Chapter 429 — At the Head of the Yellow Springs Bridge

The village chief's stone statue gradually faded into the darkness; he marked this place in his memory. "Wherever your soul has gone, I will find you.

You are my family, my kin.

. . " He raised his head to the boundless darkness: "Even if you've fallen into Tubo's hands, I'll fight my way there and demand your soul back from him!

" "My lord, I am gravely wounded now. Even if we catch that deity, I may not be his match. " The Flood Dragon King God spoke cautiously.

Shen Mu's eye twitched. "I will refine pills to heal your wounds, so set your mind at ease.

Besides, with so many flood dragons here, he won't escape my grasp. " The Flood Dragon King God remained somewhat worried, thinking to himself: "If only that deity would pass by the Surging River.

. .

" Fengdu, the Realm of the Living Dead. A deity with a bird's head and a human body led the village chief past the stone stele. The village chief lowered his head and saw his body gradually restored—growing a heart, growing a head, growing a torso, even growing hands and feet.

Here, he felt that he was still alive.

"The Realm of the Living Dead—what a wondrous world.

" He looked at the bird-headed deity and said, "If I leave this place, will I be dead or alive?

" The bird-headed deity shook his head: "Dead, of course. But your luck is not at all bad—you managed to leave a breath of life before your mortal body died completely.

Do not think of your former body anymore; the moment you leave this boundary stele, your flesh and bones will melt away. You no longer belong to the true world.

Come, there is an old friend waiting for you ahead. " The village chief followed him, his wide sleeves fluttering, then suddenly stopped again and smiled bitterly: "I'm still not quite used to having hands and feet again—I'd grown used to being crippled.

.

.

" They passed through Fengdu's Ghost Gate and came to the first great city; and in Fengdu's world there were still great cities beyond. This place looked as though it had just been through a battle; traces of war lay everywhere. "Your old friend is waiting for you on the Bridge of Helplessness ahead!

" The bird-headed deity stopped, raised a claw, and picked at the corner of his beak.

The village chief smiled: "You still hate me?

" "I hate the smell of the living.

" The bird-headed deity spread his wings and flew off: "Your mortal body still holds a breath of life, and the smell it gives you turns my stomach. " The village chief walked on, and after a moment he saw the Bridge of Helplessness; on the long bridge a tall figure stood with his back to him. Beneath the bridge, grey mist hung thick; nothing within could be made out. The village chief was slightly startled, feeling that the figure's back was somewhat familiar.

Suddenly stirred, he hurried up the Bridge of Helplessness, his steps quickening, hastening toward the man: "You. .

. " The burly figure turned and smiled: "You've finally come.

I've waited for you a long time—these years have been hard on you.

. .

" The village chief lashed out with a kick and sent the burly man tumbling off the bridge, furious: "You old bastard!

You tricked me into being the Human Emperor, bearing a burden I could never bear, while you hid away here living it up!

Don't play dead—crawl out from under the bridge so I can beat you to death!

Master, Master? Are you still alive?

" Beneath the bridge the mist churned; demon monsters seized the burly man and dragged him down with all their might.

The village chief was startled and was about to go to his rescue, but then held back.

After a moment the man fought off the demon monsters and laboriously climbed back onto the Bridge of Helplessness, panting for breath. The village chief made as if to kick him, and the man hastily raised a hand: "Don't hit me, don't hit me!

I really am dead—otherwise I wouldn't have passed the Human Emperor's Seal to you. My bones have rotted to mud, buried outside the Human Emperor Hall.

Go dig them up if you don't believe me! " The village chief's scalp went numb, and he said doubtfully, "You're not lying to me again? " "Why would I lie? Everyone who comes here is basically dead.

" The man smiled: "Let me take you to meet your grandmaster—he died before I did.

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