Chapter 81 — The Nether Dark Realm
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 3
Kui Sou's iron ears twitched. He sighed and said, "When he suddenly appeared in the darkness back then, we should have suspected. An ordinary child in such circumstances would have died long ago, yet he survived in the darkness. Silent Craftsman, what do you think?
"
Silent Craftsman said a few words in his aah-aah speech.
Kui Sou sneered, "He who is not of our kind must have a different heart! Do not speak for him! "
"Kui Sou, you are too extreme.
"
Pill Master said gravely, "Shen'er's jade pendant might come from the Worry-Free Land—that does not mean Shen'er comes from there.
And even if he did, what of it? No one has ever been to the Worry-Free Land. It does not necessarily belong to the Dark Realm or to evil. Moreover, the Dark Realm is not necessarily full of demons.
There are other possibilities for Shen'er's origins. "
Granny Zhu sneered, "Even if Shen'er were a little demon from the Dark Realm, what of it? We raised him from a babe in arms. He is our child, our own flesh and blood!
"
Lame Elder said angrily, "Granny, that is unreasonable. .
.
"
. . . The others argued back and forth. Old Huo had remained silent all along, then suddenly spoke: "We watched Shen'er grow up, and we taught him. If we are demons, then what we taught him is a demon.
Whatever kind of people we are, that is what we will have made him. "
Everyone fell silent. Old Huo had always been sparing with words, but whenever he spoke, his words carried weight.
"Old Huo is right.
"
Lame Elder, who admired him most, nodded and said, "I was overthinking.
Kui Sou, what do you think?
"
Kui Sou looked at Silent Craftsman, with whom he was closest. Silent Craftsman's face, flushed red from the forge, broke into a smile. He said a few words in his aah-aah speech. Kui Sou said, "I know you are not a bad man, and I think I am not bad either.
If Shen'er becomes a demon, then they are to blame.
In our village, apart from you and me, none of the others are any good!
"
Granny Zhu was furious. "You dead bookworm, are you discriminating against those who cultivate the demonic path?
"
Kui Sou sneered and pulled out his two iron ears, indicating he did not wish to pay them any attention. The Village Chief's head ached. "We are all from the same village. Everyone, say less. Kui Sou, put your ears back in. It is frightening.
"
Kui Sou popped his ears back in with two plops.
The Village Chief said, "I want to take Shen'er to the Dark Realm, to see whether the Worry-Free Land is there. "
Everyone was startled.
The Village Chief smiled. "Rest assured.
My first entry into the Dark Realm was four hundred years ago. In these four hundred years, I have made some progress.
I will prepare for a time, then take Shen'er into the darkness for a journey.
"