Chapter 761 — The Fierce Fiend's Mask
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
Most of the gods and demon-gods in Fengdu were beings of primordial spirit; though they had regained mortal bodies in the death-life realm of Fengdu, they could not withstand these four commissioners, and in an instant many were struck until their souls scattered and their spirits fled. Suddenly a gateway came flying in and landed with a thunderous boom at the center of heaven and earth.
"The Heavenly Gate of Mingdu! "
Lu Li and the other gods and demon-gods cried out in alarm; the power of that Heavenly Gate of Mingdu pressed down, and everyone's primordial spirit sank with a jolt; one after another they were crushed flat to the ground, unable to move.
Di Yiyue's figure floated up; barefoot, she stood upon the Heavenly Gate of Mingdu and raised her head to look up, a half-smile on her lips.
"My husband, why not come in your true body?
Why manifest only through your divine arts?
Your wife would so love to hear your sweet words again. "
Upon the dark vault of heaven, the many faces of the Yin Son of Heaven quivered without cease; suddenly all the faces merged into one, and that face too gradually faded and vanished.
"Di Yiyue, I have indeed wronged you, and so I do not contend with you — not because I fear you. "
His voice grew more and more distant. "But my task is already done. I cut open Fengdu not to stop you myself, but to let the power of Youdu enter.
Heavenly King of Mingdu, you severed Tubo's horn to establish Fengdu; now you must settle your debt with Tubo!
And now, I can retire, my work accomplished.
. .
"
Startled, Di Yiyue hurriedly looked toward the Nai River. The Nai River fell suddenly silent. The monsters and demon-gods that had poured from the river no longer fought; they stood motionless.
Lu Li, Xuanming, and the other two of the four commissioners stationed themselves before the army of Youdu demon-gods, waiting in stern array. From the Nai River a paper boat drifted out, its lantern light like a pillar, illuminating Fengdu.
At the bow an old man whose face could not be made out rose to his feet, lifted a hand to take down his hurricane lamp, and stood expressionless.
Then more paper boats drifted out, one after another; countless paper boats flew from the Nai River, and upon each stood an old man whose face could not be made out, holding a hurricane lamp that could rend the darkness! Countless paper boats floated up into the sky, and the light of the hurricane lamps shone in every direction. The sky trembled, twisted, contracted; the earth rumbled and drew in upon itself, and the towering mountains in the darkness shrank down into the ground one after another, returning to flatness! The space that Di Yiyue, Tian Shu the Heavenly King, and King Yan had opened up together just moments before was, in the blink of an eye, forced back to its original form by the old Yin courier!
"The Vaisravana Heavenly Palace!
"
King Yan bellowed, and the earth shook without cease; in the darkness divine cities emerged one after another, their dark, heavy walls as though cast from black iron, standing deep within Fengdu.
That place was the Vaisravana Heavenly Palace, one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Palaces of the Kaigong Heavenly Court. "Heroic spirits who died in battle for Kaigong!
"
King Yan stared fixedly at the paper boats filling the sky, drew his sword and raised it high, and cried in a stern voice, "Bones of those who died in battle for Kaigong!
I beseech you — fight once more for Kaigong!
"
Boom, boom. From the black-iron divine cities came terrifying tremors; within them, tall skeletal figures rose slowly to their feet, seized tattered weapons, and stood in silence, ghostly blue flames blazing in their eye sockets.