Chapter 1311 — Helping by Standing Aside
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
This night had been a heart-stopping ordeal. When some of Shen Mu's strength returned, he clambered unsteadily to his feet and walked several circles around the statue with its gaping mouth.
Seeing it fixed there perfectly well, unchanged, he was at last wholly reassured.
"Brother Taiyi still did not come. . .
" Shen Mu was rather disappointed.
"Trusting him is worse than trusting that loose-tongued fellow Taiji," said Taishi from within the egg.
"He is surely hiding somewhere, shivering with fright.
" Shen Mu laughed despite himself and shook his head. The alchemist hurried to and fro, treating everyone's wounds, and at last they all recovered one by one.
This night had been far too dangerous; even now, recalling it, they still felt a chill of fear.
They climbed out of that valley, and the sunlight that met them was so bright and lovely it made the heart drunk.
"It is good to be alive," the Silent Craftsman said with narrowed eyes, full of feeling.
Shen Mu gazed into the distance and saw that several more of the great black mountains had split open, white vapor rolling out of them, and a youth carrying a water bucket was hurrying toward them. His face darkened, and he walked over.
The youth set down the bucket and smiled. "Lord Mu, a peaceful night?
By now you should know what lies buried beneath this Great Black Tree, don't you?
" Shen Mu stood at his side, was silent a moment, and said, "You said you would come to support us.
" "I said I would come and lend a hand. I never said I would do the fighting myself.
" The youth drew a willow branch from the bucket and sprinkled water over the split black mountain.
"Cheering you on from above is lending a hand as well. " Shen Mu was choked with anger, and was about to speak when he saw the split black mountain slowly closing again. "The best way to help you is not to help you beat back a powerhouse from the previous universe, but to help you realize who the enemy before you truly is.
Occupy the Great Black Tree, become its master, and you must face all of this. " The youth Taiyi sprinkled water as he went on. "If you cannot even come to that realization, how could you ever help me block these prehistoric monsters from invading? Among them are beings of immense power, who can even create Void Beasts and send them here, stopping at nothing in order to enter this universe. If you cannot even pass last night's little test, then you have no right to occupy this place.
" He handed the bucket and the willow branch to Shen Mu and said, with a half-smile, "Lord Mu, master of a hundred thousand black mountains, your mountain has split open — patch it yourself. " Shen Mu took the bucket and the branch and, as he had done, dipped the willow branch in water and sprinkled it into the crack of the black mountain.
Within that crack was a horrifying, blood-chilling sight, as though some dreadful creature had crawled out from inside, the marks left by sharp claws. "There was another reason I did not show myself last night. " Taiyi, guiding him in how to tip the water from the bucket to repair the black mountain, continued, "And that is our friend Taishi.
Taishi was, after all, suppressed by Taichu for so many years; his mind is no longer simple, no longer pure.
The one he admires most is not in fact me, but Taichu, who suppressed him. " Shen Mu listened quietly. "He wants to become another Taichu, the sovereign of the entire universe. " Taiyi said, "His conversation with Taisu within your brow was in truth a discussion of how to break free of your grasp, how to seize back his own lode, and how to join forces in the future to rule the world.
They even discussed it — Taishi enthroned as emperor, Taisu as empress consort.
" Shen Mu stopped, thought for a moment, and smiled.