Chapter 186 — The Youth Summons the Demon
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
Commander Lin Ding brought them to Tianbo City and said, "The one guarding this place is a patriarch-class existence, the Dragon King of the Dragon Taming Sect! You have heard of him, surely? The Dragon King's own abilities are not especially high, but he has raised a flood dragon, and that flood dragon is remarkable — slaying a powerhouse of the life-and-death realm is nothing to it. Oh, up ahead is the Dragon King's son, Long Jiaonan.
" The officer guarding the gate of Tianbo City was a seductive-looking man in a gaudy robe, rouged and powdered, his face heavily made up and very eye-catching. He was none other than the young sect master of the Dragon Taming Sect, Long Jiaonan.
Commander Lin Ding brought Shen Mu and the others forward to pay their respects.
Long Jiaonan exchanged greetings with him, then suddenly caught sight of Shen Mu and paused slightly: "This man seems familiar. .
. " Shen Mu's heart went cold, and he bowed his head in salute. When he first entered the capital, he had traveled with Wei Yong on a tower ship from Jiangling to the capital; Long Jiaonan had ridden a giant python through the air and slaughtered everyone aboard, leaving only him and Wei Yong alive. In the confusion, Long Jiaonan might well have seen his face. "These are disciples of the Hongshan Sect.
" Commander Lin Ding introduced them: "They summoned a demon god in Lu County, so General Xiaoyi has asked them to perform the rite in Tianbo City as well and summon a demon god to fight. " Long Jiaonan could not recall where he had seen Shen Mu.
His eyes lit up and he giggled: "Summoning a demon god? Now that sounds like fun.
What ritual implements do you need?
I will prepare them for you. " Shen Mu said hastily, "Only an altar of white bone — thirty-six feet long and thirty-six feet wide, built from skeletons, with the surface paved with skulls.
The skulls must be laid with the eye sockets facing up; not a single detail may be neglected.
" "So troublesome.
" Long Jiaonan smiled seductively: "In troubled times there are plenty of bones. Wait a while; I will have the altar prepared.
If there are not enough bones, we will kill some people to make up the number. The common folk of Tianbo City are not worth much.
" Shen Mu said, "We are performing a secret rite and cannot be disturbed, so General Long. . .
" Long Jiaonan threw him a flirtatious glance, and gooseflesh rose all over Shen Mu.
Long Jiaonan laughed: "I understand. You may set your mind at ease. I will have soldiers guard the outside of the altar.
But if you cannot summon the demon god and are only toying with me, I shall have to ravage you thoroughly.
" Shen Wanyun, Yun Que, and Wolf-Slave shuddered with dread, while Yue Qinghong and Si Yunxiang took it rather lightly. Before long, Long Jiaonan had ordered his subordinates to build an altar of white bone in Tianbo City. The altar stood in the city lord's mansion; Long Jiaonan dismissed the officers and soldiers around him, stationing men on all sides with orders not to watch Shen Mu and the others perform the rite. Shen Mu looked around and saw a hundred or so soldiers guarding the outside; escape seemed all but impossible.
"What do we do?
" On the altar, everyone looked to Shen Mu. Shen Wanyun said in a low voice, "We are deep in the dragon's pool and the dragon's lair now. Uncle.
.
.
Uncle Shen, you decide! " He had finally changed his address and called Shen Mu uncle-master; though Yun Que and Yue Qinghong were surprised, they asked nothing.
Shen Mu said in a deep voice, "Naturally, we perform the rite and summon the demon god.
" Yun Que was startled and blurted out, "We have never learned the Hongshan Sect's arts — how can we summon a demon god?
" "I have learned it.
" Shen Mu carried over that demon god statue, placed it on the altar, and planted four white banners at the corners, saying, "I will summon the demon and call this demon god here.