荒墟牧神 - 第78章 金烏寶船 - 文瀾書苑

Granny Zhu's brows knit fiercely; forthwith she issued her order, her voice harsh: "Martial law throughout the city! Hunt down the fiend! Drive every soul in this city to the square at its heart — I want to see who dares play tricks right under my nose!" The adepts of the city lord's mansion took the command and went down at once, herding every person in the city, merchants from afar included, to the square at the city's center. Shen Feiyue's brows knit as well; that the fiend behind the mischief had not been found left him deeply uneasy. "Young General Shen need not worry. This city is my city — mine, Fu's. No fiend or monster can make trouble here!" So said Granny Zhu, smiling, inside the skin of Fu Yundi. "Drive them all together — even if that fiend's powers are vast and he is a master of hiding, he cannot escape my palm! Do not scruple to summon the king's army. The Wasteland teems with lawless wretches, folk badly in need of discipline! Speaking of which, I have long heard the great name of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, and admire him greatly — I itch to meet him and listen to his instruction!" Shen Feiyue pressed his unease down and smiled. "Rest easy, City Lord. The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping has always meted out reward and punishment with perfect clarity; the City Lord has rendered great service to the Kingdom of Jingping, and will surely rise in rank and title, soar to glory — no need to keep watch over this bitter, frozen land." Granny Zhu laughed heartily, insufferably pleased with herself, then of a sudden snarled: "The fiend who stirred up this trouble has no sense of the times. When he is caught he will be sliced to death by a thousand cuts, his head hung on the city gate as a warning to all! Ah, and one more thing — when you stand before the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, Young General Shen, put in a good word or two for me. That disturbance just now was not my doing, not Fu's, this—" Shen Feiyue understood at once, and laughed. "Be at ease, City Lord. I will surely recommend you before the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping." Granny Zhu let out a breath, her eyes flickering, and lowered her voice: "Truth be told, I have run things here for many years, and I have come by a few remarkable treasures. After the Imperial Preceptor enters the city, why not come with me, Young General Shen, and admire them? If any takes your fancy, take it, by all means—" Shen Feiyue's heart stirred. The Wasteland was said to be treasure-strewn ground, and there was no lack of relics from before the Darkness swept through; Fu Yundi had managed affairs here for many years and must have gathered countless rare and wondrous things. If he could step into that vault and choose a few, it would be a fine profit indeed! Atop the dragon pillar, Shen Mu watched the Deaf Elder paint, making of painting itself a divine ability, and could not keep his eyes from swimming, his heart filled with admiration. From childhood he had studied letters and painting under the Deaf Elder and had read his fill of poetry and books, yet this was the first time he had seen the Deaf Elder display his divine ability in full. To hold back the march of a Jingping host of more than a hundred thousand by the strength of one man — that was truly terrifying. Had there been no master in the Kingdom of Jingping able to break the Deaf Elder's divine ability, that host of a hundred thousand would likely have died beneath it. "Is that Shen-er on the pillar?" All at once the Butcher's voice rose from below. Shen Mu craned over the edge and saw the Butcher hacking at the dragon pillar with his slaughtering knife, yet not one stroke landed upon the pillar; he was puzzled. Stroke after stroke the Butcher cut, and his figure rose slowly as he did, until before long he stood upon the pillar. "What is Grandpa Tu doing?" Shen Mu asked, curious. "Burying a divine ability. To destroy the dragon pillar." The Butcher slid his slaughtering knife into the sheath at his back, then, h