Chapter 566 — The Exiled Infant

The Imperial Preceptor Jingping frowned and surveyed the battlefield. Ghost fires burned everywhere across it — those were the underworld couriers carrying storm lanterns, boat after boat bearing the souls of the war-dead toward Youdu. If he refused to let this old courier take Shen Mu away and a quarrel broke out, with so many couriers about, they might well reduce Taihuang Heaven to a barren waste.

He looked at Shen Mu, hesitating. Shen Mu smiled.

"I have been to Youdu twice. The first time, the Demon King Dutian did me harm, and my soul fell into Youdu.

.

.

" "It was I who rescued you and sent you back to the world of the living," said the old man behind the storm lantern. Shen Mu was startled.

He looked toward the old man behind the lantern, but still could not make out his face. "The second time, I fell into Youdu together with the Great Venerable, Fat Dragon, Brother White Bat and the others, and I survived that too. " Shen Mu steadied himself, walked out from the tower ship onto the small boat, waved to the crowd, and said with a gentle smile, "Youdu is not as perilous as you imagine. I go now to recount the karma of those forty-eight thousand souls.

When I have finished, I will return. " Long Qilin opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and swallowed his words. He said to himself, "The Hierarch has lost his head. How is Youdu not perilous? It is crawling with strange and monstrous fiends, and there is that terrifying demon Lord Zhenxing demanding lives. .

. But my standing is precarious now that Brother Tiger has outshone me.

Better to keep silent. If the Hierarch takes the chance to vent his anger, there will be no more spirit pills for me in the future. " The Black Tiger God stepped forward and was about to speak, but the Imperial Preceptor Jingping raised a hand to stop him and shook his head.

"Hierarch, do you intend to leave your mortal body behind?

" Shen Mu's heart stirred; he understood at once. The Imperial Preceptor meant to keep his body here, so that if Shen Mu could not return, he could work the Soul-Pulling Art and drag his soul back by force. "There is no need for concern, Imperial Preceptor.

" Shen Mu took the young Dark Dragon from his ear, waved it about, and laughed. "It is safer to bring my body along. As for this little dragon, I will borrow it once more when I return from Youdu.

" The Imperial Preceptor Jingping was briefly taken aback, puzzled by his meaning.

The small boat drifted away and vanished into the darkness. The young Dark Dragon flew back to the ship, ran to Shen Yu, and coiled itself around his body.

"Why does the Hierarch not leave his body behind? " Puzzled, the Imperial Preceptor murmured, "If several deities were to work the Soul-Pulling Art at once, we ought to be able to summon his soul back from Youdu. . .

" Shen Mu stood on the small boat and looked around. Boat after boat laden with ghost souls appeared in the darkness, streaming ceaselessly toward the depths of Youdu.

The lanterns on these boats were dim and murky; from afar they looked like lanterns drifting through a night of pure black. King Yama had once told him that if the chance came, he must go to Youdu once. This was also why he had refused the Imperial Preceptor's proposal. King Yama had been vague, but Shen Mu had keenly sensed that his birth in Youdu could not be so simple.

This summons from Lord Tu for questioning was a rare opportunity as well; perhaps he might uncover the secret of his origins. The small boat drifted swiftly, yet aboard it one felt no sense of motion; one saw only the dim, uncertain worlds around them receding one after another.

Shen Mu's heart quaked. He had boarded the boat from Taihuang Heaven, and looking back he could see Taihuang Heaven receding.

Yet beyond Taihuang Heaven he saw many other worlds as well, one magnificent world after another, and boat after boat hung with storm lanterns sailing out from them in an unending stream. Gazing from afar at the dark skies and dim lanterns of those worlds, he felt threads of reverie rise in him, and could not help imagining what those worlds were like — what sweeping, magnificent tales or melancholy, sorrowful ones they held, what bold-spirited or tender-hearted people lived there. "You are in fact on your fourth visit to Youdu.

" At the bow, the old underworld courier hung the storm lantern there, turned to face Shen Mu, and said unhurriedly, "You were born in Youdu. That is why this is your fourth time. " Shen Mu's interest was roused. "Senior, I have no memory of the time of my birth.

Might I ask whether you could speak of it?

" "Your birth caused a great commotion and shook every quarter of Youdu. In the end, many of the great powers agreed unanimously to exile you. " He studied the old man's face closely, but still could not make out his true features.

The old courier said slowly, "And so you were exiled. What happened afterward, I do not know.

" Shen Mu was dumbstruck, then laughed despite himself. "When I was just born, I must have been a tiny infant.

How could I have caused a great commotion?

And besides, for you great powers of Youdu to exile an infant — is that not a bit unkind? " "It was very kind.

" The old courier said, unhurried, "To my mind, given what you did, exiling you was already very kind. After they exiled you, those great powers were delighted and celebrated for many days. " "What exactly did I do? " Shen Mu grew more perplexed.

"What could a tiny infant possibly do?

" The old courier did not answer. The boat sailed into a world and moved on through the darkness. After a time, they entered a small world within that world.

Shen Mu looked up and saw the sun and moon, the Five Luminaries, and a sky full of stars, extraordinarily splendid, radiating a riot of many-colored light.

In the sky there was also a Divine Bridge, and upon it stood a primordial spirit in the form of a deity.

"This is the Spirit Treasury of a Divine Bridge expert! " Shen Mu was astonished.

"We have entered the Spirit Treasury of a powerful cultivator. " The old courier took out a register, opened it, glanced through it, found a name, and spoke.

"Han Zhen, your allotted lifespan is at an end. Three days from now I will come for you.

Settle your affairs.

" The primordial spirit on the bridge looked down, his gaze dim.

"I understand. Thank you, courier, for granting me three days. " The old courier nodded.

The boat sailed out of that small world and back into Youdu, continuing on. "The moment any mortal is born into the world, they enter into a covenant with Lord Tu.

When their allotted lifespan ends, their soul returns to Youdu. The courier sent to summon you to Youdu to recount karma also meant to enter your Life-and-Death Spirit Treasury and deliver Lord Tu's command to you, but he was blocked by the treasure on your person. So I had no choice but to come into the world of the living myself to find you. The longer this is delayed, the worse it will be for you. " Shen Mu grew still more perplexed and laughed. "I am still at the Six Harmonies realm. My Life-and-Death Spirit Treasury has not yet opened.

How could a courier enter it? " "To you it is closed, but to the couriers of Youdu, all are open.

When we enter your Life-and-Death Spirit Treasury to deliver a message, to you it is a dream visitation. " The old courier said, "It is only that the treasure on your person blocked us, so that we could not enter your dreams. " Shen Mu took out the jade pendant.

"Is the treasure you speak of this jade pendant? What exactly is its origin?

What curse is hidden within it? " The old courier said hastily, "Wear it properly. Do not take it off.

" Shen Mu had no choice but to put it back.

Before long, the old courier suddenly grew alert.