Chapter 314 — Between Father and Son

" A hoarse voice came from the Divine Tree, like a wooden man speaking; every word was uttered with the greatest difficulty, and no emotion could be heard in it, yet Shen Mu's body trembled slightly.

"You are good. " The voice of the one in the tree came again, as if that was the only thing he knew how to say. He had probably never praised a child and could think of nothing more. The reason he spoke was that Shen Mu had understood his meaning.

Shen Mu had said only a moment ago that father and son shared one heart and he could understand his words — but at that time he could not make a sound, so how could he have spoken? And yet Shen Mu had guessed his thoughts, leading the Lord Who Guards the Stars to act on her own and suppress part of his wood nature, so that he could exert his power.

Then Shen Mu had stood with his back to the one in the tree, giving him the chance to take up his sword, and with his words he had disturbed the Star Lord's mind, creating the opening for him to strike. Shen Mu broke into a smile and said quietly: "We are father and son.

Though we have never met before, there are always points of resemblance.

I too have made a pact with Tu Bo, and I know the trickery inside it. " The one in the tree gave an "Mm.

" Shen Mu leaned there, savouring the rare peace.

After a long while a flower opened on a branch, and a fruit formed; the fruit broke loose and dropped into his hand, its fragrance rushing to his nose. Perhaps all parents were like this, always worried that their children would not eat enough or keep warm.

Shen Mu held the fruit and said abruptly: "Where did Mother go?

Is she still alive? " "I will go and find her.

" The one in the tree said in a muffled voice: "She took you and your clan to the Nether Capital. " Shen Mu was startled for a moment, but Granny Zhu had found him on the bank of the Surging River outside Hidden Remnant Village in the Wastes, not in the Nether Capital.

How, then, had Shen Mu drifted to the Wastes? What had happened in between?

"How do I return to Sorrowless Village? " Shen Mu asked. The one in the tree did not answer; with his eyes closed he said hoarsely: "The Painting Elder will take you to the study.

Things I left for you are there.

You go. We must not see each other. " Each word he uttered was difficult beyond measure, every syllable like a knife cutting at his throat.

Shen Mu's chest clenched, his heart shrinking together.

Father and son, not to see each other?

The old man in the painting beckoned to him, gesturing for him to draw the Sorrowless Sword.

Shen Mu collected himself, stepped forward, and pulled the Sorrowless Sword from the ground. The old man in the painting beckoned again, signalling him to follow.

Shen Mu looked back.

The eyes of the one in the tree were still closed, unopened.

He glanced at the old man in the painting.

The Painting Elder, he supposed, could communicate with the one in the tree; how exactly, he did not know — perhaps the one in the tree had given the Painting Elder his life. "Can father and son not meet? " Shen Mu called out loudly.

The one in the tree's eyes remained shut, and he seemed almost cruel: "No.

" "I will rescue you!

" Shen Mu turned and followed the old man in the painting, crying out: "What is Tu Bo but Tu Bo?

I'll bring him down, so wait for me! " The Divine Tree stood immovable as the one in the tree slowly opened his eyes, and tears fell from them.

He heard Shen Mu's footsteps moving away outside the room; the youth was saying softly to the old man in the painting: "Painting Elder, after I am gone, look after him for me. " In the study of the treasure ship, the Painting Elder drifted to the bookshelves. The books on the shelves had already been swept clean by someone, every one of them taken away.

"That wretch Ban Gongcuo — has he come to my home to rob me?

" Shen Mu blazed with fury.

All at once the Painting Elder darted into a painting, then beckoned to him from within it.

Shen Mu hesitated a moment, then stepped toward the painting. A marvellous thing happened: he found that he had truly walked into the painting and become a figure within it!

In the painting, a man in white stood waiting in silence, as though he had been waiting for him to come.