Chapter 1602 — The Righteous Path of the World
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
The deep, resonant voice gave a start. After a moment, an enormous head lowered through the opening; Long Qilin poked his head out, his face wreathed in smiles. "So it is Big Sister. What important matter does Big Sister have for her little brother?"
"No important matter, and I cannot have you come over?"
Xue Hu'er stood on the altar, hands on her hips, brows and eyes bright with laughter. "But this time there is indeed an important matter. Come over quickly!"
"Big Sister, wait a moment."
Long Qilin drew his head back, and from the Beast Realm came the sound of conversation: "Foster Father, my sister is calling me over... Nothing will go wrong, Foster Father, rest easy... I will not fail to come back! This time I am going to see the Cult Leader, and my wife and children; I have not seen them in many years... Rest easy, rest easy, I will not leave Foster Father here alone..."
After another moment, a youth with a qilin's head, dragon horns, and a human body descended from the Beast Realm onto the altar. It was Long Qilin, dressed in black robes inlaid with gold and jade, luxurious beyond words.
Xue Hu'er looked him up and down and said with a cold smile, "You have grown rich in the Beast Realm, with a noble station, while your Yan'er was left at Great Black Mountain to hatch eggs, and your children are already a flock. Are you not afraid some male bird will lure your wife away?"
Long Qilin said with a placating smile, "Foster Father cannot manage the Beast Realm alone, so I help him run it. I want to come back, but Foster Father will not let me go. Yan'er and I are already properly wed; the Southern Emperor himself gave his consent! Besides, all the beast clans under heaven are in my keeping. Who would dare poach from my wall?"
Ling Yuxiu said, "Long Xiao regards you as his godson, but you are likewise a hostage held against the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping. Naturally he will not let you return."
Only then did Long Qilin notice her, and he hurriedly made his salute. "Your Majesty."
Ling Yuxiu said, "No need for such courtesy. The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping saw that you had grown up, and so let you out to accomplish something of your own. These years you have cultivated under Long Xiao, and no doubt have gained much. Just now the little princess of the True Heaven Palace said you can deal with Gong Tianzun's reincarnation body, Tao Xiufang; that is why you were summoned back."
Long Qilin looked at Xiong Qi'er and recognized her at once. Xiong Qi'er ran over, cheering and skipping. "Slide! Slide!"
Long Qilin said helplessly, "You are now the head of the True Heaven Palace, and I am the young lord of the Beast Realm. How can we do something so undignified?"
"Slide!" Xiong Qi'er insisted, firm as a knife-cut.
Long Qilin had no choice but to reveal his true form, transforming into a colossal creature, lifting his tail so that it formed a great arc.
Xiong Qi'er scrambled clumsily up to the tip of his tail and slid down from the top. Long Qilin's body dipped, and the girl slid onto his back, then was carried by momentum up into the air, giggling without pause, then rushing down again.
This was no simple single slide; Xiong Qi'er slid for a long while without stopping. Ling Yuxiu said helplessly, "My dear minister, the real business is more important."
Xiong Qi'er hastily stopped, her face flushed red with embarrassment.
Long Qilin turned back into a stalwart youth and said, "When she was small, the Cult Leader did not care to humor her, so I was the one who played with her like this. Where is Tao Xiufang now? Once she is dealt with, I must go see my wife and children. Lest some unwise male bird..."
Xiong Qi'er took out the Book of Life and Death and the records on Tao Xiufang and handed them to Long Qilin, saying excitedly, "I will go with you!"