525 Haotians Shadow (2/2)

Just in the moment of the blooming of this black peach blossom, the mist in the dense forest was shrouded in an atmosphere of silence.

The colorful snake that was resting under rotten leaves stiffened and suddenly died. The monkey with a ghostly face screamed in horror and fled further away.

In the pursuit of the army of South Jin Kingdom, especially with the joining in of the Divine Hall's Judicial Department, only a dozen or so remained from those who fled. Only five of the cavalry commanders were still alive.

These people who were once honored in the West-Hill Divine Palace had now become sinners. They fled like dogs, living in the forests at the peripheries of the West-Hill Divine Kingdom.

Someone died almost every day and several were abandoned because of their severe injuries. They did not know how long the exile would last. But what made them desperate was that they did not know what was waiting for them in the end. Even if it was only hopelessness, they at least wanted to know where the end was.

They were sinners from the West-Hill Divine Palace. In Haotian's world, no other country dared to take them in. Only the Tang Empire had the power to, but the Empire would only be willing to chop their heads off.

What would the end of their exile be?

How will they die?

Zi Mo was very thin and tired. There was only numbness in his eyes.

He looked at the wilderness at the foot of the mountain in the twilight. He looked at the land that belonged to the Kingdom of Song. He knew that the Taoist temples there had received their paintings. They would not be able to hide in the civilian world.

He thought about how the beginning of their journey and how he had made a wish to the dark skies silently. He was pained when he murmured, ”I will give my life and spirit to Yama for as long as I live. I will not be afraid of the world's end. But... how arrogant I was. Would Yama care about you and me? Even if you wanted to sacrifice, could you get close enough to such a mighty existence?”

”A guide is required for mortals who wish to approach greatness, and it is a long process.”

A cold voice suddenly rang on the edge of the cliff.

Zi Mo's expression changed. Ten other fugitives behind him held up the weapons in their hands and looked at the edge of the cliff alertly, ready to attack.

A young man stood on the edge of the cliff, looking in the direction of the setting sun.

He wore a black taoist robe and blocked the setting sun, so the figure looked extremely dark. The cool autumn wind from the wilderness crept along the cliff, flipping up the edges of his robe, which let rays of light pass through from time to time.

The fugitives had all lived in the West-Hill Divine Palace for a long time. They looked at the man on the edge of the cliff and felt as if they were hallucinating. They seemed to be looking at the shadow of Haotian.

Or the shadow of Yama.

After fleeing for days, their nerves were strained to the point where they were about to break. The camping site they had chosen was secluded. However, they did not expect to be discovered by the man who approached them quietly.

To them, someone who could creep up on them silently would definitely be very powerful. He could only be a powerhouse from the West-Hill Divine Palace, if not a master of Haotian Taoism in the Kingdom of Song.

The fugitives had their power taken and could not hope to beat this powerhouse in Haotian Taoism. They were engulfed by hopelessness when they heard the voice.

Despite their despair, they forced themselves to fight. Since they were going to die anyway, then this might be their last battle. They would die valiantly.

However, no one moved.

Because the young man in the black taoist robe standing on the edge of the cliff gave people the feeling that he was unchallengeable.

Also, Zi Mo had suddenly knelt behind the young man, crying bitterly.

Following that, more people recognized the young man, especially the four previous commanders of the cavalryman of Divine Hall. They ran towards the edge of the cliff, shaking, and knelt behind Zi Mo. They cried loudly to the young man's back like lost sheep who have found their owner.

Commander Zimo looked at the man's back tearfully. He said in a trembling voice, ”My Priest... Everyone said that you had died. But you're alive... That's great.”

A commander with a broken arm cried loudly, ”My lord... My lord... I knew that you would not abandon us. You're finally back!”

Long Qing turned around and looked at his former subordinates. He said, ”Will you follow me again?”

The cries on the edge of the cliff halted and everyone kowtowed.

Zi Mo raised his head and looked at the scars on Long Qing's face. Then, he looked at the black peach blossom on Long Qing's chest. He thought of the rumors and discovered to his shock that not only had the Priest not died, his cultivation state had grown far better than the original!

Then, a gust of cold aura entered the hearts of Zi Mo and the others.

It came from Long Qing.

And from his words.

”I have indeed died, but I do not know if I saw Haotian or Yama when I died. There was a light after I died, and I thought about many things. However, I only understood when I heard what you said, Zi Mo. Perhaps I am not the son of Heaven's orders.”

Long Qing looked at the skies and said thoughtfully, ”Perhaps... I am son of Yama?”