Chapter 1718 — The Dream-Chasing Youth, Part One
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 6
Bai Yuqiong frowned; Heavenly King Yiluo's command left her somewhat perplexed.
She saw those gods and demons descend upon the human gatherings throughout Yanming Heaven, each displaying its powers, their majestic dharma-forms of god and demon cowing the humans of those settlements.
At a single word from those gods and demons, the people of every village and city over forty years of age walked out of their own accord, formed up in ranks, came to the village mouth or the city gate, and boarded the ships moored there.
Ships great and small — divine boats, divine barques, divine warships — lifted off and flew toward the giant tower-ships suspended in the sky. Those vessels carried the people up to the tower-ships, then scattered again in every direction, going on to gather humans elsewhere.
Bai Yuqiong, alarmed and uncertain, said: "Heavenly King Yiluo, what is this..."
"The Heavenly Court's countless gods and demons are attacking the Land of No Sorrow and Jingping; the soldiers cannot go hungry."
Heavenly King Yiluo said: "His Majesty says the Southern Heaven is the Heavenly Court's granary; when the grain ripens, it must be harvested."
Bai Yuqiong was seized with a chill, and stared dumbly at those giant tower-ships hovering in the sky over Yanming Heaven, while vessels great and small sailed in and out without cease, bearing shipload after shipload of the Southern Heaven's able-bodied and its elders.
Already some tower-ships were full of slaves and had begun to sail, heading for the Heavenly River.
"His Majesty sent me here chiefly not to rid him of the rebel Meng Yungui, but to hold the Heavenly Court's granary. Of course, to rid him of that traitor Meng Yungui would also be a great merit!"
Heavenly King Yiluo laughed: "And more to the point, Meng Yungui cares for the lives of these baseborn wretches; it was for the sake of these Southern Heaven wretches that he rebelled. Meng Yungui hides himself and flees hither and thither; it is hard for me to catch him. But if I seize these wretches, then Meng Yungui has no choice but to come and take the ships! He knows full well it is a trap, and still he must thrust himself into it."
He suddenly burst out laughing: "Heavenly Preceptor Bai, tell me, which of us is the Heavenly Preceptor — you or I? Since we entered the Southern Heaven, it is I who have been devising all the stratagems, while you, a Heavenly Preceptor of such fearsome renown, have not offered one single plan!"
Bai Yuqiong made haste to bow: "Heavenly King Yiluo is matchless in arms, and surpassing in wit besides; Bai would not presume to display his clumsiness."
Yiluo laughed heartily and shook his head: "You and Meng Yungui are on excellent terms; I see you would rather your friend did not die by your hand. Heavenly Preceptor Bai, you should know that you are of more use alive than dead; at the very least you can shelter the people of the heavens under your name. Meng Yungui failed to see this, and his Feather Ascension Heaven will one day be purged!"
Bai Yuqiong shuddered and said no more.
Heavenly King Yiluo's face turned cold, and he gave the order: "Pass my command down. The Heavenly Court's soldiers fight bitterly at the front, staking their lives; they deserve their pleasures! The livestock of Yanming Heaven, of whatever age, shall all be driven onto the ships and sent to the Origin World!"
Bai Yuqiong's body trembled.
Heavenly King Yiluo glanced at her. Bai Yuqiong did not move.
The order was passed, and the Heavenly Court's soldiers went at once to carry it out. The people in the villages and cities had had no wish to resist, and had not dared; but now that whole villages, tribes, and cities were to become the rations of gods and demons, they remembered at last to resist.
Bai Yuqiong looked down. Village after village, the people were put down by the gods and demons.