Chapter 51 — The Sect Master's Bedmate
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
Look at the little monk Chenghuai: he too cultivated the Eight Thunder Cry Arts, but because his master taught him poorly, he was left with that flaw at his throat. " Granny Zhu spoke with earnest heart: "Therefore, in learning swordsmanship, one must choose the very best of masters; a master who is but half a bucket of water must absolutely be refused. " Shen Mu was doubtful. Pei Wujiu was an officer of the secondary first rank of the Kingdom of Jingping, Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince; could he too be half a bucket of water? "Little fox, I shall not kill you.
" Granny Zhu laughed. "Shen'er, let us go home.
The villagers must be frantic by now, thinking that on your first trip out to hunt you were eaten by some strange beast.
Only your granny was clever, and knowing you had been lured away by the little fox, waited here all along.
By the way, little fox, I leafed through those ancient books of yours and wrote annotations in them for you; read them yourself, and they may spare you some detours. " Snow Fox was ashamed, and said dejectedly, "I do not know how to read. . . " Granny Zhu was surprised, then laughed.
"An honest vixen, after all.
Since you did not lay hands on Shen'er, but won him a stroke of fortune, very well then, your granny will not deceive you. Had you cultivated according to my annotations, you would certainly have deviated and died a death most wretched. Who told you to seduce my family's child? " Snow Fox shivered with dread, and thought, "Master Shen did not speak falsely; the old men and old women of their village are past masters of trickery and deceit, an old fox turned spirit!
" Before long they came to Yincan Village, and Shen Mu was slightly taken aback: beside the village, no one knew when, a whole new village had appeared! This village was plainly newly built, far larger than Yincan Village, and magnificent in style, its towers and pavilions betraying a sense of luxury!
The houses of Yincan Village were all of plain mud walls with thatched roofs, and sometimes leaked rain; on rainy days Shen Mu would often hold up a basin to catch the water dripping inside, and set beside this suddenly appearing neighboring village, Yincan Village looked shabby indeed. Granny Zhu's face darkened at once; without a word she led Shen Mu toward Yincan Village.
And this new village stood right by the road at the village entrance; at this moment strange and uncanny folk came out of that village one after another and stood by the roadside, old and young, men and women. Each time Granny Zhu passed one, that person bowed low and said with the utmost reverence, "Madam.
" Even white-haired elders bent and saluted, respectfully calling her Madam, their looks and tones exceedingly humble. Granny Zhu's face grew greener and greener, and she said not a word, pulling Shen Mu by the hand all the way to Yincan Village; along this road Shen Mu heard several hundred 'Madam's, and was astonished beyond measure. At the village entrance, the village head and the alchemist were drinking tea, and opposite them sat a youth, also slowly sipping tea, with an old man standing beside him.
"Madam," the old man said, bowing.
The youth raised his head, and his voice was unspeakably aged as he said leisurely, "Youyou, have you no greeting for your Patriarch? " Granny Zhu's body went stiff; she halted, bowed, and made a salute: "Greetings, Patriarch.
" Elder Dianxing looked at Shen Mu and smiled until his eyes nearly closed.
"Madam, is this your son? " Granny Zhu glared at him and said viciously, "Say that again and I will tear your mouth to shreds!
Shen'er is a child I picked up, not my son! " Elder Dianxing wore a look that said he understood everything, and it made Granny Zhu's very gums itch.
The alchemist smiled and said, "Granny, the good friends of the Nether Demon Sect have been here several days now, only they have not seen you, and they are unwilling to leave. " Granny Zhu's face grew gloomier still.