Chapter 386 — The Evil Dragon That Locks the River

That one too was divided in two. Shen Mu sent out his vital essence, drew the two halves to him, and pressed them back together. The fish monster became whole again and swam away.

Shen Mu was stunned, then overjoyed: "This Moon Jade Eye has an effect like that too? " Lord Dragon-Rearer's eyeballs darted about, and the body behind his neck kept writhing — not crawling forward, but retreating backward, trying to shed the two layers of hide.

"Don't move, Lord Dragon! " Shen Mu lifted the jade eye and carried it in a circle around his neck.

Lord Dragon-Rearer still did not move; his dragon eyes were full of terror. A white line appeared around his neck, running from one side to the other.

Shen Mu shook his neck, but it would not budge at all.

He took out his great iron hammer and, with all his strength, struck along that white line on the neck.

Crack. A clear, ringing sound rang out.

Lord Dragon-Rearer's scalp went numb, and he said in a hoarse voice: "Wait! " Shen Mu swung the hammer again and struck heavily. Another crack.

Lord Dragon-Rearer was hoarse with desperation, yet dared not speak loudly, and cried: "Wait! I have something to say! " Shen Mu stopped, curious: "What does Lord Dragon have to say?

" "What good will it do you to kill me? " Lord Dragon-Rearer spoke with great care, lest too loud a voice snap his own neck: "Even if you kill me, you will still bring down the vengeance of the Heavens Above.

The Heavens Above will send down gods stronger than I to find you and kill you, and they will still alter the Yong River and turn this place into another Wasteland! " Shen Mu swung the hammer down: "Soldiers come, I meet them; water rises, I dam it. I will kill one first and worry about the rest later!

" "Stop!

We of the Heavens Above are only gatekeepers.

One god dead is one thing, but two gods dead will rouse those true gods, and the result will be the destruction of the world! " Lord Dragon-Rearer cried: "I bear you no grudge and have no feud with you.

I came down to the mortal realm only on orders.

Why must you hunt me to the death?

" Shen Mu stopped and laughed: "What has the destruction of Jingping to do with me? I am a man of the Wasteland to begin with.

If Jingping becomes another Wasteland, I will be all the more at ease. Besides, if I let you go back, will you not come to kill me again?

And when you return to the Heavens Above you will not speak up for Jingping either.

So what use are you to me alive?

" Lord Dragon-Rearer's expression shifted darkly, then he suddenly ground his teeth and said: "I can swear an oath to Lord Tu. Once you let me go back, I will never take revenge on you!

" Shen Mu raised the hammer: "If that is all — just no revenge — then after I kill you, you will not come seeking revenge either.

" Lord Dragon-Rearer said, trembling: "Stop!

I can teach you how to claim the dragon veins, how to wield the power of the True Dragon Lord! " Shen Mu lowered the hammer, his eyes flickering: "What else? " The muscles in Lord Dragon-Rearer's face twitched: "I can guard the Yong River's dragon vein and serve you! " Shen Mu's face turned stern: "Swear it to Lord Tu!

" Lord Dragon-Rearer clenched his teeth: "I swear to Lord Tu!

" Shen Mu smiled faintly, put away the iron hammer, steadied the Moon Jade Eye with one hand, and suddenly assumed the form of the Zhen Star Lord — human head, serpent body — as behind him a Heaven-Bearing Gate rose into being. The two doors of the Heaven-Bearing Gate swung open, revealing the deep, dark world of Youdu.

Shen Mu said in a low voice: "You may swear to Lord Tu now. Do not try any tricks.

I have sworn an oath to Lord Tu once myself, and whatever tricks you play, you will not get the better of an honest man like me. " "An honest man. . .

" Lord Dragon-Rearer's eye twitched. He swore his oath in all honesty, and the moment the words — to guard the Yong River and never rebel — left his mouth, his body, beyond his own control, reverted to its true form.

With a series of booms it swelled, becoming a giant flood dragon a hundred li long that sprawled on the riverbed.

A chain of black vapor appeared upon him, one end bound to the Yong River, the other to his very soul! Should he break his oath, that chain would seize his soul and drag it down into Youdu, and he would die, body and spirit alike!

Shen Mu examined his oath carefully and found no flaw in it.

He smiled: "Once the line of ice on your neck melts, your body will be whole again.

Call back your Flood Dragon King God and guard the Yong River well!

" The giant flood dragon that Lord Dragon-Rearer had become turned its huge, mountain-like head toward Shen Mu, its expression complicated, and suddenly said: "I have been calling you a simple, clumsy boy all this while, and still do not know your name.

Might I ask what divinity you are? " Shen Mu rose toward the river's surface with the black flood dragon, his voice carrying up through the water: "Shen Mu of Hidden Remnant Village, Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult, Human Emperor of this age.

" Lord Dragon-Rearer was stunned for a moment, then said, crestfallen: "So you are the Human Emperor.

. .

Who taught you to be like this?

You are even harder to deal with than the Sword God of old. . . "