Chapter 504 — The Little Overlord of the Ghost Capital

Shen Mu followed the sound and saw a tall, powerfully built man striding over with a robe draped over his shoulders. The man looked somewhat lazy, his clothes hanging loose and slovenly—yet those loose, slovenly garments, worn on him, somehow carried a flavor all their own. "So it is Human Emperor Qikang. " Chixiu the Divine said hurriedly, "I am only carrying out orders.

Last time, Human Emperor Shen used Youdu sorcery to snatch people away—even King Yama was alarmed.

All Fengdu was in a panic, every ghost terrified that he might work his arts and summon them down to Youdu to sink forever. That is why King Yama wants him arrested. It has nothing to do with me. " Human Emperor Qikang hitched up the robe draped over him and laughed. "I know you are only doing as you are told, so I will not make things hard for you.

I will take Human Emperor Shen with me; just pass the word to King Yama. " Chixiu the Divine shook his head. "That will not do.

In a moment King Yama means to interrogate him personally. I cannot let you take him.

. .

" Just then, an aged voice suddenly rang out: "Chixiu, I hear my disciple's disciple's disciple has been arrested by you? " Chixiu the Divine's expression shifted slightly. He saw an old man with snow-white hair approaching—none other than Human Emperor Qikang's master. He hastened to explain, "So it is Human Emperor Yishan. In the matter of Human Emperor Shen, I have no authority to decide. It is King Yama who wants him, to punish him for disturbing Fengdu.

I am not my own master here—Human Emperor Yishan must not blame me.

" "I thought it was some great matter. " The white-haired old man was short of stature, his snow-white beard flying out to either side, his voice like a great bell. He laughed. "I know you cannot decide, so I am not asking you to.

I will decide.

I am taking Human Emperor Shen with me! " "That cannot be!

" Chixiu the Divine could not help but grow anxious.

"King Yama means to interrogate him in person. Even Human Emperor Yishan cannot decide this. . .

" "Chixiu, I hear my disciple's disciple's disciple's disciple has been arrested by you?

" Another voice came.

Chixiu the Divine cursed inwardly.

He saw a woman in a blue skirt, a small bamboo basket on her arm, walking over.

He said hurriedly, "So it is Human Emperor Lanpo. About this matter. . . " "Chixiu, I hear my disciple's disciple's disciple's disciple's disciple has been arrested by you? " "Chixiu, I hear my disciple's.

. . " "Chixiu! " Around him, more and more people gathered, ringing Chixiu the Divine in a tight circle. He felt his head was about to burst. He thought to himself, "Have I stirred up a hornet's nest?

These Human Emperors of the Hall of Human Emperors—are they all hornets?

On ordinary days you cannot catch a glimpse of a single ghost of them, but poke one, and the whole swarm comes flying out! " He knew he could not afford to offend them.

Seeing only more and more dead-ghost Human Emperors arriving, he had no choice but to say, "My lords, you are all personages of standing and face.

Why must you corner me? Do not put me in a difficult position. I will hand Human Emperor Shen over to you first, but he cannot leave Fengdu. I must deliver him to King Yama.

.

. " "Do not worry, do not worry, we will not make things hard for you! " the crowd clamored. Shen Mu stared blankly around him and stammered, "Divine Chixiu, what you said just now—that I have someone above me. .

. " "Exactly! " Chixiu the Divine struggled out through the crowd, furious. "You Human Emperors of the Hall of Human Emperors are all thugs and ruffians of Fengdu, the local tyrants of my city of Fengdu—I cannot afford to cross you!

Poke one and you poke a hornet's nest.

I will come find you later! " He squeezed out of the crowd, spread his wings, and flew off into the distance. Shen Mu looked at the Human Emperors around him, somewhat at a loss. They were all sizing him up, scrutinizing him, their faces wreathed in smiles. Among them were men and women, old and young, tall and short, fat and thin; some were impeccably dressed, some looked fierce and malevolent, some were mighty and powerful, some seemed too weak to truss a chicken.

Shen Mu scanned the crowd but did not see the Village Chief anywhere. He cleared his throat hastily, bowed in every direction, and said, "This late student, Shen Mu, Human Emperor of the present age, pays his respects to all my masters' masters, my great grandmasters, my great-great grandmasters, my great-great-great grandmasters. .

. " "No need for such ceremony! " The crowd surged forward and squeezed this little skeleton into their midst, slapping him until his bones rattled and he nearly came apart.

They swept him along toward the city, laughing.

"It is rare that one of us is still alive and comes to visit us. Today we must have a proper gathering and make some noise! " "You have not burned paper money for us all these years.

If that little brat surnamed Su had not died too and come running to Fengdu, we would have thought the Hall of Human Emperors had died out! " "Why have you not tended our graves? If you had gone to tend the graves, we would have known there was someone to carry on.

We even left some treasures for you in the Hall of Human Emperors. " There were too many questions. Shen Mu could only answer honestly: "I have never yet been to the Hall of Human Emperors. The Village Chief never told me where it is.

. . " Human Emperor Qikang was furious. "Is that how that little brat Su does things?

He never even sent you to the Hall of Human Emperors!

That bastard—when he comes back, I will give him a proper thrashing!

" Human Emperor Yishan kicked Human Emperor Qikang hard in the backside, his beard bristling, his eyes glaring, and shouted, "How did you teach your disciple?

You can never beat a good disciple out of a disciple by beating him! It is because you taught him that way that Human Emperor Shen never tended our graves! " No sooner had Human Emperor Yishan delivered that kick than his own head took a punch from Human Emperor Lanpo, and he hastily clutched his head.

Human Emperor Lanpo scolded angrily, "Yishan, is that how I taught you?

You have the nerve to criticize Qikang—how did you teach your disciple? " "Lanpo, a girl being so rough—you are making me, Kongxian, lose face! " "Kongxian, you dare hit my disciple's disciple? You are tired of living, boy! " The whole pack of old fellows started brawling in the city, and there was no separating them. Shen Mu soon noticed something strange: Human Emperors of past generations would help a grand-disciple beat a disciple, and a grand-disciple would join with a master's master to gang up on a master.

It seemed every disciple was less than friendly with his own master.

Yet the abilities of the Human Emperors of past generations were truly terrifying—almost every one of them had cultivated to the Dao Realm. Strangely, though, each excelled in something different, and what a disciple excelled in was never the same as his master. Human Emperor Qikang was the Village Chief's master; the Village Chief excelled in swordsmanship and was hailed as the Sword God, while Human Emperor Qikang excelled in fist arts and seal arts.

His seal arts were fierce and domineering, his seal formulas more terrifying than the fist arts of the Great Thunderclap Temple. And Human Emperor Qikang's master, Human Emperor Yishan, excelled in divine abilities; Human Emperor Yishan's master, Human Emperor Lanpo, excelled in primal weapons. As for Human Emperor Kongxian, he excelled in the divine ability of Words Become Law.