sit down for a long talk!"
"So would I!" Shen Mu clenched his fist, pointed his thumb at his own heart, and called out, "I too would very much like to talk with you!"
"When you said we would not meet again—was it because I die?" Heavenly Venerable Yun asked loudly.
Shen Mu opened his mouth, but said nothing.