Chapter 336 — Two Generations of Shadow Thief Masters

People often compared Luandi Khan to Emperor Yanfeng. Both were overlords who carried out bold reforms; Luandi Khan was more like an imitator of Emperor Yanfeng, learning from his deeds—reforming the steppe's chaotic state in which each tribe acted on its own, swallowing other tribes, uprooting the various witch cults large and small across the steppe and absorbing their experts into his army.

Had the Loulan Golden Palace not obstructed him, deliberately or otherwise, he would likely have unified the steppe long ago.

At that time, the Loulan Golden Palace also feared that once Luandi Khan unified the steppe, he would follow the example of the Jingping Imperial Preceptor and Emperor Yanfeng and suppress the Golden Palace—so it had not fully supported him. It was only when the Great Venerable reincarnated as Ban Gongcuo and Ban Gongcuo regained control of the Golden Palace that the palace threw its full support behind his grand enterprise of unifying the steppe.

"Luandi Khan's strength is likely not much inferior to Emperor Yanfeng's."

Shen Mu smiled slightly and stepped ahead of Lame Elder. He called out loudly, "Ban Gongcuo, is that your father Luandi Khan behind you?"

Ban Gongcuo was unmoved. He smiled and said, "Little wretch, still trying to provoke me?"

"Senior Brother Luandi!"

Shen Mu, his face full of smiles, saluted Luandi Khan. "The Tian Sheng Sect Master greets the khan of the steppe."

Luandi Khan frowned, somewhat at a loss. Shen Mu was plainly out to take advantage of Ban Gongcuo. If he returned Shen Mu's salute, it would put Ban Gongcuo a generation below Shen Mu, and the next moment Shen Mu would have Ban Gongcuo calling him uncle. If he did not return the salute, he would breach propriety, and in the future, when they conquered Jingping, Shen Mu would surely lead the Nether Demon Sect to make things hard for him.

Ban Gongcuo knew what he was thinking. He smiled and said, "Luandi Khan, this little Shen runt is exactly this maddening—a single sentence can choke you to death, and you want nothing more than to drag him over and hack him to pieces. Now that you have seen him, you should know his skills are all practiced on his mouth—nothing more."

Luandi Khan said, "Then was it the old man behind him who unleashed that ocean-like sword light?"

Ban Gongcuo did not recognize Lame Elder either. He shook his head and said, "Not him. It was a handless, footless old bastard who refuses to die. Rest assured, that old bastard will not act lightly—he has too many rules and has bound himself tight. And in a few more days, someone from the Heavens will come here and dispose of him."

He smiled and said, "After he dies, you can level Qingmen Pass, drive straight in, and become master of the Central Plains!"

Luandi Khan hastily said, "And then the Golden Palace will be the only holy land under heaven!"

Ban Gongcuo laughed heartily. "You need not be so cautious. My goal is not to be the first holy land or the only holy land. My aims are far higher—beyond your imagination."

He thought of the golden book and scroll he kept on his person, and a fire surged in his heart. His fist clenched involuntarily.

Just then, Shen Mu strode over, his face wreathed in smiles. "Luandi Khan, you are most ill-mannered. I saluted you and you did not return it. Your upbringing is truly poor—no wonder you raised a little brat like Ban Gongcuo to be this way."

Ban Gongcuo's expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Mu suddenly quickened his pace and charged at him, shouting, "Ban Gongcuo, get out here and call me uncle! Uncle's going to spank you!"

Ban Gongcuo was enraged. He glanced at the old man, who was still standing there smiling, far from this place. At once, malice surged in his heart, and he charged forward to meet Shen Mu, sneering, "Shen, I failed to kill you on the boat last time—this time I will see you die on this battlefield!"

The two collided with a thunderous crash, their dharma powers erupting, their divine abilities exploding, shaking the surrounding air currents into spinning, outward expansion!

Ban Gongcuo felt his arms go numb and tingle, and his heart quivered. "I am already at the peak of the Six Harmonies realm, and yet this brat is still no weaker than me in dharma power!"

Shen Mu brought his hands together, and countless sword lights shot up from the Taotie Sack on his back, attacking Ban Gongcuo!

Ban Gongcuo hurriedly defended himself, but suddenly the countless sword lights snapped together, transforming into a great silver-glowing sphere that pressed down. Ban Gongcuo raised both hands to hold up the massive sword core, and could not help but let out a stifled groan as he was pressed down into the earth.

Luandi Khan and the others, along with the Golden Palace Witch King, rushed forward to rescue him and came charging over. Shen Mu hurriedly opened the Taotie Sack and drew the sword core back inside, while in the distance the smiling old man's form suddenly vanished like a ghost, flashing again and again around the group. For a time, all was chaos—it seemed to everyone that they were all being attacked by the old man at once!

At the same time, Ban Gongcuo appeared in the distance, floating up from underground. He called out loudly, "Do not brawl with him here—settle it with him on the battlefield..."

But Shen Mu and the old man did not linger to fight. Suddenly they broke into a run, racing like two signal smokes straight toward Qingmen Pass.

The kindly-looking old man held high in both hands a mountain of clothing and elemental weapons—the garments and ornaments of Luandi Khan and the others had been stripped completely clean, and they stood there bare and naked, at a loss what to do.

And in Shen Mu's hand was a golden book and scroll—beneath the golden book and scroll was a pair of undergarments—as he fled madly toward Qingmen Pass.

Ban Gongcuo was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly lifted his clothes, and at once let out a world-shaking scream.

The golden book and scroll he had hidden on his person had vanished without a trace—and his undergarments had disappeared along with it!

"After them!" Ban Gongcuo cried in a harsh voice.

Just then, the gates of Qingmen Pass swung wide open, and countless troops poured out. Behind the gate tower, one tower ship after another rose into the air, their prows pointed toward Helan Pass.

Giant warriors stood at the prows, striking the war drums mounted there again and again. The drumbeats rolled like thunder.

The Jingping Imperial Preceptor's voice rang through the entire city: "Soldiers all—level Helan Pass for me!"