Chapter 762 — A Promise Weighs More Than the Ages
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
"But I fare a little better than he does. He has only me to talk to, while I have many selves, and my mother, and my elder brother, who lies in his coffin and listens to me talk. " Shen Mu rose, jumped from the boat, and set foot on solid ground.
"Today, Heavenly Venerable Yu can come back to life. " The old Yin Courier moored the paper boat and led him into the mansion.
The first time Shen Mu had come here, he had only waited in the great hall for the Lord of Earth's judgment; this time the old Yin Courier brought him to the rear courtyard.
In the rear courtyard was a middle-aged woman, her face bearing the hue of illness, laboriously carrying a bucket of water wreathed in blue flame to water the flowers of the other shore in the garden.
The other-shore flowers bloomed, their color surpassing fire, like blossoms of many-colored flame opening throughout the garden.
"Mother. " The old Yin Courier, rarely, smiled. He went up and helped the woman lift the bucket. "Why don't you rest and nurse your health? Doing heavy work again.
Just leave this to me.
" The woman wiped her forehead and smiled. "One must find something to do.
And who is this young man?
" She looked at Shen Mu, and he saw at once that the woman had no physical body, only a frail soul; the bucket and the water must have had no weight at all, which was why she could lift them. "My friend. " The old Yin Courier smiled.
"He has come to visit us, and my elder brother. " The woman said joyfully, "You have so few friends, and no one ever comes to see you or to ask you out to play.
It is rare to have a friend come — I'll go make a few dishes! You two talk first; I'll have them ready soon. " And she hurried off to busy herself again.
Shen Mu bowed. "Thank you, Aunt.
" The old Yin Courier invited Shen Mu to sit in the inner room.
Shen Mu looked around: poor as a washed-out bowl.
"Why not catch some demons to look after your mother? Or have the primal spirits of the dead help.
With your standing, countless ghosts would be glad to lend a hand.
" The old Yin Courier shook his head. "Mother does not like demons, nor does she like the dead.
The Lord of Earth is good; once I agreed to his terms, he reunited mother and son and let us live here together.
" After a while the woman brought up several small dishes she had made, though the dishes were illusory, food for ghosts alone, with no taste at all.
Shen Mu rose and thanked her, inviting her to sit; the woman shook her head and smiled. "I'll watch you eat. " Shen Mu sat down again and ate as though it were sweetmeat, finding it delicious, praising it without end.
The woman was delighted, and when they had eaten their fill she cleared the bowls and chopsticks and went to wash them.
"Thank you," said the old Yin Courier.
"It was only right," said Shen Mu. "You are in fact a very good person. " The old Yin Courier rose and walked toward the rear hall.
"My elder brother is here too; the Lord of Earth shields his body with his own power. Not long ago I sensed a change in the great Dao of heaven and earth — Lady Tianyin has revived — and I knew that this day was not far off. " Shen Mu followed him, his heart surging, and at last he saw the coffin he had forged from Buddha-essence and crimson chromium!
From within the coffin came the beating of Heavenly Venerable Yu's heart!