Chapter 161 — The Treasured Jade Returns to Its Master
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
The disheveled old man closed his eyes.
"If you fail to find the reincarnated Holy Child, you know the consequences. " The Witch Venerable bowed, and carrying the Butcher's lower half, withdrew from the Sacred Hall. After he had stepped out, he heard a sound of chewing from within, as though something were devouring the corpse of Witch King Gyatso.
The Witch Venerable's eye twitched again, and a fierce pain shot through his waist. He had only roughly set himself atop Witch King Gyatso's lower half, forcibly joining the two with his power, but their flesh and blood had not grown together; bone, tendon, meridian, blood, and vital essence had none of them connected. He would have to use secret medicine to merge the two, to make Gyatso's body his own. Ever since he had obtained the Butcher's lower half, he had believed his life's achievement could at last advance another step; never had he thought the Butcher was not dead, and would instead come seeking him. And the Great Venerable, his own flesh withered and ruined, dared not risk mutual destruction with the Butcher, so that he had no choice but to abandon the Butcher's lower half.
Though Witch King Gyatso's abilities were not weak, they were still no match for the Witch Venerable's former body; how long it would take to refine his way back to his former realm, he did not know. Enduring the pain, the Witch Venerable carried the Butcher's lower half down the mountain.
Shen Mu, the Butcher, and the blind elder had already come up, and met him halfway. The Witch Venerable set down the Butcher's lower half and bowed in greeting. "Heavenly Khagan. " The Butcher looked at his own lower half, then at the Witch Venerable's waist, and shook his head. "Why trouble yourself so?
You have nourished my flesh for over two hundred years; that my body did not die, I have you to thank. " The Witch Venerable's eye twitched twice more.
Shen Mu took out that gleaming golden lower half and said, "Witch Venerable, your body returned to you. Keeping it serves me no purpose.
" The Witch Venerable's facial muscles twitched, and he said hoarsely, "I have no use for it.
" "It could still be used to refine treasure. " Shen Mu said kindly, "I see your body has not yet been joined properly. I know something of medicine.
If you trust me, Witch Venerable, I can help you mend it.
" "You want to take the chance to harm me? " The Witch Venerable snorted coldly, and turning, left with his own lower half.
Shen Mu shook his head and sighed.
"A physician's heart is that of a parent.
I meant to use his body to practice my hand, and then help Grandpa Butcher reattach his body. . .
" The Butcher laughed.
"Your medical skill, I trust.
Of course, if we could go back and find the Alchemist, and have him do it himself, that would be even better—but returning to the Wasteland takes too long. " He suddenly raised his voice.
"Old fellow, are you still alive? " His voice rang out bright and clear, carrying over the whole mountain. From the Sacred Hall of Loulan's Golden Palace came an aged, shrill voice.
"Rest easy. So long as the Heavenly Blade has not died, how could I die?
" "That old devil, still alive after all. " The Butcher sneered.
"Sooner or later you will die!
Let us go!
" Shen Mu picked up the Butcher's lower half, and the three descended the mountain together.
The blind elder glanced back up the mountain and said thoughtfully, "That man inside is very strong. " The Butcher let out a breath and laughed.
"Without my lower half, I doubt I am his match—that is why I asked you to come with me, to deal with him. That old fellow has been reincarnated seventeen times, lived eighteen lives. His lifespan must be nearly ten thousand years, yet he still will not die. I have fought him several times—he is formidable. " Shen Mu blurted out, "Lived eighteen lives?
A lifespan of ten thousand years?