Chapter 1806 — The Eve of the Sealing
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
After the two Palace Masters, Phoenix and Hehuan, withdrew into the Jade Capital City, Kaihuang Shen Ye at once struck at the Dao-attainers of Miluo Palace who were striving to descend outside the city.
Without the protection of the two Palace Masters, those Dao-attainers of Miluo Palace could not withstand his sword dao at all; they were swiftly swept clean. Yet several among them proved decisive, halting their descent at once and returning to the Sixteenth Era to preserve themselves.
Inside the city and out, calm settled.
The Golden Ship of Salvation floated quietly beyond the walls. Everyone sat aboard, and Heavenly Venerable Yue, long sickness having made her a healer, tended their wounds — though to heal the injuries upon them all was beyond her power.
Nearly every one of the mightiest beings of Jingping had gathered here. Each had many questions for Kaihuang, yet none knew where to begin.
After a long while, Heavenly Venerable You broke the silence: "Shen Ye, where have you been these forty-two years?"
Kaihuang Shen Ye said: "In those years I broke into the Jade Capital City, crossed sixteen long rivers of chaos to Miluo Palace, and there, in the Chaos Hall of Miluo Palace, I met the Seventh Young Master. The Seventh Young Master told me certain things, and planted within my body a divine art meant solely to counter the divine art of the Fourth Young Master, Zixiao. Forty-two years ago, when I blocked the killing blow the Fourth Young Master Zixiao aimed at Heavenly Venerable Ling, it stirred the Seventh Young Master's divine art. From that moment on, I have remained aboard this ship."
"Aboard the ship?" Everyone was stunned. Heavenly Venerable Yue asked: "This very ship?"
Kaihuang Shen Ye nodded: "This very ship. I could see you, yet not touch you; I could hear your conversations, yet could not convey a single word to you. You could not see me, could not touch me, could not hear my words. Aboard this ship I pondered what the Seventh Young Master had imparted, and there I also encountered the master of Miluo Palace, and spoke with him at length."
"The master of Miluo Palace?" Everyone was aghast, and hurriedly turned to look at the golden halls of the Golden Ship of Salvation, one after another.
"It was the dao-shadow of the master of Miluo Palace," Kaihuang Shen Ye explained. "His abilities have reached a level I can neither comprehend nor fathom. His dao left many shadows upon this ship, and he gave me much guidance."
Heavenly Venerable Yue steadied herself and ventured: "Did Heavenly Venerable Mu tell you much of the future?"
All eyes fell upon Kaihuang Shen Ye's face, awaiting his answer. Kaihuang shook his head: "He did not tell me much. What I said just now was a lie to deceive those two Palace Masters, to force them to dare not oppose us head-on."
Everyone was half-convinced, half-doubtful.
In the past their trust in Kaihuang Shen Ye had come from the heart; they trusted every word he spoke, for all knew that Shen Ye was by no means a fellow like Shen Mu, whose tongue could gallop horses.
Shen Mu lied without end, but Shen Ye would never lie.
Yet now they discovered that an honest man's lies were all the more terrifying, for no one could tell which words from an honest man's mouth were true and which were false.
"He truly did not tell me much," Kaihuang Shen Ye said helplessly. "I know little of the future. At the time he had no leisure to tell me much, and it seemed he was also unwilling to tell me."
Everyone was deeply skeptical.
Kaihuang said no more.
"The longer we delay, the worse it is for us," Xu Shenghua said suddenly. "The Dao-attainers of Miluo Palace have ample time to descend, and so the Dao-attainers within the Jade Capital City will only grow more numerous. Before long we will suffer utter annihilation. Should we not storm the Jade Capital City and stop their descent?"